Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Two Thai/American Cookies

      The cookies/biscuits section in my local Shop-Rite has gotten more diverse over the past few years.  Which really helps me in my searches for new items to post about.  Anyway, a week or two ago I encountered something called "Coco Rolls."  They were unfamiliar to me, and they were products of Thailand.  So score!  I bought both the original kind, and the espresso ones, which come to us from the folks at Sun Tropics, Inc.

     Sun Tropics was founded by Ashley and Sharon Lao, back in 2002.  Sharon and Ashley are listed as being first generation Filipino Americans.*  Given their shared surname I think they're sisters, or at least close relatives in some capacity.  (I couldn't find this out online.)   Also, I've seen Sharon referred to as "Sharon Sy," so evidently she married and changed her surname.  The business's headquarters are in San Ramon, California.  The stated goal of Sun Tropics is to import and provide the foods that the ladies enjoyed in their childhoods, with a special emphasis on tropical fruit, and authentic street foods.  The company makes products in three main categories--snacks, juices/nectars, and Silo streetfoods.  Some examples of their snacks include tapioca puddings, coco rolls, banana chips, rice puddings, and mochi snack bites.  Juice and nectar selections include dragonfruit guava nectar, organic watermelon juice, lychee nectar, and mango nectar.  And the Silo streetfoods include Thai sweet chili sauce, Korean Japchae, and Thai red curry.    

     The coco rolls I purchased and ate were "inspired by traditional rolled-thin pancakes sold from pushcarts in Thailand."  As far as I can gather these were probably the Thai treat known as kanom krok.  Sun Tropics' take on them is a bit different, in that its rolls are drier, and rolled into a hollow tube shape.  But the ingredients appear similar.

Sun Tropics coco rolls, espresso flavor:  These were hollow tubes about 1.75 inches by .5 inch (about 4.5 cm. by 1 cm.), with a light brown color.  They did indeed look like rolled up pancakes or waffles.  They were dry and crunchy.  The taste was okay.  Which surprised me, since my hatred of coffee, and coffee-ish flavors is surely well known by now.  They did have a recognizable coffee like flavor, but not enough to be bad.

Sun Tropics coco rolls, original flavor:  This kind had the same size, shape, and texture as the previous ones.  The only visible difference was that these were a lighter color, kind of a light yellowish-orange.  They were also dry and crunchy.  The flavor was rather reminiscent of vanilla cream wafers to me.  Or, good.  I liked these better than the espresso kind, and would recommend them.  And I guess if you like coffee-like flavors you'll probably enjoy the espresso ones quite a bit, too.  Overall then, if you're looking for a new kind of cookie/sweet snack, you could do a whole lot worse.

     *  This small bit of info caused me to realize that I've been misunderstanding a basic term for quite some time.  I thought "first generation" referred to the first generation born in the new country.  But it's not--most sociologists and others use "first generation" to mean the first group to travel to the new country, and their kids, born in the new country, are "second generation."  (Some folks disagree with this definition, but it seems to be the most popular and accepted.)  I find this more than a little awkward and confusing, especially since "generation" also means the different ages of different sets of family, i.e., the children are one, the parents are another, and the grandparents yet another.  But I guess from a technical standpoint if an immigrant family of a grandparent, children, and grandchildren settles in a new country, all of them are first generation, and the great-grandkids of the oldest are the second generation.  (For the record, I couldn't discover if Ashley and Sharon were born in the Philippines, but presumably they're using the more prevalent definition of immigrants.)  (Also, I'm aware that my digression on immigrant generation labeling is almost as long as the original post itself.  Oh well.)

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--A French Soft Cheese, Plus a Writing Announcement

      Recently, the release date for the "Scream and Cream" horror anthology was changed, from July 23rd to September 23rd, 2024.  So that's why this post won't be an interview with one of my co-authors as previously stated.  Therefore, this interview, and a couple of others, will be rescheduled for September, and probably into October.  I'll announce further information about "Scream and Cream" as I receive it.  Stay tuned!

     I realize I've already covered some soft French cheeses on this blog, but screw it, I want to discuss another one.  Since cheese is my very favorite food, I think I've actually shone some restraint on not talking about it more.  Anyway, today's cheese is Belletoile, manufactured by Henri Hutin, out of Dieue-Sur-Meuse, France.

