Feelin' Good About The Blueberry Pomegranate G2

On a recent visit to my local Kmart, I did my usual search through the aisles in the beverage section for new flavors routine. I've heard that Gatorade was releasing a Blueberry Pomegranate flavor under it's G2 arm and lo and behold, there it was. Totally psyched, I grabbed a couple of bottles and headed home. I like when companies experiment with interesting flavors. I love G2 Grape and Fruit Punch too, but let's face it, they're not all that exciting. With Blueberry Pomegranate, now we're talking. Besides having the illusion of "healthiness," it tastes darn good. The beverage is refreshingly fruity, although I don't know if it's reminiscent of blueberry or pomegranate. All I know is that it's a winner. I went back to Kmart today and much to my horror, the 32 ounce bottles of my new favorite G2 was SOLD OUT! However they also carried the 8-pack of 20 ounces of the blueberry pomegranate so I opted for that over the smaller 8=pack of the 12 ounces. It turned out to be a good bargain as it rang up for $5.50 despite the sticker stating that it would cost me over $8.00. I'm hoping that this G2 flavor will find it's way to the outlets that are a bit closer to my apartment. Fortunately the "Big K" is on the way home from work for me so I'll just have to make some G2 pitstops in the meantime.

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

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/

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

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.

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?

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

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

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