One bag for you. One bag for me.
I have a treat I bring people.
Black Lava Cashews from Di Bruno’s.
Going to someone’s house for dinner? Black Lava Cashews.
Visiting a friend for the weekend? Black Lava Cashews.
Stocking Stuffer? Gift Basket? Black Lava Cashews.
Need a little thank-you that says I thought about this without saying now please find somewhere in your house to keep this decorative object forever?
Black Lava Cashews.
I started buying them as something to bring people.
Then I started buying an extra bag for myself.
Which is how something officially moves from Guest Behavior to In Rotation around here.
Why These Nuts?
First of all, they’re really good.
They’re crunchy, sweet, salty and coated with black lava salt, which makes them feel considerably more interesting than showing up with a bag of cashews from the grocery store.
They also hit my favorite gift category:
Consumable.
There is nothing to store. Nothing to display. Nothing to politely pretend fits the aesthetic of your house.
You open the bag. You put them out with drinks. Everyone eats them.
Gone by Tuesday.
Perfect.
They Look Like You Tried
This is possibly my favorite thing about bringing food from Di Bruno’s.
You can walk in with absolutely no plan and walk out ten minutes later with something that looks like you had one.
The cashews are enough on their own.
But if the situation calls for a little more, add a wedge of cheese. Crackers. Chocolate. Some little jar you suddenly become convinced is essential because you have temporarily lost all financial judgment inside a specialty food store.
Now you have a host gift.
No basket.
No cellophane.
No tiny wooden sign that says gather.
One Bag for You. One Bag for Me.
This is where the system has broken down.
Because now when I buy a bag to bring somewhere, I usually buy another one for our house.
They go on a cheese board. I put them out when people come over. I eat them directly out of the bag while standing in the kitchen.
All equally legitimate uses.
At this point, they’re less of a gift idea and more of a household staple that I occasionally allow other people to have.
Yes, They’re Coming to Austin
We’re heading to Austin soon and staying with a college friend.
I want to bring something from Philly, because showing up empty-handed when someone is letting your entire family stay at their house feels wrong.
But it also has to go on an airplane.
Wine is annoying.
Cheese requires refrigeration.
A cheesesteak would be an aggressive choice.
So naturally:
Black Lava Cashews.
They’re from Philly. They fit in a suitcase. They don’t need to be refrigerated. And once we arrive, my friend can put them out, eat them later or hide them from the rest of her family. She’ll probably hide them from everyone. She loves these cashews.
Although now that I think about it, I should probably buy two bags.
One for her. One for me.
GO HERE
Di Bruno Bros.
Go for the cheese.
Wander around.
Buy something you absolutely did not come in for.
And grab the Black Lava Cashews on your way out.
You’ll need them eventually.
