Ranking Nuts Part 2

This is the second part of my exploration and attempt to find the best and most versatile nut in the world. Each time I take 3 nuts and give them a score, as well as some explanation about why they scored the way they did. 

Today I've decided to start with the almond.

On their own:

It's funny, but Almonds are a go to snack nut in my household, but I don't think I would rank it as one of my favourite nuts. We go through giant Costco sized bags of these nuts regularly and they hold the position of having the largest jar in our available nut collection. While I don't think they're a favourite, they're always good to have around. I really enjoy them toasted with no salt, but every now and then a flavoured one comes around that really makes me happy. I'll give it one point.

Nut Butter:

Allison (my wife) loves Almond butter, particularly if she can find it crunchy. I'm okay with it, but honestly I find the flavour to be a little too smoky. This is another nut butter that I can't ever remember having with jam or on bread for any reason. It's okay with a bit of chocolate, but honestly not one of my favourites, so no points here.

In Chocolate:

Almonds and chocolate are a match made in heaven. The key to combining chocolate and almonds is to keep your almonds whole (or at the very least large pieces). The crunch you get from an almond works really well with the dense soft texture of chocolate. Some of my favourite chocolate bars have full almonds in them and I would never turn down a chance to eat one. Two points for this.

In Sugar Candy:

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I think in many cases sugar candy and almonds work well together. First of all nougat with almonds is fantastic. Also, there's a Korean company called HBAF that makes a candy coated almond that's out of this world. In fact they make several flavours of candy coated almonds that are all great. They also layer on the sugar pretty thick. I can't say I've ever had a hard candy with almond, but I'm kind of convinced that it would work. I'll drop a point here for the almonds.

In Other Cooking:

This is one area that I can't really remember a great way to eat an almond. I'm sure it might work as an ingredient in a stuffing maybe, but I'm not entirely convinced the texture would be great. Cookies are okay with almonds, but mostly when they're sliced super thin. Maybe almond flavouring might be good for some baking, but I don't think that's really in the spirit of this competition, so no points here.

Total Almond Points : 4

Next let's look at the Brazil nut.

On their own:

This is going to be a rough one, but I feel like the Brazil nut might only squeak by here. Don't get me wrong, I like eating Brazil nuts, but I just feel like the main reason I like eating them is because they're a fairly uncommon nut. I don't know if I've ever seen a bag of just Brazil nuts available at a grocery store. When they're in mixed nut selections they're rarely the predominant nut. Honestly I can't really ever picture myself eating more than a few of these at any sitting. I'll give them a 1, but mostly because I feel like they're not going to score well in this competition and they deserve something.

Nut Butter:

I feel like a common theme in this article when talking about Brazil nuts will be that I've never seen the Brazil nut any other time then with a bag of mixed nuts. So when it comes to nut butters, I can't say I've ever seen a Brazil nut butter before. I'm also fairly certain that it wouldn't be that great. So no points.

In Chocolate:

I think once in my life have I eaten a Brazil nut covered in chocolate. I believe it was at a fancy chocolate shop and I seem to remember it being not that great. Coating a Brazil nut in chocolate seems like an idea you might have to try it, but not because you think it's going to work flavour wise.

In Sugar Candy:

There are few nuts that work covered in sugar candy. While again, I haven't ever tried a Brazil nut covered in sugar candy, I can't imagine that it would taste very good.

In Other Cooking:

Nope, can't think of any time I've eaten a Brazil nut in cooking. I can't even remember having eaten them in a cookie or cake. No points.

Total Brazil Nut Points : 1

Last one today, will be the walnut.

On their own:

The walnut is going to a get a point for eating on its own, so don't worry. I will however say that I much prefer them toasted with the shell removed. I also might be a bit of a snob here, but I like good quality walnuts over anything lower quality. Low quality walnuts are the worst. They often have an astringent flavour and the number of times I've found bits of that hard membrane shell like stuff in cheap walnuts is astounding. One point here.

Nut Butter:

I think I've had walnut butter once, and it didn't really work. The biggest problem with walnut butter is it tastes a little astringent, the same flavour you get with low quality walnuts. I also find that the flavour of walnuts is too subtle for a spreadable butter. No points here.

In Chocolate:

Chocolate and walnuts can work really well together, but I can't say that they're my favourite nut to blend with chocolate. The problem with walnuts is that the texture can be a little soft for some chocolates. The flavour can also at times be a little too subtle, so too much chocolate overwhelms it in some cases. One point for walnuts and chocolate.

