Natural Doesn't Mean Good Product Review: Zevia Zero Calorie Soda

Cough syrup. If you're at all like me that's probably not one of your favorite flavors of all time. Most likely far from it. Yes I know some of you my compromise on that when it comes to alcoholic beverages, but be honest that's only because you really enjoy getting tore up from the floor up and little else. Well unfortunately the latest product I decided to try, Zevia Zero Calorie Soda (Dr. Zevia flavor) won't get you wasted, but it will waste your (or someone else's since Barry O is President after all) hard earned dollars.

When The Fiance and I made a trip into the Earth Fare market the other evening to get some fresh fruit I was saying to her that I would really like to have some pop, but I wasn't sure they would have anything there since it's supposed to be a "healthy market". Lo and behold I came upon the Zevia line of sodas ($3.50 for a six pack). These are sodas sweetened with stevia instead of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or other artificial sweeteners. I'm a diet soda junkie, and I'm not giving it up no matter what but I am always looking for new stuff. I decided to go with their version of Dr. Pepper since I know other soda companies have imitated the flavor pretty accurately. Man was I in for a surprise.

Not only does Dr. Zevia taste nothing like Dr. Pepper, Diet Dr. Pepper, Pibb Extra, or anything else even in that neighborhood it doesn't even begin to taste like anything I know as soda pop. I thought what flavor was there was mildly reminiscent of cough syrup with a thinner texture. Absolutely disgusting. It wasn't as if the sweetness or lack of sweetness was the problem either. The problem was the flavoring of the beverage itself. It had kind of a sour note that I found completely unsatisfying and not refreshing in any way.  The only place this stuff deserves to go is down the drain.

Rating: Pass It By

P.S.  Although this product was a big miss we both really like the Earth Fare market. They have a lot of good stuff, and good prepared food also. It's also less pretentious (slightly) than places like The Fresh Market or Whole Foods. It's located in Hamilton Town Center.

Product Review: Nestle's Crunch Caramel and Coconut

Everyone loves Girl Scout cookies. Everyone probably doesn't love the fact that you can usually only get them once a year, and you get harassed to buy them by cute kids every time you go to the mall or to the store. Nestle created a solution that solves all of your problems with their new candy bar line featuring Girl Scout cookie flavors.

I'm not sure why, but the actual names of the cookies (Tagalongs, Samoas, etc) we've all become so familiar with do not appear on the packaging even though the Girl Scouts name and logo is clearly there. However, if you have an IQ even just barely higher than a sack of hammers you'll probably be able to figure out which flavors are which. For this review I decided to go with the caramel and coconut bar aka a Samoa because well those are my favorite. As you can see in the picture this might be labeled as a variation on a Nestle's Crunch, but really the similarity stops at the packaging. This is a smaller thicker candy bar where the crunch seems to come from more of a wafer than crisp rice. Also, "Nestle" isn't molded into the top of the bar like we're used to seeing. Instead there is this kind of caramel drizzle.  As far as the taste goes I have to say Nestle absolutely nailed the flavor of Samoa's, and that of course means it was delicious. However, if you were expecting the kind of textures you get from the cookie you won't find them here. This is more of a layered wafer with filling that has flavor. You won't find any toasted coconut or gooey caramel. Also, I calculated it and this candy bar is only 5 Weight Watchers points which means I could eat it as a snack without too much guilt.  I suspect the relatively low points value though is more due to the fact that the bar is rather small rather than really being considered "light" in any capacity. Overall very good, and they are selling them at Speedway right now 2 for $2 if you want to try a couple of different flavors.

Rating: Must Buy

Lunch Time at the Office Product Review: Maruchan Yakisoba

As of last week I've lost over 47 lbs since April. Part of my strategy to help me stick to the Weight Watchers points target is to not get lunch out more than once out of the 5 days a week I come in to the office. The old me tried to brown bag it a lot too in order to save money, but eventually I would get tired of eating the same old things or not have time to make a lunch before I went into work. But since I've been having so much success I've really decided to stick hard and fast to my 1 day a week rule. One of the things I've found that has made it easy is Maruchan's Yakisoba.

