Klik's Orange & Bubblegum Chocolate Cereal Snack

With Purim fast approaching Klik made sure to add a few new special treats to their ever expanding line of chocolate-covered snack packs.

Here's part of the ad that's running on TV showing the Klik's white chocolate-covered cereal snack "dressed up" for Purim.

This limited edition gives us 3 new temporary flavors; Orange, Lemon (yellow) and Bubblegum (pink). The round cereal is coated with a white-chocolate, that has one of the 3 flavors mixed in.

I tasted the orange and bubblegum ones.

The orange flavor was not overpowering it was just a slight hint of orange combined with white-chocolate. The taste reminded me of an orange creamsicle.

The bubblegum chocolate snack is a marbleized pink and white color, I'm not sure if the marble effect was done on purpose or if maybe it just didn't come together as smoothly as the orange .

When I opened the bag the first thing to hit me was the sweet bubblegum aroma. The chocolate had a definite bubblegum flavor but again it was not overwhelming.

Aside from the touch of orange or bubblegum flavor and soft orange or pink color, in every other way they were exactly like Klik's white chocolate covered, round puffed cereal snack.

I personally did not care that much for either one of these treats. I got mixed reviews from the kids I offered them to, the 8, 4 and 3 year old girls, were thrilled and excited. They naturally gravitated toward the bubblegum chocolates. Not that it surprised me considering the fun pink color and definite bubblegum aroma.They liked the orange one as-well but they definitely preferred the bubblegum flavor. Whereas the 5 Year-old girl did not like the orange one at all and after one taste asked if she can exchange them for the pink bubblegum ones, which she really enjoyed.

Both are made with real white chocolate but, I tasted the artificial flavors Klik added in. That didn’t seem to bother the girls at all.

Maybe Kilk would sell more of these "dressed up" chocolates if the bags were clear and the kids could see the fun colors through the package but instead ,Kilk opted for yellow, orange or pink mask decorated bags 

Bottom Line: I think the children, these Klik's chocolates are geared toward, will be delighted to see them in their Mishloach Manot packages this Purim.

Kosher: Milk Badatz

75 gram bag - 6.05 NIS

I also noticed what I think is a new "party mix" package of Kliks. Its a combination of  4 of the classic and much loved chocolate coated snacks they sell. This can be a great option for anyone who wants a little taste of each.
I do not think it’s a limited edition but rather one that will stick around.

Disclaimer: All items were purchased by me. No one is paying me for this review. All opinions are my own.

Strauss Dairy Puddings "Spring Line"

Strauss Dairy officially launched its "spring line" of puddings; 2 new items and 2 re-launches of products that had been taken of the shelf and are now making a comeback.

I did not know that there are "seasonal lines" when it comes to milk products but, as I've mentioned before, the dairy market, here in Israel, is very competitive. Nothing they do should surprise me at this point

For the consumer this "war" has its pros and its cons but, for me, it constantly provides many products to review, so lets get started 

In the kids department we have a 4 container package of
Dani Pudding "Drink".

Well it's not really a drink, but it's intended to be "eaten" via a straw (that they provide in the package). It's the same popular, sweet, chocolate Dani pudding with a slight twist.

There is no allotted spot where you are meant to put the straw in but wherever I tried it worked without a problem.

The consistency of the pudding was somewhere between and pudding and a heavy milkshake, somewhat similar to that of Chocolate Leben, sold in the USA these days.

I found it easy to "eat" the Dani via a straw. I thought it would be less messy for a child to enjoy the Dani this way, but for a 2 1/2 year old it was a struggle to get the pudding through the straw. He got so frustrated and asked for a spoon. Since Dani is geared toward young children I'm surprised they made it too thick for a 2 1/2 year old to enjoy the Dani this way.

Bottom line: Depending on the age of the child, this may be a neater way to eat Dani, but I am not sure the original Dani is that much thicker. So this could just be a (partially unsuccessful) gimmick.

Package of 4 - 9.90 NIS

Next up is a Milky Black Orange Pudding

If you've read my Dark Chocolate Egozi post or the Dark Chocolate Fitness Bar review you may know by now that I prefer dark chocolate, so I like the "Milky Black" they sell.

This new one is meant to have orange flavor mixed in. (The package clearly says there is no real fruit in the milky). I say "meant to" because I did not taste the orange, that is, until I finished the pudding and there was an ever so slight orange after-taste, which I didn’t particularly enjoy. Granted I don't have the most developed palate in the world and I guess there are people that will taste the orange, but for me it was a bad version of "Milky Black" so I personally will give this a miss.

As with the Milky Black the container is not completely see-through. In this case the 3 colors on the package are not representative of what is actually in the container. You do not have a layer of orange at the bottom and the pudding is not as dark as the color on the container.  

Bottom line: I'll stick to the Milky Black without the orange flavor.

134 gram container - 3.45 NIS

Milky Whip-Cream with Chocolate-Syrup (or Chocolate chip) Add-in

This is how it looked when I
 first opened the containers

This was on the self a while ago and is now making a comeback, of sorts. I had not tried it back then so I did now.

