Yummy Thomas' Holiday Muffins

I'm a sucker for just about anything cranberry. In fact I'm the designated cranberry sauce cook for my family's Thanksgiving feast (no canned jiggly maroon thingy for us). Heck, I've even slathered on cranberry body lotion. Around Thanksgiving, there's always "limited edition" items on the grocers' shelves and this year I found Thomas' Cranberry English Muffins. Festively packaged these muffins are downright delicious with each muffin bursting with lots of berries (boy, that sounds like a commercial!). I don't know about you but I love having cranberries in the "nooks and crannies" (tm) of my breakfast. Since they aren't around all that long I've bought a few packages and stored them in my freezer. If you're interested you can check out Thomas' store locator for this product until both this link and product disappear until next year.

thomas.gwbakeries.com/product.cfm/upc/4812125609

Snacking In 3D: Wingers Has Zing

I like to visit stores like CVS, Rite Aid and Duane Reade to aimlessly browse for products. In fact Rite Aid is right next store to where I do my laundry, so oftentimes I'll go there "just for fun," despite the fact that I know they never have anything new to look at. However the one area of those stores that are really fun to shop in are the food and beverage aisles. Would you like to try Rite Aid brand Pitted Prunes or Chunky Soup? Perhaps you'd like three cases of sugary, caffeine-laden soda for 10 bucks? Anyhow over at Duane Reade, the last few times I've been to that ubiquitous chain I've noticed the colorful bags of some sort of snacks called Wingers. I finally took the plunge and grabbed a number 5 bag off the shelf, something called Wingers Fiery Buffalo Bleu. I figured they'd just be chips but I was surprised to find that each snack is actually in the shape of a puffy light "chicken wing," sort of like a hollow Cheez Doodle. These 5ers definitely have some kick to them and they are reminiscent of buffalo wings and blue cheese. I'm not giving up my actual wings for these but as a snack they are pretty good. An added bonus is that these snacks are actually not terrible for you, healthwise. According to the package, the Wingers contain 60% less fat than potato chips, low fat, all-natural, and no trans fat (maybe I won't feel as guilty then if I'm having them with several beers). Other Wingers flavors include (from mild to hot, respectively) 1 No Bull Barbecue, 2 Honey Mustard Horsepower, 3 Nacho Chilichanga, and 4 Caribbean Zing. Turns out the 5 I chose is the hottest of the bunch but that was just a coincidence. I give an A+ for the "3D" design of each snack. The only place I've seen these sold is Duane Reade but I'm sure they'll be popping up all over the place soon. Get some for the rest of the NFL season!

www.buffalonickelfoods.com

On The Lookout For Häagen-Dazs' Peppermint Bark

One way you can tell the holidays are coming is when you start seeing peppermint bark candies for sale. I was in Macy's this weekend and saw peppermint bark popcorn and peppermint bark chocolates. Finally this evening, I saw an ad in Gourmet magazine for Peppermint Bark, a new limited edition iced cream by Häagen-Dazs. As soon as I can track this down I will review this intriguing dessert.

They're Tiny, Delicious & Portable. They're picklePAKS!

I am a huge fan of pickles and pickled products. Whenever I'm in Whole Foods I make sure to pick up a container of Guss' Pickles (or whoever is using that name at the moment). I eat pickles like I would cookies or ice cream. During my last trip to the grocery store I noticed this package holding four pudding container-style cups of Mt. Olive pickles. My first thought was, how adorable are these pickles and why didn't someone think of this before? I've been bringing my Kosher Dill Petites with me each day this week to enjoy along with my tuna fish and I have to say that not only are these teeny pickles delicious, but they also extremely CUTE! And it's not often one can say their food is, well, charming. I almost feel guilty eating them which could be because I checked out Mt. Olive's site and they have pickle characters named Vinessa, Dill B. Thrill, Dotty Dill, and Vinnie D. Joker, and I hope these tiny pickles I've been eating aren't related to them. There's plenty of pickles in each container and perhaps I'm a weirdo but I also drink the brine, which is quite tasty. Mt Olive also makes a picklePAK containing Sweet Petite pickles which I'm on the hunt for. I'm going to stock up on these for not only taking to work for lunch, but for snacking as well. Hopefully they'll add to the line (garlic and sour pickles, please!) but for now I'm enjoying my tiny green pickled snack.

www.picklepak.com

New Oreos Might Drive You Bananas

Nabisco has yet another addition to its growing family of Oreo cookies. This time it's a Banana Split Creme flavor, apparently an import from Canada. Not being a huge fan of banana-flavored food items, I figured I'd give it a shot even though I did not have high hopes for these cookies. Plus I was in the mood for eating something yellow. Even better, they were on sale. (In case you wonder how I eat my Oreos, I like to twist off the top of my cookie and then eat the creme separately. Now that you have that scintillating fact, we can return to the review.) Well, these Oreos certainly taste like bananas (artificial ones, of course) and are reminiscent of banana candy. They are quite sweet and very addictive, although three or four at one sitting was more than enough for me. I enjoyed these Oreos but I don't believe I like them as much as some of the other flavors available, such as the mint, white fudge, or even the regular Oreo. Labeled "limited edition," they may not be around on store shelves very long so make like a banana and split to find 'em.