You may already be familiar with Maruchan from their line of cheap package ramen and "Instant Lunch", but the Yakisoba line is a little newer and much more tasty. Sure it's definitely not the traditional real yakisoba noodles you'll find in a good Japanese noodle shop, but the bottom line for me is that I can grab it quickly before I head out the door, it's ready in 4 minutes, the prep is easy, it's tasty, and it is only 14 WW points for a container.  It comes in multiple flavors, but my favorite is the teriyaki beef and the shrimp is a close second. It comes in brightly packaged container that acts like it's trying to trick you into thinking it is something cool you'd buy at an Asian grocery, but truthfully I'd need some cartoon cats and robots to be more convinced. Each package is noodles that comes with a flavor packet and a packet of dried veggies (and sometimes protein). Just at the veggies to the noodles and cover with a cup of water and nuke for 4 minutes. After a couple of cool down minutes where the temperature decreases from surface of the sun/hot pocket levels you can add the flavoring and mix. This results in tender noodles with a little broth.  The tang and sweetness of the teriyaki flavoring is superb to competing products that use liquid sauces. The only drawback is the noodles. If you don't add enough water they can be undercooked and crunchy, and also dried noodles just don't taste as good as the fresh ones that come in competing products. The best part however is the price. Maruchan Yakisoba packages run anywhere from 79 cents to $1.09 a piece. This is less than half the price of similar brands like Simply Asia or Annie Chun's.

Writer's Note: I've decided to change my rating system on product reviews since the blog relaunch. From now on instead of a 1-10 grade I will simply label products either Must Buy, Give It a Try, or Pass It By.


Rating: Must Buy

It's been almost a year..../Weight Watchers Ice Cream Candybar Review

Honestly, I have no idea if anyone ever still comes by here and checks in from time to time. I certainly wouldn't blame them for not doing so. It's been almost a year to the day since I wrote my last blog. I'm not sure why I took such a long hiatus. I think it was a combination of a lot of factors. For one the blog started to become a lot more like work than fun. While it gave us a good reason to seek out new places sometimes it felt like a chore to find a place just for blog purposes and then upload the pictures and write it up. I decided that if it stopped being fun I would stop doing it. Also, a great many things have changed in my life in the last year. For one I got engaged. (Henceforth The Girlfriend will be referred to as The Fiance...at least until Oct 19th...ps we're registered at Target and Macy's.) I bought a house. And most importantly in how it relates to having a food blog I started on Weight Watchers and I have lost over 40 lbs.  If you've read some of my posts you probably realize that this was not a blog about eating healthy. Far from it. This is a blog mostly about decadent and delicious restaurant food.  I've been thinking about restarting this blog thing, but how do I square it with my new lifestyle? We're not eating out nearly as much, and when we do I rarely indulge like I used to. I'm just not sure the things I've been eating lately would be that interesting to read about, and I'm very hesitant to make this into a blog about eating healthy or my diet progress.  If anyone reads this please post some feedback. As for right now I think I am going to be blogging again with just whatever food related ideas or reviews suit me. Stay tuned.

Oh while we're at it let's go ahead and do a quick review. While I've been losing weight like most people I've still got a desire to have sweet things now and again. Most of the time when those cravings hit I try to make myself have some fruit, but when it's Summer you just have to find a way to have some ice cream. Unfortunately, most ice cream is pretty terrible for you calorie wise, and it's not worth it to me to blow a good day eating right and exercising to have a little bit of ice cream. Fortunately, there are actually some good products out there in the grocery store freezer that don't make you sacrifice. My current favorite right now is the Weight Watchers Ice Cream Candybar. Yes, I was skeptical of these types of products at first too, but once I ate one I was a believer. It's only 4 points plus on Weight Watchers (read: not very much) and it tastes exactly like a Snickers Ice Cream bar. It's even a good satisfying size so you don't feel like you're getting ripped off. Prices on stuff like this are always going to be a little higher, but prices on ice cream novelties in general are high so it's not much of a difference.

