Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--European Gluten-Free Cookies

      This was yet another happy accident.  My local grocery has been remodeling quite a lot over the past year or so, so I've been having to re-learn where everything is now being kept.  Anyway, I discovered that the store now has a whole section of gluten-free wares.  As luck would have it, some of these were made in other countries.  I picked up a twin bar crispy wafer from The Netherlands, some honeygrams from Germany, and some vanilla wafers from Italy.  But, surprise, they were all the same brand--Schar.  Hence the generalized, vague-ish location name for this post's title.

     The origin of this brand dates back a century.  Dr. Anton Schar (who one website claimed was Austrian) was a general practitioner, but was quite concerned about nutrition, especially for children.  In 1922 he teamed up with brother in law, Gottfried Untertrifaler, to start selling healthier foods.  Among these were gluten-free edibles, for his customers/patients afflicted with celiac disease or gluten allergies.  All of this took place in Meran, South Tyrol, which has changed hands several times over the centuries, but is now part of Italy.  The company, dubbed Dr. Schar AG/SPA, flourished.  Then, decades later, in 1979, Ulrich Ladurner took over the company.  By 1981 the business switched to only selling gluten-free baked goods.  Among these are all sorts of bread (sliced, in roll form, in loaf form, sweet, and crumbs), pastas, pizza and other kinds of dough, crackers, cookies (biscuits), and cakes.  Schar began exporting to the U.S. in 2007, and along with absorbing some American gluten-free brands such as Glutatin and Trufree, it began manufacturing in the U.S. in 2012.  Schar has become huge--it employs over 1400 people, has bakeries in 11 countries, and its products are available in over 100 nations around the world.  Their savoiardi biscuits are probably their flagship product.  Furthermore, I'm becoming very used to companies indicating how many "objectionable" substances that they don't use in their products, but Schar may be the new champ.  They had the "circle with a slash through it" symbol bragging how they avoid fragrance, alcohol, silicone, sls and sles, mineral oil, GMOs, sulfates, sodium, phosphate, aluminum, pesticides, paraben, phthalate, dyes, MSG, aspartame, preservatives, and additives.  (I had to look up what several of these things are!) 

     I've mentioned many gluten-free versions of products that usually have gluten in them in previous posts.  To name a few, the Hippeas snacks (February 5, 2022), health grain bars (August 28, 2021), gluten-free cookies (November 21, 2021) are just some recent examples.  If you want more information on celiac disease itself, my post way back on December 11, 2012 contains much more about it, as well as rating a couple of gluten-free beers.

Schar twin bar (crispy wafer covered in chocolate):  These looked like KitKats, and were about 3.25 inches long (about 8.5 cm.) by 1.25 inches wide (about 3 cm.).  Or four rectangles joined together, covered in brown chocolate.  They were pretty good.  Crunchy and chocolate-ly, rather like a KitKat.  There was something "off," though--I guess it was the missing gluten.  But, if I was unable to eat gluten I think I'd treasure these, as they were a decent approximation of a chocolate wafer.

Schar vanilla wafer:  These were thin rectangles, about 3 inches by 7/8 of an inch (about 8 cm. by 2 cm.), an off white color, with the typical cross hatched wafer design embossed on them.  Nicely crunchy and had a good vanilla flavor.  Started off a little bland, but finished well.  So, as with the twin bars, this was a good take on a classic cookie.

Schar honeygrams:  These were squares, about 5.5 cm. (about 2.25 inches) to a side, with a light brown hue, and tiny holes drilled in them.  They were dry, and crunchy.  Like a graham cracker, obviously, and only slightly sweet.  They were rather bland, though.  Overall I thought these were the weakest of the bunch, but they weren't terrible or anything, just kind of mediocre or boring.

     So, in conclusion, I definitely would recommend Schar cookies to those who can't, or won't eat gluten--they were decent to good replicas of classic cookies with gluten.  I've definitely had gluten-free products that were bad, so I can appreciate how difficult it is to make something palatable without gluten.  I would try other Schar products, too.  And even if you do eat gluten, these might be a decent change of pace for you, if you want to try something different.

 

The November Issue of InD'tale is Available!

 

     First things first, head on over to the following address:

                              http://www.indtale.com

     This month's issue features articles from Kate Archer, Grace Draver, Julie L. York, Zia Westfield, Tamara Cribley, S.L. Carpenter, and myself.  Also, it contains the results of the 2022 RONE Awards.  Along with the usual collection of book reviews.  So, as always, I'd like to thank owner/publisher/editor-in-chief TJ Mackay, Executive Editor Katy Nielsen, and the rest of the InD'tale staff.  All of this, and it's free besides!  Enjoy!

