Tuesday Treats

Tuesday doesn't seem to get much love. True, it may not be as dreaded a day as Monday, the start of the work week. But it's definitely not Wednesday, which gets heralded as "hump day," and even generates wishes from people such as "Happy Hump Day!" And Thursday is close to Friday, so it has that going for it. And Friday, well, need I say more?

So where does that leave Tuesday? Wedged between Monday and Wednesday is not an enviable place to be. So I think it's time to show Tuesday some love.

You might be wondering what these pictures actually have to do with Tuesday. And my answer is: nothing really. Except they are treats, and the title of this post is "Tuesday Treats." Treats that one of my coworkers recently brought back with him from a trip to Vietnam: artichoke tea and sesame seed-covered candy. I know what you're thinking: Artichoke tea? Yes. Apparently, you can make tea from anything.

Okay, maybe not everything, but artichokes appear to be one of them. And although I was skeptical, I was pleasantly surprised by the buttery popcorn smell that wafts up from the cup as the tea steeps. The taste is much the same as its smell, though I think it tastes more like a buttered popcorn-flavored Jelly Belly. And that's one of my favorite flavors. I'm curious as to how the tea tastes iced. I will have to try that this summer.

And this gem is a candy made from sugar and peanut chips and then coated with sesame seeds. They are a bit tough and most definitely chewy, but they have a nice balance of sweetness (not nearly as sweet as most American candy), along with a hint of savory from the peanuts and sesame seeds. I have no idea what they are called, as they just came wrapped in cellophane.

I could have eaten a whole bunch of these suckers, but I didn't get a chance to because my coworkers devoured the rest of them. I'll have to check out some local Asian markets for them.

But this tea and candy made my day.