Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups (TSL Style!)

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Chocolate, Dairy Free, food, Gluten Free, Paleo, Pana Chocolate, Peanut butter, Peanut butter cup, Recipe, Reece's Peanut Butter Cups, Sugar

TSL’s Chocolate Macadamia Butter Pieces
(Image by TSL)

Make a list of important things to do today. At the top of your list, put ‘eat chocolate.’ Now, you’ll get at least one thing done today.(Gina Hayes)

I remember the first time I ever tried a Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup. It was well over twenty years ago, now. I was on a working-holiday in Lake Louise at the time. My very good buddy, Michelle, introduced me to this sublime wee number of super-sweet confectionary and we both lamented the fact that we could not find them in New Zealand back then…

Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup
(Image from here)

How times have changed! Reece’s are now readily available down under. But, here’s the thing, I try pretty hard to reduce the amount of sugar I have in my diet. And, let’s face it, because I do most of the cooking at Casa TSL, that means LM and the teenager also suffer from major sugar withdrawal. We have cut down our sugar consumption significantly. And, I just don’t eat such preservative-and-sugar-laden-yet-so-still-good stuff like Reece’s pieces anymore. 

Regular readers will know that LM has a seriously sweet tooth*. That hasn’t changed. We still indulge in our after dinner chocolate treats from Pana Chocolate. And sometimes, I get the urge to experiment a little…

And, yesterday was one of those days…

My good blogging buddy over at Clean Eating With a Dirty Mind posted about her version of Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups back in April. And, then I saw another version at Lexi’s Clean Kitchen recently. Clearly, it was time for me to take action!

I took a pinch of CEWADM’s recipe and combined it with a dash of Lexi’s. Then I added my wee Australian-influenced spin (macadamia nuts!). The end result was these seriously fab’ little morsels which have received the LM seal of chocolate approval.

TSL’s Chocolate Macadamia Butter Pieces
(Image by TSL)

They are surprisingly easy to make AND they only have five ingredients. Michelle, if you’re reading this, I’ll make you some next time you’re in town!

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt. (Charles M. Shulz)

Chocolate Macadamia Butter Cups (TSL Style)

You’ll need:

1 cup dark chocolate (72% or higher). I used 120g.
1/3 cup macadamia butter. I used my favourite Hand ‘n’ Hoe roasted macadamia butter but choose your favourite nut or seed butter)
1/2 Tbsp raw organic honey. Not an exact measurement. Sweeten to your taste.
1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract
Pink Himalayan sea salt flakes for sprinkling

You will also need about 12 mini muffin liners

Directions:

In a small bowl mix your macadamia butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Place bowl in freezer to firm up.

Break your chocolate into small pieces and melt by placing into a heat-resistant bowl over a pot of barely simmering water and stirring until smooth.

Drop about 1/2 a tablespoon of chocolate into the base each of your muffin liners. Swirl to coat thoroughly. Place into fridge.

Remove your butter mixture from the freezer and roll into small balls.

Take your muffin cases out of the fridge. Place a butter ball into the center of your chocolate and slightly flatten.

Top with the remaining chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt. Place in the fridge until set.

ENJOY!

Store any remaining butter cups in the fridge.

Makes about 1 dozen

TSL’s Chocolate Macadamia Butter Pieces
(Images by TSL)

*On our first date, when I asked if there was anything I needed to know about him, he said (and I quote), “I don’t share desserts”.

What’s On: Sydney Good Food & Wine Show

Tags

Adora Chocolate, Calvados, Chocolate, ChocoMe, Cider, Darling Harbour, Elizabeth Olsen, food, organic, Pana Chocolate, Peanut butter, Pics Peanut Butter, raw, Sydney, Two Elk

Pic and the Peanut Butter Fairy from Pics REALLY GOOD Peanut Butter
(Image by TSL)

Today LM and I tootled off to the Sydney Good Food & Wine Show at Darling Harbour for a squizz. Maybe I’m getting old (yes, I am), but these things seem to be getting busier and busier. And, maybe I’m becoming more like my Mum (yes, I am), because I find I don’t cope as well as I used to with crowds…

That being said, we had a great time wandering the aisles. I can recommend a visit if you’re in Sydney this weekend. I love chatting to food providores and it is always lovely to meet the people behind a product I particularly like.

Case in point, the ebullient Pic of Pic’s Peanut Butter. I’m a huge fan of Pic’s seriously good peanut butter. I even blogged about him back in February of last year (here). If you are passionate about your peanut butter, this is the brand for you. Promise!

I get way too much happiness from good food. (Elizabeth Olsen)

In terms of trends, it is clear that cider is the big thing in alcomoholic beverages. Somehow, it was too early in the day for me to sample wine, yet I managed to taste the ciders on offer. Go figure.

Two Elk Cider
(Image by TSL)

My favourite today was the pear number at Two Elk Cider. Apparently, this yummy stuff is a premium cider range, brewed and bottled according to tradition in Sweden.

Spirits of France
(Image by TSL)

And, while we’re on the subject of pears of the alcomoholic variety, LM sampled the Calvados on offer at the Spirits of France stall (30% pears, in case you were curious). He was obviously smitten – he bought a bottle!

