Belvita Banana Bread

 Just looking at this makes me want to go (to the bathroom)

The Attraction

One of the perks at work are company provided snacks! Along with having them free of charge, it has opened up a new world of snacks for me to try. Can't feel guilty about buying a snack that doesn't taste good if you didn't have to pay for the snack. It all works out!

The Review:
I was a bit curious about these snacks when I first saw them put out in the pantry, but I didn't gravitate towards them initially because for some reason I thought these were snacks for "older" people that had problems "going", if you know what I mean. Still, I was intrigued as there aren't many snacks that advertise banana flavor and I have a thing for banana flavored baked goods. Why wait any longer?

I unwrap the banana bread and am quickly treated to the scent of bananas. This is a pretty great start.

I slowly inch the "bread" out of the wrapper and take a good look at what was inside. It peeks out of the wrapper and like the photo on the packaging would suggest, the bread resembles a cookie more than a conventional bread. A hash brown like cookie, to be specific.

Now I want a McDonald's Hash Brown

OK, so I have a great banana scent and a delicious looking cookie outside, but lets see if it can complete the sacred food trinity and bring some terrific flavor as well.

I take a bite and it's very much like a soft banana flavored cookie. The texture isn't as soft as a conventional bread, but it yields nicely to my bite. I was afraid it may be a dry, crumbly mess, but surprisingly, it was a soft banana-flavored bite. I could get use to eating this in the mornings...

It's sorta like having a cookie for breakfast

...but then about half-way through the bread, a bite struck me odd. I detected a strange aftertaste. It was for a split second, but it was there. It was a flavor that changed the whole experience. It came across as artificial tasting and it planted that flavor and taste in my head so I was unable to enjoy that banana flavor any more in this snack without thinking about the "unnatural" process that may have taken place to create that banana flavor.

The Sweet:
If you like cookies and banana flavor, you are in luck

The Bitter:
About half-way through, the banana flavor left an odd aftertaste

Conclusion:
It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I really thought it would very dry and...well, for older people that couldn't use the bathroom. Come to find out that wasn't really what these were marketed for. These are supposed to be a breakfast snack. Oh well, almost the same.

I guess when you are looking for a breakfast snack that is a little healthier than a Pop-Tart, but something tastier than oatmeal, I could see this being a nice middle ground. Still that slight artificial aftertaste brought me back down to earth and will quickly remind you how unnatural of a breakfast snack this really is.

Video of the Week

A small leak

I fancy myself a relatively handy guy around the house. Some painting here, some patching there. Once in awhile I have to roll up my plumber's sleeve to do some work in the kitchen or in the bathroom.This video is my worst nightmare; it was supposed to be an attempt to fix a small leak and install a new faucet. As you can see, it didn't quite work out well. What is more surprising is that the video is 14 minutes long....and I watched every second of it. What's up with that?

Chips Ahoy Thins

 
Something old, something new,
something borrowed, something blue...3 out of 4 ain't bad

The Attraction

Since I was so infatuated with the Oreo's version of these "Thins", I wanted to see if all "Thin" versions make everything better

The Review:
Yes, I've reviewed a few Chips Ahoy products in my day, such as this and this and I have also reviewed a "Thin" product like this before, but will the "Thin" theory still ring true on a non-Oreo branded product, like a Chips Ahoy Thins? Lets find out

As I peel back the package of cookies, I can immediately see the "thin" version of these treats sitting in the familiar cookie tray. It must be said, that I prefer, by a substantial amount, the chewy version of these snacks. Well, actually, I prefer a chewy version of almost any snack vs. a drier, crispier version. That's just my preference, but I will suspend this preference, for you, my snacking public.

It's pretty obvious when I take a cookie out, that these thinner cookies are about half that of the original variety. In my mind, I can see the machine in the factory that squirts the dough onto the pan do so at half the time they would with the original version. I don't know why exactly that would come to mind. Maybe too many episodes of Unwrapped.

Maybe if I stare at this long enough,
I can convince myself these are good for me

Anyway, I bring a cookie up to my mouth and take a bite. As expected, there is a crispy crunch and the familiar Chips Ahoy flavor comes marching through my mouth like parade down Main Street. The "Thins" version of these cookies certainly didn't impact the flavor, but much like the affect it had on the Oreos, the thinning of these cookies somehow makes them better.

It streamlines the flavor profile and makes the bulkier original seem cumbersome and excessive. These thins are able to deliver the flavor you want in a far more efficient and laser-like focus to your taste-buds. It's amazing what halving a cookie can do to a snacking experience.

Half the size, half the calories, twice the consumption!

