Jalapeño Fiesta Snack from Graze

Photo from Graze.
Click on the pic to go there.

Ingredients:

jalapeno peanuts, roasted sunflower seeds, salsa almonds and roasted pumpkin seeds

I received this snack in my February Graze box.

Tea Suggestion:

I suggest an iced tea with this selection, and have plenty on hand because it’s a spicy snack!  You’ll want to refresh the palate!  When I opened this tray, I had this Whisky & Cola Iced Tea from Southern Boy Teas chilling in my fridge!  A nice way to cool the tongue after eating one of those jalapeño peanuts!

What I Think:

Spicy!  The peanuts have been seasoned with “jalapeño” flavoring (although the ingredient list says that it’s cayenne, I don’t see jalapeño in the complete ingredient list), and there are quite a few peanuts in this snack mix.  The almonds have been seasoned with a “salsa” flavoring, and while there are far fewer almonds in this mix, there are enough here to amp up the zesty flavor of the mix.

There are also sunflower seeds and pumpkin seed kernels in this mix, and they aren’t flavored except with a bit of soy sauce.  They need a little salt.  Yeah, I know soy sauce has a salty flavor to it, but, I would prefer a light salting over a soy sauce coating.

My Final Thoughts:

Overall, I didn’t hate this this nutty snack mix.  I don’t know that I enjoyed it enough to “like” it on my graze account.  It’s tasty enough, but I felt as though it really could have used more salt.  I’m not usually one who needs a lot of salt on things (unlike my husband who likes a little bit of food with his salt, it seems!) but this would have been better if it was a little saltier.  Because of this, I chose to “trash” this snack.  I didn’t hate it, but, I didn’t want to receive it again either.  I like the spicy elements, but I wanted a little more contrast.  Maybe some acid (how about lime seasoned pumpkin seeds?), and definitely some more salt.

Original Jer’s Square & Pretzo Chango-O Jer’s Square

I received both of these squares from Jer’s in my January Love with Food box.

Original Jer’s Square Information:

Jer’s Original Squares are crafted with all natural Valencia peanut butter mixed with crunchy rice crisp covered in premium milk chocolate. Now, you can have Jer’s Squares 4 oz. boxes on hand at work, at home, or on the go! That’s what we call “out of the box” thinking!

My Thoughts:

This is yummy!

The peanut butter center is lightened up with the crackly crunch of rice crisp.  The chocolate is sweet and creamy, the peanut butter is too, but there is enough “salty” to it to give it a nice savory quality and to cut through some of the sweet.  I’d take these over a peanut butter cup any day!

Pretzo Chang-O Jer’s Square Information:

Pretzo Change-O Milk Chocolate squares are crafted with sweet and salty pretzel bits mixed with all natural Valencia peanut butter covered in milk chocolate. These 4 oz. boxes are great for sharing, putting into a candy dish at your house or office, or stashed away for that quick fix when needed. After all, that’s how we’re able to pack big flavor into such a little package.

My Thoughts:

The Pretzo Chango-O is also a milk chocolate candy.  Instead of the crispy rice in the original square … this has salty pretzel bits which adds more salt to the treat.  The center is a little denser than the original was because of the pretzel bits, and it’s crunchier.  But I love the additional salty notes to this square.  Of the two, this one was my favorite, but I loved them both! This is truly a salty-sweet treat!

My Final Thoughts:

I want more of these!  That is all.

Justin’s Organic Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Pic from Knoshbox.
Click on the pic to go there.

Product Information:

Nothing says Halloween quite like a peanut butter cup! These organic peanut butter cups are unlike any you’ve tasted before. They’re crafted with organic ingredients and contain no hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup or artificial ingredients.

I received a package of these peanut butter cups in my October Knoshbox.

