Haribo Gold Bears

I have documented several times that Dasha has a sweet tooth. One recent afternoon, I happened to wander into a grocery store on my lunch, and found one of my favorite snacks:

Haribo Gold Bears

Now, before I get started:  I am well aware of the fact that Haribo Gold Bears are a German thing, not strictly an American thing. Sorta.  See, the ones we get here in the US are different from the German ones. So I'm claiming them. It won't be the first non-American thing featured here.

The grocery store in question had them on sale - 4 bags for $5. Not a terrible deal - and I wasn't sure if Dasha had tried them before or not. I figured that, even if she didn't like them, I did. And I can eat two bags if I have to.

As I'm sure you can tell, it's getting harder and harder to find new things to introduce her to. Thus the long gaps between posts.

I'm sure there are a few of you who are reading this and wondering what the big deal about Haribo bears is - aren't all Gummy Bears the same?  And the answer is a resounding "no."

The two biggest manufacturers of gummy bears for the US market are Trolli and Haribo.  Trolli bears are softer and sweeter, but have less flavor.  Haribo bears are a bit more expensive, are firmer, and have quite a bit more flavor.

There are people who prefer the Trolli bears - I'm just not one of them. And if I'm introducing Dasha to something new, it'll be something I like. Or the best version of something I like (I don't dislike Trolli bears - I just prefer the Haribo ones).

When I walked into the office, I had a couple of things in my hands, and I dropped one bag on her desk as I walked by.

"Um ... what's this?"

"Gold bears.  They're a kind of candy. One I really like. Have you had them before?"

"No." A tentative poke at the candy (still in the bag). "Did you mean to put these on my desk?"

"Yes. I bought two bags, and thought I'd share.  If you don't like them, I'll eat them."

"Okay."  She gave it a skeptical look.  I don't think the texture appealed to her, even before opening the bag. "It'll have to wait until after my lunch, though."

"That's fine."  And I went back to work and she headed off to lunch, leaving the candy on her desk.

When she got back, I asked her if she'd tried them,  yet.

I try not to push - I really do.  Because my pushing can change her perception of whatever it is I'm trying to introduce her to, and not in a good way, either.  Of course, she trusts me, now, too.  She eats at Taco Time more days a week than I do, and we make Arby's runs a few times a month. And that's without mentioning the Blizzards ...

So she cut them open, and pulled one out.  "Are they the same flavor?"

I explained that each one was a different flavor. That some people can't tell the difference. And no, I don't know why Green is Strawberry here in the US. Because strawberry should be pink (or red).

So she grabbed one. I didn't see which one it was, but she put it in her mouth, and chewed. Slowly.  Her face kinda scrunched up, and she got that "do not want," look on her face (so I suspect it was lemon - those do that to me, too).  "You can have the rest of these," she said. "I like candy, but mostly chocolate. Not these."

Ah, well.

More for me.

The verdict:  Fail.  She wasn't even willing to try a second bear.

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Today, as I was getting ready to go to lunch, Dasha pushed some cash on me.

"Do you want me to get you something?"

"Yes."

"But I don't even know where I'm going, yet!"

"That's okay.  Just get me something to try."

With a golden opportunity like that, I had to take advantage.

"Have you ever had a Philly?"

She hadn't.  So I went to Jersey Mike's. See, I really like their sandwiches and eat there an average of once per week. Sometimes more, if I get a craving when I'm at work. And, as an added bonus, they don't put mushrooms on their Phillies.

Why do people do that?

So the Philly: It's one of the basic hot sandwiches. You take beef and slice it thin. Then grill it, melt cheese on it, and throw it on a Hoagie roll.  Most people then add peppers and onions while it's grilling.  Generally the peppers are not hot peppers - mostly green and red bell peppers.

Sometimes it's served with au jus, as if it were a French Dip.

At Jersey Mike's, they wrap it in foil for you, which makes it easy to get back to the office with a still-hot sandwich.

I presented the sandwich to Dasha, and received one of her dubious looks. "This looks ... interesting."  She didn't sound particularly enthusiastic, either.

A few bites, then, "That's the weirdest thing I ever tried."

"Is it a good weird or a bad weird?"

"It's good.  It's like a hot dog, but not. Nothing like it.  It's weird."  I have never heard a Philly compared to a hot dog before. Especially not a good Philly. But there it is.  I even did a double-take when typing this up.

"This thing is gooooood.  It's not like heavy, it's kinda light.  I don't know how to explain it."  She actually included all of those o's, too.  You could hear them.

Now, despite her sweet tooth, Dasha tends to eat like a bird - a bit here, a bit there, a lot of leftovers.  But she finished her sandwich off.  Completely.  And then it was interrogation time:

"Where did you get this?"

"Jersey Mike's."

"Where is Jersey Mike's?"

I gave her directions - and then made sure that she knew that Phillies were one of those things that you can get nearly anywhere that does decent sandwiches.

"What kind of cheese is this?"

"I think it's provolone, but it is sometimes made with Swiss or a mixture of the two."

"What kind of meat is this?"

"It's beef, sliced thin."

"I think my husband will like this."

The last time she told me that she thought her husband would like something was way back with the Dairy Queen Blizzards. So I have a hunch she'll have another Philly or two or three this weekend.

The verdict: Win.  She liked the sandwich. A lot.