Do you know what day it is? Did you know what day it was yesterday? The think piece industrial complex has suddenly decided we should be cognizant of the date after a year where every day ran together out of mourning and boredom in equal measure.
There are more looming anniversaries of "lasts" than "firsts" but I keep pushing away the impulse to catalog blurry days of survival. Most days I didn't have a reason to know what the date was, but I still found reasons to make it through the day
In a former life, I was tormented by slotting fake holidays into content calendars, but I now find comfort in hot dog lobbyists demanding adulation on July 22nd. I mostly consider math to be a farce, but I am happy to have a reason to celebrate pi(e) today. Even if my attempt to make these hand pies festive and round also made them look a bit like scones
lemongrass mango hand pies with sekali pandan kaya jam glaze and toasted coconut
The square root of sixty-nine might be eight something but I’m entirely sure that the root of all meaning in my life can be found in these unsnackables
the unsnackables
sweet
BISCOFF ICE CREAM CAKE (U.K.)
Despite relaunching months ago, the supply chain continues to keep me from ascending to the life of luxury promised to me in 90s Viennetta commercials. So instead of focusing on the fancy ice cream cake I can probably have in the future, I have dreamed about this biscoff iteration that I will probably try. Maybe it is not in my nature to desire things I can have.
savory
찰떡아이스 매운 치즈떡볶이 (Korea)
This newsletter exists because of my addiction to novelty, but turning Tteokbokki into ice cream doesn't even feel novel. It feels inevitable. Creamy cheddar ice cream, studded with spicy cookies, sits inside of a spicy jalapeno rice cake for a treat that walks the line between sweet and savory.
thirsty
BANAMI SPRAY (Indonesia)
Tiktok scares me sometimes. It just consumes you and strips context in a way that is incredible to watch but disorienting when you think about it. This slightly baffling banana milk in a spray bottle is all over TikTok and makes me feel the same way.
boozy
LICOR DE QUEIMADA(Spain)
The Galician tradition of brewing Queimada has roots in witchcraft, and the memorable blue glow after the beverage is lit on fire is said to distance vengeful spirits. Warding off bad vibes with a boozy version of the midnight society's campsite tradition? I truly appreciate the energy it brings to the table.
unsnackableIRL
ITO EN GENKI (Japan)- Calamansi is known for its piquant tartness but this is a much more pared-down version of that flavor with a heady dose of vitamin c.
Suntory Yogurina & Minami Alps Tennensui (Japan)- The yogurt flavor is a soft presence in the background of this beverage.
森永嗨啾軟糖袋裝鹹鹹 (Taiwan)- Once again, Taiwanese Hi-Chew comes for my neck with another incredible flavor combination ( plum, lemon, and guava with a touch of salt) and the best texture.
I’m still figuring this out, but hopefully, you enjoyed v.27 of unsnackable.
If you didn’t please don’t tell me, tell your friends to subscribe because they hopefully have better taste than you.
Think you’ll miss me before unsnackable v.28 comes to your inbox? follow me on other parts of the internet and tell me about what you’re snacking on or tell me (hold text)
I’ll try any snack at least once, so don’t be shy if there is something you want to send me to try.
I think there has been a lot more discussion about substack as a platform lately and I’ve considered shifting this newsletter to a paid subscription (because I do spend a lot of time researching snacks!) but I like sending something nice to your inboxes for free every week, so if you’d like to support my snack related endeavors you can find me on venmo at thefolu or on paypal