Saturday, August 25, 2018

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Australian, Indian-Inspired Snacks

     After looking at the front of the bag, and seeing the company and product name (Majans, and Bhuja, respectively), I naturally thought this was a food item from India.  However, the back of the bag held a surprise--Majans Bhuja snacks are made in Australia.  I selected three kinds--the crunchy seasoned peas, the original mix, and the cracker mix.
     As far as I can tell, bhuja snacks appear to be a general type of food in India, roughly akin to the American trail mix.  This snack dates back to 1970, and the town of Kantabanji in the state of Odisha.  While there is some variety, the usual mix includes dried noodles, dried peas, nuts, and crackers.  Other common ingredients are potato, padi, onion, and corn chips.  Bhuja also is sometimes referred to by the name of muurra.  The snack is also consumed in British Commonwealth countries, which helps to explain why they're made and marketed in Australia.
     The Majans company started back in 1960, in the town of Ba on the island nation of Fiji.  Originally Majans sold spices and candy from carts.  By 1980 the company grew large enough to require a large factory, and in 1984 Majans moved to Australia.  Bhuja snacks were developed in 1987, and by 2008 they were exported to the U.S.  The company is based in Brisbane, which by coincidence is one of the Australian communities I've visited, along with Sydney and Alice Springs.  On their website Majans boasts about the alleged healthiness of their products.  They don't use GMO ingredients, nor MSG.  Some of their wares are gluten-free, and some are suitable for vegetarians or even vegans.  They also have a low glycemic index, which is purported to be healthier from a blood sugar standpoint.  While the Bhujas are their flagship brand, others include Smart Snacks, Grain Bites, and Cheese Snacks.  Alternative flavors of Bhuja are their nut mix, noodle mix with cashews, ancient grain twists, beer mix, and trail mix.  Their products are enjoyed in Australia, of course, and also New Zealand and the Americas.

1) Majans Bhuja cracker mix.  Ingredients include noodles, rice crackers, sugar, tapioca, seaweed, chili, peas, peanuts, chick peas, sultanas (a type of raisin) sunflower/canola oils, and spices.  This consisted of yellow noodle rods, square rice crackers, brown twisted crackers, peas, and raisins.  I found these to be a bit bland.  Not bad, just kind of "meh."

2) Majans Bhuja original mix.  Similar to the cracker mix, except there were bigger chips (crisps), and peanuts, to go along with the noodles, peas, and raisins.  These were a bit better than the cracker mix--a decent trail-mix type snack.  I would have preferred a stronger spice bite, though.

3) Majans Bhuja crunchy seasoned peas.  As the name suggests, this was just peas, and no crackers or noodles or anything.  These were my favorite of the trio.  Solid.  Again, if they were a little spicier that would have turned them from good to possibly great.

     So, as you can see, I thought the Majans Bhuja snacks were pretty good.  Not great, but okay.  A tad tame on the spice, though.  (My father had the opposite opinion--he thought if they'd been spicier he wouldn't have liked them, so it just goes to show how subjective appreciation of spice levels is.)  I would consider buying the crunchy peas and the original mix again, and would try the other Bhuja flavors, or Majans brands, if I get the chance (presumably the next time I'm in Vermont, near a Shaws grocery).






















Sunday, August 19, 2018

Update--"Horror Bites Magazine Issue #7" is Available!

 


     I'm very pleased to announce that the latest issue of "Horror Bites Magazine" is ready to be purchased.  Here's the amazon page address:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076KF8CXQ
Also, there's a special deal going on.  The first 5 people can get the issue for free, using this address:  https://gumroad.com/l/hbm7  (I'm told this might be expanded, too.)
     I'd like to thank the head of Horror Bites, who is Kelby J. Barker.  He's responsible for the formatting, editing, administrative acts, and odd jobs for this issue.  Also assisting was guest editor Walker Kornfeld.  The cover art and the featured story were done by Maeltopia.
     Here's a list of the featured stories:

1) "Death Bed Scenes" by Ken Goldman
2) "Costumes" by Clark Roberts
3) "Tabula Rasa" by myself
4) "The Assassination" by James Gallagher
5) "The Staring Contest" by Em Leonard
6) "The Family Man" by Maeltopia
7) "Bloody Maria" by Kevin M. Folliard
8) "The Bane of Dave" by Eric Neher
9) "Janus, God of Doorways" by Erik Bergholm

    And here's the synopses for some of the stories:

A) At a Halloween sleepover, a group of young girls experiment with a well known urban legend.  As it turns out, no matter how good your costume is, Bloody Mary does not appreciate pretenders ("Bloody Maria")

B) The best costumes truly turn you into something else, but when the family of two young children allow them to sleep in their costumes the transformation becomes a little too complete.  What are you to do when your little girl really becomes a monster on All Hallows Eve? ("Costumes")

C) While art is sometimes said to have a soul of its own, the "Living Art" scene takes this to its extreme.  Yet when humiliation and mutilation become an art form, things are bound to get messy.  ("Tabula Rasa")

D) As a man becomes more and more disassociated with his environment, he gets summoned into a meeting with his boss.  This assignment is of a different, more deadly kind.

