Where to buy various specific odd items in Hamburg

Anyone who can help, please let me know --

I need corkboard or something similar so I can put a map on the wall at work and pin it. Likewise, I will need to find some map pins. Is there a map or atlas store or a teacher store or something?

I have been trying to find cookie sheets and the closest thing I can find isnt really a cookie sheet and it cost something like 30 Euros which was rediculous.

Brown sugar that is moist like in the states, not granular like here.

peanut butter without sugar in it

Okra (I am from the south)

skim milk

Gold Bond

Any help is awesome

The only brown sugar I have seen here is granular - what we in UK call "Demerara sugar". For soft brown (light or dark) IMHO you need to to to the UK - or try maybe a British Food shop in Hamburg (or mail order).


That exists. See for example: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fettarme_Milch


I only know James...

I have seen Okra for sale at some of the Turkish and Asian food shops, and also in the fresh veggie department of Edeka. At Edeka it's in a package near the other packaged stuff like mung bean sprouts and soy bean sprouts.

As for unsweetened peanut butter, I would try any of the health food stores in town. It's expensive, but worth it. Reformhaus, Basic, etc.

For cookie sheets try Ikea. I don't know that they have any, but I've gotten some good baking stuff there, like a big cookie sheet in the shape and size of a pizza. I use it to make cookies sometimes also. Think it was between 5 and 10 euros.

you can find cork board and also large pieces of styrofoam at Staples and 1000 Töpfe.

I was talking to our secretary today and I was trying to describe American Brown sugar. All I could come up with was that it has the appearance and consistency of wet sand. Is there a word for our brown sugar here? How would YOU describe it? Moist seems wrong, when I said that she asked if I meant syrup. I can have someone send it to me from the US if necessary...

Also, is there a website to go to that translates spices? My G-E dictionary isnt cutting it in that department.

Voilà: German-English glossary: spices, seasonings, cooking terms.

Excerpt:

For American style brown sugar, I have found a good likeness in Asian shops. It is made by Wang Kanai and it is called "Natural Brown Sugar".

As for skim milk, fettarme milch is 1,5% which is not skim milk in my opinion. I have seen 0,3% (pretty darn close to skim) but only in UHT form, which in my opinion is ok to cook with but not ok straight (got that funky UHT taste goin' on). I have not seen any fresh skim milk. I was a skim milk fan back home as well and I have just had to get used to 1,5%.

What spices do you have questions about? Have you used LEO? (dict.leo.org)

African Bird Pepper, Rosemary, Alum, Almond Extract, Montreal Steak Seasoning, Old Bay, Cloves, Sage, and Savory. I cooked a lot at home and these are the ones I would like to find that werent in that glossary above (like Crisco, Saffron, etc)

Thanks

rosemary = Rosmarin
cloves = Nelken
sage = Salbei
savory = Bohnenkraut

almond extract = Mandelessenz, try your local supermarket's baking aisle

I get Südzucker brown sugar (Brauner Zucker), it's in a plastic-coated sealed bag and fairly well-packed, not as loose as white sugar. For what it's worth.

EDIT: And if you think sugar is that sweet white stuff, look again: Südzucker products

Pepper = Pfeffer - have not heard of bird pepper, cannot help you there
rosemary = Rosmarin
Alum - hmm is that maybe the same as potassium? don't know alum as a spice - you looking for the stuff you make soda bread with?
almond extract = Mandelextrakt
montreal steak seasoing: seasoning = Würzmittel, Würze - probably not to be translated, cos it's a mixture, like curry...
Old Bay = ?
Cloves = Gewürznelken
sage = Salbei
Savoury = Bohnenkraut

That's at least something

edit: sara was faster bloody work...

Thanks! Alum is used in pickling okra... here is wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alum

Its just been frustrating spending 40 minutes in the Spice Isle at Tooms with my G-E dictionary out and trying to smell spices through the packaging...