     

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Costa Rican/American Chips

      This is another revisit of sorts.  I've discussed bananas and plantains many times on this blog.  (As I've covered, the distinction between the two is slight, and kind of vague.)  Specifically, on August 26, 2014, June 2, 2018, and June 1, 2019 I talked about them, and these specimens usually came from the South American nation of Ecuador.  However, today's subject is a little different, in that the plantain chips I recently ate came to me from Costa Rica, in Central America.  And if you're curious, I did previously mention a Costa Rican edible before, in my post on March 30, 2016 about chayote.  The type of chips (or "crisps," in certain places) I had this time were the lightly salted kind, and the garlic ones, both from the Vitarroz brand.

     Also, yet again the company who made the products I sampled has a deficient online presence.  In this case, the official website didn't open.  So my information had to come from other sources, perhaps of questionable accuracy.  (Most notably, one of the most detailed articles came from the notorious NYC newspaper "The New York Post.")  With that in mind, Vitarroz International Foods, LLC, is based out of New Jersey in the U.S., and is distributed by North Shore Bottling Company, Inc., out of Brooklyn, NY.  Vitarroz was founded in 1955 by persons unknown, and has grown to be the second largest supplier and distributer of Hispanic foods in the Northeast United States.  Vitarroz makes or distributes over 300 products, including rice, beans, luncheon meats, coconut milk, soups, and sardines.  In 2009 it was bought by Carlos Gomez, who was born in the Dominican Republic.  Reportedly he was an entrepreneur at a young age, starting a bicycle repair shop at the age of 9.  Gomez made his way to the U.S., and started other businesses as well.  His most successful one was the humungous Union Telecard Alliance, a phone card company.  Additionally, in 2007 he bought the famous NYC nightclub LQ (for Latin Quarter), in its second incarnation and location.  LQ sadly became infamous shortly afterwards as the location where NFL wide receiver Plaxico Burress shot himself.  It closed in 2015.

Vitarroz plantain chips, lightly salted:  These were yellow discs, about 1.25 inches (about 3.5 cm.) in diameter.  They were crunchy, but bland.  As advertised, there must have been extremely little salt on them.  I've had plantain chips before, and these were a rather weak example of them.  Not bad, but just disappointingly boring.

Vitarroz plantain chips, garlic flavor:  These were the same size, shape, thickness, and color as the other kind.  Also crunchy.  The garlic taste wasn't strong, but it was noticeable.  Enough to make these solid--not great, but better than average.  All in all I wouldn't recommend the lightly salted ones, but the garlic ones were okay, and would make a nice snack for someone looking for a slightly different kind of crunchy snack.

     As I often do, let's take a brief look at some famous folks from Costa Rica, or at least people with significant Costa Rican heritage.  Arguably the most notable person is Harry Shum, Jr., who was born in Costa Rica, of Chinese parents, but is now a U.S. citizen.  An actor and dancer, he appeared in such movies as "You Got Served" (2004), "Stomp the Yard" (2007), "Mom's Night Out" (2014), and "Crazy Rich Asians" (2018), but he's probably most remembered for his roles on television's "Glee" (2009-15) and "Shadowhunters" (2016-19).  Staying with actors/actresses, there's Madeleine Stowe, who was born in the U.S,, but whose mother is Costa Rican.  Stowe had roles in such films as "Stakeout" (1987), "Revenge" (1990), "The Last of the Mohicans" (1992), "Short Cuts" (1993), "12 Monkeys" (1995), and "The General's Daughter" (1999).  Hernan Jimenez is usually on the other side of the camera, serving mostly as a director, writer, and editor.  His movies (titles translated from Spanish) include "Eyes Closed" (2010), "The Return" (20120, "About Us" (2016), "Elsewhere" (2018), and "Love Hard" (2021).  Danny Burstein is like Madeleine Stowe--American born, but his mother was Costa Rican.  He's an actor and singer, mostly of Broadway plays and musicals.  He's been nominated for 7 Tony Awards, and won 1, for 2020's "Moulin Rouge."  He also appeared in such films as "Transamerica" (2005), "Deception" (2008), and "Indignation" (2016).