The Sweet:
Crisp, familiar flavor, but in a new, sleek cookie model

The Bitter:
They aren't chewy (OK, I still have a bias towards chewy cookies)

Conclusion:
As I write this, I can't help but think that perhaps the folks at Nabisco are marketing geniuses; perhaps a few years back, they were trying to make a "lite" version of these cookies for the more health conscious crowd, but being that much of the public doesn't care for "lite" versions of snacks, they decided to do a paradigm shift and calls these "Thins" not as in you "Thins", but as in the cookies are "Thins". Along the way they found out that you can still have the same great flavor you crave in an Oreo or in this case a chocolate chip cookie, but do so with half the size (and half the calories) and half the ingredients, but charge the same amount. It's brilliant!

Now, that's just a conspiracy theory, but I think a plausible one at that. Even with that said, whatever the origins or original intent was for these products, it is undeniable that they somehow improved upon a classic.

Video of the Week

One day...one day...

After taking some time off from working out, I started up again a few weeks ago. Now, granted I feel and look better, but I can't help but wonder after watching this video, how much more working out I would need to do to do the things this guy, Simon Ata, does in his video. It's a mix of strength body-weight moves, gymnastics and break dancing. Maybe, just maybe, eventually I will be able to do the body-weight and gymnastics stuff....and that's just a firm maybe...the break dancing part however requires rhythm and that's just something all the time in the world wouldn't help, just like this guy. 



Insomnia Cookies Oatmeal Raisin / Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup

The things I must do for this blog

The Attraction

I've been hearing a lot about these cookies, so when I was finally within striking distance to try some, it was time to see if it lived up to all the hype.

The Review:
One of the many wonderful things of living in NYC is having access to all these varieties of food at a given time. Due to the large population here, it always makes us an attractive area for new and upcoming food-related companies to consider opening a new location at. This is also the case with Insomnia Cookies.

Although they have a bunch of locations here, I came across one within walking distance from my office. First I heard about how their company came to be and then I ran into a very excited women going down the elevator to pickup a order she placed. After that run-in, I thought to myself, "Can it really be that good?"

Come to daddy

When I walked into the very small storefront and placed my order after peering at the menu, the woman taking my order opened a warming drawer at the front counter and pulled my requested cookies out. Whoa...that's a nice touch. Previous to that, I had only been to a place that would warm up cookies for you, after they had been out for a bit.

I decided to go with my favorite cookie, an oatmeal raisin cookie and a "deluxe" cookie; the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup cookie, as the second course. I really planned to only get one, but I love peanut butter, so I couldn't resist. What made this cookie a "deluxe" was the size. It's about double the size of their standard cookie (also about double the cost), but both sat nice and warm in my hand as I took them back to my office to have a "private moment" with.

Mmbrrmr

I take the oatmeal raisin cookie out first and I could already tell it was going to be good; in addition to being warm, it was nice and soft. I've never really been a fan of crispy cookies, so they really had my attention now. I take a bite and it's reminds me of the type of cookie that has a homemade recipe, but executed by professionals. It's a good cookie with just the right ratio of plump raisins to cookie dough. What I love about oatmeal raisin cookies is it's simplicity. There's no flash, no fancy ingredients to take your eyes or taste buds off of. It's just you and the cookie. It doesn't overwhelm you with sweetness and doesn't take you on a flavor roller coaster. Which interestingly, is a direct contrast to my second cookie course.

Looks like a delicious chocolate growth

As simple as the oatmeal raisin cookie was, the peanut butter cup cookie was like it's bigger, brasher bolder, meth-addicted cousin. It's physically larger then the standard size cookie and it has a larger grouping of it's ingredients, in this case, peanut butter cup, in it. All of which, I assume, made it a "deluxe" cookie on Insomnias's menu. I break off a piece of the cookie and I was greeted with smooth peanut butter flavor incorporated into the dough. That on it's own was very good. Where it goes off the rails in a meth-filled frenzy is when you get to the pb cup portion.

The chunks are so big and poorly distributed that it completely wipes out the the smoothness of the peanut butter in the cookie dough and you are greeted with a raunchy intermission act between the first and second half of Shrek. It's like eating a peanut butter cookie and then picking up a peanut butter cup and then taking a bite; sounds good on paper, but the reality isn't nearly as subtle as one might think. I wish Insomnia made a plain peanut butter cookie, but be it as it may, they don't and if their oatmeal raisin cookie was Ohio, this peanut butter cup cookie was Las Vegas.

I had to take this quick before gravity
broke this cookie....again

The Sweet:
These are delivered deliciously warm from a "warming counter".

The Bitter:
Their deluxe cookies are decadent to the max.

