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February 22, 2018 6:42 PM Subscribe
List of Oreo Varieties [Wiki] “The most popular cookie in the United States, based on sales, is the Oreo. For most of its history, owner Nabisco (originally National Biscuit Company) only made the basic version of this cookie. But in recent years, increasingly since 2010, it has expanded to a great many varieties, both domestically and globally. In addition to their traditional design of two chocolate wafers separated by a creme filling Oreo cookies have been produced in many different varieties since they were first introduced, and this list is only a guide to some of the more notable and recent types; not all are available in every country.”
• How Oreos Got Their Name: The Rise of an American Icon [Serious Eats]
• How It's Made [YouTube]
• How Oreos Got Their Name: The Rise of an American Icon [Serious Eats]
“Whether through coincidence or spite, Nabisco unveiled the Oreo on Loose-Wiles's 10th anniversary. The clone advertised "two chocolate-flavored wafers with a rich, creamy filling," competing directly against Hydrox's "two chocolate wafers filled with sweet vanilla cream." Oreo couldn't match the detail of the Hydrox design, but it imitated what mattered most: the laurel wreath. That swipe went deeper than copycat aesthetics, straight to the heart of Oreo's darkest mystery: its name. Nabisco has always shied away from explaining its origin, which inspired decades of speculation. The most common version asserts that Oreo derives from or, French for "gold" and supposedly the color of the original packaging. Others say it stands for "orexigenic," a medical term for substances that stimulate the appetite (including cannabis). Another popular explanation proposes an elaborate symbolic scheme, wherein the two Os in "Oreo" represent cookies sandwiching cREam in the middle, a theory that makes more sense if you put on a tinfoil hat.”• What Really Is The White Stuff In the Center of an Oreo? [Eat This, Not That!]
“While the exact Oreo recipe is still a secret, some industry secrets leaked to the public during an incident in 2014. Long story short—an American landed a 15-year prison sentence after releasing the Oreo formula to a Chinese company for a cool 28 million dollar payout. Because of this scandal, it was unveiled that Nabisco used a scary additive called titanium dioxide in the cookie center. A chemical that gives certain foods (such as ice cream) their ultra-white color, titanium dioxide has been proven to cause liver and tissue damage in mice, so it might also have some serious health implications for people. While there’s no mention of titanium dioxide on the ingredient list, the cookie brand outsources the artificial flavor vanillin and couldn’t comment on what might be added by the manufacturers. Therefore, it’s probably not safe to say whether titanium dioxide (or other chemicals) could be lurking in the Oreo cookie filling.”• Swedish Fish Oreos [Kotaku]
“Nabisco’s food scientists have done an outstanding job of capturing the scent and flavor of the red Swedish Fish in creme form. As seen in the video, opening a package of Swedish Fish Oreos unleashes an overwhelming rush of red candy scent. The crimson paste sandwiched between the chocolate Oreo wafers here (and kudos for going full chocolate instead of wimping out with vanilla Oreo cookies) is Swedish Fish in creme form. It’s a fine snacknological achievement, but not necessarily a good one. Creme is not an ideal conveyance for the Swedish Fish flavor. It’s a taste designed specifically for the starchy, chewy form factor, which lingers briefly in the mouth before carrying on. In creme form it sticks around far longer than the flavor was made to stay. Some people like to suck on Swedish Fish, prolonging their exposure to the taste, and that’s fine. They’re still in complete control of when it comes and goes. In creme form the only control method is a vigorous mouth rinsing.”• The Business Strategy Behind Oreo's Constant, Weird New Flavors [GQ]
““The key is they're not trying to introduce the flavors for long-term consumption,” Just says. “You build in this idea of really tacky flavors, and that sort of builds this relationship to the consumer who likes to sort of check out these kitschy Oreos.” Many of the younger diehards do the company a solid by sharing their thoughts on the flavors—the gastronomic equivalent to unboxing videos. Stanton believes that although the adventurous adult who loves marshmallow Peeps may check out this questionable wedding of confectionaries, “if a bunch of old crotchety people want to have their [regular] Oreos, it’s available for them.” The consumer reports site Infoscout found that two other important demographics of Oreos are people ages 35-44 and 45-54. According to Stanton, these people are more likely to pick up a regular or Double Stuffed package of Oreos, in addition to the unorthodox versions their children are more likely enjoy. One is kid-tested; one is mother-approved.”• This Artist’s Pop Culture Oreo Art Is Just Too Awesome To Eat [Fast Company]
“Some artists prefer acrylics. Others are into clay. For Tisha Cherry, however, Oreos are where she dunks her inspiration. “Two years ago, I twisted open an Oreo and thought the cream looked like a Nike Dunk,” Cherry says. “I immediately became obsessed with trying to see how many different things I could create out of them. Now, I feel like I’m looking at the world through some sort of Oreo crème lens and it’s become my favorite medium to express my creativity through.” Cherry’s Oreo art absorbs everything from pop culture to fine arts. She’s just as likely to recreate the poster from Jaws as she is the work of Mondrian. And she’s been documenting it all on her Instagram page.” (@tishacherry)• 22 Mouth Watering Ways To Eat An Oreo [BuzzFeed]
• How It's Made [YouTube]
We're friendly with someone who was assigned the task of trying to market Oreos in countries that weren't familiar with them. When viewed through that lens, you quickly arrive at the conclusion that Oreos are really fucking weird.
The cream is aggressively fake. The cookie itself is oddly bitter. And most people get them down with a tall glass of milk, which itself is really not a thing in many parts of the world other than for babies and little kids.
So, yeah - going with alternative flavors (especially those tailored to local palates) totally makes sense.
