Sójový Řezy bars

Some fun Czech candies (i.e., 4 sójový bars and a musli). You should give them a try.

​A Slavic friend once joked that these candy bars “taste like communism”. English information is difficult to come by for Sójový, bars in general, but some brands like Zora – maker of  Sójový Řezy – have been in continuous production since the 1950s. Thus, they have survived not only communism, but the cold war and the many horrors of disco.  
 
Non-Czechs may be puzzled by this longevity when they first open the wrapper, though. That is because these tiny treats look like small cylindrical slices of very firm playdough. In the Sójový Řezy bar you will find no colorful layers of ganache, nougat, or caramel - and certainly no peanuts – but will only gaze upon a uniform off-white color that leans toward an unhealthy, somewhat jaundiced, flesh tone. Both the firmness and the color likely result from the main ingredients:  sugar and ground soybean flour. Ubiquitous in many bars as a filler, soy takes center stage in these treats. But what do they taste like? ​

A Zoro Sójový Řezy bar from Czech Republic.

​Tasting Notes
You will first notice the texture of these bars. They are quite chewy and firm. Not quite gritty, it is clear that pressure was used to form these little soy joys into cylinders. You will then notice that they are not sickeningly sweet like many US and UK confections, but pleasantly sugary and mild. Next, you will taste something seemingly unexpected for a Central European candy: tropical flavors! Though not overpowering, coconut is very much the dominant tone. Hints of artificial rum seem present as well. We should note, however, that there are other versions of sójový bars we may review later which use other flavorings (e.g., vanilla, chocolate). Coconut is the original, and from our humble perspective, the best. 

Our typical candy haul when visiting Czech Republic. More posts will be coming on these strange and delicious things.

We love these things. From a traveler’s perspective, they are brilliant. They are compact and resilient, too. Easy to carry in a rucksack or your pocket, they will not get crushed like many other snack bars. We’ve all had that feeling of profound disappointment when a chocolate melts or a wafer candy disintegrates into powder. This will never be an issue with the beloved Sójový bar.   

As they are made of soybean flour, they also have a good bit of protein (13 grams x 100 gram bar). So, if you fancy a snack half-way between candy and a protein bar, your dreamboat has docked. We should also mention that we buy loads of these when in Czechia, and sometimes forget about them. Interestingly, they seem to stay fresh and flavorful way past the “use by date” listed on the package, but doing that is obviously up to your own discretion.