I want to actually be prepared for holiday baking this year. I don't do a lot of baking but I do a few items that will need some supplies. I am located in Milwaukee area, Wisconsin,USA if you have a brick and mortar suggestion and,of course, I am looking for a favorite internet supplier.
So take a look at my list and see if you have any favorite suppliers for these items.
Spices:Whole and ground: cardamom,coriander, and nutmeg.
Bulk Craisins for under $4/lb
Bulk Golden raisins for under $4/lb
**I could easily buy 10-15 lbs each of the raisins/craisins and walnuts since I use them in making my daily breakfast bread.
Walnuts** and pecans (5 lbs) -they skyrocketed last year to about $10-$13/lb here!
Almond meal-( 1-2 lbs)
Sliced almonds (1 lb)
Diced candied orange and lemon peel-very hard to find locally.( 1-2 lbs)
Pannetone papers-individual size-about the size of a large muffin (24-36)
White and dark chocolate for ganache ( about 1-2 lbs each)
I am planning on baking biscotti,pannetone,filled brioche and a few varieties of cookies.
I would suggest Penzeys Spices as a good source of a huge range of high-quality spices at very reasonable prices. I believe their web address is www.penzeys.com They are headquartered in Milwaukee, I think, so it shouldn't be hard to locate a store and save on shipping costs.
FWIW, I'm a happy customer and have no other affiliation with the company.
Paul
If you have a Trader Joe's it would be worth a trip. Prices for dried fruits and nuts are quite low. (All their prices are good.) I don't have one near me but when I visit my daughter I always stock up.
You'll have to check prices to see how they compare with other sources but here are 2 mail order sources I've used for whole (or ground) spices
http://www.myspicesage.com/ (shipping is "free" - in the sense that it's included in the price of the goods)
http://www.thespicehouse.com/