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I’ve never liked sugar as a topping, not even confectioners’ sugar. But I do like candy, especially jimmies! Out here in Los Angeles they call them sprinkles.

"Uh oh, we're out of jimmies. (Or sprinkles, for you weird people.)" ©D. Barstow 2010

I like them especially on ice cream, but on a sugar cookie or other interesting place they’re also good. I prefer all chocolate.

Here‘s a whole forum on jimmies, in Boston, and Boston does know its ice cream. (favorite flavor in Boston? Coffee.)

Someone at school told me that jimmies is actually a ra-cial slur related to the Jim Crow laws (‘course, she was from Jersey)…anyone else heard this?

I hope not! I never heard that before. More comments ideas, below.

Yeah, I’ve heard that they’re sprinkles if they’re multi-colored, and jimmies if they’re chocolate, because it was slang for Jim Crow. And even if it’s not true, enough people around think it’s true, so I call them all sprinkles.

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Whole Foods 365 Organic Chocolate Ice Cream Bars dipped in Chocolate. Long name, but it doesn’t need it. Best of all chocolate bars I’ve ever had. Not as musky as Dove, not as middle of the road as Haagen-Daz – this is real chocolate in the coating and the chocolate inside doesn’t compete, it enhances.

I contacted the PR person at the store to get a picture of the ice cream – which isn’t on their website – and the rep replied that they have over 2000 “365″ products up, (and I like most of the 365 foods) but not this. Now I see why so many chocolate and food product bloggers take their own photos – food sellers don’t make them public! She never got back to me, so I’ve drawn my own.

whole foods ice cream bar

I was delighted to see the price, too: $2.50 for 3 bars! A deal at the usually overpriced Whole Foods, especially for their dessert case.

Only the price went up. Their prices on bakery and ice cream go up about twice a year, I’ve noticed – I won’t put up with it, I won’t. Last I checked on these they were $3.49. Still below the other guys in price, SOME of the time,  but I don’t like to be dissed, so I’m sulking in the corner unless and until these go on sale. And I’ve never seen them on sale. So I don’t buy them anymore.

Still, they are the best. Sigh.

I’m on deadline, so that’s why this review is older (written in 2008), but it’s still true!!

I warn you, this is very pricey, at an outrageous $4.99 a pint! (on sale at Gelson’s which is the only store that has it that I know of.) Normal people shouldn’t have to pay this much. But I decided to splurge one evening last year, and now that I know it’s the best, I keep watching for sales, and hope they’ll get it in other stores at a more reasonable price.

Greek Gods Honey Pomegranate Pagoto Ice Krema.

The website says:

In the 4th century BC, it was well known that a favorite treat of Alexander the Great was snow ice mixed with honey and nectar.

Okay…well-known???

Greek Gods decided the best kind of marketing is the kind with no separate photos, so I uploaded this cheerful one from Fancy Flours.

But everyone does know the benefits of pomegranate juice by now, a powerful antioxidant. I don’t think everyone knows how great honey is, though; it was used to cover wounds in the battlefield during WW 1, before antibiotics were invented. I myself remember clearly that when I was 8, I was so sick, lying on the couch while the grownups played cards, and my grandmother’s friends made me honey toast. I wasn’t even hungry, but I ate it and got well within the hour. Really. (I collect honey cookbooks and booklets, but I think it’s hard to bake with – it doesn’t have the same binding qualities as sugar, or some technical cooking thingie.)

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Yes, we have free choice, but there are consequences. Eating the good things in life is a blessing, but one also wants to fit in nice clothes!

I’ve only read a few food blogs. (Same with cartoons: I don’t like to read other peoples’ cartoons about a topic until I know what I’m going to do – I don’t like to be influenced!)

But one thing they never mention is weight gain. Come on. Eat a lot, (especially sweets or chocolate, and that’s what I’m talking), gain weight.

Well, even when you get fat, there’s still hope. My own philosophy is eat, but then don’t feel guilty, exercise. In moderation, of course.

Caption: Girl on exercycle in gym: Ten more minutes and I can have two desserts tonight.

In a more affluent year than 2009 my brother and sister in law gave me chocolates from fran’s, in Seattle. (They live in Seattle, too.)

I had heard of fran’s years ago (but what’s with the lowercase name? In elegant wedding-announcement type script, yet?)

frans caramels, photo from frans

There were only 6 chocolates in the box. I ate them all, and forced myself to limit it to one a day, to savor them.

But here’s that name thing again:  Gray and Smoked Salt Caramels. Hmm.  I know salted candy, chocolate covered pretzels, etc,  have been hot for a few years. Salt and sugar is always a rush.

But why would you call something that’s a deep rich brown, “gray”? I don’t want to eat anything that’s gray. What food is gray? And the smoked is reminiscent of smoked salmon. Do you think it’s the Seattle/harbor/fish thing there? Here, have a gray, smoked caramel. Ugh. So this is a bad name for a real treat!

This was a delicious and distinctive candy. I thought the grays were best. Wish I could remember why, but they disappeared too quickly, and it’s been 2 years.

It looks like it was available on Amazon at one point – Fran’s Chocolates Smoked Salt Milk Caramel Gift Box – 20 Pieces, but not now. 8chocolate.com has a longer review about this candy, and says the Obamas ate this candy on the campaign trail! I’m a political cartoonist, however, and let’s just say…maybe. In any case, definitely try these.