Triko Garlic Green Peas

See Mom, I'm eating my vegetables

The Attraction:
I've been wanting to try some snacks that weren't so carb heavy in case I wanted to have a late night craving or after dinner snack. I already eat cashews occasionally (and everyone knows how tasty those already are), so I was trying to locate a snack that would work for those late day situations. When I came across this from Triko, a Taiwanese brand, I thought this would fit the bill nicely.

The Review
Several years back, wasabi peas were the rage. I don't eat those too much these days, but I thought these garlic flavored ones would be a good reason to try peas again. When I opened the packaging, I noticed that unlike the wasabi variety I used to buy, these followed suite of some of the other snacks from Asia I've tried recently; individually portioned packs. Although a costlier process and not quite as eco-friendly, it makes sense to do this for some snacks to help maintain the freshness of the product and to preserve certain characteristics of the item after opening the initial packaging. I proceed to tear open the smaller pack and pour some peas into my hand. I pop a handful of them into my mouth and the garlic flavor promised on the labeling on the outside bag rings true. Next as I chomp down, it's clear that these peas have a great crisp crunch to them. (all the more reason why the individually wrapped portions make sense) After about another 2 handfuls, the small bag is completely empty. What's a guy to do? That's right, open another one..

A package within a package

The Sweet:
Garlic flavor combined with a nice crunch has worked for many an item; potato chips, croutons and crackers. It's a tried and true formula. Why not peas as well? Keeping to that recipe, these peas deliver the goods. A tasty garlic flavor, without being overpowering, combined with a mouth satisfying crunch as you crush these peas with your teeth. Honestly, you can barely tell you are eating a pea because they are flavored so well. You'd be hard pressed to not eat more than one portioned pack of these.

Come to daddy

The Bitter:
If you have some sort stigma in your head about eating a vegetable as a pleasurable snack (even one that doesn't taste much like itself), you may be resistant to trying these peas. That would be too bad, as they may change your opinion on things. Although technically still a pea, I wouldn't eat these and try convince myself that it's just as good for you as eating a celery or a carrot.

Conclusion:
Granted, these should not be confused as some sort of a "health food" item, it offers snackers a nice change of pace from the majority of potato based savory snacks available in grocery store snack aisles. Recently, my mainstay of snack items seem to be potato chips and cashews. After trying these flavorful peas, they very well may round off the trifecta of savory snacks in my kitchen pantry

Video of the Week
My bud Grace sent me this baby as she seems to have a weird fixation with the 5lb bag of gummy bears that Amazon offers. It's slowly becoming a thing of legend as based upon the reviews of people that have bought them. (unfortunately, not legendary in a good way). Check out the video below of a Youtuber named LA Beast that takes on many food challenges and documents them all for the world to see. You may want to fast forward to the 11:15 mark to see the "fireworks".

"For my next trick, I will make a 5 lb bag of gummy bears disappear"