     Our story begins in the early 1900's.  A man named Henri Hutin and his family began making cheeses on their farm in the North of Meuse.  This is an area in the Northeast part of France, named for the River Meuse, which passes through the region.  After World War I concluded, Henri decided to turn a hobby into a business, and started his fromagerie (i.e., cheese factory) in Lacroix-Sur-Meuse in 1922 named after himself.  Henri was billed as a "Master Cheese Maker," and this does not appear to be idle boasting.  The business prospered.  In 1960, Hutin introduced their signature brand, Belletoile, which quickly became a hit.  In 1975 the Hutin company was purchased by Ellsa, and then in 1978 Hochland Group (a German cheese making company), bought it.  Alternate products available from Henri Hutin include a pepper brie, a garlic & herb Valfrais, a brie Couronne, and Tours de Paris.  Getting back to Hochland, some of its other brands include Almette, Grunlander, Simply, Patros, Valbon, Valbrie, and Cathedral City.

     Belletoile is similar to traditional brie, but has one major difference.  Extra cream is added before the production process starts.  This gives the result a creamier and more mellow taste and mouthfeel, which its consumers really enjoy.  It also means that the cheese can last longer, and its flavor becomes even creamier and more aromatic as it ages.  The label reads "triple cream," so maybe ordinary bries and camemberts use double cream?  Belletoile's ingredients are basic--pasteurized cow's milk, cream, salt, cultures, ripening molds, and animal rennet.  The cows used are free of hormones, and the milk is non-GMO.  Evidently because of all the added cream, Belletoile is very high in fat content, as reportedly it's 70%.

Belletoile triple cream gourmet cheese:  It looked like typical brie, with a white rind and dull yellowish-white color.  I had some plain, and some on a roll.  And the taste was....bad.  My search is over, I've found a disappointing cheese.  I've---JUST KIDDING!  Just having a bit of fun.  The taste was REALLY excellent--mild, creamy, delicious.  Both plain, and on bread.  The texture was very soft, and spreadable even.  I couldn't see if it got even better with age since I couldn't resist finishing it in a very short amount of time.  As usual, then, this cheese is awesome, and I highly recommend it.  Although given its high fat content, maybe it should be reserved as an occasional treat, I suppose. 

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--A Polish Honey Liqueur

     Given my liking of liqueurs, and my accompanying usual dislike of many common hard liquors, such as whiskey, gin, tequila, vodka, and rum, it shouldn't be surprising that when I'm on the hunt for blog post drinks, I'm usually searching mostly in the liqueur section of the store.  A few months back I came upon a new-to-me one called Krupnik.  It was foreign, not that expensive, and flavored with honey, so I bit.

     The Krupnik I tried is made by Premium Distillers sp. z.o.o., out of Warszawa, Poland.  And yes, that's the real full title, complete with lower case letters with periods after them, spelling out "zoo" for some reason.  Presumably this is some sort of Polish abbreviation.  I understand that things like this are relative, and probably some full names for American companies sound silly to those that speak other languages.  But this said, I still find this comically weird.  Anyway, the history of the maker of this beverage was a bit convoluted, and difficult to locate.  I hope I won't make any mistakes, but it's very possible.  Back in 1846, a man named Hermann Winkelhausen opened up a distillery in Starogard, which he imaginatively named Starogard Distillery.  Hermann was aided by his father-in-law, who provided him with much of the equipment needed.  Hermann started by making vodka, cognac, and some liqueurs.  His sons Max and Otto took over upon Hermann's death in 1892.  By 1907 the distillery reportedly employed 500 people annually.  (Why annually?  Was the work seasonal?  I don't know.)  In 1919 the distillers became Polish citizens.  (As you might have guessed, the area where all of this took place was disputed, and sometimes part of different countries.)  In 1945 the factory was burned by soldiers, but was rebuilt.  Also in 1945, the state took control of the distillery, only releasing it back to private ownership in 2001.  Otherwise, the official company history was proud to note that famous actor Bruce Willis became a partner in 2009, and was also the face of their Sobieski vodka.  There were several name changes over the decades, but at some point it became the current moniker.  Premium Distillers (I'm not typing out all those extra letters each time) makes five basic kinds of booze.  Gdanski Spirits are intended to be the base for people to make their own kinds of flavored liquors, such as cherry, lemon, and raspberry drinks.  Polonaise is the luxury vodka line.  Rosolis includes flavored vodkas--rose, herbal bitters, and coffee kinds.  Impress is the company's line of ready-to-drink, weaker cocktails, such as kamikazes, mojitos, and a blackcurrant-flavored drink.  And Krupnik is more flavored vodkas and spirits.  Some of these flavors include plum, nut, cherry, "old" eggnog, salted caramel, cappuccino, pistachio, and mango.  And the honey liqueur I tried, obviously, although oddly, it was not included on the product list on their official website.  