Also, my brother is a flavor chemist. He could tell you the difference between every major market's notion of "cream" or "chocolate" flavor with his eyes closed and his taste buds tied behind his back. I bet he'd either be super-amused or super-bored if I were to ask him which countries would hate OG Oreos the most.
posted by NoRelationToLea at 7:02 PM on February 22, 2018 [6 favorites]
The cream is aggressively fake. The cookie itself is oddly bitter. And most people get them down with a tall glass of milk, which itself is really not a thing in many parts of the world other than for babies and little kids.
So, yeah - going with alternative flavors (especially those tailored to local palates) totally makes sense.
Also, my brother is a flavor chemist. He could tell you the difference between every major market's notion of "cream" or "chocolate" flavor with his eyes closed and his taste buds tied behind his back. I bet he'd either be super-amused or super-bored if I were to ask him which countries would hate OG Oreos the most.
posted by NoRelationToLea at 7:02 PM on February 22, 2018 [6 favorites]
Last year they did a special run of Oreos that tasted like Fruity Pebbles. We bought some at my office, and they were absolutely weird.
First, because they were Oreos that tasted like Fruity Pebbles, which is sort of like making a grapefruit that tastes like a banana, or something else that just should not be, but second, because it implies that "Fruity Pebbles flavor" is a thing that exists in extract form somewhere, probably in large steel drums, and isn't actually the combination of mixed but inherently individual fruit flavors that I naively (hopefully? desperately?) believed that it was.
We definitely ate all of them, though. I mean, they're still Oreos.
posted by Kadin2048 at 7:10 PM on February 22, 2018 [5 favorites]
First, because they were Oreos that tasted like Fruity Pebbles, which is sort of like making a grapefruit that tastes like a banana, or something else that just should not be, but second, because it implies that "Fruity Pebbles flavor" is a thing that exists in extract form somewhere, probably in large steel drums, and isn't actually the combination of mixed but inherently individual fruit flavors that I naively (hopefully? desperately?) believed that it was.
We definitely ate all of them, though. I mean, they're still Oreos.
posted by Kadin2048 at 7:10 PM on February 22, 2018 [5 favorites]
In one of Benjamin Graham's investing books, he talks about what a solid investment the National Biscuit Company is (if you can buy the stock at the right price, of course). It took me a few minutes to figure out what seemed familiar about that name.
posted by clawsoon at 7:13 PM on February 22, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by clawsoon at 7:13 PM on February 22, 2018 [3 favorites]
I'll never forgive Oreo for monopolizing the cookie aisle with the weird flavors and driving out the Keebler Simply Made Chocolate Sandwich Cookie, which is made with butter and tastes far better.
posted by Small Dollar at 7:15 PM on February 22, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by Small Dollar at 7:15 PM on February 22, 2018 [3 favorites]
Double Stuf Oreos Don’t Actually Have Double The Creme!
posted by peeedro at 7:15 PM on February 22, 2018
posted by peeedro at 7:15 PM on February 22, 2018
I'm partial to Newman-o's :D So good!
posted by Calzephyr at 7:23 PM on February 22, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by Calzephyr at 7:23 PM on February 22, 2018 [4 favorites]
Titanium dioxide would be an easy chemical to detect, even in trace amounts, by gas chromatography or other analytical methods. It’s difficult to believe no one would have found it, if it is really present.
posted by haiku warrior at 7:28 PM on February 22, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by haiku warrior at 7:28 PM on February 22, 2018 [6 favorites]
About a year ago, Oreo Japan (Nabisco Japan?) switched the Oreo factories from Japan to China. And they changed the flavor as well, although it probably wasn't intentional. The new Oreos are awful, just really bland and stale-tasting. Another company stepped up and started selling Noir cookies, which are exactly like the original Oreos. More like Oreos than the real, current Oreos.
posted by zardoz at 7:30 PM on February 22, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by zardoz at 7:30 PM on February 22, 2018 [7 favorites]
...it implies that "Fruity Pebbles flavor" is a thing that exists in extract form somewhere, probably in large steel drums...
It doesn't. The "base" for the cereal is not the same as the "base" for the cookie or the cream. Some flavor chemist had to figure out how to translate your cereal Fruity Pebbles experience to a cookie/cream Fruity Pebble experience.
posted by NoRelationToLea at 7:45 PM on February 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
It doesn't. The "base" for the cereal is not the same as the "base" for the cookie or the cream. Some flavor chemist had to figure out how to translate your cereal Fruity Pebbles experience to a cookie/cream Fruity Pebble experience.
posted by NoRelationToLea at 7:45 PM on February 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
I hope ColdChef shows up for this thread, he loves those weird ass Oreo flavors.
posted by Chrysostom at 7:45 PM on February 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Chrysostom at 7:45 PM on February 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
Another company stepped up and started selling Noir cookies, which are exactly like the original Oreos. More like Oreos than the real, current Oreos.You beat me to posting the same thing, but it isn't "another company". Noir are made by Yamazaki Biscuits, who used to be known as Yamazaki-Nabisco until their licensing agreement ended in September 2016. The terms prevented them from selling similar products until December 2017.
posted by Strutter Cane - United Planets Stilt Patrol at 7:51 PM on February 22, 2018 [8 favorites]
We're friendly with someone who was assigned the task of trying to market Oreos in countries that weren't familiar with them. When viewed through that lens, you quickly arrive at the conclusion that Oreos are really fucking weird.
The cream is aggressively fake. The cookie itself is oddly bitter. And most people get them down with a tall glass of milk, which itself is really not a thing in many parts of the world other than for babies and little kids.
They are pushing Oreos heavily here and I just do not understand. They're so bad. There's like seven different varieties of 'biscuit with cream in the middle' already on the market, and every single one of them has a) tastier biscuit and b) tastier cream. You can even get an assortment that has all of them!
