Find The Fruit In 7Up Pomegranate

Last night I was picking up a few items and went looking for Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper (a soda I have yet to see anywhere) or my second choice, diet ginger ale. I spied a maroon-colored concoction on the shelf so of course that's what came home with me. I rarely drink soda that isn't diet but since I'm a sucker for weird beverages I figured 7Up Pomegranate was worth trying out, after all it's for a "limited time only!", according to the beverage's label. I have to point out that I love pomegranate. I try to eat one every few weeks or incorporate it into some type of relish when I'm not too lazy to make it (cranberry/orange with some pomegranate tossed in is yummy). Also, when I'm not too cheap, I'll buy a POM Wonderful drink. Among its many health benefits, the red fruit is high in antioxidants and helps battle bad cholesterol. Does 7Up Pomegranate have pomegranate juice in it? Of course not. Clearly Cadbury Schweppes/7Up is preying on those of us who see the word "pomegranate" and think, "Wow that must be good for me!" To this beverage's credit, however, I do think think it does have a nice not-too-sweet flavor to it, is very refreshing, and makes a terrific alternative to the usual colas and lemon lime sodas. They should have put this drink out around Thanksgiving time as the color would have matched nicely with the cranberry sauce. If you're into this beverage, stock up as it will be available only through January 31, 2008. Will I buy it again? Yes, I'm sure I will. Now please excuse me as I need to go and pour myself a big glass of yummy, sugary, red "pomegranate" soda.

A Teeny Snack Called ScracK Griss

I know, I know. It's been awhile. I've been a busy bee but I have managed to fit in some food shopping along the way. Recently I was in my favorite Italian store in the Chelsea Market, buonItalia, where I always pick up canned cherry tomatoes and anchovies. While hunting for other items of sheer deliciousness, I found these bags of ScracK Griss (yes, the "K" is upper case). "A light & savory Italian snack" it states on the front of the bag along with photos of yummy-looking loaves of garlic and tomato and basil-laden breads. Since I was planning on making sauce that night I thought I'd take a chance on these as a possible accompaniment. After all, they were reasonably priced ($1.95) and sounded interesting, and who doesn't love garlic bread? I splurged and picked up two bags: Aglio e Prezzemolo (garlic and parsley), and Pomodoro e Basilico (tomato and basil). When it finally came time to sample the snacks, I was struck by how small they are (they're about the size of a loaf of bread that Barbie might bake). But more importantly, they taste delicious. I think they make a better bar snack than a side to a dish of pasta with sauce but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty these little crackers are. ScracK Griss, you rocK!

Pretzel Magic: Portable Pieces Of Buffalo Wings

One of my favorite appetizers is buffalo wings. Although I don't indulge too often, when I do I really enjoy them. I love the spicy flavor of a well-made chicken or buffalo wing, the hotter the better as long as there's not water running out of my nose while I'm indulging. Heat is good but there's not much point if it doesn't taste, well, tasty. Snyder's of Hanover may have come up with the next best thing to real buffalo wings in its Hot Buffalo Wings Pieces. This product consists of chunks of sourdough hard pretzels seasoned to taste like hot sauce with generous dustings of cayenne pepper and paprika. These pretzels are no joke: they taste exactly like spicy wings and the bag contains a generous portion of the peppery treat. The other flavors in Snyder's Pieces family include Buttermilk Ranch, Honey Mustard & Onion, Steakhouse Onion, Garlic Bread, Jalapeno, and Cheddar Cheese (Buttermilk Ranch and Steakhouse Onion: I've got my eye on you two especially). If these other flavors are as addicting as Hot Buffalo Wings, I'm in trouble. Blue cheese dressing, anyone?

http://www.snydersofhanover.com/en/products.php

Bacon+Salt+Chocolate=Vosges

I'm lucky enough to work near the Vosges SoHo shop on Spring Street and recently the company's window signage was heralding a new entry in its "Exotic Candy Bar" line: Mo's Bacon Bar. Initially I thought how strange an idea that was for a chocolate bar but when I really thought about it, how different is it from a meal you might have with pancakes, bacon and syrup--sweet with meat? So I headed to my little "Haut-Chocolat Boutique" to check out the goods (Vosges' newest enticing treats include a cheese and chocolate truffle combination which includes balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, Sicilian sea salt and Tuscan fennel pollen!). Mo's Bacon Bar's ingredients are Applewood smoked bacon, Alder wood smoked salt, and deep milk chocolate. Not much not to like there. Finally home, it was time to try the porky sweet. My first taste was of the bacon--they certainly didn't skimp on the meat. The chocolate blends very well with the bacon and then one gets the crunch of the smoked salt to top it all off. I found myself wanting more and in fact had to put it away before I pigged out and ate the entire bar. I have to admit that this is by far my most favorite of Vosges' exotic candy bar line of which I've had mixed results (Red Fire/good--Black Pearl/not good). At $7.00 a bar, it's not cheap but if you want something different--very different, Mo's should be your choice.


