I’ve been inordinately lazy of late. But I have been writing stuff. Er, eating under the guise of reviewing. Boom – originally published over at The Green Man Review!

Peanuts are my jam. Okay, my butter. My soup. My sauce. My everything. *cues up Barry White*  Any way I can get ‘em, I get ‘em. I especially love a touch of spice to my peanuts, so hello Huang Fei Hong! These babies are choc-a-block with deliciously crunchy Szechuan peppercorns, and sliglighty chewy dried chilis, making this the perfect bar nibble. 

Folks with a low tolerance for spice may find these a bit too much, but for folks like me who love a bit of zing? They’re perfect. More spiced than spicy at first, but they get to a slow burn that warmed my tongue and had me reaching into the packet again and again. I’m actually still digging in as I write this. Give me that sting, sweet baby. Yeah, that’s it. 

Szechuan spicy peanuts (aka Mala Fried Peanuts) are a lovely snack, but can be used as a topping for peanut noodles, lo mein, pad thai, or any other noodle dish that you’d like to give a nutty kick to. If there’s any left in my packet after I finish writing this – highly unlikely but let’s pretend – they’d make a delicious topping for rice, perhaps with a bit of nori and the shredded veg of your choice. I’m thinking cucumber and pickled carrot myself. Or set a bowl next to a cheese, fruit, or meat plate, and let yourself go nuts.*cues badum-tish*

Vegan by ingredients, this is a treat you can whip out when friends start to come back around after The Virus Troubles. Or you could buy some and send packets to your friends for a virtual happy hour, taking screenshots as proof of who’s got the spicy and who needs that milk to wash it all down. I’m not judging, but if you’re able to enjoy a spicy tingle that is in no way sexual (quit it, Internet Rule 34)? Dig in. But buy twice as much as you think you’ll want. Pro-tip from me to you.