Going On in Grocery 

New Halloween treats in the Hill and Ambler. And desserts from Brittanys Natural.

It’s time to load up on snack-size sweets for the ghouls and goblins who’ll come a-knocking on October 31 — and the grownups who’ll be greeting them. For inspiration — and a couple alternative options — check out the front display near the registers, where you’ll find 27-count packages of Tony’s Chocolonely individually wrapped milk caramel sea salt chocolate pieces for $9.99. Their products are produced without slave or child labor. 

Food allergy sufferers, fear not: There are treats for you, too. Enjoy Life dairy-free dark chocolate and rice milk chocolate squares are gluten-free, kosher, vegan and halal certified. Eighteen-count packages of each are $6.99.

In Ambler, the “Scary Good Snacks” front endcap features the Tony’s and Enjoy Life selections. In addition, the bulk section has displays of Ocho organic chocolate variety packs (22 wrapped pieces) for $7.99, and Endagered Species dark chocolate bites (12  wrapped pieces) for $4.69.

“Eh, candy,” you say? Treat yourself for real with a deluxe dessert from Brittany Natural Foods, available in the front grab ‘n’ go case in Ambler. The Bethlehem-based maker of wholesome convenience foods offers six-ounce containers of chocolate mousse, tiramisu and pudding made with organic milk and cage-free eggs for ($3.59 and $3.99)

The Daily Deli

The Hill adds cheeses from Vermont and a Finnish specialty from Wisconsin.

The cheesemongers at our Chestnut Hill store have made room in the case for two selections from Jasper Hill Farm of Greensboro, VT. Alpha Tolman ($26.99/lb.) is Alpine-inspired and has a buttery flavor that gets bolder and meatier as it ages. Landaff ($24.99/lb.) is a traditional Welsh-style cheddar with a natural rind. The pieces of both in the case tend to be a third of a pound or less. 

Also new and from 1,093 miles west is Carr Valley bread cheese ($6.99 for a six-ounce package) from LaValle, WI. It’s the cow’s milk version of a Finnish cheese snack made with reindeer milk. Like halloumi, it can be grilled or sautéed, or just warmed up in the oven or microwave. 

Bakery Bites

Behold — bulk cookies in Mt. Airy. And a famed Brooklyn cheesecake now based in South Jersey.

One of the best additions to the small-but-plentiful bakery section in Mt. Airy is the lineup of bins of bulk cookies that make up part of the roll/bagel/croissant section. Selections include Swarthmore’s My House oatmeal cherry and chocolate chip cookies ($10.99/lb.), fig bars from Metropolitan Bakery ($1.69/ea.) and vegan chocolate chip cookies from Crust of Roxborough ($11.99/lb.). Paper bags are located above the roll of plastic bags for your convenience.

For more than 60 years, Junior’s Cheesecake was a pillar of downtown Brooklyn, expanding to two locations in Manhattan as well as Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. Although their diner-style restaurants remain in those locations, four years ago they moved their baking operation to Burlington, NJ. As a result, their cheesecakes can now be found in Ambler.