Peanut Butter & Co: The Heat Is On Peanut Butter

One of the upsides of having a food review blog is that friends will often come up with items that they want to see me review. And one of the downsides of having a food review blog is that friends will often come up with items that they want to see me review. No, that's not a typo: that is the double-edged sword that is my life.

Seriously! Sometimes my friends come up with stuff that makes me wonder if they are trying to turn me into their own personal Andrew Zimmern (even the ones who have no idea who Andrew Zimmern is). I believe they see some outrageous items and think to themselves, "Oho, there is just no way Gigi would ever turn down the chance to review a choice delicacy like dill pickle flavored, chocolate covered, durian stuffed Madagascar hissing cockroaches!" (OK, to be fair, I made that up...and if such a product exists, I am happy in my ignorance of it and ask only that it A: Not be brought to my attention, and B: That I not be offered samples.) My whole point is that sometimes I feel like people give me things based on an elementary school gross-out dare.

My sister-from-another-mother, however, is an exception to that rule. Net and I are so physically similar that you could in fact mistake us for sisters -- well, first cousins at the very least -- and she always finds the greatest snack stuff for me to try. (She is completely to blame for my obsession with Herr's Puff'n Corn.) So when she said she had something new for me I was very excited.

And she did not disappoint!

I have been wanting to go to the Peanut Butter & Co shop since I saw them on the Food Network at least ten years ago. Really, how could a peanut butter lover not want to go to a shop that completely revolves around peanut butter? Well, despite many visits to my beloved New York City I have not made it to the shop once. Then, like magic, the company's peanut butter started turning up in stores...and I still somehow never got my hands on any. Net, however, did -- and when she saw a jar of The Heat Is On flavor she picked it up for me. (For the record, she swears by their Dark Chocolate Dream.)

The Heat Is On, as you may have guessed, is a spicy peanut butter -- and lest you doubt that it's spicy, the monkey on the label is holding a little pitchfork. Monkeys would not lie to us.

Even before opening the jar, you can tell that there is going to be a lot going on flavorwise, just by looking at the peanut butter. It's darker than your normal peanut butter; the color being more of a burnt orange than a tan. The butter is also studded with various dots and flecks of spices.

When you open the jar the scent is that of strongly roasted peanuts. You can tell there's an extra something going on, but it's hard to pin down exactly what else it is that you're smelling besides the nuts.



According to the label you don't have to stir the peanut butter, but I did notice some oily buildup on the top -- and I thought that the texture was a bit better for giving it a swirl. The texture is smooth but very thick, though not thick in the sticky manner of any of the mass market brands of choice. There is a slight graininess (though it is not chunky) that I think comes from a combination of the spices and the actual peanuts themselves. I really liked the texture.

The taste -- forgetting the spices for just a second and concentrating on the base -- reminded me of super fresh, just-roasted peanuts. Slightly salty and completely missing the sweetness that my favorite mass market brand has.

Now for the spices! It's going to be hard to go back to plain peanut butter after having spicy (and I may not, actually). The heat is just enough to give you a kick and warm your mouth up, but not enough to have people who aren't as big a fan of heat as I am searching for something to cool off with. On a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of heat for people who are not chiliheads, I would put it at about a 5 or 6 if you are really sensitive.

The spicing is a mix of chili powder, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper and paprika. (And while it's not listed on the label, I have to wonder if there's not a pinch of garlic in there as well.) To be really lazy, the easiest way I can describe the flavor is to tell you to imagine a peanut butter made with a bag of those "hot" flavored peanuts found at gas stations and mini marts. As someone who has been known to snarf those bags down embarrassingly fast, it stands to reason that I'd love a peanut butter version.

What can I say? I just loved this peanut butter. I have been eating it straight from the jar, but I know it would make great sandwiches or sauces/dressings. Heck, I want to try to make cookies with it! No, I'm not kidding. It's really that damned good.

Thank you, Netters!



PURCHASED FROM:
Gift from my friend

PRICE:
$6.00 on the company website

CALORIES:
190 calories per 2 tbsp

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Gluten free, certified vegan, HFCS free. Contains peanuts (duh)

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
ilovepeanutbutter.com

Ben & Jerry's Snickerdoodle Cookie Ice Cream: Limited Batch

Snickerdoodles are one of those cookies that people seem to either love or hate. I am in the love crowd, and I do mean love. If you have never had one still warm and fresh from the oven, with the aroma of heated cinnamon Eskimo-kissing your nose, then it is quite possible you have not fully lived.

