My December Love with Food Box has arrived, and …

And it looks like I hit the jackpot!

Wowza!

Not only did this month’s Love with Food box include TEN appetizing goodies, but, also a tote/grocery bag with a Love with Food Logo on it.  Yay!  And all of this fit into the one box.  Amazing.

The first thing I noticed in this box was the sweet potato chips from Food Should Taste Good.  I’ve seen these in my grocery store and I’ve been eyeing them, and I’m glad that I have the opportunity to try them.  (Interestingly, this is the one item that isn’t on the product card or listed on the website as part of this month’s box, but it is shown in the photograph.)

Then I saw this cute marshmallow called a MaddyMelt from Madyson’s Marshmallows.  It is round and flat, and created to fit atop a mug of hot chocolate perfectly.  I can’t wait to try this with the All Natural Drinking Chcoolate from Les Confitures a l’Ancienne, also in this month’s box.

And speaking of chocolate … there is plenty of chocolate to be enjoyed in this month’s box:  there’s a white chocolate candy bar called Snow Angell Candy Bar from Betty Lou’s

The snow Angell bar is tasty, but, I found it a bit too sweet for my liking.  I think if I were selecting the items for this box, I would have gone with the “Dark Angell” candy bar.  But I get why the Snow Angell was chosen, since this is the Christmas box.  I do like that there are oats in this candy bar – a little bit different, and it makes the filling in this bar a little less sweet than “nougat” in commercially manufactured candy bars.

There’s also an Excellence 70% chocolate diamond from Lindt, and a chocolate dipped Madeleine cookie from Donsaemor.

Another cookie in this month’s box seemed perfect for the season:  Molasses Spice Cookies from Grep Ghost Bakery.  Another perfect season choice is a package of Peppermints from St. Claire’s Organics.

The peppermints are nice and minty.  Sweet but not too sweet.  I found them to be a soothing remedy for after something spicy, not just did it calm my breath but also my tummy.

And rounding out the box with some savory selections are the Natural Crispbread Crackers from 34 Degrees and a package of Spinach Dip Mix from Dessert Gardens.

See what I mean?  Wowza!  What a box!

Blueberry Fruit Bar from Betty Lou’s

Product Information:  

A delicious gluten-free all-natural snack with the taste of homemade baked cobbler! All sugars come from natural fruit and fruit juice. For as little as 180 calories, both kids and adults will love and devour each blueberry-licious bar!

I received a blueberry fruit bar in my September Love With Food box.

Tea Suggestion:

These fruit bars make a great tea time snack with just about any kind of tea, but, I decided to go with something with nutty tones to bring out some of the sweet, nutty, cobbler-like flavors in the crust of the fruit bars.  I chose this Laoshan Genmaicha Green Tea from Verdant Tea.  A really interesting pairing, although I think that this bar would also go great with a white tea or a black tea!

What I Think:

Really yummy!

This is gluten free too!  Gluten free has never really been something that I’m concerned with, but, I know that gluten sensitivity is something that affects a lot of people, and I like that more and more foods are becoming available for those who are concerned about gluten.

I don’t miss the gluten in this!  This is seriously tasty.  The “cookie” or “cake” part of the bar is soft and chewy, similar to the softness and chewiness you’d find in a typical fig bar, but, it has an oat-y taste and texture that is somewhat reminiscent of a cobbler.  It’s kind of like a blueberry cobbler in a bar … which makes it easy to take a delicious dessert on the go!

The blueberry filling is sweet and slightly sticky … again, similar to what you might find in a fig bar (only it’s blueberry!)  It tastes a lot like a blueberry pie or cobbler filling but it isn’t runny like a cobbler.  Again … this is like cobbler on the go.

My Final Thoughts:

A really satisfying dessert bar.  This bar is something that disappeared quickly … it tasted really good.  Makes a great tea-time treat.  I love the oats in this … I love how the traditional “fig-like bar” becomes almost like a cobbler.  So yummy!

Roasted Chestnut Chocolate Bar from Ticket Kitchen

Product Description:

These roasted chestnut chocolate bars are crafted by the Ticket Kitchen of Sacramento. Roasted chestnuts are chopped up and gently mixed into fine couverture chocolate for a taste of nostalgia you won’t find anywhere else.

I received this bar of chocolate in my December Knoshbox!  (Yeah, I know, I’m behind!)

