Random Food

[size=+1]Random Food[/size]​

So, I just went "Ah! Flip it!" one day and sunk some money into the economy. Part of it was necessary actually, like a new Mega Drive controller. Yes, under normal circumstances it's an extravagance but it's for the Free Play part of the Smash Bros. Tourney at BUCK so it made sense to me.

You know what was even cooler? The controller is an Original too! It was released around the same time as my Mega Drive. So, it's like I have a set now! It's great! Someone spilt paint on the controller plug but it's great otherwise.

I also then brought a load of weird food because I could. And because trying new things would cheer up a friend of mine. So, this is what I picked up and also what I thought of this little journey of discovery.

In no particular order:

Wasabi Crisps (or Potato Chips)​

These were just hurriedly picked up from a little shop I know that stocked imported products from Japan, China and Korea. So, it's a little hard to understand what you're getting. There's plenty of translation on everything, however. Thankful for that, I'll let you! It's like a mini-supermarket. It seems to attract people looking for something unusual to try (like me), people that know what they want specifically and people over here that are missing some food from home. We get a lot of students from these places in the local universities and colleges so I imagine they'd want some proper Pocky or something once in a while. Sadly, never really talked to any of them before and never understood why they didn't seem to mingle much.

Anyway, Wasabi Crisps. Firstly, let's examine the bag.

By Celestia's G-String, this thing is heavy duty! Over here at least in Ol' Blighty, if a company expects you to want to save your food for later, they'll provide a strong sticker so you can roll up the top of the bag and then stick it down. Simple and effective.

The company this came from decided it needed it's own ZipLock bag to lock in that flavour. I get the idea but I do feel like it's a touch overkill. Still, it can't see any issue with washing the bag out after you're done and reusing it!

Now, there is a brand of crisps over here where you're given some plain-ish crisps and a packet of salt. Effectively, it's Ready Salted flavour except without the 'Ready' part. You can put in as little or as much salt as you please, shake the bag and eat away. Lovely. This is the exact same except with a powerfully spicy herb! Just add the Wasabi to the fried potatoes and Bob's your uncle! So I did this and tasted some.

If you like things spicy, this is your thing. To my palate, it tasted of mustard. Just strong mustard. Not a bad flavour, just not something I would have on a regular basis. Cool idea though! It does need more crisps though as the bag is huge but the amount of actual food is pretty laughable...

Mochi (probably) - Brown Sugar and Red Bean Paste flavour​

I love Turkish Delight. I really do. It's texture, the flavour that's both sweet and a little fragrant. It's lovely stuff! Truly scrumptious!

This Mochi seemed like that but a savoury option, somehow. It wasn't sweet, just sort of squishy. I can't say I've ever seen powdered brown sugar before. Even so, they're not terrible, just not exactly my thing. They seem like something you offer at a party or to an in-law like a slightly boring Ferrero Rocher.

The reason I say this is...Just look at this box! It's so smart! To me at least, it looks like old, boxed software. It's like this should contain a tax calculator. Microsoft Food Simulator's Japanese Addon Pack, now with more temples!

Flavoured Cold Teas - Mango and Lemon​

These are gorgeous! I really, really like these. I don't know what it is about these but I really enjoy them. Essentially, they seem to be the soft-drink equivalent of flavoured teas as it's quite clear that it's tea at it's base but the flavours almost dilute the kick of it. Or any potential kick it may have to create this beverage that delivers a little boost of energy gently. It's tasty and is a lovely little pick-me-up. I'm baffled they're not more popular but oh well! More for me and now I know where to find them without importing them!

Choco Puffs​

Best Western comparison is if someone made a treat out of the centers of Crunch MnM's but added a chocolate spread centre with a little bit of a chestnut flavouring. At least, I think it's chestnut. I want to say chestnut but I'm honestly not all that sure. But they're a tasty little snack. I have very little to complain about. It's a crunchy droplet of something sweet you pop in your mouth. I cannot think of anything that's off-putting about that.

