Grocery Reviews

[Kelley's Note: We are joined again by Kirsten for this review of the uniquely UK phenomenon that is McDonald's Tastes of America. Check out her review of Week 2's burger here. As with before, I will be adding some tidbits from an Americ...
[Kelley's Note: We are joined again by Kirsten for this review of the uniquely UK phenomenon that is McDonald's Tastes of America. Check out her review of Week 2's burger here. As with before, I will be adding some tidbits from an American's point of view. Enjoy!] So, here we are at the third week of McDonald’s UK’s Tastes Of America. This week is the Arizona Nacho Grande. Big nachos? I’ve had a few. Huh. Actually, I’ve not had ANY in Arizona. Maybe next time, eh? Time to fess up – I don’t really know Spanish. If we were talking coffee language, grande would mean medium, but through the generic way we all absorb media and television, I can make a good guess at what they’re getting at. There is a place in AZ called Casa Grande, I know that. Maybe they thought it was a cute play on it- you know, pick somewhere off a map? No? No? Okay, we’ll stick with the Spanish thing. Or well, Mexican thing I guess. [Kelley's Note: Poor Kirsten. Having lived in the southwest (or South-West) all my life, my mind baffles at the idea that someone would not know that grande means “large” in Spanish. Then again, I had to have Kirsten explain the definition of “quid” to me just a few days ago, so I guess we're even.] AZ is South-West. In the UK, South-West is Cornwall, where the Cornish Pasty comes from. It was invented for miners. Why is there no pasty in Minecraft? I had a pasty in Phoenix, AZ once. That was pretty unexpected. All the way over there, 3 billion miles, just to sit in a desert eating foods from my homeland? Bah! An Arizonan sure wouldn’t have that eating the Arizona Nacho Grande. Now I regret not being in Cornwall to eat one, that’d show them. That’d show you all, HAH! Ahem. Had I not holidayed in Arizona the last two years, I’d have been hard-pressed to guess at the cuisine of the State. As is, ‘TexMex’ is insulting because AZ is not Texas, but still conjures up that shared love of meat, spicy food, and Mexican flavours. Arizona was where I first discovered pulled pork. I haven’t been the same since. I came back 2 months later hoping for more (and also to attend a wedding [the wedding of the pulled pork dealer]). Had my first taste of Arizona been this burger, I’d have no idea what I could even have begun to expect. From McDonald’s: “Treat yourself to the taste of Arizona. 100% beef patty topped with nacho-style sauce, shredded lettuce, pepperoni, crunchy nacho chips and cheese with peppers, all in a sesame topped bun.” [Kelley's Note: I feel like I can chime in here with some authority, having lived in Arizona for about ten years now. I find this burger most adorable. “Nacho-style sauce” fills me with doubts. I guess the chips make sense. But you know what I like most on my nachos? Pepperoni. Nothing says Arizona and nachos like pepperoni. Forget jalapeños, or poblano chiles...pepperoni is pure Arizona.] As I predicted, we’re talking about the same dimensions and ratio of patty to bun as the Chicago Supreme. Big patties. The Nacho Grande just has a plain old, no-nonsense sesame topping on the split top. No messing around there. It keeps its fancy secrets on the inside, keeping things closer to it’s chest. Looking inside, there was no way to differentiate between the ‘nacho sauce’ and the peppered cheese. And that’s the bell pepper kind, not the cracked black stuff. Just a mountain of cheesy goo. I dug in. I can’t imagine anything finer will ever be created at McDonald’s. Taking a big bite, you get that soft, perfect beef patty, chewy tangy pepperoni, the crunch of the nacho chips, the gooey cheese and the subtly palate-refreshing shredded lettuce. It’s a mouthful of sheer flavour and texture. The ingredients on their own are a little ordinary (I would consider the nacho tasted stale outside of the ensemble) but in combination they have created something that means I will leave a tiny of
about 5 hours ago
These round cookies were a virtual clone of ?lker's Cinnamon Chocolate version, with the same butter cookie material, round shape and grid pattern on top ? but a different filling with plenty of creamy milk chocolate deliciousness, witho...
