Weird stuff of Global Foods

So, this isn't a jab at other cultures or meant to be racist or sexist or culturist or anything like that, but I find some things from some different countries to be strange or unusual to what I am used to. So, the title isn't meant to offend anyone, just state an opinion.

First up, melon cakes:

These say that they are the melon taste with a spongecake and I was expecting something, well, more .....spongy.  What was in the package, was a hard cookie, like a meringue cookie.  It had the airy-ness of a sponge cake but was hard and crunchy.  They have that taste of the Chinese melon cake and taste just as sweet.  It was the dry crunch that I was not expecting.  They are a 3 out of 5 for me.  Make sure you have a large glass of water nearby.

Found in the Asian aisle, I had these Sunflower crackers.  They taste like a slightly sweet cracker with a cheap mango creme in between.  The creme is reminiscent of the sandwich wafer cookies.  They are good but not super good where I would eat all of them: a 3 out of 5 for me.

Now the last thing I tried was one of Korean origin:

Yeah, like so many Asian things, I guess this is the traditional version of an energy drink.  This drink, tastes like bad ginseng, almost a strong root/tuber flavor.  It tastes like the stems that are on a parsley plant with an aftertaste of sugar. It was sweet but as I thought about taking a second sip, I still tastes the first in my mouth and chickened out.  I think this gets a 0 out of 5 for me.  Sure, ginseng is supposed to be a near magical herb for strength and vitality, but I'd rather take vitamins every day than to drink one of these.  

A long way for an energy drink

Along with my previous order from Cyberdog, I also purchased their energy drink. It does make complete sense that a company that sells rave and cyber wear would have an energy drink.  I guess it would be perfect if you had a club near one of the Cyberdog stores, so someone could go to the store, buy what they need and then go next door to the club.  The Cyberdog store would get so much business....wow.  Anyways, here is the Cyberlog Energy Drink.

This shows the name of the drink in their "Cyber" font.  This is what has gotten so many attention:

Yeah...This is on my can.  Now while I have to commend the company on their great use of artwork on a can, the contents are what really count.  This drink can reminds me of an energy drink which was released several years ago and had featured pinups on the front of each can.  Anyways, the inside drink is tasty and smooth.  My friends couldn't decide if it tasted like Monster or Red Bull.  However, it still tastes fine.  I was a little concerned about the size of the can as it was a small 250ml can.  That is about 1 cup of liquid, or 8 ounces, when most energy drinks seem to be larger 16 ounce or 500ml or even 750 ml cans.  Still, it was a good tasting drink.  So, my review of the can is a 5/5 stars or (cyberdog logos) and the drink is also a 5/5 stars (or cyberdog logos).

A First World Problem

People around the world are dying of thirst.  They may have only one source of water and that is either polluted by chemicals or it could be polluted with dirt, filth or disease.  Water is the reason why wars are fought, not over gas, but pure, clean drinkable water.  In third world nations, people have to go through great lengths to get water that they can drink.  In first world nations, like the one I live in, we merely walk over to the sink and turn it on.

Now, as I mentioned here, I have a first world problem:  I don't like the taste of water.  Even though I lived in St. Louis for most of my life, which routinely is voted with the best tasting water, I still never liked to just drink pure and clean water.  Where I live now has water that is rich in a chlorine flavor and smell, reminiscent of drinking pool water sometimes.  Even my Pur' filter can clean it and take some of the nasty flavor out, but not all of it.  So, when I want a drink of water, what do I do?

Well, before I used anything from propel to kool aid, but lately, I have been doing the new Mio flavor products:

As you can see, we have two new flavors here: black cherry and green thunder.  What makes these different than the normal Mio flavors is that these have sugar free, 0 calorie syrups in them which can turn any glass of water into a non-carbonated energy drink.  That's right, one of these puppies will set you back a forgettable $3.99 but you have the ability to flavor a gallon of water.  Imagine how many times you could run around the world with a gallon of energy drink.

A single serving size, about 1/2 tsp or one small squirt, has 0 calories, fat, sodium, carbs, sugar and protein.  So, it really is just flavoring, with an added bonus.  Each serving size has 10% of your Daily B3,10% of your B6, 10% of your B12.  It also has some caffeine: 60mg per serving.  A serving of coffee has about 130 mg of caffeine.  So, what you have here, is a way to flavor water, add a few vitamins and caffeine.  I have beee using this daily and multiple times.  It is better than any other energy drink I have used because I cannot over dose on vitamins or get too much caffeine.  I rate these both a 5 out of 5 and if you love energy drinks, pick these up.    

A Monster Disaster

Not too long ago, I did a fun review contest of some energy drinks, or at least those which did not use High Fructose Corn Syrup as their main form of concentrated energy.  I tend to like or grew accustomed to the flavoring selection of the Monster brand energy drinks.  Soon I was drinking them every day.  A 24 pack from Costco, set me back $28 and I was happy as a clam.  I use energy drinks as the pick me up as I don't drink coffee.

So, everything was going fine at work.  I bought a 4 pack of regular Monster drinks and then was enjoying one of them one morning at work.  As I was finishing a can around 10am, I felt something solid hot my lips.  I went from okay, normal dull day at work, to "oh my god what was that?"  I took the can and what drink was left inside to our kitchen at work and poured it into a glass and noticed a brown circular object at the bottom of my glass.  I was shocked as it was brown, wrinkly and looked like something that I did NOT want in my drink or near me at all.  I poured it into the sink and with a carefully placed butter knife, I sliced the object in two to discover that it was nothing more than a raisin.

I was curious and sent an email to Monster asking if raisins are used in the manufacturing process at all.  Now, I wasn't trying to find the secret recipe but try to figure out if raisins went in Monster somewhere or if it was because some random worker on the line dropped it into a can.  After some back and forth emails, Monster sent me some coupons for some free Monster drinks.

Now, I'm not going to get any more Monster drinks, so why did they bother to send me these?  I compare this whole experience to one that you are enjoying a box of cracker-like snacks only to discover that they are made of dead people: and called Soylent Green.  You are disgusted and you don't want any more of those things and want to keep them away from you as far as you can.  Then you know what happens?  The manufacturer gives you a free box of Soylent Green.  You know that it is made from people, and you expressed your dislike for wanting to consume any more, so why do they give you some more?  Some people would take it, I would not.  Thanks Monster, but I take back all of the nice things I have said about you or your drinks. 

No amount of health or energy is worth this...

Do not drink Solixir, it is not tasty at all.  The flavor of this all natural energy drink tasted like someone left a Corona beer outside and then added a bunch of chopped leaves and dirt into the mix.  I also know that it is filled with natural and most likely healthy things like ginseng, angelica and even turmeric root.  But, the flavor is quite awful and I could not finish the can.   Here is a picture as a warning and this is likely a 1/2 star out of 5.

Time to unleash the Khaos?

No spelling mistake on my part: Khaos is the name of another flavor of energy drink from the brand Monster.  This energy drink is different than the other Monster drinks in it that this one is mostly made up of Juice. This tastes like a mix of soda and OJ.  It says, in the ingredient list, that it contains apple, orange, peach, tangerine, pineapple and white grape juice.  Boasting vitamin A and C, this drink has more energy in it, or at least more vitamins than a normal Monster drink.  I give this one a 2 out of 5 as well as the fruit mix doesn't taste that good to me.