Product: Pacific Natural Foods Original Hazelnut Milk – $3.29+
Ever since I had to give up milk due to the onset of lactose intolerance, I’ve dabbled in the alternatives that are out there. I’ve had soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, and rice milk. I have favorites of each. I have an obsession with unsweetened almond milk. And nothing compliments coffee as well as a splash of vanilla coconut milk. There is a myriad of options out there these days for those who can’t process dairy.
So, when my grocery store stocked Pacific Natural Foods’ Hazelnut Milk on its shelves, I was intrigued. I’m a lover of hazelnuts…so…put it in liquid form and I think we’re at posh nut beverage level. I like posh things. What girl doesn’t?
With the splurge purchase of the moment made, I went home and tucked this away in my refrigerator. Just in time too. The weather turned and the comfortable transition into fall started to become the cold onset of winter. With that in mind, it was time to break out the hot chocolate one night.
My other splurge for the winter was good, rich, gluten-free hot chocolate…by Ghiradelli. And I just happened to have the Chocolate Hazelnut flavor. So…this was going to be a rich treat, I could tell already.
I poured a small bit of Pacific’s Hazelnut Milk into a glass to taste on its own. It definitely isn’t as thick as almond milk, but the robust flavor provided a smooth, creamy, and rich quality to it. Yeah…this was going to be brilliant. I heated it up, added my hazelnut-infused hot chocolate and gave it a good stir.
Smooth and rich. That’s what the hot chocolate became. Already pairing a quality product that has traces of hazelnut flavor in it with something as smooth and rich as Pacific’s Hazelnut milk…and the hot chocolate world was turned on its head. Posh hot chocolate. Yes…it does exist and it can be made in the comfort of your own home with the right ingredients.
The hazelnut milk was a great addition to my non-dairy milk alternatives. I would buy this again in a heartbeat…use it in baking, use it on my cereal, add it to coffee. I think it would just add to the flavors, the creaminess. It tastes amazing. So amazing, that drinking it straight is just as good as treating your food or morning coffee to it.
Seek it out, all you nut beverage lovers. It will change your life, no matter how you decide to drink it up.
The Celiathlete 