Random Product Reviews
A few weeks ago, I visited my favorite store, Super H and picked up a couple of interesting products, which I have taken the time to review for your edification. I’ve noticed that a lot of food bloggers seem to receive free products that they in turn review on their blogs. I’ve never received any free products. So I have to resort to buying bizarre items in the grocery store and reviewing them. Life is tough, my friends.
First up is my personal favorite:
Meatless Spaghetti Sauce with Pickled Cucumber! Because WHY NOT?
This was a tiny can and I feared there would not be enough for two so I chose to try this product on an evening when Mark was not dining with me. Because what if it was so awesome I didn’t want to share?!?
First impression upon opening the adorable little can? Well, that it resembled cat food, to be honest.
I didn’t let that deter me, however, because Brachtune really likes cat food and she seems pretty discerning, so I figure maybe she’s on to something.
To prepare this exotic dish, I removed the contents of the tin to a microwaveable bowl and heated it for a few minutes.
I then spooned it over some prepared pasta.
My thoughts? Well, that it was pretty disgusting, actually. It was greasy and weird and oddly sweet, and after considering Brachtune’s culinary opinion a little further I remembered that she considers plastic bags and her own butt to be great delicacies, so I decided that an uncanny resemblance to cat food wasn’t necessarily an indicator of good grub after all. However, I did consider the possibility that Meatless Spaghetti Sauce with Pickled Cucumber is a great idea, just one that does not translate well to canned versions. So I whipped up my own version of the same using chopped homemade seitan, cucumber relish, and chili paste …
… which I also served over pasta.
This, with its significantly lower amounts of oil and sugar – yes, sugar! – was an improvement on the canned stuff, but I still found it in my best interests to defrost a frozen pesto cube and toss it with the remainder of the pasta for the rest of my meal.
Next up, Soy Pudding. Great for dessert!
We don’t usually eat dessert unless we have company, but I was feeling a bit peckish after dinner tonight and, recalling that the Soy Pudding I bought at Super H was about to expire, I figured there was no time like the present to try it out. My original plan was to throw away the syrup it came with because it contained high fructose corn syrup and make my own ginger-flavored topping, but at the last minute I decided that would be cheating. The syrup comes in a little packet taped to the pudding tub, which is pretty classy.
I didn’t expect this one to be too bad, quite frankly. It’s really just soft tofu – how bad can it be? And I like ginger, so despite the fact it’s made with high fructose corn syrup, how bad could that be?
Mark’s a lot more squeamish than I am, however, and I’m going to tell you right now he went into this venture with a bad attitude.
I can’t help but think that if he’d cleared his mind of any prejudices against tofu for dessert this would have gone over better with him.
He valiantly tried a bite in an attempt to be supportive of my efforts to bring you unbiased product reviews.
But I’m afraid he ultimately issued an unfavorable review of Soy Pudding.
As for me, I found it much more palatable than the spaghetti sauce, but also to taste very much like tofu drizzled with ginger-scented high fructose corn syrup. I think I’ll stick to chocolate.
Lily Said,
March 16, 2010 @ 10:23 pm
When I was a kid, hanging around my mom as she shopped for groceries in Chinatown, we would sometimes stop by the fresh tofu vendor and get some dau fu fa (tofu pudding). It was usually drizzled with a sugar syrup of some sort, and was always creamy and delicious.
I suspect you’d like it better if you used your own homemade silken tofu and made your own syrup (like you had originally planned to do.) Otherwise, it’s really no different than eating a weird Asian soybean-y version of jello. Gross.
radioactivegan Said,
March 16, 2010 @ 10:44 pm
I agree these both *seem* like good ideas … thanks for the warnings! 🙂
cassaundra Said,
March 17, 2010 @ 12:31 am
interesting..
you are a such a great writer, by the way.
*great pictures of mark, too. looks like he really enjoyed dessert 🙂
Lisa G/K Said,
March 17, 2010 @ 7:09 am
I will be laughing all day! Food and humor are a winning combination.
Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj0PH1zYqTc&feature=related
mustikkapöperö Said,
March 17, 2010 @ 10:36 am
Ha ha! Great impressions, Mark!
This is one of my favourite food blogs, I’ve tried few of your seitan/fake meat recipes and they have all turned out fabulous. And Mark is always hilarious 🙂
Tiana Said,
March 17, 2010 @ 11:01 am
Great post! Mark looks so pleased in the last picture that his taste testing session had ended.