I appreciate that America has weird-ass tastes and likes things like Oreos and canned cheese and semi-automatic rifles and jelly salads but why do they spend tons of money trying to push them on everyone else?
posted by Merus at 7:51 PM on February 22, 2018 [10 favorites]
The cream is aggressively fake. The cookie itself is oddly bitter. And most people get them down with a tall glass of milk, which itself is really not a thing in many parts of the world other than for babies and little kids.
They are pushing Oreos heavily here and I just do not understand. They're so bad. There's like seven different varieties of 'biscuit with cream in the middle' already on the market, and every single one of them has a) tastier biscuit and b) tastier cream. You can even get an assortment that has all of them!
I appreciate that America has weird-ass tastes and likes things like Oreos and canned cheese and semi-automatic rifles and jelly salads but why do they spend tons of money trying to push them on everyone else?
posted by Merus at 7:51 PM on February 22, 2018 [10 favorites]
My board game group loves trying all the wacky Oreo flavors. Easily, the very best one is the summer Firecracker ones, that have regular flavor creme but with popping candy mixed in. It is PERFECT.
posted by ApathyGirl at 7:54 PM on February 22, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by ApathyGirl at 7:54 PM on February 22, 2018 [3 favorites]
I'm so old I still prefer the Hydrox, and I just recently exhausted my stash collected when they tried to bring them back a few years (and didn't taste quite the same but still better than Original Oreos).
posted by oneswellfoop at 8:00 PM on February 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by oneswellfoop at 8:00 PM on February 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
I hadn't had an Oreo in about 25 years until this Christmas. One of my wife's clients works for Nabisco and as a gift she gave us a pile of Oreos for Christmas. Including a "Hot Chocolate" flavour which tasted exactly like that powdered hot chocolate mix (which is either good or bad depending on how you feel about that hot chocolate). I must admit it was weird eating Oreos after so many years. They were way sweeter then I remembered them.
posted by Ashwagandha at 8:02 PM on February 22, 2018
posted by Ashwagandha at 8:02 PM on February 22, 2018
I believe the basic reason for all the flavors of Oreos, and cat food, and Spam (Spam Classic,Hot & Spicy,Jalapeño,Lite,Hickory Smoked,Bacon,Cheese,Garlic,Teriyaki in New Jersey alone) is to grab supermarket SHELF SPACE. So there is a wall of Cheerios instead of one box.
The SPAMs all taste about the same to me. I actually tried a few. I now generally get Lite or Less Salt, though I suspect they are actually identical to Classic. IMO, spam tastes better than cheap sausage or ham. Those Hawaiians know something.
posted by hexatron at 8:05 PM on February 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
The SPAMs all taste about the same to me. I actually tried a few. I now generally get Lite or Less Salt, though I suspect they are actually identical to Classic. IMO, spam tastes better than cheap sausage or ham. Those Hawaiians know something.
posted by hexatron at 8:05 PM on February 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
First, because [the Mystery Oreos] were Oreos that tasted like Fruity Pebbles, which is sort of like making a grapefruit that tastes like a banana, or something else that just should not be
We caved like everyone else and bought a package of Mystery, and it drove us absolutely freaking bonkers because this was one of those flavors like Juicy Fruit that you just can't pin down, like this.
It was totally possible to over think this, which is why choosing Fruity Pebbles was a genius idea.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:09 PM on February 22, 2018
We caved like everyone else and bought a package of Mystery, and it drove us absolutely freaking bonkers because this was one of those flavors like Juicy Fruit that you just can't pin down, like this.
It was totally possible to over think this, which is why choosing Fruity Pebbles was a genius idea.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:09 PM on February 22, 2018
Oreos brought us this amazing Wreck It Ralph scene.
posted by one for the books at 8:11 PM on February 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by one for the books at 8:11 PM on February 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
If you want to see wacky Oreo flavors, China is where you want to be. I also hear they have various other things of cultural note you can take in while you’re there.
posted by vorpal bunny at 9:07 PM on February 22, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by vorpal bunny at 9:07 PM on February 22, 2018 [5 favorites]
I do enjoy the lemon Oreos. Key lime and apple pie Oreos were interesting failures.
posted by infinitewindow at 9:22 PM on February 22, 2018
posted by infinitewindow at 9:22 PM on February 22, 2018
We definitely ate all of them, though. I mean, they're still Oreos.
This is the problem here in our house. The wife and I both loath them and the very idea is anathema to us.
Then a pack shows up, from god alone only knows where (ok each of us buys a pack from time to time), from then on we begin eating a few here and there as guilty, self-loathing based pleasures. The next thing you know I've snarfled damn near a whole row of the little demons and soon thereafter the wife is roaring at me inquiring how many I had and how dare I and they're so bad for me while I know, deep down, she's just expressing her frustration and sadness at finding the pack empty in that weak moment when she went, again as I did, astray only far too late...
They are the literal devil made into confection-approximation brought to us by food scientists.
posted by RolandOfEld at 9:33 PM on February 22, 2018 [4 favorites]
This is the problem here in our house. The wife and I both loath them and the very idea is anathema to us.
Then a pack shows up, from god alone only knows where (ok each of us buys a pack from time to time), from then on we begin eating a few here and there as guilty, self-loathing based pleasures. The next thing you know I've snarfled damn near a whole row of the little demons and soon thereafter the wife is roaring at me inquiring how many I had and how dare I and they're so bad for me while I know, deep down, she's just expressing her frustration and sadness at finding the pack empty in that weak moment when she went, again as I did, astray only far too late...