In Sugar Candy:

Other than maybe nougat, I can't think of any time where I've seen walnuts in a sugar candy situation. I can't even remember having a lightly sugar coated walnut. I feel like the subtle flavour and soft texture just wouldn't work very well.

In Other Cooking:

Baking with walnuts is a pretty common thing for me. My favourite banana bread recipe is full of them, and so are my brownies. With savoury foods it might work in some cases, but I can't really think of too many recipes that call for them. On point for the baking.

Total Walnut Points : 3

Rating Nuts Part 1

Besides chocolate and sugar, nuts are probably the most common ingredient in most snacks and treats. The fun thing about nuts is they make for great ingredients, but you can also eat them on their own as well. Having said that, not all nuts are equal in all situations. So I've decided that I would look at each nut (some might not be technically nuts so include the words legume and maybe seed as well) and decide which is the best nut of all. Some might rank higher in some categories, but the eventual goal is to find the king of the nuts... now that just sounds wrong.

I've decided to start with the cashew.

On their own:

I feel like cashews are really an acquired taste. When I was a kid I hated them, but as an adult I love having a handful of these nuts whenever I can. They do come in many forms, raw, toasted, toasted and salted as well as even candy coated. I'm not a huge fan of raw cashews, but every other kind is okay with me. I'll certainly give these a point for eating on their own.

Nut Butter:

Cashew butter is fine, but it's not one of my favourite butters. I don't think I've ever gone beyond sampling it as a butter on its own, in that I don't buy it to spread on my sandwiches regularly. I'm sure there are some people who love it, but it's not really for me, so no points as a spreadable.

In Chocolate:

Cashews are fine in chocolate, but I find that the texture is a little too soft. Since chocolate is already a dense, but also kind of soft texture, the texture of the cashew is fine but nothing amazing when it's covered in chocolate. The flavour of the cashew can come through in some cases, but you have to ad a lot of cashews to balance out most chocolates. So while I don't hate it, I don't think I'll give it a point.

In Sugar Candy:

I can only assume that cashews don't really work with sugar candies because I honestly can't think of a single instance where I've tried it. So while it might not be fair, since I've never tried it, I can only assume that other than a thin sugar coating or dusting of sugar, cashews don't really work in sugar candies.

In Other Cooking:

This is where the cashew shines in my book. A stir fry or even a curry with cashews can be spectacular. There are some cultures where the cashew is one of the best ways to thicken and flavour up a savory dish. Also, there's nothing like roasting cashews on a pan before cooking a warm dish to really get your senses going. I'll give it two points in this category.

Total Cashew Points : 3

Next let's look at the pistachio.

On their own:

Pistachios have always been one of the fancier nuts in my opinion. While I know there are parts of the world where they're very common, they always seem a little fancier than other nuts. They're also one of the only nuts where I feel like the shell makes them better. I've had pistachios in just about every form, from raw to salted and toasted and each one of them is spectacular. Although I will admit that salted and toasted is the best. They easily get a point, maybe even two on their own.

Nut Butter:

While I'm sure pistachio butter has been around for a very long time, it's only recently become very popular with the creation of the Dubai chocolate bar. I'll be honest, I'd never really thought about it before, but recently I've given pistachio butter a try and I've really enjoyed it. The butter tends to be best when it's not salted, and it also makes for a great combination with other spreads (particularly anything with chocolate). A point here for sure.

In Chocolate:

I think the paragraph above says it all. Dubai chocolate bars have really brought the pistachio to the forefront candy bars. I will admit however that most chocolate I've tasted with whole or pistachio pieces hasn't been amazing. I think the key is to really load your chocolate up with the stuff, and maybe in a concentrated form (pistachio butter). A point here for sure.

In Sugar Candy:

Much like the cashew, I can't think of any time that I've tried pistachios with sugar candy. I think I might have had a pistachio flavoured candy, but that fits into the same category as pistachio ice cream, something I'm not a huge fan of. No points here.

In Other Cooking:

I think pistachios work okay as a coating on meat, in particular chicken. I'm also sure it might work in some sauces, but I can't really think of any sauces that I've had recently that have obvious pistachios in it. While it might work, I don't think I can give them a point for cooking right now.

Total Pistachio Points : 4

Last one today, the macadamia nut.