Conclusion:
Now, decadence isn't necessarily a bad thing, but for me, I think what a makes a snack great is the ability to ride that fine line between being satisfying, yet leaving you wanting for more. If you like to leave your snack exchange without feeling like you overdid it, I would try to limit your selection to something in the standard cookie category. Having that deluxe cookie, as much as I enjoyed the peanut butter portion, it left that, I-think-I-had-too-many-Krispy-Kremes-feeling (somewhere between piggish and insulin shotville).

Keep it to the standard and you will be rewarded with a cookie that brings the great homemade fresh out of the oven feel without the mess.

Video of the Week 

They are back! (Sorta)

I'm a little late to the game, but I recently discovered this new track by Johnny Gill. As cool as Johnny is, the real draw is the reunion of New Edition with him on this single after no new material by them since 2004. If you are a fan of NE like I am, this is great news. The song is old school awesome and they still have their dance moves. Somehow I don't look as good them when I do the steps in the shower.

Chips Ahoy Brownie filled Cookies

Am I a brownie or a cookie?

The Attraction

Look up in the sky, it's a cookie, it's a brownie, no it's Chips Ahoy Brownie filled cookie! Taking two fan favorites and combining them can only make one incredible item, right? Umm...I'll be the judge of that. This sounds too good to be true.

The Review:
I've had my eyes on these for awhile. Chips Ahoy has been making some varieties of their cookie masterpiece for several years now. I even reviewed their peanut butter chocolate chip cookie not too long ago. The difference this time is that instead of adding something different into the cookie recipe, they are building their cookie around a brownie center.....whoooaaaa. It's like a cookie version of a turducken, if you will.

I'm like a transformer; first a cookie...

I take a good look at a cookie and from the outside there is no indication of the madness that lies within. If you were to mix this into a regular batch of chewy Chips Ahoy cookies, I don't know if you would be able to distinguish them other than it's slightly larger size. Maybe you would think you just hit the cookie lottery and have a giant cookie from the batch.

I do the obligatory cookie split in order to see what's under the hood. Sure enough, there's what appears to be a brownie inside. It sure smells like it too.

I take one half of my cookie and indulge. The first wave is the unmistakable chocolate chip cookie flavor that you get from a Chips Ahoy cookie, but as you continue to chew, the flavor is quickly overwhelmed by the brownie flavor filling on the inside.

Yes, you have the chocolate chip outside and the filling does capture the brownie taste on the inside, but mixed together, there was a odd flavor I didn't expect as a result, it tasted salty. Perhaps it was the sweetness of the brownie contrasting against the chocolate chip cloak that brought out the saltiness in the cookie batter. It was odd tasting until the brownie sweetness eventually washed away the saltiness.

..then boom! A brownie

The Sweet:
Can't decide which cheat snack to have? You have 2 in one cookie!

The Bitter:
Never really blended well.

Conclusion:
I'm sure when the folks over at Nabisco cooked up this idea, it sounded amazing and to a degree, it still does. The actual execution and the end result leaves much to be desired. I don't think it's anything Nabisco can really fix. It's just too much going on to really enjoy one or the other.

What makes a brownie really great is all the little nuisances that come along with it; the gooey / moist nature, the crispy crust on top and in some cases, the crunch of walnuts mixed in to add to the contrast. What Chips Ahoy did here was take the flavor of a brownie and made it into a cookie, but at the cost of all those delicious little nuisances. The end result tastes like having a moderately-sized bite of Chips Ahoy Chewy Chocolate Chip cookie in your mouth and then taking a nibble of a lackluster brownie at the end.

These are two iconic snacks. Mixing them only takes away space from each other to take their rightful place to shine on the snack center stage on their own.

Video of the Week 

Want sweaty palms? Watch this.

Sergey Devlyashov is a crazy Russian mofo that has built up a reputation for free climbing high and scary stuff. As if climbing them weren't enough, in some cases he takes it a step further and does some crazy stuff while on top of said scary high structures. In this case, he's on a crane and has some bungee cord. A regular bungee jump would be too boring / safe.

Chips Ahoy! Chewy Chocolate Chip Made With Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

"How can we improve upon a chocolate chip cookie?
Oh, I know!"

The Attraction

I've had Chips Ahoy several times when I was a kid growing up. Recently I've avoided them because I never cared for the standard variety, yet I did love the chewy variation. With that said, I think we can all do with a little less cookies in our lives, so I didn't buy any for a while until I saw this offering with peanut butter cup pieces in it. I'm not Superman, people.