They are the literal devil made into confection-approximation brought to us by food scientists.
posted by RolandOfEld at 9:33 PM on February 22, 2018 [4 favorites]
The return of Hydrox disappeared from my local stores over a year ago... it's not even on Amazon.
posted by oneswellfoop at 9:37 PM on February 22, 2018
posted by oneswellfoop at 9:37 PM on February 22, 2018
Oreos (your basic, without double stuf) aren't bad, although Hydrox definitely were better. Shame how that worked out.
We have tried all the weird-ass Oreo flavors over the last few years at Target, and I gotta say I haven't been impressed with any. You would think that mint flavor would work, but even that comes out weird and off-putting. Oh, and apple pie sucked ass.
The one I didn't have the guts to even try was this year's hot and spicy Valentines' batch. Just... no.
posted by yhbc at 9:53 PM on February 22, 2018
We have tried all the weird-ass Oreo flavors over the last few years at Target, and I gotta say I haven't been impressed with any. You would think that mint flavor would work, but even that comes out weird and off-putting. Oh, and apple pie sucked ass.
The one I didn't have the guts to even try was this year's hot and spicy Valentines' batch. Just... no.
posted by yhbc at 9:53 PM on February 22, 2018
Mega-stuf. Original flavor, just Mega-stuf.
posted by AugustWest at 10:31 PM on February 22, 2018
posted by AugustWest at 10:31 PM on February 22, 2018
I try a lot of these flavors, though I've cut back. I'm also the kind of person who wants to try all the Kit Kat flavors, all the weird new Mountain Dew flavors, new flavors of Sprite, sometimes other new flavors of candy I already like, etc. There's something about weird novelty flavors that gets me, like just this odd little turn on the classic thing, this variation on a theme. It's kind of like the dreams I have periodically where new combinations of My Little Ponies come to light, like a G1 sparkle pony that also glows in the dark and is both a unicorn and a pegasus. That, in turn, kind of reminds me of something I need to write about, the sort of hypersalience of rainbow-cycling party emoji in chat environments where a lot of emojis are used. Similar to that is the rise of rainbow-anodized enamel pins in pingame, both of which seem to hit that same nerve. It's like the way snack makers have begun to create a lot of products to hit that satisfying Venn-diagram overlap of salty and sweet, or like how once you've played Apples to Apples or Cards Against Humanity, the enjoyable experience of laughing for hours at nonsense while playing makes them viral, to the point that it's hard to get groups to play other things. Humans are really easily led by manipulating the parameters of stuff in our environments to be hypersalient in this way—internet addiction in general is another example of this. Hypersalient stuff gives you that lovely neurochemical hit that keeps you coming back for more, and I am such a sucker for it.
posted by limeonaire at 10:53 PM on February 22, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by limeonaire at 10:53 PM on February 22, 2018 [6 favorites]
My brother-in-law brought some of those Thanksgiving pumpkin spice Oreos with him on a visit from New York. We liked 'em. Not so much the pumpkin spice M&Ms.
posted by rory at 1:23 AM on February 23, 2018
posted by rory at 1:23 AM on February 23, 2018
> Hydrox has made a comeback.
Number of Hydrox flavors: 1
Number of flavors there should be of Hydrox: 1
Hydrox wins. I've been getting these and damn they're good. The versions from Newman's Own and Trader Joe's aren't as dialed in as good ol' Hydrox.
posted by ardgedee at 2:55 AM on February 23, 2018
Number of Hydrox flavors: 1
Number of flavors there should be of Hydrox: 1
Hydrox wins. I've been getting these and damn they're good. The versions from Newman's Own and Trader Joe's aren't as dialed in as good ol' Hydrox.
posted by ardgedee at 2:55 AM on February 23, 2018
I love all things lemon, but even I have a hard time with the lemon Oreos. Maybe if the cookie were chocolate instead of vanilla? I would be happy to volunteer for taste testing, Nabisco!
posted by odd ghost at 4:31 AM on February 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by odd ghost at 4:31 AM on February 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
I believe the basic reason for all the flavors of Oreos, and cat food, and Spam (Spam Classic,Hot & Spicy,Jalapeño,Lite,Hickory Smoked,Bacon,Cheese,Garlic,Teriyaki in New Jersey alone) is to grab supermarket SHELF SPACE. So there is a wall of Cheerios instead of one box.
I am with you on this. At the grocery stores I frequent that aren't natural food stores, the cookie aisle is this:
1. Oreo
2. More Oreo
3. Even More Oreo
4. Chips Ahoy
5. More Chips Ahoy
6. Even More Chips Ahoy
7. Keebler (small section)
8. Pepperidge Farm (small section)
9. Everything else (very very small section)
I'm not against the idea of, say, Oreo with Chips Ahoy filling (which existed), but this is a pretty clear play to just own the aisle. It's really stunning. The trade-off is: what other interesting cookie varieties are we all missing out on because of this?
Thank goodness for the Girl Scouts.
posted by hijinx at 5:43 AM on February 23, 2018
I am with you on this. At the grocery stores I frequent that aren't natural food stores, the cookie aisle is this:
1. Oreo
2. More Oreo
3. Even More Oreo
4. Chips Ahoy
5. More Chips Ahoy
6. Even More Chips Ahoy
7. Keebler (small section)
8. Pepperidge Farm (small section)
9. Everything else (very very small section)
I'm not against the idea of, say, Oreo with Chips Ahoy filling (which existed), but this is a pretty clear play to just own the aisle. It's really stunning. The trade-off is: what other interesting cookie varieties are we all missing out on because of this?