Ben & Jerry's latest limited edition flavor is the autumn-friendly Snickerdoodle Cookie. It is a butter and cinnamon flavored ice cream base with chunks of -- you guessed it -- snickerdoodle cookies.



I think the choice of a butter flavored base was interesting. I have always like the butter flavored part of butter pecan ice creams. I am just not a fan of the actual pecans, even though I like pecans otherwise. (In one of the quirks that makes Gigi, as much as I like nuts by themselves, I hate nuts in ice cream.) So I was looking forward to enjoying the butter flavor without having to worry about avoiding nuts.

But how did it taste? Well, the butter is more like essence of butter. Don't expect the full-on rich, almost salty flavor that you would get from, say, a butter pecan ice cream. This is more subtle and creamy. And in addition to the cinnamon, there also seems to be a hint of nutmeg. It actually reminded me a lot of a less custardy egg nog flavor. Truly delicious by itself.

Aaaah, but it's not by itself. No indeed, it is chock full of hunks (because "chunks" does not convey how large some of the pieces of cookies are) of snickerdoodle cookies. The cookies are full of cinnamon and brown sugar. They crumble up just a little and add a small hit of salt that brings all other the flavors out a little more.



This is truly one of the best flavors ever to come out of Vermont -- and I do not say that lightly. In fact, I beg those good people in Vermont to just forget the whole "Limited Batch" thing and add it the core line. This was truly amazing.

Be sure to check out Rodzilla's review here. I liked it a little more than he did...but that just means more for me!



PURCHASED FROM:
Albertsons Supermarket

PRICE:
$2.59

CALORIES:
230 calories per 1/2 cup.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
benjerry.com

Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier: The Adventurous Collection

I like to think my sense of adventure is up there. I bungee jumped long before everyone and their grandma did it. I will try just about anything edible or drinkable you can throw at me (and I've probably reviewed it here somewhere). I've even -- gasp! -- worked retail on Black Friday. Really, there is no limit to my daredevil side.

So when I got an email from the good people at Gail Ambrosius asking me if I would like to review one of their truffle collections, I grabbed my Indiana Jones hat and waited, somewhat patiently, for them to arrive.



Gail Ambrosius is an old school chocolatier who -- along with her staff, of course -- makes all of her single origin chocolate by hand in small batches. Kinda made me think of a chocolate version of a micro-brew. Gail's chocolates, in addition to being single origin, are also free of preservatives, with all natural, sustainable ingredients. (And since there are no preservatives, their lifespan is brief. These are not chocolates you can leave on a shelf and forget about for a couple of months.) Gail is clearly head over heels in love with her craft. If you read her blog -- or her biography on her site -- it is impossible not to sense how much she loves what she does.

I personally love a good truffle too, as my past truffle reviews reveal, and I was very excited about the six truffles in this collection.

So, here we go...


Cinnamon/Cayenne:



This truffle was wrapped in a bright orange foil. Hidden underneath the foil is a truffle made up of 65% Colombian chocolate, dusted with a fine layer of cinnamon.



What I loved about this truffle was that the incredibly smooth chocolate is just sweet enough that it is not bitter, but you wouldn't mistake it for a milk chocolate. The cinnamon is actually the first thing you taste. It's spicy but not overpowering. The best part is the heat from the cayenne, with just a teeny tiny peppery aftertaste. I could eat an entire box just of this truffle.


Sweet Curry with Saffron:



This truffle is made with Hawaiian chocolate. I can't say that I've ever had Hawaiian chocolate before, but it made me think of Marvo -- and that in turn made me think of Marvo doing the Truffle Shuffle -- which, for the record, I have never seen him do, but it sounds like something he would do. (Nothing but love for you, man, nothing but love!) All of that distracted me from the fact that this truffle also contains coconut. And coconut is my natural enemy...well, that may be going a little far. But it is safe to say I am not the biggest fan of the stuff. This truffle also has coriander, turmeric, cumin, and cardamom and the top is sprinkled with strands of saffron -- world's the most expensive spice.