Harney & Sons Fine Teas
(Image by TSL)

As I write this post, I’m having my first cup of Hot Cinnamon Sunset Tea from the lovely women at the Harney & Sons stall. I am in love with this tea. I first discovered it at a north shore café and have been looking for it since, so I was very pleased to see them at the show.

And, of course, we could not visit a food show without sampling some chocolate…

The lovely woman at Adora Chocolate
(Image by TSL)

I’m not sure if this is one of the sisters behind Adora Chocolate, but she was gorgeous AND it turns out Adora offers a large range of dairy-free chocolate (which kept LM engaged for quite some time!)

ChocoMe
(Image by TSL)

The beautiful-looking chocolates on offer from boutique chocolatiere ChocoMe were too scrummy to pass on, too. We sampled AND bought…

Pana Chocolate
(Image by TSL)

And, then there was the super team at Pana Chocolate (first blogged about back in 2012 under their previous name, Conscious Chocolate). This is the best-est, healthiest chocolate out there (so far, in my extensive search!) It’s raw. It’s organic. And, its made in Melbourne. ‘Nuts’ started out as my favourite flavour. Then,  ‘Eighty’ was launched. Today, I discovered the latest addition – ‘Sour Cherry + Vanilla’. WHat can I say? – YUM!!! You gotta’ try it!

The Good Food & Wine Show is on at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour this weekend. Tickets start at $33. Doors open at 10am both Saturday and Sunday.

Are You a Retailer’s Wet Dream, too?

Tags

Abigail Ahern, Business, Customer service, Facebook, J. C. Penney, Mavericks Laces, Myer, Peanut butter, Retail, Squint, Squint Limited, Stellar Service, Twitter

(Image from here)

Every great business is built on friendship. (JC Penney)

I am a retailer’s wet dream. You know the kind of customer I mean – I like nice things (who doesn’t?). If you are nice to me and I’m partial to your product, I’ll come back to you over and over again. I’m incredibly loyal – if you treat me well, I will go out of my way to shop at your establishment AND I’ll tell all my friends how fabulous you and your product are. And, I can be quite persuasive, too. I’m often told I should be on commission. I often wish I was!

My local grocer, George, stocks product that I have recommended (and featured in this very blog!), namely Pana Chocolate and Pic’s Really Good Peanut Butter. The girls at Mecca Cosmetica at Myer all know me because I love their whole customer service experience just as much as their products.

Just recently, I’ve had two really, REALLY great customer service experiences and thought I should spread the word.

First up, last week I told you about the groovy team at Mavericks Laces in Melbourne. Well! Not only did the lovely Luke from Mavericks comment on the blog post and advise they are now shipping internationally; today my laces arrived. Given I only ordered them after I posted last week, I reckon that’s pretty smart service.

Oh – here’s the new look brogues ‘in situ’. What do you think?

Robert Clergerie Brogue WITH Dylan Laces
(Image by TSL)

Secondly, you might just recall, if you have a very good memory, my post on Squint – the Willy Wonka of Furniture. I have coveted a piece of their furniture forever.

The Corbiere carved mahogany king size bed made in a classic French style as shown with a patchworked headboard and footboard.
(Image from here)

To be honest, I would probably still be coveting a piece of Squint furniture if it wasn’t for LM. My birthday present last year was a bespoke number selected from the wonderful Squint showroom. As much as I adore their trademark patchwork, being the slightly more conservative type that I am, I went instead for a velvet cabriolet leg bedside table in two-tone orange velvet. I know this is a pretty high-ticket item, but I gotta tell you, Catherine and the team were out of this world fabulous – from the initial face-to-face consultations as I kept changing my boggled mind about what I wanted, right through to the shipping process. A-MAZ-ING!

Here’s a pretty ordinary image of some of my table with Boris, my lamp I picked up at Atelier Abigail Ahern. What can I say – it was a great birthday!

Boris and the Orange Velvet Side Table
(Image by TSL)

In today’s world of social media offerings – with blogging, Facebook, Twitter and all the rest, there’s really no excuse for less than stellar service. But still, there are always some that stand a head and shoulders above the rest.

Have you received any AMAZING customer service recently?

Pic’s REALLY Really Good Peanut Butter

Tags

Cook, Peanut butter

Image from 'The List'

I first experienced Pic’s peanut butter when visiting my parents in Auckland.  It is, without any exaggeration, the best peanut butter I have ever tasted.  It was so good, I thought about contacting Pic to sell it in Australia.  So you can imagine my surprise when I stumbled across it when out and about in Annandale one day.  Yum!  I bought some for us.  I bought some for my sister.  I bought some for girlfriends.  It is SERIOUSLY great stuff.

Some time passed.  I went back to Annandale and purchased more seriously great peanut butter.

And then, last weekend, shopping at Quarter 21, home of another great Kiwi foodie, I discovered another stockist of Pic’s (REALLY) Really Good Peanut Butter.

If you are a peanut butter lover, I urge you to try Pic’s!

*I should add that at $11 per jar, it is just a tad pricey at Q21.  Cheaper at the Gallery Cafe in Annandale.