The cabin resort we stayed at was populated by wild kangaroos and a myriad native birds, including King Parrots, Crimson Rosellas, Lorikeets, Sulphur Crested Cockatoos, tiny little flitting palm-sized winged creatures, and… ducks. Which probably weren’t native, but were definitely greedy little blighters anyway.
Lookee me go! I actually remember this photo being taken. There was a fourth bird on the cabin roof that clearly wanted some seed action too, so I was keeping a careful eye on it…
One day I might tell you the story of how I single-handedly tamed the entire population of birds at Mandeni, but for now I’ll leave you with one simple fact:
Of the multi-ingredient seed mix with which I single-handedly tamed and fed the entire population of birds at Mandeni, the sunflower seeds were always the first to be eaten. No matter what kind of bird was perched on my hand, it would always dig through the mix in search of sunflower seeds.
And now I understand why.
Trader Joe’s Chocolate Sunflower Seed Drops
Subtitled “Candy Coated Chocolate Covered Sunflower Seeds”, these quarter-of-my-pinky-nail-sized tiny chocolate sunflower seeds could also go by the name of “Mmmmm. MmmmMMMM. MMMM”, or perhaps “Please, sir, can I have some more?”
I can’t really do a detailed review of these delicious morsels in the usual Wayfaring Chocolate style, as there wasn’t enough chocolate involved for me to be able to chart its flavour progression. (The chocolate was more of a petticoat between the candy shell and sunflower seed.)
What I can describe is this: when a multitude of these chocolate sunflower seed drops make their way into your unsuspecting mouth of hopefulness*, you’ll first taste sweetness, then a deep, almost earthy quality that you’ll soon recognise as the nutty savouriness of sunflower seeds, then a milky, creamy chocolate lightness that brings everything together into a scrumptious whole that is more than the sum of its parts.
I simply. absolutely. truly. love these. In fact, I love these candy coated chocolate covered sunflower seeds enough to have played around with punctuation in the previous sentence, mere days after I ranted about incorrect apostrophe usage. I love these Trader Joe’s treats with their blend of roasted, nutty, sweet, crunchy, silky, buttery, chocolate-y, snack-like, treat-like, naughty-but-nice flavours so much that it almost makes me cry to know that nothing similar exists in Australia, and that there’s no way I can recreate these in my own kitchen.
Unless I melted together some chocolate, sunflower seeds, and demerara sugar? Maybe that would taste the same?
No, probably not.
Sigh.
* Don’t you have a Mouth of Hopefulness? You should. They make everything tastier.
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I have never ever heard of chocolate coated sunflower seeds! But I am not surprised that they would be addictive – as a wild bird feeder I can attest to the fact that sunflower seeds really are like crack for birds…
Oh good, so this observation of mine isn’t erroneous! I wonder what it is about birds and sunflower seeds?
Never heard of these either! Gosh, we SO need a Trader Joes and a Wholefoods here in Aus. Well, more than one, we need many!! I love the smell of the coast! ahhh salt in the air
Such a cute picture. I’m afraid of birds though…
Heidi xo
I know, right? I think my world would be completely If those two stores opened across Australia, bringing with them all the heavenly deliciousness of the food they sell in the States… *sighs dramatically*
OK this post has inspired a new chocolate idea-chocolate petticoats!
Come in, you know you want to invest Hannah!
And your expression in the picture is priceless-it’s like you’re saying “Don’t screw with me bird, I have my eye on you.”
You’re right Lorraine re that look – she was on top of those birds and yet she had them eating out of her hands!
I was like the bird lady in Mary Poppins, right? Except no one was singing about me.
Hmm… I somehow can’t help thinking that our regular body temperature would quickly make a mockery of chocolate petticoats! Brilliant idea in theory, though
Totally have to agree Lorraine, that look on your face Hannah… leaves those wild birds under no doubts about whose holding the crack…, aaahhh, I mean birdseed
Oh heavens, now it sounds like I was their dealer!
I want to print out that photo of you and keep it in my wallet. And frame another to have on my desk at work. And hang another above my bed.
AND I HAD THOSE EXACT SAME SHORTS AS A KID. I’m almost positive. YESSSSSSsss. I had such an impressive collection of plaid shorts. It was fabulous. I constantly looked like I was auditioning for a role as an extra in a movie about sofa covers. I would be playing the role of the sofa cover, obviously.
Anyhoo, these look delightful! And cheerful! They remind me of the candy coated fennel seeds you often see in Indian grocery stores, which I love
*laughs* Oh, Lizzi, you’re brilliant sometimes. I bet you would’ve made an awesome sofa cover. (One day I’ll tell you about the time I was a wall in Rock Eisteddfod. True story.)