Rating 8/10

P.S. I'm currently thinking of revising my whole rating system to something more general or maybe eliminating it entirely and just giving opinion in the post itself. If you have any feedback let me know in the comments.

Product Review: The Better Chip

Every once in a while I'm privileged enough to review products that get sent to me to review. I never make any promises of good reviews, and never make any demands. I just want to give you my honest opinion. A couple of months ago I was contacted by a snack food company I had never heard of promoting a product that they called The Better Chip. I told them they could send me some samples to review if they wished.  Time went by and honestly I forgot all about it until a box showed up at my door. Honestly, with a pretentious name like "The Better Chip" and generally douchy food words thrown around like "organic" I wasn't terribly excited. However, any snack food is worth a shot even moreso when it's free.

They sent me small samples of 4 varieties: sweet onion, red pepper, jalapeno, and traditional corn. The first thing I should note that at first glance these look like your basic tortilla chips you've had thousands of times with little fanfare. On a second look however, I noticed that these chips had something I had never seen before. The flavorings weren't just a dry powder coating on the chip. The jalapeno variety actually have dried flecks of real jalapenos worked into the chips. Ditto for the red pepper and sweet onion. This made for flavors that were extremely potent, and regarding the jalapeno specifically probably the spiciest chip I've ever had. The red pepper chip, though not as spicy, was equally as satisfying. It was a taste similar to a salsa flavored chip made by other companies but with a fresher taste. In contrast the sweet onion flavor was maybe the worst snack food I've ever tasted. The fresh taste that was there in the other varieties was totally lacking here. Instead the onion taste was overly abrasive and almost rancid though that may be a touch too harsh. The good news was that the plain corn variety was as good as the sweet onion was bad. Out of all the tortilla chips I've eaten in my life I have never had one actually taste like real sweet corn until I had The Better Chip. I've heard that they sell these at Meijier, and I will gladly spend my own money to get a bag. I'm not sure how much they cost, but it's worth it.

Taste 8/10 jalapeno and red pepper, 10/10 corn tortilla, 0/10 sweet onion As I said above there isn't a lot of middle ground here. Just know what to get and what to avoid.



Value ? I don't know what the retail price is for a bag of these chips, but I'd be willing to pay 5 or 6 bucks for a bag of the jalapeno, red pepper, or the corn and be very happy.

Product Review: Edy's Maxx Drumstick Ice Cream

I scream. You scream. We all scream because we will be in incredible pain after literally paying an arm and a leg if you want to buy a little tub of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Seriously, that's why they sell it at CVS and Walgreens near the crutches, bandages, and tourniquets.  Those of us wishing to maintain body integrity  are probably searching for another less costly but equally tasty option.  I realize that some of you ice cream aficionados may scoff at such a statement.  Yes, I do realize that Ben and Jerry's offers some unique flavor combinations that may be the only thing that satisfy some people.  Myself, I'm not particularly married to Chunky Munky or Cherry Garcia so I've decided to look elsewhere.

The first option I decided to try out? Edy's Maxx Drumstick ice cream.  If you are not familiar with the favorite childhood treat that is the Drumstick let me catch you up.  It consists of sugar cone containing vanilla ice cream that is coated in a chocolate shell and rolled in peanuts. Edy's Drumstick ice cream consists of exactly the same components but chopped up and mixed into the ice cream instead of in a cone.  I have to be honest, even though this was one of my favorite frozen novelties growing up I was skeptical of how Edy's was going to treat it.  My past experiences with Edy's, particularly their Somoas ice cream, have not been favorable.  However, this time the price was right (a full 3 dollars cheaper than the same size Ben and Jerry's) so I decided to give it a shot.