This truffle smells vaguely like generic Indian food. The turmeric and the cumin were the strongest flavors. I picked up the coconut more as an aftertaste. The information for this truffle describes the chocolate as having a raisin-like aftertaste -- and damned if that's not the best way to describe it. Honestly, while I liked the spice and I liked the chocolate, the coconut killed this truffle for me. But I am sure coconut fans would love it.


Machu Picchu:



This truffle is filled with a ganache that is made with 65% Peruvian chocolate nibs that have been caramelized. There is also a hint of cinnamon and vanilla. The truffle is topped with candied almonds.



This truffle is like chocolate to the eleventh power. It's a little sweet, and you taste just enough of the cinnamon and the vanilla so that you know they're there, but otherwise it is just pure chocolate essence. The nibs are almost completely ground, but there are little chunks here and there that add crunch to the otherwise smooth filling. Very nice!


Lemongrass with Ginger:



This one reminded me of Thai food. The chocolate is a 70% Venezuelan chocolate that is infused with dried organic lemongrass, coconut purée, and ginger pulp. It is topped with candied lemon peel and dried safflower.



Even with the coconut I loved this truffle, mostly because the strong warmth of the ginger worked to cover up all but the last notes of the coconut. The lemongrass gives it a fresh clean taste, and the dark chocolate just wraps the whole thing up in an earthy blanket.


Rica Organica:



This one is made with chocolate that Gail herself treks to Costa Rica to get. It's a simple truffle, made only with said chocolate, plus cream and vanilla bean.



This is the most basic truffle in the mix. It is also a great example of how sometimes it is the little things that make the most impact. With this truffle, all you taste is the chocolate. It's a little fruity, a little coffee-like. It's sweetened by the cream. If you are just beginning to get into dark chocolates, this is an excellent place to start.


Shiitake Mushroom:



Not going to lie -- this single truffle was the entire reason I chose this collection out of the others available. Seriously, how could you not want to try chocolate and mushrooms together?!

The chocolate is the 65% Peruvian, and is mixed with a mixture of dried shiitake mushrooms and cream.



Anyone who says that mushrooms and chocolate do not belong together needs to be fed this truffle -- even if by force at first. The mushrooms bring a slightly chewy texture to the center. Paired with the dark chocolate, it tastes like fresh soil, coffee, woodsy happiness. It's sweet, it's salty, and it's probably going to become my new obsession.

Yeah, this was a great collection. The texture of the all of the truffles, regardless of flavor/chocolate was excellent. Just enough snap on the outer shell. The interior ganache was silky smooth and cool on the tongue. These are some of the best truffles I have ever had.

The box also included...

A bonus! (I think)



While not listed as part of the Adventurous Collection, my box also contained a couple of the Caramel Sprinkled with Grey Salt squares. Not one to look gift salted caramel in the mouth (or share it willingly), I was thrilled with the addition.

The Columbian chocolate is deep and coffee-like. The salt was everything you could ever hope for. The texture of caramel itself is super soft and smooth, almost to the point of being a butter cream. It's mildly buttery and sweet. It is at its best when you get a part of the square with a lot of salt on it. There was something about it that I just couldn't put my finger on -- and it kept me from deciding whether or not I really loved it -- or if I was really indifferent to it. But I still ate all of them, so I am leaning towards really liking it.



This collection is just a tiny portion of what Gail Ambrosius offers. Be sure to check out the website to view it all for yourself. (Sadly for my international friends, they are currently able to ship only within the U.S. So if you see something you reeeeaaaallllllly gotta have, you might want to start being really nice to your U.S. friends!)

Get your hands on this collection by any means necessary.



PURCHASED FROM:
Sample from company

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
gailambrosius.com

Too Haute Cowgirls: Fistful of Fleur de Sel

If long time readers know anything about me, it's that three of my favorite words in the world are Fleur de Sel. How do you not love salt, and how do you not love salt even more when it's paired with caramel, chocolate, and popcorn? It's probably impossible. So when Too Haute Cowgirls mosied off the range to ask me if I wanted to try some of their popcorn creations, I struck faster than an angry rattlesnake at a cowboy caught wearing his cousin as boots (or something like that). Anyway...

