By Denise Dutton: Or “milk chocolate with hazelnuts”. As you like. This bar has been called Sweden’s favorite chocolate bar, and I can see why. Smooth chocolate that’s just the right amount of sweet, studded with lots of chunks of hazelnuts.
Yep, you just heard a dark chocolate disciple praise milk chocolate. Savor it, because that doesn’t happen often. Savor this chocolate while you’re at it. Each bar can be broken into 25 half-inch squares. Each “serving” is about ten squares, but to be honest? Two or three are more than enough to satisfy. Why? This chocolate is flavorful and packs a lot of enjoyment in each wee square. And there are enough nuts so each bite can be considered healthy, right? Sure
The cocoa percentage isn’t listed, but as its milk chocolate I’m guessing it’s below 35%. That said, it’s surprising that the saturated fat isn’t much higher; I’ve seen dark chocolate with almost double the amount of sat-fat than this bar. Yet there’s a smoothness that makes this chocolate taste decadent, sinful. That’s a good thing, folks. The chocolate itself has a nice chew, but melts quickly as most milk chocolate do, leaving the hazelnut chunks for crunch.
Pair this with a glass of milk or your favorite bubbly, some sliced apples or pears, or just nibble a square or two for a quick treat.
Denise Kitashima Dutton has been a reviewer since 2003, and hopes to get the hang of things any moment now. She believes that bluegrass is not hell in music form, and that beer is better when it’s a nitro pour. Besides GMR, you can find her at Atomic Fangirl, Movie-Blogger.com, or at that end seat at the bar, multi-tasking with her Kindle.
Disney, 20th Century, and Sony just did something that major studios haven’t done in two decades: Released a brand new film on VHS. Boutique physical media labels and collectors online have been selling new movies on VHS for a while, and occasionally a smaller indie studio like A24 will put a specific movie out on tape. When it comes to the big studios, though, there hasn’t been an official VHS release since A History of Violence back in 2006.
That changed this month with the home debut of Alien: Romulus. In honor of the success that Alien found on VHS back in the ’80s and ’90s, the team behind Romulus wanted to produce a nostalgic replica that movie fans could appreciate. So Disney (whose physical media now runs through Sony) put out a very limited release of Alien: Romulus on VHS. The preorders sold out quickly and now the only way to find an official copy is to look for resellers online, so you’ll likely pay a bit of a premium….
(2) THE IMMORTAL SHORTS OF SFF. New Scientist has posted a list of “The 26 best sci-fi short stories of all time – according to New Scientist writers”. Lots of legitimate picks here – classics by Bradbury, Clarke, Heinlein, Russ, plus more recent candidates for sf immortality by Jemisin, Roanhorse, Martha Wells. Here’s an example:
Fire Watch by Connie Willis (1982)
There is a popular what-if scenario of going back in time to assassinate Adolf Hitler before he can start the second world war. Connie Willis’s 1982 novelette Fire Watch takes a completely different tack by immediately plunging its time-travelling narrator into confusion as he appears in London during the Nazi German Luftwaffe’s bombing raids in 1940. The narrator is tasked with joining fellow volunteers in the seemingly Sisyphean task of putting out incendiary bombs on the roof of St Paul’s Cathedral that threaten to burn down the hallowed landmark, even as he struggles with his real assignment of trying to figure out why his history professors have chosen to send him back to that harrowing period without adequate education or preparation. As an added complication, the narrator begins to suspect a fellow fire watch member of subversive wartime activities while he himself struggles to blend in and avoid blowing his cover with the locals. As the narrative follows a series of dated diary entries from the increasingly paranoid and exhausted narrator, Willis’s story shines by treating time travel as a tool used judiciously by historians to bear witness and deepen their understanding of humanity, rather than depicting it as a superpower for manipulating the past or future. Jeremy Hsu
Nearly a decade ago, my now-husband first introduced me to the Star Trek franchise by way of the series Star Trek: Enterprise. “You’ll like this one,” he assured me, “it’s got a dog in it.”
Porthos, the dog belonging to Captain Jonathan Archer, portrayed by Scott Bakula, is one example of Star Trek’s odd pets. They’re cute and lovable, but there’s something just not quite right about them. It wasn’t until 2009’s Star Trek cinematic reboot when Scotty, played by actor Simon Pegg, says that he tested the particle beam on “Admiral Archer’s prized beagle” that I realized why. The dogs, cats, fish, Targs (Klingon boars), and other animals of Star Trek are portrayed as individual domestic pets of their owners when they are in fact maritime animals.