Old Bay is somthing Southerners in America will know.

Gold Bond is an anti-jock itch powder.

lemme try

African Bird Pepper --> afrikanischer chile piquin

btw you should check out the spice museum in hafen city

http://www.spicys.de/

brilliant idea!

If they don't have it, they might at least give you alternatives...

abt. the alum - it sound similar to baking soda (sodium carbonate), or am I completely wrong there? I should have paid more attention in chemistry...

What is alum?

you can find Crisco at Karstadt... something like €5 for a small can.

Speaking of searching for specialty items, does anyone know where I can buy Ostrich meat (auf Deutsch = Straussfleisch)? I have a Wildgefluegelmarkt in my neighborhood but they don't have it. I know it must exist somewhere in HH because they serve Ostrich burgers at Down Under. I also wouldn't mind getting my hands on some Emu.

Funny you should say that, because I just moved 3 weeks ago from Missouri and I lived less than a mile from an Ostrich and Emu farm...

Laurel, the one in your neighbourhood, do you mean the one near Lutterothstraße station, opposite to Breuer's? If not, that might be an idea.

I haven't got time now, maybe you google for yourself Straußenfarmen Norddeutschland, there's a few around Hamburg I think. I know that there's one in Hohenfelde, Ostsee, but not sure if they sell their products in shops in Hamburg...
Surely you're not looking for imported stuff?!!!

Straußenfleisch ...

Alum is Alaun in German and is available at pharmacies.

Cookie sheets can be tricky because most German ovens already come with a Backblech/Fettpfanne or two that fit right into the sides of the oven so there's no need for a separate sheet/pan.

Skim milk is called Magermilch. I have seen it fresh occasionally, but not many stores have it and you'd have to check around.

Guess I should know better than to try and use German on this forum anyhow! I am talking about the shop called Wildgefluegelmarkt on Osterstrasse, on the corner across from a cheepo shop called Good Bye. Is there another shop I don't know about by U Lutterothstrasse? Will have to check that out if so.

If you go down Stellinger Weg, past the corner Hellkamp, almost at the big crossing (where Bräuer's is) on the right side there's a "Geflügelhändler". Don't know the name though.

Ikea has cork boards, not sure how big you want it though.
You can get brown sugar, do you really need the moist type?? I use it to make choc-chip cookies :-) It's called "brauner zucker", the brand i use is Diamant. Usually you can find it in the cooking isle, I think i bought mine from Marktkauf or K+K... Im sure you have those in Hamburg?? good luck, i know how frustrating it can be (try searching for bi-carb soda! haha).

I thought Magermilch (skimmed milk) is only used to feed animals. It's the left-over from butter production? That will be the reason why it's difficult to get it in Germany. Ask your local farmer.

Nope. Buttermilch (buttermilk) is left over from butter production (although buttermilk is now also produced artificially), Molke (whey) from cheese production and both of those products are readily available in German supermarkets. Magermilch is simply a very low fat milk and doesn't seem to be popular here. I have seen it around, but it's usually in the form of H-Milch which not everyone likes the taste of.

The American style brown sugar is really white sugar with molasses (German: Melasse). The brown sugar they sell here is like Sugar in the Raw.

Here's the substitution I use:
For each 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar called for in a recipe, use 1 1/2 tablespoons molasses plus 1 cup granulated sugar.

I can confirm Sprudeln's recipe. I use it all the time.

For molasses, hit the Turkish shops. And Crisco is just vegetable fat. "Pflanzenfett". You can get it anywhere for cheap.

I think Aldi has ostrich steaks but they're frozen.

I have to now take back what I said about skim milk. I just found 0,1% Fett Optiwell brand skim milk and it is fresh! I found this at Real this week.

They actually sell a frozen ostrich meat at Aldi... There are also Ostrich farms (as Hammonia said) not too far outside the city- i can get the name of one for you if you want. I know they sell fresh Ostrich EGGS! I think it is in Hardebek...