Tea Suggestion:

I brewed a cup of steaming hot chai to go with my peanut butter cups, and one of my favorite chai blends is this Witches’ Brew Chai from 52Teas!  It’s spicy, a little bit smoky, and a whole lot of WOW!  It made for a compelling accompaniment for these rich, delicious confections from Justin’s.

What I Think:

Before I begin on this review, I think I should make mention of the fact that when I visited the Knoshbox website to get the information on this product, it would seem that Knoshbox has changed their name to Knoshy!  As long as they keep up with the amazing boxes … I don’t really care what they choose to call themselves!  Just please don’t do something like sell out to a company and then disappear on us.  I need you, Knoshbox or Knoshy!  You can change your name but don’t go changing what you’re about, please!

Anyway, back to these treats!  I’ve tried a few different “gourmet” peanut butter cups, and while those that I’ve tried have been superior to the best known peanut butter cup (you know which one I’m talking about, right?) I have yet to find one that compares to Justin’s.  I guess the same is true for their peanut butter too.

These peanut butter cups look just like the “better known” peanut butter cup that you can find in any convenience store candy aisle (you know the one I’m talking about, right?)  In fact, if you put just the peanut butter cups up next to each other, side by side, you’d probably have a hard time determining which was which based on appearance alone.  They’re both about the same size, they’re both about the same shape with the same ridges around the edges, and they’re both lined with the wax paper cups.  They’re both made of chocolate and they both have peanut butter inside them.

But that’s where the similarities end.  They might look the same, but the certainly don’t taste the same.  Sure … the milk chocolate is sweet and creamy, and the peanut butter is smooth and and deliciously peanut-y.  But with these Justin’s peanut butter cups, everything just tastes of better quality, you know?  The chocolate is better, the peanut butter is better … and this just creates a better tasting product.

My Final Thoughts:

Everything that I’ve tried from Justin’s has just simply been YUM.  Their nut butters, their peanut butter cups … just … yummy.  Sure, the products cost a bit more than the commercially processed competition, but give Justin’s a try and you’ll find that when it comes to taste there simply is NO competition.  Justin’s is just better.  Period.

My October Knoshbox has arrived!

This month, my Knoshbox arrived on what turned out to be a very bad day for me.  As I was walking down to the mailbox to check the mail, I rolled my ankle and sprained it.  Painful!  And I mention this because there was no mail in the box – the mail carrier had not yet arrived – and because this box was delivered in a medium flat rate box the mail carrier had to bring it up to the door anyway.  My disastrous trip to the mailbox was completely unnecessary.  How fate laughs at me.

A scan of the theme card in this month’s box. I didn’t get a photo of the box and its contents before I started munching on the Bacon Peanut Brittles. By the time I got home from the hospital, I was on painkillers and had totally forgotten to snap a picture before I began munching! Sorry!

But… let that not lead you to think that this month’s box is also disastrous – far from it!  This may just be the best Knoshbox ever!  It contained only four items, but, one of these items is so beyond exciting!  A full-sized container of Pumpkin Sauce from Skillet Street Food!  OH yeah!  I’ve been wanting to try this since trying their Bacon Jam.

Also in this month’s box was a full-size package of granola as well as a Toasted Orchard Bar, both from Nate’s Naturals, and a full-size package of Bacon Peanut Brittles from the Redhead, NYC.  I’ve already sampled the Bacon Peanut Brittles, and they are amazing… so perhaps I might share this package with my husband.  Maybe.

Then again …

Anyway, this is a very exciting box, and I’m so happy that I have the opportunity to try these products.  Also included in the box is the theme card (this month’s theme is “Autumn Harvest”) which told of the inspiration behind the four selections.  The only thing that I’m missing this month is the little handwritten note on the back of the card.  It’s a small thing, but, I like that special touch.  It makes me feel like I am getting a gift from a friend that was packaged with care rather than an assembly line packaged box.  Knoshbox, if you’re reading this … I like the handwritten note.  It was a nice little touch.

As you can see by my little note under the scan of this month’s theme card, I have already started diving in to the yummy goodies in this month’s box!