Thank goodness for the Girl Scouts.
posted by hijinx at 5:43 AM on February 23, 2018
I really like the store brand sandwich crèmes....around here its Cub brand. They taste like they are actually made from flour, sugar, etc and not....I don't know....moon rocks pulverized with corn syrup and stamped into hatewafers.
posted by ian1977 at 6:11 AM on February 23, 2018
posted by ian1977 at 6:11 AM on February 23, 2018
Habanero-Guava?
posted by sammyo at 6:21 AM on February 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by sammyo at 6:21 AM on February 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Every so often I hit up an Asian grocery store here in Brooklyn, and I always try to pick up some werid cookie or candy or snack item I've never tried before. One time I went with A Variety Of Oreo Flavors - I think all they had was Strawberry and Banana or something. They were fine, if aggressively artificial; but that's kind of what I was expecting.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:27 AM on February 23, 2018
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:27 AM on February 23, 2018
Every so often I hit up an Asian grocery store here in Brooklyn, and I always try to pick up some werid cookie or candy or snack item I've never tried before.
I do this ALL the time. It's my own version of snack roulette. What exciting or new flavour combination will I experience today!? Sometimes it's a new favourite and other times it's a NEVER AGAIN type of situation.
posted by Fizz at 7:36 AM on February 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
I do this ALL the time. It's my own version of snack roulette. What exciting or new flavour combination will I experience today!? Sometimes it's a new favourite and other times it's a NEVER AGAIN type of situation.
posted by Fizz at 7:36 AM on February 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
I just re-read what I wrote and would like to add the context that for me, "weird" is actually a compliment. But it sounds kind of judgy, so apologies, and I'm going to start replacing that with "new to me".
There's a dollar store near work and I just saw that they had a shit-ton of "Spring" flavored Oreos. What flavor is that?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:44 AM on February 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
There's a dollar store near work and I just saw that they had a shit-ton of "Spring" flavored Oreos. What flavor is that?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:44 AM on February 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
Catering to short attention spans is clearly working: Burger King boasted greater sales than the Golden Arches during the latter half of 2016. Like Burger King and Taco Bell, Stanton says, these stunt flavors are the key to Oreo’s success when it comes to brand awareness.What a weird thing to write. It's a cookie, not a goddamn novel. Brand loyalty is not exactly cognitively demanding.
posted by inconstant at 7:44 AM on February 23, 2018
"There's a dollar store near work and I just saw that they had a shit-ton of "Spring" flavored Oreos. What flavor is that?"
Lamb
posted by JimInLoganSquare at 7:45 AM on February 23, 2018 [7 favorites]
Lamb
posted by JimInLoganSquare at 7:45 AM on February 23, 2018 [7 favorites]
"Spring" flavored Oreos
mmmhmm....tastes like rebirth.
posted by Fizz at 7:52 AM on February 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
mmmhmm....tastes like rebirth.
posted by Fizz at 7:52 AM on February 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
The Wiki indicated that it's colored differently, but doesn't say anything about flavor. The package says it's spring "flavor", though, so I'm really curious.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:53 AM on February 23, 2018
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:53 AM on February 23, 2018
"Spring" flavored Oreos
Freshly cut grass and gasoline.
posted by Splunge at 8:06 AM on February 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
Freshly cut grass and gasoline.
posted by Splunge at 8:06 AM on February 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
I just saw that they had a shit-ton of "Spring" flavored Oreos. What flavor is that?
“Ah, that's one of our specialities. Covered in dark, velvety chocolate, when you pop it into your mouth, stainless steel bolts spring out and plunge straight through both cheeks.”
posted by PlusDistance at 8:13 AM on February 23, 2018 [5 favorites]
“Ah, that's one of our specialities. Covered in dark, velvety chocolate, when you pop it into your mouth, stainless steel bolts spring out and plunge straight through both cheeks.”
posted by PlusDistance at 8:13 AM on February 23, 2018 [5 favorites]
My grandparents met working at "the National Biscuit" (as they always called it) in Cambridge, MA in the 30s.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:16 AM on February 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Rock Steady at 8:16 AM on February 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
The thin oreos aren't too bad, mainly because they don't taste too much like Oreos.
For many years, activist groups would often have Oreos as a meeting snack since most varieties are vegan. But then it became fashionable to avoid gluten, so that stopped. Honestly, although it's obvious that 50% of my acquaintance are not actually suddenly gluten-intolerant, I don't really mind the end of Oreo hegemony.
In re Oreos as an American mystery:
I don't know too many adults who eat them regularly by choice. They're a kids' thing, at least in my social sphere, and that's why the taste is bleh and the emphasis is on wacky fillings.
My perception is that a lot of other countries have sweets that are basically intended for adults rather than marketed to kids with the idea that adults will eat them if they're around the house - all those tea biscuits in the UK, adequate chocolate, those fine-grained Japanese cake rolls. Those things may not be the finest and classiest of desserts, but they're made to appeal to the average adult palate.
Whereas in the US, I think everything is made to appeal to kids with the idea that grown-ups will buy it for the family. Kids certainly can like nice sweets, but they can also like pure junk, and pure junk is a lot cheaper to produce.
When folks look at American food and are all "whhhhhhyyyyy, Americans must be so dumb", I think it's worth considering our labor laws, tax laws and food safety laws. It's easy and profitable to figure out some kind of super-frosted-sugar-bomb thing made from gross, cheap ingredients, market it to six year olds, assume adults will buy and eat it for family reasons and then assume that some percentage of people will retain the taste when they grow up. Average Americans are poor compared to average everyone else in the rich world. We have garbage not because we can't enjoy better but because our entire society is set up so that we are, unlike people in better countries, totally unprotected from garbage. It's not the Oreos you should be worried about importing, people, it's the legal system. (You want Brexit, apparently you're getting stuck with gross American meat. For which, god knows, I'm sorry.)