www.vosgeschocolate.com

What's Big, Chocolatey & Mean? Java Monster, Of Course

I'm not big on energy drinks. With few exceptions, most of them are filled with loads of sugar as well as other ingredients (chemicals?) that I cannot pronounce or spell, and they taste like cough medicine. When I do feel the "need for speed," I usually grab a can of Rockstar Zero or Lo-Carb Monster Energy. As anyone who checks out this blog knows, I do love coffee and Monster has come up big with Java Monster, a three-can selection of morning brews that taste absolutely delicious. First of all, they blow the metal off of the puny and overpriced fancypants Starbucks iced frappacrappochinos or doubleshots, and at a 15 ounce size are a much better bargain your average canned iced coffees. Java's selection includes the scarily named "Big Black," a strong coffee-flavored drink for the "I'll take mine black" imbibers; French Vanilla is the main ingredient in "Mean Bean"; while "Loca Moca" has more of a chocolately mild flavor. They're all worthwhile to try out and you can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. You can now have your coffee and get a doubleshot of caffeine to really wake yourself up for your important and special job. Two big black jumpy beans up from me, Hansen Beverage Company. Well done.

Tassimo: Starbuck-ing The Trend?

I love my Tassimo coffee maker but I'm quite envious of the Keurig machine which has such top-notch brands as Gloria Jean's, Van Houtte, Caribou, and Timothy's, in their stable of K-Cups. Tassimo, on the other hand, has Gevalia, Maxwell House, Kenco, and Nabob (who??) representing their T Discs. Because I'm so desperate to validate my purchase of the Tassimo, I'm actually looking forward to the Starbucks that Tassimo is adding to its list of available T Discs. Soon I'll get to drink Starbucks' House Blend, Breakfast Blend, Adrica Kitamu, and Caffee Verona for less than $5.00 a cup (I hope). However they taste, it'll be an improvement for the embattled Tassimo. Let's hope Kraft Foods makes some more deals with other companies to get some more decent beverages for its machine. How about some New England Coffee?

Attack Of The Purple Dough Balls

Perhaps the most eye-catching treat recently, Entenmann's Pop'ems has released a grape-flavored donut ball. A circular donut hole (much like Dunkin' Donuts's Munchkins) with grape-tinged bright purple sprinkles, this dessert is quite the attention getter. At checkout at D'Agostino's, the cashier said, "Oh what's that? That looks ... interesting." Translation:"Are you really going to eat those?" Truth is that I had seen them in a couple of stores only to pass them by and then go back a few days later to find them gone. Someone's eating them, most likely college kids who might have an attack of the munchies. These Pop'ems would feel right at home with your lava lamp, black light poster and disco ball. Perhaps Entenmann's is trying to appeal to both the 16-20 and 60-80 years-old markets. There's also absolutely no info on this product on the Entenmann's site, making me assume this is a "limited edition" donut. Or perhaps they don't want to take credit for this strange item. If you really want to try them which I think is well worth it, check any supermarket or deli nearby a high school or university. In New York City, I found mine at D'Agostino's on Greenwich and Bethune Streets.

Back From The Land Of Plenty (Of Food)

I’ve returned from my week-long vacation to Western New York, slightly tanned and no doubt with a few more pounds on my frame. Basically I ate and drank my way through Rochester, exploring as many different food options as possible. My host, Dessa, was kind enough to drive me around town to my destinations and hopefully she didn’t mind all that much. Here’s a rundown of the highlights:

Amiels Original Submarines—I always make it a point to visit this shop, which has two locations (Henrietta and Victor). I’m a big fan of their tuna salad subs but what makes their sandwiches so tasty is the bread, which is baked on site daily. Maybe next time I’ll try something else but there’s just something about that tuna!

http://www.amiels.com


Arby’s Popcorn Chicken Shakers—Ok, so you’re saying “You go on vacation and eat … Arby’s? What’s wrong with you?” True, I know. But ever since I’ve seen the TV commercials for their Popcorn Chicken Shakers I’ve been intrigued, after all any food that I can layer on hot sauce sounds good to me. And I’ll tell you, these are pretty good. Fast food in general always tastes better outside of New York City and these are no exception. I’m not even sure there’s an Arby’s in the City so there’s my excuse for going to the restaurant upstate.

http://www.arbys.com/menu/


Hank’s Ice Cream & Roast Beef Sandwiches--I think the name says it all. Even though I’ve never had the roast beef sandwich, I’ve heard they’re pretty large, juicy and tasty. The usually mobbed shop showcases tons of flavors of ice cream, frozen yogurt, ice cream cakes and several toppings. The Webster-based store also serves lunch and in addition to the roast beef, you can also grab a burger or the garbage plate if you’re really hungry.


