Haitai Calbee – Butter Garlic Balls
Garlic is one of those foods that can really test your love. The taste of it can be amazing, and it enhances so many things. But the downside is one that makes many waver, and tests our resolve. It’s almost like were ashamed of it, avoiding it when we have to be in public or talk to others. But behind close doors, when no ones around, we indulge in it like it’s 1999. Sometimes you want that garlic flavour, but not the smell that attaches to your mouth. I imagine today’s snack is one of those.
Haitai is an old, long and historied confectionery company from the mid 40’s that’s been making instant noodles, drinks, snacks and other products ever since. I’m sure people who grew up in South Korea would have much more of a connection with the company than I do. All I know them for is their chips, specifically the Honey Butter ones, which are made in collaboration with Calbee, the potato behemoth. They also made the wedding cake flavour, which I will never forget and will always hold against them, but we aren’t here to talk about that.
Today we have another product which, on paper at least, looks far more promising and is normal enough of a product that I can build a realistic mental image and taste with my mind’s tongue. I mean, how can you go wrong with butter garlic balls? They sound absolutely delicious.
These don’t smell what I typically think of when I think of butter garlic. This reminds me more of a savoury honey garlic in smell. It has a slightly sweet smell to it, followed by a strong savoury garlic aroma to them. For whatever reason, they remind me a lot of tomato flavoured Pretz.
The texture of these reminds me of cheese balls, or corn pops. They’re very light and very airy and melt in your mouth if you leave them there. Much like cheese balls, these are also the perfect size and shape for throwing in the air and catching in your mouth. Unlike cheese balls, these won’t leave a streak of orange dust on your face if you miss. Just streaks of butter garlic powder.
The flavour is a fairly good balance between sweet and savoury – it has a sweetness which reminds me again of honey, followed by a savoury, buttery flavour that has a slight garlic flavour to it. But only slightly, as the garlic doesn’t leave any lingering smell or taste and is like a transient hitchhiker – it comes as quickly as it goes. It all comes together to remind me of what corn pops cereal would be like if you added butter with a slight tinge of garlic flavour. Similar to smell, the aftertaste also reminds me a lot of tomato Pretz as well. I’m also very curious why butter garlic would have red specks…
These are actually pretty good, not that I was expecting them not to. I guess the only thing I would change is to amp up the savoury side of it and get some more garlic kick from this. It’s probably a good thing the garlic isn’t that strong though. You know, cause some people do care about how their breath smells after eating. Although if you’re the type of person who prioritizes how a food smells or makes you smell over how it tastes, maybe your not as committed to the cause as I am. Just sayin’.
