Cerealis Cheese Fingers

In Part 3 to our Traveler’s Guide to Tunisian chips, we take a look at Cerealis Cheese Fingers.  Like all the Tunisian chips we found, these were all basically riffing off of classic Western mass-market snack food, and these ones are no exception.  (Sorry, no tagine-flavored chips so far it seems.)  Judging from the picture on the bag, you will basically find some sort of knock off of Cheesy Cheetos on the inside, right?

Max Rebo supposedly agreed to perform
for food, presumably because it would
save him money.

However, the packaging proves hilariously deceptive.  If these are fingers, than I think they were developed by a dwarf with grotesquely stubby single-jointed fingers which might only be found on Jabba the Hutt’s favorite red-ball organist, Max Rebo.  These ‘fingers’ look more like barrels, or depth charges.  Or maybe like taters.

In any case, these are not imitation Cheetos, but imitation Cheese Twists!  Yes, the oversized cousin/competitor of Cheetos, (in the great tradition of frenemy brothers and sisters that try to kill you in one episode and help you the next), less hard and crunchy, more large and puffy.  Cheese Twists are basically perfectly awesome, and just as tasty in the shape of a tater as in the more elongated shape usually found at the grocery store.

File under the category: "cafeteria food
I actually miss eating."

The flavoring is firmly within the American salty-cheddar canon, which is to say addictive but unoriginal.  That’s ok, addictive will do for me!  Anyone who experiences a need to pop some tender cheese puffs while exploring the burned out hulls of American tanks around the Kasserine Pass, or retracing the steps taken by Obi Wan Kenobi while vocalizing the mighty roar of the Krayt Dragon, knows where to find them.  Just remember, the image on the cover is hilariously inaccurate.

Stars: 2/4

Spiciness Rating: None

Pros:

- They are essentially Cheese Twists, which are good

- The barrel shape crisps are actually kind of fun to toss in your mouth

Cons:

- Nothing new about them besides the flavor

- The packaging portrays them to be a different product

Cerealis Bugles Smokin’ BBQ Flavor

Dipping my fingers into my first bag of Tunisian chips, I can only speculate what wonders this exotic new North African locale will bring- crisps made of couscous and baklava seasoning?  Never mind that the title ‘smokin’ bbq’ is sounding much more American in inclination right down to the Drop G, (I’ll take Drop D over Drop G any time.)

A Tunisian tagine (pot) filled with
cous-cous and veggies, recipe
here.  Sadly, they haven't made
the chip seasoning yet...

However, my hyperactive imagination might have been better served to note the ‘General Mills’ logo on the corner of the bag, and as I pop out the cornucopia-shaped treats it turns out that this is a very faithful reproduction of the original American Bugle.  Right down to the lovingly ribbed corn crisp husks, the buttery savory taste as they are pulverized in the mouth, and reveille playing over the camp loud speakers.

But wait, what about the smokin’ BBQ flavoring?  Surely they mean Smokin’ in the Biblical sense.  However, you'll have to untwist your undergarments, as though the bugles themselves are pleasantly dusted with red seasoning, the flavoring is at most a very mildly sweet undertone- these are much more Bugle-flavored than BBQ seasoned.  The flavoring does contribute very subtly to the eating experience, but if you are in any way expecting ‘BBQ’ or ‘Smokey’ flavored crisps, you are in for a serious disappointment.

The US Governmen paid 20% of its annual
budget in 1800 in tribute to the Barbary
pirates.  That's more booty than even
Sir Mixalot could handle.

Nonetheless, I have kinder words for these crisps then the Bacon 3D Bugles I tried here earlier in France, because while those were actually smoky, they were also overly salty.  By contrast, for all their serious lacking of seasoning, these Tunisian bugles preserved the buttery and unobtrusive flavoring one expects from a Bugle.  We can only assume they are keeping with the grand tradition of the Barbary pirates in ruthlessly acquiring the loot for their own tasty purposes.

Stars: 2/4

Spiciness Rating: None

Pros:

- They are 90% authentic Bugles

Cons:

- Not particularly Barbecue or Smokey