New nondairy frozen treat made with mac-nut milk

They’re called “nice creams,” no doubt because they are nice to the tummies of those who can’t handle dairy foods.

The latest Mauna Loa macadamia nut products are six icy treats made with macadamia nut milk. The company says they are the first such frozen desserts on the market, and they are rolling out nationwide.

Flavors are chocolate, vanilla, chocolate chip, mango-lilikoi, Kona coffee and rocky road (called Rocky Road to Hana). They sell for about $7 per pint. All are certified vegan, as well as dairy- and gluten-free.

Our sampling of a few of the new flavors found them to have a creaminess missing from most other nondairy ice creams. The flavor of the Kona coffee version is especially appealing for its bold, authentic coffee flavor; the mango-lilikoi is sorbet-like, with an intriguing mac-nut edge.

Find the “nice creams” at Safeway, Foodland Farms, Whole Foods Market and Longs Drugs locations.

Artisan musubi back in Waikiki

POTAMA (Pork Tamago Onigiri) has reopened at Royal Hawaiian Center’s Waikiki Food Hall. The Okinawan eatery specializes in open-faced Spam musubi layered with the likes of shrimp, bitter melon, fried fish and sukiyaki beef. The food hall is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Pups get their own Ben & Jerry’s treats

Think your dog deserves dessert? So does Ben & Jerry’s.

The venerable Vermont ice cream company said Monday it’s introducing a line of frozen dog treats, its first foray into the lucrative pet food market. Doggie Desserts, sold in 4-ounce cups, go on sale in grocery and pet stores later this month.

They come in flavors of pumpkin with cookies and peanut butter with pretzels, both with a base of sunflower butter. They’re made from the same ingredients Ben & Jerry’s uses in its nondairy human desserts. Selling for about $2.99 per cup, they will be placed near the human frozen treats in supermarket aisles.

Ben & Jerry’s is the latest food company to pivot to pets, sensing opportunity as more Americans acquire furry friends. The number of U.S. households with pets rose 6.5% to 84.9 million between 2015 and 2020, according to the American Pet Products Association, a trade group.

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Associated Press

Quickbites is a weekly listing of dining events. Email items to crave@staradvertiser.com.

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