The popcorn is stuck together with caramel in nicely sized clusters, which are then covered in dark chocolate along with large chunks of toffee sprinkled with fleur de sel.

OMG! If life in the Wild West were more like this and less like about a dozen bad Kevin Costner movies, maybe I would regret not living there.

The popcorn is fluffy and manages to not pick up that oily taste and spongy texture that packaged popcorn tends to get. The caramel is buttery and you know it's there -- but it's not so strong that it overrides any of the other flavors.



The toffee pieces were crunchy and sweet, and complimented the caramel perfectly.

But it's really the salt that brings the whole thing together. It makes the cocoa in the dark chocolate stand out. It balances the caramel and the toffee, and it reminds you of the best part of really good freshly popped corn.



This stuff is truly addicting. And we actually blew through the entire bag while writing the review. So grab old Trigger and go get some...of course, if you're riding a horse to get to your internet connection, you may have bigger issues.



PURCHASED FROM:
Sample from company.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Made in facilities along with dairy, soy, peanuts, wheat, and tree nuts are used.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
toohautecowgirls.com

Ciao Bella Chocolate Jalapeño Gelato

I think by now it's safe to say that anyone who has read several of my reviews knows that I am a chili head. I love hot sauce, I love peppers, I love candy with peppers in it. And while I was browsing through Ciao Bella's website, I saw that among all the flavors they offer, one of them is a chocolate jalapeño! So I went on a quest to find it locally...and I came up dry. I finally contacted the nice folks at Ciao Bella, and they were kind enough to pass a pint along to me -- so thank you, Ciao Bella!

This gelato is made with West African chocolate, and it's not merely flavored with jalapeño. No indeed, this gelato is spiked with actual pieces of jalapeño. Clearly, an auspicious omen!



At first glance, the gelato looks like any of the other Ciao Bella chocolate gelatos. It's a dark, rich milky brown. (It's actually a lot darker in color than it appears in these photos. I blame the camera flash.) The aroma is that of a slightly spicy chocolate. As if there might be cinnamon lurking somewhere within.

So now we know what it looks like and smells like...but how does it taste?

It starts off harmless enough. It reminded me of a deep Dutch chocolate. Very strongly cocoa flavored, and a little sweet. It's a really tasty chocolate that would be good even on its own.



After a few moments, you're hit with a peppery spice and then the sweet, slow burn of the jalapeño. And yes, as stated above, there really are little green bits of jalapeño pepper in the gelato. Just little itty bitty tiny pieces, but it adds a unique texture -- it's a little crunchy, and there are even some seeds.



The level of heat varies depending on how many jalapeño bits/seeds you get in your spoonful. The heat is cumulative, though it remained low on my personal scale of hotness. But I loved the combination. The milk mellows the jalapeño burn and keeps it from becoming overwhelming. At the same time, the peppers add depth to the chocolate.

I warn the meek: there is no mistaking the fact that there are jalapeños here. And for those of you who prefer the heat in low doses, it might be a little intense for you.

This surely wouldn't be the gelato of choice for everyone. But if you chase the burn, it is well worth tracking down. Delicious!



PURCHASED FROM:
Sample from company

CALORIES:
230 calories per 1/2 cup serving.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
ciaobellagelato.com

KFC Fiery Grilled Wings

As you may have guessed by now, I will try pretty much anything with the words "fiery" or "hot" in the title. I looooooove spicy food the way Eric Cartman loves Cheesy Poofs. My main complaint with most mass-marketed "spicy" items is that they tend to be quite low on the heat scale. Yes, I know there are many people who consider the mild sauce at Taco Bell to be the spiciest thing known to man. (Fact: Taco Bell's mild sauce is so tame that my cat laps it up if I leave an opened packet unattended.) And I think most mass-marketed "spicy" food is made with those people in mind.



So how would KFC's new Fiery Grilled Wings rate? The wings are actually marinated in peppers and spices and then grilled, resulting in a hot, hot wing.



That sounds all puppies and rainbows but how does it really taste?

Actually, they're pretty good. Do I personally think they are hot or spicy? HELLLLLL NO! On my personal one-to-ten heat scale, they are maybe, maybe a two at their strongest. But I am going to agree with Marvo's review (read it here) and say that I think most people would rate them about a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10.