Salty Peanut Salt Water Taffy from The Salty Road

Photo from Foodzie. Click on the pic to go there.

Product Description:

The ultimate balance of sweet and salty.  Infused with local honey from New York’s Union Square Market, mixed with creamy peanut butter, a hint of vanilla and lots of coarse ground sea salt, this is pure peanut heaven.  We call it the perfect pick me up snack.  It’s got a little sweet a little salty and some protein to keep you going. A fan favorite since our first batch.

Learn more about The Salty Road on their website.

Tea Suggestion:

These yummy treats do evoke thoughts of summer, and therefore, I suggest iced tea all the way!   One tea that I’ve been enjoying a lot lately and tastes really good with this taffy is this Organic Thai Iced Tea from Arbor Teas, brewed at double strength and then served chilled with a little bit of ginger ale instead of sweetened condensed milk (as I mentioned toward the end of the linked review).  YUM!  The creamy vanilla notes of the tea, as well as the hint of anise really seems to go well with the peanut-y goodness of these salty taffies.  (Taffies?  Taffys?) Delicious.

What I Think:

I like peanut butter.  I don’t really love the stuff, but I like it ok.  I’d prefer almond butter or hazelnut butter (and I’d prefer it to be from Justin’s) but I enjoy peanut butter now and again, although I don’t know that it would be a regular staple in my kitchen if I were single.  I just don’t eat it often enough to do that.  But my husband and daughter love the stuff, so I keep it on hand.

And if I were shopping for salt water taffy, I don’t know that I would have purchased this “Salty Peanut.”  Just a quick look at The Salty Road taffy collection, bergamot would have been my first choice.  Then, again, the salty caramel apple sounds divine, as does the vanilla.  All three of the other flavors sound like something I’d choose before I’d choose Salty Peanut.

And because of that, I can’t help but feel a little glad that Foodzie did the choosing for me this time, because I’m REALLY glad I got to try this flavor.  It’s really outstanding!  It has a distinct peanut-butter-y kind of taste to it, and just as the sweetness begins to swell around on the palate, I taste the sea salt start to cut through it.  As I eat these, I can really taste the “sea in the air” and feel the “wind in my hair” that Emily talks about in the Boardwalk Box video on Joyus!  These tasty treats seem to embody the spirit of the Boardwalk Box.

The texture is smooth and creamy, but every once in a while, I come across a little crunch from the sea salt.  In the aforementioned video, it is suggested that these have a milkshake-like flavor to them, and I get that.  They are so creamy, soft, and fluffy!  I love how soft these are … I’ve had gourmet salt water taffy before, and even though the gourmet taffy is quite a bit softer than a typical supermarket sweets aisle taffy, these are even softer!  It’s like they were freshly pulled, with that marshmallow-y soft smooshiness to them.  Yes, smooshiness.  It’s a word.  I just made it up!

My Final Thoughts:

These are easily the best salt water taffies I’ve ever tried.  And, yes, I’ve had some locally made salt water taffy – and loved it! – but this is even better.  This tastes and feels fresher than even that locally-made stuff, which had been made THAT day.  This stuff is AWESOME!

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?

Bacon Peanut Brittles from The Redhead

Learn more about The Redhead here.

Product Description:

More savory than sweet, these crunchy peanuts are tossed lightly with maple syrup, a dash of cayenne, thyme, and small chunks of salty, smoky bacon.  Holiday snack, solved.

What I Think:

This was one of two items featured in the Bacon and Bourbon box that prompted me to choose it for my tasting box this month.  I’ve had my eye on this product for months now!  I knew I had to – at some point, when finances would allow me to – try it.

And it is the first item to be sampled this month too.  I tried to hold off on trying them, but these actually seemed to be calling out to me.  I do try not to devour everything once I get them, trying to find just the right time to try them and the right tea with which to taste them, but these just could not wait… so I made a mad dash for the kitchen and brewed some tea!

