A Flowery Song

Background: The ingredients of these little dessert cups are actually a bit disturbing now that I take the time to review them. Instant non-dairy creamer does not top my list of favourite dessert ingredients. However, they do come with cute little plastic spoons, so I’m willing to forgive that lapse. This variety pack contains strawberry, mango, honeydew, lychee, papaya, and coconut specimens.

The texture is about what I expected; not too firm, just gelled and slippery.

Strawberry: Natural fruits flavour this may be, but it tastes exactly like every other strawberry dessert not containing strawberries. Which is to say, somewhat like strawberries, but not quite.

Honeydew: They’ve really hit their stride here. Honeydew are my favourite melon, and this tastes pretty much exactly right.

Coconut: It’s got that meaty coconut taste, combined with a bit of fruitiness.

Mango: Tastes of mango.

Papaya: Tastes tropical. Might be papaya. Might be snozzberry.

Lychee: Definitely lychee.

Overall: While the strawberry is a bit disappointing (though that may be due to overexposure) and the papaya is meh, overall these are very nice, inexpensive, fruit-tasting jellies.

Background: I love cream wafers. There’s something about the crunchy layers that appeals to me on a visceral level. This specimen comes in individually packaged servings and is made in Vietnam for a Malaysian company called Wonderfarm Biscuits & Confectionery. Oh, and they’re coconut flavoured.

Nose: Grainy and sweet, dried coconut.

Taste: Sadly dry and dusty, though nicely crunchy. There’s coconut flavour there, but it’s oddly oily and unpleasant.

Overall: Cream wafers don’t aspire to the level of haute cuisine on their best day, and this isn’t their best day.