The overall flavor is like KFC and El Pollo Loco had a sort of a love child. There's a nice peppery bite, but it also has that faux-grilled taste that I don't really like in the regular grilled product -- but it works well here.

These are some good wings! OK, they can't begin to compete with the absolutely orgasmic wings you'll find in any number of scary-looking independent barbecue joints throughout the Deep South, I will concede that. But for fast food wings...this is truly about as good as they come.

Kit Kat: Wasabi (Limited Edition)

As soon as J-List started tweeting that they had wasabi flavored Kit Kats, I had to buy some.



Wasabi is that lump of green stuff that is served next to sushi. It's a type of horseradish that is finely ground and mixed into a paste. It is also extremely hot...to most people, anyway. Personally, I can eat wads of it plain.

While most Americans tend to think of it only as a garnish for sushi, I am one of those odd people who think it's good on everything. Seriously. I have used it on sandwiches of all types, I've smeared it on pepperoni pizza. I have made compound butter with it. One of my signature dishes is a grilled (or broiled) wasabi-crusted salmon.

So a wasabi candy? Hell, yeah!

Here in the U.S., Kit Kat (made in this country by Hershey) doesn't give us many flavor options. However, our East Asian friends get their Kit Kats (made by Nestlé, as are the rest of the world's) in a rather amazing array of flavors. Yes, the Kit Kat universe in Asia is indeed vast compared to ours. In the case of Japanese Kit Kats, some of the flavors are so specialized that they are only available in certain areas of the country. (For example, this flavor was from Shizuoka.) I wish the U.S. would do more limited edition flavors on products in general. I think it would be really interesting to have regional editions of things here...but, onward...



The box that I got contained twelve individually wrapped packets, each containing two mini Kit Kat fingers. The chocolate is a white chocolate that has been flavored with wasabi. The color of the finger is a light boogerish green. When you sniff the bars, all you really get is the sweet sugary smell of the white chocolate. If there is something hot and spicy hiding in there, it is kind of an olfactory ninja.



Biting into the bar does toss a little throwing star of flavor at you. There is no mistaking that there is wasabi in the bar. Not only is it in the white chocolate, but wasabi also flavors the thin layers of creme sandwiched between the wafers. But rather than being strong and potent, or even a little hot, it tastes like you took the teeny-tiniest little bit of wasabi possible and immediately chugged a glass of milk with it to cover the flavor. The essence of the wasabi is present -- there's no mistaking the flavor -- but what you really taste is the strong milky, sweetness of the chocolate. I didn't get the slightest hint of the heat that I love.



Still, even without the heat, I loved the flavor. It was a different way to have something I am already crazy about. I am glad that Nestlé went with white chocolate (even though I am not a fan as a rule) rather than a dark or a milk. The white chocolate kept its sweetness but allowed the wasabi flavor to come through. I think a darker chocolate might have overwhelmed it. I blew through several of these little packs in a really short time.

Check out Jen's review here from her site Jen Ken's Kit Kat Blog. Jen found the bars to be much hotter then I did. Jen's review is also mentioned on The Impulsive Buy Podcast #10.



PURCHASED FROM:
J-List

Lake Champlain Dark Spicy Aztec Bar

My last trip to New York City was sadly not the foodie hunting trip that my visits normally are. (There was a lot of family stuff going on, and while I am sad I didn't get to find lots of good things to review, I am glad I was there for them.) But when I was leaving, I hit a couple kiosks at LaGuardia airport and actually found a few good things.



One of those things was this Lake Champlain Dark Spicy Aztec bar. I had read several reviews Cybele wrote on Candy Blog (read her review of the bar here) and thought they sounded great -- but I had never seen them "in the wild." Gotta love the United Airlines terminal!

Anyway, the Aztec bar is made up of a 55% dark chocolate, cayenne pepper, vanilla, cinnamon AND pumpkin seeds! I love pumpkin seeds, and you don't see them used in candy all that often. The bar is made up of six molded bite-sized squares. It also has a high gloss and fantastic snap.



The pepper stands out right away. Between the cayenne and the cinnamon, there is enough heat to cause a little burn. As a chilihead, I chase the heat, and for me it was just a little baby burn. (I admit it -- I can practically drink Sriracha sauce -- or my fave that other L.A. locals might know, the red sauce from King Taco.) If you are more sensitive to heat and spice, be warned that it might be a bit much for you. I love how the spice perfectly balances the dark chocolate. The dark chocolate has a smooth melt, and just enough sweetness that it keeps the heat in check.

