Brand inconsistencies

One of the fundamental aspects to building a brand is the opportunity to convince consumers to pay more or buy more often

Brand loyalty is a relationship where the consumer sees value over time, even if that means something as simple as saving their mental bandwidth from having to research other options.

However, some brands are fractured through diverse market offerings, which might explain my disappointment with the current Reese's ice-cream.

Now chocolate brands reinterpreted as ice-confections is an area that fascinates me, as there's a weird thing where their primary appeal behaves differently.

Chocolate is one experience at room temperature that differs markedly when it is cold, although that also serves as a way to disguise bad quality.

The Reese's ice-creams have been a very mixed bag in their various iterations, but there are some key components that can be successful and it has been my greatest pleasure during previous summers.

Currently the brand is being sold in the "sandwich" form, which is probably my least-liked style because this tries to make a virtue of eating a soggy biscuit.

The new Reese's version lacks caramel and I'm not convinced there is any peanut in there either, although there was a lump that I couldn't identify.

 

Then I wondered -- are they having a laugh?

My conclusion is that brand loyalty has not delivered a product that rewards my consumption and I advise caution when approaching this confection.

There's no caramel and no chocolate and probably not enough peanut to trigger an allergy (but please don't test this if you have a reaction to those, in fact just don't buy this icecream)!

The Big One

Couldn't resist sharing this image, which combines two of my interests.

Encyclopedia of sandwiches

 

Gluten-free vegan toastie

Tortilla toasties

After being impressed by pressing my own tortillas, it was only a matter of time before I attempted a tortilla toasted sandwich

The result is tasty and easy to prepare.

I expect I'll make a video in coming weeks, but currently I need to make a song for the soundtrack.

Sandwiches

Leftovers in toasted sandwiches

Toasted Peach Pastry

(Un)Usual activity in Lismore

Recently I had a week in Lismore to collaborate with my friends at RealArtWorks on events that formed their festival

I've been working with the renowned heroes of postdisability arts for around five years and been part of their exhibitions as a result of being invited to join them on excursions in the Northern Rivers and Riverina.

When I arrived we discussed some possibilities, including developing art for their vending machine and recording Spinks Park for the Trail of Light and Sound and curating sandwiches.

There was also an instrument they hoped contact microphones would make possible to play live.

Within a day we'd expanded ideas to collage posters for display in the Lismore CBD, which gave me the opportunity to work with Matthew Daymond.

I've been a fan of Matt's surreal collages and it was awesome to be part of a frenzied process of unrolling advertising and identifying potential material.

It took me a draft to loosen up my designs and embrace the ridiculous.

"Fresh germy fabulousness" was my third attempt.

I recorded Spinks Park twice, then had a few attempts at revealing the music that resides within the play equipment.

Their vending machine gained digest versions of my book Earthwords, complete with covers made from repurposed firehose.

And I was stoked when I friend shared this picture from the networking event that I was unable to attend.

You can see that RealArtWorks identified a variety of ways for me to contribute and it's an interesting process to reflect on, as I feel I've learned something about my own creative practises.

Stinging nettle toasties

Toasted ferments

It was while eating a sandwich recently that I concluded the best toasties contain three ferments

Bread and cheese obviously, then sauerkraut or kimchi are good additions but you could just have kombucha or beer as a chaser I guess.

Naan for you

Some months ago a Disquiet Junto project introduced me to a cache of Sri Lankan music

The folder of grainy recordings from old records contained a mix of sounds, particularly traditional instruments and some rock and roll influences.

It made me want to make a song that could be used for a toasted curry naan video.

For a while I'd listen through the tracks, picking samples and finding myself frustrated at the short loops.

Then the other week I saw a pack of naan on special at Woolies and knew I needed to realise the idea.

This week there was leftover curry and then, after the purslane sandwich, my partner suggested I might want to try a weed called Fat Hen that she'd spotted at the local park.

Purslane? Yes, please!

Common purslane turns out to be exceedingly tasty in a toasted sandwich

I'm starting to encourage this Australian weed to replace the kikuyu grass in my yard, which I've been killing with tarps during summer.

Recently read in the excellent Bush Foods and Survival Plants that purslane is rich in Omega fatty acids.

Glam And Cheese with Kimchi

The second toastie shared by Glam & Cheese sees Ash and Chase joined by Tania, who brings the spice.

Interstate guests for Remarkable Sandwiches

One of the highlights of Burning Seed this year was meeting the Glam n Cheese crew.

Chase and Ash of Glam n Cheese Toasties agreed to share their herb butter recipe.

The Breville Dead

As a fan of remarkable sandwiches, this horror movie cover reworked by Ya What is more appealing to me than a ham and cheese combo.

Toasted Vegemite sandwich

Vegemite is an Australian icon and the salty paste has many applications, stock in curries for example.

My favourite place for Vegemite is on toast with olive oil but my collaborator Ben, who publishes music as Kelp, suggested I should include it in my next toasted sandwich video.

For a while I pondered what would go well with the black flavour, then my friend Ash proposed beetroot and it made sense. Australian hamburgers sometimes feature sliced pickled beetroot (or pineapple but not both, it's a contentious issue).

The result was tasty but I think there might be a better flavour combination.

Twice as many toasted sandwiches

See this toasted sandwich maker in action here!

Double dare toasted sandwich

My 20th remarkable sandwich!

Sandwiches for everyone!

When the Ninja Tune Forum closed they started a Reddit thread and I was pleased to see my last sandwich video still had an audience.

Thinking about making another vegan toasted sandwich today. Got a jazzy tune that needs a video.