In 1898, the Southern Cross Expedition took around ninety dogs to Antarctica.1 The dogs were brought for their power, for their ability to carry people around camp in the most inhospitable conditions. As the first canines to set foot in the South Pole, though, these dogs were also agents of colonization – proven by a massacre of penguins that magnetic scientist William Colbeck described as “heartbreaking.”2 But this doesn’t feel like any of the pets I know of in the Star Trek universe. Despite being a Beagle, Porthos isn’t known for his hunting abilities. Captain Picard’s fish, Livingstone, certainly isn’t much of a threat. Grudge the cat from Star Trek: Discovery is, perhaps, the closest match, but still not an obvious representation of colonial domination.3
As I read more about the Southern Cross Expedition, I realized the dogs’ roles were much more complicated. During a particularly harrowing part of the expedition, some of the men were pushed to the limits of exploration. Left with limited options and dangerous conditions, the explorers measured their humanity by how each man treated the dogs. Physicist Louis Bernacchi wrote of his disdain for commanding officer and surveyor Carsten Borchgrevink’s “barbaric” treatment of the dogs after the especially tragic death of the dog Bismark. In his own writing, Borchgrevink described scientist Anton Fougner as “noble” for working to dig a grave in the frozen earth for his puppy.4 The role these dogs played during the most intensive part of the journey was to reflect the scientist explorer’s humanity back to them.
In this lens, the Trek pet who best symbolizes these dogs is Data’s cat, Spot. On a traditional maritime ship, Spot’s role as a cat would be pest control. He would spend his time hunting rats and cockroaches. He might even share this role with other animals like chickens or a small terrier. On the Enterprise, Spot’s role is to humanize Data, both to others on the ship and to Data himself. The odd thing about Spot, though, is that this is largely where his story line ends. At the risk of being too punny, we don’t ever “see Spot run” – down the corridor, to his friends, or into trouble. Unlike other maritime animals, Spot isn’t everyone’s cat – a mascot….
Earlier this year we invited scientists from across the world to send in their images in the categories of Astronomy, Behaviour, Earth Science and Climatology, Ecology and Environmental Science, and Microimaging. We are delighted to now present the winners and runners-up, including our overall winner from the Behaviour category Angela Albi for her image “The hunt from above”.
“We’re known as the bumper sticker couple now, I’m sure,” said Brian Gebhart, 32, who, with his fiancée, Alyssa Walker, 30, runs Frog Mustard, one of the most prolific creators of this genre of bumper stickers. They release a handful of new ones each week to their more than 35,000 Instagram followers, whom they call the Frog Army.
The couple started the company last winter, after Mr. Gebhart had a mountain biking accident and needed extra money to pay for a surgery. They came up with Frog Mustard — a moniker as nonsensical as many of their designs — by using a random name generator.
Their first designs included a sticker that read “E.T. for City Council” and another with a crying kitten and an appeal to fellow drivers: “Sorry for speeding! But my cat is at home alone!”
By the spring, after a series of viral TikTok posts, the business was growing ever faster. Soon, the couple was investing in an industrial vinyl printer and operating out of their basement home office in Kent, Wash. The business is now a full-time job for Mr. Gebhart, and Ms. Walker maintains a corporate tech job while producing many of the designs.
Frog Mustard now averages 1,200 orders a month with a stock of about 350 designs, they said.
In American culture, where cars are often seen as physical extensions of their owners’ personality, bumper stickers have long been a way to make a vehicle distinctly your own, reflecting your politics and interests. They used to represent earnestness and authenticity: This car really did climb Mount Washington; I do support this presidential candidate; my child actually is an honor student….
Sing to me, muse! Details of Christopher Nolan‘s star-studded next project at Universal have finally been revealed.
According to a new X post from Universal Pictures, the filmmaker’s next project “is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology. The film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time and opens in theaters everywhere on July 17, 2026.”…
(7) A ROOM OF HIS OWN. George R.R. Martin was feted when he visited his childhood hometown of Bayonne, NJ: “A Day to Remember” at Not A Blog.
…Bayonne has changed some over the years…the city has lost all its movie houses, and Uncle Milty’s Amusement Park where I had my first job… but the projects are still there, and Brady’s Dock, and Mary Jane Donohoe School on 5th Street… the candy store on Kelly Parkway where I bought my comic books and Ace Doubles is still there, and so is the Fifth Street Deli-Ette… oh, and Hendrickson’s Corner, and Judicke’s sprinkle Donuts…
And the public library remains… changed some, yes… but better than ever.
I remember the library. I always will.
And it would seem that the library remembers me. They have just completed some renovations, and did me the honor of naming one of the new rooms after me: the George R.R. Martin Room for Popular Fiction. To mark the occasion, they declared October 15 to be George R.R. Martin.
That is… so cool, so… so… well, words fail me….
…The library also added a wonderful mosaic dragon to its decor.
