Brewers Bar from Granola Lab

Picture from Knoshy.
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Product Information:

Granola Lab’s Brewers Bar is a unique, chewy-crispy fruit and seed granola bar made with barley malt (also called spent grain). To brew beer, barley malt is first soaked in water to create a mash. The resulting liquid is further processed into everyone’s favorite alcoholic beverage, but the malt itself is discarded.

The spent grain is collected from Kelso Beer Co of Brooklyn and baked into these bars along with dried apples, apricots, dates, pumpkin, sesame and hemp seeds. It’s mostly organic, vegan, and doesn’t contain any nuts. 

Tea Suggestion:

I thought that a nice, earthy white tea would be a good choice to drink with this Brewer’s Bar, so I selected this Silky Silver Needle Tea from Teasenz.  It is a light, refreshing tea that allowed the sweetness of the fruit and the flavors of the seeds to come forward.  A really nice tea time – unusual, yes! – but, enjoyable.

What I Think:

My various subscriptions have offered me many different opportunities to try a bunch of different granola/energy type bars.  Some I’ve liked more than others, while some were just sort of “meh” or maybe less than “meh.”

This bar is different from any that I’ve tried thus far.  The grain used for these bars is the spent malt from a brewery which gives the bar a different base flavor as well as a different texture.  I like the flavor of this.  I mean, I usually enjoy the oat-y flavor of most of the granola bars out there, but, this is tasty too.

There are also lot of seeds to this and that gives the bar a sort of crackly crunch that I enjoy.  One seed that I was particularly pleased to see as an ingredient is hemp seeds because I think that hemp is a product that we need to further explore.  And there are lots of fruity notes in this too:  I taste the apple and the apricot and the dates add a nice sweetness.

My Final Thoughts:

A really tasty and interesting bar.  I found this one different from the usual bar … and in this case, different was really good!

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!

Bourbon Marshmallows from Wondermade

Photo from Knoshbox.
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Product Information:

These could be our favorite new product of the year. These delicate morsels are crafted with pure Maker’s Mark Bourbon and exhibit notes of wood, vanilla and oak. Each box contains 16 marshmallows, a perfect amount for eating.

I received a box of these amazing marshmallows in my November Knoshbox!

What I Think:

For quite a while now, I have sung the praises of a certain marshmallow making company, so please don’t take this review as my way of changing “favorites.”  I still love that company, but I think there’s room enough at the top for two marshmallow favorites.

These marshmallows are amazing.  As in … they are SO GOOD.  They are fluffy and chewy and sweet.  And I can definitely taste the bourbon in them.  I could even smell the bourbon when I opened the package.  I’ve never been big on alcoholic beverages (as I’ve said before, I’m more like a TeaTotaler!  ha!) but I like the contrast of the flavor of bourbon with the marshmallow sweetness.  It’s like a sweet confection that’s just for adults.

And it isn’t just the flavor that I love … I love the size of the marshmallows (bite size!), I love the packaging (the box is adorable, isn’t it?) and I love the variety of flavors that Wondermade offers (I think I’m going to have to this Christmas Pack before the holiday arrives as a special Merry Christmas to me!)

My Final Thoughts:

I love these marshmallows.  I’m so happy that Knoshbox put them in the November box!  These taste amazing as a topper for hot chocolate or for sweet potatoes, and they’re delightful eaten on their own.  If you have a soft spot for homemade marshmallows, you’ve got to try these.

Maple Fudge from Laura Secord

Photo from Love With Food.
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Product Information:

If Willie Wonka had a Canadian Cousin who was not only obsessed with making delicious candy, but luxurious and premium chocolate as well then Laura Secord would be her name. This delicious fudge is made with authentic maple syrup from the spacious Canadian hillside. Enjoy!

I received a chunk of this Maple Fudge in my November Love with Food box!

Tea Suggestion:

I wanted a deep, rich black tea to enjoy with this maple fudge, so I chose this Kaporet Kenya Black Tea from Single Origin Teas to drink while enjoying this amazing confection.  The combination of the robust tea with the decadent fudge was sublime!  The sweet fudge brought out some of the fruit-y nuances of the tea and made this tea taste even better (and it was pretty amazing to begin with!)

What I Think:

YUM!  Maple is definitely one of my favorite fall flavors.  One of the things that I look forward to when fall comes is the maple sugar candy that I find in Whole Foods.  However, I think I may have found a new favorite fall candy.  This Maple Fudge is outstanding.  It’s so maple-y sweet and decadent.  The texture is soft and smooth.

But here’s the thing when it comes to candy like fudge:  it becomes cloying very quickly.  Yes, I have a sweet tooth, but, even when my sweet tooth is in overdrive, I can only handle so much fudge until I start to feel that sickly feeling like I’ve had too much.  And let’s face it … fudge is so tasty that it’s sometimes hard to find that fine line from I’ve had just enough to I’ve had too much!