The Review:
OK, I admit it. I was struggling to find a new product when I picked up these cookies, but I also think deep inside I was searching for an excuse to try these cookies. Anyone who has been reading my reviews in the past knows how I adore peanut butter. There, you made me come out and say it.

I slowly peel back the package's resealable cover to reveal the rows of cookies in the tray waiting to be devoured. I have to carefully pick up a cookie as they are so soft that any sudden moments would break the cookie itself. Is there such a thing as "snack foreplay" that's not creepy sounding?

You can see the PB cup in the cookie! How sexy

Anyhoo, I commit to a taste and it's just as I remembered; a gentle yield to my bite and the cookie dough flavor acquiesces to the chocolate chip that's in the mix as well. It's only closer towards the end that the pb flavor comes bleeding through. It's clear that the folks at Chips Ahoy! chose to reformulate the pb cup recipe in this instance to reign in the texture and flavor. I can see how sticking with the original composition of the pb cup would have been too much of a contrast against its soft cookie surroundings. They also refined the pb flavor to tone it down so it wouldn't quite be so dominating in the cookie, but they could have let the pb flavor shine through a little more in the final product.

This could spell trouble

The Sweet:
Chewy, soft texture with a reworked peanut cup hits the right snack spot.

The Bitter:
As a pb fan, I could have took a little more pb flavor. Want to have just one? Haha...good luck!

Conclusion:
I know these are a commercial brand and I've had some fancy cookies as of late, but there's a reason why Chips Ahoy! has been around for such a long time. In addition to that great chewy texture they offer with this line, the variable of pb bits makes this product irresistible for a snacker like me. In the end, I won't be buying this item too often not because it isn't delicious, but I fear they are just too delicious and it will be clear just how much so the next time I'm at the beach.

Video of the Week 
At this point, we've all see videos and pictures of people piled onto bikes, but this family takes it to whole new level. Well, at least they have helmets on, oh wait, they don't have that either.

Just on hanging on the family bike

Bouchon TKO

"Who you calling whoopie pie?"

The Attraction

Someone recently told me that the TKO cookie at Bouchon (a bakery chain) was their favorite cookie. I wasn't really that interested...until I figured out what TKO stood for. When I did....I had to try it!

The Review:
I've been going to Bouchon on and off for years. I've tried various items there, but never this particular cookie. It just didn't jump out and grab me like some of the other treats on the menu. Then one day someone said, "Oh the TKO? It's like their version of an Oreo."

In fact, TKO actually stands for "Thomas Keller Oreo". OK count me in.

I quickly go down to Bouchon and pick one up. Now that I look at it, it makes sense....yes, an Oreo, of course. How could I have not seen it?

I take my "TKO" back to my desk and admire it for a few seconds. A gourmet version of an Oreo. How can they improve upon an Oreo?

I pickup the sizable cookie (it's about the circumference of the top a pint glass) and take bite. The first thing I notice is how the cookie shell is softer or rather, not as crisp as an actual Oreo. As I continue my bite and capture some of that cream center in my mouth, I also can taste that the cream isn't as sweet, but also not as rigid and processed tasting.

This is tricky to describe; the shell isn't as crisp because it's actually fresher. The cookie took on some of the moisture from the cream, which although not as sweet, is a good thing.

Essentially, it taste like a giant homemade Oreo with less sugar in the cream.

This didn't last too long on my desk

The Sweet:
Ironically, it's not as sweet as a regular Oreo and fresher tasting,

The Bitter:
You miss that contrast of the crisp cookie shell against the cream center.

Conclusion:
On it's own, the TKO is a great cookie. Theoretically it's everything I would want in a cookie;
Yes, it's a fresher. Yes it's made with a recipe created by a super well recognized and acclaimed chef. Yes, the cream is not as sweet, yet if we were to do a head to head comparison against an Oreo, despite all those things, there's something about an Oreo that still rings true. Perhaps it's the sweeter cream that reminds me of my childhood or the crisp, firm crack of the cookie shell that yields against the center filling or even the texture on the cookie itself that let's you know it's an Oreo.

There's no mistaking that the TKO is a great cookie, but there's also no mistaking it for an Oreo.

Video of the Week 
People often ask me what I do on the weekends when I'm not reviewing snacks for SneakASnack. Well, wonder no more. Below is a video of what I did this past weekend.

That's me! (the guy on the outside of the glass, maybe)

Momofuku Milk Bar Blueberry and Cream Cookie

Momo who?

The Attraction

One of the wonderful things about the holidays is all the candy and treats that come flowing in and out of the office. One vendor was kind enough to send a basket of assorted cookies from famed chef and restaurateur David Chang. You may know him more from one of his many restaurants in the Northeast States called Momofuku. So granted, I didn't go out and grab this, but I certainty grabbed one when I saw this in the office. With a flavor named "Blueberry and Cream Cookie", how can anyone really resist?