I really enjoyed this particular flavor of ice cream.  Usually when ice cream has mix-in components they tend to add texture more than a lot of enjoyable flavor.  This time though I got plenty of the chocolate flavor along with the crunch from the peanuts and ice cream cone. I think it would have been better with a caramel element, but then again what isn't? Also, in that case it wouldn't have been a Drumstick product. As Billy Joel once said (probably not about ice cream) I love you just the way you are.

Taste 9/10 I would happily buy another pint of this the next time I get the chance. Classic elements and flavors from something that could have easily fallen into the gimmick trap.
Value 7.5/10 I think this score somewhat depends upon perspective. If I'm comparing it to its competitors in the name brand, small portion, premium ice cream market, like I am here, I think it stacks up well. However, if you want to compare it against some store brands (one in particular I will be reviewing later) I think it gets beat rather easily.

Product Review: Pepsi Next

Marty McFly: I want a Pepsi Free. Guy at lunch counter: If you want a Pepsi you're gonna have to pay for it!

The above exchange is one of many from one of my favorite movies of all time, Back to The Future.  Seeing that that line was written in 1985 we know that Pepsi has been on their kick of "new formula as marketing gimmick" for some time now.  Of course that isn't limited to just Pepsi, but since they're the one I'm focused on here you're just going to have to roll with me for a minute.  Pepsi's latest "gimmick" is of course an attempt to solve the oldest problem in softdrinkdom (eat your heart out Webster's). How can we make a product that tastes exactly like our oldest most popular original formula but without the sugar and calories so it can be enjoyed without a personal beatdown from healthfood crusader Michelle Obama? Has Pepsi finally cracked the code (probably not up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A)?

Granted I'm not a full time...or even part time Pepsi drinker, but I think I would have to say that the answer is no.  Pepsi Next is similar to other past attempts in that it tries to give us part of what we want and claiming it's the full monty.  It's just not going to work.  It's a formula that claims to have 60% less sugar yet still have the real "Pepsi taste". You all can disagree with me if you want, and maybe there are true Pepsi fans out there that will, but if this is supposed to taste like you're drinking a regular Pepsi I'd consider it a failure.  However, before I proclaim a total loss I will say that the flavor of Pepsi Next is better than that of Diet Pepsi. Of course in my opinion drinking Diet Pepsi is only slightly better than getting punched in the neck. But to each their own I suppose.

I think what it comes down to for me is that if you really really want a regular Pepsi, or Coke for that matter, just have one.  Everything in moderation. Drinking a soda that has less sugar or "diet" isn't really a healthy solution in any case.  I drink Diet Coke because I prefer the taste.  Always have.  Always will. In making your softdrink choices I suggest you do the same.

Taste 5/10 Meh-tacular for sure.
Value N/A It costs the same as every other bottle of pop costs.  I'll just say I'd spend my cash elsewhere.

Product Review: Doritos Jacked Smokin Chipotle BBQ

"Really on point with bold flavors, you guys." If the twitter character @dadboner tweeted something about these new Doritos Jacked chips it would probably sound something like the aforementioned quote.  Being that he considers himself a "true bold badboy" like Guy Fieri well and if he were real he'd probably flip his lid over these things.  I on the other hand am slightly more skeptical.

Truthfully, product reviews are some of my favorite blog posts to write for this site.  I'm always thrilled about trying something new, and usually cheap considering they're usually on sale for promotion.  However, more often than not it seems I keep getting let down by products that are more bark than bite.  That is the case with these new Doritos.

Even though the packaging says new and the product has the hilarious and douchtastic label "JACKED" I can't help but feel this new flavor is completely derivative.  I mean com'on man we've been given "chipotle bbq" everything for what seems like a decade.  I mean that is pretty much the only reason Bobby Flay's big ginger head is creepily omnipresent on both Food Network and Cooking Channel.  I can even accept that in some instances I like the flavor, but it just feels a bit tired.  With that being said, I at least found these Doritos somewhat unique in actual flavor if not concept.  While I was expecting a somewhat high level of sweetness despite what "chipotle" should really mean the actual flavor was quite spicy for mainstream big brand chips.  I have a feeling a lot of the people I know that are more sensitive to heat would actually not be able to eat more than a couple.    I actually enjoyed this aspect, but I still don't think it made for an actually enjoyable snack that I would buy again.  That addictive quality that is present in so many other chips just wasn't there. Other than a little bit of heat nothing was brought to the table.  Things could have possibly been different if the heat was kept in tact along with a traditional bbq flavor that is present in other chips like those of the Kettle brand.