So I like that these individually wrapped pieces of fudge are just the right size.  One piece of fudge (or even a half a piece!) is enough to satisfy the sweet tooth.  I don’t have to “cut myself off” because there is a limit in the packaging.  And because each piece is individually wrapped, I don’t have to worry about the fudge going stale.  I like that!

My Final Thoughts:

A really delicious candy.  I like that they are individually wrapped, and the size is just right.  The taste and texture is fresh and soft and very enjoyable – much more so than the typical chunk of fudge.  This is so good!  So decadent!

Justin’s Organic Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Pic from Knoshbox.
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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.

Sweet Potato Pop Chips

Product Information:

sweet, crispy and a lot of delicious.

I received a .8 ounce bag of Sweet Potato Pop Chips in my November Love with Food box.

Tea Suggestion:

When I munch on salty snacks like these, I like to drink iced tea because they just seem to go well together.  I brewed up a pitcher of this OYGFIB? blend from 52Teas last night, and I enjoyed a tall glass of it with these Sweet Potato Pop Chips.  A really tasty snack.

What I Think:

Wow!

When I first saw “Pop Chips” on the grocery store shelves, I didn’t really think much about them.  Something about them sounded “off” to me … was it like a thin rice cake that is made to taste like potato chips or what?

But it turns out, they’re nothing like what I thought they’d be.  These are actual sweet potatoes (and rice flour) that are air popped to create a crispy, tasty snack that is (in my opinion) just as tasty as a fried potato chip, but without the fried thing going on, because, you know, fried is not only not the healthy way to go, but, it also is greasy and after a couple of potato chips, I tend to find this greasiness rather unpleasant.

These aren’t greasy at all.  I taste the sweet potato, and it tastes the way I expect a sweet potato to taste:  Sweet and savory and delicious.  I think that this has been “seasoned” with a touch of sugar and I can taste a hint of salt too.  That’s it.  I taste a lot of sweet potato flavor, and a little bit of sugar and a little bit of salt.  And a whole lot of YUM!

My Final Thoughts:

These are the new must have as far as I’m concerned.  I’ll be buying more of these.  Fortunately, they have acquired a certain amount of popularity, as I have seen these in my local Whole Foods.  I’ll start checking the other grocery stores as well.  I can’t wait to try some other flavors, when I do, I’ll be sure to update my blog with those taste discoveries.

Tuxedo Popcorn from Kukuruza

Photo from Love with Food.
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Product Information:

If you haven’t tried Kukuruza yet, we shall be the first to say that your mouth is missing out. You’re curious, we can see it now. This unique combination of premium milk and white chocolate will help satisfy your savory and sweet cravings, all in one bite.

I received a pouch of Kukaruza Tuxedo Popcorn in my November Love with Food Box!

Tea Suggestion:

I brewed up a cup of this Dian Hong Congfu Black Tea from Joseph Wesley to enjoy with this yummy confection.  The malty notes brought out some of the caramel-y notes that were a little obscured by the chocolate coating and i liked the way the tea complemented the delicious popcorn.

What I Think:

Delicious!  Kukuruza starts with their classic caramel coated popcorn, and then they drizzle milk chocolate over the popcorn, and then they drizzle white chocolate with a hint of vanilla over that!  Mmm!

The result is a decadent, delicious confection.  These morsels are very chocolate-y, and the milk chocolate is what I taste first and foremost.  Then I notice the sweet, creamy vanilla tones.  I can taste the buttery caramel and hints of saltiness.  It’s a dreamy concoction that is both sweet and savory, but, mostly sweet.

In fact, if there was more in this “flight” bag than just 1.5 ounces of the popcorn, it might end up becoming too cloying.  However, with the small portion, it was just enough to satisfy a sweet craving without getting too sweet.

My Final Thoughts:

I love this stuff!  I will definitely keep my eye out for this product while I’m out shopping.  If I don’t find it, I’ll have to buy some online, because I can see myself craving this.  So yum!

My November Knoshbox is Here!

Yay!  The day that my Knoshbox arrives in my mailbox is one of the happiest mail days of them all!  I know that my posts about the Knoshbox arrival are always very excited and happy, but there’s a good reason for that.

You see, once upon a time, there was a company called Foodzie.  And I would get a box from them every month, in fact, that was my very first subscription box.  But then Foodzie got bought out by another company, and over the course of the last year or so, it would seem that the company that bought out Foodzie has been slowly phasing out the food offerings in their company and focusing more on fashion and makeup and fitness.

I used to miss Foodzie a lot, but, then I discovered Knoshbox.  And thanks to Knoshbox, I now barely think about Foodzie at all … and that’s because Knoshbox has managed to fill the void that was left by Foodzie’s departure.  I’m seldom disappointed by a box from Knoshbox, and the one time I foresaw that I wouldn’t really be in to a box (a coffee themed box), I was able to write to them and ask them to instead send me another of the box from the previous month.  Now, I’m not saying that they’ll do that every time, I just happened to get lucky.

And a note to Knoshbox, if you’re reading this … please … please do a Tea box.  You did a coffee themed box.  I want a tea time box.  I’ll even help you choose out teas for it if you want.  haha!

