Post #595849 by Brandomoai on Fri, Jul 1, 2011 9:15 PM

That's the same orzata we get in Edmonton and Calgary. It's fine, although purists will say it's missing the orange flower water component. I found Torani Orgeat at a coffee shop in Canmore, but I've never seen it in Edmonton. It's a lot thinner and more translucent. The one I prefer but ration due to the fact that I can only get it in Vancouver is Giffard (so good!). At the Italian Centre in Edmonton, I think we can still get Monin Almond, which is apparently the same as what they used to label as Orgeat. I've also seen some Middle Eastern variants, but I suspect they're along the same lines as the orzata from Italy. Hey Slacks, that's what this thread is all about! We can't all hit every little ethnic grocer to see if they have Coco Lopez or falernum or passion fruit puree or whatever else we may be looking for. We've gotta' help each other out! BTW, I've had Coco Lopez in the US, and it's good stuff. But without comparing them side-by-side, I can't say how Coco Colada stands up. I've used Goya as well, and it's all basically the same. I kinda' expect the Coco Lopez to be better, though. More flavorful or something. PM if the plan works out with the details!
SDT, never seen any bitters but Angostura here, although there is a Western Canadian distributor for Fee Bros. Here's the response I got from them via e-mail:

Please contact Far-Met Importers at 604-876-2241 for assistance.

Someone in Vancouver should get in touch with these guys. They're obviously not doing their job, because I've never seen Fee Bros. products anywhere in AB or BC! Since I bought the last 2 bottles of Velvet Falernum from that East/West Indian grocer on Stony Plain, they haven't restocked. Still, I think there are other Caribbean places I haven't had time to check out, probably in the North East. It'd be nice to find a steady supply of falernum. My first and only attempt at homemade failed miserably...
Hey corrinnao, I have Lambs Navy 151. When you look at what's available here for overproof rums (Bacardi, Wray & Nephew, and Lambs Navy) I think it's probably the best substitute at hand for Lemon Hart 151. It's not as good, but it's certainly better than some of the cheap, swill overproof I've tried in the US (anyone tried Potters West Indies Overproof? Big mistake). It's at least very dark and a little spicy and smokey. And if the old legend is still true, there may be some Demerara mixed in there, along with 17 other Caribbean rums! I have a single, precious bottle of the old stock of LH151 that I will use very sparingly until a) we get some distribution of the new stock or b) it becomes available in one or more of my regular US destinations. I say go ahead and enjoy the Lambs - it makes a decent zombie!