Jungle Stand Tasting BAR - July 2013

It's time for another Jungle Stand Tasting BAR! (Please see my original Jungle Stand post for all the subscription details.)

This month's theme is 'Taste Of Japan"

Front of the card: Welcome to the Jungle Stand. The nest stop on our summer-time "taste around the world", is Japan. They discovered the 5th taste, UMAMI, which means "pleasant savory taste". Did you know that soy sauce's taste is umami? It's an ingredient & taste that figures prominently on the Japanese palate. So welcome, or as they say in Japan....Yokoso!

Back of the card: Before you are 6 delights from the island nation known as the Land of the Rising Sun. More than any country, the Japanese revel in their delights. In this BAR, you'll discover that umami & sweet make a tasty pair. Although some of these tastes seem subtle, they DO have strong after-tastes. You'll probably need milk and/or water as an extra palate cleanser. Will any of these tastes change your life?

The Tastes:

Green - Baked Cake (Issa Tsutsumi Manju): Our Japan tasting begins w/ their version of a mini-baked cake. Called "Manju", it's prepared by steaming the cake after filling it with a sweetened white bean paste. As you taste, notice how the cake first tempers the bean flavor, then the sweetness takes over.

Yellow - Nori Koiwa: This taste is really unique. A rice cracker dusted w/ seaweed. It looks like it'll taste salty. But pop one in your mouth & you'll get a sweet surprise. The seaweed flavor comes on strongly in the after-taste. (umami & sweet) Arguably the best taste in the BAR.

Pink - Rice Cracker (Age Ichiban): Smells and tastes like sweet soy sauce. The texture is crispy and crunchy but it's not too hard. Japanese Rice Crackers are known as Senbei. They come in various shapes, sizes, and flavors. They're usually savory/sweet or sometimes both. Senbei are often eaten with green tea. (umami & sweet)

Red - Hitokuchi Kurobo: Never judge a taste by it's cover. This "Wheat-Cracker" doesn't look too appealing. But you'll never guess which of the 5 tastes it falls under...heehee.

**SPOILER ALERT** Give this a chance. Sweet after-taste. Cake-like texture & sweetened with brown sugar. Sweetest taste in the BAR.

Blue - Taruyaki Goma Senbei: The only pure salty/savory taste in the BAR, these crunchy rice crackers have a thin glaze of salty soy sauce on the outside and toasty black sesame seeds baked on the inside. After the previous sweet tastes, this is a nice change of pace for your palate.

Orange - Strawberry Caramel Corn: To finish our tour of Japan, we present their crispy, crunchy Strawberry and Caramel-flavored puffed corn taste! Open the bag, take a smell....that's strawberry heaven.

This subscription is $9.92 per month, charges at the beginning of the month, and ships your BAR via Priority USPS in the middle of the month.

Click here to subscribe! (not a referral link)

The Jungle Stand Tasting BAR - June 2013

It's time for another Jungle Stand Tasting BAR! (Please see my original Jungle Stand post for all the subscription details.)

This month's theme is "Taste of Taiwan"

Front of the card: Welcome to the Jungle Stand. Shake the dust off your passport & pack your bags adventurous tasters....we're gonna go taste the WORLD! First stop...TAIWAN! This island country is located in the southeast of Asia. It's a culture blended from Chinese to Japanese to increasingly Western influences. "Huan Ying!"

Back of the card: Before you are 6 popular delectables from Taiwan. Their flavors are heavily influenced by China and Japan. As you'll discover, saltiness & sweetness are a wonderful combination (especially w/ seafood). With an open mind, and an adventurous spirit, we invite you to taste TAIWAN. Will any of these tastes change your life?

The tastes:

Green - Sachima: A caramel treat resembling uncooked instant thick noodles. A light fare, this is a common Chinese pastry found in many Chinese-speaking regions, including Taiwan. It consists mainly of flour, butter & sugar. A fun taste because the  texture is crunchy then chewy.

