Yakult Probiotic Beverage Review

Not really an Asian snack so much as an everywhere in the world BUT the United States snack, Yakult is a probiotic drink that's especially popular throughout Asia, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

• Texture: A very nice palate cleansing tartness, not creamy or filmy like other milk products. Rating: 10 out of 10.


• Flavor: Nice and tart with a fragrant flavor that tastes like a tart creamsicle. Rating: 8 out of 10.


• Packaging: These come in little plastic 'milk bottles' that are about 3 inches tall. The peach colored body and red foil lid of the jar is a classic design that's common to all forms of Yakult, no matter what region they happen to come from. However, similar drinks made in China, Taiwan, and Korea mimic the Yakult packaging to trick unsuspecting buyers. Don't be duped! Rating: 8 out of 10.
  
  
• Availability: I rarely find Yakult in the U.S., even at grocery stores. Most of the time I find Chinese/Korean/Taiwan knockoffs at Asian grocery stores. I have found Yakult (manufactured in Mexico) in some Japanese markets. Rating: 3 out of 10.
  
  
• Origins: Depends on where you're located. If you're in the U.S., chances are that your Yakult will be from Mexico. If you're in Europe, it'll probably be from the U.K. If you're in Japan, it'll be made in Japan and if you're in China, it'll probably be made in China. Check your packaging! Rating: 0 out of 10.

Technorati Tags: yakult, probiotic, asian, junk food, snacks, beverage

Chocolate Fingers by Garden Co. Review

Yet another snack from the good people of Garden Co., these finger cookies are chocolate covered cookies that can be described as less sweet versions of 'Finger' by Cadbury

• Texture: Very crispy and light cookie center which snaps and breaks cleanly. Rating: 10 out of 10.


• Flavor: A slightly sweet vanilla shortbread cookies covered in chocolate.  Not too creamy, nor is it sweet enough to make your mouth ache. Rating: 8 out of 10.


• Packaging: These come in little plastic gift bags and each cookie is wrapped up like old fashioned candies. Rating: 10 out of 10.
  
  
• Availability: I rarely see Cadbury Fingers in the US much less Garden Fingers.  Good luck on finding these (tell me if you do!). Rating: 0 out of 10.
  
  
• Origins: Garden is a very famous and well established baked goods company (like Hostess or Wonderbread) in Hong Kong.  They are best known for their white bread, cookies, and crackers.  Anybody who's been in the general vacinity of the bakery has smelled the welcoming aroma of fresh baked bread.  Their manufacturing practices are pretty open and public tours through their bakery are often given. Rating: 10 out of 10.

Technorati Tags: garden, cookies, chocolate, asian, snacks, junk food, hong kong, chinese

Azuki (Red) Bean Ice Cream

A popular treat in Asian countries and the Pacific Islands, red bean
ice cream is always a wonderful treat. The only way I can describe the
flavor of red bean ice cream to those who have never tasted it is
something between vanilla, cream, strawberries, and cotton candy. There is nothing
'beany' or gritty about azuki bean ice cream

• Texture: A good azuki bean ice cream like that made by maeda-en of California will be creamy smooth like a good Haagen Dazs with bits of soft red beans dispersed throughout. Rating: 10 out of 10.
• Flavor: A blend of vanilla, cream, strawberries, and cotton candy that can only be described as comforting and homey. Rating: 10 out of 10.
• Packaging: Most commercially available azuki bean ice cream in the US come in rather plain looking ice cream cartons. There may be pictures of red beans and the package will most likely be maroon colored. Just look for the phrases 'azuki', 'adzuki', or more commonly 'red bean'. Rating: 5 out of 10.
  
• Availability: I've seen red bean deserts in practically all the Asian grocery stores I've been to. Chinese stores will tend to have Chinese brand red bean popsicles rather than ice cream. Japanese stores will generally have azuki bean ice cream or even mochi ice cream if you're lucky. Rating: 7 out of 10.
  
• Origins: Maeda-en ice cream is made in Irvine, California so it's safe to eat. Rating: 10 out of 10.

Technorati Tags: japanese, chinese, asian, ice cream, red bean, azuki, dessert

Tohato Caramel Corn

Tohato Caramel Corn Snacks are basically cheese puffs that aren't cheese flavored.  These corn snacks come in a variety of flavors with the original being Caramel Corn.  Just imagine corn puff shaped caramel covered popcorn...mmm...