I saw that can of meatless spaghetti sauce at my local Asian grocer and you’re a braver soul than I am because my first thought was “That looks gross.”
Jes Said,
March 17, 2010 @ 12:02 pm
Aw, stink about the products not being good. Although I think the “spaghetti sauce” should have been a no-brainer on the not-good scale. shudder.
Speaking of weird Asian food buys, I just picked up some green bean flour. Yes, flour. Any thoughts on how to use it?
Josiane Said,
March 17, 2010 @ 12:41 pm
I love your writing! 🙂
Lou Said,
March 17, 2010 @ 5:15 pm
That ‘spaghetti sauce’ reminds me of these little tins/jars from Germany (I’ve gotten them in Lidl/Aldi, I saw a Lidl in NY so I figure you might be familiar with them?), that are supposed to be ‘brushetta’ toppings. They are usually incredibly oily/salty/sweet, minced sundried tomato affairs, again, something that sounds ‘alright’ in principle but really isn’t very authentic, or edible.
I accidentally used one of those sweet silken tofu things to make mayo – think about how that would taste. Yes, I threw it out.
Jessica Said,
March 17, 2010 @ 8:19 pm
I gotta say, ive been reading your blog for a while, and I love it! I find it hilarious 😀
Ksenia Said,
March 18, 2010 @ 2:05 am
I agree with Cassandra: this post made me smile 🙂 (Marh’s face is priceless xD) Although it’s a pitty that no one of the reviewed products turned out too tasty at the end. I suppose that this is the reason why I prefer cooking from scratch: nobody guarantees you it will taste great, but at least it won’t have an enormous amount of corn syrup 😉
Maria Said,
March 18, 2010 @ 3:12 pm
You really are brave. If I’d opened a can of food that looked like that, I don’t think I’d have been brave enough to actually eat it! And full marks for having everything in the cupboard, ready to make your own version! But I think I’ll learn from your experience and NOT try this one.
The soya pudding though – now that I would eat…
Wonderful blog, as always…
Lovliebutterfly Said,
March 21, 2010 @ 7:36 pm
hahaha! Those photos of Mark made me laugh! I would think soya pudding would be nice. I’ve heard good reviews about it but haven’t tried any so far. Nice review post!
trinity Said,
March 23, 2010 @ 4:58 pm
haha, poor Mark. Too bad about the spaghetti sauce! I thought it sounded kind of good.
Zoa Said,
March 28, 2010 @ 9:52 am
Very funny post, Renae! I love reading your blog.
yukirei Said,
March 31, 2010 @ 5:29 am
Wrong kind of soy pudding, that’s more like the traditional chinese desert called dofua, which is….. essentially just really soft tofu with sugar syrup, and is more of an acquired taste than anything (I personally didn’t mind it when I tried some but it wasn’t my favorite either). There was this soy/tofu pudding (and I say tofu pudding because the stuff *was* packaged and the consistency of semi-soft tofu) that I got to try when I was in Canada that came in various flavors (lots of fruit flavors actually) that was ABSOLUTELY delicious, I even wanted to buy some to take home but then realized the stuff probably wouldn’t keep for long without a refrigerator, especially on a flight route that involved taking some detours. Too bad I can’t seem to find it anywhere in the USA though ^^;
Mark’s facial expressions are hilarious though, I just discovered this place and couldn’t help but laugh at his expressiveness.
renae Said,
April 3, 2010 @ 3:20 pm
Yukirei, good to know there is good tofu pudding out there. Actually, I think I saw something like that in Wegmans the other day; I’ll have to check it out and see if it’s any nicer.
Gloria Said,
April 1, 2010 @ 1:33 am
The Meatless Spaghetti Sauce with Pickled Cucumber is usually eat with congee ( rice porridge). Since congee usually has no taste, so people pair it with more flavorful food like pickles
I love dau fu fa or tofu pudding, I grown up eating it =)
Traditionally people just sprinkle yellow sugar on top
Michelle Said,
April 19, 2010 @ 5:32 pm
haha, poor Mark. Too bad about the spaghetti sauce! I thought it sounded kind of good.
becky Said,
May 12, 2010 @ 1:01 pm
This was a very funny great post! Funny and educational. Thank you. I will avoid the pickled spaghetti!