Uncle Jerry's Handmade Pretzels!

Its been a long quest for me to find the perfect packaged pretzel, and I've been looking far and wide for a delicious alternative to the standard grocery store pretzel.  What comes after the factory made pretzel?  Handmade pretzels, each twisted by hand.  Uncle Jerry's is a good example of this process, and its truly levels above the competition.

So how are these pretzels made?  Without oil, shortening, preservatives and any of that artificial nonsense.  This results in a really authentic, homey quality to these pretzels.  They are baked on a stone hearth and are made the same way they have been for the last 100 years, since the recipe first originated.  They are also quite big, halfway between an Auntie Anne's pretzel and grocery type pretzels.

Uncle Jerry's was nice enough to send us three varieties of pretzels, their Extra Dark, Whole Weat Low Salt Sesame Seed, and Special(their flagship offering).  We gave all the pretzels a try and each had different opinions on our faves, but heres the basic rundown:

Extra Dark

Offered a slightly more deep flavor, with a smokier taste and finish.  This was way crunchier than the others, and anyone who likes a slightly burnt flavor to their snacks will love these!

Whole Wheat Sesame Low Salt

Delicious and light and with a subtle salty flavor and slightly earthy hints.  It was fun getting the hints of sesame in between bites.  Less crunch than the others!  This was my all out fave.  I love my pretzels to not be too salty and these delivered.

Special

Smooth, crunchy, salty and absolutely delicious.  Their classic offering did everything, with their delicious Dark finish.  Wonderful with mustard, and if you're old enough..A frosty glass of beer.

Overall, these were just fantastic.  The handmade quality of these really shines through(no two pretzels are the same) and they deliver a really homey taste, as if our own grandma baked these up for you.  If you love pretzels, these are absolutely worth a shot!  We commend Jerry's Pretzels for sticking to the traditional way of making pretzels, you'll notice the difference the first time you bite into one of their delicious pretzels. :)

-Sirio

Buy this snack :)

Vosges Haute Chocolate: Mo's Bacon Bar!

One of my friends recently told me about this bacon chocolate bar she had tried.  Huh?  Bacon and chocolate?  I am a big fan of the sweet and salty (or savory) combo, but even this sounded a little out there.  So naturally, I had to try it for myself.  Vosges Haut Chocolate was nice enough to send us some samples of their Mo's Bacon Bar, in both the milk and dark chocolate varieties.  The founder of the company, Katrina Markoff, came up with the idea of integrating bacon and chocolate while eating chocolate chip pancakes and bacon one morning.  She found that the sweetness of the chocolate chips and syrup were perfect in complementing the saltiness of the bacon.

The 3 oz gourmet bars come in a durable, paper container.  Sealed in an aluminum wrapper, the bar is portioned out into smaller pieces, that break off easily.  At first glance, it looked like a regular ole' chocolate bar.  There were no bits of bacon on the outside, but after I took a bite, there it was.  I found that while the bits of bacon were pretty small, they nonetheless packed a good punch.  The applewood smoked bacon is heightened in flavor by alderwood smoked salt.  It's not overpowering, but just right. 

I'm happy to find myself really liking this snack.  It takes a lot of will power to not eat the entire bar in one sitting, it's that good.  The milk chocolate is 45% cacao, while the dark is a good 62%.  Both are equally delicious.  I personally prefer dark chocolate in general anyways, but if you prefer milk, then go for it.  I highly, HIGHLY recommend this gourmet treat for everyone, but especially for the bacon fanatics.

~Rachael

Buy this snack :)

San Pellegrino Aranciata(Orange Soda)!

From Italian company San Pellegrino, purveyors of plenty of drinks comes this classic that has become pretty mainstream stateside in the last few years. The Aranciata(Orange drink in Italian) has been a drink I've enjoyed plenty over the last few years. For some reason I've felt that orange soda over the last few years has on the most part been neglected by the drink industry, and this beverage has come along to fill that void.

Its a superb orange drink, mildly fizzy and not too sweet with sharp citrusy flavors. Its refreshing, tangy, and could be considered a gourmet soda thanks to aspects like the excellent packaging and the Italian spring water base.In terms of packaging, this soda does an excellent job of really making every can feel special. The tops of these cans are covered with an aluminum slip that prevents any dirt from collecting on the tops. The can itself features a nice mix of colors that make it really eye catching in a grocery aisle. San Pellegrino definitely put alot of effort into making the packaging appealing and it shows!

In this overly sugared age of orange sodas, this one definitely stands out from the crowd for being really well balanced flavor wise and its excellent packaging. A must try for anyone looking for a good, refreshing orange flavored soda! :)

-Sirio

Buy this snack! :)

LU Petit Ecolier Dark Chocolate Cookies!

Ah, how I love snacks that go well with a glass of milk or tea. These gourmet European treats take a simple butter cookie and add a new dimension of flavor that brought me to a happy place. A nice dark chocolate coating on top featuring an embossing of the ecolier(french for schoolboy).

There were a few varieties of this product including milk chocolate, 45% dark and 75% dark. We went with the happy middle, so we could enjoy a very pleasant mild bitterness after each bite. These cookies are really pretty to look at, each featuring the intricate and pretty detailed schoolboy on the chocolate part. Upon taking a bite you experience the crunchiness of the cookie mixed with the melt in your mouth chocolate, and I loved every moment of it. After you dip a few of these in some milk you end up with a nice glass of chocolate milk(we loved that added bonus). These cookies are a rich, decadent treat that really made our day. Only con is the price, they're not cheap but the quality speaks for itself. Two thumbs way up!

Buy this snack :)

Kettle Brand Potato Chips: Yogurt & Green Onion!

We are all familiar with potato chips. A lot of us had them packed in our lunch boxes, or served at parties and BBQ's. The standard potato chip is one of the most common snack foods around. Now kick that up a notch, and add a twist. Make 'em gourmet! That's where Kettle Brand Potato Chips come in. First made in 1982, the Kettle Brand has sought out to produce a natural, tasty snack. There is no trans fat, no preservatives, nothing artificial. Only pure, savory flavor. For our first review of the Kettle Brand Potato Chips, I decided to start with the Yogurt & Green Onion flavor.

The chips are packaged in a eye-catching jade green, matte finished bag. After grabbing a chip, one of the first things I notice is how homemade they appear. Unlike standard potato chips, I can easily tell that what I'm looking at is a slice of a real potato. Not something overly processed. They are deliciously crunchy, with varying levels of texture and toast. I felt like it indicated that the makers took great care and pride in producing a quality product.

The taste was basically a stronger version of the sour cream & onion flavor. It was the sour cream, or in this case the yogurt, flavor that really stood out to me. I initially felt it to be perhaps a little too strong, but I can happily say it quickly grew on me. This is one delicious chip! We can't wait to try all of the varieties offered by the Kettle Brand. Very highly recommended!

Buy this snack :)