Jelly Belly & Cold Stone Team Up For "Ice Cream" Beans

From the candy company that brought us the jelly bean offerings "snot," "moldy cheese" and "pencil shavings," comes a far more palatable mix of flavors. The newest entry in the Jelly Belly empire is a co-branded product based on Cold Stone Creamery's Signature Creation ice cream flavors. This set of candies includes Chocolate Devotion, Apple Pie a la Cold Stone, Mint Mint Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Our Strawberry Blonde, and Birthday Cake Remix. All of the new flavors are fairly tasty although I found the Birthday Cake Remix to be weak and well, not very Birthday Cake-y. It's a shame because I love the Cold Stone Creamery ice cream of that flavor and was looking forward to trying that flavor more so than the others. All in all, the beans are worth a try as they make a wonderful addition to the ever-growing Jelly Belly family. While Jelly Belly is at I think they should do consider some other co-branding opportunities in addition to Cold Stone. How about McDonald's? Would you try a Big Mac or Angus Burger Jelly Belly? Or how about some breakfast cereal Beans? Lucky Charms, Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Puffs Jelly Bellys anyone? Actually I'm not kidding as I'd actually try (and probably enjoy) any or all of the proposed Jelly Bellys listed above. Who knows? Maybe they'll read this and think it's a good idea too.

http://www.jellybelly.com

I Heart Sen Cha Green Tea Bars

I've found the love of my life. I saw this item initially at Garden of Eden on 14th Street and became infatuated. Eventually I met my delicious companion right in my neighborhood and upon our first kiss it was love at first bite. Ok, we didn't kiss but I did bite it. I'm talking about my new favorite bar, the Sen Cha Green Tea Bars. These bars come in three flavors: Original, Lively Lemongrass, and Delicate Pear. Honestly, you cannot go wrong with any of the choices. If I had to choose a favorite, I'd go with the Pear and they've appropriately named the bar because the flavor is quite "delicate." Each bar is a blend of roasted organic brown rice, antioxidant rich goji berries, nuts and seeds, and is equal to three cups of green tea. Additionally, the bars are gluten and wheat-free/vegan. I've found these Sen Cha bars fill me up when I'm on the go, which is another benefit. I thought I would have to stock up on these bars when I find them but I've noticed that they are now readily available at the Vitamin Shoppe, as well as some gourmet shops, coffee shops and hotels. More than likely these bars will run you a bit more than you'll pay for a Balance or Luna Bar but in my humble opinion there's no comparison. As much as I love you, Luna, we're done. We'll stay friends but I'm going steady with Sen Cha now. See ya later.

www.senchanaturals.com/

Red Fire In The Freezer: Vosges Does It Again

Anyone who reads this blog knows that I am a big fan of Vosges Haut Chocolat, the exotic chocolatier. I've even turned my dad into a Mo's Bacon Bar-eating fellow, quite a feat considering he usually doesn't eat anything "weird." On occasion I've noticed containers of Vosges ice creams in some gourmet shops in the area over the past month or so but I finally took the plunge today. Tempted by the thought of Mexican ancho and chipotle chillies in my ice cream, I picked up Vosges' Red Fire, which is one of four available flavors. Upon closer inspection Red Fire is also comprised of Ceylon cinnamon and dark chocolate ice cream, so to quote the Barefoot Contessa, "What's not to like?" The answer is, nothing. It's an amazingly layering taste with first the dark chocolate, then a little bit of cinnamon and finally the heat, hits you. For those who don't love spicy food, the heat is very subtle. It's definitely more of a dessert product rather than, say, Ben & Jerry's where you'd actually sit down and eat the pint at one sitting. And that's a good thing because, trust me, the Vosges ice cream would be gone before I sat down to write this post. I wasn't as curious before about the other flavors before I tried Red Fire, but now I think I'll give them a try sometime soon. The other interesting Vosges ice cream flavors include Naga, a sweet Indian curry with fresh coconut and custard ice cream; Pandan, an Asian-inspired ice cream made from the pandan leaf (notes of pine nut, vanilla wafer and tree nuts) with dark chocolate; and Wattleseed, which is edible seeds from the Australian acacia, plus roasted macadamia nuts and custard ice cream. Fancy! Vosges is one of the few companies that, when I'm looking at their ingredients I actually have to Google some of the contents because they're that exotic. Note that Vosges ice cream will cost you a couple of dollars more than your usual dessert but I think you'll agree it is money well spent. In the New York City area, I've seen this ice cream in Citarella (6th Avenue and 9th Street) and Dean & DeLuca in SoHo.

