Suzukake sogetsu Doriyaki: This Japanese treat was a gift from a visitor to my lab. The packaging had zero English, but with the help of Google Translate, I determined that the brand is Suzukake, and the snack is called sogetsu. I expected it to be dorayaki, but the pancake wrapper was actually made of glutinous rice instead of cake. As a huge fan of mochi, I am completely in favor of this substitution. Beside the texture, it tasted just like dorayaki, with a red bean filling that was sweeter than other Japanese confe... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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Glico vanilla ice cream snack: I've seen variants of this product before and have always been somewhat curious but not enough to purchase. This particular snack came in my latest #munchpak installment, which was a good excuse to try it. It consists of a wafer-like cone with an airy, yet oddly moist filling that resembles whipped butter in texture and texture. I really disliked the cone, which had a texture similar to cardboard (and a flavor to match). The vanilla filling had a slimy mouthfeel, which is off putting to say ... (read more) 1.5/5.0
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Hontaka Ecorce : This Japanese line of cookies was first established in 1887 and is available in giftstores all around Japan. According to their website (translated to English via Google Translate), the cookie is made of just a few simple ingredients: flour, sugar, oil and fat, and eggs. What makes it unique is the thin and flaky layers, which are almost like a cross between a crepe and mille-feuille (though it's completely dry). Its buttery taste and precisely thin layers, along with its thoughtful packagin... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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Three Sister Cinnamon Sweets: Bears an uncanny resemblance to Cinnamon Toast Crunch (which I'm sure is their intention). This bagged cereal brand is one of the most economical options from Whole Foods. Maintains good level of crunch in milk, but is overly sweet and leaves a mound of sugar and cinnamon at the bottom of the bowl. 2.5/5.0
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Dancing Deer Baking Co. traditional gingerbread dessert bites: A seasonal treat that's substantial and moist but not overly dense. Like a nugget of spiced cake. Good ginger and molasses flavor, though the extra sugar crystals on top are unnecessary. Contains 4 servings for a little over $3, which is a good value for the Leanbox. 3.5/5.0
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Trader Joe's triple ginger cookie thins: I really like these cookies. They have an unapologetic ginger flavor, and the texture is slightly crispy. They have a better ginger flavor than Anna's Swedish cookies, and they still have a satisfying bite without the thickness of normal ginger snaps. Highly recommended. 4.0/5.0
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