• Texture: If you get your hands on a fresh bag, then the corn puffs are always light, airy, and crispy.  The outside is coated with a crunchy caramelized coating of sugar which provides a nice contrasting crunch to the softer corn grit insides. Afterwards, the snack quickly disintegrates and melts in your mouth.  A perfect light afternoon snack. Rating: 10 out of 10.


• Flavor: Very yummy flavors including Caramel Corn, Chocolate, Matcha (green tea), Mango Pudding, Strawberry, Vanilla Ice, Chestnut, Honey Roasted Nuts, Almond, and other flavors. Surprisingly, all of the flavors are quite pleasing and none of them taste like disgusting artificial flavors.  Also there's no funky corn grits aftertaste. Rating: 10 out of 10.


• Packaging: Tohato Caramel Corn come in short brightly colored bags with a cute face in the middle.  There are also special  bags designed for holidays like boy's festival and christmas. For some reason I can't explain, the packages remind me of an owl... Rating: 10 out of 10.


• Availability: This is a very common snack and can be found at almost all Asian grocery stores. Rating: 8 out of 10.


• Origins: 100% made in Japan! Rating: 10 out of 10.

Technorati Tags: snacks, tohato, japanese, caramel corn, junk food, asian

Vitasoy Soya Bean Milk

What kid from Hong Kong doesn't like Vitasoy Soy Milk? This stuff is like the asian version of nesquik. Vitasoy comes in plain, chocolate, malt, coconut, honeydew, and now mocha flavor. Note that this is different from the big boxes of Vitasoy that's sold in the US at Whole Foods. That stuff is absolutely disgusting.

• Texture: Thinner and less phlegm inducing than western soy milks like Silk and American Vitasoy. Rating: 10 out of 10.


• Flavor:
  
  
  
  • Plain: There's really no flavor to this except a light soybean flavor that's really not noticeable. As this is a kid's drink, it is loaded with sugar cane juice (not high fructose corn syrup) and has a nice creamy flavor. A classic that can do no wrong. Rating: 10 out of 10.
  
  
  • Chocolate: While there is definately a chocolate flavor, it really doesn't taste like what Western chocolate milks. It tastes more like a cocoa powder/carob mix. Rating: 7 out of 10.
  
  
  • Malt: Malt vitasoy is one of my favorite flavors. There is a very distinct and yummy malt flavor that's really hard to describe, but it leaves you wanting more and more and more... uh yeah, anybody who's tasted malty drinks like Horlick's knows what I'm talking about. Rating: 10 out of 10.
  
  
  • Coconut: I have to admit that this is one flavor that I find completely unpalatable. Coconut milk is just one thing that does not need to be made creamier. Rating: 0 out of 10.
  
  
  • Honeydew: This is a really unique (weird) flavor. Usually I don't like honeydew vitasoy, but once in a great long while I do get the urge to drink packs and packs of this stuff. It's like eating an everlasting creamy honeydew candy. This is one vitasoy flavor that leaves your mouth smelling like a fruit salad. Rating: 7 out of 10.
  
  
  • Mocha: I think this flavor is relatively new as I haven't seen this anywhere in the states yet.


• Packaging: Not much to look at. Each box is the size of a normal juice box and they come in different colors depending on the flavor so they're easy to distinguish from each other. One thing that I don't like is how easily the straw bends and gets a hole when I'm trying to get it out of the plastic wrapper. This makes it impossible to drink the rest of the soymilk once the level of liquid in the box is below where the break is in the straw. Rating: 6 out of 10.


• Availability: This is a very common drink that's available at any Asian grocery store. Rating: 8 out of 10.


• Origins: Vitasoy is currently produced in Guangdong, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. There was a sour milk incident ten years ago with milk packaged from the Guangdong plant. I'd buy the Hong Kong produced milk just to be safe. Rating: 5 out of 10.

Technorati: soymilk, vitasoy, junk food, drinks, beverages, snacks, soy

Haw Flakes

Haw flakes are a kind of candy made from dried berries of the Hawthorne flower. They come in various sizes depending on the compnay that produces them. My favorite kind look like little packets of firecrackers. They come in ten packs of cylindrical stacks wrapped with pink, green, and yellow paper. However, they're always shaped into thin round wafers. They're brownish/redish colored and taste like dry non gummy versions of fruit rollups or fruit leather. That is if fruit rollups were made from real fruit...

