New flavors on the shelf: Holland, Japan, Germany & more in Israel

One of the best chocolate brands in the world has finally landed in Israel.

  (photo credit: INGIMAGE)
(photo credit: INGIMAGE)

Trying out the latest products hitting Israeli shelves isn't easy. Yet, we do it for you. Seriously, it's tougher than it seems, with no gym membership or compensation for the rapidly developing FOMO.

With that, our "New on the Shelf" section ventures forth again, determined, exploring tastes loyal to its consumers' curiosity. This time - Holland, Japan, Germany, and lots of Israel. Yes, we're quite eclectic. Bon Appétit!

Madame Peres' Series, Soglowek

  (credit: ASAF KARLA)
(credit: ASAF KARLA)
The home-cooked meal line from the local food giant expands its collection, charging ahead. What began as a solid and successful launch of Soglowek's dinner series (pulled beef, Sloppy Joe, buns) now evolves into a diverse, colorful, and enticing menu. With couscous soup with chicken, bolognese sauce, meatballs in tomato sauce, chili con carne, red curry chicken, Szechuan chicken, and beef Massaman curry.

These dishes, in quantities sufficient (at least) for two, come chilled and require a short heating in the microwave (until it whistles) and some additional base of your choice. White rice accompanies the spicy beef meatballs, quick pasta covers the well-seasoned bolognese, and noodles mix with the spicy curry, all delicious. Price: NIS 34.90. 

Chai Almond Snowflake, Nestlé Ice Cream & Wisotzky

  (credit: NESTLE)
(credit: NESTLE)
The first ice cream launch of the season occurs even before spring, with a pleasant winter-spring twist. This is the Chai Almond Snowflake, a joyful collaboration between two major brands. The deal is a chai almond-flavored ice cream with ripple chai from Masala, topped with white chocolate and almond pieces. The aspirations, ranging from "a moment of indulgence" to "a perfect summer and winter blend" and even "a celebration of flavors and spices," are surprisingly and almost completely fulfilled, with a delicate snowflake in its sweetness, uniquely seasoned (thus, probably not for everyone), with aroma and taste of, well, chai and ice cream. 

Maitake Mushrooms, Tekoa Farms

  (credit: TEKOA FARMS)
(credit: TEKOA FARMS)
Israeli cultivation introduces a new guest in the form of Maitake, a fresh mushroom with a taste from the Far East and potential from the Middle East.

Maitake, the "dancing mushroom" in Japanese (because whoever found it tended to dance happily, so it seems), is known for its health benefits and deep flavor. It requires minimal handling, only a cut of its base roots, and from there it's you and your kitchen skills - a quick sauté in butter or olive oil, a dip in soup, a great sauce for pasta that doesn't require much more than itself, and even a good stir-fry, perhaps with some dances. In the mouth, of course. Price: NIS 13.9-19.9 for a 150-gram package. 

Johnny Doodle Chocolate, Tasa

  (credit: TASA)
(credit: TASA)
The dynamic candy group expands its already bursting shelves and brings Johnny Doodle's chocolate madness to the land.

The Dutch brand was born in 2015 and has gained fans and obsessions in almost a decade, with justified popularity and even more justified expectations for the next step. It offers, among other things, white chocolate bars with pieces of cream brulee, milk chocolate with fondue flavor topped with marshmallows and hazelnuts, white chocolate with chia seeds and pistachio spread with chia seeds and caramelized pistachios, as well as milk chocolate with fudge and salted and caramelized pecans, and milk chocolate with roasted pecans in butter and maple sugar (our favorite in the last tasting).

These bars, based on excellent chocolate on their own, shake with additives and combinations, offering a pronounced crunch, chaotic texture games but working and a lot of excitement. Yes, it's also there. Price: NIS 29.90-37.90 for a 150-gram package. 

Salted Caramel Cookies, HIT

  (credit: HIT)
(credit: HIT)
The veteran biscuit-wrapping brand from Bahlsen in Germany expands shelves and lands a sweet new friend in Israel with the help of Leiman Schlussel.

This is a hit in salted caramel flavor, joining cocoa and mini cocoa flavors, vanilla and coconut, and providing in return a delightful mix of outer crispness and inner creaminess, balanced and good sweetness. 

Banana Drink Pack, Yotvata Dairy

  (credit: Strauss Studio)
(credit: Strauss Studio)
With the chocolate and cookies, comes the wash, and intensifies: Israeli dairy introduces a special edition banana-flavored drink, which is actually a six-pack.

The bag, returning to fridges after a successful debut last year, includes six individual pouches (225 ml), allowing family calm, individual sharing, and immediate indulgence.