(8) NICE HOLIDAY MILK STOUT AND NAUGHTY EGG NOG ALE. [Item by Denise Kitashima Dutton.] I love a good stout. Hell, I’ll even take a mediocre stout if I’m really desperate. Because there’s nothing like the full-bodied flavor of a dark beer. So when Flying Dog Brewery here in Maryland decided to repeat their “Naughty” and “Nice” brews this year, I was excited to learn that “Nice” would be a Holiday Milk Stout. When I found out that “Naughty” would be an Egg Nog Ale? I was a bit iffy. But I’ll cop to a particular bias here; as a Marylander, I like to play favorites with my breweries. Doesn’t mean I don’t have favorites elsewhere – hello there, Shiner and Three Floyds – but the brewers in my home state do get a special benefit of the doubt. So I decided to tuck into both.
First off, let’s go Naughty, shall we? Medium-tall head, nice and foamy, quick to dissipate. Beautifully clear and golden (a much lighter color than their press images), with an almost champagne-like carbonation effervescence. While the “yellow beer” is something that everyone can recognize, there’s a warmth to this golden color, and the long-lasting fizz makes me want to keep tipping it back, if only to get yet another look at those tiny bubbles.
Then there’s the aroma. A nose that sends out the spices, but not with a wallop; a scent that invites rather than demands. That comes with the tasting. There’s a strong allspice and nutmeg hit on first sip, and while the spices are definitely loud and proud, it didn’t shock me out of a second sip. Or a third. There’s no rum notes here, though the idea of a barrel-aged Egg Nog Naughty wouldn’t be amiss. It’s just spice, spice and a touch of fizz.
As with Shiner’s Texas Warmer, this is a beer that ain’t afraid to get right up in your face. And I respect that. While the heavy spice may put off some, if you’re having a cheese and charcuterie evening, a sugar cookie sampling, or just want a bit of holiday spice while watching A Christmas Carol for the umpteenth time, Naughty‘s got your back.
Then there’s Nice, which starts off with a light, quick to dissipate head. And is that a hint of cascading that I see? Absolutely. Who doesn’t love watching their beer move in the glass like that? The beer itself is an absolutely gorgeous, clear, deep chocolate brown color I could get lost in. And with a 7.2 ABV, that’s not necessarily a figurative statement.
Nice is almost creamy, as a milk stout should be. The chocolate is a strong nib flavor, with a hint of toasty/smokiness that balances out the sweetness. This is a rough-trade sweetness; think the umami of cocoa rather than the overkill of candy. The creaminess of the mouthfeel and the bitter tang of the chocolate combine nicely, giving Nice a wonderful drinkability.
Another sip, and I catch a hint of Nice‘s fizzy, almost sharp, carbonation. But it’s such a fine bubble that it’s buzzy rather than off-putting. There’s no effervescence here, but with such a deeply colored beer, it’d be almost impossible to see anyway. Plus, anything overly fizzy would get in the way of the robust flavors in this stout.
I’d recommend this for dessert binges, a hearty brunch with pancakes and maple sausage, or as a dessert in and of itself. I’d also love to be able to find a six-pack of this to take camping; I’m betting s’mores would be a wonderful go-with. Nice is exactly that; robust but not heavy, flavorful but not too “busy”, smooth but substantial.
And yeah, I decided to do a half-and-half. And let’s just say that while these two beers play well with my tastebuds separately? It’s like sucking back a mouthful of Christmas tree if you combine ’em. I just can’t hang with that much powerful flavor all at once.
Naughty Egg Nog Ale Style: American Strong Ale ABV/Alcohol By Volume: 8.4%
[Reprinted fromGreen Man Reviewbecause it’s too good not to share.Denise Kitashima Dutton has been a reviewer since 2003, and hopes to get the hang of things any moment now. She believes that bluegrass is nothell in music form, and that beer is better when it’s a nitro pour. You can find her at Atomic Fangirl, Movie-Blogger.com, or at that end seat at the bar, multi-tasking with her Kindle.]
(9) GWYNETH JONES SF WRITER ON CHESTNUTS. [Item by Gwyneth Jones.]
Gwyneth Jones
Chestnuts, I’m obsessed with chestnuts at Christmas.
The obsession dates back to childhood, when chestnuts roasted over the coals on a fire-shovel were a winter treat, back in the primitive and labour intensive days when my parents’ house was heated by an Aga (solid fuel range) in the kitchen, and coal/wood fires elsewhere. And marrons glacees were the ultimate in sophistication… until I finally tried them, and wondered what the fuss was about. (I’m sure they’re very nourishing, by the way.)
Now I live in Sussex, I expect to forage a kilo or so of sweet chestnuts in October or November. After that it’s hit or miss. One year I slung them in the freezer wet and still in the shell & they defrosted as mush. Another year I left them in a copper bowl in a corner they went mouldy & the bowl suffered too. The supermarket then provides, boring!
Still, enough times the chestnuts survive, and then it’s the awful day of reckoning. People will tell you (e.g. Elizabeth David, see below) that there is a knack to peeling chestnuts and once you know it you will never look back. They lie. Usually it’s pure masochism, burned fingertips, outbursts of rage.