www.vosgeschocolate.com/product/exotic_ice_cream/exotic_ice_creams

Sierra Mist Gets "Smart" With Undercover Orange

One place I never thought I'd see Steve Carell in would be the my local market in the beverage section. I wish it was in person but alas, he was only on the label of a bottle of soda. Carell, star of NBC's "The Office," will soon also be featured (along with fellow label mate Anne Hathaway) in the movie version of the old television series "Get Smart." As a tie-in to the upcoming film, PepsiCo has unleashed Sierra Mist Undercover Orange, a "limited edition" lemon-lime soda with mandarin orange flavor. Undercover Orange is clear in color (guess the orange went "undercover") and is quite tasty. The mandarin flavor gives the beverage a nice, crisp citrusy flavor. There's also a Sierra Mist Free (diet) version of this soda which I haven't been able to track down. Kudos to the designers of the label as it really grabbed my attention with the bright colors and clear "orange" soda, as well as the unusual flavor combination. But honestly the selling point for me was that "Michael Scott" was staring at me, daring me to buy this soda. Who knows, maybe I'll even grab my shoe phone, an Undercover Orange and head to the theater to see "Get Smart." And that's what she said.

POWERade's Option Really Turns To ZERO

There's a dizzying array of "sports drinks" on the market currently, with Coca-Cola and Pepsi trying outdo each other at every turn. Recently, Pepsi launched G2, a "lighter" version of Gatorade, and Propel Fitness Water, a lower-calorie Propel. I tried both of these and while they're fine, I just don't see the point of having yet another lower cal version that removes the sugar and adds crap sweetener so it can be marketed as more of a "diet" product. Coke's POWERade Option was one of my favorite beverages to drink—that is when I could find it. Of course now that I finally located an outlet for my Option, Coke's gone and screwed it up by replacing that product with POWERade ZERO. Let me get this straight: Coke decided to remove the 10-calorie Option for zero calorie ZERO? I was worried that those 10 calories would really go to my hips. Also Option was a clear liquid which was enough of a tip-off to me that it was low-cal. I get it. Note to Coke: a gigantic "ZERO" on the label is not going to get me to keep buying this stuff. Geez, Louise. A taste comparison unveils that the ZERO is much sweeter tasting because of the addition of some type of fake sweetener with about 30 letters in its complete name. Option had a nice mild taste. The best thing about POWERade ZERO is that the label is nicely designed, with the white against the now-colored liquid shining brightly. If you're interested, ZERO comes in mixed berry (blue), grape (purple), and strawberry (red). So Coke, I want my Option back. And cut it with the "zero" on all your labels. We ain't stupid.

http://us.powerade.com/#/drink/zero

Häagen-Dazs Goes Green With Tea Ice Cream

On a recent shopping trip to the market, I tried my "don't look at the ice cream case" manuever but I'm weak. A pint of Häagen-Dazs Green Tea ice cream caught my eye. The packaging is attractive, complete with the "limited edition" label adorning the lid. This product falls under the "must try" category simply based on the fact that it's green tea and made by Haagen-Dazs. I've tried a few green tea ice creams in my day and usually it's not something I go out of my way for because I've always thought them fairly bland. Well let me be among the first to say that this Green Tea ice cream is amazing. It's creamy and the taste of the tea—from Japanese Matcha green tea—really shines through. According to Häagen-Dazs's site, this flavor is the number one selling ice cream for the company in Japan, which is no surprise. This flavor will only be around until August so if you're into a fantastic dessert ice cream, grab a couple of pints of this green wonder. I'd tell you where I found mine but I want it all to myself.

http://www.haagen-dazs.com/products/product.aspx

Don't Limit My Diet Dr Pepper Cherry Chocolate!

