Salmiakki attack!

July 17, 2007 6:03 PM

Salty licorice. San Francisco. Where?

My friend wants salty licorice. Where can she find some in San Francisco? I know it can be mail-ordered but her taste for it is rather intense and needs immediate satisfaction.

posted by beerbajay to Food & Drink (17 answers total)

Have you tried World Market yet? Their Minnesota locations have licorice items.
posted by gimonca at 6:10 PM on July 17, 2007

Not quite San Francisco, but across the Bay, IKEA in Emeryville has it.
posted by gt2 at 6:12 PM on July 17, 2007

seconding cost plus. daly city, if you have to.
posted by dorian at 6:14 PM on July 17, 2007

Best answer: The salzige herringe they have at cost plus world market are the best salmiakki I've been able to find here in the bay area, but they really aren't what I'm looking for. I usually just wait for my Norwegian roommate to go home for a vacation and when he gets back: Tyrkisk Peber!

I happen to have some on hand now - not enough for you to stock up or anything but enough to satisfy an immediate craving. My email's in my profile.

:o
posted by aubilenon at 6:41 PM on July 17, 2007

Have you tried calling The Candy Store in Russian Hill? If not, then CPWM for Salzige Heringe and Dutch dubbel zout.
posted by holgate at 7:08 PM on July 17, 2007

As something completely different but slightly similar, people should go to a Chinese market and try some "salty plum" or "preserved plum". Both can include licorice, salt, and often citric acid. The salty plum is saltier and like a hard mummified fruit with the pit still in. The preserved plum is often seedless, more like a prune in texture, and with more licorice flavor.

Read the lable or ask to make sure you are getting a licorice version.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 8:04 PM on July 17, 2007

Looks like you have some good answers, but it's also the perfect excuse for a road trip to Solvang, where it's available in pretty much every bakery in town.

BTW, for the readers who aren't familiar with salty licorice, remember that scene at the end of Time Bandits, with the "concentrated evil"? I'm pretty sure that was dubbel zout licorice.
posted by IvyMike at 8:32 PM on July 17, 2007

Best answer: Miette in Hayes Valley.
posted by kcm at 8:40 PM on July 17, 2007

Seconding Miette. They have 10-20 different kinds of licorice, including some I've never seen anywhere else.
posted by judith at 8:47 PM on July 17, 2007

Response by poster: I called Cost Plus, but the person I spoke to was unclear about what was or was not salt licorice, but looking at their website, there's a good chance that they'll have the salty cat paws and ears. I also called The Candy Store and the person I spoke to there indicated that they had 17 different kinds of salt licorice. Thanks so much!
posted by beerbajay at 11:57 PM on July 17, 2007

I think IKEA carries it.
posted by Frank Grimes at 4:38 AM on July 18, 2007

Dean & Deluca has it in DC. There's a store in St. Helena, if you feel like a drive.
posted by MrMoonPie at 5:51 AM on July 18, 2007

For what it's worth, I used to buy salty licorice at Cost Plus in Sacramento, but haven't found it there in quite a while. That doesn't necessarily mean the Bay Area stores don't still carry it, though.
posted by Acetylene at 8:14 AM on July 18, 2007

seconding Ikea... I've seen it there.

... got salt licorice on my honeymoon in March in Sweden... I still love to trick people with it :P I am a bad person.
posted by ForeverDcember at 10:11 AM on July 18, 2007

Ooo.. I might have to check out Miette. I was thinking of asking the same question, and I found Holland's Best in San Jose. Haven't got there yet, but their web site is has quite a thorough selection.
posted by hobbes at 10:31 AM on July 18, 2007

Seconding Dean & Deluca. The Georgetown one is where I get my salt licorice fix. I recommend the Euro-denominated coins over pretty much any of their other varieties.

Note that not all black licorice will have the right flavor, if you are from Scandinavia anyway. Most any variety you will find at a World Market or Ikea will be much sweeter and milder versions than the real Salmiakki stuff.

[Damn you, aubilenon, now I am gonna have to order a bag of Tyrkisk Peber! online. I haven't had any in years!!]
posted by gemmy at 6:23 PM on July 18, 2007

Response by poster: Happily got some Turkish Pepper from aubilenon; a pleasure. Also stopped by Miette, which had quite a few types, though it was rather expensive. My friend and I hope to stop by World Market and The Candy Store in the near future, hoping for a more affordable fix. Thanks for all the answers.
posted by beerbajay at 7:00 PM on July 18, 2007