This Month’s Product Card

The reason Knoshbox has managed to fill that void is because Knoshbox … quite simply … ROCKS!  Yeah, the box is a little higher in price than some other subscriptions, but, I think that it’s well worth it, because I get exposed to some products that I might not otherwise have been introduced to, and these are high quality, gourmet goodies!

Another great thing about Knoshbox is that there’s usually a theme to the box!  This month’s theme is Bourbon and Beer.  And I haven’t tried any of these products (BONUS POINTS FOR KNOSHBOX!)  Here’s what is in this month’s box:  Bourbon Wondermade Marshmallows, a “Brewer’s Bar” from Granola Lab, a bottle of Nobel Maple Syrup, A box of Alehouse Cheddar Crackers from Castleton, and finally, a pouch of “Old Salties” beer nuts from Ovenly.

I can’t wait to start tasting these yummy looking treats!

Almond, Apricot, and Yoghurt Bar from Eat Natural

Photo from Love with Food.
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Product Information:

Color versus Colour? Yogurt or is it yoghurt? Well no matter how you spell it, this all natural bar takes the cake. It is a simple mix of unsulphured apricots, crunchy almonds and coconut and then topped with a smooth layer of yogurt coating.

I received one of these bars in my November Love with Food Box.

Tea Suggestions:

I brewed myself a cup of chai and turned it into a latte with Chico Chai’s Original Loose Leaf Chai.  Then I decided that this bar would make a lovely accompaniment with my chai.  The sweetness of the bar enhances the spicy notes of the chai – these two work really splendidly together!

What I Think:

Tasty!

The first thing I notice when I’m reading up on this bar is that there aren’t a lot of extraneous ingredients to it.  The yogurt coating has a few ingredients to it, and then there is just crisped rice, apricots, almonds, coconuts, honey and glucose syrup.

It is a little on the sweet side.  I am thinking that this could be tasty without the yogurt coating.  I mean, I like the yogurt just fine, and I have a sweet tooth so I’m not complaining about the sweetness of it … but I’m just saying that I don’t think it needs the yogurt coating.  It would be a tasty fruit and nut type bar without the coating.

There are lots of crunchy almonds and sweet apricots in this.  I can feel the texture of the chewy coconut.  I don’t taste too much honey or syrup in this, I like that these two sweeteners don’t overpower the bar and take away from the natural taste of the fruit and nut flavors.

My Final Thoughts:

I liked this.  This is something that if I were wanting a quick and easy snack, I’d grab one of these bars.  This is something that I wouldn’t mind having on hand for when I want something a little sweet.  I like the variety of textures within the bar – the chewy of the apricots and coconut, the crunchy of the almonds and the crispness of the rice.  Overall, a really tasty snack.

Rosemary & Olive Oil Kettle Cooked Potato Chips from Deep River Snacks

Photo from Knoshbox.
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Product Description:

These Deep River Snacks Rosemary & Olive Oil chips are delicious with various Belgian and German premium beers.

I received a bag of these potato chips in my September Knoshbox.

Tea Suggestion:

Because this month’s Knoshbox is all about “Perfect Pairings” I read the product card before tasting these chips and tried to choose a tea according to what the curators of the Knoshbox recommended.  For these chips, Knoshbox recommended Allagash White wheat beer from Maine because it has “balanced notes of coriander, orange peel and clove” … which does sound rather intriguing but, I’ve found even with the most intriguing sounding beer, when it comes right down to it, I’m often disappointed with a beer.  So, instead, I did a little investigation into my tea collection, and came up with this Market Chai African Redbush Tea from MarketSpice, and I brewed some of it to enjoy with these chips.  Nice!  There are delightful citrus notes, and warm notes from the cinnamon and ginger, and a pleasant nutty flavor from the nutmeg … and all the delicious flavors of the chai melded quite nicely with the flavors of potato, olive oil and rosemary.  A really delightful, spicy-sweet, savory treat!

What I Think:

These are really tasty … so tasty in fact, I found it difficult to stop munching on them long enough to start typing out my thoughts about them.  The bag is nearly gone now!

The potatoes have been slightly thick cut – these aren’t the thickest cut potato chips I’ve seen, but, they’re thicker than your average potato chip.  And they’ve been kettle cooked to give them that hearty crunch.

After they were cooked, they were flavored with rosemary and olive oil.  I like how these are flavored … nothing overwhelming.  I like the combination of the olive oil and rosemary.

Rosemary can be a very aggressive herb and take over the dish that it flavors, and because the description on Knoshbox’s website suggests a robust rosemary flavor, I thought that the herb might overpower the chip, but it is balanced nicely here.  I taste resin notes and notes of pine.  It’s a very pleasant flavor and I like the way the rosemary is presented here.

My Final Thoughts:

A delicious, savory chip, and even though I didn’t pair it with the beer they suggested, I found that the flavor profiles they described helped me immensely with the choosing of the tea suggestion for this snack.  I don’t usually choose a chai to drink with potato chips, but I’m glad I did today!