Trader Joe's Pfeffernüsse: German cookies with a hard coating dusted in powdered sugar. The white exterior is strongly spiced, reminiscent of wintermint, which I find to be overly strong for the more neutral gingerbread-flavored cookie. They are a mess to eat and require a plate to avoid crumbs and dust ending up all over yourself. The packaging suggests pairing with a hot beverage, which I believe would help, but on their own, these snacks are a pass. 2.0/5.0
cookies german spiced traderjoes pfeffernisse 2.0
Trader Joe's Mochi rice nuggets: The joy of eating mochi comes down to its distinct chewy texture and its faintly sweet flavor, accentuated by even sweeter fillings like red bean and black sesame. So what happens when you take mochi, fry it so it's crispy, and season it so it becomes a savory snack? Trader Joe's is attempting to answer that question with their mochi nugget crackers. The nuggets are slightly larger than a piece of Capt'n Crunch and are on the salty side, with a golden sheen similar to corn cereal. Each crac... (read more) 2.5/5.0
crackers traderjoes mochi rice nuggets 2.5
Shirafuji Seika Ika mirin age: To mark the occasion of reaching 1,000 tasty snacks, I went to Tokyo Fish Market to purchase Japanese snacks. I purposely picked two bags without any English on the packaging. The first was a squid-flavored rice cracker which, according to the ingredients, contains shrimp, cuttlefish, and octopus. Combining these seafood flavors with a generous amount of MSG leads to a umami-rich snack. The irregularly shaped crackers have a deep orange color and a shiny coating. Very satisfying and tasty. 3.5/5.0
japanese shrimp squid seafood ricecrackers tokyofishmarket shirafujiseika ika mirin age 3.5 recommended
Voskos Original plain Greek yogurt: This plain yogurt has a tart, savory flavor that makes it ideal for dips and sauces to pair with dishes. It has a substantial, thick consistency that's much better than your average Greek yogurt. Even better, it's less expensive than Fage and similar alternatives, making it a great value. Purchased from Berkeley Bowl. 4.0/5.0
recommended yogurt berkeleybowl greekyogurt voskos original plain greek 4.0
Arrowhead Watermelon Lime sparkling water: I purchased this beverage because I needed a container to use with my homemade carbonator. Though it contains 100% natural ingredients, the watermelon is reminiscent of watermelon-flavored Blowpops. Overall, it's a difficult flavor to imagine pairing any food with this drink, and it's not desirable enough to have on its own. 2.0/5.0
drinks arrowhead watermelon lime sparkling water 2.0
Vintage Italia Pasta Bowtie Meatball Parm baked puffed snack: Large bowtie-shaped crisps with a thin shell and hollow interior, this snack is the only one I know currently on the market that resembles 3D Doritos. They are, however, less substantial than their Frito Lay predecessor, which also means the bag must be handled very carefully to avoid a bag of scraps. Tangy, sweet tomato flavor with a good amount of Italian herbs and pepper seasoning. A more intense version of pizza Goldfish crackers. 3.0/5.0
safeway pizza italian vintageitalia pasta bowtie meatball parm baked puffed snack 3.0