On their own:

The macadamia nut is a tough one to rank. It's probably the nut that I've eaten the fewest of, but it's not because I don't like it. Flavour and texture wise it's fine, but it's very rich in flavour and very expensive price wise. The texture of the macadamia nut is a little weird in that it's both soft and hard at the same time. The flavour is distinct, but I don't like it enough to pay the extreme cost every time. I'll give it a point, but not two.

Nut Butter:

I can't say that I've ever tried a macadamia nut butter before. While it might be tasty, I would imagine that it would be super rich and would make a nut butter and jam sandwich feel like a super heavy meal. I might change my mind, but for now no points.

In Chocolate:

This might be one of the best ways to eat a macadamia nut, but mostly because it's a way to enjoy the flavour and not eat too many. I've had some nice macadamia nuts in fine chocolate and I think that's how it works best. Definitely a point here.

In Sugar Candy:

At this point I'm not sure why I put this category as I can't once again think of a single great use of macadamia in a sugar candy. Zero points.

In Other Cooking:

This will probably be the most controversial of all of my scores, but there are several ways that macadamia nuts work really well in cooking. Adding them a stuffing is good, but adding them to cookies is amazing. This nut ranks as one of my favourite nuts to ad to cookies, so for this reason alone I'm going to give it one point.

Total Macadamia Points : 3

HBAF (the “h” is silent)

On our recent trip to Korea we came across a snacking trend that was so gigantic, yet so unique at the same time. This trend is completely about almonds, in particular, flavoured almonds by a company called HBAF. According to their advertising the “h” is silent, if that makes it easier for your to read. I first noticed these almonds on day one of our trip as we had a few hours to wait at the train station in Seoul to head down south to Busan. There was a grocery store in the train station, and we thought it would be a great place to get some snacks and also see what the shopping/food is like in Korea. At the front of the store was a huge display with a giant statue of a cartoon almond greeting everyone who walked in. In this are of the store were hundreds of colourful bags of almonds, with hundreds of strange flavours to choose from. There were also dozens of people loading up on this these nutty treats.

I decided that I should probably try a few flavours. I went for a few of the stranger flavours, as I’m known to do including carrot cake, salted caramel pretzels and salted caramel latte (Allison actually picked that last one). After our shop, we got on our train and headed south to Busan. I opened my first bag of these flavoured almonds and was instantly impressed by the smell coming out of the package. It not only smelled great, but matched the flavour perfectly. Even the almond itself was perfect, fresh and very crunchy. I could see why people were so excited to pick up these nuts, and I thought to myself that I should probably go back to that store on our way home to get some more. Little did I know that there were going to many more opportunities to get some HBAF again in the future.

Our first stop was in Busan, a smaller city in the south of Korea. Within a few days of exploring I quickly realized that HBAF almonds were not going to be hard to find. Every single store had at least a small display for these tasty almonds, some had whole sections dedicated to them. At one point we were walking down a trendy shopping street in Busan and I noticed that they were in the process of building an entire store dedicated to HBAF almonds. It looked like it was going to open soon, and it looked pretty epic. I was a little sad that I wouldn’t be around to see it open, but it really gave me an idea of how popular these almonds were... or so I thought.

After our time in Busan we headed north to Seoul. Our first night we decided to walk to one of the trendy areas of town that also had a night market atmosphere. This is when I realized how popular these nuts really were. Every single shop that sold packaged food (there were a lot) had a huge display of these nuts. As far as visiting a HBAF store, I had a choice of no less than 3, each bigger than the next in this one neighbourhood. I don’t think I’ve ever seen any snack have so much publicity and available in so many places in my life. It was like spotting Mickey Mouse at Disneyland, these nuts were just everywhere.

The good thing about the HBAF almonds is they’re really good. The flavours are super creative and the way they make the flavours work is even more ingenious. You could easily try a new flavour every day for a month and not only will you not repeat, but you’ll be amazed how different each flavour is. I’d like to tell you that you shouldn’t miss HBAF if you happen to be visiting Korea, but I feel like you’d have a harder time avoiding them, they’re just everywhere. I just wonder if this trend might make its way outside Korea, I sure hope so because I’m already craving another bag.

Brownie Mayhem... or an Experiment, I'm Not Sure.

So I decided to make brownies (recipe here), then I started looking over my options as to what I could put into these brownies. Then I couldn't decide what to put into these brownies. Then I decided to try every ingredient I could to see which was better. This is why everything I eat turns into a spectacle.

