Southern Snackage

Last weekend SnackManiac had the pleasure of visiting Charleston, SC (referred to as Chas by irritating people who SM did not socialize with while there.) While there I sampled a snack indigenous to the South for the very first time. The HUSH PUPPY!!! I sure have been missing out on this savory-sweet treat which is basically a little ball of corn meal based dough that is deep fried. The hush puppy is delicious and has an adorable name.

SnackManiac enjoyed the hush puppies in this picture at a seafood place in Charleston that had been frequented by celebrities such as Bob Vila, Sinbad and Jasmine Guy. I felt right at home. We were lured inside by a 15 year old handing out piping hot hush puppies outside. Was I afraid of eating a snack peddled by a weasly teenager on the street? NO! I am brave and adventurous in the face of all snacks.

Anyhow, having eaten several rounds of puppies before heading inside in no way slowed down the SnackManiac. We plowed through a whole other plate of them while learning about marriage from the informational propaganda in the condiments rack. Lots of stuff about holding hands and praying for each other. I pray that I can enjoy some more hush puppies SOON!!

snacks on bikes (sort of like snakes on a plane)

I continue to be amazed about how devoted my readers are to the SnackManiac mission. THREE of you (representing roughly 10% of my fan base) tipped me off to another online snack resource, this one that actually BRINGS the snack to you, rather than simply suggesting a snack you can MAKE.

DCSnacks.com was started by some GW students (which I will overlook due to their snack related ingenuity) and they will deliver you snacks until 4 am on their bikes. Amazing.

So next time you are dying for some Entenmann's Popem doughnuts, Funyuns and Oberto beef jerky (o boy) and can't possibly bear the thought of burning off any of the associated calories by actually procuring the snacks yourself, be sure to check out DCSnacks.com.

Can this snack resurrect itself??

Now SnackManiac doesn't intend to make a habit of weighing in on issues of religion (although we have provided limited commentary on race relations and parenting,) but the story of this Judeo-Christian snack MUST BE TOLD!

Growing up, the SnackManiac was force fed "Hot Cross Buns" (pictured above) for the duration Lent. Provided with no further information about these rock hard buns filled with those little gummy fruits that you hate in fruit cake, I assumed that the experience of eating these for breakfast in lieu of Eggos for 40 days was intended to allow me to share is Christ's suffering.

A quick tour of the 'net by my research team has failed to turn up any facts refuting my theory.

Try them out. And be sure to go for the one with the most icing, because that is the only way you are going to be able to get it down.

snack focused internet dorkery

So a loyal reader of SnackManiac just tipped me off to another snack related internet venture that is worthy of your attention.

When I heard that there was a site called Snacksby, I assumed he was just spinning a yarn, being the Midwestern raconteur that he is.

But no! It is real! This informative and hilarious site allows you to enter all of the things you have in your fridge and pantry and provides you with recipes for snacks that you can make. Not that I am doubting the quality of its wizardry, but I just entered "wheat thins, easter M&Ms and Miller Lite" and it told me there were no matching recipes. Come on. At the very least you could make trail mix.

Despite Snacksby's lack of creativity, they were apparently just acquired by Revolution.

[STEVE CASE, LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO BUY SNACKMANIAC, I'M UP TO 31 UNIQUES.]

New Yorkers decry overpriced snacks

The people of New York have spoken.

In a survey of moviegoers at the Union Square Regal multiplex, 57% stated that "less-outrageously-priced snacks" would improve their movie-going experience.

I am willing to bet that 100% of people think that snacks improve any experience, movie-going or otherwise.

Now I have been to the Union Square Regal multiplex and during my most recent visit, I was hassled on the very subject of snacks. While waiting in line to get into the theater, a highly persistent employee harangued me about joining some sort of "club" where I could earn free popcorn. If I want to join a snack club, it is going to be one I start myself. AND, I don't consider a "free small soda" a reward for having spent $80 at the movie theater.

Union Square Regal multiplex goers, the Snack Maniac recommends you go to the Trader Joe's around the corner and sneak a tub of chocolate covered espresso beans into the movies with you.

new SNAX from snack giant Cheez-it

Cheez-it has done it again. Another delicious cheez flavored snack cracker is on the shelves at your grocery store now. I was introduced to this product by happenstance involving my grocery store shelves, which had been emptied of regular Cheez-its through an outrageous 2 for $4 Safeway Club Card price.



My disappointment was short lived, however, as the Cheez-it Stix (I *love* their unconventional use of spelling!) were a satisfying snack.

While not quite as greasy as regular Cheez-its (this was a negative for me,) the Stix were very crispy and went down easy, allowing you to plow through a third of a box before TLC managed to flip a house.

For more intense reviews of other Cheez-it products, including Cheez-It Star Wars Episode III Limited Edition, check out this insane, yet jealousy inducing snack site. (Although those jokers didn't seem to get that slapping R2D2 on a box doesn't change its contents.)

MSM honors The Snack!

So my sources alerted me to the current issue of Wired magazine that has snack written all over it, literally. Unfortunately, they don't go nearly as in depth into new product reviews, the salty vs. sweet debate, or how many Wheat Thins are really in a serving size, but that just means my readership will remain loyal.

What they do talk about is how snacks are an archetype of modern media and information consumption; we want everything bite-sized and conveniently packaged. They use lots of great snack language, including snackage, snack attack, and, best of all, snack-o-tainment. Check out the issue here.

While I appreciate their use of the snack to represent the cultural consciousness of our time, for me, SNACK CULTURE will always mean eating an entire box of cheez-its and pretending it wasn't a meal.