The Review:
I heard that David Chang was opening up a bakery, but I didn't really go out of my way to track it down. I didn't think too much of it as I've been to Momofuku once and although it was good, it didn't make an impression strong enough to burn a hole in my memory, but this cookie on the other hand, it sure looks like it has some potential.

This sucker was big...

I briskly open the clear wrapper housing the tasty looking cookie and waited to see if the smell of blueberries would strike me....it didn't, but that's OK. I carefully slid the cookie out and the first thing I observed is the weight and moisture still in this cookie. Just the appearance of this cookie looked amazing. The blueberries were plentiful and the cookie didn't look overly processed. The only thing left to do was to take a bite.

I carefully break the cookie in two halves only to see a blueberry slowly peel away from one of the halves. Damn, that was sexy! I finally take a bite and the the moisture and blueberry flavor was to be found as advertised. The more I ate it, the less it struck me as a cookie. The Milkbar website touts them this way:

"a cookie that tastes like the top of a blueberry muffin- we take our sugar cookie dough, add bits of milk crumbs & morsel of dried blueberries!"

I can see what they were going for and it's reminiscence of that, but it's hard to duplicate that drier, crispy top of a blueberry muffin. The result is far closer to a blueberry bar....a really tasty blueberry bar.

...and moist!

The Sweet:
Great flavor in a nice sized moist cookie.

The Bitter:
At around $2.50- $3 a cookie, it's nearing the macaroon price range...and who wants to pay that much for a cookie?

Conclusion:
Just hearing the name, Blueberry and Cream Cookie makes my mouth water. As tasty as the name sounds, the cookie itself is able to deliver on those expectations. It's moist and flavorful without overwhelming you with any one single aspect of the cookie (sweetness or blueberry flavor).

Now, that all comes with a hefty price tag. These are about on par as other high end cookies like those from another chef's bakery, Tom Keller's Bouchon or a gourmet bakery like Dean and Deluca, but with a cost per cookie like that, it really has to be something special enough to make the snacker want to come back for it again and again because there simply isn't anything else like it or it is done head and shoulders above everyone else. In this case, it begs the question; instead of paying a premium to buy a cookie that is trying to taste like a muffin, why not just buy a muffin?

This cookie is well made and is delicious, but I would be more eager to sample some of their other cookies to see what new flavors I have yet to ever experience.

Video of the Week

When I take off my shirt,

they seem to look away from me, not at me...weird?

I know historically women, of the two sexes, tend to be objectified and gawked at. Although I don't agree with that reaction from anyone, it's good to know that men aren't exclusive in appreciating the human form as witnessed by this woman's eyes almost exploding out of her head.

Oreos Thins

If you eat enough, you won't be

The Attraction:

Throw the name "Oreo" on anything and you've already got my attention. I've already reviewed other Oreo products here, here and here, so when I saw these "Thins" I was interested, but I thought "Isn't it just more of the same?" How different can a thinner Oreo be? OK, you got me Nabisco, I'm going in.

The Review:
I went in pretty skeptical when I started to open a pack of these Oreo Thins. In fact, I didn't think it was even worth writing about at the time. "It's the same old same old." I thought. Oh well, mind as well just eat it. I pick one up while watching TV and bite in half noticing.

"Whoa"

Why would the people at Oreo put out this product? Is it just a money grab? Is this for people that want to eat Oreos but are weight conscious? Somehow it all made sense when I took that first bite.

By halving the size of the cookie wafers and the cream filling, essentially streamlining it, it somehow makes you enjoy the Oreo more! It was a weird epiphany. Eating these Thins made the original sized Oreos seem clunky, excessive and archaic. With the smaller, thinner cookie, the flavor is delivered much more precisely and you seem to just enjoy the eating experience more overall.

It's like King Kong stepped on an Oreo

The Sweet:

The signature Oreo taste delivered to your taste buds like a laser without the mess.

The Bitter:
If you enjoy twisting off the cookie and eating the cream, there's not as much there. Even though you are getting less "Oreos", you are paying the same price.

Wow, less IS more!

Conclusion:
If I could, I would prefer to have these Oreo Thins over the conventional size. Now, that doesn't mean I still won't enjoy the original Oreos, I certainly will. Perhaps the best analogy I could give would be like eating a lobster vs. eating a lobster tail. When you order a full lobster, there's no arguing that you are getting more of the lobster to enjoy, however when you order a lobster tail, you are able to get a taste of lobster and savor the best part of it....and for many people, that's more than enough.

