Doug's Nuts

Press Sample
Who doesn't love a good nut joke? Doug's Nuts call out to the snickering kid in all of us with their interesting directions for consuming their product: Place Doug's Nuts gently into warm, expectant palm. But jokes aside, there's nothing childish about snacking on nuts! In fact, it's downright healthy.

Doug's Nuts come from the small startup of Happy Nibbles, located in Eugene, Oregon. According to their website, many of the nuts used in the mix are local to that area. The mix contains almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and pecans, and they are flavored with vanilla, honey, and oatmeal stout. Most importantly, I want you to know that this sample was sent by Doug's Nuts for review.

Eating in small handfuls, I could mainly taste the peanuts and hazelnuts, but also the vanilla in the glaze. Still, the best way for me to tackle a product like this is to go through each nut, one by one, because that's how I usually eat mixed nuts.


The pumpkin seeds were green and wonderful. They had a slightly sweet, toasty flavor that went very well with the slight saltiness and subtle caramelized flavor of the glaze, and I loved the vanilla aroma on the finish. The seeds were mild with a lovely crunch – I could eat a ton of these.

On that note, the almonds were also one of the stand-out nuts in this mix. They were plump and had just the right crunch, and the mildly woodsy flavor was also excellently matched with the glaze. The slight saltiness from the sea salt was perfect!

Walnuts have an earthier, slightly bitter flavor that almost overpowered the subtle seasoning in this mix. Walnuts aren’t my favorite, but they were done well here.

In this mix, the cashews didn’t blow me away. They were good, but not outstanding like some of the other nuts. I suppose I was expecting them to be crunchier, and the glaze seemed to add less here.

The pecans were excellent – I really got a sense of the vanilla and oatmeal stout in the glaze, and the texture was lovely – nice and crunchy! Wow – can I make a pie out of these?

Full disclosure – I just don’t care for hazelnuts, but that’s how mixed nuts go, isn’t it? The glaze went well with the strong, earthy flavor, and my husband loved them. He’s the hazelnut lover in the house, so please take his word for them.

In this mix, the peanuts were very earthy and flavorful (but not bitter). They were extremely well-roasted, noticeably better than the average peanut! The seasoning was just a bit player for the peanuts, but I was okay with that because the nuts were toasty and wonderful.

Both my husband and myself really enjoyed this mix. He liked every nut and ate handfuls at a time, whereas I ate around the hazelnuts (and sometimes the walnuts), but that's just my personal tastes. The subtle flavor of the glaze was just lovely, rounding out a tasty, filling snack. If you try Doug's Nuts, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

A

Doug's Nuts

Vosges Exotic Caramels

On our Las Vegas vacation this summer, my husband sat in his first real Texas Hold 'Em tournament. The stakes were pretty low (none of that televised business), but he's always wanted to try a Vegas tournament. This meant he would be at that casino for several hours, so after watching the first hand and wishing him luck, I embarked on a shopping trip.

Of course, I found myself at the Vosges store inside the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace, and after sampling three different chocolates and exploring the store, I couldn't shake my curiosity about their Exotic Caramels. Since I couldn't limit myself to just one or two flavors, I bought the whole set.

The box was a colorful smorgasbord of caramels, nine varieties in total. Vosges is always a splurge, and at $29 US, this set was no exception. Maybe it was just the Las Vegas spirit that compelled me to buy it. I'm not a big gambler - at least when I go shopping, everyone wins. Reading the flavor descriptions alone was worth at least a dollar. 

I forgot to photograph each one individually, but let's start in the lower left corner of the picture above. Canadian maple sugar + maple syrup + walnuts + dark chocolate didn't seem that exotic to me. The maple wasn't very strong, but the rich caramel still reminded me of pancakes. It was smooth and a little salty with a nice crunch from the walnuts. Dark chocolate was a good match, and the coating was smooth and mild. The salty-sweet balance was nice, and this one would please even a timid palate.

The next caramel to the right was Blood orange + Campari + dark chocolate + hibiscus powder. That's more like it! Campari is an Italian bitters made from fruit and herbs, and I've never tried it, but Wikipedia says it is bitter, spicy, and sweet. The red coating was lovely and had a sour, floral flavor. The caramel was very soft and fruity with a citrus finish that reminded me of lemonade or jelly fruit slices. It was quite complex, and complemented by the dark chocolate coating.

Rounding out the bottom row was Aboriginal anise myrtle + dark chocolate, and I did manage to photograph this one. After a bad experience tasting Absinthe, I lost my liking for anise, so I was wary, but the flavor in this caramel was very pleasant. The bitter chocolate stood out, but the mild licoricey anise was noticeable especially in the mid to end notes. It was surprisingly tasty, despite my distaste for anise and it being the last caramel I sampled (two months after buying the box). The chocolate sagged a bit over time, but the flavor still wowed me, so I doubt any real damage occurred.

The leftmost caramel in the middle row was Hawaiian red sea salt + milk chocolate + li hing powder. Again, Wikipedia was required: li hing powder is a red powder that covers dried salty li hing mui (plums). Despite not knowing what it would taste like, the li hing was easy to detect. The sea salt combined with the li hing gave this caramel a complex salty-sour-sweet flavor. The milk chocolate was on the sweeter side, but it helped to balance the extremely salty finish.

