[1] Serve Snowbits on a platter or board with after-dinner coffee (all photos © Snowbits Confections).

[2] Jujube Dates in Original and Matcha.

[3] Snowbits All Variety Pack 30-piece assortment. The pieces arrive individually wrapped.

[4] Individually wrapped pieces maintain freshness and are easy to transport in pockets and totes.

We discovered Snowbits Confections in our Facebook feed. It looked like nougat and we like nougat, so we sent for an assortment. It did not disappoint!

It turns out that Snowbits is not exactly nougat. It’s made with egg whites, nuts, and dried fruits like nougat.

Then, Snowbits travels beyond the borders of nougat by adding marshmallows to make it softer, and in some flavors, cookie pieces.

Snowbits has a second product, Jujube Dates.

Both are great for a snack, coffee break, with a cup of hot chocolate or iced drinks, or as a dessert garnish (use them to crown a scoop of ice cream or a sundae).

Serve them on a dessert plate or board (photos #1, #2, and #3) with after-dinner coffee or tea.
 
 
SNOWBITS TREATS

Chewy but not sticky, Snowbits melt in your mouth—there’s no tugging at your fillings.

They are gluten-free (they do contain milk powder).

And, a bonus: They are inexpensive—so reasonable you can’t not try them.

The business is a start-up founded by a mompreneur who created a soft candy with chewy mix-ins after much trial and error. The effort was worth it. As our Dad would say, these hit the spot!

The biggest problem is choosing among the flavors, so we went for the 30-piece All Flavor Mix (there are smaller and larger sizes—the smaller sizes are great stocking stuffers or party favors).

The candy is cut into one-inch squares and individually wrapped. You can have a few pieces without over-indulging.

Flavors include Chocolate, Coffee, Matcha, Mint, Oreo, Strawberry, Tropic Orange, and Original (which has almonds, cashews, dried cranberries, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts).

Each piece is 45 or 50 calories. One is perfectly satisfying with hot or iced coffee, tea, or by itself.
 
 
SNOWBITS JUJUBE DATES

For those who remember Jujubes gummy candy: It is no relation whatsoever.

These treats are made with jujube fruit, also known as the red or Chinese date. The fruit is native to Southern Asia but has become popular around the world. Like Middle Eastern and Western dates, they are eaten fresh off the tree as well as dried.

Small, round, sweet, and chewy, jujube dates are rich in fiber, plant protein, vitamin C, and antioxidants. Here’s more about them.

Snowbits takes a jujube date, stuffs it with an almond, and wraps it in pillowy marshmallow. Delectable!

Flavors are Original and Matcha, and both are 30 calories apiece.
 
 
GET YOUR SNOWBITS & JUJUBE DATES

The brand says that it has an over 90% customer return rate. We’re not surprised. Once you try it, you’ll be back for more, for yourself, and for gifts.

There’s a one-time discount code for 20% off your first order: NEW20.

Head to Snowbits.com.

A tip: There’s a large choice of options. Go for the Snowbits All Variety Pack in either 30 pieces ($15.99) or 64 pieces ($29.99). It includes both Snowbits and Jujube Dates.
238 reviews

Both products are individually wrapped for grab-and-go or to keep in your backpack or bag for when you need a treat.

Enjoy every bite!
 
 
> The history of candy.

> The history of nougat.

> The history of marshmallow.

What’s your favorite tequila drink? Enjoy it, or try a new tequila recipe, for National Tequila Day, July 24th (also known as International Tequila Day and World Tequila Day—everybody wants in!).

The indigenous populations didn’t know the art of distilling. It was brought to the New World by Spanish conquistadors, who arrived in 1519.

> Here’s the history of tequila.

> There are five expressions, or types, of tequila. Can you name them? And what’s the deal with the worm?

> Tequila trivia.

> Non-cocktail ways to use yequila.

> Tequila cupcakes.
 
 
30+ TEQUILA COCKTAIL RECIPES

[1] A favorite of Ernest Hemingway: the Caballito, a shot with salt and fresh lime (photo © Sunset Royal Beach Resort | Cancun).

[2] Bandera shots. “Bandera” means flag in Spanish; the drink comprises three shots in the colors of the Mexican flag: green, white, and red (photo © Tequila Cazadores).

[3] How about a Mint Chocolate Tequila Cocktail (photo © Hornitos)?

There’s National Peanut Butter Day, and there’s National Chocolate Day. But today, July 23rd is National Peanut Butter & Chocolate Day.

Far beyond grabbing a Reese’s peanut butter cup (or the gourmet version from chocolatier Michael Recchiuti), check out these delicious peanut butter and chocolate recipes from The Nibble archives.

> The history of the peanut butter cup.

> The history of peanut butter.