Video of the Week
For you Sci-Fi fans out there, Fox just released a trailer for a six-episode mini series of the X-Files to begin January of next year. Between this and Star Wars, nerds are going to have the busiest social calendars in decades.

Now only if they would bring back Sledge Hammer!

Lotte Toppo Coffee and Vanilla Ice Cream Flavor

OK, I may have eaten some before I took the photo

The Attraction:
Admittedly, I didn't pick this item up. The little lady grabbed a box of these out of curiosity. I didn't think much about them, but then I thought, why not put them to the SneakASnack test!

The Review
I had no expectations when I tried these. OK, I had low expectations when I tried these. We've all had Pocky up to this point, so I thought this wouldn't be much different from any other knockoff that I've had up to this point. How different could it be? As much as I enjoy an occasional Pocky myself, what else needed to be said?

Lotte has always been one of my trusted brands for snacks. Though I may not love every single offering they have, their products are always made with high quality and care. Even with that, I casually grabbed a stick of Toppo thinking it would just be a throw away snack for the moment. When I picked it up, I did notice that it was thicker and denser than a Pocky. About twice the weight. I thought that was odd. There was a smell of coffee, which I'm not even a fan of, but I how bad can one stick taste? Here goes nothing...

I bite in and as advertised, there is a coffee and vanilla flavor, but it's well balanced. The coffee flavor is present, but not overwhelmingly so. There's enough to know it's there and the vanilla flavor helps mellow it out. Also surprisingly, the stick itself is not like a cracker; it's not dry on the inside. It's moister, more like the outside of a Fig Newton in the middle, but with a crisper shell. Other than being in stick form, these are not like Pocky at all!

I'm like a reverse Pocky!

The Sweet:

Great coffee flavor, without the bitterness, balanced out nicely with the vanilla ice cream component. Moist may not be quite the right word for it, but it is not dry, which gives you a nice texture when you bite into it.

Doesn't look like much, but don't let that fool you

The Bitter:
Coffee lovers may want a stronger "hit" of coffee flavor.

Conclusion:
I'm not a fan of coffee flavored anything, so you can imagine my own surprise how much I enjoyed this product. Sometimes letting go of expectations is the best thing you can do. In the case of Lotte's Coffee and Vanilla Ice Cream Toppo, it was just what I needed to let go of what I thought I knew and be pleasantly rewarded with this new snack discovery.

Video of the Week
I've been to several massage spas in my day, but never have I gotten the full array of spa treatments like Conan O'Brien... and after seeing this, I may never want to.

This was my favorite part!

Khong Guan Custard Cream Biscuits

The Attraction:
Almost anything sandwiched with a cream filling at the minimum gets a moment of consideration. I remember eating these awhile back. They have since changed the packaging. I wonder if anything else has changed...

The Review
Khong Guan, much like the Singapore version of Nabisco here in the US, makes a many assorted varieties of snacks and cookies. One of them, the Custard Cream Biscuit, was my first introduction to the Khong Guan brand several years ago. I was a fan because the cookie wasn't overly sweet, complicated or gimmicky. It was just a simply tasty cookie. When I noticed the recent repackaging of their product lines, I wanted to revisit the cookie that I once loved. Did the new packaging come with a change to the recipe I had grown to love in my youth? "Hope they don't mess this up", I thought.

Upon first inspection of the cookies, everything looks identical. I take my first bite; hmm...the outer shell still has the simple sweet that I can recall, but as I keep chewing, something seems different. The cream finally interacts with my first bite. This cookie seems drier than I remember. Could I have grown out of liking this cookie? Has my taste buds become less acute.....no! After I take a second bite, it dawns on me......they put in less custard cream! Are they mad!?

The "old school package"
Who knew that wouldn't be the only thing that would change

The Sweet:
Still a very simple sandwich cream cookie that has a outer shell cookie that are slightly reminiscent of shortbread that is still tasty in itself. You could probably enjoy it on it's own. The custard cream (I'm not sure why they call it custard) is a perfect pairing with the outer cookie, except...

The Bitter:
... not enough cream! By lessening the amount of cream they place into each cookie, it has dramatically changed the product, and not in a good way. The biscuits now seem drier and well.....rather ordinary.

Conclusion:
The reduction of cream in each cookie has thrown the balance off on this once delightful product. The dance in your mouth between the cream and cookie shell was perfect. Now, it seems that the cookie exterior is doing more of a solo with a cream cameo.

