Comments on: Salmiakki attack!

Question: Salmiakki attack!

beerbajay — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:03:27 -0800

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.

By: gimonca

gimonca — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:10:43 -0800

Have you tried World Market yet? Their Minnesota locations have licorice items.

By: gt2

gt2 — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:12:29 -0800

Not quite San Francisco, but across the Bay, IKEA in Emeryville has it.

By: dorian

dorian — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:14:57 -0800

seconding cost plus. daly city, if you have to.

By: aubilenon

aubilenon — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:41:55 -0800

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

By: holgate

holgate — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 19:08:58 -0800

Have you tried calling The Candy Store in Russian Hill? If not, then CPWM for Salzige Heringe and Dutch dubbel zout.

By: MonkeySaltedNuts

MonkeySaltedNuts — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 20:04:08 -0800

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.

By: IvyMike

IvyMike — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 20:32:42 -0800

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.

By: kcm

kcm — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 20:40:19 -0800

Miette in Hayes Valley.

By: judith

judith — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 20:47:49 -0800

Seconding Miette. They have 10-20 different kinds of licorice, including some I've never seen anywhere else.

By: beerbajay

beerbajay — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 23:57:49 -0800

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!

By: Frank Grimes

Frank Grimes — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 04:38:49 -0800

I think IKEA carries it.

By: MrMoonPie

MrMoonPie — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 05:51:37 -0800

Dean & Deluca has it in DC. There's a store in St. Helena, if you feel like a drive.

By: Acetylene

Acetylene — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 08:14:36 -0800

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.

By: ForeverDcember

ForeverDcember — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 10:11:50 -0800

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.

By: hobbes

hobbes — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 10:31:58 -0800

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.

By: gemmy

gemmy — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:23:52 -0800

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!!]

By: beerbajay

beerbajay — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:00:51 -0800

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.