Although Tim-Tams are actually pretty fake-tasting and ick too IMO.
posted by Frowner at 8:40 AM on February 23, 2018 [7 favorites]
For many years, activist groups would often have Oreos as a meeting snack since most varieties are vegan. But then it became fashionable to avoid gluten, so that stopped. Honestly, although it's obvious that 50% of my acquaintance are not actually suddenly gluten-intolerant, I don't really mind the end of Oreo hegemony.
In re Oreos as an American mystery:
I don't know too many adults who eat them regularly by choice. They're a kids' thing, at least in my social sphere, and that's why the taste is bleh and the emphasis is on wacky fillings.
My perception is that a lot of other countries have sweets that are basically intended for adults rather than marketed to kids with the idea that adults will eat them if they're around the house - all those tea biscuits in the UK, adequate chocolate, those fine-grained Japanese cake rolls. Those things may not be the finest and classiest of desserts, but they're made to appeal to the average adult palate.
Whereas in the US, I think everything is made to appeal to kids with the idea that grown-ups will buy it for the family. Kids certainly can like nice sweets, but they can also like pure junk, and pure junk is a lot cheaper to produce.
When folks look at American food and are all "whhhhhhyyyyy, Americans must be so dumb", I think it's worth considering our labor laws, tax laws and food safety laws. It's easy and profitable to figure out some kind of super-frosted-sugar-bomb thing made from gross, cheap ingredients, market it to six year olds, assume adults will buy and eat it for family reasons and then assume that some percentage of people will retain the taste when they grow up. Average Americans are poor compared to average everyone else in the rich world. We have garbage not because we can't enjoy better but because our entire society is set up so that we are, unlike people in better countries, totally unprotected from garbage. It's not the Oreos you should be worried about importing, people, it's the legal system. (You want Brexit, apparently you're getting stuck with gross American meat. For which, god knows, I'm sorry.)
Although Tim-Tams are actually pretty fake-tasting and ick too IMO.
posted by Frowner at 8:40 AM on February 23, 2018 [7 favorites]
I despise Oreos with an unreasonable passion. They're a ruined version of the commodity custard cream — the biscuit is more plasticky and the filling is sickly oily pus. It is sad to learn that they are an inferior imitation of another biscuit even in their own homeland.
I can cope with the nasty little things in a specialist corner of the biscuit aisle but Mondelēz are pushing them so hard through excessive brand extensions, cross-promotion with every other brand they own, and aggressive special offers that half the damn supermarket is a tumour of Oreos promotions.
Oreo, you cultural imperialist, you are a forced meme. You will never force us to love you. Go home.
(Crazy Kit-Kat flavours, on the other hand, yes please!)
posted by BobInce at 9:02 AM on February 23, 2018
I can cope with the nasty little things in a specialist corner of the biscuit aisle but Mondelēz are pushing them so hard through excessive brand extensions, cross-promotion with every other brand they own, and aggressive special offers that half the damn supermarket is a tumour of Oreos promotions.
Oreo, you cultural imperialist, you are a forced meme. You will never force us to love you. Go home.
(Crazy Kit-Kat flavours, on the other hand, yes please!)
posted by BobInce at 9:02 AM on February 23, 2018
Unpopular opinion: every non-Oreo sandwich cookie is too damn sweet or too damn squishy.
posted by mosst at 9:52 AM on February 23, 2018
posted by mosst at 9:52 AM on February 23, 2018
Also, the thin oreos are perfect for dunking. They get all nice and milky in, like, half the time.
posted by mosst at 9:52 AM on February 23, 2018
posted by mosst at 9:52 AM on February 23, 2018
Hi, I'm an adult, and I like Oreos fine. I might pick them up once or twice a year. It's not because I'm an idiot or uncultured cretin, or have never tasted something better. It's because every once in a while, I feel like eating Oreos.
There's a real tendency in these kinds of threads to assume "thing I don't like = shit" and maybe you want to consider the possibility that your tastes are not only not universal, they're not even necessarily more refined than other people's.
I enjoy going to a fancy restaurant and getting really top notch cuisine sometimes. And sometimes, I go to Wendy's. It's not because I don't know what I'm doing.
posted by Chrysostom at 9:57 AM on February 23, 2018 [8 favorites]
There's a real tendency in these kinds of threads to assume "thing I don't like = shit" and maybe you want to consider the possibility that your tastes are not only not universal, they're not even necessarily more refined than other people's.
I enjoy going to a fancy restaurant and getting really top notch cuisine sometimes. And sometimes, I go to Wendy's. It's not because I don't know what I'm doing.
posted by Chrysostom at 9:57 AM on February 23, 2018 [8 favorites]
I get the objection, Chrysotom, and I agree in general. I don't know if you are replying to it specifically, but I personally read Frowner's comment as being partially in response to the mention in the GQ article about children's taste buds literally working differently from most adults'.
The "classic" Oreos can be a bit overwhelming in bulk (I'm not much of a milk drinker, so maybe it's different with that), but I find the "golden" Oreos pretty compulsively snackable (especially the "thin" version, because there's less filling to get in the way).
I first heard about the eerie accuracy of their novelty flavors from Kevin and Ursula Eat Cheap (a very casual podcast about eating random food). I think the only ones I have tried are PB&J and lemon -- and I'm not sure the lemon really counts as a novelty flavor, since I see it in the grocery store year-round. It's kind of a pity, actually -- if they went a lot more tart on the lemon, rather than a vague nod to disinfectant-lemon amidst a sea of ordinary sweet, I might actually like it.
posted by inconstant at 10:43 AM on February 23, 2018
The "classic" Oreos can be a bit overwhelming in bulk (I'm not much of a milk drinker, so maybe it's different with that), but I find the "golden" Oreos pretty compulsively snackable (especially the "thin" version, because there's less filling to get in the way).
