Source for dried puy lentils in Vancouver?

[grayelf]

Do y'all have a favourite supplier? Anywhere that sells them for less, apart from Costco? :-)

[calliope1000]

Dollar Grocers, at 7th & Commercial. in bulk form, not packaged.

[vandan]

i already recommended them in the post just before yours

[calliope1000]

i know, but you didn't seem sure if they still sold them, and the name and location wasn't as specific

[vandan]

Fair enough

[grayelf]

I inquired about puy lentils at my favourite local tienda and they said they get them sometimes but recommended beluga as a substitute. These are smaller and black so don't seem all that similar. Anyone tried them?

[kinnickinnik]

They're great - very tasty and look nice in salads and pilafs too. They cook quickly but do stay relatively firm - but not quite as firm as puy in my experience. I think they're a reasonable substitute.

[grayelf]

Thanks kinnick -- I was wondering about the cooking time (and woulda googled despite my apparent laziness!) since they were about the size of red lentils which cook so fast. I do fancy the firmness so thanks for that note too. Do they stay black?

[kinnickinnik]

I just looked at my package (the Cote d'Azuer brand from Gourmet Warehouse) that states a '20-30' min cooking time. It'll vary by batch I'm sure but I'd place at the lower end of that. I check as they cook so not sure - probably 18-20 min.

They lighten to a med-dark brown. Maybe there's a way of holding their colour?
They still look lovely contrasted with other things (tomatoes and peppers, herbs, nice piece of halibut sitting on top...). A bit of fat or oil to gloss them up helps :-)

[calliope1000]

I always soak them for about half an hour first. soaking also helps to clean them. then i guess i'll cook them for 20 mins, depending on what i'm going to be using them for. if i was making a salad i wouldn't want them mushy. but i usually make a thick soup.

[piwakawaka]

whole food at 4th and vine have them but they cost $$$$$$$ (we still buy them cos we're too lazy to walk any further to shop than we have to)

[vandan]

Used to buy them at $ grocers lm Commercial probably the cheapest place if they still sell them

[waver]

Did some research on Broadway this morning: the "Dan-D pack store" on Broadway and Stephens has them, both bulk conventional ($0.48/100 gr) and packaged organic French (0.68/100 gr.).

[kinnickinnik]

Good to know, thanks!
That's even less than Galloway's (5.99/500 g for the organic french)
http://gallowaysfoods.com/index.php/c...

[grayelf]

That's a great rec for me as that is on my way to work! I am beset by laziness and should google this but I seem to recall reading that real Puy lentils are harder to come by.

[À la carte]

Famous Foods used to have them and their prices are generally good, but I haven't been there in a while (still working through the huge stash of dried beans and lentils that we bought...)

[kinnickinnik]

I get them at Gourmet Warehouse. No idea how their price compares to others but it's reasonable.

I'm sure Galloway's has them at a reasonable price too.

[grayelf]

Thanks all! The MIL gave me a giganto bag from Goats on the Roof and I'm finally finishing them up.

[fmed]

I pick it up at South China Seas or at Gourmet Warehouse. You can try the Canadian puy lentils which cost less than the imported kind. The bag I currently have is Cote D'Azure packed for Great Culinary Adventures, Inc. I don't recall the price, but it was pretty reasonable.

[waver]

Not terrifically original, but I usually get them at the bulk place on Granville Island.