NEAROF

I found these Sconza Lemoncello Almonds at a London Drugs in Calgary around Christmas time, but it’s taken me a while to get around to reviewing them. Now that I’ve tried these little yellow bundles of sweet, creamy, lemony joy, I wish I’d sampled them sooner. The Pitch: “Roasted almonds covered in white chocolate and [...]

Near as our calendar app can tell us, it’s Christmas Eve. That means it’s time to hunker down in front of the fireplace, snuggle up with your special someone, and enjoy a warm mug of spiced apple cider. This recipe, from the lovely Aline, is easy to make, and the aroma fills a house with [...]

Is it just me, or did San Pellegrino’s near ubiquity come out of nowhere? It wasn’t long ago that you’d typically only find San Pellegrino fruit beverages at coffee shops and Italian restaurants, stocked either to please clients who remember it from the old country, or as a way of appearing worldly via the fizzy-drinks [...]

I’ll admit that when I think of Allan, I think of candy canes and chocolate Easter bunnies. A bit of research revealed that the Allan Candy Company (allancandy.com) is a much more present force in our sugary lives than I had initially thought; along with their seasonal goodies, they make many of the brandless penny [...]

Orange and chocolate, we get along juuuusst fine. From the old Mocha Valencia days at Starbucks to the current seasonal deliciousness of Terry’s Chocolate Orange, I can’t get enough of the pairing. While I’ve tried Dairy Milk in the past, I’ve never sampled their orange-flavoured bar. A crazy sale price at Safeway convinced me to [...]

Another trip to Ikea means another trip to the Ikea food store. Hurrah! This time, I spotted some super-cheap Anna’s orange flavoured thins in a box. It’s like I can never leave Ikea without buying something. The Pitch: “Swedish recipe.” Also, “By appointment to H.M. the King of Sweden.” An interesting blurb on the back [...]

Vitamin fortification has long been the domain of things like flour, breakfast cereal, milk, soy milk and various energy bars. But chewing gum? I’ve seen strange gum gimmicks, but seriously, what the hell? The Pitch: “An excellent source of vitamin B6 and B12. Vitamins B6 and B12 help release energy in the body.” Also: “Adults [...]

Chocolate makes me happy, as does organic stuff, so this one-two punch of organic chocolate has plenty of awesome going for it. Here’s my take on three different flavours of Theobroma Chocolat bars. The Look: Very distinctive, with beautiful packaging and a long, slender shape that’s memorable and enticing. Downside? They easily break into pieces. [...]