By the time I got it home and opened, the whip-cream had completely fallen; all the air had gone out of it and the container looked half full (or half empty). There was even a small lump of inedible wipe-cream at the bottom.

I know there are many kids who only like the milky for the whip-cream, if that’s the case, then buy whip-cream or whip some up on your own and pour some chocolate syrup on top because paying 7 NIS for the small amount of whip-cream and chocolate-syrup (in a separate little container on top) you get here, is simply robbery!

Bottom Line: Major disappointment.

2 containers – 7 NIS

The final product is also a re-launch, this time of a classic Strauss pudding that has been off the shelf for about 10 years. The "Rosemary" Chocolate Pudding  "Ma'adan HaGolan" is now back.  

Bottom line: Nothing new here just a much requested comeback of a popular classic pudding.

160 gram container - 3.73 NIS

All the products reviewed in this post are
Kosher: Milk - Rabbinate Nahariya

Disclaimer: All items were purchased by me. No one is paying me for this review. All opinions are my own.

Achlah's Grill Roasted Salads

This week's edition of Haveil Havalim Blog Carnival is up on

Esser Agaroth's blog

  

Strauss-Achlah has devolved a new line of Grill Roasted Salads.

There are 4 new salads to choose from; Grilled Eggplant with Techina, Grilled Pepper Strips, Spicy Grilled Tomato & Pepper Salad and finally Grilled Tomato & Pepper Matbucha.

In 2009 Achlah decided to improve their commercial salads by committing to use better quality produce and gear toward a more natural, healthy line of salads. They switched to using healthier canola oil and less of it, as well as decreasing the amount of artificial ingredients in their salads, across the board. These new Grill Roasted Salads continue this new found commitment, but do have some preservatives and artificial ingredients added.

I tasted the Grilled Roasted Pepper Strips salad.

After seeing the commercial on TV I was expecting big thick strips of (slightly crisp) roasted peppers. I was somewhat disappointed to find a combination of small thin strips and cut up peppers mixed with a generous amount of thinly sliced garlic.

The 3 colored peppers (yellow, red and orange) did not have the slight crunch I was expecting yet they were not completely mushy either.

The salad was mild, not spicy, yet the grilling and the garlic did add flavor. I didn’t find the garlic to be to dominating, but my friend who does not particularly care for garlic thought it was overwhelming and she did not enjoy the salad because of it.

The Grill Roasted Pepper Strip Salad is definitely not a homemade salad and not even something you would expect to find in restaurant or at a deli take-out counter, yet I thought it had less of a commercial taste than many pre-packaged salads found in the supermarket refrigerator.

I do think this is a natural next step for Achlah salads and it seems to suit the Israeli cuisine. I think the Grill Roasted Pepper Strips, for example, can work well in a pita with chummas and kabobs. I could see these grill roasted salads selling just as well as many other Achala salads do.

Bottom Line: For a commercial salad, I think Achlah did fairly well. I just wish the ad ,they have running on TV, and the picture on the container ,would be more accurate as to what I can expect to find when I open the lid.

 Grilled Eggplant with Techina 250 grams - 9.49 NIS

Grilled Pepper Strips 400 grams - 14.99 - 17.90 NIS

Spicy Grilled Tomato & Pepper Salad 400 grams - 14.99-17.90 NIS

Grilled Tomato & Pepper Matbucha 400 grams - 14.99-17.90 NIS

Kosher: Parave Mehadrin

Disclaimer: All items were purchased by me. No one is paying me for this review. All opinions are my own.

Osem's Flat Pretzel Update

Have you been looking for the new Flat Pretzel from Osem ,that I reviewed here, but can't seem to find it in any store you frequent?
Well your not the only one!

Seems that it was such a huge hit that Osem simply ran out !!!
They underestimated the positive response it would get across the country, and to start with, they did not produce enough to keep up with the demand.

Osem even took out this ad, in the current weekly magazines, apologizing to the public, saying...

"We are SORRY, but you "devoured"

(they used a slang word לטחון literally translation - to grind, to crush, to mince)

all the flat pretzels !

We didn't think they would get used up so fast ... Osem promises to continue doing everything they can to meet the demand."

I have to say, I'm not shocked the flat pretzels are such a hit, I kinda love them too!

I would not be surprised if they are rewarded a "product of the year" award next February ... I'll try to keep you posted on that.

So if you have not yet tried the new flat pretzels from Osem you may have to wait just a bit longer, Sorry! :(

The Jazz Apple

A relatively new variety of apples have recently been imported to Israel. The Enza Jazz Apple was developed in New Zealand.

The Jazz apple doesn't grow here in Israel. As of now it's grown in the US, parts of Europe and its original home of New Zealand.

Enza's Jazz apple is the result of a cross between Royal Gala and Braeburn apples, this combination gives the Jazz apple a complex flavor, it gets its shape and sweet taste from the Royal Gala, while the firmness and slightly acid taste come from the Braeburn.

The Jazz apple is a bright red apple and may have some yellow mixed in. It is speculated that the Jazz apple got its name based on its color combination that can be compared to jazz music, which is often an advanced harmony with the discoloration of a piecework.

