Simply Enjoy Dutch Caramel Wafer Cookies

Also known as a Stroopwafel!

The Attraction:

A few months back, my boss came into the office with a can of these that he received from a vendor. Apparently these were some sort of big deal, but somehow I had missed the boat on. I had one and was quickly intrigued. Before I was able to have another, they were all gone! So when I went to the supermarket the other day and saw a generic version of the same cookie, I decided that this cookie needed to be reviewed. (Spoiler Alert!) Maybe it's more along the lines of I liked it and wanted to have more. With that said, I also have a responsibility to my readers out there...

The Review
I didn't have this exact brand the first go around. I don't recall the manufacturer, but what I do know is that these are a generic version offered up by Stop and Shop, a regional supermarket chain here in New York. So for purposes of this post, I will be reviewing this version from Simply Enjoy.

As I pulled out a cookie from the package (there are 8 cookies per package roughly the circumference of a coffee mug), I noticed the weight of this sucker. I guess 2 cookies sandwiching a layer of caramel inside can make a cookie feel pretty hefty. "Well, enough of that." I think to myself and then quickly indulged by taking a bite from the "Stroopwafel"

The cookie gently yielded to my bite. There was a nice chewy texture to the wafer cookie. There was also just enough caramel between the buttery tasting wafers on either side of it, so it wasn't messy or overwhelming. There was a great finish that didn't leave you with an excessively sweet after taste.

I have a strange urge to visualize a small order
of eggs and bacon with this cookie

The Sweet:

Great chewy texture combined with the buttery wafer and caramel filling makes your taste buds want to have another....and then perhaps another after that.

The Bitter:
These guys aren't always easy to locate. These are the generic version, but still pretty darn good. If you want to save a few bucks, skip the collectible holding tin and just go with the plastic wrapped cookies.

Leggo my Stroopwafel-go

Conclusion:
These Dutch Caramel Wafer Cookies by Simply Enjoy are a great indulgence. I wouldn't necessarily eat these every week; they are more of a great way to treat yourself every now and again. If memory serves me correctly, I'm about due to treat myself...again.

Video of the Week
This week video involves the team over at MIT that has built the first ever autonomous robot that can jump over obstacles. Do you think it's ironic that the machines are probably more athletic than the people building them? I think it's only a matter of time before MIT students build a female robot that can stand in line at the Nintendo store and pickup hot pockets for them.,...and yes, I will be even more jealous then.

Yes, but can you make a robot that says, "Hasta la vista, baby"?

Passion Fruit

Why is it called a Passion Fruit?

The Attraction:

This may have been only the second time that I've ever seen a passion fruit in person. I'm not sure if I just never payed attention or if they are just not stocked in the groceries that I go to. Well, anyway, I thought that I didn't want to leave this planet without ever knowing what a fresh passion fruit taste like, so for the hefty price of 2 for $6 USD, I would give it a go. Heck, you only live once...

The Review
I know, I know; a fruit on a snack block? Well, I did it this one time and I thought it was high time I did it again as snacks don't always have to be something man-made.

As I held the passion fruit in my hand, it felt light. You can tell it was hollow-ish on the inside. It felt like a ping pong ball with a slight weight to it. Alright, let's cut this baby open.

Sure looks good, doesn't it?  Wait til you see the next photo

As I cut the fruit into 2 halves, it reminded me of a pomegranate in some ways; the reddish interior, the "fruit" encasing a seed, although granted, not nearly as appealing. The edible part of the passion fruit, is the slimy part in the photo. The best way to eat it is to scoop it out with a spoon, which is exactly what I did. Down the hatch it goes.

Up to this point in my life, what I've know about the flavor of passion fruit has been limited to sugary sweet drinks that I've gotten at the local bubble tea stand....and let me tell you....it's not quite the same. The biggest difference is the tartness in the fruit itself. Yes, the "passion fruit" flavor is there, but there is a sourness that comes along with it as well. Oh, Mother Nature, can't you make everything exactly the way I want it?

The Sweet:

Passion flavor taste. Sounds silly, but it's nice to know what the heck the actual fruit taste like.

The Bitter:
Obviously, the passion fruit is what it is and is perfect as nature intended it, but something to be aware of is it's tartness. In addition, I would have preferred to pick this from a tree than to plunk down $3 per passion fruit, which roughly breaks down to about $1 per teaspoon. Hmm...I can either have 4 passion fruits (and still be hungry) or a reasonable lunch in midtown Manhattan in NYC. Where's that halal cart again?

Yum?

Conclusion:
Who am I to argue with what nature has created? I can, however, argue that for the pricey cost for passion fruit here in the States and for the little amount I netted per fruit, I won't be running down to the grocery store to pick up a bag of passion fruit anytime soon....especially if the said bag had 6 passion fruits in it...I'd rather pass and get a decent steak for the money.

Video of the Week
This week's video is brought to you by Vocativ and highlights how kids from China come to the US to study and pickup a few convenience vehicles during their stay (if you consider cars that cost six figure convenient). I don't know about you, but even though I'm Chinese, I never quite rolled in any of these types of cars when I was in University... I was pimping in one of these instead

I wouldn't mind rolling up to Taco Bell
with one of these MoFos

Cheez-IT Crunch'd Hot & Spicy

They look like delicious flotation devices

The Attraction:

I adore Cheez-ITs, so recently when I saw a television advert for a new Cheez-IT product that includes a hot and spicy variation, I was all over it. I found these at the local Target and tossed them into the cart without hesitation. 

The Review
When I opened the bag, the hot and spicy aspects weren't obvious in terms of smell. I was worried that the hot and spicy flavor would be too mild, but sometimes spicy items don't always smell that way. I picked a Cheez-IT out of the bag and one of the things I noticed is that these suckers are puffed up. Almost like a large, cheesy, square Cheerio, but a bit more rough all around. I also noticed that it wasn't particularly oily like a cheese ball or Cheez Doodle. That's a nice plus. I don't waste another moment and pop one in my mouth. Hmm..it certainly lives up to it's "Crunch'd" name. That it certainly is. It's not super cheesy, which would have actually been a good thing. The best way to describe these Cheez ITs is that they are like a cheese flavored crouton. The texture and crunch is almost identical. As for the heat, it's there, but it presents itself closer to the back of your throat towards the end of the bite. It's not overly aggressive, but you know it's there. The signature cheese-flavor is also present, but it doesn't seem to shine quite as brightly as the original Cheez-ITs.

It sort of looks like a petrified Cheez IT

The Sweet:

It's not too oily and is as advertised; it crunches! The hot and spicy parts are not too forward and is more prominent towards the end of the bite, which I enjoyed.

The Bitter:
These Cheez-ITs's crunch seems too much like eating a parmesan salad crouton. The puff aspect seemed to somehow make my mouth miss the more substantial feel of the original Cheez-IT.

Another angle of the new Cheez-IT model

Conclusion:
Although I salute Cheez-ITs for trying something new, ultimately, these fall flat for me. Somehow these Cheez-ITs didn't feel like a guilty treat, which is sometimes a large part of the fun of snacking. Unless you enjoy a eating a bag of salad croutons, I would skip on these.In the end, these just made me appreciate and crave the original Cheez-ITs more.

Video of the Week
I'm no super parkour fan, but I certainly can appreciate the balls and athleticism that is required to manage some of their stunts. Here is a short and simple video of the nerves of steel some parkour participants have to have in order to have some "fun".

My palms are sweating already.