14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
15 He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right,

Isaiah 7:14-15


When it comes to food and gastronomy in general, I confess I am but an amateur, and others are far better at explaining those topics than me. One of my favorite foods is cheese, and thankfully, Paul S. Kindstedt wrote Cheese and Culture: A History of Cheese and its Place in Western Civilization, a text that explains the history of this beloved fixture of my diet in a manner everyone can understand.

Most books I found on cheese are technical, describing how to make and prepare cheese and its sister product butter. Very few cover its culinary history and background as it pertains to world culture. According to the author himself, the text of this review was written as an attempt to fill this particular void.

According to the subtitle, cheese is rather specific to Western culture while its importance to the Eastern parts of the world (Asia in particular) trends off into nigh irrelevance. Early on in the book, Kindstedt explains how this curious bifurcation of interest in cheese and milk products occurred, then immediately resumes the rest of the book focusing on the Western cultures and how cheese is integral to their histories.

There are four major points his text covers. First, the exact chronological points at which cheese entered into the food palate of every culture discussed and why are given rigorous detail. Second, the religious, social, medical, and other factors of this food item and why they were important are also given a studious yet simple-to-understand explanation before he moves on to another culture and its history with cheese. Third, how many modern cheeses enjoyed the world over evolved from much earlier antecedents and how far back they can be traced is repeatedly touched on. Cheese according to Kindstedt has shaped many cultures and practices and it has often served to break down cross-cultural barriers. Finally, the book reaches its end with an overview of the legal issues surrounding the sale, production, and import of cheese internationally (as of the time the book was completed), and asks the reader to consider what they learned and how they would like to see this food product's history continue.

I took a few things away from his analysis of the history of cheese of my own. First, cheese and religion are shown to have a very close connection, to the point those studying the Abrahamic faiths especially should certainly consider this a fine companion book for any religious history study. Kindstedt also emphasizes that cheese has had a powerful economic and political role over the centuries, to the point that entire regions were seized simply to corner the market on this curdled milk product. Finally, if you want a good primer on where most of the most famed names in cheese like Cheddar, Parmigiano, Roquefort, Emmental, and so on got their common origins, then this book is a fine way to learn.

Overall, if you are a food history nut or simply a cheese fan like myself, I recommend hunting down a copy of this book, though hardcover editions are a bit expensive. It can currently be purchased on Amazon in hardcover, paperback, and on Kindle.

(Amazon Affiliate Link)

 

Thank you Centr for sending us samples of the Enhanced and Enhanced+ beverages to review!

Centr natural beverages are designed to give you clarity no matter the time of day. Their offerings range from sparkling beverages to ones including caffeine or CBD. We were sent a four pack or their Enhanced and Enhanced+ beverages. Both of these have nootropics and adaptogens in them.

Nootropics are cognitive enhancers and Adaptogens help your body deal with stress, anxiety, and fatigue. Each 12 oz container has 50MG panax notoginseng & astragalus Mebranaceus, 100MG gamma-aminobutyric acid (Gaba), 250 citicoline, and 12.5MG sceletium tortuosum. The caffeinated version has 60MG of natural caffeine which is equivalent to 8oz of instant coffee.

The enhanced beverages have zero calories and no sweeteners. Between the caffeinated and the standard enhanced version, I found the caffeinated one to have a stronger citrus flavor and enjoyed it more. Both claim to be citrus flavor, but it was much more apparent in the caffeinated version. Since I have the taste buds of a five-year-old, I added a pack of Stevia to both. For what its worth, I do the same for other sparkling beverages.

Along with sparkling beverages, Centr also offers ten packs of power packs for $19.99 Sparkling beverages are price on their site at roughly $4 a can. You can save money by enrolling in a subscription plan, referring friends, or signing up to their e-mail list for a 10% off coupon. Ordering through Amazon save you over $1 a can and you can use free Prime shipping if you have it.

My family enjoyed these drinks, but I’m not sure if I want to pay $3-4 a can though. Centr also sells clothing which is reasonably priced when compared to their energy drinks. Beanie hats sell for $14.99 and baseball caps are available for $33.99. Their hoodies are pricier at $64.99. If you can afford their products, I’m sure you’ll enjoy them.

(Amazon Affiliate Link)

Thank you, Mr. Lee’s Noodles, for sending us these products to review!

As everyone in my family knows, I am a huge fan of ramen noodles of all types, especially the instant cups. So naturally, I was really excited to review the 8-pack of Mr. Lee’s Noodles sent to us. Four flavors of gluten-free instant rice noodle soups, some of which are vegan.

The flavors available include Tai Chi Chicken Rice Noodle Soup, Zen Garden Vegetable Rice Noodle Miso Soup, Coconut Chicken Curry Rice Noodle Soup, and Hong Kong Street-Style Beef Rice Noodle Soup. My favorite of these would probably have to be either the first one or the last one, but I enjoyed them all.

Even though these flavors are notably different from one another, they all seem to revolve around 200-260 calories. In addition, they are all and gluten free; and the Zen Garden Vegetable Rice Noodle Miso Soup flavor is apparently vegan. I noticed that there were chunks of what looked to be chicken, but the taste and the inside of the cup said it was vegetable meat.

The inside of the cup has lots of messages, actually. You will notice as you eat the soup that the walls of the cup will not only have a recommended fill line, but it has notes written on them as well. These messages mostly talk about how they make the soups as good as they are (freeze-drying everything), and about their original flavors and recipes. There is also a description of each flavor to help the consumer decide what flavor they might like the most.