Make sure to check out all my silly thoughts and ideas on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Also be sure to check out my Pateron page to support all the things I do.

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Tom's Look At The Visual Side Of Snacks And Candy - A Lil Nutty Train Mix

Anyone who has gone shopping (that’s most people) has likely noted the popularity of cartoon characters in product promotion. Whether it’s the current licensed hot property or original creations, such whimsical beings can bring a much-needed smile to a weary soul. Sometimes there’s an added level of inspiration such as the expressive faces on these snack packages.

The bold, active lines of the facial features and the expressive script lettering are attention grabbers but there was more to it! The space inside the mouth is a clear window so the actual product can be seen! There’s a direct connection between the pitch character and eating the product! Also, it’s a less disgusting version of the game of “SEE FOOD!

Tom

Check out some of Tom's amazing art here, and make sure to pick up one of Tom's awesome Candy Critic t-shirts too:

Candy Critic Chris By Tom Yeo T-Shirt
by candycritic

It's The First In Our Random Summer Candy Reviews

Back when I started this blog I used to post new reviews whenever I wanted, or whenever I had one to post.  Then I started to notice that I didn't post reviews for weeks at a time. I decided then to post regularly, once a week. This summer I'm going to be super busy, and I wanted to loosen up a bit on the schedule, so I've decided to try random candy posts again. This time however I'll guarantee at least one review a week. This likely means I'll often post more than one review a week.  I'll keep this up throughout the summer and see how it goes.

This particular review was pretty disappointing for me. You'd imagine that a bar with the name symphony would sing in your mouth. Instead it was just a collection of sour notes.

Click here to read the review.

And make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well.

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This Week In Candy

This week I came across what seems like a new candy trend (at least to me) and that's snack mixes.  The snack mixes I'm talking about are like Chexmix, mixed nuts or trail mix, but instead of being anything even remotely healthy these mixes are mostly candy.  My local bulk store (Bulk Barn, yeah you Americans will laugh but it's a Canadian institution) had a whole bunch of these crazy mixes, filled with many treats I'd never really thought of putting together.  The one pictured above has the "clever" name of "Should Be A Food Group".  The thing that worries me about these mixes is their origins.  Are they carefully created through trial and error to get the perfect balance of flavours, or are they simply what was left at the bottom of several bins at the end of the day?  Should Be A Food Group was OK, but not a breakthrough in candy mix-ology. Do you have a favourite mix, do you make it yourself?  Let me know.

This week I also thought I would announce that I'm heading back south again, this time New York city.  I have lots of things to check out while I'm there, and likely lots to re-discover considering I haven't been there in over 10 years.  There are a few bakeries and candy stores I know I want to check out, but New York always had a lot of fun surprises around every corner as well.  When I go, you'll be able to keep up with all the fun places I visit on Facebook and Twitter.

On the podcast front, we're working on getting the October edition of Junk Fud News online tomorrow.  We're also working on a few special interview/collaboration episodes of Junk Fud online later this winter.  We're also doing a special collaborative episode  of Chris, Why Would You Eat That?!! which we hope to get out in either December of January.

This week's new review was a really big surprise for me.  It surprised me that a candy with an apple flavour could work so well.  There were other flavours in this bag of Skittles "Orchard", but not all of them seemed to fit the theme perfectly, or as well as the apple.  Click here to find out why.

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Fistiki Fest (Pistachios Everywhere)

Last weekend I visited a festival on the Greek island of Aegina called the "Fistiki Fest".  For those that don't speak Greek "fistiki" is Greek for pistachio.  I love going to festivals, and I particularly love festivals based on foods.  The best kind of food festivals to go to tend to be based on ethnic foods (like a Greek food festival, or a Chinese food festival) or food festivals based on a particular harvest, like this one.  I was really looking forward to this festival because it was celebrating the harvest of my favourite nut, and I wasn't disappointed at all.

Festivals can really be hit or miss in my opinion.  I've been to festivals where they're supposed to be celebrating one thing, but most of the vendors and entertainment have nothing to do with the namesake of the festival.  Who wants to go to a rib festival and buy potpourri, or cat T-shirts?  I've also been to some festivals where they don't work with the environment around them.  Local festivals are the best when they include the locals and local business.  This festival really celebrated the pistachio, and it also celebrated the community where pistachios grow.