Tea Suggestion:

I prefer hot tea when I eat chocolate – they seem to go together really well.  And I usually prefer a black tea with natural cacao notes to it – like this Superfine Tan Yang Gong Fu Black Tea from Teavivre.  The naturally sweet notes of the tea brought out some of the deeper flavors of the chocolate and also nicely emphasized the flavor of the roasted chestnuts in the candy bar.

What I Think:

YUM!

This is a great chocolate bar.

First, I love it when the packaging is cute and clever like this chocolate bar is.  The shiny, gold mylar package is not all that special, but it’s been wrapped with a craft cardstock outer packaging that is folded “matchbook” style and secured close with a piece of decorative tape.  It just looks different and cool.

But, that would mean nothing to me if the chocolate inside the package wasn’t good – and this is delicious!  It’s milk chocolate, which isn’t my immediate choice in chocolate bars (I prefer dark chocolate) but, it is rich, smooth and creamy. It doesn’t taste overly sweet the way some milk chocolate bars can taste.  I can taste the deeper flavors of the cacao here.

And the roasted chestnuts are chopped very fine and give the overall bar a nice “crunch” bar kind of texture … but with tasty, toasty chestnuts instead of puffed rice.  The aftertaste (after the bar is gone … and it disappears way too fast!) is nutty and reminiscent of freshly roasted chestnuts.

My Final Thoughts:

I like this candy bar a lot!  And this isn’t my first tasting of Ticket Kitchen chocolates – I’ve had their hot chocolate on a stick in the past and enjoyed those quite a bit too.  I like it when I find a chocolate bar that’s just a little unusual – like this one with roasted chestnuts (not something you find in an everyday chocolate bar!) and check out some of their other unique flavors!  I think I’m going to have to try their Waffle Pecan Chocolate bar!

Chocolate Covered Wasabi Peas from ChocWasabi

Product Description:

Chocwasabi is based on the foundation of a basic snack item or tasty treat combined with the eclectic mixture of chocolate & the hot, exotic taste of wasabi. 

The first offering in our line of exciting new items is the chocolate covered wasabi pea.

I received a package of these chocolate covered wasabi peas in my March Love with Food box.

Tea Suggestion:

For these yummy morsels, I recommend something light and refreshing, and because the heat does build, you want something that will cool the palate too.  I chose a white tea, specifically, this Organic Silver Needle tea from Nature’s Tea Leaf.  A perfect choice!  Because the flavors were delicate, it didn’t interrupt the unique flavors in these amazing little treats!  A delightful tea time snack!

What I Think:

I was not sure what to expect with these.  I am not a fan of peas.  That is to say that they are probably the one vegetable that I DO NOT like.  And … I can’t even say that with complete confidence, because it’s been years since I’ve actually had peas with the exception of a few peas floating around in a soup or stirred into a stir-fry.  And I didn’t mind the peas in the soups, stews and stir-fries that I’ve had them in.  And for all I know, I might actually like peas now – after all, our taste buds do change every so often.

But, I’ve never had confidence enough to actually try wasabi peas.  I don’t like peas, and while I do like wasabi when it’s stirred into something like a ranch dipping sauce (this is awesome when served with french fried green beans), I don’t have a whole lot of experience with wasabi outside of that spicy take on a dipping sauce.

But, these are CHOCOLATE wasabi peas and I have plenty of experience with chocolate … and most of that experience is positive.  I can’t really think of anything that I didn’t like that was chocolate.  I’m sure that there have been occasions when I’ve disliked something chocolate, but nothing really comes to mind at the moment.

So I decided to give ’em a try.  And these are AWESOME!  The pea doesn’t have much flavor at all … basically all I get from the pea is a dense crunch from it that is very satisfying.  A bit like biting into a very crunchy peanut.  The dark chocolate is sweet and smooth … and the wasabi is HOT!  And I am loving the burn from these babies!  The contrast between sweet and spicy is amazing, and I love the crunch.

My Final Thoughts:

These are a total win!  I want more.  I think this may have to be a re-order, because they’re so darned good.  (Note: I did reorder them – definitely a delicious and unique treat!)

Donut O Rama

Location:  The Corner of 3rd and Ash in Portland

What I Think:

The first time I tried Donut O Rama, I did so with a Living Social Voucher.  I had hoped to try donuts from their first food cart, with an expansive menu that included Banana Bacon Donuts.  Yes, that’s what I said:  Banana Bacon Donuts.  It was this donut, as well as their Creme Brulee Donut, that made the decision to purchase the Living Social voucher a no-brainer.  Had to try BOTH of these donuts.

