T-Pops Nori Toasted Seaweed Popcorn

  Seaweed you say? We will "sea" about that?
(See what I did there?)

The Attraction

I've seen this bag of popcorn on the shelves for awhile down where I usually shop for Asian groceries, but I was reluctant to plunk down my hard earned $3 for it. Maybe it seemed too gimmicky to me initially, but as I saw it week in and week out and it wore me down. "What on earth must this taste like? Can it possibly be good?"

The Review:
I actually have had this bag in my snack cupboard for awhile. Even after buying weeks ago, it just didn't draw enough interest from me to be excited to try it.

"T-Pops Popcorn and seaweed or Cheez-Its? I guess Cheez-Its it will be!"

Then finally the little lady asked me if she should chuck the bag of popcorn out.

Admitted, I was thinking hard about it. I eventually relented and decided to sample it for even if it was a hellish flavor disaster (like I very well knew it could be), I would have a good snack review out of it. So, yes, I was very excited to try this product. (no, I wasn't. That was sarcasm.)

Interesting combo, no?

I picked up a few popped kernels and dig in. The flavor of the nori quickly reminded me as to why I do enjoy it. It's not just a seafood like taste or only salty, but there are multiple dimensions to it. It also brings some of that roasted seaweed flavor, a slight sweetness and that good old Asian umami flavor.

Throw in any respectable popcorn makers crispy popcorn like T-Pops did and you have yourself a multi-layer snacking experiencing. Good flavor + right texture = potential snack overload.

No, it's not pesto. It's really seaweed!

I pick up a few more pieces to confirm the flavor I'm experiencing and before I know it, the bag is almost gone. Damn you, nori. You reeled me in again

The Sweet:
Surprisingly addictive. Not as odd of a combination as you might think

The Bitter:
Not the easiest snack to find in town. Have to enjoy nori (seaweed) a little to enjoy this.

Conclusion:
Yes, seaweed and popcorn go together like Martha Stewart and Snoop Dog. Not the most obvious or even initially appealing combination, but somehow T-Pops make it work. The nori adds a complexity to the popcorn far more than one might expect. The seaweed doesn't simply just make the popcorn savory, it also adds some toasted notes in addition to some sweet little bits of something along the way.

I would go another round with a bag of T-Pops Nori Toasted Seaweed Popcorn. Probably more so than watching another episode of Snoop and Martha.

Video of the Week

Sign O' the Times

It wasn't that long ago that China and North Korea were pals, but with the leader of N. Korea showing off his military wares as of late, it has put a strain on the relationship. So much so that a new bridge tying the two countries together was put on hold indefinitely. I could have used some of that 350 million. 

Bonchi Rice Cracker Sweet

"Eat me meow!"

The Attraction

Maybe it was the cute cat looking cartoon artwork on the outside or maybe the idea that this bag of goodies came to us via Japan, but whatever the reason, it casually found it's way into our shopping cart. Can this unassuming snack capture our snack heart?  

The Review:
I had no idea what the deal was with these "rice crackers". I just knew they are made of rice and probably crispy. I would probably venture to guess that these are also sweet, but I'm not sure. (This was before I read the english translation on the label stuck on the back of the bag.) Either way, a surprise is waiting for me inside or so I hope.

I was unable to open the bag as usual, so I was forced to tear the bag open. I hate that. I'm not sure why, but maybe cause I feel like I won't be able to close the bag again? Well, anyway, as the bag opens, I take a deep inhale and smell an oily-fried smell. Yes, maybe not the most welcoming smell, but there it was. I peer in and see these sexy little cubes of rice crackers with a slight glaze that catches the light just so to make it look even more appetizing.

Don't we just look so sexy

This is confusing; the smell wasn't so great, yet the visuals are pretty awesome, but as we all know, it always boils down to the taste.

I take a cube and bite into it. There'a serious crunch to these. That at least semi-justifies the oily smell. Flavor-wise, there is something very familiar about it. After having another 2 pieces, I finally can pin it down; it taste like kettle corn! I do like kettle corn and these are crunchier, which I do like, but why pay a premium to have something that taste like something else that is much cheaper? Maybe that's my frugal snack side coming through.  Let me look at the cat on the bag again to make me feel better.....ommmmm.

Down the hatch you go!

The Sweet:
Good crunch and light sweet flavor

The Bitter:
Taste like kettle corn, so why not save a few bucks and just get kettlecorn?

Conclusion:
You know, my only complaint, if you want to call it that, is that these Bonchi Rice Crackers taste pretty much like a crunchier version of kettle corn. Now, if you are fan of kettle corn, but always wanted them crunchier, well, your ship has come in and it's on a boat call Bonchi Rice Cracker Sweet. For me, even though they taste fine, they barely register on the snack quake scale. I'm looking for something that will at least break a few dishes and knock some pictures off the wall. Unfortunately, this comes off more like a truck rumbling by your house.

