2175 Hot Cherries

I was a little concerned by a couple of food items yesterday. The first was these chocolate-covered cherries I got in a gift basket. Their packaging made a pretty big deal about how natural they were. No preservatives, no sulfites, no trans fat, not even any gluten.

I didn't know cherries even had gluten. Or that some chocolate-covered cherry makers chose to include wheat products. I was also surprised sulfites were sometimes employed in chocolate cherry manufacture. And was glad the Chukar people chose to eschew them.

Yes, I said Chukar. That was what really concerned me about the product. Its name. It was called "Chukar Cherries." Which, for some reason, put me in mind of horse apples. Or rabbit raisins.

Of course, it could be something like prairie oysters. Judging by the hype on the packaging, I'm sure they'd be free range chukar cherries.

The other food concern was Hot Pockets. I know, Hot Pockets are always a concern. Roof of the mouth burning, volcanically hot out of the microwave, filled with preservatives, gluten, and trans fat, what could be non-concerning about them? 

Well, formerly only chocolate but now Hot Pockets maker Nestle thinks they may also be tainted. So they've recalled two batches because the meat could cause sickness. I know, how can they tell?

Nestle recalled the "Philly Steak and Cheese" and "Croissant Crust Philly Steak and Cheese" because raw ingredients from supplier Rancho Feeding Corporation may have included "beef product" processed from "diseased and unsound animals." 

That's comforting. Words like "beef product" as opposed to "beef" always raise a red flag anyhow. Got to say though. For the same reason I probably wouldn't pick Chukar Cherries, it's the name "Hot Pockets" that concerns me most.

Sounds like a seventies Chippendale dancer.  

America, ya gotta love it.