Mouthing Off

Courtesy of Pop'd Kerns.

F&W Executive Food Editor Tina Ujlaki applies her incredible cooking knowledge to explaining what to do with a variety of interesting ingredients.

I’m a sucker for popcorn and all other toasty, savory corn snacks, from chips to corn nuts, to Halfpops and those Spanish imports called Quicos. Recently, one of my favorite versions, which was called Glad Corn and sold in pocket-size bags, disappeared from my health food store, only to reappear in a larger format and renamed Pop’d Kerns.

It resembles classic popcorn without the fluff, and with the kernel portion fried (I assume) until exploded and super-crispy. I’ve only had the plain version—and I think I’ll stick to that. They’re awesome and addictive straight out of the bag, but they also make wicked-good, nut-free, sweet-and-salty bark or rochers if you fold them into melted dark, milk or even white chocolate.

Related: F&W Editors' Favorite Snacks
Healthy Snacks
Tasty Snacks

When making granola at home, toast it to maximize its nutty flavor.
// © Zubin Schroff

F&W Executive Food Editor Tina Ujlaki applies her incredible cooking knowledge to explaining what to do with a variety of interesting ingredients.

F&W thought the granola boom was over a few years ago, but the category keeps expanding like crazy! Personal taste when it comes to granola is sort of like chocolate chip cookie appreciation—some people prefer the dough raw, some like their cookies soft and almost gooey, some soft and chewy and some supercrisp.

Whether I make granola at home, which I do all the time, or I buy it (for a change of pace), I’m the charter member of the toasty camp. I think baking brings out the flavor of the oats, seeds and nuts, and since I usually have it as a topping or mix-in with tangy yogurt and supercrisp apples, flavor and texture are key. My favorite brands are the slightly salty Early Bird, which is made with olive oil; the almond-packed Bola granola, from the Berkshires; and one I just tried for the first time at the Natural Foods Expo called Viki’s.

If you want to make your own, where you’re in charge of toastiness and what goes in, here are a couple of my favorite recipes: Grace Parisi’s granola with maple-glazed walnuts and Jessamyn Waldman’s nutty granola from the awesome Hot Bread Kitchen in New York City.

Related: More Granola Recipes
Tasty Snacks
Healthy Snacks

Courtesy of Paso Almond Company

F&W Executive Food Editor Tina Ujlaki applies her incredible cooking knowledge to explaining what to do with a variety of interesting ingredients.

I made my own nut brittle for years, until I stumbled on this hall-of-fame version made by the Paso Almond Company in San Luis Obispo, California. The brittle is so crisp and buttery, and jam-packed with the most delicious almonds ever (the makers are almond-growers, after all!). I buy pounds of the brittle at a time and repackage it in pretty tins or jars or bags to give as gifts. Or I smash some to sprinkle over ice cream, garnish a frosted cake or fold into melted chocolate to make bark.

Related: Crunchy Nut Recipes
Almond Recipes
Snack Bar Recipes

Courtesy of Lesley Stowe Fine Foods

F&W Executive Food Editor Tina Ujlaki applies her incredible cooking knowledge to explaining what to do with a variety of interesting ingredients.

I was a work-study student at cooking school in France with Lesley Stowe way back when. I knew that she returned to Vancouver and started a very successful catering business. One day I was nibbling on these fantastic crackers, and found out that Leslie actually made them. Small world!

What makes Raincoast crisps so incredibly delicious is that they're not only as grainy and as light and crunchy as their name implies, but that they’re supertasty as well. I sometimes forget about the cheese or charcuterie altogether, they’re really that good on their own. My favorite flavors are the grainy Original, Cranberry Hazelnut and Rosemary Raisin Pecan, though there are three other varieties as well.

They also have a brand new gluten-free line coming out that we sampled today in the F&W Test Kitchen, and those also have the same satisfying crunch. The crisps are available at specialty food shops coast to coast. They're great with this pimento-goat cheese spread and creamy pistachio dip.

Related: More Fantastic Crackers
Tasty Snack Recipes
Delicious Party Dips