The name of this product is a little deceiving, at least for me.  When I think of “brittle” I think of the hard, candied sugar and nut type treat.  What I have before me are more like “candied nuts” that are more on the spiced savory side than on the sweet side.

They are deliciously crunchy, with a crispy shell of maple and spices.  These spices creep up on you, let me tell you!  It starts out rather mild, and after a few handfuls, you’re in need of a beverage to cool things down.  The shell is also salty, of course, not just from the peanuts, but also from the teensiest, tiniest morsels of bacon.  The bacon delivers a hint of smoky flavor, but every once in a while, I encounter a slightly larger bit of bacon and it is slightly chewy, smoked bacon-y and YUMMY!

Surprisingly, though, I learned that these yummy bits of goodness are not for everyone.  I gave some to my oldest daughter to try and she did not care for them, and neither did my husband, whom I was actually afraid to share some with because I thought for sure he’d love them and want to eat them all before I had a chance to write this article.

Ahhh, well, that’s just fine by me, because I’m loving them, and now I don’t have to share them!  As for tea … well, the first tea that came to mind was Maple Bacon Tea from ManTeas, but since I do not have any of that on hand, a good smoky Keemun like this Premium Keemun Hao Ya from Teavivre is what I chose to sip along with these delicious bits of peanut and bacon goodness.  The smoky tones of the Keemun encouraged some of the smoky tones of these “confections” to come out and play.  A really delicious combination.

My Final Thoughts:

These are really good … and I’m really glad I had the opportunity to finally try them.  But as they don’t appeal to everyone … if you’re on the fence about it, you might do well to find a couple of other people who might be interested in trying it and purchase the 3-pack and split it amongst you.  However, you might find yourself ordering them again soon!

My Foodzie Tasting Box has arrived!

As I mentioned last month (several times, I think), Foodzie has changed, and I am still not sure if these changes are for the best.  That being said, they certainly did tempt me this month.  They offered several different boxes to choose from at the beginning of the month, and I couldn’t decide between two of them:  The Bacon and Bourbon Box & The Stocking Stuffers Box.  So, I ordered one for a Christmas gift for myself.  So, I guess it could be argued that the changes are for the better, but, I must admit that part of me does miss the SURPRISE of the tasting boxes of the past.

But, I did get one surprise this month… and that is that I got one of the boxes a bit earlier than I expected.  I had ordered the Bacon and Bourbon Box as my subscription box, and the Stocking Stuffers box was the box that I placed an additonal order for.  I had expected to receive the Stocking Stuffers box today … not the Bacon and Bourbon box!  But that is what was in my mailbox this afternoon!

This Bacon and Bourbon Box contains five delicious treats:  Bourbon Cocktail cups from Lillie Belle’s, a Jar of Bacon Jam from Skillet Street Food, 2 Bacon Raleigh Bars from Xocolatl de David, a jar of Bourbon Smoked Paprika from Bourbon Barrel Foods, and a package of Bacon Peanut Brittles from The Redhead.

The reason I chose this one as my subscription box is because two of these items have been on my mental “wish list” for quite some time, and I’m thrilled that I will finally be tasting them.  And I’m even more excited to learn that three of the five items in this box are local!

Also enclosed in my Foodzie box (as always!) was the card formerly known as the map card (which I guess I should now start calling the theme card), which tells the story behind the Bacon and Bourbon card:

We’ve learned by now that the salty tang of bacon doesn’t pair with everything, but it’s irresistible when paired with peanuts and chocolate.  Bourbon provides a smoky complexity that takes meats and even chocolate to a whole new depth of flavor.  We’ve sourced five of the best Bourbon and bacon products in the country for you to taste.  Each has it’s own special take on at least one of these two memorable ingredients.  You’ll especially enjoy the Bourbon Smoked Paprika, smoked with the wood from old Bourbon barrels, which lends both sweetness and spice to an already memorable spice.  Our canister is sitting right on the Lazy Susan by our stove, ready to be sprinkled on a fried egg.  We loved the idea of taking these two favorite ingredients and putting them into one box.  Enjoy!

