Amazon.com [1] recently launched their online grocery store [2], with more than 10,000 non-perishable products stocking their virtual aisles. This means anything you might crave — from live lobsters [3] to cinnamon toothpicks [4] — is just a click away.
They've got a substantial Natural and Organic [5] category, with lots of familiar brands, including Annie's Homegrown [6], Melissa's [7], Yogi Tea [8] and GeniSoy [9].
But the customer reviews are the surprise bonus of Amazon's [9] grocery store [9]. Turns out, lots of Internet smart-alecks are happy to chime in about dietary staples with creative and often entertaining reviews. For instance:
- There 495+ reviews for Tuscan whole milk [10]. Among them: "This deeply-hued milk gives off aromas of calcium and niacin and generous American oak... The milk is very crisp and smooth in the mouth, with a modest sweetness and a dab of cheese flavouring; pleasantly sour aftertaste. Ideally served chilled with grains and pastry."
- Chiquita bananas [11]: "These bananas taste like bacon!"
- Wonder Bread [12]: "It's not quite as flavorful as couch foam, I'll admit, but the difference in price makes it worth it."
There's not quite as much hilarity over at the Organic [13] and Natural Foods [14] sections. But if you — like me —- are the type to research your granola, then a lot of information is suddenly at your fingertips. It's a great way to get feedback all kinds of groceries, but especially on odd, possibly edible products.
It's worthwhile to know, for instance, that Whole Soybean Pasta [14] has a "crazy texture... like velcro" and that Pirate's Booty with Caramel [15] is "totally yummy, but the sugar content is pretty high."
Getting scoop like that makes me feel less intimidated and far more likely to experiment with weird food, like Organic Raw Agave Nectar [16] (It's good for "sweetening lemonade or ice cream.")
I'm not sure it's comforting that organic wasabi mayo [16] is just a click away. But it's definitely a brave new world.