E) When a man's deadbeat father passes away, the son is left with a key to a false compartment in the family cabin.  What lies inside is more than just the dying regrets of a penniless man, but something more....personal.


     So head on over and pick yourself up a copy.  Only $2.99, or free if you act fast.

Saturday, August 18, 2018

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Dutch Prima Donna Cheese and Writing Update

     Today I'll be talking about Prima Donna maturo cheese, which is made in Holland.  This was yet another find from my local Shop-Rite supermarket.
     Prima Donna cheese is made from cow's milk, and is a hard cheese.  It's known for having a sharp flavor, and a yellowish color.  Primarily it's used as a cheeseboard offering, and topping and base for soups and sauces.  It's also prized as an effective grating cheese.  As with Manchego cheese, (see my August 29, 2015 post), there are four subtypes, based on how long it's been aged.  These are leggero, fino, forte, and maturo.  I think in that order, least to most aged, but the websites I looked at were irritatingly vague.  This cheese has distinctive white dots, or stripes in it, which are salt and protein crystals.  One source also listed a history of sorts.  A Dutch cheese maker traveled to Italy.  While there he was blown away by their cheeses, especially Gruyere (see June 30, 2018 post) and Parmesan.  Inspired, when he returned home he created an amalgam of these, mixing the best parts of each into a new and unique cheese.  Prima Donna is harder than Gruyere, but softer than Parmesan.  Its maturo type is more Parmesan-like, while it fino is more Gruyere-ish.  However, when I tried to learn who this person was, or when it happened, etc., I couldn't find this information out, even from the actual Vandersterre website, who made the cheese I tried.  Eventually I discovered some more detail, which was rather anticlimactic.  Prima Donna was developed in the early 1990's, so its history is somewhat depressingly recent.  Regardless, the cheese has become quite popular.  It's enjoyed in at least 70 countries around the world, including Canada, Australia, Brazil, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and South Africa.
     The company info was a little terse, but the De Graaff Kaas cheese company was begun in 1929.  In 2009 it combined with the Vandersterre Groep.  Other popular cheeses made by them are Landana and Ouwe Jongens.
     My sample's label claimed it was a flavor pairing of Gouda and Parmesan, instead of the usual Parmesan and Gruyere.  It also was a Gold Medal winner as the Best European Cheese at the Global Cheese Awards in 2013.  The color was yellowish-white, with an orange rind, and the texture was firm.  I liked it.  I thought the flavor was a little sweetish and buttery, more so than the Gruyere.  And while I enjoyed both Prima Donna and Gruyere, I think I preferred the former ever so slightly.  I detected a Gouda-ish flavor in the Prima Donna, but I didn't really get the Parmesan.  However, my father tried some, and said he did, so maybe it's my insensitive palate again.  Anyway, as with basically all cheeses, I recommend Prima Donna maturo cheese.  I'll certainly buy it again, and will try its subtypes if/when I get the chance.


     I have a writing update, too.  My publisher just told me than the issue of Horror Bites Magazine featuring one of my contributions is due out very soon, probably within two days.  So check back here for more details soon.






















Saturday, August 11, 2018

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Nopal (Prickly Pear) Water

     This week I'm returning to an old post, sort of.  Way back on February 16, 2013 I discussed eating a couple of types of cactus, including the fruit of the prickly pear.  However, in the past couple of months I've seen another option--cactus water.  This is made from the same fruit, only mixed up with water, and assorted natural, and sometimes artificial flavors, consumed as a beverage.  The two I tried were True Nopal from True Me Brands, LLC, and Kuii, made in Mexico, and distributed by RP Foods LLC.
     Much of the hype about cactus water concerns its alleged health benefits.  The True Me website, and others, touted many of these.  Cactus water is supposed to help with diabetes, energy and stamina, depression, heart disease, high cholesterol, the prostate, menstrual cycles, eye health, weight management, mental awareness, muscle repair after gym workouts, and reducing the puffiness underneath one's eyes.  It's also said to add a glow to your skin, and help treat hangovers.  Some folks refer to it as a superfood (or a superbeverage, I guess--see my May 1, 2014 post for more on those).  As usual, though, I have to add the caveat that these benefits aren't yet supported by medical science.  The Mayo Clinic website, for example, mentions that cactus water might be good for diabetes, and with hangovers, but more research is needed.  And that the potential adverse side effects of this drink include mild diarrhea, nausea, increased stool volume and frequency, and something called "abdominal fullness."  The clinic concluded that cactus water is probably healthy, but not necessarily the magic medical breakthrough that its proponents often claim.
     Prickly pear (nopal is its name in Mexican Spanish) is certainly an important food source in Mexico.  The "leaves," or pads, are avidly eaten, both raw and cooked, and it's also used as animal feed.  114 different kinds grow in Mexico.  And, to come back to a somewhat repellent aspect of my day job, archaeology, evidence of prickly pear consumption has been found in human coprolites (fossilized feces) dating back to 65 B.C.
     True Me's website was a bit terse.  It essentially talked mostly about how healthy cactus water is, and bragged that their main product contains no preservatives, no added sugar, no gluten, no gmo's, and is suitable for vegans.  They also went out of their way to disparage coconut water, apparently a main competitor.
     RP Foods was founded in 1999, and carries products from Mexico, Asia, and Europe.  Other offerings include aloe drinks (see June 17, 2012 post), fruit juices, oils, cookies/biscuits, tomato sauce, and assorted corn products.  Other flavors of Kuii include a cactus/hibiscus/(see June 9, 2017 post)passion fruit one, a cactus/coconut/pineapple flavor, and a cactus/orange/pineapple kind.  Somewhat depressingly, under "News" on the website is absolutely nothing.
     Here's what I thought.

