Product comments - a mixed bag

[fred_mouse]

I, an Australian, am currently in Canada, and experimenting with as many GF foods as I can get my hands on. I'm travelling with one other adult (Y), and staying with family (M, D). Another family member (J) is wheat free, so 'where to find gf stuff' has already been sorted. That said, we got a couple of things at what I think was called 'The Canadian Superstore' in Calgary, and the rest from a supermarket in Invermere, so most of this should be readily available at least in BC and AB.

• Chex -- we got plain, and apple-cinnamon. Mixed 1/3 apple-cinnamon to 2/3 plain they aren't too sweet. They are an adequate substitute for weetbix, given that they don't go soggy instantly. Mixed with the local soy milk (which even 'unsweetened' is too sweet) they worked well for breakfast
• cinnamon and raisin bread -- brand is Carbonaut. Doesn't hold a candle to Woolies fruit bread. Probably rice based (I forgot to check), but not quite the 'made of sadness and sawdust' that rice based bread often is. It toasted well, did not hold together -- completely collapsed when buttering with room temperature butter, and was generally too sweet and bland. (This is going to be my common complaint, I feel, about food here. I've eaten too many too sweet items already)
• GF Oreos -- this was a real win for me, because I've never tried Oreos, as they didn't make it to our part of Australia before having to go off gluten. Somewhat dry crunchy bikkie (nice), sweet and bland fondant. I can see this having been a favourite if I had grown up with it, because it is close enough to my memories of favourite biscuits. I think the biscuit part would be very nice on its own. M&D declared them to be 'indistinguishable from regular', while Y said 'not quite right'. This may mean that there is a difference in the regular between Canada and Australia, in more than just packaging (packages are enormous!)
• 'Good Thins' gluten free are rice crackers. We've opened the package of sesame, which really just taste like over-salted plain rice crackers to me. We have a pack of sea salt and pepper to try
• pasta - I'd love to tell you about the great pasta, but the package has been thrown out, and I wasn't awake enough on our first night here to look. However, there are a range in the Invermere shop, which means I might be able to add the details later.