VENT ALERT! HOW can we get Michaels or Hobby Lobby to carry isomalt and hi-ratio shortening? I am so sick and tired of paying ridiculous shipping costs for these things!!! OK-Isomalt isn't terrible, but HI-R shortening? REALLY? REALLY? You need to buy a ton of it at a clip (because the small amounts last for 2-3 cakes) and it weighs so #$#^$^ much that the shipping costs are crazy! The one cake place I can get it from here-well let's just say that their prices are equal to EXTORTION!!!! (Almost $8. for what they claim to be 1 1/2 lbs.-I weighed it---NOT!)

Can we start a petition or something? For those of you who are in my boat, go to your window and yell, "I'm mad as h**** and I'm not going to take it anymore!" LOL- Actually, I am! Come on CCers-it's time for a grass (tip) roots movement. Let's appeal to THE MAN! Whaddya say? Whew I feel better now!

well I dont really use neither but i will support you, (I probably dont use them because of the things u mentioned)

Whats the plan???

it is funny that you should post this.. the nearest cake supply store for me is about 3-4 hours away. So I thought i would order some online.. NOT !!!! NO way was i paying that kind of shipping !! I did the math and it is cheaper for me drive to OH to the supply store than order online.

where are you located AKS?

AKS.... Hobby Lobby does carry Isomalt; at least mine does.. It is in the cake supplies isle..

Leah: I'm in Central IL-far, far away from everything! Real culture shock considering I was born in Brooklyn, NY!

OOOHH you're lucky LJ! I'll have to ask mine to consider it.
ayerim: not sure yet. Haven't thought that far ahead. Maybe we can do some kind of online petition. I'll PM Heath and Jackie and see what they say!

Try paying shipping to Alaska.

Actually, there's a local store that carries both, but they certainly pass the shipping costs to the customer.

my local hobbylobby.. when i type in isomalt.. keeps asking.. do you mean asphalt.. They apparently dont carry it in my local store.. LOL.. i was so hoping..

I PM'd Heath. We'll see about a petition.

A food supplier here carries it (hi-ratio). You don't have to be a business to buy it there. You may have food suppliers in your area that sell it. There is one about 20 mins from me and one about 50 mins from me.

Jenn-tried that-no dice!

Thanks I will check the store. Fingers crossed!! But if the staff there asks me if I mean asphalt... there may be a cleanup on aisle 4 !!

I'm not sure about anything other than Isomalt crystals - but Jester's carries Sweetex. Yes, the shipping is still a little pricey ($25) However, the product cost is about half of most stores (They sell the 50# box for only $84.99). I realize this is a large amount, but Sweetex can be kept in the freezer until you're ready to use it. (bring it to room temp. first)

I live in a small town too - so I know what it's like to be "supply-deficient"

http://www.fondantsource.com/hirash.html

HTH
Cheley

Stupid question time - what are some of the name brands for high ratio; does the box say 'high ratio' on the outside?

Do you have restaurants in your town? find out who their suppliers are, could be Sysco, Ben E Keith, or others. Sams also has an online business section where you can order ingredients, but they dont deliver to home addresses, but will if you have a business address. Someone in your town has access to these ingredients, just got to find out who.

I have been using Walmarts shortening...the one with the fried chicken on the label, and it works great...crusts nice...

Thanks guys-yup tried Sam's and restaurant suppliers in the area. My next stop is a bakery, but we only have two and they are really old school. Not that that matters, but they may only do the MBCs. I have to check them out. Thanks for the Sams business section. I'll check that out.

I am here in NJ and I am lucky to have an amazing cake decor store like 15-20 mins from me that has almost everything that you couls ask for in stock plus a whole room devoted to just molds so I rarely go to michaels or any of those places. but I will def support your cause because you never know when you might need to hit walmart for those late night cake disasters and redo's. the walmart by me sucks big time they have one section of a self devoted to cake supplies and all it really is is 3 types of pans, a few cake stands, coloing and wilton icing, and fondant. i mean what can you really do with that??

AKS do you have a Gordon Food Service near you? I'm up near Rockford and that is where I get my hi-ratio shortening. I usually buy 1 a year.

I have to order everything & shipping really is a big issue here in Hawaii, I have a couple of suppliers that work well with me & send the heavy things by regular mail, it still costs a lot but not as much as UPS or FEDEX, I just have to remember to order the heavy items like Sweetex at least 6 weeks in advance. The lighter items are sent to me prority mail flat rate. We don't have a Michaels on our island only an ACE hardware that carries very basic items!

Rcrew: yes, but I need to buy 50 lbs of it for them to order it!

Superstar...I appreciate your situation. I graduated from Hilo High on the Big Island back in 1960. I remember the high costs and unavailability of items then. In fact, even tomatoes were a dear item. (Looking back, I don't know why we didn't just grow them ourselves?)
Still, I wish Michael's or Hobby Lobby carried Hi-ratio. St. Louis is several hours from my rural home, (and I don't even know who carries it there), while Michael's is only one hour away. I mail-ordered it once, just enough to find that I liked it but the cost was prohibitive. I've been using generic store brands that still contain trans fats, though I wonder how long that choice will still be available to us.

Thank you milkmaid42, Islanders now are growing everything & with the advent of Costco we have access to evrything at the same prices as the mainland, but......unfortunately they don t carry anything of any use to cake decorators. I do have my fondant flown over via fedex from Cocoa Outlet on the Big Island & they have a very good discount with Fedex which they are happy to pass on to their customers, for that I am very grateful. I actually don't buy from any vendor who refuses to ship by USPS.

If you have a Gordon's Food Store around or another restaurant supply store orrrrrr if you know the owner of a restaurant that bakes, ask them. I bake for my son's restaurant and have some friends that bake and I order Hi Ratio for them (discount) from Gordon's and they go pay for it and pick it up. I'm in Michigan.

Colleen