My First Tastykake

In the seventeen months since I landed on American shores, I have experienced a good few edible firsts.  There was my first munch of the legendary Girl Scout cookies, watching my kids eat Twinkies for the first (and last) time even though I think they are whipped bile, eating food from Wendy’s for the first (and last) time – all of which were entirely disappointing to my tastebuds.  On the upside, I had fun watching my kids review their Halloween candy, get to make delicious green bean casserole for Thanksgiving, have access to great diners and after over a decade’s absence from my palate I ate a whole pile of fried green tomatoes when we were in Florida in December.  Yesterday, I had another munching milestone: I tried a Tastykake donut.  Spelled “donut” rather than “doughnut”.

I actually had no awareness of Tastykake as a brand, none whatsoever, until a little over a week ago.  One of my sisters asked me if I had tried Tastykakes.  Blank.  Turns out they are a Philadelphia company who have been selling baked confections since 1914.  Over a century of flogging sugary wares and I had no idea they existed until last week.  So a bag of snack-sized Tastykake donuts was purchased and was designated as dessert last night.

So did the mini chocolate donut tickle my tastebuds and join the ranks of American foods that make me drool or did it add to my list of edible disappointments?

I am sorry to report that the Tastykake was neither a cake nor was it tasty.  It was in the disappointing corner and I did not even have high expectations.  The cake – or kake – was dense and too chewy and the chocolate covering was not sweet or smooth enough to elevate it’s substrate.  In fairness, my mouth has not acclimated to American chocolate but this chocolate coating was definitely at the waxier end.  As disloyal as it may be to my  new locale, I cannot, therefore, see myself consuming any more Tastykake baked goods in the future.  Sorry.