Organic Spices & Extracts in GTA?

[SittingAroundEatingBonBons]

I'm hunting high and low for places to shop for organic spices and extracts and concentrates in the GTA? Any suggestions pretty please!

[Phrizzie]

In the west end, Whole Foods (Oakville) has *the* best selection of organic extracts and spices I've come across. I also shop at Organic Garage in Oakville (about 2 minutes west of Whole Foods), and they have better prices but a much more limited selection of spices, and very few extracts but for the more popular (lemon, vanilla, etc.).

[albanis]

I buy most of my spices at Karma Co-op, http://www.karmacoop.org/
I can't go back to buying any spice non-organic now.

I did buy some non-alcoholic based vanilla at Pusateri's, the one at Avenue & Lawrence. It wasn't that much more than Whole Foods or something.

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Pusateri's
1539 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON M5M, CA

[flying101]

pusateri's carries organic spices, also mccormick (national brand available everywhere) has an organic line, I am sure wholefoods, or any natural food/organic food store will have organic spices.

never looked for / come across organic extracts...
would they have do use alcohol from organic grains? not many available in that department i would think.

[SittingAroundEatingBonBons]

thanks muchly for the suggestions

[daviddoug]

they use grain alcohol for organic turmeric powder?

[trombasteve]

I think flying101 was probably referring to extracts, like vanilla, which use alcohol as a solvent.

[Snarf]

Spice Trader on Queen West.

http://www.thespicetrader.ca/

[SittingAroundEatingBonBons]

Oh I love Spice Trader but I need someone with more variety in the extract and concentrate arena.

[Otonabee]

Love Spice Trader too, maybe ask them about the extracts. Wondering if maybe Whole Foods or one of the larger health food stores would carry things like that.

[radiopolitic]

I just picked up some sumac from there earlier today. Smells freaking divine.

[dxs]

radiopolitic, would you say the sumac from Spice Trader is worth paying extra for? (I'm imagining it's pricier than what you would buy at middle eastern stores, correct me if I'm wrong). I get through a fair amount of the stuff, but wouldn't mind paying more if it's of a superior quality...

[radiopolitic]

I just purchased it for the first time yesterday so I haven't used it in any application just yet, however, from the smell it is definitely more fragrant.

$6.75 for 50g... but wooo that smell, I almost feel like snorting it, lol.

[dxs]

Thanks. Sounds like it may be worth it, guess I'll just have to do a taste test now :)

[Flexitarian]

I buy almost everything organic and frequent the farmers markets in Toronto so I am used to paying higher prices, but I was absolutely blown away buy the high cost of the spices at the Spice Trader (compared to McCormick's and other organic spices I've found, say, at The Big Carrot).

Do people find that The Spice Trader's prices are worth the stiff premium? I ended up walking out of the store shocked and empty-handed.

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Spice Trader
805 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J, CA

[Snarf]

They do a number of things well, and if you want the 'organic' tag, then it's one of the few. In terms of pricing, they do a few things that are market competitive, and they generally are fresher, but you can save much money if you don't want the organic tag by going to House of Spice or Kohinoor.

For example,. 1g of kashmiri saffron is $14, which isn't bad for the quantity and the freshness.

[bluefirefly]

I agree with Snarf. You have to be selective of the things you buy there as some things are about the same price, and others cost a lot more. However, for finding rare ORGANIC spices, this is the place. I've found some of the spices elsewhere, but they aren't organic.