Red Robin—Hands down, best burgers in town. Have you tried a burger at Red Robin? If not, do so as soon as possible. Again, they have two locations—Henrietta and Webster—and even though the Red Robin employees seem to be obsessed with blowing up balloons for children, they have an amazing assortment of burger options as well as turkey burgers and chicken sandwiches. Steak fries come with the burgers and supposedly they will replenish your supply of fries when you’re done although I don’t think they go out of their way for that. The restaurant also has some tasty appetizers including the Towering Onion Rings (13 onion rings on a stand that looks like a child’s toy) and Buzzard Wings, among many others. They should open a Red Robin in New York City as it’s much better than lots of the other chains that already exist here. I could make do with one less T.G.I. Friday’s.

http://www.redrobin.com


Beale Street Café—I’ve been to Dinosaur BBQ up in Rochester but I prefer this funky honky tonk restaurant which is located in the South Wedge part of Rochester. Against Dessa’s better judgment I decided to order an appetizer, Mud Bugs, fried crawfish with a tartar dipping sauce. I ate most of them using Beale Street’s jalapeno hot sauce and then ordered the special, a fried pork loin dish served with collard greens and mashed potatoes. It was truly an amazing experience to eat this dinner. Washing it all down with a couple of Miller Chills, I could barely finish my dinner. If you get a chance to try out this place by all means do so. It’s simply the best BBQ you’ll find anywhere.

http://www.bealestreetcafe.com/index.html


Wegmans (Mt. Read Boulevard, Greece, N.Y.)—This gigantic supermarket chain just opened its umpteenth store, a 100,000 square foot behemoth replacing an older 64,000 square foot version that was demolished earlier this year. Even though I am very impressed in general with the grocery stores upstate, I thought this store was a bit of overkill (and amazingly there's a larger and more upscale Wegmans in Pittsford!) as it houses not only your standard grocery aisles, but also has a tremendous food court, a “Wkids Fun Center” where children are looked after while their parents shop, a pharmacy, digital photo center, to mention a few. High atop the building is a clock tower, giving the store the appearance more of a church than supermarket. It seems Wegmans just wants to stick it to their competitors: My tower is bigger than your tower … oh wait, you don’t have one!

http://www.wegmans.coms


7-11 Squishees (Slurpees)—I love Slurpees and to celebrate the release of The Simpsons Movie, several 7-11s were "converted" into Kwik-E-Mart. Unfortunately the one I went to was not one of them. They had a few scattered Simpsons-related items (fruit snacks, donuts) but I went for the Squishees in Watermelon and Blue Vanilla flavors so I could bring home the cups. Hopefully the cups will hold up for a few more usages. 7-11 charged more for the Squishee if you bought the beverage in the special Simpsons cup. Sadly they were completely out of the Simpsons straws so I had to put up with the standard 7-11 Slurpee straws that have a little spoon on one end, perfect to get the last of my still-not-completely-melted drink.


http://www.slurpee.com/seeyellow.html

Upstate Gold: Country Sweet Sauce

In honor of my impending visit to Rochester, N.Y., tomorrow afternoon, I thought I'd make special mention of perhaps the best sauce condiment on the planet. The supermarkets in Rochester are to me like a toy store might be to a collector. Living in New York City, we are hamstrung by grocery stores with little shelf space, the majority of that precious space being taken up by the endless General Mills, Kellogg's and P&G's of the world. Up in Rochester, the locals are fortunate to have such wonderful supermarkets as Wegmans, Martin's and Tops, all with wide aisles, lower prices and lots of interesting local fare, including Country Sweet Sauce. Since I like much of my condiments on the spicy side, I picked up a bottle of Country Sweet's hot variety which proved to be a good move. There's nothing like the combination of sweet and hot. This sauce tastes sweet to start, then kicks in at the end with just the right amount of heat. It's quite a versatile sauce as it can be used for cooking, marinating, barbecuing or even dipping. If you'd like to give it a try, you'll find it sold up in Rochester in at least one of the above-mentioned grocery stores. Additionally, it can be had by searching the internet as a few merchants do sell it online. Country Sweet is available in habanero and mild as well as hot. If you find yourself in the land of Kodak and Bausch & Lomb, you might want to check out the Country Sweet Chicken and Ribs restaurant and explore the restaurant's other offerings, including their breaded and fried chicken wings smothered in sweet spicy sauce. Sounds like a plan to me.

Latest Obsession

Do you like ice cream? Check. Do you like doughnuts? Check. The ultimate perhaps in desserts is just around the corner and alas, probably unobtainable for the majority of us. For one day only, Ben & Jerry's is unveiling its Homer Simpson-inspired ice cream, "Duff & D'oh-Nuts," a concoction of chocolate and cream stout ice creams along with glazed chocolate doughnuts. The treat will be available on Saturday, July 21st, for just that single day. Stock up if you can find it (I've read conflicting accounts of the ice cream's availability, including that it'll only be at the Springfield, Vermont, movie premiere), and good luck. No word as to if the flavor would at least be available at the Ben & Jerry's scoop shops. Indeedly-do!!

