QUICK REVIEW: Kit Kat Chocolatory Special Strawberry Maple (Japan)

/ / Reviews

2018 12 21 KKSM1

What is Kit Kat Chocolatory Special Strawberry Maple?

While in Tokyo recently, I made a stop at the Kit Kat Chocolatory store & café and brought home some goodies. Kit Kat, the king of novelty-flavored candy bars, has rolled out a Strawberry Maple variety for their Chocolatory retail outlets in Japan.

2018 12 21 KKSM2

How is it?

These Kit Kats have a strong, pleasant, but artificial, strawberry aroma. Like a bowl of Frankenberry doused in Strawberry Quik. No trace of maple yet.

2018 12 21 KKSM3

Strawberry was definitely in charge of the flavors. The taste was in line with the scent profile – nostalgic fake berry. I love this flavor, but it’s present everywhere – including multiple Kit Kats – so it didn’t excite me here.

2018 12 21 KKSM4

I only picked up the maple after the strawberry taste faded away, and even then it was subtle. If I wasn’t expecting maple, I don’t think I would have noticed it at all. The more I ate, the less I tasted it. This was disappointing since I’m a huge maple fan.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Google translate amuses me to no end. The translation of the text inside the box lid reads: “You can enjoy exquisite harmony with maple smelled faintly. With fresh strawberries.”

2018 12 21 KKSM5

Conclusion:

These are pleasant, but like the Ruby Kit Kats, they’re too familiar to feel special. If you’re a strawberry fanatic, seek them out. Otherwise, give them a try if they meander into your world, but don’t make an effort. If you’re a maple fan, pass on these – it’s just not there.

Purchased Price: 400 yen (approx. $3.52 US)
Size: 46.4 g box (4 mini bars)
Purchased at: Kit Kat Chocolatory main store, Ginza, Tokyo
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 11.6g bar) 64 calories, 3.7 grams of fat, 4-24 milligrams of sodium, 7.3 grams of carbohydrates, and 0.48 grams of protein.

QUICK REVIEW: Bubbies Chocolate Egg Nog and Peppermint Candy Mochi Ice Cream

/ / Reviews

Bubbies Holiday Flavors Mochi Ice Cream

What are Bubbies Chocolate Egg Nog and Peppermint Candy Mochi Ice Cream?

If you’re not familiar with mochi ice cream, it’s ice cream inside mochi, which is a chewy Japanese rice dough. I know “rice dough” might not seem delicious, but I assure you, the ice cream stands out and the mochi’s texture is a wonderful contrast to the creamy ice cream. One of the first companies to offer mochi ice cream, Bubbies, has two holiday flavors — Chocolate Egg Nog and Peppermint Candy.

How are they?

Bubbies Chocolate Egg Nog Mochi Ice Cream

Let’s start with the egg nog one because it’s the one I dream about when I close my eyes. It tastes like the holiday beverage in frozen treat form. While the nog spices excite my taste buds, the chocolate mochi exterior doesn’t come into play because the flavor of the ice cream is so rich and strong. But despite that, I adore these.

Bubbies Peppermint Candy Mochi Ice Cream

Peppermint Candy, on the other hand, doesn’t appear in my dreams, but the flavor is spot on. The level of mint is not intense. It’s slightly more sweet than minty, which is just like actually peppermint candy. The mochi exterior with this one also doesn’t play a significant role with the flavor. I enjoyed it, but it doesn’t make me want to go all mochi ice cream monster on the entire pack, like the other one does.

Is there anything else I need to know?

There are only six of them in each box, which go for about $5-$6 per box. And each one is about two inches in diameter and weigh 1.25 ounces. So if you do the math, it’s pricey for the amount of ice cream you get.

Also, while Bubbies is a company based in Hawaii, its mochi ice cream is available across the country. You can find them at Whole Foods and other grocers.

Conclusion:

Bubbies’ Chocolate Egg Nog and Peppermint Candy Mochi Ice Cream are great, but as you can tell from what I’ve written, I love the Chocolate Egg Nog way more because, full disclosure, I’m an egg nog hog.

DISCLOSURE: I received free samples from Bubbies, but doing so didn’t influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 7.5 oz. box
Purchased at: Received from Bubbies
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Chocolate Egg Nog)
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Peppermint Candy)
Nutrition Facts: (1 piece) Chocolate Egg Nog – 90 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 10 milligrams of sodium, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein. Peppermint Candy – 90 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 10 milligrams of sodium, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

QUICK REVIEW: Perry’s Ice Cream Elf Trash

/ / Reviews / 6 Comments

Perry's Ice Cream Elf Trash

What is Perry’s Ice Cream Elf Trash?

According to the North Pole’s head elf, Sugarplum Perry, he and his elf brethren “accidentally” raided Santa’s cupboard to create the “yummiest holiday stash.”

How “stash” became “trash” remains a mystery, but you know what they say, “One man’s trash is another elf’s pleasure.*”

Perry s Ice Cream Elf Trash 2

How is it?

Elf Trash made my yuletide gay. I don’t exactly know what that means, and I don’t know if that’s still PC, but I’m pretty sure it’s a good thing.

Speaking of good things, using a flavor base of white chocolate instead of vanilla was an excellent decision. I’d never had Perry’s brand ice cream prior to this, but they seem to have the perfect level of creaminess nailed down.

Perry s Ice Cream Elf Trash 4

The ice cream stood on its own, but the “Elf Trash” Christmas fix-ins brought it to another level. Not only do we get fudge covered pretzels, peanuts, and candies, but crispy pralines too. Each spoonful is loaded with additional bites of varying textures that really make this a happy “accident.”

Is there anything else you need to know?

