Since they debuted last year, we’ve been gaga for Altoids Dark Chocolate Dipped Mints. When we heard through the food grapevine a few months ago that there was a recommendation in to discontinue them (because they were not on in sync with the “curiously strong” branding), we stockpiled them. From the TV spots that are now running, it seems that we’re not the only ones who want our Altoids curiously coated in chocolate. For only 15 calories for two pieces, you can have a chocolate mint fix as often as you like.
Our favorite chocolate mint fix.
The Chocolate Dipped Altoids are available in three flavors: Dark Chocolate Dipped Peppermint (easily identified by a white ribbon on the package), Ginger (gold ribbon) and Cinnamon (red ribbon). The chocolate coating mitigates the fieriness of the cinnamon and ginger flavors. But if it’s fire you want, the plain Ginger Altoids are so curiously strong (but exciting so), that the Original Peppermint Altoids had better not challenge them to a fight. If you can’t find the chocolate-dipped Altoids locally, you can find them online for about $48/dozen. They make great stocking stuffers.
Ciao Bella, one of our favorite purveyors of authentic gelato and sorbetto, has introduced two seasonal fall flavors, ideal for entertaining or making family dinners a bit more special. When your guests can’t find room for a piece of pumpkin pie, or want something on the lighter side, there’s always room for gelato or for lower-calorie, dairy-free, fat-free sorbetto. Pumpkin & Spice Gelato, pumpkin accented with clove and cinnamon spices, is a perfect addition to holiday meals. It also complements a piece of chocolate cake for everyday festivities. Cranberry Orange Sorbetto, a favorite from last year, returns this month, in time for Halloween. Both will be available through the end of the year.
One of our favorite flavors, Blood Orange Sorbetto, is available year-round and also has the color and flavor of fall. Both of the seasonal flavors as well as 19 others (including the Blood Orange Sorbetto) can be purchased online at CiaoBellaGelato.com (4-pint minimum). For your nearest retailer, call 1.800.GELATO.3.
If you love good food, what could be better than the chance to win a box of it each week? That’s the idea behind the Goumet Giveaway, launching today on TheNibble.com. Each week, a different prize, from chocolate to cheesecake to seafood to steak, will be given away. All you have to do to enter is answer a few fun trivia questions relating to the product—and you don’t even have to answer correctly to be entered to win. You’ll get the correct answers after you submit yours, so the “bonus” is that you’ll build your knowledge of fun food trivia.
Read the full press release about Gourmet Giveaway, and head on over to enter.
This week, win a pasta gift box. Photo by Adam Kulesza | IST.
Sweetened, flavored artesian water in four
organic and four natural flavors.
Americans are drinking more water, but also more sweetened, flavored water. The success of Glaceau’s Fruit Water and Vitamin Water have spawned other lines, and Twist is the first organic one. What makes water organic? First, it’s artesian well water, not municipal water which has been treated with chemicals. Second, the sweetener is organic (in this case, agave nectar) and the fruit flavorings are organic as well. Twist Organics’ four flavors include Mango Açaí (our favorite), Mandarin White Tea, Pomegranate Blueberry and West Indies Lime. The Naturals line is made with the same artesian well water, but with a non-organic sweetener (pineapple juice) and flavorings. It’s available in Lemon, Mandarin, Marionberry and Peach. The Naturals are less sweet than the Organics, and overall, both lines are less sweet and more natural-tasting than the other flavored, sweetened “juice waters” we’ve tasted. If you’ve found the other brands a bit too much, you may prefer this Twist. Read our full review in THE NIBBLE online magazine.
Most people don’t like the fact that the days are shorter (not to mention, colder). But Green & Black’s, which makes organic chocolate bars, wants you to appreciate the darkness (specifically, their dark chocolate). The company is offering free chocolate as the clock turns back and we lose another hour of light (or to put it positively, gain another hour of dark). From Saturday, November 3rd at 6 p.m. EST to Sunday, November 4th at 6 a.m. EST, visit AppreciateTheDarkness.com to request samples of G&B’s organic 70% dark chocolate bars, plus milk chocolate for those who don’t appreciate the darkness (the site won’t be live until November 4th). Their white chocolate is our current favorite white chocolate bar, but you’ll have to acquire that on your own. Fortunately, G&B is widely distributed—we buy ours at our local Whole Foods Market. Mark your calendar for two weeks from today—both to turn back your clocks and to get your free chocolate. Read more about the best organic chocolate brands in THE NIBBLE online magazine.
Get free samples of G&B’s milk and 70% dark organic chocolate.