Then you eat them with sprouts and crispy bacon or put them in the stuffing. But this is one of the best rewards for all the pain:
Chestnut and Chocolate Cake.
Shell and skin 1lb (450g) of chestnuts.
Cover them with milk (either skimmed milk or half and half milk & water), and simmer until very soft — about an hour. Drain off the liquid & sieve or mash the chestnuts to a smooth puree. Save the liquid, it’s a beautiful stock base.
Make a syrup with 3 oz (100g) sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of water. Add this to puree, with 2 oz (about 70g) softened butter. When you have these ingredients well mixed leave to stand. Brush a small loaf tin, or other half litre/1 pt rectangular mold, with sweet oil (almond oil or similar), and fill it with the soft “dough”. Set to chill in a refrigerator for 24hrs.
Next day, make a chocolate coating with around 100g dark chocolate, adding a couple of teaspoons of sugar to the melted chocolate, & let the paste cool slightly. Turn the chestnut cake out of the mold, use a smooth-edged knife dipped in water to coat it with chocolate. Leave to chill again before serving.
This recipe is from Elizabeth David, French Provincial Cooking. You will find the lies about chestnut peeling on p. 265, blotted with my tears.
[From the Archives of the Sleeping Hedgehog.]
(10) MEMORY LANE.
[Written by Cat Eldridge.]
December 23, 1960 — Twilight Zone’s “Night of The Meek”
On December 23, 1960, Twilight Zone’s “The Night of the Meek” first aired. It was one of the six episodes of the second season which was shot on videotape in a failed attempt to cut costs. Networks and their bean counters.
This was a Christmas-themed story with Art Carney as a Santa Claus fired on Christmas Eve who finds a mysterious bag that gives an apparently unlimited stream of gifts. But before we learn that we have this opening scene and narration:
“As snow begins to fall, a drunk Henry Corwin (Carney) wearing his Santa Claus suit, leans against a curbside lamppost. He is approached by two tenement children begging for toys, a Christmas dinner, and ‘a job for my daddy.’ As he begins to sob, the camera turns to Rod Serling standing on the sidewalk:
“This is Mr. Henry Corwin, normally unemployed, who once a year takes the lead role in the uniquely popular American institution, that of the department-store Santa Claus in a road-company version of ‘The Night Before Christmas’. But in just a moment Mr. Henry Corwin, ersatz Santa Claus, will enter a strange kind of North Pole which is one part the wondrous spirit of Christmas and one part the magic that can only be found… in the Twilight Zone.”
The script would be reused in the Eighties version of this series, and on the radio program as well.
Serling ended the original broadcast with the words, “And a Merry Christmas, to each and all”, but that phrase was deleted in the Eighties for reasons never made clear and would not be back until Netflix started streaming the series. The series runs on Paramount+ now in its original full, uncensored version. The line is still missing from all the DVD versions.
John Fielder who is Mister Dundee here would have a second Twilight Zone appearance in “Cavander is Coming” in which he has the lead as the Angel Harmon Cavender.
Oh, and let’s note that it’s a cat that mysteriously starts off this tale by knocking down a large burlap bag full of empty cans, which when Corwin trips over it, is then filled with gifts. See cats are magical!
Serling ends with this narration:
“A word to the wise to all the children of the Twentieth Century, whether their concern be pediatrics or geriatrics, whether they crawl on hands and knees and wear diapers or walk with a cane and comb their beards. There’s a wondrous magic to Christmas and there’s a special power reserved for little people. In short, there’s nothing mightier than the meek. And a Merry Christmas to each and all.”
One morning in early 1985, the comic strip creator Berkeley Breathed received a call from an unlikely fan: Ronald Reagan.
Breathed had started “Bloom County,” the wily tale of several eccentric middle-American animals — human and otherwise — five years earlier. Its cast included an emo penguin named Opus as well as Bill the Cat, a droopy-tongued, occasionally comatose former presidential candidate with a penchant for Tender Vittles and cocaine.
On its surface, “Bloom County” didn’t seem particularly Gipper-friendly. But a recent installment had featured a flattering image of the first lady, Nancy Reagan, and the president wanted to express his gratitude.
When Reagan finally reached Breathed at his home in Iowa City, the cartoonist had stepped out of the shower. “Mr. President,” Breathed told Reagan, “you should probably know I’m not wearing any pants right now.” Their chat went well, and not long afterward, Breathed found himself seated with Reagan at a state dinner, where the two discussed the president’s film career….
(13) WHEN THE MOON IS IN THE SEVENTH HOUSE. “Particle Could Be Portal to Fifth Dimension: What Is Dark Matter?” at Popular Mechanics. I had to run a link to a headline about the “Fifth Dimension”. I didn’t know any more about the subject once I finished the article, but it did leave me humming the “Wedding Bell Blues”.
