When I opened my box from The Crazy Baker, I was expecting to find some wacky products waiting for me, maybe some coiled felt snakes in a peanut brittle can. Instead, I discovered some thoughtful, carefully packaged treats. Made in small batches with artisanal methods, all of The Crazy Baker's goods contain great natural ingredients, locally sourced where possible. I held two tastings, a mid-afternoon snack at the office and a dinner party to try out the confections this family-owned company offers.

At the office, we started with the Golden Granola, the star of The Crazy Baker's show. Everyone in the group, from the fanatical-basketball-player, to the post-work-kickboxer, to the weekend-in-Vermonter, responded to the balance of honey and molasses in place of refined sugar, which let the flavors of the oats, seeds and nuts shine through. We liked the surprising addition of sunflower seeds and the tartness of the organic raisins, both of which elevated the granola way above the super-sweet versions stocked in most stores. In fact, it was so tasty that we ate it without any of the organic yogurt, mango slices or soy milk I brought along.

We quickly moved on to the X-Treme Brownie. I'm dubious of anything called X-treme (to the max!), and I don't really gravitate toward sweet things, so you can imagine my surprise at finding out that this is a great brownie for me. It's not cloyingly sweet, and it highlights a deep chocolate flavor that leaves a pure finish. While the crumbly outer texture led one taster to claim that it's "not a brownie you can eat by hand," I didn't find it disruptive. I liked the counterpoint of the two textures, and the way the crumble yielded to the seductive chocolaty center.

Both tasting groups sampled the Panforte, which got mixed reviews. Tasters at the dinner party balked at the cinnamon flavor that lingers on the palate, however, a couple of days later, my co-workers responded positively to the overall taste and spicing. Ultimately, I think this all comes down to being raised in the U.S. None of my dinner party companions grew up in the States on cinnamon-loving cereals, chewing gum or mall-baked cinnamon rolls, but I did, and while I thought the panforte hit a central cinnamon note, it didn't overpower. I loved the chunky, rustic texture of the whole almonds and candied fruits, and felt that different tastes came out on top from different bites.

Much like the X-Treme (radical!) brownies, the Crazy Crackers confounded me by their name. The flavors, three in all, were not consistent. Black bean and garlic had a muddy flavor and went pretty much untouched by the dinner party group. Least obtrusive, the sesame cracker worked best as a straight delivery device for a wedge of farmhouse cheddar, while the tomato herb, a pleasing reddish color with a green sprinkle of dried herbs, went nicely with a glass of prosecco and greenmarket goats cheese. While tasty, the almost grainy texture held us back from devouring them. Still, they would work well at a gallery opening, wine tasting or in a gift basket.

Overall, The Crazy Baker delivers a variety of products that are more hit than miss. There is an obvious care in what they offer, and while I still don't get what's so "crazy" about using top-notch ingredients, locally produced eggs, and minimal processing, I'm quite happy to sit back and let The Crazy Baker go nuts.