Junk Food Nation, did you know these were the Olympic Mascots?

Mandeville & Wenlock

The one on the left is Mandeville, the mascot for the Paralympic Games, and the one on the right is Wenlock, the mascot for the Olympic Games. According to Wiki, “They are named after the Shropshire town of Much Wenlock, which held a forerunner of the current Olympic Games, and Stoke Mandeville Hospital, a facility in Buckinghamshire that initially organised the Stoke Mandeville Games, the precursor of the Paralympic Games.”

But what are they? They are, apparently, drops of British steel.  Drops. Of British steel.  Yep. That’s what they are.

Hey, UK? ……..what the hell?

I’m not saying that your Olympic mascots have to be cutesy animals or cartoon centurions, but…drops of steel?  That look like this in real life?

Mandeville & Wenlock

All I know is that (1) I’m frightened, (2) they look like aliens, and (3) why do Mandeville’s hands look like spikes ala the T1000? Or…crab claws? Or…the Penguin’s hands from Batman Returns?  I dunno, Junk Food Nation…what do you think?

While you mull that, today’s junk food: New Quaker Soft Baked Banana Nut Oatmeal Cookies!

New Quaker Soft Baked Banana Nut Oatmeal Cookies: The Money Shot

Yesterday, I reviewed Quaker’s Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies.  Today, I’m tackling the other box I bought, New Quaker Soft Baked Banana Nut Oatmeal Cookies.  I’m a huge fan of banana, so this should be pretty easy. In fact, let me just zoom through to the taste test.

New Quaker Soft Baked Banana Nut Oatmeal Cookies: Walnuts and bananas adorn the front of this box.

New Quaker Soft Baked Banana Nut Oatmeal Cookies: Again, a perfect bitemark. Although this photo kind of makes it look like…a rice cake?

New Quaker Soft Baked Banana Nut Oatmeal Cookies: Individually packaged banana nutty goodness

New Quaker Soft Baked Banana Nut Oatmeal Cookies: MMMM sweetened dried bananas

New Quaker Soft Baked Banana Nut Oatmeal Cookies: Beautifully constructed and smelled tasty

Upon opening a pouch of these New Quaker Soft Baked Banana Nut Oatmeal Cookies, the first smell I got was a really potent banana and semi-molasses smell.  It may be artificial but Quaker got the smell down perfectly – it smelled exactly like fresh baked banana bread.  Very soft texture (loaded with fats) and sort of crumbly.

New Quaker Soft Baked Banana Nut Oatmeal Cookies: Full of nuts!

I bite into one of these New Quaker Soft Baked Banana Nut Oatmeal Cookies and…well here’s the thing.  I really like banana flavor, so I liked these.  But I will acknowledge that the overall banana nut flavor seemed a little contrived.  That is to say, the flavor was SO SPOT-ON, that it sort of felt artificial.  It tasted TOO MUCH like banana bread.  For me, I took that as a plus.  For others, they might feel the whole thing a little too artificially flavored.

As I chewed the cookies, besides the nice natural oatmeal cookie crumble, there were small slivers of nuts throughout which gave the whole thing a nice chew and a variety in texture.  Not very sweet, but the banana flavor was very present – accented with what tasted like cinnamon and salt.  I can’t say for sure, but some might say the Apple Cinnamon cookies tasted more…”natural,” if that’s possible.  You know how people don’t like banana candy because they think it tastes too artificial?  That’s kind of how this was…sweet banana taste that tastes a little forced.

Again, like the Apple Cinnamon variety, a bit of a waxy aftertaste.  Still, as a banana flavor lover, I really enjoyed this cookie. I liked it slightly better than the Apple Cinnamon kind.

PURCHASED AT: Giant Grocery

COST: $2.00 on sale, $2.69 retail

Thoughts? Please comment below (I always reply) or hit me up on Twitter @junkfoodguy or LIKE my Facebook Page and message me there. Also, you can always email me at junkfoodguy@junkfoodguy.com. Let’s hang out.

Sincerely,

Junk Food Guy