american foodstuffs in copenhagen

i know i've already written a short guide to the city but i've been meeting a lot of homesick americans both online and in person lately and they all seem to be looking for similar things. i feel like i can help you guys out here! are you looking for:

beans
supermarket doesn't carry the sort of beans you're looking for? take a walk down nørrebrogade, where i recommend the best indian shop in town, dhadra, and grocers located between runddel and nørrebro station. you should also look around the reventlowsgade side of the central station, where i recommend afghan and kabul market. they have beans both dried and canned. yes, black beans too. (:

'exotic' fruit and veg
aubergine (thai, japanese, chinese, pea), banana leaf, banana peppers, bitter melon, bok choy, cassava, chipotles (only canned), fresh curry leaves, daikon radish, galangal, jackfruit (young is fresh in slices or canned, ripe is only canned), lemongrass, long bean, lotus root and leaf, mangosteen, okra, pandan leaf, sweet potato, tamarind, fresh turmeric, wolfberries. i have seen them all at one point or another in various green grocers, especially those by the central station. doesn't hurt to ask the shopkeeper if you can't find what you're looking for, they are usually quite nice people.

soy milk
it can get pretty expensive buying soy milk since it's always organic here! my favourite brand comes from aldi. it has no added sugar, getting its natural sweetness from fermented rice. not only is it the best-tasting, it's also the cheapest at 9,99kr per liter. however, because of the sweetness this may not be a milk substitute that you'd want to mix into your savoury dishes; i only use it for baking, tea and cereal.


peanut butter
in a pinch, you can find it at abigail's or any of the bigger supermarkets for 30+kr. but i suggest you keep an eye on the weekly circulars. usually i pick up 350g jars of organic peanut butter for 12-15kr when they're on sale at netto or rema1000. i know i get gawked at when i'm rolling up to the cash register with 5 jars of them, but don't ever try to separate me from my peanut butter if you value your limbs.

condensed soups
i know those of you who are searching for these are most likely going to use them in casseroles or as the base for another soup... right?! you're not going to just eat it plain! anyway, it's not in my place to judge... sometimes they go on sale (see above for shop circulars) but you can almost always find them at abigail's, along with betty crocker cake mixes and ciders.

canned pumpkin puree
though i highly recommend you roast and puree your own pumpkins, it's quite an undertaking and maybe you don't have time/room for it. i've heard larger superbest stores has an american section where you can find pumpkin puree but if you can't find it there, try abigail's.

mayonnaise
looking for a specific brand of mayo? miracle whip and best foods/hellmans can be found in superbrugsen, kvickly, and metro. the latter is a card-only warehouse sort of like costco or sam's club back in the states. you must be a business owner to get a card or grab a friend who has one. they also have a good selection of hard-to-find liquor (like palatable tequila) and they also have an in-store fishmonger and butcher. but again, try making your own at home; it's so much better!

booze
missing american beers? øl bar in nørrebro is a fan of serving up microbrews from across the pond. you could also try your luck at den tatoverede enke, but if you can't find a specific american brew, there's plenty of other amazing beers to choose from in that bar. for drinking at home, check out my favourite kihoskh. if you're longing for budweiser, stop reading my blog NOW. ):


cuts of meat
if you look in any supermarket here, there is normally a smaller variety of cuts (unless there's an in-store butcher) available than you may be used to in the states. but there are plenty of butchers around town that can help you out there. my favourite is the guldberg butcher, who only sells local, free-range meat and organic chickens. the chart above should also help you visually identify the parts you want. (:

dips
looking for a tub of sour cream and some onion and garlic powder to concoct your own dip for chips or veg? sour cream doesn't exist here but crème fraiche tastes almost the same, just a bit less sour. garlic powder i've been able to find in little bags at green grocers in nørrebro and vesterbro. onion powder has been spotted at superbrugsen.

coffee
copenhagen has both good beans and bad. you can find fairtrade coffee in almost any supermarket and you can get direct trade coffee freshly brewed at estate or coffee collective. but if you're looking for a seattle style dark roast, the only option i've been able to find is the lonely starbucks in the airport.

sodas
gotta get your root beer or cream soda fix? these flavours aren't very popular with the locals, but you can find them if you look. occasionally they go on sale (see circulars) or you might be able to find them in middle eastern or indian green grocers. dr. pepper has also been found at kihoskh, the best damn kiosk i've ever been to.



if you have looked and looked and simply cannot find what you're looking for, why not take a trip to malmø? you can either take a car over the toll bridge or get there faster by train. going by bus takes an hour but it's very cheap, especially if you take a day trip (dagstur) and even cheaper if you are 29 and under or 60 and over. groceries there will be a bit cheaper and swedish supermarkets ica and coop generally have more variety than their danish counterparts. still can't find it? try their bigger stores, ica maxi and coop extra. vegans and vegetarians, don't miss a trip to astrid och aporna; it has pretty much everything your widdle heart desires.

for other things, here are some websites that ship to denmark.

food from home - british and american food. chocolate chips!
iherb - vitamins, gluten-free baking goods, nut butters

this is just a food blog; for other tips on denmark, check out this page.

if there's something you're searching for or already found, feel free to write me in the comments and i can add it to the list or start a hunt for it. (: