(edit title) Where to Buy What in Sweden Things that are quite hard to find Options

[melaela]

Okay, so I will be here in Sweden for the next three months and it would be helpful to know where these items can be bought. The nearby groceries (Willy's, OoB, Coop, LiDL) do not carry these, or at least I think they do not. If you know where they can be found and what the Swedish names are, that would be a big help. Thank you so much!

- Epsom salt (hopefully in kilogram packs)
- Baking SODA
- Virgin Coconut Oil
- Pure Maple Syrup
- Buttermilk (I know I can substitute a cup of milk with a tbsp of vinegar but I was hoping that I would not need substitutes)

These are the ones that I am looking for at the moment. Thanks a lot!

[Puffin]

- Epsom salt (hopefully in kilogram packs) - Bittersalt epsomsalt - try health food stores

- Baking SODA - Bikarbonat - all supermarkets in the baking section

- Virgin Coconut Oil - try health food shops

- Pure Maple Syrup - lönnsirap although often maple syrup as well if US or Canadian brand - most larger supermarkets in the baking section - usually with the bread syrups - sometimes with the honey

- Buttermilk - buttermilk is not available - however I read that you can subsitute Filmjölk - certainly works for soda bread

[Tusker]

Thank you Puffin. Most helpful, and I have noticed in many of the replies, you provide useful information to others who may be a bit lost in their new life. You are an asset to this site...unlike too many who are sarcastic, unkind and unwelcoming. Keep up the good work

[melaela]

Thank you so much Puffin! That was really helpful!

Some follow up questions:

For Bittersalt epsomsalt, can you give me a name of a health food store I can visit somewhere in Stockholm? I thought Apotek would carry them but I was wrong. The pharmacist was lost and said she had never heard of Epsom Salt before.

For maple syrup, since I have a hard time reading the back side of the bottles, are they usually pure? Like Grade B or something?

Again, thank you so much! And I agree with above poster, you provide helpful replies always.

[Rick Methven]

Thank you so much Puffin! That was really helpful!Some follow up questions:For Bittersalt epsomsalt, can you give me a name of a health food store I can visit somewher ... (show full quote)

Thank you so much Puffin! That was really helpful!

Some follow up questions:

For Bittersalt epsomsalt, can you give me a name of a health food store I can visit somewhere in Stockholm? I thought Apotek would carry them but I was wrong. The pharmacist was lost and said she had never heard of Epsom Salt before.

For maple syrup, since I have a hard time reading the back side of the bottles, are they usually pure? Like Grade B or something?

Again, thank you so much! And I agree with above poster, you provide helpful replies always. ... (hide full quote)

If you want Epsom salts for indigestion hangover cure etc. you can try Samarin which is available in the Apotek, either in powder or tablet form

[Puffin]

Thank you so much Puffin! That was really helpful!Some follow up questions:For Bittersalt epsomsalt, can you give me a name of a health food store I can visit somewher ... (show full quote)

Thank you so much Puffin! That was really helpful!

Some follow up questions:

For Bittersalt epsomsalt, can you give me a name of a health food store I can visit somewhere in Stockholm? I thought Apotek would carry them but I was wrong. The pharmacist was lost and said she had never heard of Epsom Salt before. ... (hide full quote)

I'm not the best person to ask as not in Stockholm - perhaps some Stockholm TL:ers can help you here

I have done some checking and you can get Epsom salt in apoteket - however it is not called by its English name but by its chemical name - magnesiumsulfat or Magnesium sulfate
http://www.apoteket.se/privatpersoner/comm...nesiumsulfat%20

However I did a google and got some hits for online stores as well
http://tvalmakaren.se/epsom.html
http://www.vitavera.se/product.asp?product=176

For maple syrup, since I have a hard time reading the back side of the bottles, are they usually pure? Like Grade B or something?

I' not a great expert - I use Maple syrup for baking and in marinades - some types are pretty expensive though - paid 79 kr for a small bottle

If you are prepared to pay a little extra try The English shop they have a store on Söderhallen nexts to Medborgarplatsen underground
http://www.englishshop.se/art-1.asp?id=395&iPageID=0

Although Hemköp also sells a couple of types

[ISayWhatPeopleThink]

- Baking SODA - Bikarbonat - all supermarkets in the baking section

Best to warn you ahead of time OP, baking soda here is only going to be sold in little itty-bitty envelopes and with a steep price tag. Swedes think it is made out of gold. So if you're looking for a big box of the 'ol Arm and Hammer...fuhgeddabout it. So I hope you only need it for occasional cooking purposes and not for cleaning, laundry, deodorizing, etc. It's one of those small things that really chaps my hide around here, because a lot of my southern recipes use it and sometimes demand a decent amount of baking soda.