> The history of chocolate.

> The history of candy.
 
 
PEANUT BUTTER & CHOCOLATE RECIPES—aka—

CHOCOLATE & PEANUT BUTTER RECIPES

CAKE & PIE RECIPES

 
 
CANDY RECIPES

 
 
COOKIE RECIPES

 
 
ICE CREAM RECIPES

 
 
PLUS

 
 
________________

*Brownies are categorized as bar cookies. They are finger food, eaten without a fork.

[1] Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye Cake. Here’s the recipe (photo © King Arthur Baking).

[2] Frozen Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie. Here’s the recipe (photo © Tieghen Gerarad | Half Baked Harvest).

[3] Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake. Here’s the recipe (photo © Plugra).

[1] Mango-Tomatillo Guacamole. The recipe is below photo © Chef Ingrid Hoffmann | Facebook).

[2] Champagne mangoes (their proper name is Ataulfo) are in season from late February to early August. They’re a smaller variety but with a creamier texture—the larger varieties tend to be fibrous (photo © I Love Mangoes).

[3] Tomatillos look like cherry tomatoes when they’re out of their husks, but the husks are a dead giveaway that they’re related to gooseberries (photo © Sunbasket).

[4] The Hass avocado is a smaller variety, but it has the creamiest flesh that’s perfect for guacamole (photo © Hass Avocado).

July 22nd is National Mango Day. Add some mango to your guacamole with this Mango-Tomatillo Guacamole recipe.

We’ve previously published a recipe for Tomatillo Guacamole, which replaces the red tomatoes in guacamole with green tomatillos.

Although they look like green cherry tomatoes, tomatillos are not green tomatoes but are related to the gooseberry. Here”s the difference between tomatoes and tomatillos.

Now, we add another ingredient to guacamole: diced mango, which adds bites of sweetness. The recipe is courtesy of Chef Ingrid Hoffmann.

The history of mangos is below.

For the plural form, both mangos and mangoes are correct.
 
 
RECIPE: MANGO-TOMATILLO GUACAMOLE

Tortilla chips are a classic pairing, but you can serve this guacamole as a topping or as a side with grilled chicken and fish, as an added layer to sandwiches, burgers, and even hot dogs. Stir some into Greek yogurt for a savory yogurt treat, dip, and sauce.

Why Hass avocadoes? There are larger avocados, but the Hass has the creamiest flesh: perfect for guacamole. Here’s more about them.
 
Ingredients For 2 Cups

 
Preparation

1. MASH the avocados with a fork in a medium bowl, leaving them still a bit chunky.

2. FOLD in the tomatillos, mango, onion, chile, cilantro, and mint. Add the lemon juice, and gently mix to evenly distribute the ingredients. Season with salt.

3. LAY a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to discourage discoloring, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. Serve with the chips for dipping.
 
 
MANGO HISTORY

While it may not look like a relative, the mango (Mangifera indica), is a member of the cashew family (Anacardiaceae*). It is one of the most widely cultivated tropical fruits of the tropical world.

The mango tree is considered indigenous to southern Asia, especially Myanmar and the Assam state of India, and numerous cultivars have been developed. Mangoes are a rich source of vitamins A, C, and D.

The word “mango” came to the English language from the Portuguese manga, from the Malay mangga.

Mangoes originated in India more than 4,000 years ago. They spread gradually throughout Asia and then to the rest of the world.

Due to the mango’s large center seed, the fruit could not be transported by birds and relied on humans to transport them across the world.

Mangos are a sacred fruit in Buddhism. The spread of Buddhism across Southeast Asia resulted in the spread of mangoes.

Persians carried mangoes across western Asia and planted seeds in east Africa in the 10th century.

The Portuguese disovered the fruit when they came to Kerala in 1498 for the spice trade. The tree was not introduced into the Western Hemisphere until about 1700, when it was planted in Brazil.

From Brazil mangoes spread throughout the Americas. They reached the West Indies about 1740 [source].

They were first planted in Barbados in 1742 and by the early 19th century were being grown in Mexico. Mangoes were not really grown in the U.S. until the 1800s.

Mango flavor has been described as a mix of oranges, peaches, and pineapples. Today most mangoes found in American grocery stores are grown in Florida, Mexico, Haiti, and South America. However, Asia grows 75% of all mangoes worldwide. India is the top producer [source].
 
 
> The history of avocados.

*The Anacardiaceae family also includes tasty foods like the Peruvian pepper, pistachio nuts, and the spice sumac. But it also includes poison ivy and poison oak. Here’s more about it.

July 21st is National Lamington Day. What’s a lamington? It’s a sponge cake dipped in chocolate and topped with desiccated coconut that Australians enjoy at breakfast, afternoon tea, or dessert. A kitchen accident, it is one of Australia’s most famous desserts (the other is the Pavlova).