     However, aside from being a brand of the Premium Distillery company, krupnik is also a type of liquor.  Traditionally it's a spiced, honey-based drink.  The history of it is a bit nebulous.  But most think that it was developed in what is now Belarus in the 1600's.  Possibly by Benedictine monks in a monastery in the town of Niasviz.  Krupnik is a drink often made by private individuals, to their respective preferences.  Some use vodka as the base, while others use grain alcohol.  The spices and herbs used also vary, but some common ones include cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and vanilla pod.  Sometimes the liquor is extremely potent, even up to 80-100% alcoholic content.  How it's consumed varies as well.  Some drink it cold, and others at room temperature.  And some heat it up, and throw in some chocolate and butter.  In Polish reckoning, krupnik isn't technically a liqueur, but a nalewka, which is a category of alcoholic drinks similar to medicinal tinctures.  Aside from Poland, krupnik is also popular in Belarus (obviously) and Lithuania.

Premium Distillers original Krupnik honey liqueur:  The color of this was a light brown, or, you know, like honey.  The odor was also honey-ish.  The texture was thick, almost syrupy.  And it was good.  The alcoholic content was moderately high (38%), but the taste made this almost a sipping drink.  If you like honey, you'll probably enjoy this.  Since I do enjoy honey, this was right in my wheelhouse, so to speak, and I would definitely recommend it.  Given how sweet it is, I doubt most folks would drink a lot of it in one sitting, but as a change of pace shot, it's very effective.  Possibly as an after-dinner digestive, as it's basically a dessert in a shot glass.  I reported on another honey liqueur a while ago, called Barenjager (see my post on September 18, 2021), and if memory serves this one was equally as tasty.  In fact, I'd like to do a blind, side by side comparison, and see which I prefer.  If/when I do this, I'll report back my results here.

     Switching topics, the horror anthology I've been talking about on this blog for the past month or two, "Scream and Cream," is due out in the next week and a half or so.  Unless the release date is unexpectedly postponed, look for an interview with one of my co-authors next week.

 

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Two American/Sri Lankan Foods

      One of my goals in life is to try as big a variety of foods and drinks as I reasonably can.  Which is one of the reasons I run this type of post so often on my blog.  Anyway, part of this is sampling things from, ideally, every country in the world.  I haven't done an exact tally, but it's still fun to cross another nation off my list.  Which leads us to today.  As you can guess, I've never, to my knowledge, had anything from Sri Lanka before.  So I was excited to see than the canned coconut milk and canned jackfruit I got from the Native Forest brand were grown in this place.