Yellow - Rice Cracker: This taste is influenced by the Japanese. The rice cracker is a dry wafer made of rice. Taiwan's interpretation dusts sugar all around, adding a sweetness.

Pink - Sesame Pastry: This sesame-flavored pastry also has a crunchy & chewy texture. When you bite into it, you'll think the middle is hollow. Although this delicacy looks quite ordinary, the process of giving it the dual texture is quite complicated.

Red - Squid: This is a dry, shredded squid. It's like beef jerky, minue the beef, add the squid. Extremely popular in Taiwan and throughout Asia. (Tasting tip: once in your mouth, try sucking on the squid to taste a bit of sweetness.)

Blue - Pumpkin Cake: Made from Chinese pumpkins, which is a bit different from its American counterpart. If you're unfamiliar with the Chinese version, smell the cake. This delectable is topped with seaweed which will be the first flavor to hit you. Very nice balance of saltiness & sweetness. (BEST taste in the BAR.)

Orange - Peanut Brittle: There are many subtle variations & names for this peanut confection. But no matter the variety, they're always bite-sized and hard. Made from a mixture of peanuts & sugar which is then heated to a thick state & cut into small pieces after cooling.

This subscription is $9.92 per month, charges at the beginning of the month, and ships your BAR via Priority USPS in the middle of the month.

Click here to subscribe! (not a referral link)

The Jungle Stand Tasting BAR - April 2013

It's time for another Jungle Stand Tasting BAR! (Please see my original Jungle Stand post for all the subscription details.)

This month's theme is 'The Treasure Hunt'. 

Front of the card: Welcome to the Jungle Stand. Ahoy, me adventurous Tasters! We're about to embark on a tresure hunt. There are hidden riches in this BAR. A taste in here is highly prized. It has a flavor known as the 'Diamond of the kitchen'. Instead of a map, use your taste buds to find it! Arrrr...X marks the spot!

Back of the card: Before you are 6 gourmet appetizers. 5 of the 6 are hand-stuffed w/  creamy fillings so you can experience how texture plays a role in tasting. Pay close attention as you sample each taste. Strong, familiar flavors OR subtle strange ones may provide clues to the hidden 'Diamond'. (Spoiler alert: the inside bottom of this BAR has the X that marks the spot) Will any of these tastes change your life?

The tastes:

Green - Red Mini Peppers: These are red peppers (aka Pepperoncinis) cut into small tips & stuffed with cream cheese. The moisture comes from canola oil. The peppers have a soft texture & are mildly spicy, But don't worry, they won't set your tongue on fire. Perfect as an appetizer with crackers.

Yellow - Blue Cheese Olives: Green olives stuffed with zesty bleu cheese. Once you bite into the olive, you'll taste the intense flavor of the bleu cheese. The subtle saltiness and meaty texture of the olive perfectly complements the savory cream filling of the bleu cheese.

Pink - Stuffed Mushrooms: Jumbo mushrooms stored in canola oil and stuffed with a cream cheese/red pepper mixture. The overwhelming flavor is umami. Mushrooms are high on the umami scale. They're rich, savory and meaty which is why they're often used as a stand-in for meat in vegetarian dishes.

Red - Greek Olives: These Greek olives are flavored with a mixture of feta cheese, capers, and canola oil. This taste packs a punch. It's very firm, tart and slightly bitter. Probably the most intense taste in the BAR.

Blue - Pepperballs: Sweet picante peppers (imported from South Africa) stuffed with cream cheese and moistened with canola oil. It's a crunchy pepper, mildly sweet-and-spicy. A gourmet appetizer usually served next to cold cuts and warm baguettes.

Orange - Fungi-Cheese Stuffed Olives: Green Sicilian olives stuffed with a Fungi-flavored cheese. The briny (of salty water or the sea; salty) olive with the earthy cheese really come together to create a delicious appetizer.

Treasure HO!!! The card in the bottom of your box indicates that the Orange taste is the buried treasure in this BAR!

