I haven't seen them yet, but I was very lucky that someone else spotted and decided to share one of Trader Joe's new products, Tom Yum Cashews.
Upon opening the pouch I was met with a strong hit of fish sauce and lemon grass. The first bite was oddly reminiscent of soup (Tom Yum Noodle Soup is my favorite soup of all time). The clusters are softer than I expected; when I think of nuts I assume a good solid crunch, but these were more chewy. I don't think I could eat a lot of them, the flavors were really strong and the lemongrass was almost overwhelming, but perhaps if these were chopped up and added to a dish they would be really good.
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Just tried this stuff. Even as a fan of Thai food, I found this absolutely disgusting. Soft and mealy, and overpowering with lemongrass... I really wonder how this got out the door at TJ's R&D.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think the flavor was that bad, but any bite with the lemongrass was definitely twiggy and odd.
ReplyDeleteYou made me realize that these are still sitting on my desk and I haven't touched them since my first bite.
Trader Joe's usually does well. Their gf banana waffles are really great, but yeah, these were weird misstep.
As a followup, I'd like to add that this Tom Yum Cashew product seems like it was designed to promote this weird postmodern culinary eclecticism that is so popular in gastronomy right now, and which TJ rides off of. Given its vile and unbalanced flavor, I don't think they even gave a second thought to the taste.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Trader Joe's products are often food trendy, but I don't think its all bad. (Especially when they sometimes hit on success, like their gluten-free banana pancakes or decent wine for under $10.)
ReplyDeleteI think the taste wasn't the worst offense in the Tom Yum Cashews. If the texture was better - say more uniform and less twiggy and they had a decent crunch - I think these cashews could have been ok, maybe even good. Salty, sweet, spicy and crunchy... it could have been awesome.
I actually find them completely delicious...but I love both kaffir lime and lemongrass, and I like food with a strong flavor. I also found the soft chewy texture appealing, though admittedly this is not exactly what I expect from nuts.
ReplyDeleteDylan - that is awesome! I wish they were a bit less twiggy, but agree that the texture is odd for nuts, which I expected to be more crunchy than chewy, almost licorice-like.
ReplyDeleteThese things are insanely good..although I worry about twigs between my front teeth after I eat them. I love that the flavor is so strong. It only takes a little bit to satisfy a craving.
ReplyDeleteI revisited the half empty bag and they have grown on me a bit, but the texture is still off-putting and I really want the nuts to be crunchier.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to decide if I like these or not.. the last bite I took was all fish sauce unfortunately... I agree the texture is off, but the taste wasn't bad (so far).
ReplyDeleteObviously, you are not familiar with this common Thai snack...made mostly with peanuts...and toned way down in chili for the American market.
ReplyDeleteThey are great...and cashews don't possess the crunch of peanuts, that is normal.
Please do share the name of said treat!
ReplyDeleteSend me yours! I'm addicted and don't have Trader Joe's in Colorado. Only have one bag left.
ReplyDelete