I’m a traditionalist when it comes to certain foods that have a storied past. The history of Peanut Brittle, for example, is almost legendary and it is one of those foods that shouldn’t be toyed with.
Nowadays, you can find also sorts of Peanut Brittles and some – except for the purist version – have not a single peanut to be found. Today, you can get your Peanut Brittle with cashews, pistachios, almonds and even macadamia nuts. You can even get a Brittle that is really not a Brittle at all.
Betsy and I were skeptical about “Brownie Brittle” when we found it in the aisle of a Fairway store in northern New Jersey. First of all, Betsy won’t put anything in her mouth thicker than a dime. She is terrified over the thought that she might break a tooth or two. So, Brittles of any kind are usually off limits for her.
When I spotted “Brownie Brittle” on the promotional end of the cookie aisle, its very “Hersey-like” packaging caught my eye. On closer inspection, it seemed as if this was a Brittle that even someone with fragile teeth like Betsy could love. “Brownie Brittle” appeared to be some kind of thin cookie masquerading as Brittle.
I soon convinced Betsy to toss a bag of the stuff into our shopping cart; along with the other dozen or so goodies we loaded up on during that trip. Look...WE'RE FOODIES...remember?
So you want to know who tore into the package first, eh? You might have guessed it was me. After all, I often double as Betsy’s appointed “food taster;" making sure that what we have bought is something she will like and – more importantly – it is something she will be able to SAFELY chew.
“Brownie Brittle” immediately passed muster with me. It was love at first bite. Its combination of rich chocolate flavor and light crunch makes this one a winner. When I broke the news to Betsy that could munch instead of crunch, she was more than elated. When she actually sampled a square, she knew we discovered something very special. “Brownie Brittle” is officially and unequivocally DELICIOUS!
So, what is the back story on this goody?
According to the company website, in 1992, “Sheila G. Mains, better known in the food business as Sheila G, took a treasured family recipe for fudge brownies and baked her way into a thriving business.”
Apparently, she once baked regular brownies – not Brittle – for some of the finest restaurants and theme parks in the U.S. You know...the thick and chewy kind. But, her love for all things crispy led her to developing a new treat with that same rich chocolate taste, but also with an amazing crunch.
The story goes on to explain that “like many brownie aficionados, Sheila is particularly fond of the crispy edges. In fact, on many an afternoon she would walk through the bakery gathering the brittle batter off the sides of the sheet pans as the brownies cooled in their racks.” She soon figured out how to create a whole pan of crunchy edges – “Brownie Brittle,” which comes in chocolate chip, salty caramel and taffy crunch.
A bag of Brownie Brittle has about 4 one ounce servings equal to about 120 calories with 6 grams of fat. Not too bad for something that is so tasty and satisfying.
Each bag runs less than $4.00 in the supermarket. It is being sold to many mainstream supermarkets like Wegmans and Acme; as well as some food warehouses like Costco. After making a few calls in my local area it appears that many grocers have not yet made it available on their shelves. So, ask about it if you don’t see it.
On the company website, there are many recipes for treats you can make using “Brownie Brittle”, but there are no recipes for how to make the item itself. This one looks like it’s comes out better from a package than from one of your burnt cookie sheets.
So are Betsy and I alone in our praise of these treats? Apparently not! The web is full of “Brownie Brittle” lovers like us. This customer almost screamed out her review with the following:
“OMGGGG!!!! These things are delicious!!!!! I saw them on Wendy Williams show when she was talking with this lady about healthy snacks and the women had the brownie brittle up there ....I had went to BJs and they happen to have them. I have purchased 3 bags so far and now I have to hide them because my daughter loves them too...”
And, this story has an even sweeter ending. Brownies + Cookies = A Perfect Match. Brownie Brittle is matching funds raised at Cookies for Kids' Cancer events in May, up to $25,000! Not THIS is a company with good taste and social responsibility to match.
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