The first thing this festival got right was the premise, pistachios.  It's a simple premise, the nuts are harvested at this time of year, and now is the time to try them as fresh as possible.  There's no side ideas or extra events in the Fistiki Fest, just pistachios.  Since the community is such a big producer of these nuts there are plenty of people in the area that can cook with them, and show them off.  It's also nice to know exactly what you're in for; Fistiki (Pistachio) Fest is pretty clear what they're celebrating.

When walking along the main festival street you're hit with one particular theme during this festival, pistachios.  While there were a few non-pistachio businesses on the route, I would have to say that at lest three quarters of the booths at this festival sold pistachios or pistachios related products.  The great thing about pistachios is that they're a very versatile nut that you can use in liquors, baking, soaps, and even just on their own.  Fortunately the people of Aegina (particularly those that set up this festival) know the versatilities of this nut, and know that a festival is a great place to show it off.  If you had dropped me off at this festival and not told me what the main theme was, I could have easily figured it out.

As I've said above, the fact that this festival was celebrating a local crop, that many of the local people depend on for a living, makes it a better festival.  You can see the pride that everybody in the town has over their crop, and they really love the idea of showing it off.  Since it's a small town the festival is not that big, but since it's so tied into the local people, you can find pistachios throughout the town, and it becomes an extension of the festival itself. If you walk about 30 minutes towards the outskirts of town you'll even come across many pistachio farms (freshly harvested).  Even many of the restaurants use pistachios in their cooking, so off the beaten path you can celebrate this awesome nut.

This was by no means the biggest festival I've ever been to, but it was one of the best.  Unless you really hate pistachios I highly recommend you stop by Aegina around the middle of September.  You'll not only come to a fun festival with all kinds of great ways to sample pistachios (I tried complete raw/fresh pistachios for the first time), but you'll also see a community that is proud of their harvest.  Everyone we met was very friendly, and the desserts where spectacular.

CC

Candy Art - Cutest Cookies Ever

If anybody can point me out to cookies that look cuter than these, I'll be truly amazed.

I can't say that I've ever seen cookies before that would make me feel so guilty about biting the heads off.

I particularly like the use of real food to decorate.

Click here to see more of these cute cookies.

CC

Cake New Review

Recently I've had a great craving for cakey treats.  Some have argued that cake treats are not candy, and therefore have no business appearing in Candy Critic, but I disagree.  To me candy is not a specific type of treat, but a treat mindset.  Cakes, chips, chocolate, and any other fine treat fits into the candy category in my opinion.

Click here to read today's cake filled review.

CC

It's National Chocolate Covered Nuts Day!!!

This is a pretty vague holiday in my opinion. I have many questions that I need answered before I can go out and celebrate.  For example, do peanuts count as nuts on Chocolate Covered Nut Day, because a peanut is not technically a nut, neither is a Brazil Nut.  And because the word "Nut" is plural, are we required to eat more than one variety of nut today.  This isn't as much a problem as a question since there are many varieties of nuts I enjoy covered in chocolate.  In fact, I can't think of any kind of nut that I wouldn't enjoy covered in chocolate.  I've tried many varieties of nuts in chocolate, except maybe cashews, do people eat them covered chocolate?  Maybe this is a day that I should answer these questions, for myself, and for chocolate covered nut fans all over the world.

CC

It's National Butter crunch Day!!!

If I was to ask you to identify what "Butter crunch" was, could you do it?  It's not really a popular name for a treat that's extremely popular.  I think butter crunch is pretty much the same thing as peanut brittle, only you're not locked down with the kind of nut you choose.  More importantly butter crunch seems to allow for a chocolate topping, although I'm not sure if it's mandatory.  I wonder if the stuff inside a Butterfinger, Crispy Crunch, or Skor Bar can be considered butter crunch?  If so, then how does Toffee fit into the equation?

CC

It's Grab Some Nuts Day!!!

I'm going to go enjoy a nice bowl of Greek pistachios right now.

CC

Stuff I Want To Try

Red Velvet Nutffles  - Morris National Inc. - What's a "Nutffle"? - Click here to learn more about this treat.

CC

It's National Nutty Fudge Day!!!

I assume they're talking about any kind of nut, and any flavour of fudge.