In the center, Mexican guajillo chilies + licorice root + dark chocolate + organic pumpkin seeds had the longest name. It smelled woodsy, and the dark chocolate felt deep and smooth. The pumpkin seeds were dispersed throughout the melty caramel, giving it a tender crunch. The chilies gave it a nice heat on the finish. I didn't get a sense of the licorice root, but it was still a standout piece.

To the right was the strangest caramel in the collection: Tupelo honey + milk chocolate + bee pollen. It was the first one I tried because it seemed the "most" exotic. The pollen beads were floral, slightly bitter, and maybe a little waxy. The honey felt warm and was not overly sweet. It seemed very filling compared to the other caramels!

Rose water + pink peppercorns + dark chocolate + red rose petal was in the upper left corner, and I loved the rose petal garnish. It was aromatic and floral, but the peppercorn gave it an intense kick! It was unexpected and delicious. The rose was delicate but easy to detect, and well matched to the subtly sweet caramel.

In the upper middle, Brazil nuts + South American cocoa nibs + dark chocolate had the most crunch of any of the truffles. Brazil nuts have an earthy flavor that I have never enjoyed on its own, but when mixed with sweet and creamy caramel, I had no objections. The cocoa nibs added a hint of bitter fruitiness to the nutty flavor, and all together it was comforting and easy to eat. This caramel seemed firmer than the others.

Finally, Argentine dulce de leche + Costa Rican cashews + milk chocolate was one of my favorites. Although the sources of the ingredients are exotic, this one didn't push and flavor boundaries; it was just extremely well executed. The milky caramel was refreshingly simple, with the slightly bitter nuts at the front of the flavor. It was rich and creamy, and neither too salty not too sweet.

Any food lover would enjoy this set. It was such a pleasure to taste, and there is not a single bad caramel in the bunch. Words like delectable, delightful, savory, and complex easily spring to mind. Am I gushing? Yeah. Is this set worth $29? Without a doubt.

A

Vosges website

Too Haute Cowgirls Gourmet Popcorn

Press Sample
Recently, I had a blogging milestone - my first company samples. Up to this point, everything I've reviewed was either purchased by me or received as gift from a friend or family member. To be clear, these samples were sent from Too Haute Cowgirls (which was very exciting for me), but no one's paying me to review these, or any snack on this blog.

On to the popcorn! Too Haute Cowgirls is a Colorado-based gourmet popcorn company, started by a wedding cake designer and a pastry school graduate. Currently, they offer seven flavors, and all of them were included in the package. Rather than simple coated popcorn, however, each kind has some sort of chocolate coating, nuts, or other special touches. Here is my take on each of the flavors.


Among the small bags, there was one larger bag of Fistful of Fleur de Sel, so it was first. This flavor was caramel corn coated with dark chocolate, toffee bits, and French salt. The toffee bits were delicious and went very well with the chocolate and popcorn, and though it was almost too sweet for me, the salt provided an interesting balance. It was great for a quick indulgence, but I couldn't eat a lot at once. B+


At first, Blisters on my Buttercrunch had a salty smell and tasted like buttery caramel. The flavors blended together very smoothly, with the saltiness keeping the sweetness at a perfect level. The coated nuts (almonds, cashews, and peanuts) were delicious and matched the popcorn texture very well. It was an addictive combination and a very strong original flavor for Too Haute Cowgirls! A+


The Good the Bad and the Peanut Butter had a cool, savory, and sweet feel on the tongue. The sweetness of the peanut butter was very good with the salty, crunchy nuts. It was one of the saltier mixes of the bunch, probably because of the pretzels. It made me thirsty! The white chocolate was almost too sweet, and again, the salt provided a good balance. A-


Spicier is always better for me, so I was looking forward to Chili Con Chocolate. It smelled delicious, and reminded my husband of beef jerky. The spice mixture was peppery and had a mesquite, woodsy feel. The smoky flavor went well with the sweet dark chocolate, and there was a great spicy kick on the finish. It was hot, but painfully so, and I think it would appeal to a wide audience. The pecans added a good, tender texture. A


Mutton Bustin Milk Chocolate was similar to the Buttercrunch, with the addition of milk chocolate. It was very pleasant, subtly sweet, and addictive. The large assortment of nuts and peanut brittle made for a very special mix, and I enjoyed this almost as much as the Buttercrunch. A


End of the Trail Mix smelled sweet and yogurty, with a hint of cinnamon. The granola was chewy and carried orange and cinnamon flavors. The banana chips weren't really my thing, but my husband enjjoyed them a lot. I liked the subtle white chocolate on the popcorn, and the orange and ginger notes were stronger in some bites than others. Each bite was a little different, actually, and I do like the company's suggestion to have it for breakfast. B


I didn't love the smell of Cowgirl Coffee, as it smelled a little like Maxwell House coffee. The chocolate was good, but I wasn't sure about the coffee flavor or the white chocolate flakes. There was only one chocolate covered coffee bean in my bag, but that was good. The mix was decent, but it was my least favorite of the bunch, and the only flavor I couldn't see myself eating again. It might just be because I've never been keen on coffee flavored items, despite my love of actual coffee. B-

Overall, Too Haute Cowgirls offers a great variety of truly unique popcorn products. I'm not a popcorn connoisseur, but I had never tried anything like this before. Blisters on my Buttercrunch was my favorite; I finished my samples a week ago and I'm still thinking about it. The other stand out flavors were Mutton Bustin Milk Chocolate and the Chili Con Chocolate. Normally I don't go for cutesy names, but they definitely goes with the image, and don't detract from the delicious products.

Too Haute Cowgirls website