Video of the Week 

Working on it!

Smartfood Popcorn Cinnamon Brown Sugar

Pop it like it's hot

The Attraction:

While strolling the snack aisle on my work break, I came across this shiny, red bag of potential snack goodness. I love popcorn, cinnamon and brown sugar. Can this be too good to be true? 

The Review:
The good people at Smartfood have been making popcorn standards like White Cheddar and Movie Theater Butter for awhile now, but recently I've been seeing some flavors like this one sneaking into the mainstream, perhaps to slowly dip their toe into the off-the-beaten-path flavor pool like many other snack brands.

Upon opening the bag, the smell of cinnamon comes wafting out of the bag. That's a good start. I pickup a piece of popcorn and go in for the kill. There's that cinnamon flavor on the front end and it's accompanied nicely with the sweetness of the brown sugar, but it's not as sweet as I thought it would be. Maybe it could be a little sweeter. It is a bit reminiscent of a cinnamon based cereal. Before you conclude that bite, towards the end there is an interesting savory note. It's a subtle savory butter flavor. "What? Where did that come from?", I think to myself. Then the cinnamon after effects kick in and your mouth feels like you have cotton mouth . Why must cinnamon be so delicious, yet dry your mouth like this! Oddly enough, a few more pieces later, I didn't have that experience. Maybe some of the cinnamon shifted into one spot?

If you stare long enough, you will see the face
of your future spouse, if your spouse was made of popcorn

The Sweet:

The light fluffy popcorn isn't overly aggressive with it's sweetness.

The Bitter:
The cinnamon leaves your mouth feeling dry. The slightly buttery finish confused me.

"Who you calling a Cracker Jack?"

Conclusion:
I'm on the fence on this one. It's a well made product that you can tell some attention was paid to it in development. The buttery finish, the nice sized popcorn pieces, the measured amount of sweetness applied...it all points to care in a quality product. With that, it all boils down to flavor, snacking experience and my true test; would I actively pursue this snack to get more of it?  I regretfully say "Nay".

Video of the Week
Back in the day, I used to love riding roller coasters. Then one day I rode one and I had the worst headache after it. Since then, I've not been able to handle anything beyond the bumper cars. For those folks feeling a bit more frisky and just happen to be in Germany, I present to you a spinning car on a roller coaster!

Why not add some snakes while we are at it?

Trader Joe's Baconesque White Cheddar Popcorn

Does everything taste better with bacon?

The Attraction:

With a name like "Baconesque White Cheddar Popcorn" is there really much more to explain? This combination of words is a close second to "Ice Cream Doughnut Holes" to guarantee my pulse to pickup a few beats. (PS don't steal my idea)

The Review
Trader Joe's is a popular grocery chain here in the States that sell their own brand of products. A majority of which is targeted towards the health conscience crowd. That doesn't necessarily mean a "health food" store, but it's geared more towards using wholesome ingredients and less artificial additives. What's great about Trader Joe's is that eating this way doesn't mean a snack death sentence. They have fun with it and this is where a product like this comes in.

Crack open the bag and there is no particularly decipherable smell of bacon that is present. I do get a hint of that cheddar cheese smell, which is quite the pleasant aroma to a cheese lover like me. I grab a few pieces of popcorn and go for it. The 'baconesque" flavor actually leads the charge on this item (it's actually more smoky then bacon flavored) and then it manages to work in the cheddar flavor into your taste buds. I grab a couple of more to pinpoint exactly what I'm tasting.

The flavor isn't quite bacon-ish to me. It's more of a smoked ham note. I know it may sound like I'm splitting hairs here, but that is more accurate, I would say. To be exact, it's quite reminiscence of a smoked gouda cheese I have had occasionally.

Looks like regular popcorn...

The Sweet:

The cheddar and smoky flavor are really good!

The Bitter:
Not quite baconesque.

...but doesn't taste like regular popcorn!

Conclusion:
No, Trader Joe's doesn't quite hit the bulls-eye in the naming of this product, but I can understand why. "Hamesque White Cheddar Popcorn" doesn't sound as appealing. I've already documented how tricky it can be to try to recreate "meat" flavored snacks previously and although this item doesn't capture the bacon-flavor in my opinion, what they do have is one delicious smoky-cheese flavored snack that I will gladly pickup the next time I find myself at a Trader Joe's.

Video of the Week
Niagara Falls, Las Vegas, Florida, Italy, Hawaii, whatever. Want a honeymoon spot that will provide years of memories and conversation? How about acclaimed street artist Banky's Dismaland? Even a map here. Think of all the "happy" memories you'll take with you after your visit.

Happiest place on earth...isn't here