MY OREO CREATIONS 2018

At long last, I have tracked down and consumed all of the 2018 "My Oreo Creation" entries: Pina Colada Oreo Thins, Kettle Corn Oreos, and Cherry Cola Oreos.

I'd like to think that Nabisco settled on these three flavors the same way a corrupt beauty pageant official might have selected the finalists for "Miss Tuolumne County 1957," including an entrant that is average-looking, an entrant that is downright ugly, and an entrant who looks a lot better next to the other two.  (Oh, and that last one is the official's niece, of course!)

Similarly, there is no real contest here.

Let's start with the clear loser, which in this case is Cherry Cola.  Opening the package does provide a whiff of cherry cola scented goodness in the same way that putting on cherry cola lip balm does...and, as with lip balm, that's where the fun ends.  You definitely don't want to eat these!  Yes, Nabisco added popping candy in the creme in an attempt to simulate a soda, but they also encased that cherry creme in their traditional faux chocolate cookie wafer.  Not a good match!

Next up we have the average entrant, Kettle Corn.  I love popcorn, but I don't understand why anyone would bother with popcorn-flavored snacks when they can have the real thing just as easily.  That's why popcorn Jelly Bellies have never been among my favorites, although I have a lot of friends who swear by them.  The good news and bad news is that these Oreos don't taste like popcorn at all.  There is no hint of butter, only the scent of maple which is supposed to remind you of the caramel popcorn topping, I guess, but instead reminded me of the pancake or waffle-flavored Oreos.  They are a little too sweet, but not bad overall.  But, again, they aren't reminiscent of popcorn...despite Nabisco adding puffed millet to the creme (?).

Last, but not least, is the clear winner among this trio: Pina Colada.  Had you asked me in advance, I would not have expected this result, but that's because I had the taste of the libation and not a cookie in mind.  I braced myself for a strong coconut and pineapple flavor, half expecting shards of real coconut in the creme (Why not? The other two had puffed millet and popping candy!).  Instead, what I got was a very slight pineapple flavor that blended just fine with the golden cookie.  I think Nabisco had the right idea making these "Thins" instead of their regular size cookie, because twice the amount of creme might have been overpowering.  While I wouldn't recommend dipping this one in milk any time soon, it might be a good snack to have while sipping a pina colada or a blue Hawaiian.

If you want to participate in the contest, visit the following URL to vote for your favorite:
https://mondelez.promo.eprize.com/myoreocreation/


CHERRY COLA
RATING     2 / 5

KETTLE CORN
RATING    3 / 5

PINA COLADA
RATING    4 / 5

HOSTESS BAKERY PETITES

Having grown up on Hostess, Svenhard's and Dolly Madison, you can imagine my surprise when I discovered that there were places known as bakeries that actually made fresh pastries, muffins, cookies and cakes that didn't come individually wrapped 8-10 in a box.  Of course, nothing could beat my mom's homemade treats from the Betty Crocker cooky book (and yes, that's how they spelled it!), but you have to admit that pre-packaged goods are much more convenient.

Well, hold onto your cake pops and donut holes, because Hostess seems to be trying to go the other way with a new line of snacks called "bakery petites."  I spotted at least three different types--cake delights, brownie delights, and crispi thins--each with at least two flavor varieties.  Right away, you'll notice that the package is a lot "classier" and more subdued than the usual Ho Ho, Twinkie or Ding Dong boxes.  Not to mention that the snacks aren't given such childish names such as Ho Hos, Twinkies and Ding Dongs.

The packaging also calls out the fact that these snacks are made with "REAL VANILLA," as well as without artificial flavors and colors or high fructose corn syrup.  But, frankly, if you are picking up a Hostess package in the first place, chances are you aren't exactly worried about ingredients.  The only important question is...how do they taste?

Well, first let's start with how they look...

I'd daresay that if you were to empty the contents of the bag onto a plate or a serving dish (classy!), people just might be fooled into thinking that you picked these up at an actual bakery.  Heck, if you want to go crazy, shove a few popsicle sticks into 'em and call them cake pops.  Maybe no one will notice the difference.  At least, until they eat them.

See, the thing is, even if I have no idea what Hostess used as a preservative, my taste buds told me immediately that these things aren't freshly-made.  They taste rather like any other Hostess snacks, actually.  The outside coating is a bit waxy, and cracks easily, and the inside isn't much different than a Twinkie or cupcake with creme filling...despite the "higher end" ingredients.

Personally, I'm fond of Hostess snack cakes, and so I was fond of these as well.  I especially liked the bite size portions that makes me feel like I'm making a better choice than if I were to stuff an entire Ding Dong in my mouth.  Wait...that didn't sound right! (See what I mean about childish names?)  If you are already a fan of Hostess, these will probably be a welcome addition.

RATING: 4 / 5 





 

SMASH CRISPY CINNAMON CHURRO

Never let it be said that I'm a junk food snob...

You've probably noticed that I tend to focus on products from Hostess, Nabisco, Hershey, M&M and Kellogg's.  Simply put, they are easier to find in the stores, and a majority of people are already familiar with their offerings--Twinkies, Oreos, Pop Tarts, etc.  But that doesn't mean there aren't smaller independent companies out there putting out snack foods that could be worthy of your attention.

To be honest, marshmallows are one of the few sugary treats that I don't eat on a semi-regular basis.  While they may be fine as a topping for the occasional cup of hot chocolate, or as part of S'mores, or the "glue" that holds Rice Krispie treats together, I don't think I've eaten them right out of the bag since I was a Cub Scout.  So, when I spotted "Smashmallows" on stores shelves not long ago, not even unique flavors such as root beer float, coconut pineapple or Meyer lemon poppy seed could get me to take the bait.  But now the company has released their version of a rice cereal treat, and one of the available flavors is cinnamon churro.  I definitely could not let that one go by without a taste.

I've been known to survive for days in Disneyland eating nothing but churros.  When made properly...warm, crispy on the outside but soft inside, just enough cinnamon and sugar...they are one of my favorite snacks on this planet. 

Unfortunately, Smash Crispy Cinnamon Churro does not bring to mind churros in any way.  It is basically the answer to the question "What if I sprinkled cinnamon sugar on my rice krispie treat?"  And the answer is, unsurprisingly, "You've got a slightly cinnamon-flavored rice krispie treat."  They are tasty enough, and the company does use more natural ingredients--tapioca syrup, organic cane sugar, sea salt, sustainable palm oil--but at the end of the day, they aren't anything special.  Not to mention the fact that even the laziest among us could make them ourselves quite easily...as every family picnic desert table can attest to.

RATING: 3 / 5