Real name - Black Truffle Cheese-Stuffed Olives: A truffle is a fungi that flourishes with the roots of certain trees. They have a mysterious allure and are quite expensive. Some have sold for as much as $6,000/lb. Part of that is because they're difficult to find, available only at certain times of the year and are notoriously difficult to cultivate. The other reason is there simply is no food that tastes like a truffle. Some have described an 'earthy' flavor while others have found it 'syrupy sweet'.

Truffle, the Diamond of the Kitchen

This subscription is $9.92 per month, charges at the beginning of the month, and ships your BAR via Priority USPS in the middle of the month.

Click here to subscribe! (not a referral link)

The Jungle Stand Tasting BAR - March 2013

The Jungle Stand Tasting BAR is a monthly food subscription box. 

Every month The Jungle Stand sends out a box that contains 6 'tastes'. Every box has a theme that is kept a secret until you open your box. This months theme is 'The Globe Trotting BAR', The Bakers Trip Around The World.

Front of the card: "Welcome to the Jungle Stand. Exploring foreign countries opens your eyes to how the rest of the world lives. Let's expand your palate with unfamiliar tastes. As your palate improves, you'll fall in love w/ more (and different) flavors. That's when the fun begins. Join us, as we take you on a trip around the world. Your guide will be The baker, who'll introduce you to the tastes of the world." 

Back of the card: "Before you are 6 pastries from 6 different countries. They're some of the most popular delicacies from their respective countries. Although these baked goods may seem 'different'and strange, you'll notice that they aren't so foreign after all. So you may NOT enjoy your first taste, but w/ an open mind, your second one may be better :) And who knows? You may fall in love by your third. ill any of these tastes change your life?"

The tastes are in separately sealed airtight packages, and color coordinated with their description on the card. My box came with a small pair of wooden tongs, for removing each taste from its plastic, a thoughtful and cute extra touch. They also include a pack of saltine crackers, which they recommend having a bite of between tastes to cleanse the palate. The pictures below are of each taste. I should have taken the first two pictures after I cut the pastry in half, but I got the hang of it thereafter :)

The Tastes: 

Green - Hopia from the Philippines: Hopia is a popular Filipino, bean-filled pastry originally introduced by the Chinese. Different varieties of Hopia use fillings like mung beans, purple yam, or even pork. This particular taste is filled with sweet yellow beans.

Yellow - Pineapple Cake from Taiwan: The most popular pastry  from Taiwan. A cake with a buttery crust and pineapple jam filling in the middle. It's sweet without being oily. The combination of the crust and filling provides a wonderful texture.

Pink - Pastelitos de Mango from Cuba: Pastelitos are pastries with fillings. They're similar to an american turnover. Varieties of Pastelitos have diverse fillings ranging from the sweet (guava) to the savory (hamburger meat). This taste is filled with delicious mango jam. (note: you can also enjoy this slightly toasted)

Red - Macaroon (aka Glazed Anise Fingers) from Lebanon: A very indulgent dessert with a high amount of sugar. This Lebanese variation is made from semolina oil and spices. Traditionally torpedo shaped and glazed with honey, the texture and sweetness makes you crave for more. (note: you can also enjoy this slightly toasted)

Blue - Baklava from Greece: Baklava is a wonderful pastry with light flaky layers of crust and a sweet filling. It's made in every corner of every corner of every region of Greece. Drenched in light syrup/honey, it contains a mixture of chopped nuts (walnuts, pistachios) with a touch of cinnamon.

Orange - Rice Cakes from Vietnam: Sweetest taste in the BAR and extremely common in Asia. A chewy sponge cake made from rice flour, water, and sugar. Usually served as a dessert. A versatile pastry that can be garnished with sweet and savory ingredients. This taste offers 2 flavors: Banana (white-ish) and pine leaf (green).

This subscription is $9.92 per month, charges at the beginning of the month, and ships your BAR via Priority USPS in the middle of the month.

http://thejunglestand.com/JungleStand/