Sunday, October 29, 2006

Krembo

Hannukah is just around the corner.

I know this only because Krembo have started appearing in the shops. "Krembo?" you ask, "What on earth is a Krembo". Well, they are the Israeli equivalent of a Mallomar, but way better.

Standing about 7.5cm/3in tall on a simple 5cm/2in cookie base, this is no creampuff. What we have here is 115 calories of seriously whipped, vanilla flavoured, boiled meringue, covered in the thinnest coating of delicate, supremely shatterable, milk chocolate. This is a 100% mid-winter treat. Even with airconditioned transportation these babies couldn't survive the 5 minutes in the summer sun it would take to go from truck to store . But come winter, like the desert, the stores bloom with little blue and brown (mocha flavoured) foil packages.

Unlike the slightly spongy Mallomars, the filling is so light that the mere act of trying to cut open a Krembo deflates the creamy interior. Biting into one is also a bit of a challenge. If you start at the cookie end, you end up with a shattered chocolate shell oozing filling. If you start at the chocolate end you usually wind up with the cookie and no filling to give it some interest. Biting north to south usually destroys the cookie and the other half of the Krembo falls to the ground.

It could be that the proper Krembo eating technique is a skill that needs to be learned in childhood, and which I will never master. However Krembo enjoyment is a skill that almost anyone, including yours truly, can learn.

11 comments:

yudit said...

krembos are simply the best, no discussion possible.

i once got a box with 100 krembos for my birthday and recently the igver of that one brought me the wonderful gift of 4 fresh krembos, the first of the season and there is nothing quite like it, the first krembo of the season.

burekaboy — said...

can't believe u posted this ... i was thinking about these today!

i could eat these all day long, one after the other.

krembo & bamba, baby. perhaps, not at the same time.

aja said...

Hi Yudit,
OMG!! 100 Krembo talk about an embarassment of riches! But aren't they just wonderful! I have to say I always look forward to seeing what new thing you are writing about, it always gives me a completely different perspective. Thanks!

Hey BB,
Ha! Another weakness - well, now I know what I need if ever I have to bribe you 8^P

I've never been able to figure out why Bamba never made it in Canada... what with growing up on PB&J sandwiches you would think they would be a surefire hit.

Also, why haven't they made Bamba flavoured Krembo? What an inspiration!!!

Has the espresso vanquished the migraine and is there light at the end of your reno tunnel?? Keep your chin up - as they say in the islands "Soon come!"

Anonymous said...

aja,

i had the same reaction to what yudit wrote .... 100 krembos all at the same time. JACKPOT!! now, pass the insulin, {G forbid} :o

oh yeah, i can be easily weakened by certain desgustatory delights, even bribed. :PP

bamba didn't seem to make it big here -- prolly just amongst the israelis and the other yids who relish it. but w/ this peanut allergy business, it may have impeded its success. what's the deal w/ the peanut allergy thing there? u should do a post on this [giving u homework].

now can't u imagine krembo with a bamba surprise in the center? what are u waiting for?! it's opportunity knocking at your door. LOL.

as for my reno vortex of hell, i ... ok, don't laugh ... forgot to switch the alarms in my room and got up at 5 thinking it was 6 and then those bleepin' workers pulled a no-show so i wasted all day waiting. i was NOT happy. i just count 5 things that could be worse in my life and kick the fridge. ;0

thanx for asking. muchly appreciated.

aja said...

Hey BB,
My sympathies... but what did you waste your whole day not doing??? and why take it out on the fridge, didn't you have any bread dough to knead or schnitzels to beat? It will finish, I promise...

Chanita Harel חני הראל said...

I love them ,but I can't find good krembos here, the chocolate is very thin.. ;)

aja said...

Hey Chanit,
I agree with you about the chocolate being too thin - should we write and complain to Elite/Strauss? 8^P But then again, maybe it is better for us, this way we can eat more of them!

Anonymous said...

was supposed to meet a friend for a long breakfast/catch-up who can only make it on certain days due to work & schedules. haven't seen this person in months. ...and the fridge? i kick it a lot :-0 !

aja said...

Hey BB,
Sorry about your missing ketchup with your friend. But I still say poor fridge!
8^)

Anonymous said...

Back in Lebanon (mid 80s) the Krembo was legal tender like poker chips. By the time the Shekemist arrived at our mutsav all he had was Krembos and razor blades. We'd by cases and play cards using them as chips. The best was Krembo eating contests with the winner getting to skip guard duty. 50 in and hour did it for me twice. Much better than a Mallomar.

Richard

aja said...

Hey Richard,

You can't hear it, but I am chuckling away here...

I can't believe you ate 50 of them in an hour... mind you, to get out of guard duty...

Can you bear to even look at them now though?

I agree with you, Mallomars aren't even in the same league.

Have you tried the orange Krembos yet? 1 is enough for me, then i revert to traditional vanilla... but i have friends who are addicted to them!

Cheers!
aja