I first heard about the eerie accuracy of their novelty flavors from Kevin and Ursula Eat Cheap (a very casual podcast about eating random food). I think the only ones I have tried are PB&J and lemon -- and I'm not sure the lemon really counts as a novelty flavor, since I see it in the grocery store year-round. It's kind of a pity, actually -- if they went a lot more tart on the lemon, rather than a vague nod to disinfectant-lemon amidst a sea of ordinary sweet, I might actually like it.
posted by inconstant at 10:43 AM on February 23, 2018
How Oreos Got Their Name
Since Fizz quoted a paragraph of crackpot theories but omitted what appears to be the true one, I'll quote it here:
posted by languagehat at 11:51 AM on February 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Since Fizz quoted a paragraph of crackpot theories but omitted what appears to be the true one, I'll quote it here:
Oreo couldn't match the detail of the Hydrox design, but it imitated what mattered most: the laurel wreath. [...] Someone at Nabisco clearly had a thing for botany, and to understand Oreo, you don't have to look any further than the mountain laurel on every Hydrox—Oreodaphne. It was a copycat in every way.Nice post! (My wife likes Double Stuf, so that's what we keep around; I wouldn't mind trying Hydrox for comparison, but I'm lazy and I gather they're not easy to find.)
posted by languagehat at 11:51 AM on February 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'm actually worried about Nabisco's research team. Like, can anybody confirm that they weren't all sucked into the flavor computer, TRON-style, and that they aren't trying to send us a message?
My other hypothesis: that they just fed a list of flavors (or, alternately, words) into the computer and nobody is in control of what Oreos taste like anymore.
posted by gauche at 1:11 PM on February 23, 2018 [3 favorites]
My other hypothesis: that they just fed a list of flavors (or, alternately, words) into the computer and nobody is in control of what Oreos taste like anymore.
posted by gauche at 1:11 PM on February 23, 2018 [3 favorites]
Like, I'm pretty sure I've seen most of these in the wild and a lot of them are just words for things people seem to like:
Nacho Cheese Oreos
Pineapple Upside-down Oreos
Garlic Herb Oreos
Clothesline Cotton Oreos
Cool Ranch Oreos
Pretzel and Mustard Oreos
Flourless Chocolate Torte Oreos
Carrot Cake Oreos
Strawberries and Balsamic Oreos
Pomegranate Oreos
Blood Orange Oreos
Warm Bath Towel Oreos
Pencil Shavings Oreos
Sour Cream & Onion Oreos
Garden Veggie Oreos
posted by gauche at 1:18 PM on February 23, 2018 [5 favorites]
Nacho Cheese Oreos
Pineapple Upside-down Oreos
Garlic Herb Oreos
Clothesline Cotton Oreos
Cool Ranch Oreos
Pretzel and Mustard Oreos
Flourless Chocolate Torte Oreos
Carrot Cake Oreos
Strawberries and Balsamic Oreos
Pomegranate Oreos
Blood Orange Oreos
Warm Bath Towel Oreos
Pencil Shavings Oreos
Sour Cream & Onion Oreos
Garden Veggie Oreos
posted by gauche at 1:18 PM on February 23, 2018 [5 favorites]
Sucking On A Wet Tee Shirt Oreos
Taste In Mouth When Waking Up With A Hangover Oreos
Bellybutton Smell Oreos
Bleach Oreos
New Car Smell Oreos
Concrete Dust Oreos
Onion In A Plastic Bag Under Your Sink That Turned to Liquid Oreos
Tide Pod Oreos
Furry Caterpillar Oreos
Warm Ground Beef Oreos
posted by Splunge at 1:33 PM on February 23, 2018 [5 favorites]
Taste In Mouth When Waking Up With A Hangover Oreos
Bellybutton Smell Oreos
Bleach Oreos
New Car Smell Oreos
Concrete Dust Oreos
Onion In A Plastic Bag Under Your Sink That Turned to Liquid Oreos
Tide Pod Oreos
Furry Caterpillar Oreos
Warm Ground Beef Oreos
posted by Splunge at 1:33 PM on February 23, 2018 [5 favorites]
Lay's Potato Chip Limited Edition Flavor Oreos
Pop Tart Limited Edition Flavor Oreos
Pringle's Snack Chip Limited Edition Flavor Oreos
Yoplait Limited Edition Flavor Oreos
Dunkin Donuts Limited Edition Flavor Oreos
posted by ardgedee at 2:26 PM on February 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Pop Tart Limited Edition Flavor Oreos
Pringle's Snack Chip Limited Edition Flavor Oreos
Yoplait Limited Edition Flavor Oreos
Dunkin Donuts Limited Edition Flavor Oreos
posted by ardgedee at 2:26 PM on February 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Kombucha Oreos
Dried Shrimp Oreos
Durian Oreos
Royale with Cheese Oreos
Fried Bologna Sandwich Oreos
posted by sjswitzer at 2:59 PM on February 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
Dried Shrimp Oreos
Durian Oreos
Royale with Cheese Oreos
Fried Bologna Sandwich Oreos
posted by sjswitzer at 2:59 PM on February 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
"We've invented a new molecule that hasn't killed any rats yet. Tastes kind of weird. What should we do with it?"
