Product Review: Jif Hazelnut Spread

This stuff makes you think of the famous Italian chocolate-hazelnut product, but don't be fooled. It's proof of the old "you get what you pay for" saying. What you don't pay for and don't get is much flavor of either chocolate or hazelnut. Of course Larry's spoiled from enjoying artisan-made Italian hazelnut/chocolate spreads in Piedmont and Lazio as well as plenty of the famous commercial brand stuff, but if the artisan spreads are a 10 out of 10 and the "N" stuff is a 5 or 6, Jif is a 1. Take a can of vegetable shortening, add a bunch of sugar, some ground cocoa and a ground hazelnut or two and you can pretty much replicate this stuff. If you can't find the artisanal stuff locally, our friends at GUSTIAMO have it. Not cheap but "you get what you pay for".

Disclaimer: The folks at Gustiamo or the producers of the Italian products give us nothing in return for reviews like this, we just like their stuff.