Dessicated Coconut vs. Sweetened Coconut

I've only ever seen dessicated coconut in the baking aisle at my local supermarkets. 

I can't remember ever seeing sweetened coconut either - I remember because I was looking for it once for "5 Cup Salad" and I had to use desiccated and it was gross.. hmmm

Wow!  I guess we got lucky because it was right there.  I just looked up on Sainsburys website & it doesn't show any sweetened coconut product available, so we must have got it at Morrisons.  I am sitting on a coconut gold mine here with my wee little 1 1/2 bags of sweetened coconut - lol!  (I'm not actually sitting on them, mind.  )

I also found this online:

http://www.americansweets.co.uk/american-bakers-angel-flake-sweetened-coconut-890-p.asp

Maybe it was Morrisons for me (or possibly Waitrose).  I will have to check them all out.  Maybe I could post it for people who don't have it near them.

I'm going to have a look in Morrison's now. I'm too curious!

Me too because I'm not 100% certain where it was procured - DH is pretty sure he got it at Morrisons though.  That little shop surprises us sometimes (and sometimes it's complete crap).  I am mad at William Morrison right now, however, because they appear to not be carrying my beloved chipotle chili flakes (in vinegar) any longer - at least I still have an open jar in the fridge & one put back spare in the cupboard.

That little shop surprises us sometimes (and sometimes it's complete crap). 

I don't like Morrison's at all. The only thing I go in there for is tuna - they have tins of albacore tuna! Other than that, blech.

I don't like Morrison's at all. The only thing I go in there for is tuna - they have tins of albacore tuna! Other than that, blech.

Yes that tuna was a fab development there!  Morrisons is the prevalent grocery store chain here, and the one nearest where we live (plus one in the building where I work), so we do tend to go there more than any other because it's easy.

Looked at the sweetened coconut bag from the cupboard, it's a 200g bag, with a white label (a bit of purple at the top of the label) branded as 'Home Baking Essentials'.  It's not Morrisons brand, but from a place called RM Curtis & Co Ltd, based out of London.

The weird thing is that it lists a completely incorrect website for RM Curtis & Co Ltd - the incorrect one being www.homebakingessentials.co.uk...which pulls up a webdev type website.  The correct website for RM Curtis & Co Ltd is this one, but they don't actually show the sweetened coconut as one of their available products.  I am hoping it's not a limited time thing.  However, if it's not in your local store, might be worth asking the store manager if they can get it in?  Hoping if there's a demand for the product, they will keep making it!  I predict a glut of magic cookie bars (and other sweetened coconutty goodness) soon!!! 

I think it depends on the size of the Morrison's.  We went to a huge one on the IOW which had almost everything.  The one near us is on the small size, quite a bit smaller than our Sainsbury's.  The one I sometimes went to in Camden Town was biggish.  I liked that things were cheaper there than our Sainsbury's, but I didn't like that all the fruit and veg was shrink wrapped or under hard plastic.

Honestly, I would have loved to live in the Britain where the high streets had all the separate shops.  It might not have been the cheapest way of shopping, but it would be nice if the chains and independent grocers/butchers/bakers/fishmongers/etc could co-exist.  Pipe dream, I know.

I think it depends on the size of the Morrison's. 

Thing is, the one near where we live is pretty small, and the one in town by where I work is large.  I will still find completely different things, one to the other...some things in the small one that the big one doesn't have, and then vice versa.  No rhyme or reason, I tell ya! 

It might not have been the cheapest way of shopping, but it would be nice if the chains and independent grocers/butchers/bakers/fishmongers/etc could co-exist.  Pipe dream, I know.

We still have a bit of both up here - on the very street where I live!    And the Leeds city market in town is fabulous!

Oh we have markets in London, of course.  And there are independent shops, but it is really a bother for most people to travel for their goods, and it's rarely all in one place.  We have a good organic butcher a train stop away, along with a fairly decent HFS, but everything else is a chain.  Here we have a couple of small markets, but no butcher (although there might be a Halal butcher around here) or fishmonger or anything else.  There's a cake shop, but it's not a full bakery.  They pretty much just make cakes.  Even that is a trek, really. I think most people just go to Greggs.

Back in the day, of course, the street around the corner from us would have held everything we needed.  Now it's mostly corner shops, off licences, estate agents, with a few Polish shops thrown in.  At one time it was obviously a proper mini-high street.

Back in the day, of course, the street around the corner from us would have held everything we needed.  Now it's mostly corner shops, off licences, estate agents, with a few Polish shops thrown in.  At one time it was obviously a proper mini-high street.

When I lived in Wales, I could do all my shopping at little independent greengrocers, fishmongers, butchers, bakers, etc. I still went to the supermarket for tinned things, cleaning supplies, etc., though. I do miss that. I try to go to farmshops here, but it's not really the same thing. I think Penzance still has all the independent shops, but I don't live in town and parking is a pain, so I don't bother.

Sainsburys in Otley is not big at all and they have both dessicated and sweetened coconut.  And so does Netto right now.  I've never had trouble finding both up here but sweetened is usually more expensive.

We have a high street like that with independent bakeries, butchers, and green grocers, plus clothing and all sorts of other stuff, a small Tesco and a couple of Co-ops. Only problem is that all the independent places close so early and open later, so if you have a regular day time work schedule, it makes it hard to shop at those places. But since we are unemployed now, we have been able to do some business there, which is great because our green grocer has some great deals on stuff.

Yep, it's Morrisons - was there today, and the sweetened coconut is right side by side with the dessicated coconut.  Just like what June Cleaver was saying about the Sainsburys in Otley.