One of the blogs I read is called "Cheap Eats", and occasionally it will review dollar store finds with all of the expected results. Back home, they are the sort of things that one would fear to eat like knock-off Spaghetti-Os (all of the horror, none of the brand name comfort). I'm sure all countries have their own versions of highly suspicious dollar store finds.
I am "fortunate" in that there is a shop which specializes in such things next to a discount green grocer that I frequent. This is the sort of place that is selling Halloween candy around Christmas and that often stocks special Pepsi releases long after they have vacated all the other store shelves. Clearly, they are the repository for soon to expire goods, but their prices are pretty impressive. It was at this particular shop that I was enticed by these "corn bo (stick)" snacks. A six-pack, each with 3 sticks in it, was a mere 69 yen (84 cents). Even by kid's snacks standards, this was a bargain. Most of these things are about 20 yen in convenience stores so I'm getting them at close to half price.
Normally, I might not go out and buy an unsampled food in abundance in a multi-pack, but I've had these types of bo snacks before, and it's rare that they are not palatable. It's even rarer that I have a bad experience with something which couples the awesomeness of corn and the seductive allure of cheese. Saying that makes me think that I should be writing ad copy for the makers of this product.
When you open one of the foil packets, you can smell both the corn base and the fake powdery cheese which is modestly coating them. Each is about 2/3 of the length of a #2 pencil and relatively fat and puffy. The tubes of corn snack are crispy and light, though I also thought that they seemed just a tiny bit stale. That is, they were marginally soft, but that could be simply the way they were made rather than a reflection of their age. Note that the expiration date on the bag was for June of 2011.
The taste was very much in line with what I'd expected. They are lightly flavored with cheese and carry a good basic corn flavor. They are easy to bite into and have a satisfying crunch and decent level of saltiness. They aren't as intense as some types of snacks in this genre, but they are for kids so that's not surprising.
Though these are absolutely not the best thing since Planter's Cheez Balls (which we all worship posthumously), they're a solid bit of salty treat at only 93 calories a bag and for a price that can't be beat. They're a great thing to have on hand or toss in your lunch bag for cravings or to accompany a sandwich. Sure, I wish they were a just a little crispier, a little cheesier and a tiny bit saltier, but for this price range, I'd definitely buy them again.
6 comments:
I have yet to be disappointed with Japanese corn-flavory "Cheese Puffs"-type snacks.
Though I do try to avoid eating snacks much these days, if I do indulge these kinds of things are on my short list.
Snacking in Japan is one of the great simple joys (especially the sembei and manju). I hope you won't deny yourself too often, as the experience puts you in touch with the curve of the Japanese palate. All things in moderation and both the body and spirit will reward you. :-)
Thanks for commenting!
Haha, thanks Orchid. I do allow myself this kind of thing now and then, but I have some winter weight to lose now that it's getting warmer...so we'll see. ;)
I had no idea this was available in Japanese too! It used to be one of my favorite snacks in Singapore. They were only 20 cents! I liked them with some kind of spicy MSG-laden seasoning. lol.
My roommate brought some of these back for me and I hate them but he seems to absolutely love them.
Hi, Mira, and thanks for your comment!
What is it that you hate? The texture, taste, smell? I'm just curious.
Different people have different tastes! :-) I'm guessing your roommate and I might be simpatico on this front. ;-)
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