Taste 4/10 A resounding meh.  Pretty much like every other Doritos product. I'm subtracting an extra point for the weird thick texture these had. Seemed thicker than other Doritos. Strange.
Value 3/10 I got a medium sized bag for a medium sized price, but I would have rather spent my money on some Kettle chips for sure.

Product Review: Kettle Sweet Onion Potato Chips

Bad breath in a bag. Kettle brand Sweet Onion potato chips might have been named that if marketing departments focused on truth telling and not...you know...marketing.  Now, I haven't done a product review here in a while so don't let me muddle my point.  Kettle Sweet Onion flavor chips are delicious.  It's just that things can be successful while also having aesthetic or other draw backs.  I mean look at all the success Sarah Jessica Parker  has had in her career.  Let's dive into the details of these chips a little bit.

First of all you could guess from the name that these are kettle cooked potato chips which are by far my favorite.  Some may disagree, but I find the snap of the more sturdy kettle cooked chip much more satisfying. In regards to flavor Kettle isn't afraid to be aggressive.  These sweet onion chips are not missing out on any flavor, but it's pretty unique and I'm not sure what I could compare them to.  The onion flavor is definitely present, but it's not like eating a raw onion by any means.  The hint of sweetness is there to balance that out while still having the overall  taste be more salty than sweet.  As a side note Kettle's bbq variety is also among the most intensely flavored and best bbq chips I've had in a long time. 

Taste 8.5/10 The Kettle chips are my go to brand right now for potato chips.  They have a lot of different flavors beyond the standards we see from Lays or Ruffles, and the texture is awesome.  I will buy these again despite being located in the crappy "hipster food" section in Kroger.
Value 7/10 Kroger had these on sale for the price of 2 large bags for 6 bucks.  I really like these chips so I consider that a pretty good deal.

Fast Food Review: McDonald's Chicken McBites

In the last few years it seems more and more like the old standby fast food places are always trying to give us something new, different, and "lighter" to keep us coming in the door.  This is of course despite the fact that the reason most of us go there in the first place is to get old standbys that we're used to from long ago.  This is especially true when it comes to chicken products.  Burger King already had chicken tenders on the menu when they introduced the more-or-less terrible chicken fries.  Now it seems that McDonald's has had a similar idea. 

McDonald's has had their famous Chicken McNuggets on the menu since as far back as I can remember.  They have more than their fair share of detractors, but they've always been a personal fave for whatever reason.  The appeal may be more nostalgic than taste related.  Nonetheless McDonald's has introduced a "new" chicken product called Chicken McBites.  I put new in scare quotes because other than just being added to the menu there is nothing new at all about them.  This is popcorn chicken plain and simple.  And guess what?  It sucks.  Popcorn chicken always sucks.  It's small.  It's dry. There's more breading than chicken.  Oh but it's portable they tell us.  Yeah so it almost everything on  Mickey D's menu.  Popcorn chicken is ok I guess if you're 6 years old, but they are marketing this to adults. I guess some will fall for it, but I'll probably stick to the dollar menu.

Taste 2/10 Hey they didn't make me vomit so they've got that going for them.

Value 0/10 The Girlfriend picked these up on the way home from work one night to try them.  I don't really know what she paid or how much they cost.  It doesn't matter.  Whatever it is is too much.

Sweet Treat Product Review: Coconut M&M's

I'm not a big candy guy as you can probably tell from other lukewarm candy reviews I've done here on the RDERF blog.  It's also true that when I do find myself wanting candy M&M's usually falls to the bottom of the list for me.  I usually like something more going on in my candy than just chocolate in a candy shell.  I usually prefer peanuts/peanut butter or caramel to be in the mix somehow.  However, there is one other flavor that will usually always make me go for a quick impulse buy...coconut.

