Sounds Good

Chocolate matzo for Passover … who knew?
I love a good matzo cracker to enjoy while watching “The Ten Commandments.” Now there’s dessert. Manischewitz has brought Ultimate Double Dipped Egg Matzo to the masses, and I’m first in line.
Milk chocolate smothered Passover egg matzo drizzled with dark chocolate is even better than you might imagine. As it says on the box, if you are of Sephardic ancestry, consult your rabbi.
Manischewitz also got an array of flavored macaroons that sound like cause to celebrate. Pure and simple almond may be my favorite, followed by coconut and chocolate. Look for Rocky Road, Ultimate Triple Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, Honey Nut, Cappuccino, Chocolate Nut Brownie, Cookies 'N Cream, Banana Split, Toffee Crunch, Chocolate Almond and Chocolate Chunk Cherry. If you’re trying to be good, look for reduced sugar varieties of Coconut and Chocolate macaroons.

Seal it for real with Banana Seal
Sometimes OCD is a good thing. My orderly pantry and freezer have garnered comments from visitors. They could be jealous. I tend to empty bags and boxes of food into mason jars so they look nice on the shelves, so I don’t have a problem with stale food.
When I saw the Banana Clip, I loved the simplicity of two strips of plastic that slip into a groove to seal food bags. But I don’t have any bags left in the pantry. It makes me nuts to see chip bags loosely folded over, with the chips fading in flavor inside.
Then I realized the seals are perfect for frozen vegetable bags in the freezer. I sealed my okra and green beans into small, stackable blocks and cut off the excess bag on top. The pitch is that in today’s economy, you don’t want to waste money tossing stale food, but Banana Seal is also an obsessive-compulsive cook’s dream. Visit www.seal-a-bag.com to get yours.

I can’t speak for pandas
I remember hearing that in some foreign countries, they assume the photo on the package is an ingredient in the food. That’s why baby food with pictures of cuddly infants didn’t sell.
ZenSoy has a drawing of a cute panda eating a cup of soy pudding with a spoon. Panda looks happy, and so were reporter Mary Meaux and I when we tried it. So We loved organic banana and I shared the richest chocolate and vanilla with my appreciative family. We agreed the banana pudding looked a little gray, but it gets natural coloring from annatto, not chemicals. Paws up.

Refreshment in a can
My daughter thought tonic was spelled with an “ic,” not “iq,” but quickly noted Brain Toniq is spelled such to imply your IQ is high for choosing “the clean and intelligent think drink.
I’d back that up, because it’s very tasty and different that others with bold claims. I can’t officially attest to removal of my “head fog,” but I did like this drink that makers bill as “the world's first organic, botanical-based, non-caffeinated think drink specifically designed for those who need more mental focus and clarity.” It must be the rhodiola root, blue-green algea extract and organic agave nectar.
VIB stands for Vacation in a Bottle and has a beach scene on the pomegranate berry can. It advises to “Drink. Chill. Be Happy!” Don’t confuse it with other weirdness in a can. It’s caffeine-free and low calorie. It may be the only vacation you get this season.
ddoiron@panews.com