     Switching to sports, there's Hanna Gabriels, who was born in Costa Rica.  A boxer, she's amassed a record of 21-2-1, and is currently the WBA Light Middleweight and Light Heavyweight champion, and is also the WBC Heavyweight champ.  In the world of golf, Roberto Castro was born in the U.S, but has a Peruvian father and Costa Rican mother.  He's won 6 PGA events, and finished as high as 12th in a major, the 2013 PGA Championship.  In the Olympics, the most accomplished athletes are the Poll sisters.  Both were born in Nicaragua, from German parents, but moved to Costa Rica as adolescents and competed for this country for the Olympics.  Sylvia (sometimes spelled Silvia) Poll won a silver medal in the 200 meter freestyle swimming event in the 1988 Games, and her younger sister  Claudia bettered her by winning a gold medal in the 200 meter freestyle event in the 1996 Games, and then 2 bronzes in the 2000 Games, in the 200 meter freestyle again, and the 400 meter freestyle competition.  (Sadly, Claudia was banned for 2 years for PEDs in 2002, but maintained her innocence.)  As of now the Polls are the only Costa Ricans to win a medal in Olympic competition.

     Finally, astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz was born in Costa Rica, has Chinese heritage, and eventually became an American.  He flew on 7 Space Shuttle missions from 1986-2002, which is tied for the most ever with Jerry Ross.  Chang-Diaz is a member of the NASA Hall of Fame, understandably.

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--An Irish Cheese

      Halloween is over, alas, so it's back to regular, non-scary themed posts.  Today, I'll do yet another type of my favorite food in the world, cheese.  Specifically, an Irish Castle Cheese, from Tipperary, which is imported from, obviously, Ireland.

     As far as I can tell, "Irish Castle Cheese" is a variant that Tipperary made up.  I'd love to provide a brief history about the castle where it was made, or at least the one that inspired the cheese, but, once again, I tried a food from a manufacturer who's evidently quite shy.  I couldn't find out anything about the place in Ireland that actually created this cheese.  There is some information about the importer and distributer though, which is Abbey Specialty Foods, L.L.C., out of Fairfield, NJ, in the U.S.  Although even Abbey is quite limited on the company details.  About all Abbey revealed on their official company website was that they specialize in importing and distributing cheeses and associated dairy products from around the world, and that the business started in 1999.  I had to check several other online sources to even find out who runs the company.  For the record, it's Tom Slattery who is the CEO, and he was reportedly educated at Seton Hall University.  Anyway, besides Tipperary, some of the other brands Abbey works with include Bergader, Henri Hutin, Sorella, Carrigaline, Castillo Espanol, Swiss Castle, Lye Cross, and Abbey Farms, which judging by the name is evidently made by them.  Tipperary mainly makes various kinds of cheddar cheese.  Varieties include cheddars soaked in whiskey, red wine, or porter, cheddars that are white or colored, and some that are extra sharp or vintage.  The brand also makes salted and unsalted butter, and the amusingly named Irish Swiss Cheese.  In addition to Ireland, Abbey handles products made in the U.S., Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Holland, Germany, France, England, Denmark, and Austria.  Finally, a business-themed website I consulted indicated that Abbey employs 2-10 people.  Which seems absurdly low, but that's what it said.

Tipperary Irish Castle Cheese:   Was a yellow-white color, and had a mild odor.  Semisoft texture.  I had some plain, and then some microwaved on a burger roll with ketchup, which is a quick and dirty cheese sandwich I like to make.  The flavor was nice--pleasantly salty and tangy.  Kind of a medium intensity.  So, as always, I really enjoyed this cheese.  It might have been slightly better melted on the roll, but plain it was more than solid, too.  I would strongly recommend it--very good.

     Tipperary is both a town, and a county in Ireland.  Like probably many people, I associate it with the song, "It's a Long Way to Tipperary," a tune popular as a marching song for soldiers during World War I.  (I'm not THAT old, but I have encountered the song in movies or books about that time period.)  In looking into the song, there is a bit of controversy surrounding it.  It was first performed in 1912 by Jack Judge.  Initially it was credited as being written by Judge and Harry Williams.  However, upon Williams's death in 1924 Judge claimed that he actually wrote the song pretty much entirely, and only gave Williams a co-credit due to kindness, and because of a debt owed.  But, the Williams family disagreed, and said that Williams had written the music, and most of the lyrics to the song before 1912.  Judge countered that Williams never claimed to have written most or all of it before he died, and even signed an affidavit confirming this.  So, it appears that officially the song's creator is Judge, but some folks think this is incorrect.  At least Williams' family still reportedly received royalties long after this time period.