If my friends and family are any indication (small sample I know but I'm not the frickin' Nielsen people over here) coconut is easily one of the most divisive flavors out there.  A lot of people hate it, but I'm in the love it camp.  I enjoy both the texture and flavor in really all of it's forms.  When you add it to something chocolate I can hardly resist.  That was the case with coconut M&M's.  I was expecting to have the usual candy shell surrounding the chocolate center with maybe a little bit of coconut enshrined inside the chocolate similar to the way peanut butter M&M's are constructed.  In this regard I was disappointed.  There is absolutely no visible coconut anywhere in coconut M&M's.  Other than smelling a little bit like that girl in your dorm freshman year that threw up a handle of Malibu there really isn't a discernible difference between these and the regular M&M's we all know and love.  There is however a distinct flavor difference.  I was a little bit skeptical at first since when you first have one the coconut flavor doesn't hit your immediately.  After you have 2 or 3 it comes on a little bit stronger on the back end.  The flavor is similar to maybe what a Samoa Girl Scout cookie might taste like without the caramel.


Taste 6/10 The coconut flavor is there, but it was begging to have a little actual coconut in each individual candy and it's just not there.  I'd probably buy these again, but I don't think they've moved M&M's anywhere near my upper echelon of candy choices.

Value  N/A  Come on they're M&M's.  They cost what M&M's cost.

Product Review: Dr. Pepper Ten

Pretty much since the very invention of diet soda beverage companies have been trying everything they can possibly frickin think of to make that very thing they invented taste more like the stuff they were already selling.  Frankly, I don't get it.  When I drink pop I prefer diet.  Not really so much for it's "diet" properties, but I like it simply because I prefer the less sweet taste that accompanies it.  Call me crazy, but it's what my parents drank when I was growing up and it's what I'm used to.  However, typically for me this usually just applies to Coke vs Diet Coke.  Diet Coke has it's own distinct flavor and isn't trying to be something it isn't.  Unfortunately, the same can't really be said for other "diet" beverages like Coke Zero, Diet Mt Dew and Diet Dr. Pepper. 

Oh Dr. Pepper, you are the most curious of beverages.  It has a flavor you can't quite place, but most people either love it or hate it.  Personally, I'm in the former camp having converted from the latter within the last year or so.  It's even the one kind of pop that the manufacturer proudly claims that it "tastes more like regular Dr. Pepper".  Or at least they used to anyway.  Maybe one of the wizards at Dr. Pepper Snapple decided like I did that maybe their diet version doesn't have so much appeal after all.  Hence the creation of Dr. Pepper Ten. 

Dr. Pepper Ten was so new that when I bought it at the gas station it wasn't even entered as a product into the cash register yet, but the premise behind the drink is an old one.  People like regular Dr. Pepper.  People are trying to cut calories.  People don't like Diet Dr. Pepper.  Compromise and give them a Dr. Pepper with some but not zero calories.  In this case the caloric count is 10 per serving or 20 per bottle.  I had my hopes up for something a little less cloyingly sweet than regular, but a little less unappealing aftertaste than diet.  After drinking the whole bottle I honestly have to say the results are a little inconclusive.  I will say definitively that it really doesn't taste like regular Dr. Pepper, but more importantly I couldn't really discern what makes it different than the diet version already on the market.  It tasted no sweeter and hand no different or stronger flavors.  A swing and a miss here.  Chalk it up as just another marketing ploy to sell more of what is basically their already existing Diet Dr. Pepper formula.  Try it out yourself and let me know if you agree or disagree.

