Nutella: beside its weaknesses, it is one of the tastiest, most sublime forms of everyday chocolate out there. If it weren’t for it’s high content of sugar + palm oil and low concentration of cocoa, it would be true food for the gods. Especially succulent is Nutella on crepes, graham crackers, and fruit. Some of it’s deficiencies work to its benefit – like it’s inability to harden at room temperature, thus making it like a no-cook thick fondue. One must become accustomed to the distinct taste of Nutella, which is at the same time nutty and chocolatey. But once that taste is acquired, it is never lost. Some people think of it as French peanut-butter, but it’s more like world peanut butter except it is hazelnuts and contains a trace amount of cocoa.
The label is one of the most interesting parts of this delicious oddity! My large jar (which I purchased from Costco) contains 97 hazelnuts, which I’d think would only be about 1/2 cup of hazelnut butter. Why they would they not add 5 more and label it as containing “more than 100 hazelnuts”? Also interesting is the picture on the front of the label. It could very well be the same one they have used since it was developed in 1964.
And on the back:
“Turn a balanced breakfast into a tasty one…” This first clause makes me laugh because the less healthy the breakfast before the addition of this smooth chocolatey spread, the more delicious it is! I like the thought of trading my healthy all-whole-grain breakfast for a nutella-covered no-nutrition breakfast treat. Because despite what my insides are thinking, my heart would stay happy for hours after. At 200 calories per serving, how can you go wrong? A few years back a mother sued Nutella-maker Ferrero for falsely claiming Nutella is “part of a healthy breakfast.” I wonder how many people tried similar suits for other products.
Two days ago it was announced by Grub Street that New York will soon be opening an all-Nutella restaurant, owned by “self-described Nutella enthusiasts” How awesome! The Brooklyn restaurant’s website is very visually appealing. But how will they survive, when the restaurant hinges on a proprietary product owned by another company?
“The menu for the soon-to-open aptly-named restaurant Nutelleria is filled with chocolate-nut spread-filled delights, including breakfast pizzas, crepes, croissants and a bacon-banana-Nutella waffle sandwich…”
If I find myself in Brooklyn I will definitely go (provided that Ferrero cease-and-desist letters don’t force them out of business)! And leave a detailed review here on my blog.
Questions? Call 1-800-nutella
Charged With Chocolate 