"New Oreo flavour?"
posted by clawsoon at 4:41 PM on February 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
"New Oreo flavour?"
posted by clawsoon at 4:41 PM on February 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Street Taco Oreos
Shower Beer Oreos
Summer Thunderstorm Oreos
Movie Theater Popcorn Oreos
Poutine Oreos
Long-awaited Sequel to a Beloved Book Oreos
posted by gauche at 6:26 PM on February 23, 2018
Shower Beer Oreos
Summer Thunderstorm Oreos
Movie Theater Popcorn Oreos
Poutine Oreos
Long-awaited Sequel to a Beloved Book Oreos
posted by gauche at 6:26 PM on February 23, 2018
I'm just going to note that Oreos have got nuthin' on Kitkat flavors in Japan. I mean matcha (green tea) is kinda obvious, but creme brulee? Wasabi? Exotic Tokyo? Miso soup? Soy sauce? Black pudding? (OK, I made up that last one, but the rest is real.)
posted by sour cream at 7:46 AM on February 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by sour cream at 7:46 AM on February 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
Mocha Latte Oreos
Sausage Gravy Oreos
Roast Beef Oreos
Grilled Asparagus Oreos
Crisp Bedlinens Oreos
9V Battery Oreos
Afterschool Snack Oreos
Sleepover Oreos
Best Friend Oreos
First Date Oreos
Promposal Oreos
Gentle First Time Oreos
Engagement Party Oreos
Last Dance at your Wedding Oreos
We're Expecting Oreos
Baby Head Smell Oreos
First Day of School Oreos
Visiting Colleges Oreos
Moving Day Oreos
We're Going To Be What? Oreos
Gold Watch Oreos
A Full Life Well Lived Oreos
posted by Rock Steady at 4:36 AM on February 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
Sausage Gravy Oreos
Roast Beef Oreos
Grilled Asparagus Oreos
Crisp Bedlinens Oreos
9V Battery Oreos
Afterschool Snack Oreos
Sleepover Oreos
Best Friend Oreos
First Date Oreos
Promposal Oreos
Gentle First Time Oreos
Engagement Party Oreos
Last Dance at your Wedding Oreos
We're Expecting Oreos
Baby Head Smell Oreos
First Day of School Oreos
Visiting Colleges Oreos
Moving Day Oreos
We're Going To Be What? Oreos
Gold Watch Oreos
A Full Life Well Lived Oreos
posted by Rock Steady at 4:36 AM on February 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
FYI, the cinnamon red-hot Oreos ("Hot & Spicy Cinnamon") are quite good, provided you like cinnamon.
posted by maryr at 2:36 PM on February 26, 2018
posted by maryr at 2:36 PM on February 26, 2018
I don't know how I missed this thread earlier, it's pretty much my thing. I have seven or eight flavors of Oreo stacked up in my kitchen right now (I cannot remember which), waiting to go to a taste test this summer at camp (last year's winner was, by far, the Fireworks Oreos, I think Key Lime Graham Cracker was second place?). I made a special trip to Kroger when visiting SC for the eclipse this summer to get the PB&J Oreos.
I have eaten the Fruity Pebble (I'm sorry, "Fruity Crisps") Oreos. I have also eaten the "Mystery Flavor" Oreos which were, in fact, Fruity Pebble flavored Oreos. The difference was that the former had little colored flecks in them where as the latter did not. The latter was also more aggressively frooty. Neither package was finished off when introduced to a group. Neither flavor was good. At all.
By far the best flavor I've tried recently were tiramisu Oreo thins found at a Chinese market in Malden. The cinnamon bun flavor is super sweet but delicious. I think the pumpkin pie are legit good. The best Christmas "Oreos" are the Whole Foods peppermint sandwich cookies, peppermint Joe-O's be damned. I think the worst ones ever were the Candy Corn. Rainbow Sherbert is second worst, but not by much. Even I did not try the Cotton Candy flavor, my god. The Peeps were not good but get some points for being extra weird because they were crunchy like the outside of a Peep, gah. Other seasonal Oreos (Halloween, Spring, etc) are just regular Oreos with colored frosting and/or special cookie moulds.
There are already Dunkin' Oreos and apparently Kettle Corn is coming, so you all are already behind the times. More suggestions, plz.
Anyways, next I'm getting into Voortman flavored wafer cookies, mostly because the apple pie ones were AMAZING. Gotta keep my eyes out for the chocolate-caramel and maple flavors.
posted by maryr at 3:02 PM on February 26, 2018 [3 favorites]
I have eaten the Fruity Pebble (I'm sorry, "Fruity Crisps") Oreos. I have also eaten the "Mystery Flavor" Oreos which were, in fact, Fruity Pebble flavored Oreos. The difference was that the former had little colored flecks in them where as the latter did not. The latter was also more aggressively frooty. Neither package was finished off when introduced to a group. Neither flavor was good. At all.
By far the best flavor I've tried recently were tiramisu Oreo thins found at a Chinese market in Malden. The cinnamon bun flavor is super sweet but delicious. I think the pumpkin pie are legit good. The best Christmas "Oreos" are the Whole Foods peppermint sandwich cookies, peppermint Joe-O's be damned. I think the worst ones ever were the Candy Corn. Rainbow Sherbert is second worst, but not by much. Even I did not try the Cotton Candy flavor, my god. The Peeps were not good but get some points for being extra weird because they were crunchy like the outside of a Peep, gah. Other seasonal Oreos (Halloween, Spring, etc) are just regular Oreos with colored frosting and/or special cookie moulds.
There are already Dunkin' Oreos and apparently Kettle Corn is coming, so you all are already behind the times. More suggestions, plz.
Anyways, next I'm getting into Voortman flavored wafer cookies, mostly because the apple pie ones were AMAZING. Gotta keep my eyes out for the chocolate-caramel and maple flavors.
posted by maryr at 3:02 PM on February 26, 2018 [3 favorites]
UPDATE: I found the chocolate caramel AND the chocolate raspberry AND the maple flavored wafers AND I bought them all.
posted by maryr at 1:18 PM on March 5, 2018
posted by maryr at 1:18 PM on March 5, 2018
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posted by oulipian at 6:45 PM on February 22, 2018 [4 favorites]