Product Review: Lean Pockets Sausage Egg & Cheese

I know some of you probably saw Lean Pockets in the title and rolled your eyes immediately.  Personally, I'm a fan of some of the lines that are being put out under the Lean Pockets brand these days.  Maybe I'll do product reviews on them in the future, but trust me the Lean Pockets Chicken Bacon Dijon and Pepperoni Pizza with the new crust are not to be missed.  However, today was the first time I tried the breakfast version of either Hot Pockets or Lean Pockets and the results weren't quite so positive.

Over the years of bringing my lunch to work I've learned that the secret to making  Hot Pockets/Lean Pockets is to put them in the microwave for a little less time than what the package actually recommends.  As long as your cooking with a badass microwave you should be fine to go a minute and 30 seconds instead of the full two minutes.  The product will come out a lot softer and take less time to cool off from being nuclear hot.  As  usual my prescribed cooking method worked just fine with the breakfast Lean Pocket, but it just turned out to be one of the most bland breakfast items I've ever had.  Now I'm not comparing microwaved Lean Pockets to really good breakfasts I've got elsewhere.  I'm just comparing to the other Jimmy Dean and Aunt Jemima frozen breakfast sandwiches I've had in the past.  The Lean Pockets just don't stack up.  There was no sweetness or spiciness to the sausage either of which would have helped.  The cheese was the best part.  The eggs were like any other frozen sandwich...forgettable.  Considering that Lean Pockets does season the bread of some of their other sandwiches they should adopt that here as well. 

Taste 2/10  I cannot and will not recommend these whatsoever.  Too many other frozen breakfast sandwich choices.
Value 2/10 I didn't buy these, The Girlfriend did, so I don't know how much they cost, but assuming they cost the same as other Lean Pockets they aren't too expensive, but given that they generally suck your money is much better spent on other breakfast items where you will get more sandwiches that taste a lot better.

Sweet Treat/Product Review: Pillsbury Sweet Moments Bite-size Brownies

Full Disclosure:  This product was provided to me free of charge.

It has been a while since our last sweet treat review here at the Random Dude Eats Random Food blog, and since Pillbury's PR firm mailed me 2 of their new flavors of brownie bites I decided it was a good time for a review. 

The enclosed promotional materials state the following: "Pillsbury Sweet Moments are small bites of decadent pleasure made just for you.  Each ready-to-eat brownie bite is layered with a luxurious filling, enrobed in a cocoa-kissed shell and finished off with a delicate cocoa drizzle.  Found in the refrigerated section, Pillsbury Sweet Moments are best served cool to accentuate each decadent layer and to magnify each distinct texture for the ultimate indulgent bite."  Damn I haven't heard that much overselling since the last time I saw fat Mike Golic hawking NutriSystem.  Anyway, the two new flavors I tried are the Caramel Brownie Cheesecake and Raspberry Brownie Cheesecake.  Being that cheesecake and brownies are two of my favorite desserts I feel like I would be a good judge here.  Let's get to my findings.

Raspberry

When the brownie bites were shipped to me they were included with a cold pack, but being that they had been sitting in the box for quite a while they really weren't very cold when I opened them.  Since they are supposed to be cold to get the full experience according to Pillsbury I decided to refrigerate them for a bit before I tried them out.  My favorite of the two was the Raspberry Cheesecake Brownie.  The raspberry flavor was really assertive and you could pick it out over the chocolate brownie.  In the case of the Caramel Brownie Cheesecake I could taste only the brownie.  If I wouldn't have seen the cheesecake layer and caramel with my own eyes I'm not sure I would have believed they were even there.  Truthfully I had a hard time picking out cheesecake flavor in both cases.  Cheesecake is one of my favorite things so I was undoubtedly a little disappointed it added little else than a nice texture contrast.  The chocolate coating on the outside was quite good and held up nicely without melting too quickly.  I also thought they bites were a nice size.  They are actually big enough to eat in 2 bites if you wish.  There were also more bites in each package than I expected. 

Caramel

Taste 6.5/10  These taste good and are a good snack, but they really mostly just taste like a brownie or a brownie with a raspberry filling with the cheesecake there in name only.  Nothing revolutionary flavor-wise at all, but little popable brownies could get addictive.
Value 6.5/10  Like I said at the start I did not pay for these, but the MSRP per bag is $3.19.  I don't think that is great, but it's definitely comparable to other snacks you can buy in the grocery store and probably a little cheaper than other brand name "premium" desserts.

