Weird New Food and Drink from KFC, Krispy Kreme, French’s, Starbucks and Tamworth Distilling

Every week, new food products come to market and some of them— healthy snacks, oddball drinks, fast food experiments, and a few novelty knickknacks — are creative enough to demand attention. Below we’ve put the spotlight on recently released products that made us either smile or do a double-take. Note: we haven’t tasted them… yet.

Whiskey Made with Crabs

Full name: Tamworth Distilling Crab Trapper

Why you should care: This New Hampshire company has teamed up with folks from the University of New Hampshire to create a green crab-flavored whiskey. Why green crabs? Because they’re delicious? Not really; the crustaceans are damaging New England’s coastal ecosystem. And making whiskey out of the critters is a form of sustainable population control. The final product, made with a bourbon base, is 51 percent ABV and is said to have notes of maple, vanilla, and caramel on the nose, followed by cinnamon, clove, and all-spice. Maybe a little brine too?

Price: $65 per bottle, available at Seelbachs.com and shop.tamworthdistilling.com.

Photo: Tamworth Distilling

Ketchup Ice Pops

Full name: French’s Frenchsicles

Why you should care: Rarely has ketchup been promoted to lead role in the culinary world. But times change. Voila: French’s is working with the Canadian ice pop brand Happy Pops to create ketchup ice pops, which is just what it sounds like: condiment frozen on stick and described as a delicious salty-sweet mashup. Currently, they’re only available as giveaways (and in Canada only). But you never know. French’s has already launched a mustard ice cream in the states. Could ketchup be next?

Price: Free if you can find it in Canada

Hey Canadian friends, your favorite condiment just got a whole lot cooler 🍅🧊

A refreshingly savoury & sweet ketchup popsicle, made from 100% Canadian tomatoes.

Learn more here: https://t.co/FH2ax4kvWj pic.twitter.com/9PsahSkEzY

— French’s (@Frenchs) June 20, 2022

Scents to Spray on Ice Cream

Full name: Salt & Straw Culinary Perfumes

Why you should care: Oregon-based ice cream company Salt & Straw teamed up with Portland perfumery Imaginary Authors to release three ice cream “perfumes.” The flavors/scents include A Cloud of Cocoa (notes of Ecuadorian chocolate, malted milkshake, and Japanese whisky), A Plume of Blumes (honeysuckle and jasmine), and A Swoon of Citrus (the tartness of citrus balanced with the herbal undertones of an entire orchard).  The products launch online and as a topping in shops starting July 17th, National Ice Cream Day. You can sign up for the waitlist by visiting the site. Smell ya later.

Price: $65 for a 65 mL bottle, $48 for a trio of 10 mL travel-sized bottles. Available at Salt & Straw’s scoop shops and online 

 

KFC Finger Sporks

Full name: KFC Finger Sporks

Why you should care: According to the company formerly owned by Colonel Sanders, this is a “new ergonomic and gastronomic piece of tableware-tech” that will finally make KFC’s sides as finger-lickin’ good as its fried chicken. Ok, that may be a stretch, but they’re certainly the most useful culinary finger puppets we’ve seen and they will help you scoop out your mac & cheese, corn, and mashed potatoes (though this was never actually a problem). They’ve also produced a kitschy video to promote their “revolutionary eating device.” See video below.

Price:  Free for anyone who orders a KFC Sides Lovers Meal in person, online, in app, or at participating locations between June 21 and July 12 (while supplies last). 

 

Krispy Kreme Ice Cream

Full name: Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Soft Serve Ice Cream (and Shakes)

Why you should care: For the first time ever, Krispy Kreme now offers Original Glazed Soft Serve Ice Cream — made with ingredients from Krispy Kreme’s secret Original Glazed Doughnut recipe, including its iconic glaze flavor, as well as real whole milk. The confection’s available in waffle cones —  made with Krispy Kreme’s doughnut mix and glaze flavor and cups —  in three flavors: plain Original Glazed, Strawberry Iced Sprinkled, or Chocolate Iced. It’s also offering shakes designed to taste like Krispy Kreme doughnut varieties: Original Glazed, Strawberry Iced Sprinkled, Chocolate Iced, Lemon Filled, Cookies & Kreme, Birthday Batter, and Coffee & Kreme. Your summer diet plan will just have to wait.

Price: Products are available in-shop and drive-thru only (for details and to search for a store near you, check out their online store)

Photo: Krispy Kreme

 

Starbucks’ First Fried Chicken Sandwich 

Full name: Starbucks Chicken Maple Butter and Egg Sandwich

Why you should care: Almost every other fast-food chain has introduced some kind of fried chicken sandwich — Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Popeyes, KFC, you name it. Now, finally, Starbucks jumps into the game with this breakfast item featuring breaded white meat chicken, fluffy eggs, and maple butter on a toasted oat biscuit roll. As you might expect, Youtubers have already pounced on the opportunity to review the thing.

Price: $5.93 including tax (in New York)