It Isn't Fried Ice Cream But Nice Try

Breyer's has finally decided to try to be hip by putting out a version of Fried Ice Cream. I haven't had any Breyer's in ages. Maybe the last time was when I visited my grandmother and she had a container of Breyer's in her freezer (no doubt it was the vanilla/strawberry/chocolate trio). You get the idea: Breyer's is for those who grew up eating it and aren't into the crazy concoctions of Ben & Jerry's or Edy's. Give Breyer's credit for their attempt at something unique. While there's no way it is Fried Ice Cream, it is quite good. It has lots of cinnamon taste and caramel light ice cream with honey caramel along with cinnamon tostada pieces which are a bit on the mushy side. I do think this product could also use a few more of the tostada pieces but overall it's a winner and definitely worth a try. If you want real fried ice cream (or a reasonable facsimile), try your local Chinese or Japanese restaurant, or Mexican places like El Torito or Chi-Chi's. In the meantime, I'll add this one to my rotation of tasty treats.

http://www.breyers.com/products/product.cfm?u=77567-26402&b=1

Now It's Really Miller Time ... Chelada Style

While watching television last night, I happened to catch a spot for a new beer by Miller called Miller Chill. I am a fan of beer, mostly the girlie-types like Hoegaarden and Corona, although at times Dos Equis, Tecate, Red Stripe or Negra Modelo work just fine as well. Needless to say, I've always found the manly brews from the Anheuser-Buschs and Millers to be undrinkable. Nonetheless I'm always a sucker for trying a new beer that sounds as though it could be very delicious so I set out to track down a Miller Chill, which is a beer that is inspired by a traditional Mexican recipe known as the "chelada," which is slang for the Spanish words "helada" (iced), and "chela" (beer); basically it's to serve light beer with a bit of fresh lime juice over ice in a salt-rimmed glass. My Chelada hunt only lasted two stores as I found it in a nearby bodega after coming up empty at The Food Emporium (I thought maybe it would be stocked for the NYUers, silly me). Even if the beer sucked, I'd be interested in trying it based solely on the green bottle which is quite eye-catching. After chilling my Chill, it was time for the taste test. I opened up my lil greenie and the verdict is in. Although I don't taste too much of the salt, the lime really shines through and it's quite refreshing. I'd say that people who enjoy Corona/Corona Light, Stella Artois and that ilk will really enjoy this beer. It's sort of like having a margarita in beer form. Miller's really gotten it right with this one and I think I'll now head out to pick up a few more Chills to have on hand in the fridge. What do you think? Will you be Chill-in with me?


www.millerchill.com

A "Plus" For True Lemon & Orange

As mentioned in a previous post, I was hoping that my friend Kristin—who visits a Target on Long Island on occasion—could pick up a box of True Orange for me. She came through again and not only did she get True Orange Plus but she also scored True Lemon Plus. After finishing our Thai food, she passed me my treasure. Finally I could try my newest obsession after weeks of "fruitless" searching. Once again, the True Lemon company has perfected the drinking art of getting the fresh-squeezed flavor into a bottle of water (they also make an additional flavor, True Lime, my sister-in-law Christine's favorite). The Orange flavor tastes exactly like just a few drops of orange were dropped into the water. It's very refreshing and a fantastic alternative for those who don't love the taste of plain water. It comes in little handy dandy packages (14 packets to a box) that you can toss into your bag. I've been drinking the True Lemon for at least a year and this version is also wonderful (the "Plus" refers to the fact that these mixtures contain 100% of one's daily vitamin C requirements). True Lemon and Orange are all-natural with no artificial sweeteners or ingredients, and have zero calories, no sugar and zero carbs. Try these as a rub or seasoning on meat or fish for a special treat. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Here's hoping that True Orange will be more readily available soon. If you can't find it in your local grocery store or Target, the products are available for order via the web. Here's to a refreshing, citrusy summer! Drink your lemon, orange and lime!

www.truelemon.com

Getting Naked For Chocolate

I've been a fan of Bear Naked's line of granola for as long as it's been available. I happened to be at Food Emporium when a Bear Naked employee was giving out free samples of--at that time--their newly-launched granolas. I was very impressed and immediately purchased the Apple Cinnamon cereal, which is still one of my favorites. Since then I've revisited Bear Naked from time to time but with so many varieties of cereals available nowadays, I've not paid all that much attention to the Naked line. That will now be changing. Bear Naked has come up with some more granola flavors that warrant a lot of attention, one of which I have sitting in front of me as I type this--I've been snacking on it the entire night. Heavenly Chocolate is its name and that it is. This stuff is as delicious as any chocolate bar and is truly out of this world. It's made with the better-for-you dark chocolate, whole grains, and makes a wonderful treat. You won't feel guilty snacking on this granola either. I haven't had it with milk yet but can only imagine that it would be addicting as a breakfast cereal. Bear Naked's line includes such flavors as Fruit and Nut, Banana Nut, and two other flavors that I am looking forward to trying: Blueberry Walnut and Peanutbutter & Jelly. Throw some of this in yogurt, enjoy it on the run, or as a delicious breakfast treat, it doesn't matter. Just eat it.