Sweet Treat/Product Review: Hershey's Air Delight candy bar

Oh yes the allure of the new product on the grocery store shelves.  Much like a Michael Bay film we are drawn to it despite every ounce of your being telling you how lame it probably is going to be once you try it/see it.  That's a pretty good summation of my experience with the Hershey's Air Delight candy bar.  Ever the ultimate impulse buy in the grocery checkout line I saw the words "new" and "Hershey's" and I was hooked.  Unfortunately the results were pretty much what I expected.

The stated premise of this candy bar is to provide a new light airy texture to the classic Hershey bar.  I maintain the real premise is to sell you more air and less chocolate for the same price, but let's focus on the taste and claims of the manufacturer for the moment.  As far as the taste goes it is probably the least exciting new product I've ever tried out.  It's just a damn Hershey bar that is porous on the inside.  No new flavors.  No different size.  Nothing.  The shape is different and the bar is thicker, but that's just to leave room for the air holes.  The taste is Hershey's milk chocolate.  No different.  If the point of difference is supposed to be the texture I have to say I didn't really get that either.  It's just porous chocolate.  It's not more crunchy or anything else.  Once you take a bite and can no longer see the bar there is absolutely no difference.  In fact if anything I find it less appealing.  The simplicity of a solid chocolate bar is something I enjoy.  Stick with what works.  I see no reason to mess with the classics. 

Normally I would stick the taste and value ratings down here, but I feel with just this simple candy bar those things really don't fit so I'll just say I won't be eating any more aerated chocolate.  It's just a marketing gimmick and not even a terribly good one.  However, I am still on the lookout for the new coconut Twix bar.  That sounds like a new candy bar I could actually get behind.  If you know a place that has some let me know.

Drink Review: Diet Mt Dew Supernova

There are some things that I enjoy that I know aren't "good for you" or "healthy", but dammit I love them and the only way you're going to get me to stop enjoying them is by prying them out of my cold dead hands.  Yes, I'm a fan of firearms also but this blog is actually about diet soda.  I'm sure at some point the nanny state may legislate away our freedom in both of these respects, but for now I have the freedom to try and hate on every new diet soda flavor out there including Diet Mt Dew Supernova.

First of all I want to say that if I'm talking about diet pop my first choice is always Diet Coke.  It was the flavor I was raised on, and I prefer it over any other flavor of pop either diet or regular.  If I'm not drinking Diet Coke then it's usually a toss up between Diet Sundrop, Diet Dr. Pepper and Diet Mt Dew.  When I saw this new flavor of Diet Dew sitting the work vending machine the other day my desire for a new experience overwhelmed my craving for something I knew to be satisfying.  After all Mt Dew Supernova had a weird purplish tint and claimed to have flavors of melon and strawberry.  What could go wrong?

Answer:  Everything.  This is the single worst tasting beverage I have tasted in 27 years of life on this planet.  The first indication should have been the damn color.  If it tastes like strawberry and melon why is it purple?  Now I know there is nothing at all resembling real fruit or fruit juices in the beverage, but come on man purple?  Really?  As far as the taste itself I couldn't even begin to make out the strawberry or any other fruit flavor.  To be honest it just tasted like disgusting cough syrup.  I couldn't even begin to finish the whole bottle.  What a failed experiment.  The only time I might even consider using this for something is if I was making a Flaming Moe/Homer.  Take my advice and stay far far away.  Ok enough ranting.  I'm going to go find the nice cold refreshment of a fountain Diet Coke. 

Also, everyone have a good 4th of July holiday and remember to celebrate the birth of your country by blowing up a small part of it (Simpsons reference 2!!)  Hopefully you will all also get to enjoy a cliched red, white and blue themed dessert at your respective cookouts.  Have a good weekend!