Unfortunately, by the time I was able to visit the food cart, it had closed.

I kept a close watch on Donut O Rama’s twitter feed to find out where it would be reopening … and they eventually did, in a food cart located at 3rd and Ash in Portland.  Unfortunately, this food cart posed some limitations … specifically, it did not have a ventilation system that allowed for a larger menu.  So the only donuts that were being made in this new food cart were Beignets (light, fluffy pillows of air and sugar … YUM!) and Creme Brulee Beignets (instead of the air, imagine the pillow packed full of creamy vanilla custard … and then topping that pillow with sugar and torching it until the sugar has caramelized to a crackly crunch! )

I have since visited DonutORama a couple of times, and while I have to admit that while I was a wee bit disappointed that I am not going to be trying the banana bacon donut any time soon, this Creme Brulee Beignet is so amazing, that I find myself less sad about not getting the banana bacon donut.  Not just “less sad” … but absolutely loving these Creme Brulee Beignets.  They are absolutely crave-able!

I love the thick, caramelized sugar “crust” on these beignets.  It’s thicker and crackly-crunchier than any traditionally served Creme Brulee I’ve ever tasted.   And I love that they caramelize the Creme Brulee right before your eyes.  I think I started drooling before I could sink my teeth into this delightful pastry.

My Final Thoughts:

Creme Brulee is absolutely my favorite dessert of all time … and this Creme Brulee Beignet captures the essence of the classic dessert so delightfully well.  Yes, I would still prefer a Creme Brulee over a Creme Brulee Beignet … only because I prefer the taste of the caramelized sugar crust that has been cooked onto the custard.  However, these certainly come close to the real thing, and a bonus:  I don’t have to go to a fancy restaurant to enjoy the guilty pleasure of Creme Brulee!

Note:  Since Donut O Rama has been known to move and has informed me that they may be moving in the near future, I recommend keeping up with them on Facebook to find out the latest regarding their location and their menu!

Sweet & Salty Cashews from Nuts + Nuts

Picture from Petit Amuse. Click on the pic to go there.

Product Description:

You haven’t tasted real cashews until you’ve had them from Nuts + Nuts. They are incredibly fresh, crunchy, and highly addictive. These are similar to the lightly salted cashews but slightly caramelized to enhance the crunch add a touch of sweetness.

This Nuts + Nuts product is available at Petit Amuse.

Tea Suggestion:

I like to grab iced tea when I have a salty snack, because it’s easier to guzzle down iced tea than it is hot tea (which I prefer to sip), and when the salt builds up on the palate, you want to wash it down!  I wanted something unflavored, though, so that I could enjoy all the layers of flavor that these cashews had to offer.  I decided to brew up some of this Shou Mei White Tea from BigTeaHouse which is light and allows for the enjoyment of the snack while still providing some intriguing flavors on its own.  The sweetness of the tea and the creamy vanilla tones really brought out the sweetness of the caramelized cashews.  A very nice pairing!

What I Think:

Oh yum!  These are amazingly good.

When I saw “sweet and salty” on the package, I knew I’d like them.  I love flavor contrasts like sweet and salty or spicy and sweet.  What I’m really loving about these cashews though, is that they’re not heavily sweet.  They’ve been lightly caramelized … and there’s not even enough caramelizing to this to make the nut feel sticky.  Just enough to add a little texture to the already crunchy cashew, and a hint of sweetness to contrast with the saltiness.  In fact, I’d say these are salty and sweet … not sweet and salty, if you know what I mean.

The small package I received in my sampler box from Petit Amuse was vacuum packed, so while the package was very compact, it held a LOT of cashews in it!  Most of the cashews are whole, not broken up bits, or even halves.  I like that.  (Seriously, I think I found enough small, broken bits to comprise just one whole cashew.  Not much at all!)  You get a whole nut and they taste fresh and have a nice crunch to them.  The caramel coating on this is very slight, not enough to add any kind of chewy texture (in fact, it adds to the crispness of the cashew).

The flavor is of course sweet and salty, but there is a certain savory quality to these too.  What is that?  It almost tastes like … garlic!  Or possibly onion?  Then I read the nutrition information for the ingredients:

Roasted cashews, garlic, sugar, sea salt, coconut oil.

Yep, garlic.  I love the size of this ingredient list.  Just five ingredients:  short and simple!  I even love that these are processed with coconut oil instead of some of the cheaper “filler” type oils that are on the market and over-used in snack foods.  I feel like these are healthier snacks, even with the sugar in them, than a typical “junk food” snack.

