Philistines love company

I expended a lot of effort trying to come up with homemade brownies that Brad liked more than those made from Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix. I eventually succeeded, though Brad may just have been telling me what I wanted to hear. I was amused, then, to come across an article in Bon Appetit titled "The Best Brownies Come From a Box and I Will Not Apologize," in which the author rhapsodizes about brownies made from Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix:

Most brownies are either fudgy or chewy, but somehow this brownie hits both ends of the spectrum. I don’t know how they do it, but there's drama in this box. The contrast between the thin crispy-chewy edge and the dense fudgy interior, studded with bittersweet chips, is so much more extreme than in any homemade brownie. I’m a corner person myself and this mix makes the ultimate corner piece. The edges are a little crunchy and a lot chewy while the middle has just the right amount of soft doughy texture and melty chocolate. The top features an ultra-shiny crackly top that adds a little sugary crispness to every bite. I don’t make Ghirardelli’s box mix brownies because they’re easy (which they totally are). I make them because they’re the best.

With Brad home for a long weekend, we picked up a box of the exalted mix and gave these a try. I still say homemade brownies are superior to brownies that come from a box, but I'll admit these are decent brownies and perfectly serviceable if you need a chocolate fix and don't want to spend more than five minutes throwing something together. I do think, though, that Ghirardelli's Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix—Brad's original favorite—may be marginally better than this Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix.

[10/1/22 update: Ghirardelli is doing something right, because the October/November 2022 issue of Cook's Country says that Ghirardelli's Chocolate Supreme Premium Brownie Mix is the best mix widely available in supermarkets. That mix doesn't have chocolate chips in it though, so it's hard to imagine Brad would prefer those over the Double, Triple, or Dark Chocolate mixes.]

 

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Something else Brad definitely likes are these brined and roasted almonds, which are a snap to throw together while you're working on some other kitchen project. The only problem with these almonds is how absurdly addictive they are. In the headnote to his recipe, Joshua McFadden says these are “the best almonds ever, period,” and it's hard to disagree (though I'm not sure what the other contenders would be).

Lovely almonds soaking in a nice hot salt bath

Before roasting

After roasting

Brined and Roasted Almonds

Joshua McFadden, from Six Seasons (2017)

Time: ~50 minutes (~5 minutes active)

These almonds are so addictive you may not want to make a double batch, but you can, using a standard 18-by-13-inch half-sheet pan.

236 grams (1 cup) water
45 grams (⅓ cup) Diamond Crystal kosher salt
227 grams/8 ounces (~1½ cups) raw skin-on almonds

    1. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the salt until dissolved. Dump in the almonds. Remove from the heat; let the almonds enjoy their nice hot salt bath for 30 minutes.
    2. Toward the end of the 30 minutes, place a rack in the center of the oven, and heat to 375 degrees.
    3. Drain the almonds well. Spread evenly in a single layer across a small baking sheet (a 13-by-9-inch quarter-sheet pan is perfect). Roast until the almonds are lightly toasted and fragrant, about 12 to 14 minutes. The nuts will still be a little soft at this point but will be crunchy once they’re completely cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Makes ~1½ cups.