These round cookies were a virtual clone of ?lker's Cinnamon Chocolate version, with the same butter cookie material, round shape and grid pattern on top ? but a different filling with plenty of creamy milk chocolate deliciousness, without the cinnamon kick. ...
about 6 hours ago
This version of Goldfish caught our attention because what makes more sense than French toast shaped like fish? The fish had a graham cracker color, just like the ones pictured on the bag (the ones at the bottom, not the one wearing the ...
This version of Goldfish caught our attention because what makes more sense than French toast shaped like fish? The fish had a graham cracker color, just like the ones pictured on the bag (the ones at the bottom, not the one wearing the sunglasses), but they had lots of white sugary stuff on the surfaces, unlike the ones on the bag. ...
about 10 hours ago
Being from the Midwest, I didn’t know anything about Cuban sandwiches until I moved to California. You read that correctly. It took a move 1,600 miles in the wrong direction for me to finally experience the warm, toasty delights of the M...
Being from the Midwest, I didn’t know anything about Cuban sandwiches until I moved to California. You read that correctly. It took a move 1,600 miles in the wrong direction for me to finally experience the warm, toasty delights of the Mixto — roasted pork, sliced ham, swiss cheese, pickles and yellow mustard on fresh Cuban bread pressed with a plancha (iron) and cut diagonally across the center. ¡Delicioso! So far be it from me to shy away from sampling the newest addition to the Hot Pockets line-up, the Limited Edition Cuban Style Hot Pocket. Much like the East Coast/West Coast hip hop feud of yore, there’s a rivalry between Tampa and Miami regarding ownership of the Cuban sandwich. Tampa appears to be the original home of the Mixto (a.k.a the Cubano), which was introduced there in the 1890s by hungry Cuban cigar factory workers in the Ybor City neighborhood. They did, however, add salami to the sandwich — a highly controversial move, especially considering how Miami’s sandwich artists have adhered to the traditional recipe. I suppose this would be the “Who Shot Ya?” event of the sandwich war because things really popped off after that. Suffice it to say, the salami-free Limited Edition Cuban Style Hot Pockets seem to welcome me to the city where the heat is on, all night on the beach ‘til the break of dawn. Bienvenido a Miami… These Hot Pockets are demanding that I get Pitbull on the phone and tell him to meet us in the V.I.P. at LIV for some bottle service after the Heat game and then afterwards, crank up the salsa as we speed to the Ritz-Carlton South Beach in our yellow Lambo for the after party. But before I book that plane ticket, let’s pause for a moment and talk about Cuban bread. It’s delicious and airy with that necessary touch of fat that makes Cuban bread Cuban and almost all other bread crap. I can’t be sure that the Hot Pockets people have injected lard into their crust, but the Cuban Style Hot Pocket is soft and delicious. True, the crust isn’t crispy since these Hot Pockets are heated in the microwave and don’t come with a crisping sleeve, but it isn’t soggy either. It manages to maintain a perfectly bread-like exterior with the right amount of give and softness without becoming a mushy mess. When it comes to the innards of the Limited Edition Cuban Style Hot Pockets, they closely approximate the makeup of authentic Cuban sandwiches. They are full of pickle flavor, but I’m at a loss trying to explain where the intense pickle-y taste actually comes from. How did they manage to get so much flavor out of these itsy bitsy chunks of pickle? The meat portion of this Hot Pocket consists of diced ham and sliced pork — two delicious meats that come from the same magically delicious animal. There is a hint of mustard in the Hot Pocket, but it definitely takes a backseat to the pickle flavor. The Limited Edition Cuban Style Hot Pocket is a winner with a pleasantly soft crust, savory pork bits, gooey Swiss cheese, tangy pickles, and no salami. Though it lacks the crispy, toasted texture one can only get from using a sandwich press instead of a microwave, I am positive that anyone looking for some Cubano goodness won’t be disappointed. Just don’t tell Tampa. (Nutrition Facts – 1 sandwich – 260 calories, 90 fat calories, 10 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 680 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, 10 grams of protein, 15% Calcium, 10%Iron, 0% Vitamin C, 2% Vitamin A.) Item: Limited Edition Cuban Style Hot Pockets Purchased Price: $2.00 (on sale) Size: 2 sandwiches Purchased at: Ralphs Rating: 8 out of 10 Pros: Pickles, pork & cheese. Thick, soft bread. Lard injections. Pitbull. Cons: Teensy mystery pickles. Sandwich feuds. Definitely not plancha crispy. Only around for a short time. Related posts: REVIEW: Hot Pockets Limited Edition Spicy Hawaiian Style Pizz
about 14 hours ago
We're asking you, our Cola Conquest fans, to tell us about your favorite summer Coca-Cola contests and promotions from the past. Also, any summer Coke commemoratives - we want to see them!