Imagine if you will, an Oreo. Now take said Oreo and remove about 33% to 50% of the cream middle out. See how the cookie just seems drier and well....just not seem like an Oreo? That's what happened here. Hopefully someone at Khong Guan notices how popular the cream part is in the biscuit and right this epic wrong. Besides, how well would you think a "half-stuffed" Oreo cookie would be? Probably about as popular as this cookie is with me. Unless the cream comes back, I won't.

Video of the Week
You know, this time of year, it's important to remember all your friends, love ones and most of all, family. No other group of people in your life will be sure to send you immediately into years of therapy.

Meanwhile, joy is being spread to a family in Asia

Arnott's Tim Tam Vanilla

Tim Tam, but will I thank you, Ma'am?

The Attraction:
Almost 2 years ago, I reviewed Arnott's Caramel version of Tim Tam's cookies, so with my love of flavor variations of familiar products, it was a natural attraction when I saw the vanilla version of these treats. Even better was that I didn't have to commit to a full size package (and price) to sample these cookies. In the bag it goes...

The Review
One could say that Arnott's is the Australian equivalent to the United State's Nabisco or Keebler, a company known for putting out tasty savory and sweet treats for over a century like their US counterparts. One of Arnott's flagship products, if not their flagship product, is Tim Tam. They come in various flavors, but this will be the first time I will be sampling their vanilla offering. Like the caramel version I tried earlier, even the smaller package comes carefully packed with spacers in the tray to prevent sticking and crushing of the chocolate covered cookies. (Although frankly, I may have preferred to have an extra cookie or four squeezed in there to forego the thoughtful packaging). First bite; same crunch and rush of chocolate flavor as the caramel version, but this time with a white cream in the middle. The results of the "new twist" on an old favorite? Blah. Perhaps my expectations were misguided; I was hoping for actually vanilla flavor, not just a white cream. Either way, the cream seems rather inconsequential. It didn't bring anything to the flavor party, well actually, if anything, it took the place of caramel or the original chocolate filling, which was much more satisfying and added something to the finished product rather than was just inserted and seems rather neutral to the item, like the vanilla cream.

"Hello, Sexy!"

The Sweet:
At the core, it's still a Tim Tam, but really, when you take away the customary chocolate cream, it's a whole lot less tastier than the original. There's really not to much to like about this item.

"It's not you, it's me....OK, it's really you"

The Bitter:
If I never had a Tim Tam previous to trying this vanilla version, I wouldn't try another Tim Tam again. That's how unimpressive I was with this product. It's not that it was bad, per se, it was just indistinguishable from any other "so-so" chocolate covered cookie. (I may be nice in saying this item is considered "so-so").

Conclusion:
Take a regular Tim Tam, take away the chocolaty cream filling and substitute with a white flavored cream that you can't taste and this is what you get. I assume the "vanilla" in this product refers to the color of the cream, because it certainly didn't taste of anything.

This flavor detour falls flat and is a boring deviation that detracts from the lore of the legendary Tim Tam line. Save your money and stick with either the original or the "Twix" like caramel variation.

Video of the Week
If you are cheap like me, you like to find different ways to save money and make things on your own. That's what this kid and his Dad had in mind when they tried to make sparkling wine from regular red wine. Can't imagine what could possibly go wrong.

"I'm such a genius for figuring out how to save time and money!"

Oreo Mini Peanut Butter

"Mini, unlike my belly"

The Attraction:
I was always curious about some of the alternate flavor of Oreos, but sometimes didn't want to commit to buying a whole pack of Oreos in case I didn't like it or felt obligated to eat the whole thing. Well, worry no more, thanks to this snack portion "Big Bag" I am now able to sample Nabisco's new offerings without the guilt. For 88 cents, even if it was awful, it was only 88 cents. OK, count me in.

The Review
I can barely contain myself when I saw a basket of these at the local grocery store. Being a fan of peanut butter and Oreos, it was a no-brainer. I take these mofos home and tear open the bag and the smell of peanut butter fills the air. Being a smaller portion also helped me feel less guilty about it all, so I jump in with complete abandonment. Even at the smaller size, the flavor is familiar. With the twist of pb in the middle, I find that it actually isn't as sweet as a conventional Oreo. The peanut butter flavored cream brought to mind a "Nutter Butter", but still not as sweet (which is a good thing) and also not as peanut buttery (also another good thing in this case).

"I am a dime-sized dynamo"

The Sweet:
Nabisco knows it's cookies...and they are smart to continue to experiment with different flavors with one of their signature lines, the Oreo. This iteration with a peanut butter filling is a nice combination. It doesn't overwhelm you with pb flavor and strikes just the right balance. The slight saltiness of the pb cream helps tame the sweetness of the cookie shell and vice-versa. This "Big Bag" size with the minis is the perfect amount.