I'm very late to the game for the Diet Dr Pepper Cherry Chocolate bandwagon. However, there's a good reason for that: I couldn't find the darn beverage anywhere in New York City. I've searched countless bodegas, grocery stores and specialty shops and always came up empty. But then along came Mel, who came through like Eli Manning in Super Bowl XLII. Mel happens to also enjoy trying offbeat flavored sodas and he mentioned that he picked up some of the Cherry Chocolate soda, which he liked quite a bit. He was kind enough to offer to grab some cans from Target and finally last week there it was sitting in my office. I admired the pop art-style artwork that adorns the cans and brought some home, making sure they got nice and chilled. Then it was time to take a sip. And it did not disappoint. The sweet soda starts out with the familiar Dr Pepper taste and a cherry flavor, finishing with a nice little blast of chocolate. Personally I think it's one of the best sodas I've ever had the pleasure to meet. It's limited edition availability is over after April so I'd suggest stocking up. It may or may not return depending on its sales figures but as far as I'm concerned I'd love to see it return permanently and be able to actually buy some on my own. I'm rationing my last few cans and I won't be happy when they're gone. To quote (more like, butcher) the old Dr Pepper jingle, "I'd like this to be a Pepper too."

http://www.drpepper.com/

Pringles Pickle Chips Really Are Extreme

Potato chips that taste like pickles are not everyone's cup of brine. About a year ago I tried Lay's Dill Pickle Potato Chips which were interesting and quite pickle-y, but a bit on on the bland side, at least for me. Along comes Pringles' Extreme Flavors line which includes Screamin' Dill Pickle, Kickin' Cheddar, and Blazin' Buffalo Wing. I was most interested in the latter chips as my first choice but alas, my local deli only carried Dill Pickle and Cheddar so I bought a canister of Screamin' and thought I'd see what some of my co-workers thought. ML (previously mentioned on this blog for her love of Kinder's Bueno chocolate bar) wasn't all that impressed as she thought they were "too tangy," while Belle and Kristen ate just a few and said they were "pretty good." I suspect they were not exactly feeling the Screamin' pickle chip love and didn't want to indulge any further in my "weird" purchase. I took the Extreme plunge myself too, and I'll admit they are an acquired taste. They are an assault to your taste buds but in a good way. I regard these Screamin' Dill Pickle chips as the nasty cousin to the Lay's Dill Pickle chips. I'd like to say that you cannot possibly eat too many at one time but I just finished them before I wrote this post. Of course that was for research purposes.

http://www.pringles.com/pages/products/extreme.shtml

Egg-stra Special: Mom's Easter Treat

In my little world, there are several reasons to look forward to the Easter season. The baseball season is on the horizon (and the Knicks season is mercifully drawing to a close), another birthday is about to rear its ugly head, and then there's the actual Easter dinner, which is always delicious. While the ham, sweet potatoes, green beans with almond slivers and the like are all very fine, the one thing I really go nuts for is a pastry that we call "Egg in a Basket" (pictured, but I think this one was the "runt" of the bunch so it doesn't do it justice). For as long as I can remember my Mom has been making this wonderful treat, which is not quite cookie nor cake. This "Egg in a Basket" is actually called "Pupa Cu L'ova," and as best as I can tell is a traditional Italian pastry that is symbolic of the Easter season. My Mom recalls learning the recipe from her Aunt Mary, my Dad's aunt, sometime in the early 1960's. The treat is made from scratch using cookie dough rolled out, with strips placed across a hard-boiled egg in a cross shape and then baked. After the baskets are removed from the oven, icing (also made from scratch) and sprinkles are added on top at just the right moment. Mom makes them perfectly, which to me is having the dough still be doughy and chewy. I always try to scam a few extras but I have to fight with my two sisters, a brother and my four nieces and a nephew for them, not to mention my Dad, so this usually results in my coming home with just two. I may give this a try when I get the recipe from Mom but I'm sure it won't be half as good as hers. So I think next year I'll ask my Mom to make me a few extras in exchange for some Dior or L'Occitane products. Whaddya say, Mom? Do we have a deal?

So Sweet: Utz Kettle Classics Is Smokin'

I was in the mood for potato chips, a craving that hits me just once in a while. I was in Duane Reade and the little mascot girl with the red bow on the Utz bags caught my eye. I wonder who she is. Is she a caricature of the Utz owner's daughter? Does she have a name? Did you know that you can buy an Utz Girl doll or that there are several blogs dedicated to Utz Girl fans? I didn't but now I do. Anyway, after searching through the vast collection of Utz potato chip choices available, I settled on Utz Kettle Classics Smokin' Sweet BBQ Flavored, which is perhaps the longest name for the smallest bag of chips. Well, I don't know how long these snacks have been around but where the hell have I been? Smokin' Sweet is just that: these chips are not too hot and nicely sweet and best of all, have no cholesterol and are kettle cooked in 100 percent pure peanut oil. For once I was able to eat chips and not have my fingers covered in grease. Utz's other Kettle Classics include Regular, Reduced Fat Regular, Dark Russet, Sweet Potato, Jalapeno, and Salt & Malt Vinegar, which all sound quite delicious. I'm so overjoyed with my Utz experience that I also joined the company's Tasting Club. You go, Utz girl!