• Texture: They start out dry and kind of crunchy. This is really hard to explain, haw flakes aren't really crunchy like a potato chip, but more like crunchy with a bit of chew. The plastic wrapped kind of haw flakes tend to be sticky and moist, these aren't really crunchy. Warning: this snack does tend to stick to teeth. Do not eat more than one at a time. They also leave your mouth with a rough feeling. There's really no aftertaste. Rating: 5 out of 10.


• Flavor: Even though haw flakes are made by several companies, they all taste the same, though some may be sweeter. Rating: 7 out of 10.


• Packaging: Depending on the brand of haw flakes, they may be wrapped in plastic or paper. I personally think the paper kind is pretty nifty. They look like little firecrackers, they're ultra portable, and they're stackable. The plastic wrapped kind come in long rolls of discs and they have to be sealed up or put into a ziploc bag after they're opened. Rating: 10 out of 10 for the firecracker haw flakes.


• Availability: This is a very common candy and can be found at all Asian grocery stores. Rating: 8 out of 10.


• Origins: Most likely made in China or Taiwan. Though I've eaten these for more than a decade and haven't gotten sick from them, eat at your own risk. Rating: 5 out of 10.

Technorati: Sweet, Fruit, Junk food, Candy, Dried Fruit, Snacks, Haw Flakes, Chinese

Kasugai Flower's Kiss Candy

Kasugai Flower's Kiss Candies come individually sealed in pretty pastel colored wrappers. The packaging claims that they make your breath smell as fresh as a flower so you can kiss.

• Texture: Flower's Kiss is a round hard candy that's a little bit bigger than Starburst hard candies. Be careful not to cut or puncture your mouth on the shards if you bite down on the candy. Rating: 5 out of 10.


• Flavor: The packaging says that plum flavoring is used. I found that it tasted like a cross between apricot and peach. The candies are not too sweet and a bit tart. They remind me of jolly ranchers. All the candies are the same flavor regardless of what color wrapper it has. Rating: 8 out of 10.


• Packaging: The wrappers are very pretty and the product seems to be targetted more towards female buyers. Flower's Kiss Candy wrappers come in pearlescent blue, pink, and yellow. Each wrapper has a picture of a different type of flower on it. There are 19 in total, try to collect them all! Each bag contains approximately 27 pieces of candy. Rating: 10 out of 10.


• Availability: This is a very common candy and can be found at almost all Asian grocery stores. Rating: 8 out of 10.


• Origins: 100% made in Japan! Rating: 10 out of 10.

Technorati: Candy, Fruit, Junk food, Japanese, Sweet, Snacks, Kasugai

Kasugai Gummy Candies

Kasugai gummy candies are one of my favorite things in the world.  These gummies come in a variety of flavors. The gummies are individually wrapped and they are all made in Japan. The are 9 flavors in total.

• Apple
• Grape (Red Grape)
• Kiwi
• Lychee
• Melon
• Muscat (Green Grape)
• Pineapple
• Peach
  
• Strawberry
• Orange
  
• Prune
• Blueberry
• There is also a multiflavor pack available.
  
  

• Texture: Kasugai gummies are always soft and chewy. If they are kept in their individually wrapped packages, they will never be tough or hard. The gummies are very squishy and each bite fills your mouth with a yummy fruit flavor. Rating: 10 out of 10.
• Flavor: I can honestly say that I love all the flavors, even though I hate eating real lychees and grapes. The candies are so fragrant that eating one in a small room will fill the room with the scent of fruit! As with most
  Asian candies, they are not too sweet and leave your mouth feeling refreshed. The flavors do not taste fake or artificial and the sensation of biting into one is like biting into the most ripe and delicious fruit whose flavor
  is so concentrated that it leaves you with a heady sensation. Rating: 10 out of 10.
• Packaging: The backgrounds of the bags are all closeup pictures of fruit. They can be a bit difficult to find if you don't read Japanese, but they all have Kasugai written in the top left hand corner of the bag. If it says Kasugai and the contents are squishy, then you've found it. Each gummy is beautifully wrapped and cushioned with a bit of air. Rating: 8 out of 10.
  
• Availability: While they are available in most Asian grocery stores, the variety of flavors usually leaves a lot to be desired. Your safest bet is to buy them from a Japanese grocery store where there will be the largest selection. As far as I know, these candies are not available in normal supermarkets.
• Origins: 100% made in Japan so these snacks are safe to eat. Rating: 10 out of 10.

Technorati:
Candy, Fruit, Junk food, Japanese, Sweet, Snacks, Kasugai