The classic Lamington can be single squares or layers with filling—whipped cream or jam (photo #2). Beyond squares, cooks have made Lamingtons in the shape of pies (photo #3), circles (like whoopie pies—photo #4), and loaves.

Sometimes called the national cake of Australia, you’re not likely to find Lamington’s on the shelf in the U.S., it’s the day to bake a recipe and invite your friends for tea.

A recipe is below.

(Editor’s note: In Australia, lamington is spelled with a small “l.” The Nibble’s policy is to capitalize all proper nouns. We’re sure that Lord Lamington would appreciate it.)
 
 
THE HISTORY OF THE LAMINGTON

The Australian cake was invented in Queensland, Australia. A recipe appeared in the Queensland Country Life newspaper as early as 1900.

According to Queensland Government House, the Lamington was created by the chef of the state’s governor, Lord Lamington, Charles Wallace Alexander Napier Cochrane-Baillie. But it may not be that simple.

The story is that the governor ordered his favorite yellow sponge cake to be served to guests at Government House in Brisbane when a maid-servant accidentally dropped the cake into melted chocolate.

When his Lordship was told of the accident, not wanting to waste the cake, he recommended that the cook roll the squares in coconut shavings to make a less messy finger food to eat with afternoon tea. The error was proclaimed magnificent by all [source].

How do you drop an entire plate of sponge cake squares into melted chocolate? It’s one of those far-fetched stories, but then, that’s how chocolate ganache was invented.

In addition to National Lamington Day, there is the Australian Lamington Appreciation Society (ALAS), which is committed to the preservation of the Lamington and the celebration of Lamington Day.

However, there is controversy.

Research in neighboring New Zealand notes the earlier presence of the Wellington, a double-layer sponge dessert, covered in shavings of coconut intended to imitate the snow-capped mountains of New Zealand.

“What we have here is conclusive evidence that the Lamington cake was in fact a product of New Zealand” [source]. Them’s fightin’ words!

And there’s even more shade!

Lord Lamington was not the most accomplished of governors. Extensive research by the Governors of the Australian Colonies and States produced evidence that Lord Lamington had only “one, single, solitary, positive achievement of any Governor since the First Fleet arrived in 1788,” and that was the creation of the world-famous Lamington [source].

Eating is the best revenge. Try the recipe below.
 
 
PAUL TULLY’S TRUE-BLUE DELICIOUS AUSSIE LAMINGTON RECIPE

This recipe is from Paul Tully, a city councilor in Queensland, “a fanatic devotée of the Lamington,” and creator of the Australian Lamington Appreciation Society.

You can make superfine sugar by processing granulated sugar at high speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Stop before the sugar turns into powder. Let the sugar dust settle for 30 seconds, then remove the lid.
 
Ingredients For The Cake

 
Ingredients For The Chocolate Icing

 
Preparation

1. BEAT the eggs well, gradually adding the sugar until dissolved. Add the milk and vanilla extract and then stir in the flour. Whip the butter into the mixture.

2. POUR the batter into a cake pan or Lamington baking dish and bake in a moderate oven of 180 degrees Celsius for 35 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for at least 10 minutes and then stand for 24 hours preferably in the refrigerator, before applying the icing.

[1] Lamingtons cut, dipped, and coated with coconut. Here’s the recipe (photo © Jamie Oliver).

[2] A Lamington can be a single layer or a filled “sandwich” (photo by Monica Shaw | Wikipedia).

[3] A Lamington doesn’t have to be square. Here’s the recipe for this Orange Lamington (photo © SBS).

[4] Lamington whoopie pies (photo © Frankie Magazine).

[5] Desiccated coconut (photo © Jalpur | Amazon).

3. MAKE the icing. Stir the cocoa and powdered sugar vigorously in a large bowl. Add the milk, butter, and boiling water, warming the chocolate mixture over very low heat until it has a smooth creamy texture.

4. CUT the sponge cake into equal two-inch squares. Using a fork or thin skewer, dip each piece into the chocolate mixture, ensuring that the mixture is liberally and evenly applied.

5. DIP each piece into the desiccated coconut, allowing the Lamingtons to cool on a wire tray for several hours.

By the way, the dessert is so popular that Australians can buy a “Lamington pan,” a shallow cake pan that’s 30.5 x 20.5 x 2.8 cm. In inches, that’s 12 x 8 x 1 inch
 
 
WHAT IS DESICCATED COCONUT?

Desiccated coconut is fresh coconut that has been shredded or flaked and dried. It is typically unsweetened.

Shredded coconut is dried but does retain some moisture. Here are the different types of coconut and their uses.