Scientists say they can explain dark matter by positing a particle that links to a fifth dimension.
Our knowledge of the physical universe relies on the idea of dark matter, which takes up the vast majority of matter in the universe. Dark matter is a kind of pinch hitter that helps scientists explain how gravity works, because a lot of features would dissolve or fall apart without an “x factor” of dark matter. Even so, dark matter doesn’t disrupt the particles we do see and “feel,” meaning it must have other special properties as well….
…Could dimension-traveling fermions explain at least some of the dark matter scientists have so far not been able to observe? “We know that there is no viable [dark matter] candidate in the [standard model of physics],” the scientists say, “so already this fact asks for the presence of new physics.”…
Wishing you a holiday season full of light and laughter as we flip over into the new year!
[Thanks to Steven French, Kathy Sullivan, Teddy Harvia, Mark Roth-Whitworth, John A Arkansawyer, Mike Kennedy, Andrew Porter, John King Tarpinian, Chris Barkley, Cat Eldridge, and SF Concatenation’s Jonathan Cowie for some of these stories. Title credit belongs to File 770 contributing editor of the day Jim Janney.]
By Denise Kitashima Dutton: With folks scarfing down old-school comfort foods old like crazy, why not try a few new things? Don’t go crazy; I’m not talking about marmite out of the jar. (Unless that’s your thing; then go nuts.) But something close to what you love, but with a twist. Me, I’m getting into different types of chocolate. And yes, that’s different from my usual new chocolate I try on any other day. Because I’m eating it all by myself. Fine. It’s that I don’t even have to pretend that I’d share. Happy now?
Well, with this Hu Kitchen Almond Butter + Puffed Quinoa Dark Chocolate bar I’m definitely happy. Rich, luscious dark chocolate that’s so smooth and creamy I had to triple check to see that there’s no dairy in this bar. Nope, just good ol’ cocoa butter. In fact, there are only five ingredients in this delicious block of goodness, every single one of them something I can pronounce. No weird stabilizers, no funky preservatives (do bear that in mind if you’ve got leftovers from your first taste – pop this into the fridge to maintain its peak freshness), just 70% cacao, sugar, almonds, quinoa and cocoa butter. Boom.
I don’t know how Hu is able to craft such a delectable bar from these basic ingredients. Yes, it’s all in the proportions and whateverall. But it’s amazing and I love it. There’s a crunch of the popped quinoa, the slide of the soft almond butter, and of course the snap and chew of that chocolate. Absolutely lovely.
I think I need another. Perhaps in hazelnut? And maybe get myself another pair of sweatpants while I’m at it. Might as well get maximum cozy while I enjoy this treat.
Denise Kitashima Dutton has been a reviewer since 2003, and hopes to get the hang of things any moment now. She believes that bluegrass is not hell in music form, and that beer is better when it’s a nitro pour. Besides GMR, you can find her at Atomic Fangirl, Movie-Blogger.com, or at that end seat at the bar, multi-tasking with her Kindle.
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!”
By Denise Kitashima Dutton: I remember hearing about the Jabberwock in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There. He sounded spooky and dangerous. Something I would never want to meet in person. Granted, I first heard of him when I was a little kid, so there’s that. Folkmanis made a puppet to honor the scary beast, though I have to say that this puppet is spooky and dangerous in all the best ways.
First, there’s the look of him. He’s a shiny silvery-blue, and the velour they used to make his body is soft to the touch. It also bends light, so parts of him are lighter or darker depending on his movements, and what catches the light. Velour barbels hang over a mouth lined in black, complete with matte vinyl fangs and a felt split tongue in bright red. All the better to eat you with, my pretty? You bet. His eyes are a clear, sparkling orange, with deep black irises. They may scratch if he’s manhandled, so be careful with this beauty.
The detail of the claws is astounding. They bend, curve, and slope just like real claws. I may have to double-check him after midnight. On second thought, perhaps it’s best I leave him be at that time. One never knows. This Jabberwock has gossamer wings of black, with a soft but sturdy netting in-between felt ribs. (Not so sturdy this netting won’t rip, so again I’ll say be careful.) Then there’s his chest and horns, made of black fabric patterned with a silvery-gold. The fabric evokes scales, and with all the velour and shine, this is one impressive puppet.
There’s plenty of ways to maneuver this puppet, which makes for a whole lot of fun. The head, each leg and wing, and even his tail all have pocket for you to put a finger or two into and make each section move. I started off with all five fingers working the head and four limbs, getting him to bounce along with Kanye West’s “Gold Digger”. With his sparkly self, it seemed appropriate. He really got moving, so I’ll take that as an affirmative. Then there’s his tail, thrashing and slashing through the air if you manipulate it, though I tend to do that only when I have him “walk”. But with my thumb working his tail and the rest of my hand in his body, he’s not really walking. He’s strutting. And it’s glorious.