     I often complain that the company which made the product I'm trying that week reveals next to nothing about the founder(s) or the business's history.  I can't make that claim today.  If anything, the official company website was almost too detailed in this respect.  Native Forest is a brand of the Edward & Sons Trading Company, Inc.  An American man named Joel Dee was working for his family's candy company in the mid 1970's as a traveling salesman.  (This confectionary was Ce De Inc., best known for making Smarties candies, and founded by Joel's dad Edward.)  Joel had recently become a vegetarian, and had a hard time finding vegetarian-appropriate food in the U.S. at that time.  A trip to Belgium in 1976 provided him with a type of freeze-dried miso (for the Japanese soup) that he really liked.  Alas, American health food stores didn't stock this, as "convenience food" was not something they were interested in selling.  Plus, many available forms of miso from Asia contained things that Joel didn't want, such as artificial ingredients, preservatives, and even fish.  A visit to Japan in 1977 was fruitful, as in conjunction with Japanese creators Joel came up with a type of freeze-dried miso that fit his specifications.  So, in 1978, Joel quit his job at Ce De Inc. and started the Edward & Sons Trading Company, Inc., which at that time just sold the miso.  He spent 1979 traveling the U.S, in an Airstream trailer, visiting health food stores and restaurants to promote his product.  In the same year Joel started making a Japanese style of rice cracker, add to his company's output.  In 1980 Dee set up headquarters in North Carolina.  By 1988 the company moved to its permanent headquarters, in Carpinteria, California.  Edward & Sons began some more brands, and also bought out some existing ones.  Some of these are Let's Do Organic, Let's Do Gluten Free, The Wizard's, and More Than Fair.  The company's overall slate of wares includes croutons, bouillon cubes, coconut, crackers, flour, starches, fruit, gravies, mashed potatoes, ice cream cones, sprinkles, sauces, and of course, miso.  Befitting the founder's philosophy, all the products are free of GMOs and gluten, and the cans used in storing their foods are non-BPA.

Native Forest organic coconut milk:  It had a white color, with a thick texture.  I had to stir it a bit.  I heated some up and put it in with some microwaved meals.  On Swedish meatballs and noodles it was pretty good--the sweetness combined with the savory tastes was a good pairing.  It wasn't that good with mini rigatoni in a vodka cream sauce.  It didn't add anything of value.  Plain it was kind of bland.  Not very sweet, or savory.  Just kind of a creamy nothing.  I've had coconut water, and enjoyed that, but this milk isn't very good as a drink, and not that great mixed in certain dishes.  On three cheese ziti and meatballs it was okay on the meatballs, not that great otherwise.  It seems I like coconut milk on meat, but not really on other things, and not just by itself.

Native Forest organic jackfruit:  These were thin slices, brownish-yellow in color, and chewy in texture.  Soaked in vinegar?  The flavor was savory more than sweet.  It tasted like a vegetable, maybe akin to an artichoke or heart of palm.  Plain it was barely okay, but not great.  The taste was kind of mealy.  It was better with ketchup or tomato sauce on it.  That way it even kind of grew on me a little bit.  But still not something dazzling, nothing I'd be eager to have again.

     So now let's discuss some famous folks who are/were Sri Lankan, or at least have/had Sri Lankan heritage.  First off, this nation has had two Olympic medal winners.  Duncan White won a silver medal in the 1948 Summer games, in the men's 400 meter hurdles event.  Then, in the 2000 Summer games, Susanthika Jayasinghe won a bronze medal in the women's 200 meter run.  But it was upgraded to a silver after Marion Jones admitted to cheating.  Otherwise, many of the most famous athletic Sri Lankans are so for the sport of cricket.  Which I know nothing about.  Anyway, Muttiah Muralitharan and Kumar Sangakkara are two of the most decorated and famous cricket players in the nation. 

     Switching to acting, Fabianne Therese is Sri Lankan/American, and she has been in such films as "John Dies at the End" (2012), "Playing it Cool" (2013), "Southbound" (2015), "Teenage Cocktail" (2016), and "Hover" (2018).  Bernard White was born in what's now Sri Lanka, but is now American.  He's been in such movies as "Body Count" (1987), "City of Angels" (1998), "Pay it Forward" (2000), "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Matrix Revolutions" (2003, and 2003), and "Chee and T" (2016).  The late Albert Moses was in such films as "The Man Who Would be King" (1975), "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977), "An American Werewolf in London" (1981), and "Octopussy" (1983), "

     Moving to writing, the late author Rosemary Rogers is of Dutch/Portuguese heritage, but was born in what's now Sri Lanka.  She was a hugely successful romance writer, who penned the Legend of Morgan-Challenger series, and the Logan Doulogy series, among others.  Otherwise, Sri Lankan-born physicist, engineer, and economist Mohan Munasinghe shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, as he was the vice chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.  Finally, Sri Lankan astronomer Nalin Samarasinha was the first person from his country to have an asteroid named after him.