I found authentic American style brown sugar at a big Asian grocery store in St. Georg. The brand is called Wang Kanai and it looks and feels like the real deal. I am so making chocolate chip cookies with it.

The store is in the same plaza as the St. Georg church, but I can't remember the name - you can't miss it though. Giant red sign advertising as asian supermarket.

I also found a great herb/spice store in St. Georg on the corner of Danziger Strasse and Brenner Strasse - they have about everything you can imagine. Grilling spices, soup spices, individual spices, etc. I definitely recommend a visit.

That sounds great. I'd love to try Ostrich eggs. I haven't seen any Ostrich meat in the frozen section of my Aldi, but I'll look again.

If you are at that corner, you might want to check out the Zaubertrank (magic potion).
It's a unique place.

And for herbs, teas, spices, Ayurveda there's also the Kräuterhaus at Lange Reihe 70.

I found the Gefluegelmarkt (not sure of the exact name either) and am happy to report that they did have Strauss filets! They were quite expensive at over 40 euros a kg. We bought two steaks and it was only about 15 euros. All in all I think the Wildgefluegelmarket on Osterstrasse is better (bigger, better selection) but they have never had Strauss. The woman also said we could order things like Putenwuerst although I think I'll just walk the few blocks to the Wildgefluegelmarket as they have lovely Bratwurst etc. made from chicken and turkey.

I am in desperate need of some help to find the things that I want here in Hamburg.

1. Birkenstocks. I want to buy some new sandals. There is supposed to be a store (according to the Yellow Pages) in town, but I couldn't find it. I know some shops stock them along with other shoes, but I am after a shop that only stocks Birkenstocks and their other brands - is there one?

2. Fabric. I want to buy fabric without having to sell my children to pay for it. I love sewing and love buying fabric - where are the places to go? I have been to Karstadt, but I want more. I would like to be able to buy fabrics to make costumes too. Are there any discount fabric stores?

I bought Birkenstocks in a shop around the corner from my office, the street is Kleine Johannisstraße, it's right at the Rathaus.

Checked the Birkenstock page, the one I mentioned is not on there, but I found those two in city centre:

20095 Hamburg · Besser Gehen Schockmann GmbH
Schopenstehl 15 (that's near the U1 station "Meßberg")

20539 Hamburg · Thomas I Punkt
Mönckebergstr. 21

Fabric: don't know about prices, but Alsterhaus have a huge choice, check out for summer sales.

There's also a fabric outlet in Halstenbek, suburb of Hamburg, but really easy to reach via Autobahn A23 or via S-Bahn S3 (abt. 25 mins. from city centre).
Here's the homepage, just make sure you make an appointment with them, if you don't they won't let you in (sais the homepage - sounds a bit strange, but hey, if they're cheap...)
outlet for fabric in Halstenbek

Only just saw this now.
We're going to do our partyshopping at Metro on Thursday, can try to get you in again, otherwise I'll have a look for you if they sell Strauss and where it's from

Oh my, I just had a look at that link for the fabric store. I am stupid with excitement.

yeah, it looks huge, doesn't it!

Hope you find what you want there.

Don't forget to make the appointment

More on Straussfleisch: They sell it at Lidl in the frozen section. A box contains 3-4 small filets and is about 5 euros.

Me too. Maybe we can organize a group trip out there?

From what I can see they only allow 3 people in at a time, so that rules out a big group trip. I already have a second person coming with me, but most happy to add you to make us up to 3. I was thinking possibly next Saturday (28th). Would that work for you?

Unfortunately I'm out of town that weekend. Count me in for next time!

@Marymanu: Unless you want to go during the week. Is that a possibility for you?

Not this week, as I am designing costumes for a play and we are in the final weeks - every free minute is spent sewing and shopping! Please go and let me know how it is. I will join another time.

We shall come back with the lowdown and let you know.