Just though I'd better let you know...this post brought back fond memories of my frustration the first time I went looking for "bikarbonat". I was expecting a big box and not an envelope, so I was searching shelves for a long time before I got the nerve up to ask the store employees.

[Puffin]

Best to warn you ahead of time OP, baking soda here is only going to be sold in little itty-bitty envelopes and with a steep price tag. Swedes think it is made out of gold. So ... (show full quote)

Best to warn you ahead of time OP, baking soda here is only going to be sold in little itty-bitty envelopes and with a steep price tag. Swedes think it is made out of gold. So if you're looking for a big box of the 'ol Arm and Hammer...fuhgeddabout it. So I hope you only need it for occasional cooking purposes and not for cleaning, laundry, deodorizing, etc. It's one of those small things that really chaps my hide around here, because a lot of my southern recipes use it and sometimes demand a decent amount of baking soda. ... (hide full quote)

Oh if you want it for washing and cleaning then you don't want to be in the supermarket at all - you go to a paint or iron mongers and ask for tvättsoda (washing soda) - not sure if you can eat it though

The Santa Maria envelopes are tiny - but many supermarkets have bigger bags - not enormous - but bags with 200-500g in

Swedes often tend to use Vichy vatten for stain removal and deodourising etc as the mineral water natually contains natrium bicabonate

[byke]

I am going to recommend the "taj mahal" store on the corner of drottninggatan and kammakargatan in stockholm as they have lots of these smaller, hard to find products.

[melaela]

Oh if you want it for washing and cleaning then you don't want to be in the supermarket at all - you go to a paint or iron mongers and ask for tvättsoda (washing soda) - n ... (show full quote)

Oh if you want it for washing and cleaning then you don't want to be in the supermarket at all - you go to a paint or iron mongers and ask for tvättsoda (washing soda) - not sure if you can eat it though

The Santa Maria envelopes are tiny - but many supermarkets have bigger bags - not enormous - but bags with 200-500g in

Swedes often tend to use Vichy vatten for stain removal and deodourising etc as the mineral water natually contains natrium bicabonate ... (hide full quote)

Geez, I'll be using it for baking so I guess I would have to pay a little extra. Although I made cookies just a while ago without any baking soda and they didn't turn out bad at all. Many thanks, Puffin! I'll make sure I'll visit those you mentioned.

Dropped by Willy's earlier and found maple syrup, and you are right, it's a bit expensive. Why am I not surprised? After all, everything is almost more expensive in Sweden. LOL.

I am going to recommend the "taj mahal" store on the corner of drottninggatan and kammakargatan in stockholm as they have lots of these smaller, hard to find products.

Thanks byke! I'll drop by Taj Mahal tomorrow.

[melaela]

If you want Epsom salts for indigestion hangover cure etc. you can try Samarin which is available in the Apotek, either in powder or tablet form

Thanks for this again. Although the price is kind of outrageous. I found it here after using the term Bittersalt in Google:

http://www.bodystore.com/3/sv/artiklar/epsomsalt-bittersalt

Delivery is just 20:- and the 1kg pack is 61:- (compared to the 58:- 100g magnesium sulfate from Apotek). The kg pack is handy as I use 0.5 kg in the tub once a week to detoxify.

Thank for replies, everyone!

[Carl T]

The Santa Maria envelopes are tiny - but many supermarkets have bigger bags - not enormous - but bags with 200-500g in

I found a forum thread where someone suggests that you might find even bigger (2 kg) bags of baking soda at Willy's or Hemköp.

[melaela]

I found a forum thread where someone suggests that you might find even bigger (2 kg) bags of baking soda at Willy's or Hemköp.

Woah! 2kgs might be a little too much. I only use a teaspoon or two every time I bake so might not want to get a 2kg pack. It does not store too long for baking as you need to consume it within a month or two when opened. But I will take note of that if I will need it for odor control or cleaning. Tack!

[Bender B Rodriquez]

Woah! 2kgs might be a little too much. I only use a teaspoon or two every time I bake so might not want to get a 2kg pack. It does not store too long for baking as you nee ... (show full quote)

Woah! 2kgs might be a little too much. I only use a teaspoon or two every time I bake so might not want to get a 2kg pack. It does not store too long for baking as you need to consume it within a month or two when opened. But I will take note of that if I will need it for odor control or cleaning. Tack! ... (hide full quote)

If it is an option you can also get baking powder (bakpulver) at any shop in 2 dl jars.

[melaela]

If it is an option you can also get baking powder (bakpulver) at any shop in 2 dl jars.

That would be great. However, I use baking powder differently from baking soda. A 100g pack should be sufficient.