So glorious that I had a hard time putting him down. I played with him so much, my stone gargoyle became jealous. I rubbed his soft silver-blue “skin” on my cheek, sighing with happiness over the sumptuous feel of it. This is a puppet to play with, sure. But it’s also a puppet to treasure. It’s grand and glorious, and sits up perfectly on a desk, bookshelf, or credenza. As with their American Kestrel, Jabberwock can easily blend into a RenFest day. No, not blend. Stand out. So if you do bring him along, be prepared for many, many admirers. “Can I pet your Jabberwock?” But of course. But be gentle. He has claws.
Denise Kitashima Dutton has been a reviewer since 2003, and hopes to get the hang of things any moment now. She believes that bluegrass is not hell in music form, and that beer is better when it’s a nitro pour. Besides GMR, you can find her at Atomic Fangirl, Movie-Blogger.com, or at that end seat at the bar, multi-tasking with her Kindle.
Review by Denise Kitashima Dutton: Unlike Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Anya, I absolutely adore bunnies. Tiny widdle noses, adorable fluffy tails. The look they always seem to have, as though they’ve judged you and found you wanting…but they’re cool with you anyway. Bunnies are fantastic. So when this little fluffball dropped into my lap, it was love at first sight.
Speaking of sight, if this cutie looks familiar to you, you probably watch the Academy Awards on the regular. Because this puppet took the stage with Melissa McCarthy, in her fun, over-the-top cosplay of The Favorite during 2019’s show. And my little guy looks exactly like the one who stole the show that evening. Well okay; I’m a bit biased, but mine is cuter. Something in the eyes, perhaps. A soulful wisdom? Okay, sure.
Folkmanis never skimps on the craftsmanship of their puppets, and this baby rabbit is sturdily stitched, with beautiful furred fabric and shiny large-pupilled eyes. There’s grey velvet lining the ears that I can’t seem to stop touching; I’m a sucker for velvet. The fur is soft, with parts that have a nice brindle/ look to it. The other color is a nice cream, and for the life of me it looks like this little guy is gonna go full Velveteen and turn real at any moment.
But the most important part? He’s absolutely the best dancer. He can dab! He can waltz! He can shimmy! And it’s so much fun popping him onto my hand and letting him go wild with his bad self. Yes, he’s adorable, but a puppet wouldn’t be so great if he wasn’t fun to play with. And this little guy is a blast. Dig bunnies? Hop to it and grab yourself one. Not mine though. You can’t have him.
Denise Kitashima Dutton has been a reviewer since 2003, and hopes to get the hang of things any moment now. She believes that bluegrass is not hell in music form, and that beer is better when it’s a nitro pour. Besides GMR, you can find her at Atomic Fangirl, Movie-Blogger.com, or at that end seat at the bar, multi-tasking with her Kindle.
Review by Denise Kitashima Dutton: Dried cherries and dark chocolate. Two great tastes y’all. I’m not a chocolate covered berry kinda gal; the berry ends up mushy and the chocolate ends up damp. It’s a downer no matter how you look at it. But dried fruit covered in chocolate? Sign me up. Especially if we’re talking cherries, heaven on a stem.
These are tart dried cherries, not the Bing that you may find in gourmet groceries sold by the pound. Think of these as slightly larger Rasinets, but with a higher level pedigree. These bits are half the size of their larger counterparts, but have a lovely bite to them that blends well with the dark chocolate. That tart bite hits right in the jawline, tightening up the salivary glands as each bite is chewed.
The chocolate is serviceable, at 64% cacao. It blends so well with the tart of the cherries it’s difficult to distinguish itself as a solo performer. My only issue is the chocolate coating, with tends to crumble if you try to make each cherry a two-bite treat. If the chocolate were a bit thicker, it’d stand to such dental scrutiny and perhaps make its presence known a bit more, but as it is pieces of this coating threaten to fall onto the table more times than not. It’s a little thing – I could just pop ’em whole into my gaping maw – but I do enjoy biting into each piece. Double the satisfaction, right? Right.
Pair these with hot tea, coffee, or a nice wine (sparkling or no) for optimal enjoyment. If you want to take it to the next level, a liqueur or port would go nicely as well.
Denise Kitashima Dutton has been a reviewer since 2003, and hopes to get the hang of things any moment now. She believes that bluegrass is not hell in music form, and that beer is better when it’s a nitro pour. Besides GMR, you can find her at Atomic Fan Girl, Movie-Blogger.com, or at that end seat at the bar, multi-tasking with her Kindle.
Review by Denise Kitashima Dutton: I’m always game for dark chocolate. Plus, I’m a sucker for hazelnuts (aka filbert, a name I absolutely love) in any form. So hello, combination of the two! Ghirardelli blends their premium chocolate with nicely minced nuts to create a bar that’s going onto my list of favorite candies.