www.bearnaked.com

Going Ape Over This Coffee

I decided I'm sick and tired of drinking crappy coffee at home. Generally when my coffee is putrid (hello, most store brands), I'll just use some flavored coffee creamer to mask the putrid taste and then get a decent cup of joe on the way to work. But no more. First of all, who needs all the calories that are in the flavored coffee creamers and secondly, there must be somebody out there who can give me the proper beans to brew a wonderful cup of coffee. This past weekend I braved Whole Foods in Union Square because I was too lazy to go to the store on Houston. I decided to take a look at the coffee the store carries, sniffing a few bags along the way. I laid my eyes on the bright red and black packaging of Gorilla Coffee, choosing the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe (easy for you to say maybe). I had no idea what to expect but my nose really liked this coffee even if my wallet didn't. I carried my new find up to the not-too-unreasonable-for-a-Saturday Whole Foods line, all the while breathing in the delicious fragrance of what I hoped was maybe the best cup of coffee I might ever have. And it does not disappoint. After grinding my beans, I waited anxiously for my morning coffee and I was thrilled to find that I spent my money wisely this time. The coffee is smooth and absolutely fantastic. According to the packaging, Gorilla is an independent "micro-roastery" in Brooklyn, N.Y. Their coffee is made in small batches and each bag has a "roast date." The company sells to select stores and food shops so hopefully there's one by you. If not, Gorilla sells their products by mail via their site. Additional flavors include Sumatra Gayoland, Brazil, Espresso-A-Go-Go, and Blendamentosis, among others. Best joe I've ever had, and I'm not monkeying around.

www.gorillacoffee.com

Pepperidge Farm Remembers Cereal

While on a recent visit to Food Emporium, I noticed a presumably new granola cereal from Pepperidge Farm. Saddled with the not-very-creative name "All Natural Cereal," I decided to go with the Harvest Apple Cinnamon flavor over its siblings--Cinnamon Raisin, Triple Nut, and Maple Glazed Pecan. Not an easy choice given that I think all of the flavors sound terrific. I believe that this is Pepperidge Farm's first entry into cereal territory and they've come up with quite a winner. The granola blends a bunch of ingredients including raisins, walnuts, brown rice, ground hazelnuts, almonds, pecans and brazil nuts, as well as a healthy dose of Granny Smith apple pieces and a bit of cinnamon, which make the granola into a tasty treat. It's so good that I'm going to pick up a couple of more bags and eat it as a snack at work. I'm looking forward to trying the other flavors which will probably be more widely available soon if they aren't already. Strangely I could not find one mention of this product on the internet and it is not listed on Pepperidge Farm's site. There's also no "new" tag on the product so perhaps this is a product being tested. If it is, the company needn't worry as this is a cereal that I am happy to wake up for.

Latest Obsession

New product alert and must have: True Orange, the newest entry in Grand Brands' line of powdered flavors. I'm a big fan of the True Lemon already but have yet to try True Lime. These are a bit difficult to locate although I've had success at many Gristede's supermarkets in the City. Also on the lookout for True Orange Plus and True Lemon Plus which are more in the "on the go" category. According to the company's site, the Pluses are available at Target. Hmm, maybe my buddy Kristin can help me out with this.

TUC This In Your Mouth

I came across a display in Associated housing something called TUC, small yellow packages of crackers. Being that I was unfamiliar with this brand I took a closer look and noticed the European styling of the packaging as well as the intriguing flavors: salt & pepper, paprika, sesame and original. I struggled with the decision to go with salt & pepper over paprika which is kind of like choosing between butterscotch and caramel. I wasn't all that excited over crackers to be honest but hey, salt and pepper is a great flavor for potato chips so it must be pretty good for crackers too. Pretty good is an understatement. TUC is the bomb! There is no need to put anything on these babies as they are outstanding just by themselves. The taste of the salt and pepper really pops and I dare you not to eat the entire package in one or two sittings. And they were reasonably priced at $1.09 for 3.53 ounces so guess who's going back for paprika and another salt and pepper? (note: I did try the paprika flavor and did not care for it. S&P is the way to go.) A few little tidbits about these crackers: TUC stands for "The Unique Cracker," and indeed it is. Also hold a cracker up to the light--you'll see the word "TUC" in pinpricks on the cracker. I assume that has something to do with the baking process but it also gives the cracker a "unique" touch. I'm not sure exactly where these crackers come from--the site says the company is in Ireland, the package lists France, but it doesn't matter. If you're lucky enough to find TUC in your market, give them a try. I guarantee a Truly Unbelievable enCounter!