Perry s Ice Cream Elf Trash 3

While the green and red fudge ornaments give the ice cream its festive look, they’re a tad hard and chalky in the ice cream, and I honestly don’t think the overall product would have suffered without them. This is a nitpick though as they’re still fun and tasty enough. They’re essentially Sixlets without the candy shells.

Other than that, I have no complaints. The sugar crystal coated pralines were perfect, and the hint of salt from the pretzels and Goober-esque peanuts wrapped this all in a delicious bow.

Conclusion:

Don’t let “Trash” fool ya, because you’re not gonna find many better ice creams in the freezer right now. I’d absolutely recommend picking up a pint this Christmas.

*People say this, don’t fact check it. Feel free to fact check Sugarplum Perry’s “head elf” claim.

Purchased Price: $3.49
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Wegmans
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 Cup) 240 calories, 15 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 grams of cholesterol, 110 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 28 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Yoplait Go-Gurt Dunkers

/ / Reviews / 4 Comments

Yoplait Go-Gurt Dunkers

Yoplait Go-Gurt Dunkers are the brand’s attempt to get children to eat more yogurt, which in turn will help them grow, build strong bones, and allow them to brag at school how they got this cool, new product instead of some passe tube yogurt.

I picked up two varieties —- vanilla yogurt with chocolate graham sticks and strawberry yogurt with honey graham sticks. Yes, they’re not the most creative flavor names for a product line named Dunkers. No Chilla Choco Vanilla or Slammin’ Graham Strawberry? Missed opportunity, Yoplait.

There’s also a cotton candy variety I was unable to obtain at my local Target, which is unfortunate because, of the three, it’s the one I wanted the most.

Yoplait Go-Gurt Dunkers 2

Look, it’s yogurt and crackers. I imagine the dairy part is hard to mess up for Yoplait because, with decades of experience, it has yogurt down. It could make a decent batch of the stuff with its eyes closed, hands tied behind its back, and Gilbert Gottfried shouting obscenities at it. And that proof is in the pudding, I mean, yogurt. There aren’t any fruit chunks or vanilla bean specks floating in their respective ‘gurts, but they taste like what I’ve experienced with Yoplait. I know, not surprising.

Yoplait Go-Gurt Dunkers 4

So it really comes down to the crackers. They have a light sweetness that’s fine without dipping them into anything. The honey graham ones aren’t quite Honey Maid quality. They’re slightly blander, but it lets the strawberry stand out. As for the chocolate graham sticks, they have a light cocoa flavor that comes through a little when eating it with the vanilla yogurt.

Yoplait Go-Gurt Dunkers 3

I imagine the most important question you might be asking yourself is: If I want to steal one from my kids, which one should I pilfer?

If I wanted to ensure my place in Hell and steal Yoplait Go-Gurt Dunkers from your kids, I’d go for the strawberry one. The vanilla one is just, well, too vanilla. If the chocolate sticks stood out more, it would be a different story.

Also, for a brief moment, the vanilla yogurt and chocolate graham tasted as if I was eating an old school Kraft cheese and crackers. You know, the ones that have the red stick to spread the cheese. For reals. It’s fleeting, but I was able to recreate that flavor a few more times.

If you’re trying to get your kids to eat yogurt, Yoplait’s Go-Gurt Dunkers are a tempting way to do so. Too bad General Mills and Mondelez couldn’t do some cross promotion and include Teddy Grahams. Oh wait, dunking Teddy Grahams head first into yogurt is too Salem-esque. Never mind.

Purchased Price: $4.79 each
Size: 4-pack (2.2 oz. trays)
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Strawberry)
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Vanilla)
Nutrition Facts: (1 tray) Strawberry – 130 calories 2.5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 10 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein. Vanilla – 120 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 140 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 10 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

QUICK REVIEW: Kit Kat Chocolatory Special Butter (Japan)

/ / Reviews / 7 Comments

2018 12 14 KKB

What is Kit Kat Chocolatory Special Butter?

While in Tokyo recently, I made a stop at the Kit Kat Chocolatory store & café and brought home some goodies. Now, there’s always one errant flavor in the group that everyone raises an eyebrow at and this is it: butter.

2018 12 14 KKB2

I’ll let the Google translation of the text inside the box describe them: “I kneaded butter powder between the layers of the wafers, making full use of the sweetness of chocolate, I finished it tastefully to feel the richness of butter.”

How is it?

The aroma inside the package reminded me of baking and raw dough. The taste was an instantly familiar one, yet novel to this format – creamed butter. When making cookies, you usually start by mixing sugar and butter together – creaming. Those of us with no willpower are very well-versed in the flavor of creamed butter, and this Kit Kat has captured it perfectly.

2018 12 14 KKB3

I thought these would be less sweet and heavier on the butter, which is why I wasn’t sure about them at the start. I’m surprised at how much I enjoyed them. If you prefer your sweet/butter ratio on the savory side, you probably won’t like these. But if you’ve had your hand slapped by Mom or Grandma for dipping into the mixing bowl early, you’ll love them.

2018 12 14 KKB4

Is there anything else you need to know?

I now regret only buying one box.

2018 12 14 KKB5

Conclusion:

I’ll just say it – I loved Butter Kit Kats. If you’re buying gifts for a baking junkie, track these down. If you’re a novelty junkie, track them down. If you’re a butter junkie, they’ll still make you happy, but not as ecstatic as the baking freaks. But that’s probably OK since your heart might explode if they did.

Purchased Price: 400 yen (approx. $3.52 US)
Size: 46.4 g box (4 mini bars)
Purchased at: Kit Kat Chocolatory main store, Ginza, Tokyo
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 11.6 g bar) 65 calories, 3.8 grams of fat, 4-24 milligrams of sodium, 7.2 grams of carbohydrates, and 0.45 grams of protein.

Scroll to Top