This chocolate is chewy at room temperature. It’s a nice chewiness, without the waxy feel some lesser chocolate bars have. Substantial scattering of diced hazelnuts give each bite a bit of crunch to go along with that chew. (Note: putting the bar in the fridge gives it a snap that makes it easy to parse out equal squares, and gives the nuts extra crispness.) Ghirardelli makes no mention of the percentage of cacao in this bar, but as it’s in their “Intense Dark” line and the chocolate has a lovely deep color, I’d guess it’s over 70%. Could be wrong in that, though.
Each bar gives you eight 1×1″ squares, which makes parceling out individual nibbles very easy. Y’know, if you’re the kind that can stop at one square. The website says this bar is perfect for sharing, but screw that. It’s too yummy; before you know it, it’s gone.
Pairs well with wine, coffee, a nice oolong, or champagne. If you can stand to share, add squares of this bar to a charcuterie board. It’d make incredible s’mores, especially if you swap your graham crackers with shortbread or solid slices of angel food cake. What? With chocolate this good, you’ll want to head for the good stuff just to keep up.
Denise Kitashima Dutton has been a reviewer since 2003, and hopes to get the hang of things any moment now. She believes that bluegrass is not hell in music form, and that beer is better when it’s a nitro pour. Besides GMR, you can find her at Atomic Fan Girl, Movie-Blogger.com, or at that end seat at the bar, multi-tasking with her Kindle.
Review by Denise Dutton: I could get used to high-quality chocolate. Don’t get me wrong; I love me some Thousand Dollar Bars and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I’m as red-blooded as the next chocoholic. But there’s something absolutely decadent about a Fair Trade bar made with organic ingredients. Something that’s got less than a handful of ingredients, yet tastes like something Big Candy could only dream of creating. Like the stuff that comes from Hu Kitchen. I’ve bitten into their Almond Butter+Puffed Quinoa bar and it was absolutely wonderful. But I wondered; would dark chocolate and hazelnut spread work well together, or would it be chocolate overload?
I needn’t have worried. Hazelnut is just as yummy as its almond predecessor. Instead of a Nutella-esque flavor, think of actual filberts hazelnuts ground up and mixed with a touch of sugar to form paste. I loved the nutty taste of this filling, and I’ll definitely be coming back for more; this ain’t no praline, it’s full nut y’all, and it’s glorious. I love hazelnuts, and while I also enjoy the chocolaty spread made from them, this is much more my speed. The nuts are front and center, in perfect balance with the rich and cocoa-heavy chocolate that surrounds it. Having too sweet a filling would have sent this bar into unappetizing sugar overload, and I applaud Hu for knowing when to say when.
This bar easily breaks into eight two-big-bite pieces, and I’d add them to a fruit and cheese tray, or charcuterie board. The not-too-sweet balance of dark chocolate and nuts would play well with soft or hard cheeses, or any meat that isn’t overly peppered. Pop some bubbly to go with it – the cocoa butter richness here almost screams for something bubbly as an accompaniment – and enjoy. But I find that a few squares are perfect; you’ll want to savor this bar, not shove it into your pie-hole like an animal. Are we not men? Well, we’re not on the Island of Doctor Moreau, nor are we Devo (at least I’m not, however much I long for one of those hats), so let us savor.
Or just hole up in your rattiest sweats and scarf down a couple of pieces with a plain seltzer while binging documentaries on YouTube. Tomato-potato.
Denise Kitashima Dutton has been a reviewer since 2003, and hopes to get the hang of things any moment now. She believes that bluegrass is not hell in music form, and that beer is better when it’s a nitro pour. Besides GMR, you can find her at Atomic Fangirl, Movie-Blogger.com, or at that end seat at the bar, multi-tasking with her Kindle.
Review by Denise Kitashima Dutton: Danish chocolates? Don’t mind if I do! Especially when the package itself gives me a great excuse to indulge. Coffee time? Yes please! And while these chocolates would go great with coffee, I had mine with a stout, and then a mug of green tea. I was pleased.
Rather than doing one long slog as I describe things, let’s do it piece by piece, shall we?
Milk chocolate & toffee = more like a Carmello with that nice, liquidy filling. Yes, there’s a toffee flavor, but the runny filling is more like a very soft caramel. That’s a good thing.
Dark chocolate & mint = wowza that mint is strong! And also very artificial tasting. Blew my wig back y’all. It’s like a melted candy cane, and not in a good way. It’s very oozy, but as much as I love it ooze and the crisp but luscious dark chocolate? I can’t handle that much mint. I let the filling drip out of the second piece, and ate the chocolate. I ain’t ashamed.