We're asking you, our Cola Conquest fans, to tell us about your favorite summer Coca-Cola contests and promotions from the past. Also, any summer Coke commemoratives - we want to see them!
about 22 hours ago
These crisps, made mostly from potato flour but with also many other grains, looked sort of remotely like narrow-rippled potato chips, except with very weird, irregular shapes and some wiggle on the surfaces. ...
These crisps, made mostly from potato flour but with also many other grains, looked sort of remotely like narrow-rippled potato chips, except with very weird, irregular shapes and some wiggle on the surfaces. ...
1 day ago
Here are some interesting new and limited edition products found on store shelves by us and your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of the products, share your thoughts about them in the comments. Damn skippy! Oh, no…I̵...
Here are some interesting new and limited edition products found on store shelves by us and your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of the products, share your thoughts about them in the comments. Damn skippy! Oh, no…I’m not amazed Skippy has a peanut spread with dark chocolate, I just like to write the same way your great grandpa talks. (Spotted by Deanna at Walmart.) If Betty Crocker’s first Target exclusive cookie mix and frosting flavor is cotton candy, I hope another fair food ends up as the second. Preferably, a deep fried fair food. (Spotted by Richard at Target.) I guarantee, as you’re reading this, there’s a baking blog owner somewhere who’s putting these Jet-Puffed MallowBites Chocolate Brownie Marshmallows into a brownie mix, taking photos of every step, and plans to post the photos and recipe on their blog tomorrow. (Spotted by Sara at Walmart.) According to Chobani, I’m supposed to flip for these new yogurts. Well, to be honest, it’s just yogurt with toppings, so it’s not that special to me. The only way I’d flip for Chobani Flip is if there was a liquid spill in front of the Chobani section of the dairy case. Oh wait. That wouldn’t be a flip; it would be a slip. (Spotted by Charmi at Target.) Thank you to all the photo contributors! If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new or limited edition product on the shelf, snap a picture of it, and send us an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found it and “Spotted” in the subject line. If you do so, you might see your picture in our next Spotted on Shelves post. Related posts: SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 2/18/2013 SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 3/8/2013 SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 2/20/2013 SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 5/10/2013 SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 5/1/2013
1 day ago
These potato chips were fairly flat, with a very light orange color overall and just a very sparse amount of dark seasoning. ...
These potato chips were fairly flat, with a very light orange color overall and just a very sparse amount of dark seasoning. ...
2 days ago
sodagiant Episode 114: The Ginger People Ginger Beer from sodagiant – The Internets Soft Drink Review Show. Like this? Watch the latest episode of sodagiant – The Internets Soft Drink Review Show on Blip! http://blip.tv/sodag...
sodagiant Episode 114: The Ginger People Ginger Beer from sodagiant – The Internets Soft Drink Review Show. Like this? Watch the latest episode of sodagiant – The Internets Soft Drink Review Show on Blip! http://blip.tv/sodagiant/watch Today weapos;re trying The Ginger Peopleapos;s Ginger Beer. This is about as pure of a ginger experience as you can get. Ginger, sugar, water, and thatapos;s about it. Will something so simple deliver in the ginger beer category? Letapos;s find out! See all episodes of sodagiant – The Internets Soft Drink Review Show http://blip.tv/sodagiant#EpisodeArchive Visit sodagiant – The Internets Soft Drink Review Show’s series page http://blip.tv/sodagiant
2 days ago
“That’s it?” “Yea. That’s it.” Such completed my transaction of the new Frosty Waffle Cone. Anticlimactic, brief, and disheartening, the short exchange with the Wendy’s guy as I looked upon this ...