My Final Thoughts:

The sweet, the salty, and the crunch are all very satisfying to those snack/hunger cravings that we all get from time to time, and I like that these satisfy those cravings without lots of extra ingredients that we don’t need.  I feel like this is not only a delicious snack that curbs the hunger pangs but also somewhat healthier than some of the snacks I might otherwise reach for.   Put simply, these are really delicious – tasty enough to eat instead of a sweet treat, but also salty and savory enough to enjoy as a fatty potato chip substitute.

A Duo of Sesame Seed Bars from Bumble Bar

Picture from Foodzie, click on the photo to go there!

Product Description:

“People, Profit, Planet” is the triple bottom line that Bumble Bar believes in. Their chewy, sesame seed-packed energy bars are made with organic ingredients, and they enforce green practices from processing to packaging.

Learn more about Bumble Bar on their website.

Tea Suggestion:

Because the Original Peanut bar focuses primarily on the nutty flavors, I decided to go with that and chose a mild, nutty-tasting Kukicha to enjoy with this bar:  Organic Kukicha from Imperial Tea Garden.  When I enjoyed my Chocolate Crisp bar, I chose a rich, creamy Matcha to enjoy:  Organic Ceremonial Grade Matcha from Arbor Teas.  I enjoyed how the rich, supple flavor of the Matcha brought out the deep cocoa notes of the bar.

What I Think:

I really didn’t know what to think of these at first.  They kind of look like some sort of bird treat!  But after one bite, I was hooked!

Both bars look pretty much the same except for the color – the Original Peanut is a pale tan color … like the color of toasted sesame seeds, and the Chocolate Crisp bar is darker … like chocolate.  They are kind of sticky to the touch, kind of like a chewy granola bar.

The Original Peanut bar tastes pretty much like one might expect – very peanut-y.  The sesame seeds provide additional nutty flavor and lots of crispy crunch.  I can taste hints of vanilla and cinnamon within the bar – not a lot, but just enough to keep things interesting.

The Chocolate Crisp bar was my favorite of the two … I mean… hello?  Did someone say chocolate?  It is – again, as one might expect – chocolate-and-peanut tasting.  The chocolate here is a bittersweet, dark chocolate, and I like that.  It doesn’t come off as too sweet or candy bar like.  It doesn’t taste like it’s been loaded down with sugar.  It actually tastes wholesome while also tasting delicious.  Not an easy feat, but, Bumble Bar pulls it off!

My Final Thoughts:

I like these a lot more than I thought I would.  I was just kind of “meh” about receiving them in the Earth Day Foodzie box, but, as I peruse the Bumble Bar website, I find myself making a mental wish list of what I’d like to try!  Let’s see, there’s Chai Almond and Cherry Chocolate and Harvest Hazelnut … did I mention CHAI ALMOND?

Vanilla Marshmallows from Rubicon Bakery

Product Description:

Hand made and hand cut, these bring out the kid in all of us. Sweet delicate puffs, available in vanilla and peppermint. Great as a confection on their own, on top of hot chocolate, or a midnight snack.

Learn more about Rubicon Bakery on their website.

Tea Suggestion:

While marshmallows are typically thought of a topping for hot chocolate, I enjoyed these right out of the package with a fresh, hot cup of Masala Chai!  Which one?  Well, the Original Masala Chai from Yogic Chai that was featured in the Ski Lodge Cafe box, of course!  The soft, fluffy, vanilla-y flavor of the marshmallows seemed to bring out the warm spicy tones of the chai so wonderfully.  And… here’s a tip:  instead of making a chai latte, try pouring the freshly brewed chai right over a marshmallow and let it melt in there like you might with a cup of hot chocolate.  It’s a cup of creamy spiced deliciousness!

What I Think:

I can’t remember exactly when it was, but it wasn’t but a few years ago that I actually “discovered” homemade marshmallows.  Before that, marshmallows were those stale bits of cloyingly sweet stickiness that came in a plastic bag from the grocery store.  They made a good roasted marshmallow, mostly because they were so dense and sticky that they are able to adhere nicely to the end of a roasting stick.  But, really, other than for that occasional marshmallow roasting, I wouldn’t buy commercial marshmallows because they’d end up going even more stale before the bag was consumed.  They just weren’t all that good.

Then … I tried a homemade marshmallow.  I think I found my first package at Trader Joe’s.  And, let me tell you, I was in marshmallow heaven!  Since that time, I’ve had the opportunity to try many different homemade marshmallows, but it is one confection I of which I never tire!