I loved the idea too, especially when the box included the bacon jam and the bacon peanut brittle!  I can’t wait to dig in to this box!

Alright, so… I guess I might try another month with Foodzie… and as long as they keep creating tempting boxes such as this one, they may keep me hooked.

Honey Peanut Butter from Justin’s

Where to Buy:  Justin’s Online or in select stores

Price:  $5.99 for a 16 ounce jar

Product Description:

I don’t know kung fu and I’ve never learned to play the piano, but what I do know is how to make peanut butter really, really well.  Some people might consider my single-minded obsession with nut butters to be a waste of time, but I disagree.  Can you kung fu a piece of celery into tasting better?  I think not.

What I Think:

As with the two other nut butters that I’ve tried thus far from Justin’s, I am tasting this with a slice of toasted 8-grain bread and apple slices.

As with the classic peanut butter, the consistency is smooth and creamy.  Occasionally, I’ll pick up a tiny (teeny-tiny!) chunk of peanut.  Since my review of Justin’s Classic Peanut Butter, I’ve been contemplating how to explain the difference in flavor between Justin’s nut butters and everyone else’s (or at least those that I’ve tried).  It’s not just the flavor (although the flavor difference is significant), it’s the texture.  Yes, this is creamy and smooth, just like a creamy peanut butter off the grocery store shelf … but this has a less processed kind of texture to it.  You can not only taste the individual ingredients, but you can feel them too.  This tastes (and feels) real … like someone who really cared about the product made this.  Or… if I can borrow a phrase from Chef Carla Hall, I can taste the “love” in this.

This Honey Peanut Butter blend tastes very much like the Classic Peanut Butter, but it is sweeter.  I can taste the honey, but it isn’t a strong or overpowering note.  It is subtle.  Unlike the Classic Peanut Butter, which is made with no sugar, it has a sweetness to it, but it isn’t cloy.  This nut butter does not rely upon the honey as it’s main flavor component, it is an accent to the main event:  the peanuts!

My Final Thoughts:

A delicious combination of sweet, nutty, and salty.  Justin’s is what peanut butter SHOULD be.

Maple Almond Butter from Justin’s

Where to Buy:  Justin’s Online or in select stores

Price:  $9.95 for a 16-oz jar

Product Description:

People always ask me, what’s your favorite flavor?  And I think they expect me to give some P.C. answer that I love them all the same, but I don’t because that would be stupid.  Nuts can’t read, so whose feelings am I going to hurt?  You’re holding what I consider to be the most perfect tasting nut butter on the planet, and I’m not afraid to say it.

What I Think:

I was thinking of starting this review with something like “this is the best nut butter from Justin’s that I’ve tasted yet.”  But that is just a little precocious, since I have only tried two nut butters from Justin’s … including this one.  I still have two other samples to try from them.

But what I will say is that this is totally AWESOME!   Like, that eye-opening, Oh-My-Gosh what have I been missing kind of awesome!

Like my previous taste testing with the peanut butter from Justin’s, I chose to try this with a piece of toasted 8-grain bread and apple slices.  The consistency is as smooth as the peanut butter, and I needed to kneed the package of almond butter the same way I did the peanut butter, but that is about where the similarities end.

This Maple Almond Butter tastes richer and sweeter than the peanut butter.  It coats the palate with a delicious nutty, maple-y taste.  It feels thick, creamy and smooth.  There is a pleasing contrast between salty and sweet.  The flavor of the almond is very distinct, as is the sweet maple, and together these two flavors create the most amazing, delicious nut butter I’ve ever tasted.

My Final Thoughts:

Oh. My. Goodness.  I need a jar of this!   I love it.