Can't Resist those Funky KitKats

Remember all those weird Kit Kats I've mentioned in previous posts? Well, we finally got a chance to try some. The wasabi Kit Kat was OK, although it didn't taste very wasabi-like. I liked the green tea Kit Kat better. It had a definite green tea aftertaste. Both the wasabi flavor and the green tea flavor tasted more like white chocolate than green chocolate, and both were extra exciting since the actual candy bars were green, although the green tea one was much brighter. Awesome!

Packaging = much more fancy than a regular Kit Kat

GREEN!

Who knew wasabi and chocolate was such a great pair?!

In the seen-but-not-tasted category, we have some fascinating exhibits. Cheese Kit Kat, anyone? I mean, cheese and chocolate are both decadent delicacies, but who ever thought of mixing them up into one? And I really hope the candy bars are as yellow as the ones illustrated on the box!

How about strawberry cake Kit Kats?

What will Nestle think of next?!

The Fascinating Feet of Chicken

So, I am of the opinion that chicken feet are pretty freaking gross. I mean, if you put the foot of anything (a cow hoof? some monkey toes? a cat's paw?) on my plate, I think I would turn up my nose pretty fast. And chicken feet don't even look edible - they're so bony and tendon-y and weird. But millions of Chinese people feel differently. In China, Singapore, and other places, chicken feet are an in-demand delicacy. In fact, they're such a revered dish that they're referred to as "phoenix talons" in China. In the U.S., chicken feet are not common fare, so many chicken feet are exported to China, where they can fetch a decent price. According to this Time story, chicken feet (er...I mean phoenix talons) play a significant role in U.S.-Chinese trade relations.

I'm suspicious of food that looks like it could fight back.

I think I'll stick to my vegetarian diet...

Scrumptious Acid

Hungry? How about some lactic acid mix jelly?

Mmmmm...all your acid needs, in a convenient little to-go container!

P.S. I don't even know how to tag this. What IS it? Is it actually jelly? Do you put it on bread? Is it candy? Dessert? A snack? Something to make you feel better if you're lactose intolerant? I'm so lost.

Unusual Oreos

These aren't as off-the-wall as black glutinous cream or seaweed Pringles, but since Oreos are a childhood favorite of mine, I thought I'd share. In the U.S., there are a several kinds of Oreos: regular, the annoyingly misspelled Double Stuf, Peanut Butter, Mint, ones with orange filling for Halloween, and the kind that have vanilla cookies instead of chocolate (why you'd ever substitute vanilla for chocolate is beyond me, but to each his own). Well, here are a couple more I never saw in America:

Blueberry ice cream Oreos

I think these are strawberry Oreo sticks of some sort, but since everything's in Japanese, I'm not 100% sure.

The chunks are a little disconcerting.

Would You Like Some Fungus with those Balls?

There are so many things I love about this menu board, so I'm just going to list them for you:

      1) The unappetizing white gooey balls plopped unceremoniously into the swampy black goo.

      2) "Snow Fungus" What, pray tell, is snow fungus? Mold that grows on snow? And why would you want to eat it?!

      3) "Black Glutinous Cream" Here in Singapore, the word glutinous is frequently used in apparent efforts to make things sound appetizing. I don't know about you, but it has the opposite effect for me. Take anything that would otherwise sound tasty, slap the adjective glutinous in front of it, and it instantly sounds unappealing. Chickpea curry? Mmmmm. Glutinous chickpea curry? Not so much. Chocolate cake? YES PLEASE! Glutinous chocolate cake? No thanks. I just ate.

      4) As if black glutinous cream wasn't enough to handle all on its own, it's served up with yam. Black glutinous cream and yams makes me think of something that might come out of the kitchen sink drain after a clog.

      5) The fact that the heading "Sweet Treasures" is used to describe all of these oddities. I can think of many things to call them, but Sweet Treasures does not factor in.

If you are inclined to savor any of these sweet treasures, make your way to Singapore, to the basement of The Central in Clarke Quay, and bask in all the glutinous glory you can handle.

Kickapoo!

Well, friends, you have every right to wonder what on earth is in Kickapoo Joy Juice.  With a name like that, anything could be in there…well, almost anything.  I’m betting the farm that there isn’t any actual juice in there.  Not the kind of juice I’m familiar with, anyway (some sleuthing revealed that the only “juice” is concentrated grapefruit juice, pretty low on the ingredient list, and right before brominated vegetable oil.  Mmmmm). 

You have to love a drink company bold enough to put "poo" in a beverage name

There are a number of intriguing things about this beverage.  One is, obviously, the name, which calls to mind some sort of cocaine-laced beverage that will have you glued to the ceiling for hours on end.  Another is the fact that the front of the can proudly proclaims that this is the “Original USA Joy Juice Recipe,” which I found particularly interesting, considering I’d never seen the neon green can until I moved to Singapore.  But a little Internet research revealed that the company that originally produced the beverage was indeed founded in Atlanta, so I guess they’re not just telling me joyous, juicy lies.  Apparently the name (and the art on the can) comes from the comic strip Lil’ Abner. 

The drink inside the can is nowhere near as bizarre as the can itself (KJJ tastes a lot like Mountain Dew), but with a name like that, the beverage definitely earns a spot in the weird beverage hall of fame.  Right next to Pocari Sweat.

After you're done with that 'poo, how about some sweat?

More Pringles!

Remember those funky Pringles I posted a few months ago?   The flavors were soft-shell crab, seaweed, and grilled shrimp.  They boggle those of us more accustomed to the flavors of the Western world: barbeque, sea salt & vinegar, cool ranch, things like that.  Well, Pringles must be working hard on expanding their Asian market because they recently released a new line of "Street Food" flavors.  Pictured here is Bangkok grilled chicken wing.  I've also seen Indonesian satay, but haven't gotten a photo yet.  The best thing about Bangkok grilled chicken wing Pringles?  Through some mystery of food science...they're vegetarian!  The second best thing is definitely that the Pringle on the front of the can is wearing a cute little hat!  I'm keeping my eyes peeled for more Street Food flavors.  Maybe there will be one from Singapore!  Fish head curry Pringles! Kaya toast Pringles! Kopi Pringles!  The possibilities are endless.