http://www.jacobfruitfield.com/brands/tuc/

Glory, Glory Hallelujah

I prefer canned vegetables as my fresh stuff goes bad most of the time before I have a chance to use them. I lean toward the less-known brands rather than the Del Montes and Green Giants of the supermarket world. There's nothing wrong with them at all; it's just that my taste buds prefer veggies with some Southern-style kick to them. I believe I've found THE BEST in this category: Glory Foods' line of "Sensibly Seasoned" vegetables. I picked up a can of the turnip greens to check out, not really expecting much. Boy, was I wrong. The turnip greens were tasty and perfectly seasoned. I took a look at the company's site for more info and found they have an extensive line of this type of "healthier for you" canned veggies. Lower in sodium, fat and meatless, Glory Foods also includes such staples as tomatoes & okra; okra & corn; blackeye peas; mixed greens; and red, pinto and black beans. I am a huge fan of okra so I'm hoping I can find some of these other delicious concoctions on the shelves somewhere. If you're also curious, here's some other offerings listed on Glory's site: fried apples, savory sauerkraut, New Orleans style creole rice, among many, many others. These aren't "Sensibly Seasoned" but they make sense to me. Keep your eyes peeled for the orangy-brown label and give it a try. You'll soon be singing to the heavens too!

http://www.gloryfoods.com

I'm Wild For This Strawberry

No sooner do I write that I'm done with "on the go" beverage mixes when I spot Crystal Light's Wild Strawberry-flavored On The Go Energy drink mix nearby the checkout aisle. I am a sucker for strawberry and the pink package is so cute so, oh alright I'll give it a try. I'm happy to say that not only is the beverage, when mixed, also a cute pink but it's also tres tasty. I do find it to be too sweet and I always add more H2O to water it down (of course I could always put less mix in the bottle but why make it easier?) but it's got a wonderful strawberry flavoring that does not taste artificial like so many of the berry-tinged beverages. I also want to point out that Crystal Light has another winner in its On The Go line in the White Tea with Blueberry flavor. It also has a surprisingly nice blueberry flavor and is an excellent antioxidant drink if you are looking for that type of beverage. The strawberry mix contains 60mg of caffeine per serving (hence the "energy" tag) while both have aspertame as the sweetener. So depending on your mood and/or taste, you can go for the Crystal Light aspertame, or the PUR Flavor Options' flavored water which contains sucralose. Mmmm, artificial...


http://www.crystallight.com

Flavorful Water Is PUR Genius

I finally broke down and ordered the PUR Flavor Options from drugstore.com. I figured since it came with a free pack of the peach flavor cartridges that it was a good deal (which it was), plus I simply could not find it anywhere in New York City. I guess the store buyers weren't convinced that anyone would purchase this pitcher except me. I am not a big fan of drinking plain water. However I've also been trying to kick the soda habit and oh yeah, water is good for you. What I've been doing for years is buying the "on the go" packets of powder and adding it to my water which always seem to be too sweet. It didn't seem to make much sense that I was "on the go"-ing while I'm in my home watching the Mets and drinking water. There must be something better and it finally arrived. The PUR Flavor Options is a brilliant idea for those who are fans of flavored water. The product puts all of the flavor decision in your hands: you can have as little or as much of peach, raspberry or strawberry flavor, you desire, or none at all. And they've finally added a light on the pitcher which indicates when you should change the filter. In all my years of using first Brita and now PUR, I swear the indicator on the filter never moved. One you get the hang of using the pitcher, you'll love it. One issue is finding a store that actually carries the cartridges but I'm sure now that I've purchased the product I'll see it everywhere I go (doesn't it always work that way?). I'd like to see a lemon and a mango flavor sometime soon too. To borrow from the Guinness ads: "Brilliant!"

www.purflavoroptions.com

Deer Me! Caribou's Coffee Bars

Many of us on the East Coast don't know much or haven't heard of Caribou Coffee. It's a Minneapolis-based chain that has stores in 18 states, none of them close to New York City. They have a cute logo and name and I've read about them from time to time in the advertising press. I am always intrigued by smaller companies that make good coffee (Green Mountain, New England) being that I am not a big fan of Starbuck's. Too crowded, too burnt coffee-ish and too expensive. I was trolling the local Key Food and lo and behold what is that I see on the shelves nearby the coffee? Yesssss, to borrow from Marv Albert--boxes of Caribou Coffee Chocolate Mocha and Vanilla Latte granola bars. Coffee is an ingredient that seems to be popping up in foods items alot recently, with mixed results. Wrigley's had a coffee gum they were testing (um, we use gum to get the coffee taste OUT of our mouths) and considering I try to give the benefit of the doubt to the thought behind almost every product, that gum was truly awful. The Caribou Coffee bars are quite the opposite: the coffee taste--while noticeable--is not overpowering and mixes well with the chocolate or vanilla flavors. The bars are a tad sweet but they are a perfect pick-me-up for the afternoon doldrums. The company has just made available two more flavors--Caramel Highrise and Mint Condition, both of which I'll be on the lookout for. You might have a tough time finding these but trust me, they're worth tracking down. Happy hunting.


http://www.cariboucoffee.com/coffeebars/index.asp

Is There Joy In Soyville?