“That’s it?” “Yea. That’s it.” Such completed my transaction of the new Frosty Waffle Cone. Anticlimactic, brief, and disheartening, the short exchange with the Wendy’s guy as I looked upon this innovation of fast food desserts — this long-hoped for, anxiously awaited breakthrough in hot-as-balls spring day relief — was matched only in brevity by the experience of eating the dissolving agglomeration of chocolate, cream, and God knows what else. Yes, like Frosty the Snowman in the Greenhouse, the new Frosty Waffle Cones don’t last long. But unlike Frosty resurrected by the magic of Christmas, a melted Waffle Cone doesn’t freeze back up into a sweet confection. You’ll have to excuse my somber tone. I do take my frozen desserts rather seriously, especially when it comes to the frozen dairy in a cone department. Having once perfected the seven loops of a Rita’s Large Frozen Custard Waffle Cone during a summer job, I feel a certain affinity towards sweet and creamy chocolate served with a crispy handle. Combine this affinity with a lifelong fixation upon the chemical properties of the not-quite-milkshake Frosty, and the revelation that the iconic frozen treat was getting the Waffle Cone treatment should have had every capacity to complete my life. Yes, my life. So you’ll imagine my dumfounded indignation upon seeing the liquidy puddle of chocolate Frosty barely reaching out of the Waffle Cone. While I pride myself in having advanced my use of imagery as a writer since my kindergarten days, the cone did, in fact, bare a strikingly resemblance to a diarrhea laden dump. Clearly, there is no truth in advertising anymore, and while I’d love to say that I was able to overcome this construction shortcoming, the fact is that I wasn’t four or five steps out the door before the Frosty concoction began to melt. Instead of licking the Frosty as you’d lick the soft serve ice cream in a traditional cone, you’re really forced to slurp the Frosty more than anything else. It’s a completely acceptable means of ingestion when you’ve got the benefit of a cup and a straw, but as the puddle of Frosty spills out onto your hands from the cone, you might find yourself wishing you had brought a bib. The taste of the Frosty isn’t bad. Obviously it tastes like a Chocolate Frosty, what with its sweet and not too intense cocoa flavor, but it strikes me as not having the standard consistency of the Frosty. It’s as if the particles of cream and sugar and mono and diglycerides are in active rebellion, and by melting so quickly proclaim a chorus of ‘hey, what the hell is this cone thing we’re floating in?’ As for that cone thing, take it from a seasoned waffle cone aficionado. There’s something off about it. A good waffle cone is malty with a slight give. You should be able to taste a batter component in there beneath that first crunch, and it should be sturdy enough to provide a thick crunch. This cone was more crispy than anything, with a bland sweetness that came off as cheap. If you’re looking to suffer disillusionment in the arms of a fast food classic, or perhaps if you just want to get sticky stains on your steering wheel and endanger the lives of motorists after a cruise through the drive-through, then yes, I highly recommend Wendy’s new Frosty Cone. However, the next time I wish to beat the heat on a hot day, I think I’ll just stick to the traditional Frosty in a cup. It’s classic and delicious, and what’s more, its construction doesn’t remind me on diarrhea. (Nutrition Facts – 1 Chocolate Frosty Waffle Cone – 300 calories, 6 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 54 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 35 grams of sugar, 7 grams of protein, and 20% calcium.) Item: Wendy’s Original Chocolate Frosty Waffle Cone Purchased Price: $1.69 Size: 1 cone (feels smaller than a Value Frosty) Purcha
3 days ago