Texas in a bottle and popcorn among tastes with ‘impact’

Grayson Blended Bourbon is what they’re calling Texas in a bottle. The little leather Texas tag is alluring as all get out, so y’all just know it’s going to taste amazing. It for sure does, packaged to the hilt with a nose of raisins, barrel-aged maple syrup and the rest I’m not even making up: there’s beignet-flavored coffee grounds, jalapeno jelly and a hint of the inside of new cowboy boots in this “nose.” I nosed a bit of this delicacy in a single blended evening. Grayson Blended Bourbon, an authentic and one of kind expression debuting as the first black-owned whiskey brand from Texas. The specs: Co-founded by native Texan, author and craft spirits professional Nico Martini, former Major League Baseball three-time All-Star Vernon Wells, and private equity investor Brandon Davis, Grayson Blended Bourbon is an amalgamation of some of the best whiskies in Texas and pays homage to the Lone Star State. www.graysonwhiskey.com

Sweet Chaos I just ought not be left alone with popcorn. Sweet Chaos in Chocolate Devotion is tempting me anew. I’ve loved the chaos before when I mentioned here a couple of bags got me through a 2020 hurricane. Cold Stone Creamery is a part of the latest releases of kettle corn, pretzel sticks and cookie bites with milk and dark drizzles. Need I say more than crispy and sweet? The team that wrote the back label understands. The message recalls days at the spa with no little fingers reaching under the bathroom door… Adults, feel free to enjoy Sweet Chaos all by your grownup self. Okay. Maybe Birthday Cake Remix you can share, but Cake Batter and the minty one are for you. Pop! Johnson’s Caramel Popcorn – Of all the things that could get me to New Jersey, the notion that this brand is hand-cooking popcorn every 7 minutes of everyday. Copper kettles are mixing all kinds of sweet and savory popcorn, beginning in 1940 on the Ocean City Boardwalk. Caramel Sauce and Sea Salt? More, please. It can come right to you in baskets of amazingness. https://johnsonspopcorn.com/collections/caramel-flavor/products/johnsons-caramel-lovers-basket Impact Snacks When a neurosurgeon designs your snacks… The Caramel Iced Latte is quite good. I didn’t taste any kale. It seems like there are new bars all the time. These take special care. At Impact Snacks, they aren’t just talking about reducing carbon footprints, they’re taking big steps forward. Others should catch up to them. It isn’t just a bonus to a delicious product, it’s a commitment. Go to www.impactsnacks.com if you’d like to know more about the bar that is so sustainable the soy/bio cellular biodegradable wrapper features plant-based ink. Can you eat the wrapper? Log on to figure that one out. Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie ready to let Texas out of that bottle. Share your local cooking/dining experiences with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com