Oooh, those candy fennel seeds are good! It’s been forever since I last had those.
Hmmm, I might have to trust you on this one. I think chocolate things coloured wildly like this are like poisonous frogs or caterpillars- the colours serve as a warning that they shouldn’t be eaten. I am intrigued at the thought of chocolate coated sunflower seeds though, I just wish they weren’t done in dayglo. I wonder if you could make something like this at home? It would be very hard I suspect. Too small, and tricky.
Actually, Trader Joe’s is pretty dogmatic about avoiding artificial anything, so these were actually “naturally” coloured, I believe. That’s why there’s no crazy blue or green or purple or anything! And I don’t mind eating something the colour of a poisonous frog if it tastes this good
This raises some questions -1) what would birds think of the chocolate covered sunflower seeds? (don’t worry I understand you aren’t sharing or experimenting with them) and 2) why isn’t there a green in that colour mix?
1) Definitely not sharing. I’m far too greedy for that… and I wouldn’t want to kill the birds, which I think would be a likely result!
2) I think the lack of green is to do with the fact that these use natural rather than artificial colours? Oh, who knows, really
aw how tasty!!! Although I cant get over the fact that you let a bird sit….on you?! This bird-phobe would have died. Literally!
By the time I’d completely tamed the brids, it wasn’t uncommon to have five around me. Even on my head. But you probably shouldn’t imagine that yourself, or it might mess with your sense of calm
oh I’ve never seen this before- I love all the colors!
You must run to your local Trader Joe’s and buy these pronto, then!
I can imagine how these would be good. I love sunflower seeds. And sunflower seed butter. And when I was not vegan and lived in the US, I always always ate too many Peanut Butter M&Ms. Imagine sunflower butter M&Ms…
Oooooh, that would be awesome! Sunflower butter DARK CHOCOLATE M&Ms, even… (I, too, loved those peanut butter M&Ms when I was in the States. I have seen them now and again in Australia, but always for too high a price.)
love this line ‘The chocolate was more of a petticoat between the candy shell and sunflower seed.’
Why have a petticoat when you can have the full doona?
At most times of the year, I’d agree with you, but it is getting into summer when doonas are less necessary…
P.S. Thank you!
I have seen these other places but have not tried them…yet. As much as I love nuts, I’m a seedy girl too at heart.
And here I was thinking you were a polka-dot-coconut-Indian-dessert girl at heart!
Dang, I wish someone would make candy-coated chocolate that’s dairy-free and easy to find! I’m near a TJ’s, but can’t have these, so I feel your pain.
Me too… then I wouldn’t have to have the lactose-intolerant tummy grumbles afterwards! :/ If you come up with a recipe, let me know…
This is a new own for me, never heard of sunflower seeds coated with chocolate, but they do sound tempting. I’ve I was a bird, I would scavenge for them too! Unless there were pistachios in there……because then I would go for those first.
Oh, I’m with you 100% on that Maria. Pistachios = the bestest nuts ever in the world
Well now we know where we can get some from! But it’s too bad Costco didn’t sell them in a 1.5kg bag. :p
Yes indeed! Hurrah! Though I think I’d rather get more of those black sesame fish strips than chocolate covered sunflower seeds, all told.
I can totally send you the fish strips. There’s still most of a packet in my pantry. Actually, I should have snuck it into your bag before you left – missed opportunity. Doh!
That would have been a horrible parting gift. *shudder*
You can buy these in Perth. I have a packet in my pantry.
Canberra 0
Perth 1
Perth also has Conor.
Canberra 0
Perth 2
OK, that’s it! I’ve been happily stalking your blog for a wee while from just over here in NZ (*waving now*). I was quiet when you posted about cardamom peanut butter granola, which I’ve made with some adaptations that I hope to post on my blog soon with a link back to your recipe. I bit my lip when you mentioned not just Tcho, but fruity Tcho, which I’d fallen in love with in March when I scored a bunch of samples while visiting my brother in San Francisco. But now this? I can not remain quiet when I see those little addictive sunflower seeds all happy in their candy shells. I didn’t expect to like them, but oh baby! It’s only sad that we have no regular supply down here at the bottom of the world.
Anyway now you know I’m here, a fellow chocolate devotee, and happy to be reading your lovely blog:-)
*waves back* I’m so happy you decided to comment! I really love chatting here in the comments, and it makes my day when someone pops up out of the blue
I can’t wait to read about your version of the peanut butter granola, and hurrah for shared chocolate devotion! While I do love TCHO, I think I’d prefer a regular parcel of these sunflower seeds delivered to me if I had the choice…
I’m so glad to know you’re here – please do comment again!
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