I’m a member of a snack club! Now, maybe you’re unimpressed, but I’m overjoyed, and not a little surprised, about this life development.
The surprise here moves in a few directions: such an association exists? But, also, after six years of having a SNACK blog, it’s only now I’ve found my people?? Yes and yes, apparently.
The snack club is a loose affiliation of people who gather for altogether separate reasons (we gather because we’re gathering at work, where we already are to do non-snack business). People bring things to share, and then we eat them. That’s what a snack club is right?
Just off the top of my head, there are a few special treats I’ve been introduced to via snack club: hot cocoa-flavored Hershey’s kisses, white peach AND strawberry flavored Pocky straight from Japan, and white cheddar-flavored cheeseballs which are the Official Salty Snack of the MLB(!!). We loved them so much, that sticky cheesy dust over the airy foam crunch, that C bought an entire 12-bag case of them.
I’ve brought lard-fried chips from the Pennsylvania Amish markets to snack club. I’ve tried a few of the classic brands from across the state and am happy to report that Goods is my favorite. Their chips have a definite pork fat undertone but are neither too salty nor too heavy. Some of the Pennsylvania lard-fried chips taste like they were dipped in more bacon grease post-fry, and I’ll be practically clutching my heart as I stagger around the house after having a handful. These, though, are lighter, with a confident crunch. Goods showed restraint with them, and I enjoy that.
I bring snacks to work so often that C has called me Snack Queen more than once, a title I’d never give myself but which I also have not rejected. I’ve brought egg tarts and red bean paste-filled sesame balls from the Chinese bakery, and the Texas chocolates and peanuts I wrote about last month. But my most recent offering is the one I’m most excited about.
I recently found something I’ve been casually looking for in every Chinese grocery store I’ve entered for about a year and a half. I first tried Magic Chili with an ex. The relationship, memories of it, even mention of it here, are an uncomfortable thing for me. So I’m going to focus on the snack, which is crunchy mild chili bliss. Imagine a long red chili (I couldn’t say what kind) cut into one-inch pieces, seeds kept intact, then deep fried and covered with a savory chili powder. (MSG is incredible.)
The bag also includes crunchy fried peanuts which are a nice addition but in my opinion are mainly there to catch whatever extraneous pulverized flavor granules fall upon them. As is key for any savory snack, there are plenty of cast off crumbs of deep fried goodness scattered around to lick off your fingers when you’re done snacking. What’s more, the whole thing is not even particularly spicy. The real snacking revelation comes from the ridiculousness of an idea pulled off so well. Crispy chili! Who’d think up such a delicious thing? Those crazy Chinese snackers is who.
So where’d D and I find them? Stashed in the corner of a snack stall at Pacific Mall in … Toronto, Ontario, CANADA. D and I got two bags, one went with me to work, and I’m still trying to figure out what to do with the second. To share or to hoard? Please go find yourself a bag so you can be saddled with the same dilemma.