1) True Me True Nopal cactus water:  Listed ingredients were filtered water, nopal concentrate, and natural flavor.  Came in a liter sized, cardboard box.  Color of this was red.  Taste was not good, very weak.  "Ugh," as I put it in my notes.  Very disappointing, what little flavor there was isn't pleasant at all.  It was expensive, too, costing $5.49.

2) RP Foods Kuii Power Drink, cactus/kiwi/strawberry flavor.  This one came in a 592 ml. (20 ounce) bottle, and was a green color.  This was 15% juice.  Listed ingredients were water, citric acid, nopal powder, kiwi and strawberry natural flavors, xanthan gum, ascorbic acid, artificial colors, maltodextrin, aspartame, acesulfame K, sucralose, and preservatives.  I liked this one.  The kiwi and strawberry flavors were evident, and it was sweet enough to be interesting.  It was much better than the True Nopal.  There were some vitamins, too--Vitamin C, B6, B12, niacin, folic acid, biotin, and pantothenic acid.

     So, in closing, I had very different reactions to these two kinds of cactus water.  To my tastes, the one with more artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, etc., while arguably less healthy, was by far the tastier beverage.  I might get this kind of Kuii again, and its alternate flavors if I see them.  But both of them weren't as good as coconut water, in my opinion.


























Saturday, August 4, 2018

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--English Wine Gums

     This week it'll be another gummy candy.  I located this one in a small town in Eastern Pennsylvania, near Jim Thorpe.  (Yes, this town is named after perhaps the U.S.'s best athlete ever (see February 19, 2012 post for more info).
     The most interesting thing about this rather common type of candy is the first part of its name.  I was reading several articles online detailing how shopkeepers had refused to sell this candy to children.  The punchline to this is there isn't any alcohol in them, any more than the common soft drinks ginger beer, or root beer.  (I realize some companies have put out alcoholic versions of these, but you get what I mean.)  No, the wine in wine gums isn't literal, even though it's often sold with wine types (claret, Chablis, etc.) printed on the candies.  Even though the actual flavors of said candies aren't like the wine, but are normal fruit flavors like orange, lime, black currant, etc.  Wine gums were developed by Charles Gordon Maynard, for his family Maynard confectionery company, back in 1909.  Reportedly he had to convince his own teetotaling father that they weren't alcoholic, too, before they were made available for sale.  I heard two different theories about why Maynard decided to include the "wine" part in the name.  First, it was because the firm texture of this product enabled the fruit flavor to linger on, like a fine wine.  Second, it was a substitute, to encourage drinkers to cut back on their libations and eat some candy instead.  Whatever the reason, wine gums soared in popularity.  Aside from Maynard, other leading manufacturers are Lion and Bassett's.  This candy is enthusiastically consumed in the U.K., Ireland, and Canada, among others.
     Normally I would get into some background about the company that made the product I tried, but I wasn't able to do so.  I couldn't locate a website for Norfolk Manor, also out of the U.K.  All I could learn was they also make a malted milk ball candy, a chocolate covered honeycomb one, and a type of clotted cream biscuit (cookie) thin.  And that they were established in 1987.  Also, they are distributed by BWI, Inc., an American company devoted to importing British consumables.
      Anyway, here's what I thought about Norfolk Manor wine gums:

1) Lemon flavor.  Pedestrian.
2) Orange flavor.  Not great.
3) Green (lime?) flavor.  Uninteresting.
4) Red (cherry, I think) flavor.  Dull.
5) Black currant flavor.  Disappointing.

     Sorry to be so terse, but there wasn't much to say about them.  Their texture was typical for gummy candy.  All of them had the appropriate fruit flavor to them, but in a bland, weak way.  They came in various shapes, too--some round, some diamond-shaped, and some rectangular.  They had wine and other alcohol titles printed on them, too, such as claret, Chablis, port, and gin.
     So, I came away especially unmoved by this candy.  Usually gummy-type candies are pretty safe bets for me--even the worst ones are still typically okay.  But these weren't.  I did read that wine gums are considered to be more for adults, since they're less sweet, and more tough and chewy than most gummy candies.  Therefore, I apparently have an immature taste for these confections.  (Which doesn't really surprise me--I suspect my taste in many other foods and drinks is also immature.)