CC

Greatest Treats You May Have Never Tried - Bar o Plenty

There are many different treats to be found, all over the world.  Each corner has their own idea of what's good, and it can vary a great deal.  The thing is, many of these treats aren't available everywhere.  In fact, some treats are only available in a very small area of the world.  Some of these hard to find treats are treats you really shouldn't miss as well.  So this week, I'm going to highlight a new treat every day, that I've reviewed, and that I think you should really try... that is if you can find it.

Dairy Milk's bar of Plenty is something I just recently discovered.  It's apparently strange that I just recently discovered it since I'm told they used to be available in Canada.  I'm not really sure when they were available, but it must have been long before I started keeping track of the treats I eat.  I found this bar of Plenty on a trip to London, and with another trip coming soon, I plan on trying another one very soon.  The bar itself is a really simple concept, one that would probably work for other chocolate bar companies.

Click here to read my review of the bar of Plenty.

CC

Friday's Candy Links

If you live in Los Angeles and you like ice cream, Ben and Jerry's is going to be around town giving the stuff away.

What I can only describe as the worst headline to read out of context "Planters Introduces Men's Health Mixed Nuts".

Check out the most American patriotic cake ever made.

CC

It's National Almond Day!!!

"Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't.  Almond Joy has nuts, Mounds don't."  And the kind of nut in an Almond Joy?...

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Part 1 of Our Israeli Review-a-Thon

The first thing I should point out is my complete inability to translate the names of these candies.  If you happen to notice a problem, please let me know.  On the flip side, if you happen to notice that the names of these treats is correct, some heavy duty praise would be nice too.  I have to say that I'm having a really good time with these bars, some are really surprising, in both the good and bad way.

Click here to read the review of our first treat in our Israeli review-a-thon.

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Nuts On Ice Cream

For the last few months I've been trying to write an article about how to best enjoy nuts.  I've been thinking about all of the ways and treats nuts are presented with.  The problem I've had writing this article is which kind of nut should I use for this experiment. Then it crossed my mind, I should first pick out my favorite nut toping and then focus on what to mix it with.  So I decided that I would do a taste test with a simple yet high quality vanilla ice cream.  I'll sample 5 different nuts on the ice cream and decide which nut makes the best toping.  The 5 nuts I choose to experiment with are walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, and hazelnuts.

The first nut I tried with the ice cream was peanut.  I should mention that these peanuts were salted peanuts.  For those that have never tried ice cream with salted peanuts I recomend it highly.  The nice roasted flavour of the peanut was strong enough to cut through the vanilla flavour of the ice cream, but it didn't overpower.  The texture of the peanut is relatively soft compared to many nuts so it didn't really have a great "crunch" but instead it's almost a vegetable crunch.  I guess that's why they're not nuts but legumes.

The next nut I tried was the walnut.  It too has a softer texture like the peanut, but the flavour is much more subtle.  I only sprinkled a little on my scoop of vanilla ice cream and frankly the flavour was almost totally lost.  It's not that it doesn't go well on deserts, it just has to be really amplified to work well.  I think if you want walnut to work you either have to load it up to a high degree with walnut or ad walnut flavour to the ice cream.

The next nut I tried was almonds.  Almonds had a great crunch to them but the flavour, like the walnut, was really subtle.  I think even if you increased the almond flavour, either by adding more or by flavouring the ice cream with almond, it still wouldn't work as well as it might with peanuts or even walnuts.  The almond flavour seems to work really well in baked goods, but in ice cream I have yet to be convinced of its superiority.

Hazel nuts are the next nut in the line.  With the hazel nut you have a great texture and the flavour is somewhere between walnuts and peanuts in strength.  In this case I'm wondering if the flavour would have worked better with a chocolate ice cream, since that's traditionally what is paired with hazelnuts.

The final nut I used to flavour my ice cream was the pistachio.  Now this is a nut that has a really unique flavour.  It's not that it doesn't work well with the ice cream, it just creates a completely new flavour that some might not enjoy.  I didn't mind it, but I also love pistachios.  Strangely I often really hate most pistachio ice creams.  I think for the pistachio to work with ice cream it has to be as a garnish rather than the focus.  I could also see many problems with mixing this with other flavours of ice cream, in particular anything fruity.

I have to say that at the end of the day I preferred the peanuts on my ice cream.  The flavour adds a nice roasted flavour and the texture works fairly well.  That's not to say that I won't ever go with other nuts in the future, in fact with some fancier ice cream flavours, other nuts might work a little better.

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