I've noticed these new nutrition bars in the aisle of Duane Reade for the past couple of weeks. I wasn't that interested as the word "Soy" is part of its title and heaven knows I get enough soy from all the edamame I eat. However my countless visits to Duane Reade and careful placement of the SoyJoy bars in the store forced me to take notice of the product. I grabbed a couple--Apple and Mango Coconut--and it was time to get my chew on. I was struck by the fact that the bar weighs close to nothing, almost as though there's just air in the package. Opening the wrapper I saw the most awful-looking bar I've ever seen--it's like a compressed long square .... thing. It reminds me of a squashed, old Italian cookie that was laying around Aunt Rosemarie's kitchen since 1976. You know the kind--maybe as a kid you visited your Great Aunt and Uncle and they gave you a cookie that was seriously old, probably with expired milk. (Well maybe you didn't but I did.) Back to the subject. Of course just because the bar looks terrible doesn't mean it tastes bad, I tell myself. SoyJoy has got to be the driest product I've ever eaten. There's no moisture whatsoever so it's a bit crumbly. On taste alone, it's not bad; the bars taste the way they're supposed to but it made me want a cup of iced coffee pronto. I didn't find it to be the least bit filling, even though the company is calling SoyJoy a "nutritious, portion-controlled snack." Maybe for Nicole Richie. Joy? Not for me. And at $1.59 per bar I'll spend my money on a bag of edamame.

www.soyjoy.com

A Luna Tea Cake Landing

Being the typical New Yorker who's always on the run, I try to have a nutritional or "energy" bar on hand at all times. I tend to think of bars in the following ways: a PowerBar is somewhat masculine, while Balance bars are sort of unisex. Then there's ones in the middle: Clif, Odwalla, the list goes on and on. One of my favorites is Luna, a bar especially made for women. They're more dainty than most bars and come in several tasty flavors. They may not be as temptingly delicious as they sound--Chocolate Peppermint Stick, Peanut Butter Cookie--but they don't taste like a shoe either. In addition to the usual fare, the company has come up with a product called Luna Tea Cakes. When I first read about these, I wasn't sure what to make of them as they sound like something I should eat while visiting Queen Elizabeth. The Tea Cakes are also not shaped like the usual bars; instead they are a mere 1 inch by 2.5 inches and come in a set of two with a "perforated" cut in the middle for easy snacking on the run. They are thicker and more tasty (they're infused with The Republic of Tea teas) than the bars as well but if you're like me, you'll wind up eating two of them. The flavors and claims on the packaging are interesting as well: Orange Blossom is for "healthy skin," while Berry Pomegranate gives you "longevity," and Vanilla Macadamia promotes "mood balance." So I guess if I eat enough of these I'll live a long time, have terrific skin and fly through menopause with no problem. Sounds good to me. If you do give these a try--and you should, especially Orange Blossom--make sure you "Take a Luna Moment," which is printed inside each package. I'm sure no one who's eaten this product has even noticed that someone worked very hard to come up with such positive reinforcement.

www.lunabar.com

Latest Obsession

On the lookout for PUR Flavor Options. If there's one thing I can't stand its when a company puts out a release about a new product and then you cannot find it anywhere. This product sounds very intriguing: a PUR water pitcher with the capability of dispensing either raspberry, peach or strawberry, depending on which cartridge one uses. More to come when I find the darn thing.

Shapely Patties: Bubba Burgers

As a loyal listener of sports talk radio icon WFAN, New York, I frequently hear the commercials for something called "Bubba Burgers," supposedly the best tasting burgers on the market. The ads must have gotten into my subconscious (see, advertising does work!) because when I saw a box of the sweet onion Bubbas at my local grocer's I decided to give them a try. Keeping in mind the company's too long and quite clumsy tagline--"You'll Never Bite A Burger Better Than A Bubba!"--I was looking forward to my dinner. Each box of Bubbas contains six one-half pound burgers, each shaped like the state of Texas, which they get points for. I'd prefer to eat something that looks like the Lone Star state instead of say, California or Florida both of which would make better hot dogs. Anyway, I have to say that I found the Bubbas to be quite juicy and tasty, much better than the ground beef at the grocery store. You also spare yourself the mess of preparing the burgers--you just take them out of the freezer and pop them in the broiler or grill pan. The trick is to make sure they're good and frozen before cooking as that keeps in the juices. I also appreciate that the paper they use in between the frozen burgers doesn't rip and fall apart when you're trying to separate the patties. Bubba Burgers come in several different varieties including original, reduced fat, angus beef, jalapeno, in addition to sweet onion. I'm on the lookout for the jalapeno burgers next. Now if they can just work on that tagline...