Just the right size..and portion.

The Bitter:
Although I enjoyed this product, I wouldn't say it's good enough for me to go out and buy a pack of the full size version. This size and portion is just enough for me. Would I buy this "snack size" portion again? That I would, but the larger version may be too much of a good thing for me.

Conclusion:
I love that Nabisco offers these smaller portion size servings. Although I'm sure it's more to give the ability to the public to grab a smaller, portable size package of it's products, I use it more as a chance to sample the products without the full commitment of purchasing the larger serving of an item. How does this variation compare to the original, you may ask? I think what in part makes the original so good is the sweetness of the cream filling and although I noted that I find it good that this item isn't as sweet, it also makes it less memorable. I also think it is a balancing act since there are so many other items Nabisco offers with similar flavor combinations.Too much peanut butter flavor, you lose the Oreo essence of the cookie and you think solely of a Nutter Butter, too weak of a peanut butter flavor, you risk alienating Reese's fans that purchased this item to get a hit of PB in their mouth. I think they took this item as far as they could while being true to the brands associated to it. It's good enough to eat, not good enough to obsess over.

Video of the Week
This one goes back a bit, but I just discovered it. Tired of the same ole same ole when you are at home eating? Try one of these combos and let me know how it goes. Some sound ok, others, I don't get...like the one below..but I might just try anyway. Who else, but Buzzfeed would think of such a thing?

This sounds....dangerous

Moon Pie Peanut Butter

"I do not get promotional consideration for reviewing
all these Moon Pie items, but I'm open to it!"

The Attraction:
When I see the name "Moon Pie", my eyes automatically widen and I focus on the product. (As if you couldn't imagine that with all the reviews I have of their products). That's how much I enjoy most of their products. I also dig peanut butter. Consider my taste buds ready to roll when I brought this little prize home.

The Review
I was a bit apprehensive at first with this item. Despite being a fan of the original Moon Pies, as well as the their Banana Mini Moon Pie offering, I thought their Mini Mint Moon Pie was a misstep. With that said, I was curious to see how the Mini Peanut Butter Moon Pie would fair. As I slid the cookie out, I could tell immediately that the cookie was following suit like the Mini Mint Moon Pie by using a crunchy shell covered with chocolate. I wasn't too sure how I felt about that. It brought me flashbacks of how much I didn't care for the Mini Mint Moon Pie partially because of the crunchy cookie they used. "Let's just try and see", I thought. I dug in and as I suspected, there was a crunchy cookie under that chocolate coating and then the creamy peanut butter inside found it's way to my palate. Hmm...it tasted familiar. It wasn't like the filling of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, in which I love. It was creamier. Then it dawned on me; the filling is like that of a Girl Scout Tagalong. For the record, I love Tagalongs. I think you can see where I'm going with this.

I'm like an adopted Moon Pie

The Sweet:
The peanut butter filling works really well with the crunchy cookie shell. The hard cookie adds a needed contrasts against the creamy peanut butter filling. Without it, the cookie may have been too "goopy". The best way to describe this snack is take a Girl Scout Tagalong add another chocolate crunchy cookie on top, and you have a Peanut Butter Moon Pie. The result is a delicious paring of peanut butter and chocolate.

Peek-a-boo! I see you

The Bitter:
These may be discontinued. I don't see them on the company's site anymore. Maybe Cracker Barrel will have a stash of them...I hope.

Conclusion:
Whereas the Mini Mint Moon Pie failed because I believe it disappointed fans that it didn't have some of the signature characteristics of a Moon Pie, this variation although also doesn't have those characteristics, seems to want to stand on it's own and proclaim that it's nothing like a traditional Moon Pie. Other than shape, chocolate coating and the actual name, there aren't many similarities. If it wasn't for the packaging itself, you could easily forget that you are eating a "Moon Pie" product. This item would have been strong enough to have it's own line within another snack company (like Keebler or Nabisco). I think it's a bit misleading to call it a "Moon Pie" since there isn't a marshmallowy center or an airy top and bottom cookie to contain it. Forget what you know about Moon Pies when you try this item and have none of those expectations. What you may find in the end is just one damn tasty snack, regardless of it's name.

Video of the Week
Not a food related item this week, however it may very well make you lose your lunch. I present you with Female Ice JJ Fish with her heartfelt rendition of John Legend's "All of Me". In addition to having a super catchy stage name, I wasn't quite sure if she was singing in English until the 2nd or 3rd time I watched the video (the things I do for this blog). She reminds me of Rihanna minus the talent, looks and charisma.

"Allllll of meeee, wants to drown all of her.."