Brain Wash - Blue flavour​

I...I just don't know...

This is from a little shop known as Cyber Candy. This is my more usual place if I want something I cannot get anywhere else in the country. Sweets and drinks and chocolate and even cereal. The prices aren't brilliant as, of course, it's almost entirely imported but it's hard to find this stuff anywhere else. Heck! They even make their own chocolate bars now because they had requests for some of the weirder flavours that they didn't stock.

This brings me on to Brain Wash. Now, I enjoy a good Ginger Beer every so often. It's spicy and kicks you in the throat as it goes down but I do enjoy it.

Brain Wash violently assaults all senses it can the instant you open the bottle. To call it 'spicy' seems a little too lenient on it. The smell is pungent and powerful alone. Whatever they used to dye the drink blue actually stains the bottle where it's been sitting around, waiting for it's next victim, perched on the shelf.

The flavour it not unpleasant, it's the manner and presence it gives if you see what I mean. It's a harsh drink. It's the closest to neat whiskey a soft drink can get. This stuff is caustic. It rolls through your mouth with the subtlety of acid mixed with a shot of vodka. There's this strange sherbet taste to it that I seriously cannot place at the moment that manages to also be fragrant in the same way that bleach is. To add to the horror, Brain Wash will taint your mouth with it's mark by staining your mouth blue. Powerfully. Ever had one of those lollipops that colour your tongue? Imagine that but twenty times more effective. And persistent.

There's around three types of Ginseng going into this thing...as well as a good deal of ingredients I don't actually understand. Actually, let's look at some of these...

"A Herbal Blend of American, Siberian and Korean Ginseng, African Capsicum, Buchu, Echineacea, Jalapeno Oil, Ginkgo Biloba, Ginger, Gotu Kola, Kola Nut, Brazilian Guarana, Skullcap (Mad Dog Weed), Clove, Damiana, Sage, Sodium Benzoate (to preserve taste)"

What the hell is Scullcap/Mad Dog Weed? A quick wiki turns up that Scutellaria lateriflora (Mad Dog Weed) is a type of mint. Because what this drink needed was another thing to add to the sucker punch of a flavour it has.

Echinacea is a flower that's been linked to cancer and cold cures although, there's been nothing to confirm that it has any real significance. What it's doing in here, I couldn't tell you.

Ginkgo Biloba, or the Maidenhair tree, are native to China. They're meant to be something of a living fossil as they've been around for so long, there's actual fossils of this trees leaves. It's allegedly got some properties to do with the improvement of memory and concentration. Nothing on it's flavour or significance here.

Kola Nut (Centella asiatica) apparently has plenty of culinary uses, the most relevant being 'thandaayyee' which is not someone thanking someone while falling down a well but an Indian summer drink. So at least it started off as a drink and makes some sense.

Damiana (Turnera diffusa) is a small flower that has been made into a tea, mixed with sugar then used as an aphrodisiac. In fact, 100% concentrations of the stuff has been banned but it's perfectly fine within this drink. I can't remember feeling any more frisky although Wikipedia said nothing about a human trial. And I'm not a rat. Again, why it's here, I couldn't tell you. It's almost like sprinkling in a little heroin to flavour your tea.

I cannot fathom why this combination of ingredients are in this drink as only a handful have ever been used in beverages before (to my knowledge). I'm all for experimentation but this ingredients list makes Brain Wash sound more and more like a bizarre witches' brew. I definitely won't doubt that there is a customer base for it somewhere. Perhaps this concoction is popular in it's native America but for me, it's just kinda fascinatingly disgusting. And this is coming from the man that enjoys a Fish-Finger and Custard Sandwich every now and then. With all these weird and exotic ingredients, it feels like a kind of medicine but I cannot recommend anyone try it. Pick it up only if you're desperate for something new to try out. And only then, I'd say. I can see this being an acquired taste to some. Although, I am curious what the Red one is like...