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YEG - Jewish staples?

I'm looking primarily for Matzo, sour salt, real challah bread (like are there any Jewish bakeries?), falafel mixes, and kasha. I am not Jewish myself but I had a friend who taught me a lot of the recipes her mother made and I haven't been able to find any of these things since I've moved here to Edmonton.

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  1. Neither am I Nairne but I have noticed that many supermarkets have at least a kosher section of sorts. It may be limited in some and more expansive in others but I have not paid a great deal of attention to what it actually stocks.

    Andy's IGA in the Crestwood area probably stocks more products.

    Jewish bakery? Hmmm...not sure but what about the bakery in the Callingwood Shopping Centre?...do not recollect if it is a Bagel Bin or not.

    It has been awhile since I went in but I do recollect excellent egg bread some time ago. Is it "real" challah? I do not know.

    Good luck.

    2 Replies
    1. re: Bob Mac

      Thank you for your response. I have looked at the stores near me (safeway & save on) and haven't found those kind of things so perhaps I need to explore a bit further out. In Missouri, where I'm from, there are usually at least a couple of isles of traditional food or kosher items.

      1. re: Nairne

        But I thought Missouri was landlocked!

    2. Bon Ton Bakery sells (or sold...haven't been there in a long time) what I consider to be a good challah, though I'm no expert.

      Other items like matzo and falafel, as Bob points out, are probably available in most grocery stores. I buy falafel mix often, though not sure if they are Jewish.

      2 Replies
      1. re: Dan G

        Thank you for your response. I shall have to check out Bon Ton Bakery. The grocery stores near me do not even sell egg bread. I have not found matzo or falafel at the stores near me but perhaps I need to go further out to different areas.

        1. re: Nairne

          I've lived and shopped in many areas of this city, and I'm surprised you can't fnd falafel mix. If you can't find it anywhere else, go to Hellas at 109 ave and 124 st. Guaranteed to have it, though you should find it quite easily.

      2. If you go onto the Jewish Federation of Edmonton website, and click on the link to the "community directory", there is a small list of businesses under "kosher foods", including IGA and Sobey's in Hawkstone (west Edmnton). It's a start, at least.

        2 Replies
        1. re: Libertycafe

          Thank you for your response. I shall check out that site. Where I am from, jewish foods are more readily available as there was a huge jewish population. It did not occur to me that Edmonton's community would be so small.

          1. re: Libertycafe

            That sobey's is awesome for kosher food!

          2. And I'm pretty sure that the last time I was in Callingwood, Bagel Bin had closed down. I don't know if Bagel Bin has moved elsewhere or is permanently closed.

            1. I heard that Bliss is a kosher bakery.

              1 Reply
              1. re: anonymoose

                Just spoke to a Jewish employee in my office and he says the Hawkestone IGA has the best selection in town (better than Andy's IGA) for kosher products. I have been to a great little store owned by Russian Jews that used to be called Loritas, but a move and a name change later and it is now in Collingwood called Europeon Foods...I need to check that name, but it is on 176th St and aroung 69 Ave. Matzo and other kosher for Passover products are readily available around Passover time, but certainly less so the rest of the year. Other middle eastern food stuffs can be found at El Safadi on the North end...hallal, not kosher, but close!