Rabe Tries: Plant Based Chick’n Pot Pie. ‘Smells Like A Wet Sock’ (VIDEO)
I think the biggest problem with a meat-less version of a chicken pot pie is it tastes like the idea of a chicken pot pie. Yeah, that's it exactly. It tastes like the idea of a chicken pot pie.
And wet socks.
To be fair, the aroma is where the wet socks come in. And I didn't say it in the video because I hadn't figured it out when I recorded it.
Not that I'm knocking the aroma of wet socks. Lord knows I've spent many a day sitting on my porch wishing I could smell wet socks again. With the exception of walking into a bathroom in stocking feet and realizing the last person there washed their hands AND the floor, I haven't smelled or felt wet socks in a long long time.
((sigh...good times))
But that's OK, I've found a way to get by. Until today, when the aroma wafted under my nose. To be perfectly clear, it's not that the Marie Callender's Plant-Based, Gardein Chick'n Pot Pie aroma is that of wet socks. Like the flavor profile (not it's best side, better take a 3/4 shot), it lacks the oomph of a real aroma (thankfully).
The Review
Score: 5 out of a possible 10
Flavor Taste (that's how I said it on the video and I'm sticking with it!): The vegetables don't add their flavors to the mix, rather they wait 'til they're in your mouth to taste like carrots, peas, etc. The Gardein Chick'n does not have much of a taste. The sauce is about 1/2 as tasty as in the traditional MCCPP. As if it'd been thinned to save money?
Mouth Feel: The plant based chicken hasn't any taste, so you won't say "hey, this is some good chicken!", but having no taste means it isn't offensive, either. The texture is fine (though for some with super sensitivity to food textures, you might want to give this a miss).
Crust: Great. It's always a great crust. Marie worked her but off to rock that crust, so holla!
Packaging - Can anyone open their boxes neatly along the perforations? I can't, and I'm certain it's not my fault. Hey, Callender, hands out of the dough, get on that box design!
If the ultimate test is, "Will I buy it again?" then it flunked the test. No, I will not be buying it again. I avoid things that have the haunting aroma of what people say wet socks smell like. And you maybe should, too.
As always, if you have a comment, complaint, or concern about something I wrote here, please let me know: james.rabe@townsquaremedia.com
Here's a picture of a pot pie. It is NOT the pie I ate. It is just a pie. Enjoy.
PS - If you're avoiding meat at any level, I have a gift for you. The Vegan Stoner is just about the greatest recipe site in existence. No fancy stories, no scroll scroll scroll to get past pictures of unrelated vacation. Just menu cards with great vegan recipes. I've made a ton of stuff from this site and it's 80% a home-run.
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