None of the following 4 food items quite merited their own entry, so I am combining them. The only thing they have in common is their snackiness, and the fact that they are imported from Europe.
Le Petit Ecolier, or Lu Schoolboy Cookies: Gotta thank Wendy for first introducing me to these heavenly little treats. Having these, I don't really need to keep any other kind of cookie around. They aren't much to look at, but it's exactly as it's marketed: a smooth rich slice of quality chocolate (my favorite is Dark) on top of a delicate butter biscuit. I have to control myself when eating them.
Chupa Chups: I think the first person to tell me about these cream-delicious lollipops from Barcelona, Spain was my old neighbor, Irene. As long as you're asking for cavities, you might as well suck on a high-class lollipop, is my thinking.
Mozartkugeln: First encountered these bonbons on my first trip to Austria. One of the more delightful things to come out of that country (along with the von Trapp family singers)--layers of chocolate and nougat wrapped around a delightfully squidgy pistachio marzipan center. I'm talking about mozartkugeln by Mirabell, but the original maker was Furst. Hahaha. How appropriate.
Taralli: Christian first told me about these Italian specialties when I was in NYC two months ago, and we were traversing the city on foot like we always do, grazing along the way. We found them in this fancy olive oil shop in West Village. I tried one--dense, crunchy and flavorful, especially if you like cracked peppercorns and olive oil. It's like a cross between a pretzel and a bagel, I guess...except they come in these small little knots that are perfect for snacking. I picked up a package in Boston's North End. And I'm almost out!