http://www.utzsnacks.com/products.html

Ahoy! I Love It Big & Soft

Despite what this blog often has as entries, believe it or not I don't always have a sweet tooth. In fact, I rarely had a hankering for chocolate or cookies until my co-worker ML came onboard. Several days during the week, I'll accompany ML to the local deli to pick up lunch. And each day ML gets a chocolate bar (her candy of choice is Kinder Bueno). Sometimes ML will get a bag of cookies to share with everyone. Sometimes I get to it too late and there's only one or part of one cookie left. So thanks to ML, I now notice cookies in the grocery store. And to that end, my thinking has always been if you want a cookie (or cookies), then darn it eat a cookie. I've always thought that the 100 calorie packs are a bit of a joke. I mean how often do you finish eating one of those tiny "treats" and think, "Hmm, should I have another?," or perhaps you've said, "Was that cardboard with chocolate?" Go ahead, keep sticking your fingers in that bag. There ain't nothing left. Those packs are so puny they don't even leave crumbs. They are a pathetic tease. Smartly, Nabisco has debuted its new line of cookies which I think makes more sense. For 80 calories more, you can now have a delicious, tasty treat without feeling guilty (well, I don't). Nabisco's Big & Soft cookies come in boxes of eight, with each cookie individually wrapped so it's easy to transport and/or snack on while you are on the go. Or toss Biggie Soft in your bag to eat as a snack later at work and make your co-workers jealous. Thus far I've tried the Chips Ahoy! Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Big & Soft and I was very satisfied. You can also pick up the Nutter Butter and Chocolate Chunk versions. I suspect you won't go wrong no matter what you choose. So go ahead and have a more substantial and tasty snack. ML, this cookie's for you.

www.nabiscoworld.com/chipsahoy/

Turning Water Into Chocolate

Awhile back I was reading about Metromint's newest bottled water variation, Chocolatemint. You may or may not know these folks. Soma Beverages's Metromint is the company who have the tall eye-catchingly-designed bottles with the large dots on the shelves of your local delis and gourmet shops. Metromint's line of zero calories, zero sugar waters already includes Peppermint, Lemonmint, Spearmint and Orangemint. Since I'm not an enthusiast of drinking plain water, oftentimes I seek out beverages that have a flavor (Propel) or mask the taste of the water altogether (Vitamin Water). Before trying Metromint I always assumed that mint and water together would never really be a good fit. Turns out I was as incorrect as all those so-called "experts" who picked the Patriots to run rings around the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. (By the way, congratulations to the Giants. That game was the most amazing sporting event I've seen since the Mets came back to beat the Red Sox in '86. And that catch by David Tyree should be dubbed "The Helmet Heave.") What I love about Metromint and the Chocolatemint flavor in particular is that the beverage is quite refreshing. The taste of the chocolate and mint is most obvious at the end of the sip. It's incredibly chocolatey and minty and, considering that there's no sweeteners of any kind, that's quite a feat. One note about drinking all the Metromint flavors--for best results make sure to drink it very cold. Lukewarm mint flavor is pretty bad and doesn't do these beverages any justice. If you can't find the Chocolatemint flavor, try Whole Foods or gourmet shops like Balducci's. Maybe you can get a bottle for your significant other for Valentine's Day. Chocolatemint might compliment that box of chocolates you've picked up. But make sure it's Godiva or Vosges, not Russell Stover.

www.metromint.com

Skittles: Taste The Brown-Hued Rainbow

The most recent addition to the Skittles family, Chocolate Mix Skittles, has popped up in some stores (I found mine at Duane Reade). I laid some of the pieces on a table only to have my cat Samantha mistake them for toys and knock some on the ground. Oh well, still have enough. Anyway, these Skittles consist of five different varieties: S'mores, Chocolate Pudding, Chocolate Caramel, Vanilla (since when is vanilla a chocolate?), and Brownie Batter. For the most part each of the flavors tastes as it should with mixed--but mostly good--results. Chances are if you are a fan of the oddly-flavored Jelly Belly beans which include such flavors as Jalapeno, Berry Blue, Buttered Popcorn, Cantaloupe, and Caramel Corn, you'll probably enjoy Chocolate Mix Skittles as well. (Incidentally, Jelly Belly makes their own Chocolate Pudding bean.) I think the Skittles are much better mixed and matched but see for yourself. Is the color brown in a rainbow? Yup, in the world of candy it is now.