20060104

the cow that laughs last

laughing cow

...laughs best.
...didn't get the joke.
...probably just realized the joke was on him and is seriously pissed off.
...is the last one eaten.

>sigh< i'm tryin' here, people!

this is mainly because of discussion from the holidays, and because it's kinda pretty. la vache qui rit/the laughing cow "party cubes". because even soft cheeselike products need to celebrate every now and again. i have never been a big fan of laughing cow products, but neither have i shunned them. however, i have always been more in favour of the little foil wrapped cubes over the wedges, mainly because there's only so much cheese i can take, and because as i child i thought of them as being a rawther glamoo sort of party cocktail food. today i think "who the **** has laughing cow party cubes at their party and do they find little bits of foil and red plastic string shoved down into their sofa cushions weeks later?" however, the powers that be seem to be playing into my childhood notion as now the cubes come in some fairly funky flavours: bleu cheese (blue), green peppercorn (green), french onion (orange), smoked ham (pink), sundried tomato (red), mushroom (brown). maybe not so much funky as seventies throwback, but which passes, passed for funky. in 2002-2003. note, too, the jordi labanda-esque illos on the tiny squares. also quelle funky in 2002-2003. however, i give the cow people an allowance, as the packaging really did draw my eye to it, i do buy it on a fairly regular basis. if i think about it the cow people actually were quite smart about this as it appeals to an interesting cross-section of consumers: those who are fascinated by interesting packaging (me), those drawn to shiny objects (me), those who have a penchant for "old school"/retro foods (me again), those who think smart and shiny packaging somehow equals smart and shiny life (okay, me, but only on bad days), those on the south beach diet (apparently the cow is an officially sanctioned snack), those who pretend to be on the south beach diet (these are full-fat cubes and therefore verboten), those who think that smaller cubes equal smaller consumption (ha!). the list goes on. as does the cow's laugh.

i still think jordi labanda has a lot to answer for, though.

13 comments:

Laughing Cow is everywhere in Vietnam. A hangover from the French I think. It's probably the only cheese many Vietanmese know. I quite like it, although I haven't had it for ages, you've tempted me to go out and buy some. No fancy flavours out here though, just your original Laughing Cow.

hey pieman! happy new year to you and the family. bowb mentioned that there are laughing cow banh mi, which actually sound quite enticing to me. i s'pose i'd have to make one myself to find out, or perhaps you can have one for me, hint, hint.

ha ha! Happy New Year Santos, so many memories from one laughing cow! I remember them and the babybel cheeses wrapped in red wax. I thought they were the best soft cheese when I was a kid - until I tried brie! I thought I was the only sucker for their new packaging but you've just proved me wrong...

They really are having the last laugh, because I don't enjoy their cheeses very much but they still manage to find their way into my fridge...i think it's about having bite sizes pieces in cute packaging!

hi bex! happy new year to you. god, i am so glad that i wasn't the only attracted to the bright and shiny foil. did you know that there is a whole marketing division that caters to upwardly mobile asian women? i don't think they were catering to the club kids when the cow people thought of this design, i think it was us.

Laughing Cow vs. Happy Cow -- I get confused! Both brands decorate the dairy aisle!

The packaging in your pic's pretty cool though. I wish we had that here!

hi toni! you do! i buy them at landmark supermarket.

Hey Santos! Happy New Year to you and your cows, I am a packaging whore too...

hi santos, laughing cow little cubes make the most excellent tv snacks - w & i always fight over the ham-flecked ones...

maybe it's because they are in cubes, and tiny cubes ..

hi viv! yay!

hi j--i'm particularly fond of the green peppercorn ones.

hi jacqueline--yes, there is the cuteness factor!

Hello Santos,
May i know how much "La vache qui rit" cubes cost in Pinas? La vache qui rit has triangle form which is good for sandwich spread.

Cube goes for "Apero" meaning for cocktails and as a Pulutan here!

And the size is rationed "para walang lamangan" LOL

hi relly! it's a little pricy, 114.50 was the last box i bought, which makes it something like 3.57 pesos per cube!

Hi again,
I think price is alright, if you can understand it is imported. Here
we are paying filipino goods dearly too. We don't know what life awaits us.. so i think sometimes we have to satisfy our craving. I'll send you some by e-mail.. LOL (just joking)