White chocolate with marzipan & orange filling = this one I dreaded. I don’t typically like white chocolate unless it’s in a cookie, and orange sweets aren’t my bag. However, this turned out to be one of my favorites. The mix of marzipan and orange balance nicely, and the white chocolate takes a back seat to those yummy fillings. (Okay in all honesty, there’s a touch of dark chocolate on the top and bottom of each piece. But that makes no real headway in the flavor profile.)
Milk chocolate with nougat and hazelnut = a popular blend, and for good reason. That smooth hazelnut filling plays extremely well with the milk chocolate. The hazelnut is a crispy and gave a great crunch. On to the next piece, or I may find I’ve had my Milk Chocolate Haters Club card revoked.
Dark chocolate & ginger flavored toffee = as with the mint and regular toffee, this filing is weepy. Unlike the other two, there’s substantially more chocolate here, and that’s a good thing. Too much ginger filling may have been overkill, as it was with the mint. Instead, there’s a hint of liquid filling in a crunchy chocolate cup, hinting at a nice seasonal gingerbread-esque flavor. Each piece is set into a stiff foil mini-cup, in case things try to leak out of sides. I had no trouble with wannabe escape artists here. And now I know that dark chocolate and gingerbread go well together. Thank you, Jakobsen.
Dark chocolate with marzipan and whole almond = okay, this one’s my absolute favorite of the bunch. I may not like amaretto, but I dig a good marzipan. And this one’s good. Topping it off with a macron almond is almost gilding the lily, but the marzipan stands tall. It’s not overly sweet, which for me is a mark of well done marzipan, with nary a whiff of added flavor to ruin things. (Artificial almond flavor is the devil. There, I’ve said it.)
Before this, I hadn’t heard of Jakobsen chocolates. But then I realized they’re from Carletti, the folks who make Big Ben Licorice. Ah, that I know. And now that I’ve tried these chocolates, I have two favorites from this company. Never a good thing to play favorites; you never know what you’ll miss. I found that out with the delightful white chocolate bits in this box, and now I know there’s more to this brand than packets of pre-wrapped sweets. I feel so educated.
Denise Kitashima Dutton has been a reviewer since 2003, and hopes to get the hang of things any moment now. She believes that bluegrass is not hell in music form, and that beer is better when it’s a nitro pour. Besides GMR, you can find her at Atomic Fangirl, Movie-Blogger.com, or at that end seat at the bar, multi-tasking with her Kindle.
Review by Denise Dutton: ‘Tis the season for warm festive beverages! And for all the things to top ’em. Nutmeg for nog, a cinnamon stick for mulled goodness, and for folk who partake of animal products (ex: gelatin), marshmallows for coffee and chocolate-centric libations. I have a love-hate relationship with marshmallows. I love how they bob on the top of my drink, but hate that most of the time I’m left with a soggy bit of ‘mallow bloof (it’s a word because I just used it) as I empty my mug. However, that’s about to change, thanks to Smashmallow.
Opening the bag there’s a strong cinnamon sugar and vanilla smell that makes me want to stick my head into the bag. The marshmallows themselves are nice and spongy, softer than what you’d get in your usual “put ‘em on a stick for s’mores” mallows. They’re also little cubes, rather than the typical cylindrical bits.
But how do they taste? Yummy. Picking a piece out of the bag, I notice that each one is liberally coated in chunky granules of cinnamon sugar. The sugar is a light beige, but the ‘mallow itself is the usual pure white. These pieces are also a whole lot airier and lighter than the usual stuff, making them almost too easy to eat. Being so light and airy, these ‘mallows melt rather quickly when plopped into hot beverages. I tried one in a piping hot mocha, and the square looked absolutely adorable floating on top…and then boom, before I knew it, it was gone, leaving a nice creamy topping on my drink. Yeah, regular marshmallows melt too, but these ‘mallows go down fast. And I actually dig that; I like to blend in my topping, not just have disappointment dregs oozing around the bottom of a finished cup.
No disappointment here; in fact a nice hint of cinnamon was added to my drink, along with the added sweetness. (I don’t know if I’d recommend adding these to cocoa, unless you’re seriously down with the sweet. If you are – salut!) I know think of these ‘mallows as Stealth Mallows, because they melt into a drink like a ninja into shadows.
They’re also sneaky. (These ‘mallows, not ninjas; we already know ninjas can be sneaky.) I told myself I was going to limit my Smashmallow consumption to one plain one, and one in my mocha. Then I found myself reaching into the bag for another one, as if my hand had a will of its own. I should probably take these upstairs. But maybe one more. Then I’ll stop. Promise.
Denise Kitashima Dutton has been a reviewer since 2003, and hopes to get the hang of things any moment now. She believes that bluegrass is not hell in music form, and that beer is better when it’s a nitro pour. Besides GMR, you can find her at Atomic Fangirl, Movie-Blogger.com, or at that end seat at the bar, multi-tasking with her Kindle.
