See's and Trader Joes's

At the library, I found a short coffee table sort of book on See's! It is mostly early history but it has a lot of fun bits. For example, there is a page dedicated to the Marshmint. Earlier I posted on the this oddest of See's candy. Imagine mint gel, marshmallow and chocolate. When the company began to vote out unpopular candy to make room for new ones, the Marshmint was the first to go. A woman from California's letter apparently led to the creation of the Marshmint club.

It seems so bleak since they left, so empty I walk listlessly through my days wondering if I will ever see their bright green eyes again...I am hearbroken, deprived of my only true love...MARSHMINTS!

Now you'd think I'd scoff at such talk, but I realize I would raise a hue and cry if See's were ever to do away with the Scotchmallow, so I really can't talk. I wouldn't write in, not so much because I am scared or lazy, I just know that Joanna would do a better job.

On the question of treats, I can recommend a good new (to me) treat, the dried gooseberry, which I found at Trader Joes's. The flavor is like the combination of raspberry and grapefruit. It starts out sweet and with a raspberry texture and then a powerful but not too harsh tartness sets in. The gooseberry was one of the few fruits and vegetables in Lois Elhert's Eating the Alphabet, that I had yet to try. On to the kumquat.

Finally on the subject of Trader Joe's and treats, has anyone noticed how freaking expensive almonds are? This article says the California crop was hit hard, but they were 66% more expensive than cashews at TJ's and that is just nuts (yuk yuk yuk.)