Tips and Tools Tuesday: Where do I find this stuff?

I decided to start a new feature on this blog, I'm calling it Tips and Tools Tuesday. I've been baking since my teens and after some time in commercial bakeries I've used a lot of products and have learned a lot of tips. Every Tuesday I will make a post featuring a product that I love or sharing a helpful tip that I've learned in my baking life. Since we're a small and humble little beehive over here you won't have to worry that I'm getting paid by some company to feature their product or to advertise their services. People, these are things that I actually own, places that I actually shop at and tips that I actually use.

To get things started I thought it would be most appropriate to share locations where I shop. Consider yourself warned, once you step foot into these places you can get carried away.

First and foremost, I usually start with the internet. Researching products on the internet is priceless. Not sure if a store has what you're looking for? Visiting the sites of stores can save you a car ride. Even if their website isn't fully developed, at the very least you can find a phone number where you can call and ask. You might be able to find a better price online but after tacking on shipping, worrying about something getting damaged in the shipping process and possibly having to deal with their return policy, I like to buy local as often as possible. I feel better about purchases that I can feel and hold rather then hoping that what you purchase online will work.

That being said, here's a list of my favorite places to shop in the Salt Lake Valley:

Bakers Cash and Carry - This place is a little hard to find but once you do you will find GREAT savings on chocolate. From giant 10 lb bricks to 1 lb bags of chocolate chips, this place has it all. Their assortment of cookie chips (chocolate, white, butterscotch, etc) will save you some money verses buying smaller bags at the grocery store. They also have candy making supplies and a small selection of cake decorating supplies.

Gygi- Gygi is one store that's easy to get lost in. They have everything that a bakers heart could ever desire. From cute aprons to ready to use fondant to cooking classes, this is definitely a one stop shop. The staff is always super friendly and knowledgeable. They have the best selection of cake decorating supplies and their catering section is great for grabbing a plastic tray or two that you wouldn't mind leaving at a friends house after dropping off some treats. Gygi also has a great selection of cake pans and all the little accessories that go with baking/cooking (thermometers, spatulas, knives, oh my!). Don't miss the wall of cookie cutters near the checkout line. A gift card here would be the perfect wedding present.

Standard Restaurant Supply- Don't let the name fool ya, this place is definitely open to the public and an amazing resource. This is a no frills warehouse that is MASSIVE and stocked to the rafters. I've picked up some really neat white plates for a super duper cheap price here. There is a baking aisle with pans and tools but the real savings is over in the packaging aisle. You'll have to wonder through the warehouse portion a little bit but the packaging aisle is huge and they have a lot to offer and a great price. We've found that their prices beat everything we found online. Although it is pretty basic stuff (white boxes, cardboard cake rounds, disposable tin loaf pans, to-go packaging for restaurants) they do sell most items individually so you can buy bits and pieces to keep at the house. Trust me, to-go restaurant packing becomes handy when you have a dinner party with too many leftovers.

Sur La Table- There are quite a few chain stores that cater to the cooking enthusiast in all of us but I've always been drawn to Sur La Table. Their prices are a bit higher than the other places I've mentioned but sometimes they have products that I can't find anywhere else. This is always a good choice for a gift card for that hard to shop for person. I must say though, they do have items that are fun but not made to last so research your purchases.

Xpedex- So you've baked something delicious and now want to share with your friends and family. Xpedex is definitely the place to go for adorable packaging. They have an entire aisle of cute plastic bags to put your cookies in and keep an eye out for the gable boxes, they're my favorite. There's a fairly good selection of affordable ribbon and don't forget to check out the south wall to get a cardboard box to mail your goodies to those out of state friends and family. If you go around christmas time they have a great selection of wrapping paper too. Their website is annoying and doesn't offer a good understanding of what they have to offer so just use it to find the nearest store.

Hopefully that's a good starting point for everyone. If anyone has favorites stores in Salt Lake, please share!