www.bubba-burger.com

Hey, There's Pumpkin In My Cereal (Sort Of)

Those who know me are well aware that my breakfast cereal box is more likely to have a leprechaun or blue ghost adorning it. However once and awhile I'll make an attempt to have something else in my house that's "healthy" for breakfast in addition to my usual oatmeal. Occasionally I will even check the tiny area marked "Organic" in my local grocey store. Recently I was looking in that very area and a cereal caught my eye--Nature's Path Organic Flax Pumpkin Raisin Crunch. It contained pumpkin, certainly not an ingredient one sees every day. I hardly noticed the rather gigantic "FLAX PLUS" type on the box, which normally would send me running to a sweet "yabba-dabba-do" treat instead. Since the Nature's Path cereal was on sale for a very reasonable price, I figured what the heck, I do love pumpkin, hopefully it won't taste horrible, and after all it is good for me. I strolled up to the cashier leaving behind lonely boxes of SpongeBob SquarePants and Froot Loops. A few days later, I tried my new purchase and was surprised that it wasn't terrible--in fact it was pretty darn good. I took a look at a handful of the cereal and while I can't say there were very many pumpkin seeds to be found, it was still chock full of raisins and lots of other good-for-you ingredients like rolled oats, flax meal and cinnamon, all organic. It's also high in fiber and has 650 mg. Omega-3's per serving. I've also eaten the cereal as a snack without milk and I have to say I'm impressed. It may not be enough for me to try the company's other cereals (until they perhaps come out with a Flax Plus Chocolate Creme flavor) but give it a try--it's about as tasty as it comes in "healthful" cereal form.

http://www.naturespath.com/products/cold_cereals/

"Two" Good To Believe

A few months back a friend who lives up in Rochester, N.Y., mentioned that she tried this different kind of ice cream. Except it wasn't really an ice cream she related, but it had two flavors and she assured me I'd like it. Naturally I searched high and low for this product only to come up empty until a few weeks ago when it finally made its way into our East Village neighborhood. Turns out she was talking about Duetto, an interesting and unique product from the underrated folks at Turkey Hill. Don't get me wrong--I love the ice cream that, say, Ben & Jerry's, Haagen-Daz or even Edy's makes, but Turkey Hill has hit a grand slam with Duetto. Each 1.50 quart tub consists of "tangy Venice ice and creamy vanilla soft serve." Basically it has two flavors with two textures which makes it stand out from your usual ice cream. Duetto is available in four flavors: mango, raspberry, cherry and lemon (my fav). You may still have trouble finding the product but I found this gem at Key Food on Avenue A and 4th St. for $5.99. If you grew up eating Italian ices and/or soft serve ice cream from Mr. Softee, this is the best of both worlds.

www.turkeyhill.com/products/duetto-ice-cream.asp


Thanks for reading!

Welcome And Pink Grapefruit For All

Hello fellow fans of food and drink, as well as those reading this just because they know me.

Welcome to my blog where I'll be writing about food and drink that fall under the category of "It may not be new but it's new to me and it is delicious." Being the crazed foodie that I am, I will volunteer my opinions on delicious and worth-trying foods and drinks so I can make you do so as well. But it's because I love you that I want you to try them too!

If you are like me, you usually don't find yourself saying, "Boy, I'm in the mood for something yummy. I think I'll have a yogurt." However I think I found a yogurt that fits that bill. Emmi's Pink Grapefruit yogurt is amazing. It tastes fresh, has the perfect blend of tartness and sweetness along with smatterings of pink grapefruit pulp but not overdone. Very creamy and a taste sensation. Makes me want to try the other varieties of this Swiss company's offerings. (Emmi also makes apricot, blueberry and black cherry yogurt, among others.) I'll tell you one thing: I can't wait to get more of these babies and I'm not a big "plain" yogurt fan (I prefer Oreo crumbles and Reese's pieces in mine!). Available at such places as Whole Foods, Food Emporium, Gristede's, Garden of Eden and Trader Joe's, I bought mine at the wonderful East Village Cheese in NYC on Third Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets. Emmi's was priced at $1.69 per yogurt at the shop.*

*update: Dean & DeLuca on Prince St. and Broadway has Emmi's yogurts for $1.50.

Here's the link to the Emmi site (click on the yogurt link at the top): http://www.emmiusa.com/


Thanks for reading!

Questions, comments are welcome.

A side note: I want to thank my good friends Christine, Rosella and Ellie, along with my sister Susan, who prodded me into doing this blog. After all, some of the above-mentioned have been dragged to shops time and time again while I wander apparently aimlessly (I really am looking) while trying to spot the hard-to-find gem amongst the mundane. xoxo