This ends a ten-year search! Every year for the last ten years, I have called companies, grocery stores, and distributors to no avail. No one had unsweetened coconut. Even Bakers, the brand I have bought for forty-years no longer carried it.
Tuesday night, I found unsweetened coconut on the shelf in Walmart. Wild Oats Marketplace is the brand. The coconut is even organic if that means anything, and is a product of the Philippines.
Wild Oats Unsweetened Coconut has no sodium compared to Baker's which has 40 mg in each 2Tbsp serving. The Wild Oats brand has only one ingredient--coconut. It has no sodium based whitener. It's a better deal health-wise. It cost $1.98 for 7 ounces.
Since I only use coconut at Easter and Christmas, this may not be a big deal to anyone. I just wanted my unsweetened coconut like my mother used. Of course, she broke open a coconut and grated the coconut meat. I, too, have a coconut on the counter as I opened my own coconut for many years. When I saw Mama used the Baker's unsweetened coconut, I eventually changed over, too.
Mama allowed us to eat chunks of coconut! When I have had my own coconut, I ate chunks, too. That was like candy in a shell.
Right now, I have a bag of frozen, sweetened coconut I got on sale earlier this year, stored in the freezer, the bag of Wild Oats unsweetened coconut, and a free coconut on the counter. I'm set.
Your turn
Do you ever use coconut in baking? Do you use sweetened or unsweetened. Do you ever crack open a coconut and grate the meat? What do you make with coconut?
No, I buy the shredded, sweetened kind, like a loser. But hey, at least I do eat coconut. Some people don't like it, and I don't understand those people. I make carrot cake that has so much coconut, pecans, pineapple, and carrots in it that there is hardly any cake. Then I put cream cheese and butter frosting all over it. I also like any and all candies that contain coconut.
ReplyDeleteGrapesTrades,
DeleteI want that recipe! Please!
Here's a llink. I nabbed it from Allrecipes, and it's someone's grandpa's cake. As for the frosting, I make regular cream cheese frosting (however, I do NOT like more cream cheese than butter in my frosting so I make it about half and half, then just throw in powdered sugar and a little milk. Let me know if you need a recipe for cream cheese frosting.)
Deletehttp://allrecipes.com/recipe/8270/sams-famous-carrot-cake/
I don't put raisins in it, and I usually bake it either in a tube pan or in a 9x13 glass pan.
Okay, just send me what you use. It sounds delicious. Thanks for the recipe link.
DeleteI have bought unsweetened coconut for years at my local health food store. I use it for a lot of things, but I don't use it when I bake super sweet things like German chocolate cake icing, or coconut macaroons.
ReplyDeleteIt is pricier so i save it for lesser sweet things. I really prefer unsweetened coconut on coconut cake. I have grated coconut but don't on a regular basis. I use unsweetened coconut chips in several savory dishes also.
Anne,
DeleteYou have better choices of shopping places. I don't make the coconut icing for German chocolate cake. I just buy a tub of the coconut pecan frosting and eat it with a spoon. Why bake the cake? I have never heard of unsweetened coconut chips. Where do you get those?
Either Aldi,Trader Joe's or Sprouts, but I don't remember which. The brand is Southern Grove and they are big thick hunks of dried coconut and they are really good in Caribbean stews and such.
DeleteAnne,
DeleteThanks. I was trying to remember the specialty grocery, the one that will get anything one desires in one day since they make a trip to Atlanta daily. Those three will be easier.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting :-) I am not a big fan of coconut, but my husband likes it :-) I'm surprised sometimes at all the items you can find at Walmart! Have a great evening!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Jill
Jill,
DeleteI love coconut, but suspect I am allergic to it. Yes, it is surprising what WM carries. Thanks for stopping by.
I really needed to know this info! I've been cutting out sugar and coconut has been on my list! Thanks, Linda.
ReplyDeleteCherdo,
DeleteWell, now you know. Coconut is sweet to me, so I thought this sweetened coconut was out of line. You are welcome.
Good for you. I too have looked, but maybe not with such determination. Now, you've made things easy for me.
ReplyDeleteSnowbrush,
DeleteOne year, I decided I would launch a search of all places I could find. It was all to no avail. But, this year just looking on the shelf was all it took. I am so glad I could make things easier for you.
"I am so glad I could make things easier for you."
DeleteLarge gifts of money would also be a tremendous help.
I have made a note of that. lol...same here.
DeleteWhen we are in Mexico I eat a lot of green coconut. Have you ever had it? The sales person makes quite a show out of choosing the perfect one then goes to town on it with a machete. They then offer the coconut liquid either in the shell or in a plastic bag with a straw. when you have finished they remove the tender young coconut meat. It is usually eaten with lime and a sprinkle of chili powder. It is delicious!
ReplyDeleteJanet,
DeleteNo, I have never had it or heard of it. However, I would be willing to try it. Interesting
Thanks