Butter and Soy Sauce Crunchy Eringi Mushrooms

Brand: Sozai

Found at: Bokkusu

Oh no.

I don’t even know where to start. These are horrific to the point that my brain cannot process the information that my mouth is giving me.

Imagine butter popcorn that is also mushroom flavored. Now imagine that it is not only mushroom flavored, but artisanal mushroom flavored, with an earthy, mustiness that comes from the Japanese eringi mushrooms. It’s a rich umami flavor that is perfect for a winter stew or a classy risotto but paired with the overpowering flavor of artificial butter powder it is almost totally unpalatable (bordering on nauseating). Add to that that these mushrooms have been air fried into little mushroom puff chips, and these snacks ring all the wrong mental notes: like eating crunchy butter that has gone bad.

I admire the inventiveness. I can even see the logic. But I don’t know how these ever went into production – they are AWFUL.