These Vanilla Marshmallows from Rubicon Bakery are delicious.  They are sweet and fluffy, not heavy or cloyingly dense like commercially manufactured marshmallows.  When they melt in a cup of hot chocolate (or tea!) they impart a delightful creaminess without tasting too sweet.  And… when I eat one on its own, it’s like a soft, vanilla cloud!  However, I don’t recommend eating more than one, they tend to get a little too sweet after the first one.  But that just leaves more for later!

My Final Thoughts:

I am not going to say that these are the best marshmallows that I’ve tasted, because I’ve tasted quite a few homemade marshmallows that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and I don’t know that these were necessarily “the best.”  But they are VERY good!

Lemon Daisy Shortbread Cookies from Dancing Deer Baking Co.

Product Description:

Buttery, Lemony, Loves me love me not cookies. We`ve been eating these wonderfully taste bud tempting daisies petal by petal. The little treats come perfectly packaged in twos which makes them lunch box friendly.

Learn more about Dancing Deer Baking Co. on their website.

Tea Suggestion:

There really are very few treats that go better with a cup of tea than shortbread cookies, so really, any tea would be delightful with these.  However, I’m partial to a Breakfast Blend – like this English Breakfast Blend from Golden Moon Tea. The robust richness of the tea is a perfect complement to the light, crisp, lemony layers of these buttery shortbread cookies.

What I Think:

Attention mommies, aunties, grandmas and even daddies of little girls!  You should keep a box of these shortbread cookies on hand for whenever that special little girl wants to host an impromptu tea party.

Sure, they’re deliciously flaky with buttery layers and bright with lemony goodness, but, what makes these even more special is that they’re shaped like daisy flowers, complete with a lemon yellow center.  What little girl wouldn’t love to over these up to her tea party guests?

On a more serious note, these are seriously tasty cookies. They go well with tea, of course, and the convenient inner packaging (they are packaged in ‘happy packs’ of two cookies) make it easy to add them to the kids lunches.  And their sunny lemon flavor is sure to brighten your kids day when they open their lunch bag to find them.

I also find these ‘happy packs’ are very convenient to help limit your serving size – rather than opening a whole sleeve of cookies and overindulging, these packages offer you two so that you’re not tempted to steal another … and another.

My Final Thoughts:

I love buttery shortbread cookies, I love lemon … what’s not to love about these?  They have a crisp texture and they melt in my mouth.  Sweet with just enough tangy lemon.  YUM!  And if you don’t want to order them online (and buy a whole case in the process), you can shop for them at your local Whole Foods market.

Sea Salt & Nibs Chocolate Bar from Madécasse

Product Information:

For lovers of chocolate with a crunch. The cocoa nibs add texture to the 63% cocoa bar’s naturally smooth flavor. A light dusting of sea salt intensifies the complex flavors of the cocoa.

Each bite has a satisfyingly sweet & savory experience to be remembered.

Learn more about Madécasse on their website.

Tea Suggestion:

Personally, I prefer black tea with chocolate, as the deep flavors of the tea complement the flavors of the chocolate so well.  With this particular chocolate bar, I found the dimension of flavors to be so pleasing I wanted something fairly mild from my black tea choice, so I chose this Neela from The Tao of Tea.  It has a pleasant sweetness and a mellow character, and it highlights the amazing complexity of this chocolate bar quite nicely.

What I Think:

This is one of those chocolate bars that is so incredibly tasty that it’s difficult to stop eating it.  I broke off a portion of the bar to savor, and the next thing I knew, I looked down to see not only that small portion (about 1/8th of the bar) had vanished, but, HALF of the bar was gone!

I’ve never really paid much attention to the cacao percentages on chocolate as far as determining what percentage level is most satisfying to my palate, but, based upon this experience, I am thinking that my personal preference is in the 60-65% range.  Dark, with lovely bittersweet tones, but not so dark as to overpower some of the more delicate notes within the chocolate.

I am noting some fantastic fruit notes in this bar.  Sweet and luscious, but the added sea salt offsets some of that sweetness so that it does not become cloying.  The sea salt also adds a very enjoyable crunch to the bar (as does the cacao nibs).  It has a deep, roasted flavor to it and I like the way the savory roasted tones and the sweet fruit notes meld together to bring a delectable sweet yet savory contrast.

My Final Thoughts:

Truly a beautiful chocolate experience – this chocolate bar is one that I think all lovers of chocolate should try.