Thank you Bokksu for sending us a Classic box to review!

Bokksu is an authentic Japanese subscription plan that partners with centuries old snack makers to deliver sweet and savory treats to your doorstep. Looking at their website’s previous box themes, they seem to have started in 2016. Each monthly box has a theme that inspires the treats within.

Currently, there are two subscription plans available: Tasting and Classic. The Tasting plan has 10-14 snacks/tea pairings while the Classic plan provides 20-25 items. Each box comes with a 24-page Culture Guide Magazine that explains the origin, ingredients, and description of each of the goodies inside. Unless you can read fluent Japanese, I highly recommend looking through the magazine to figure out what everything is.

The booklet explains the box’s theme, and which region of Japan the snacks came from. You’ll also learn a few Japanese words and a recipe! Each food item is broken down by several categories: Manufacturer, Common Allergens, Region, Sweet/Savory flavor, and if it’s Vegetarian. Preparation instructions are also included as some of the teas are a little unique. The Kuromame tea consisted of black soybeans. The Full Moon Tea came with a paper cup mounting drip system that’s more intricate than your typical tea bag. Both teas were good and I tried them with and without sugar/honey to sweeten them to my liking.

I love Mochi ice cream so I looked forward to trying the Mitarashi Mochi. This treat didn’t survive the shipment process very well and was quite smooshed, but it still tasted good. The Usagi (rabbit) Chocolate Balls tasted good and seemed like good quality chocolate. The Rich Baked Chocolat lived up to its name and was quite flavorful. I also enjoyed the Chocolate Azuki Beans: Black Sesame Kinako and wished they came in a bigger package. They were all gone before I knew it!

Nutritional Info:
Calories: 440
Fat: 30g
Cholesterol: 70mg
Sodium: 1090mg
Carbohydrates: 22g
Protein: 20g

When I first saw the Naked Chicken Chalupa, I was equally intrigued as I was excited. As a prolific connoisseur of fast food oddities, I was immediately reminded of KFC's Double Down.  The Double Down replaced the buns with chicken patties and left the cheese, bacon, and sauce in the middle. The Naked Chicken Chalupa replaces the tortilla with a curved chicken pattie and leaves the cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce in the middle. I thought the Double Down was delicious so I was stoked for this new beyond-the-bun creation. 

When I took the chalupa out of my bag and unwrapped it, my first impression is that it seemed really thick for a chalupa. As advertised there's a cardboard holder covering about 2/3 of the chalupa. I took it out of its holder but it felt awkward to hold, I guess I don't regularly touch fried chicken patties. I put it back in its holder and took a bite. I was hit with a surprising amount of flavor. The chicken was moist and well seasoned and the avocado ranch sauce really compliments it. The breading on the chicken was nice, and didn't fall off chicken or stick to my fingers while I was eating it. I usually douse everything from Taco Bell with a packet or two of their fire sauce, but that was not necessary for this.  

 

The filling in the Naked Chicken Chalupa is its main downside. The stock Taco Bell lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese come off as incredibly bland when paired with the chicken shell and the sauce. Those items are just filler to round out the fact that it's a chalupa. Also while I really enjoyed eating the Naked Chicken Chalupa it wasn't as filling as a normal chalupa due to the lack of traditional chalupa shell. Its $2.99 price tag is only $0.10 more than a Chalupa Supreme which is great for a new/novelty item but you may not feel as satisfied after eating it compared to a regular chalupa. Fortunately there's a $5 box with the Naked Chicken Chalupa, crunchy taco, Doritos Locos taco, and a medium drink for a nice, "well rounded" meal. 

Thank you Walkers Shortbread for sending us these delicious cookies to try!

Walkers Shortbread was founded in 1898 and is still family run and operated.  They are located in Aberlour in the Scottish Highlands and export their cookies, cakes, crackers, and puddings to over eighty countries worldwide.  We’ve been blessed to try their Pure Butter Mini Shortbread Fingers, Gluten Free Pure Butter Chocolate Chip and regular shortbread cookies.

Since I don’t practice gluten free living, I tried the Pure Butter Mini Shortbread Fingers first.  I was definitely able to taste the butter and the flakey texture was pleasing as well.  To my surprise there are only four ingredients (wheat flour, butter, sugar, salt) to these cookies and they are all natural!  A serving of four fingers/cookies will set your diet back by 170 calories and 9 grams of fat though.  Four out of five of my family members enjoyed them.  My son is spoiled by my homemade cookies I guess.

To fairly review the gluten free cookies, I took the Gluten Free Pure Butter Chocolate Chip and regular shortbread cookies to my mother-in-law who regularly eats gluten free products.  It’s no secret that a good majority of gluten free food tastes inferior to their gluten counterparts.  These Walker shortbread cookies are quite the exception though!  In fact, my mother-in-law said that you couldn’t tell that they’re gluten free.

Like the Pure Butter Mini Shortbread Fingers, the gluten free shortbread cookies are light, airy, and delicious.  Instead of wheat flour, a blend of rice, potato starch, maize, and xanthan gum (as a stabilizer) is used.  The other ingredients (butter, sugar, salt) remain the same.  The chocolate chip variety has chocolate chips as well which include sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, and natural vanilla flavoring.