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.