Trader Joe's Hot Fudge Sundae Almonds

These have been out for a few months now and the beautiful wifey and I thought they might be a nice pick-me-up on this gloomy autumn morning drenched in November rain. Ah, November Rain is such a good song, isn't it? GNR was never even really my thing, but that track is just classic. Did I ever tell you guys about the time I saw Velvet Revolver do a free show in a parking lot in Hollyweird right after work? It was pretty cool...but I'm getting off topic now. Some of you want to hear about food.

Trader Joe's Hot Fudge Sundae In a Handful Almonds are quite good. High quality, plump, meaty almonds are the base for this sweet snack. They're covered in a white confectionery coating. It really does vaguely capture the essence of a hot fudge sundae. There are notes of vanilla and cocoa, and there's even some cherry flavor.

In fact, there are two varieties of nuts in the bag: brown ones that taste primarily like cocoa and red ones that taste like maraschino cherries. I think the red ones kinda look like kidney beans. The brown ones outnumber the reds by a pretty good margin. That makes sense. It's not like you're getting a cherry in every single bite of a hot fudge sundae. 

By that same token, I would have been even more impressed if they'd done three flavors of almonds. One could be white and taste like vanilla to represent the ice cream. Then they'd also have brown for chocolate and red for cherries. But hey, now I'm nitpicking. There is a vanilla essence underneath everything and it tastes pretty darn good.

I wouldn't exactly call myself a huge candy coated nut aficionado, but there's something delightfully nostalgic about taking a classic ice cream parlor staple and translating it into a portable, crunchable snack. You pop a couple into your mouth while watching the mist roll over the lawn, and suddenly the day feels just a tiny bit brighter—or at least a little more indulgent.

$4.29 for the 8 oz resealable bag. Kosher. Available for a limited time only. Would buy again. Sonia gives Trader Joe's Hot Fudge Sundae in a handful! Confectionery Coated Almonds eight and a half out of ten stars. I'll go with eight yet again.

Bottom line: 8.25 out of 10.