My favorite part, though, is the pumpkin seeds. They add texture and crunch. And it's a pleasant change to get that from something that isn't a nut, or even crispy rice. They are a little earthy and salty...which plays well with the spice.

I really loved this bar. On top of tasting and looking great, it's also all natural and organic. That means I can eat more of it, right?



PURCHASED FROM:
Some random store in the United Airlines terminal at New York City's LaGuardia Airport...but you can also order direct from the company or find local retailers by visiting Lake Champlain Chocolates directly.

Trader Joe's Paneer Tikka Masala

I confess: I am seriously spoiled when it comes to Indian food.

Back when I lived in Georgia, I was a regular at a fantastic place called Cedars Taverna (sadly, no longer in business). Ken, the chef and owner, truly had a gift with food. His specialty was traditional Indian fare -- but sometimes, if you were lucky, he would also prepare local Southern favorites and put an Indian spin on them. Heaven on Earth just may have been his curried crab cakes.

Ken also has the distinction of being the person who made me love Indian food. I'll be honest -- the first time I went, I did so only to shut someone else up. But for the first time, after all the times I had previously had Indian food, something clicked and I was immediately hooked. And ever since the days that Ken has closed and I have moved back to California, I often find myself longing for Indian the way he made it for me.

Unfortunately, I have yet to find a local place that I really love. Most of what I have encountered around here has been neutered and domesticated Indian food, made to appeal to timid Americans who find Taco Bell too spicy. What a waste! Indian, if nothing else, has strong flavors -- not necessarily hot (though I love and chase the heat), but bold and assertive.



Well, I wanted Indian food badly this weekend, and the budget wouldn't allow going out to a restaurant. But I noticed that Trader Joe's had a couple items that looked promising...so here we are.

Tikka masala is a dish that is familiar to many non-Indians. In fact, it was likely invented by Indian immigrants living in the UK, where it has become immensely popular. It's a tomato based sauce -- usually served with chicken -- that can be spicy, but is more often mild. (Guess which one I like better?) There are many variants, but it typically has yogurt, cream, turmeric, garlic, etc.

TJ's does a pretty respectable take. I opted to have the paneer (a firm, mild cheese) version. They also offer the more common chicken version.

The tikka sauce is mild -- yes, I do like mine set to 11 in terms of heat -- but I was not expecting extreme heat in a frozen commercial product, so I cannot hold that against them. It's creamy. There's sumac (or something similar) in it. You can also taste the faintest dash of cinnamon. For ready-made microwaveable, it is truly first rate.



The paneer -- which, in this case, is cut into little tofu-esque chunks, is...well, I would rather have had more sauce instead, but they are OK. You would almost expect them to be rubbery based on their appearance, but instead they crumble in your mouth...and I mean that in the best sense possible. If I had to nail a flavor, I would say it's like a super-solid ricotta.



The spinach basmati rice is yet another example of the few times frozen ready-made food simply doesn't get much better. It's tender and moist. Just kissed enough by the spinach that it adds a slightly bitter edge, but not enough that it distracts from the buttery richness of the rice. The only part of the rice I could have skipped were the tiny cubes of carrot. They are reasonably tender, and they're not bad. They are just kind of pointless.

I really enjoyed this meal. It was flavorful, and portioned well. OK, I admit it, I liked it enough that I probably should have bought two. It wasn't hot in terms of spice; but again, I was not expecting it to be. And perhaps for those who are curious about Indian food but are wary of the heat, this mildness would be a plus.

So how good is it overall? Well, Chris said the only thing that could make this meal even better would be if it could be eaten off a naked Aishwarya Rai. But Trader Joe's apparently doesn't offer that option, so I guess he'll just have to make do with it as is.

Finally, I might also add that this product is a great value, as it is both better and less expensive than some similar items (ahem, Amy's) that are sold in many supermarkets . Simply put, this one is a winner.

Don't just take my word for it, either. Abi over at Heat Eat Review also loved it (read her review here).




PURCHASED FROM:
Trader Joe's