Snack Review: Somersaults
Despite the fact that I’m a Candy Addict at heart, my move to the west coast and (albeit reluctant) transition into adulthood have succeeded in transforming me into somewhat of a health nut in recent years. I do yoga. I avoid partially hydrogenated oils. I am pretty damn close to vegan when I’m not indulging a lethal cookie craving. And I snack constantly. (Really, constantly.) As such, I’ve become well acquainted with the myriad ways to dress-up a carrot stick, and have befriended many a bowl of high-fiber cereal. But as I also maintain an active lifestyle, I’ve found that these go-to snacks aren’t necessarily ideal for on-the-go, and am on a seemingly endless search for the perfect portable treat. Until now, that is. Because that treat has just recently somersaulted into my life, compliments of the Somersault Snack Co., utterly winning over my crunchy nugget-craving, gymnastic-loving heart.
Per the company’s product info, Somersaults come in three flavors: S.S. Sea Salt, Salty Pepper, and Chez Cocoa, and are “A crunchy bundle of goodness baked with toasted grains, sunflower and sesame seeds. They are the perfect blend of protein, fiber and nutrition!” That all sounded very pleasing indeed, though it left me rather unclear as to what Somersaults actually WERE. What might they taste like? I wondered. What might they be comparable to?
Nothing I’ve ever seen or eaten, it turns out. These were an entirely new snacking concept for me. Somersaults in general are somewhere between the size of a nickel and a quarter, but thicker, with a rough, bumpy, pretzel-nugget-like surface spotted with sunflower seed pieces. They are, admittedly, not the most beautiful bite to behold, but do have that great hearty, earthy look that I’ve come to appreciate. What’s most remarkable about this line of snacks however – what’s truly mind-boggling – is that even though they are made from essentially the same handful of ingredients, the three varieties are surprisingly different.
S.S. Sea Salt
The S.S. Sea Salt Somersaults smelled vaguely salty and nutty and were the thickest nuggets of the three. They boasted the texture and flavor of a whole grain pretzel that eventually gave way to a smattering of sunflower seeds, whose flavor was very pronounced at the end. The salt was present but muted. I really liked these; they would make an excellent pretzel substitute, being more filling and actually offering some nutritional benefits to boot.
Salty Pepper
The Salty Pepper variety of Somersaults were slightly smaller than the S.S. Sea Salts and adorned with black pepper flecks. Now, I’m not a pepper fan, per se, but the seasoning here was very mild and, coupled with some garlic and onion, gave the nuggets a very appealing flavor depth. Also, the sunflower seeds weren’t quite as potent. I actually liked these even better than the originals, but what really struck me was that while the S.S. Sea Salt Somersaults reminded me of pretzels, I thought the Salty Peppers had more of a cracker-like quality. Interesting.
Chez Cocoa
The chocoholic in me was most looking forward to the Chez Cocoa Somersaults, but after having sampled the previous two I didn’t quite know what to expect, as these seemed so well-suited to the salty snack category. Opening the package, they smelled distinctly like Play-Doh, and I noted that the cocoa was baked into the nuggets, not merely dusting them. These were harder, crunchier, than their salty brethren, and tasted like a little chocolate cookie bespeckled with sunflower seeds. The Somersaults take on an entirely different snack personality in this form – one that, if pressed, I would have to single out as my favorite of the bunch.
Okay, so with a pretzel, a cracker, and a cookie-like option (not to mention seeds, and protein, and fiber!), there’s a Somersaults for every breed of snacker. These come with my highest recommendation and I really think you’ll – wait for it – flip for them. (Sorry.) But just in case I haven’t been convincing enough, you can click on over to their website and request a sample of your own. Happy snacking!
SweetWICK on September 26th, 2009
Very cool site…great idea!