Hawkins Cheezies
There isn’t much that Canada has anymore, in the way of national brands. Most things you think of as Canadian are probably not Canadian anymore, or have faded into obscurity. Blackberry is a shadow of it’s former self (to put it kindly), Tim Hortons is owned by Burger King (which is American), and Hudson’s Bay Company isn’t technically a Canadian company, as it’s owned by an American investment firm. That’s why it’s refreshing when we have Canadian brands, regardless of how small, that are still around and very much recognizable, even if only to fellow citizens of the frigid North.
Hawkins is a private brand that has been family run for over half a century now, which is quite impressive when you consider that they only make the one product. And boy is it a product. Anyone who has been living in Canada for any stretch of time would probably have seen this product somewhere in grocery stores and convenience stores. The packaging definitely has a classic, retro feel to it. So much so that it might go unnoticed by a lot of people, since it doesn’t pop out at you quite as much as it’s American counterparts. It wasn’t until much later in my life that I gave these a try and realized what I was missing out on.
It’s hard to look at these and not think of Cheetos. Visually, they tend to look a bit thicker in girth look a bit more solid. The smell is very similar to Cheetos, though I have noticed that they have more of a fried smell to them. I’m not sure if it’s because of the way their made or the ingredients, but it is noticeable to me. The bag says they’re made with real cheddar cheese. If I’m being honest, it makes little difference to me when I’m eating something like this, since it’s already pretty unhealthy and I’m going all in for taste. I’m sure it’s a selling point for some people, but I’m indifferent in this aspect.
Texture on these is excellent. When I opt for cheese sticks, I want something with substantial crunch, which these provide in spades. Cheetos are good, but they feel powdery and soft compared to these bad boys. I almost wonder if it’s because they fry these for longer or twice, because of that smell I mentioned before. Either way, these have a nice solid crunch to them, and I can’t stop eating them. Especially the smaller pieces, that seem to be even more dense and crunchy. It’s all in all a great textural experience that you won’t find elsewhere on the market right now, when it comes to cheese snacks. Really makes me wonder how they do it.
Flavour wise, these are indeed quite cheesy. If I was compare it to Cheetos, the cheese flavour is slightly less in your face, and a tad more subtle and milder, which isn’t a bad thing. The one thing that may work against it though is that I do find it to be a bit saltier, so I get parched a little quicker.
Much like any other chips, these come in a variety of sizes. If you are unsure about these, maybe get their smaller bags. In all honesty though, if you like Cheetos, there’s nowhere to go but up with these. If you have access to these, or know a fellow canuck who can ship you a bag of these, DO IT. Or maybe don’t. It might be the slippery slope down a cheesy addiction. I don’t want that on my conscience.