Good quality Jazz apples should be flavorful and well colored with firm, smooth skins. The Jazz apple also has a firm, dense flesh and as a whole it's a sweet, crunchy and juicy apple.

I've read that the Jazz apple has a longer self life than other apples, even when its kept outside of the refrigerator, during Israel's winter months. I did not have the Jazz apples long enough to test that.

Bottom Line: I enjoyed the Jazz apple but I prefer to buy local organic produce, seeing as its not locally grown and not organic I didn’t think it was SO amazingly unique that I MUST buy it again.

1 Kilo- 15 NIS

Disclaimer: All items were purchased by me.  No one is paying me for this review. All opinions are my own.

"Product of the Year" Winners 2011

Today I'm doing something a little different here . A few days ago the "Product of the Year" awards ceremony took place in Tel Aviv. 39 products were rewarded in different categories. You may have tried many of them throughout the year but some may be new to you. I thought you may be interested to see which products won for 2010-2011.

"Product of the Year" awards take place in many different countries around the world. 6 years ago Israel joined and now Israel has an award ceremony of it's own, every year. Companies send their new products to "Product of the Year" and a panel of experts decide which products are new and innovative enough to participate. After a list is put together, 2000 members of the public vote for their favorite. (I have no idea who the 2000 voters are.) 

"Product of the Year's" goal is to reward Israel's best, most innovative products. You may start noticing their logo on the winning products in the supermarket. "It's a fast way for people to discover newer products and a simple but highly effective way for manufacturers to give sales of their products a significant boost."

So now ... And the Winners Are:

Food And Drink



Muller Mix 
Yogurts Line





Milky 3 Layer Puddings



Activia Yogurts with
Whole Wheat Cereal

Gad Feta &
 Bulgarian Traditional
 Cheese Line



Meshek Zuriel Goat Butter



Soglowek-Extra Thin Sliced

Cold Cut Meats

 

Magnum Gold Ice Cream Bars

Prigat Herbal Tea
 Drinks Line

GoldStar Black-Roast Beer

Mama Of Thin
Schnitzel line

Tapuchips Kids

Jacobs Cronat Gold Coffee 

Pesek Zman
 2 Good Wafer Roll

Pesek Zman
Wafer Bars

Star Kist Tuna
5% Fat Line

5 Gum Line

Maimon's Baking Products

Huggies

Huggies Pure & Natural

Huggies Big Kid Wipes

Household and Cleaning Products

Nicole Disposable Floor,Windows & Wood 
Cleaning Wipes

Finish Dishwasher Tablets

Nicole Plastic-Wrap
with Cutter 

Nicole Eco-Friendly

Disposable Baking Pans

Vanish Kalia Gel

Air Wick Aqua Mist

 Nicole Reusable

 Teflon Baking Paper

Nutritional Supplement

 Altman Probiotic Stick





Electrical Appliances

Electra Chef Stainless Steel Stove-Top

Electra Inverter Air-Conditioner

Bosch Food Processor

Neoflam Pots and Pans with Natural Coating

Cosmetics And Toiletries

Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief Toothpaste

Dr. Fisher Ultrasol Sport Sunscreen

Dr. Fischer Genesis White

Dr. Fisher Alco Hand Cream
Carefree Cotton Line

L'oreal Elvive Full Restore 5 Line

Lily Soft & Strong Toilet Papers

Oralmedic

That's all folks ... Tomorrow we'll be back to our "regularly scheduled programing".

Hope you enjoyed:)

I am in no way affiliated with the "Product of the Year" awards. These are not my picks for "best of the year". I'm just passing along the names of their winners.

Osem's Tri-Color Mini Croutons

Osem took a page out of the tri-color pasta book and translated it over to their popular mini croutons (soup nuts) so we now have Osem Tri-Color Mini Croutons.

In many ways they are exactly like the classic, well known and much loved, yellow mini croutons. They are the same size and shape and just as crispy and crunchy as the original mini croutons.

Both Osem's original and tri-color mini croutons are made from all natural ingredients; this means no artificial food coloring and no preservatives.

Tri-Color Mini Croutons in Sano's vacuum
 zip-lock bag I reviewed here

Osem takes the green color from spinach, the orange color from paprika and the yellow from turmeric. I would say that only a well developed palate would notice the spinach, paprika and turmeric mixed in. They are really mainly used for color therefore, the taste of the new tri-color mini croutons is only ever so slightly different to the original.

Although the tri-color mini croutons may just be a gimmick and not all that different to the original I did enjoy them in my soup. It made the bowl of chicken soup more colorful and fun. So if I am going to have all the calories, these mini croutons have in them, they might as well be fun and colorful. I might even be able to close my eyes and guess what color mini croutons I'm eating based on the extremely delicate flavor of the spinach, paprika or turmeric.

Bottom line: A fun and colorful twist to a popular classic, but not a MUST try.

400 gram bag: 11-13 NIS

Kosher: Parve Badatz

Disclaimer: All items were purchased by me. No one is paying me for this review. All opinions are my own.