Sweet and Salty

Food cravings are interesting. According to Marcia Pelchat, a sensory psychologist at Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia who studies food cravings, 90 to 100 percent of women aged 18-35 report having them. For the most part our cravings fall into two categories; sweet or salty.

Why choose between sweet and salty when you can have both? Ironic that I wrote a few weeks ago about the fact that most studies find that most Canadians consume far more salt in their daily diet than recommended, but everything in moderation, I say. One hot trend I’m seeing this holiday season is the mix of sweet and salty in our treats.

I noticed it first with this piece of bliss…

Aaaah, Starbucks Salted Caramel Signature Hot Chocolate, your name is as long as my love for you. Thank goodness you are limited edition because if you stayed on the menu into the new year my new year’s resolutions would involve a lot more cardio. It’s a hot chocolate for grownups, with the tasty addition of salt around the rim. Consider it a winterized margarita.

Then someone popped one of these into my mouth…

PC Dark Chocolate Covered Caramels with Sea Salts satisfy all my cravings and weigh in at just 80 calories each. They’re an amazing mix of milky caramel enrobed in dark chocolate and sprinkled with coarse salt. Please pass me another.

In this season of diametric extremes (the simple joy of the holidays combined with the complex stress of them), mix a couple of diametric flavours to satisfy all of your cravings and try some salty with your sweet.