ingredient substitution

[astronomer46]

Paula Deen's Creme de Menthe Brownies specifies Andes chips and candy. I have lived in L.A. for 59 yrs and Albuquerque for 7 more and have never heard of nor seen these chips. I don't know what flavor they are so I can't even propose an alternative ingredient. Walmart was suggested but they are not available in my area, same thing with Target.
Why can't recipes be created and posted with ingredients used by everyone and not just those east of the Mississippi River? There are several million of us out west that like chocolate and mint, especially that found in Ghirardelli. It is very frustrating to read recipes written by people whose range is within 20 miles of the East Coast and think that everyone else in the world has heard of and knows what their ingredients are.

[duonyte]

A lot of ingredients are regional, friend. If you are frustrated within the US with a US produced candy, think of how our members in Australia, Germany, South Africa and India feel. And we have some of the same frustrations when looking at recipes posted from people in those countries.

In any event, I don't know how anyone would know whether any product is sold only regionally or on a national basis. The repeat questions about a specific Kraft cheese product - Old English? - come to mind - sold in some places, but not nationally. And Kraft is in every market.

Anyway, I remember the candies from when I lived in LA. They used to be sold right be the register. They are a chocolate/mint combination and I suspect that any similar combination is likely to work.

Walmart ships, http://www.walmart.com/ip/Andes-Creme-De-Menthe-Baking-Chips-10-oz/10403314

Or you can try contacting the manufacturer to see whether they have local retailers, http://www.tootsie.com/products.php?pid=101 The manufacturer also ships.

[Baker Girl]

Don't fret; it's not a big deal. As you've probably already figured out, Andes baking chips are just small pieces of chocolate and mint layered candies.
I would substitute with either Nestle's or Hershey's mint and chocolate morsels or I might chop up some thin mint candies into small, morsel-sized pieces. Either one would surely suffice in that brownie recipe.
Good luck with it!