Month #9 - South America Snacks

In our world tour of snacks, we come now to the nation of South America. 

As always, before getting into the snacks, here are some random facts and trivia.

The tallest water slide in the world is in Redona, Brazil. It's 163 feet tall and sliders (riders?) can reach 57 mph.

When the Peruvian football (soccer) team qualified for the World Cup in 2017, they were so excited, their jumping up and down registered as an earthquake.

There are no doorbells in Paraguay and knocking the door is considered rude. To alert someone that you're at the door, you're supposed to clap.

Rainbow Mountain in Cusco, Peru:

Hand of the Desert in Antofagasta, Chile:

And now, the snacks...

1) Supercoco - Barra Con Cereal

Country of Origin: Colombia

Review:

As you can tell, we're starting off with a granola bar ("bar of cereal"). And an excellent, rice crispie-based, focusing-on-flavor-rather-than-health, granola bar it is! There is also a caramel-type substance which I guess is where the coconut is located.

It's been a long time since I had granola bars so my ability to judge is impaired. It seemed to me, from my memory, that Nature Valley Oats and Honey was the standard against which all other granola is judged and this is right up there - as good or better, possibly. Oh, and on the less healthy side, the Quaker ones with chocolate chips in them were awesome. I miss them.

And on that note, here's the Jim Gaffigan bit about the corruption of Granola Bars.

2) Bianchi - Choco Snacks - Cookies and Cream

Country of Origin: Colombia

Review:

These are pretty great. 

They're cookie-ish globs of white stuff - I didn't get a photo because I was too busy eating them. There's no doubt that there's nothing approaching "nutrition" anywhere in it. Also there is a slightly "off" flavor somewhere in there but it's generally so close to the desired flavor that they're irresistible. 

Would the ice cream be better? Yes. Is this a great portable ice cream alternative? Sure.

3) Plum Cake with Vanilla Yogurt

Country of Origin: Argentina

Review:

I looked at that packaging and said to myself, "This is going to be some country's version of Twinkies." Especially when it says "with Vanilla Yogurt" you know that's just cream filling. But, no.

This is a small vanilla-y cake. It's light, sweet, moist... it's like an angel food cake. And that's it. No twist, nothing else, just cake.

So, it's good but I don't have anything to say. No need to go to Argentina to taste cake like this.

4) Delecitos - Sabor Pimenta

Country of Origin: Brazil

Review:

I think I am as undecided on these as any snack in the history of snacks.

These are crunchy, hollow wheat snacks that have a hint of spice (being pepper flavored). This is not going to help anyone but they remind me a lot of pizza flavored chip-like snacks that I at a long time ago. Those snacks tried to simulate a doughy taste to act as the pizza dough and these taste very similar.

As I was eating them, I would constantly facilate between "these are awesome" and "these are average." There is no in between. So I don't know and that's my review.

The back of the package advertises other flavors (my translation): "Onion and Salsa," "Pizza," "Beef or Grilled Meat (Churrasco)," "Calabrian Pepper," and "Queso." Given my Pizza snack musing, I may try that one.

5) Plantain Chips - Lemon

Country of Origin: Ecuador

Review:

I went into this bag with high expectations. I like banana chips enough, I assumed plantain chips would be along the same lines - perhaps sweeter, even. I was wrong. The small print says "Lemon" but it honestly doesn't taste like lemon either.

These taste like dried plantain chips with loads of salt and vinegar, to me. That's right: salt and vinegar plantain chips. Not the worst thing I've tasted, they are edible, but I'm not a fan - and it could have been really good; it had a chance.

6) Bon Bon Bum - Passion Fruit

Country of Origin: Columbia

Review:

At first glance, this looks exactly like a Charms Blow Pop - and that might not be a coincidence. But also at first glance (Glance 1.A) you will see there are black dots, like insects, implanted beneath the surface. Have you ever had a lollipop with seeds before? That alone was worth the price of admission. I was half expecting them to be real seeds but I think they're just lollipop material painted black.

And, I should note, that we have once again encountered the term "Bon Bon" for another seemingly unrelated item.

So anyways, these are pretty good. They are positively bursting with passion fruit flavor. And the Blow Pop Connection: there is gum in the middle. There really isn't much gum but it's been a while since I had a Blow Pop, perhaps they're equal. A nice throwback to my childhood though with an interesting twist.

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It's unfair to compare this batch, which is comprised of 4 countries, with other batches which were each one, but overall it was good. Nothing crazy, nothing awful. See you next month.