Thursday, September 19, 2013

Treats of the week: The New Hostess line


While the push of this blog was to try and enjoy new fruits, cheeses and libations, once in a while I like to kick back and try some processed junk food.  When Hostess closed down all of their factories in November of 2012, I was pretty devastated.  These gas station regulars were ever-present and always tasty.  Sure, between the sugar high and the fat bomb, they would have eventually killed me.  But what's better, dying of "old" or dying of enjoying Ho-Hos?

A new corporation, Apollo Global Management, bought the rights to produce Hostess products.  Last month they unveiled the new line, which included many of the old favorites.  Some products were smaller in size.  More products were being sold in multipack boxes, rather than single-serving.  The company also created a new recipe with a longer shelf-life, in order to get retailers to jump on board the Hostess train, right away.

How does one increase shelf life anyway?  Let's find out...

 
Cherry Pie: This treat looked smaller than I remember, but the weight on the packaging was the same.  Perhaps the old pies were flatter, and these pies are a bit rounder?  The taste was pretty bad.  The crust was grainy and reminiscent of cardboard (in flavor).  The filling was the right texture, but there were very few cherries.  This was definitely not a "best foot forward."  It's only been since November since I have had the original formula, so I am not romanticizing here.



Twinkies (yes, I had to buy a whole box):  These look the same, but in actuality are a bit smaller (38.5g versus 44g).  The mouth feel and texture were spot on.  There was less filling than I recall, but it tasted and felt right.  The initial flavor was perfect, but there was a weird chemical aftertaste.  It also left an obvious film in my mouth, that I literally had to rinse out.  The aftertaste lasted for at least 5-minutes.  Since these cakes have a 45-day shelf life, versus the 26-day shelf life of Twinkies Classic, one could deduce where the chemical aftertaste comes from...



Ho-Ho's:  This breaks my heart.  The crown jewel of Hostess treats.  All other swiss rolls pale in comparison, and I have tried them all.  This new cake has a weird salty front-flavor and the same chemical aftertaste as Twinkies.  The chocolate coating, cake and filling had the right textures, and the middle flavor was approximately as it should be.  But, it isn't the same.  It's not as bad as Little Debbies yet, but that preservative flavor really turns me off.



Cupcakes:  The closest of the bunch in matching flavor and texture.  While the cupcakes still have a weird salty flavor in the first bite, after that they are what you would expect from Hostess cupcakes.  A nice waxy frosting.  Delicious, soapy filling.  Moist, chocolate-flavored cake.  Yum.


 

BOTTOM LINE:  The new increased preservative content creates a weird foretaste or aftertaste in all of these products.  You might not think "quality snacks" when it comes to the Hostess line, but these treats are pretty awful.  If you're going to eat something bad for you, it may as well taste decent and not contain so many chemical additives.  Head over to your local bakery and get something better.
  

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Cheese of the Week: Quadrello di Bufala

Name: Quadrello di Bufala

Brand: None listed

Place of Purchase: Wegman's in Clay, NY

Country of Origin: Italy

Price in New York: $11.99/lb.

Milk: pasteurized water buffalo

Processing: Washed rind and cave-aged for about 2 months

Texture: semi-soft

Color: cream white

Rind: Bloom

Aroma: strong dairy; very bloomy

Taste: Mild diary.  Salty.  Tart.  Mushroomy notes in the background.  Cream.

Mouth-feel: Buttery and rich.

Notes:  I was hoping for something similar to Casatica di Bufalo, which is a much milder, buttery cheese.  The Quadrello is pungent, but not overwhelming.  This aroma makes it into the flavor of the paste, but it is not the primary flavor.  The sweet dairy notes are in the foreground, which some interesting mushroom/woody flavors playing backup.  This is a rich cheese, thanks to the buffalo milk.  If you're looking for a richer cheese with some depth, this cheese would make a nice solo cheese plate.  I would suggest a crisp accompaniment, like fresh grapes or green apples.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Libation of the week: Hawthorn Berry Drink

Name: Hawthorn Berry Drink

 
BrandAsian Taste

Place of Purchase: Asian Supermarket in Syracuse, NY

Country/Region of Origin: China

Tasting Conditions: Chilled in a glass 

Price in New York: $1.99 for 500mL

Description: Hawthorn berry drink is pretty much the only English on the can besides the Nutritional information sticker.

Flavor:  Slightly smokey, tangy, reminiscent of sweet orange and plum
 
Mouth-feel: Like a nectar, thick but without pulp

Aroma: Smokey, like barbeque or huitlacoche

Notes: This can sat in my fridge for a while.  I wasn't sure what to expect, so I was hesitant.  When I finally opened the can and got my first waft of the smokey aroma, I was taken aback.  Still, I poured and sipped.  The smokey flavor is not as strong as the aroma, but it is still present in the juice.  The fruity flavors in the juice are a citrus tang and a warm plum or peach.  Overall, it's a nice drink, once you get past the aroma.

Considering that hawthorn berries are considered very heart-healthy and may help to alleviate ulcers, there may be other reasons to seek out this drink beyond the flavor.