Part 1: In Which Our Hero Finds Himself in a Crisis
I am about to turn thirty-one years of age, and I think I am in the middle of a life crisis. I’m not sure if I should call it mid-life or third-life. Actually I really hope it’s a tenth-life, if the prophesies of Ray Kurzweil and the coming Singularity are to be believed.
So as with any life crisis, I’ve been delving back into the things from my youth that used to bring me joy. I’ve watched nine WrestleManias and the first season of Roseanne. I’ve been playing a lot of Double Dragon II and Super Spike V’Ball for the NES. And I’ve been listening to tons and tons of ska and neo-swing.
Part 2: In Which Man-Panda Love Is Explored
During a previously mentioned trip to the local Asian food market, I came across a variety of delightful snack products that I thought would be fun to sample. One of those treats was a box of Hello Panda Biscuits with Choco Cream. They sounded delightful, and with the promise of “New Sports Printing,” I just couldn’t resist.
Basically these are little shortbread cookie shells filled with chocolate (well, “choco”) cream. Though, I wouldn’t say filled, exactly, because there was still a bit of non-filled airspace in each.
On each shell, is printed an adorable panda bear participating in a variety of athletic activities. And I don’t mean your noncute sports like baseball and soccer (which are represented), I’m talking about some seriously cute pastimes like windsailing and kayaking. This panda is living life and will make you want to try a little harder this weekend.
My only gripe about the sports printing is that, occasionally, you’ll find a cookie with the open hole left from the filling dispenser right smack in the middle of the cute panda’s forehead, making it look like he was the unfortunate victim of a shooting during a spirited round of table tennis. It can really ruin your afternoon.
But that is indeed my one and only complaint because I am in love with these things! The biscuit and filling are perfectly complementary and make me very happy. I could eat them by the truckload! I want to fill a swimming pool with them and swim through it like Scrooge McDuck. I want to stand with them on a mountain. I want to bathe with them in the sea. They are little bite-sized pieces of choco heaven, so good, in fact, that I will even forgive the fact that I am eating choco.
Part 3: In Which Our Hero Needs Your Help
Hello Panda Biscuits with Choco Cream taste exactly like something I used to eat when I was a kid, which has further exacerbated the (fraction still to be determined) crisis. But for the life of me, I cannot figure out what that snack is! I’ve been racking my brain with each bite and have come up with nothing. I don’t think that they were filled cookie shells. I’m guessing they were just straight cookies, but I am not sure. So if anyone out there knows, PLEASE let me know! I haven’t slept for days.
You’re talking about Lotte’s Koala’s March, right?
These Hello Panda are like…a copy cat version of those. Lotte is far superior!
Haven’t had those! I’ll be on the lookout.
Keebler Magic MIddles? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQlEZW-ScyI
You. Are. Awesome. And so right!
These also come in vanilla and strawberry. They’re in my cabinet right now.
I was going to say dunkaroos. I don’t think I ever got to try a magic middle – now I’m sad.
Dunkaroos also good. Probably taste the same. Cant be that many different recipes for shortbread and chocolate.
Lotte Kancho are even MORE delicious than these! As for a product that you used to have similar, in the UK they were named “Burton’s Cartoonies”.
Burton’s Cartoonies is now my new favorite prodcut name.
There was also Koala Yummies in the US, just a re packaged Lotte. I remember having these in the late 80′s and early 90′s…
I’ve got some Koala Yummies in the pantry from the same market. Might review those next. Didnt know they were called Koala Yummies. Thanks.
Koala’s March / Koala no March was sold in the US as “Koala Yummies” back in the day. I prefer Koala’s March to Hello Panda. I think the chocolate and biscuit flavors are better. When I ate Hello Panda, there was a fishy aftertaste that bothered me.
whoa Magic Middles–I totally forgot about those–and now that I remembered–I WANT THEM!
Please Keebler elves bring them back!
Aw these look so cute and tasty! They remind me of biscuits I used to eat when i was a child as well!
I want to know where you can buy these from
Asian markets