Part nut, part chip, all bacon-flavored
by Marianne
February 3, 2010 • Filed Under: Bacon Gifts, Bacon Reviews , B More Nutz, Bacon, nutterz
I don’t know what it is, but lately I’ve received a number of product offers from people making innovative, bacon-flavored snacks. Anyone who’s known me any length of time will tell you that I love free stuff. In fact, you probably don’t want to accidentally leave a cool t-shirt, jacket or pair of shoes at my house because, hey! Free stuff! And that garden that I was so excited about last year? Free food! All it cost was hundreds of dollars in tools, fertilizer, a worm farm composter, seeds and seedlings, and dozens of hours of back-breaking labor! Best 3 months of my life. And now it’s a driveway.
But I digress. Not long ago I heard from Dick Taylor at B More Nutz. His is an inspiring story. He was a traveling salesman of sorts, and while in Scandinavia selling stuff and drinking (which is what you do in Scandinavia, right?) he discovered a type of peanut he’d never had before. It was wrapped in a potato chip. Strangest thing I’ve ever heard, but apparently it really sparked something in Dick. When he found he couldn’t find this intriguing snack in the U.S., he decided to make them himself. And that’s what he’s doing to this day. He calls them Nutterz and they come in four fun flavors.
So I received a box that contained three flavors: Nuclear, Mild Chili, and of course Bacon Cheddar. I don’t know what the Scandinavian version of this snack is like. I was imagining a peanut with an actual potato chip wrapped around it. In fact, it’s a peanut coated in a thick potato chip batter…like what they make Pringles from. So if you like dry-roasted peanuts and Pringles, you probably want to try this snack. They have a great crunch to them; I can see why Dick calls them the perfect beer nut. I opened a couple bags while some friends were over for drinks and they proved addictive.
Now for the flavors. The Nuclear was actually pretty spicy for a snack/chip. It wasn’t my favorite because it wasn’t as salty as I like my peanuts to be. But keep in mind that I LOVE SALT, so you’ll have to take my opinion with a grain of…you know. The mild chili was great, a bit saltier, not what I would call spicy at all. The Bacon Cheddar was my favorite by far. Very salty, very crunchy and lots of smoky cheddar flavor. And someone commented that they don’t leave any cheese dust or other residue on your fingers because they’re not flavor-coated. The flavor is INSIDE the chip. Genius.
The one type of Nutterz I didn’t receive was the CRAB NUTZ! Seriously, how great is that name? And although I love crab and am intrigued the name (CRAB NUTZ!) I had my fair share of seafood-flavored snacks in Thailand. I’m probably glad to pass on this one.
If you’re interested in trying this unique snack for yourself, you can go to B More Nutz online store and pick up a 6-pack, a case, or even a tub! Mmm…tub o’ nuts. Need I say more?
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Just before the holidays, we were fortunate to be contacted by the good folks at Pop’s Authentic, a company that makes artisan jerky and meat snack in New Franklin, Missouri. They asked if we’d like to try their product (specifically their Bacon Snack Stick) and I enthusiastically accepted. When the package arrived, I was thrilled to find a sampling of their snack stick flavors, including original, peppered, habanero and of course bacon.
And then we tried the bacon. This was our favorite by far. Again, it had the flavor of a smoked sausage, but it was a bit sweeter, like there was a hint of maple to it. I’m definitely ordering these to keep around the house because they’re a great carb-free snack. Low in fat and high in protein, each stick has 80 calories and zero carbs. The sodium is a bit high at 280 mg, but when you’re a salt freak like me, it comes with the territory.
First let’s talk about the term “Super Thick Cut.” I tried really hard to take a photo that would emphasize the thickness of these slices, but I just couldn’t do them justice. I will say this: there are only 9 slices to a pound. I’d say they’re just slightly thicker than your average slice of Canadian bacon. They’re like something from the Flintstones. Wilma would serve this brontobacon with a side of pterodactyl eggs. And Fred would love it.
On to what I use bacon for most: enhancing the joy of vegetables. My husband was making seared Ahi the other night and wanted to try those cool Chinese long beans we always see at the Asian market. He used a few slices of the Super Thick Cut and seasoned it with hot chili powder. It was absolutely delicious and added a nice toothsome feature to the lightly blanched beans.
A couple nights later, I decided to try roasting some cauliflower, something I had eaten at a friend’s house. I chopped up the last two slices of bacon and tossed them with raw cauliflower chunks, then roasted it all at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. I probably should have half-cooked the bacon before adding it to the pan…it didn’t reach quite the crispiness I was looking for, but I didn’t want to over-cook the veggies. All in all, though, it was good. The bacon grease helped brown the cauliflower and of course lended it a delicious, salty flavor.
Look no further, friends. The Bacon Vixen has got you covered with her new candy company, 
The great thing about these candies is that they’re not some novelty item like “bacon” jellybeans or gummi bacon. This is the real deal, made with all natural ingredients. You can buy a variety pack, or go for a 
So my maple bacon black tea arrived this week, and I was so excited to try it! First of all, it came loose, giving me an excuse to use that teaball spoon I’ve had sitting in a drawer for the past 3 years. I loves me some kitchen gadgets, but don’t always use them as often as my husband considers to be “justification for ownership.” FYI husband, I used the tea spoon AND those cute 4 ounce ramekins this winter, so see? I totally deserve that ebelskiver pan.
Anyway, when I opened the tea pouch, the first thing I did was take a big whiff. Hm. Smells like black tea. Maybe a little maple syrup, but mostly just…gross. Okay, no problem, smells and tastes don’t always match. Next, I poured some tea into my hand to investigate. There were definitely some bacon bits in there, but I couldn’t smell them at all. I have to say, I give 52 Teas props for not just throwing some liquid smoke in the mix to get the effect. That’s my biggest beef with “bacon flavored” novelties; they’re usually just regular food/candy with some smoke attached.
Okay, well on to the taste test. I put a teaspoon of tea in my tea spoon. How many times are you allowed to say tea in one sentence? (Ooh, check out that huge bacon nug in the spoon!) Anyway, I steeped it for 5 minutes as recommended and added one packet of Splenda, because I supposedly don’t do sugar these days. I thought honey might help boost the maple flavor, but I didn’t want to taint the results. On my first sip, I thought perhaps I tasted a little maple, but it was faint. I kept drinking and a few sips in I thought perhaps I was just imagining any flavors beyond black tea…the power of suggestion.
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