Food In The News

60 Desserts for Independence Day

Britain's first Indian restaurant

Losing the heart of Goa

A rant by Nikhil Chib

Sources:

"60 desserts to indulge your sweet tooth this I-Day", Bati Tiwari, Hindustan Times, New Delhi, August 12, 2007

"Patna resident started Britain's first Indian restaurant", Prasun Sonwalkar,Hindustan Times, Indo-Asian News Service, London, July 24, 2007

"Few takers for Goan cuisine",Hindustan Times,Indo-Asian News Service, Panaji, July 09, 2007

"What makes a critic ‘a critic’ ",Nikhil Chib (HT Cafe), Hindustan Times, Mumbai, April 21, 2007

Food In the News

Cricket

Wasted in Berlin

Sources:

"Meanwhile, one last word on jellybeans: we do it, too", The Indian Express, Yahoo! India > Sports > Cricket, August 12, 2007

"Wasted in Berlin: 'Drink, Don't Think' ", by Markus Deggerich in Berlin, Spiegel Online International, English Site > Germany > Berlin, Poor but Sexy, August 6, 2007,

Casbah Falafel Mix

I was shopping at Carr's / Safeway the other day. I happened to look at the bottom shelf in the rice aisle and noticed all these interesting brands I'd never heard of before [including the previously mentioned Lunbgerg risotto]. I decided to buy a box of Casbah Falafel Mix on the spot.My roommates were to be my guineas pigs that night *waves to the guys*.

The instructions called for mixing in 1 cup of water and forming patties. An initial taste of the batter made me realize it was too grainy tasting to please my meat and potato loving men. I added whole milk ricotta, Gorgonzola cream sauce, black beans, chunky salsa, and fresh chopped garlic, onions and tomatoes to the batter. I used olive oil instead of vegetable oil for frying.

I should add that one of my roommates is a mischievous Bulgarian. I had turned my back on the pan for one second. The next thing I knew he was at the stove with a bottle in hand [ "Bwa ha ha, this needs pehhhhhhper ! Lots of hot spicy red pehhhhhhhper ! *Count Von Count laugh* That's how we like it in Bulgaria !"] The red pepper flakes were the perfect addition to the falafel. The only thing missing was some cucumber yogurt sauce. I wish I had thought to make a batch of it.

Overall, the falafel was a big hit at my apartment. I definitely plan to buy Casbah Falafel Mix again.

**I know at least one of you must be singing "Rock the Casbah !" after reading this post.

Lundberg Risotto: Butternut Squash

Lundberg's risotto mix is outstanding! It is slightly creamy, with a tantalizing, mouth pleasing butternut squash ambiance. The package is small, but makes a lot more risotto than expected. I suggest serving it with spicy jerky chicken, red grapes and a good bottle of wine. The flavors play off each other magnificently. Two thumbs up for Lunberg!

Jimmy Dean Breakfast Bowls: Bacon

Let's try an experiment. Go in your kitchen and look for a bottle of Bacon Bits. Found it ? Great ! Now open it up and gulp down the whole thing. Not too pleasant, eh ? That is the closest comparison I can give to Jimmy Dean's Breakfast Bowl of bacon, eggs, potatoes and cheddar.

The amount of bacon in one bowl was astoundingly disgusting and salty. My reaction after reading the sodium, cholesterol and saturated fat count was "Holy moley, how did my heart not stop working after one spoonful ?!"

The potatoes were rather mushy, even after being cooked in a frying pan. Yes, I am aware it is a microwave product, dear sweet Jimmy Dean lawyers / or product quality assurance folks. I don't think microwaving, sauteing or balancing it on my nose like a seal would have made a difference.

A big fat [no pun intended] "F" goes to Jimmy Dean.

Lean Cuisine Butternut Squash Ravioli

This Spa Cuisine Classic [TM, of course] is served "in a creamy sauce with walnuts, snap peas and carrots", plus yellow carrots and red peppers. The box proclaims "TWICE THE VEGGIES" and "NO PRESERVATIVES." Goody good for that. "But how does it taste ?" you must be wondering, mon petit chou. Well, the filling does not have a rich squash flavor. There is certainly not enough pasta in the box for my taste. Yes, I know it's called "Lean Cuisine" ; ) The walnuts are chopped up too finely. The abundance of peas and carrots overpowers the entire dish. I am not terribly impressed with Lean Cuisine's idea. It sounds tasty on paper, but it does not translate well to reality.

Sangria Senorial [non-alcoholic Sangria]

This drink caught my eye at the [pitifully small, 2 shelf] Mexican aisle at Carr's / Safeway. Can you tell I miss Miami ? Anyway, I gave in on my last shopping trip and bought a bottle. Big disclaimer: I have never tried real Sangria before. But I will say that the non-alcoholic version is very light on the tongue. Trying to capture and identify the taste is a fruitless effort.

Taco Bell Fiesta Steak Bowlz

"Mexican-Style Rice, Refried Beans, Steak Strips, Smoky Fiesta Sauce With Onions, Red Bell Peppers, and Green Bell Peppers"

Two problems with this product:
#1. The name. I keep reading it as "Fiesta Bowels", which makes an interesting commentary on the quality of this product.
#2. The package says "steak strips." Yeah, I'm not seeing any of those here. What I have is a big bowl of refried beans, smushed rice and what looks like onion soup with just a tiny pinch of meat thrown in. There's no such thing as 1/8 x 1/8 inch steak strips, y'all. It's pitiful to look at. I give this product a big thumbs down.

**I see I'm not alone in my disdain:

Bonnie Tandy Leblang's review, Taco Bell's Bowlz are boring, short on meat, Deseret News (Salt Lake City)April 25,2007

Wolfgang Puck's Pizza

The grocery store I currently shop at is not where one would expect to find gourmet products. So I was surprised to come across Wolfgang Puck's All Natural Four Cheese, Tomato and Pesto Pizza. The four cheeses are mozzarella, fontina, parmesan and goat cheese. Huge props for that combination and the soft, thick crust. It cooked rather quickly, too.

However, the tomatoes were soggy. This pizza would have been perfect if it had been topped with the sweet, succulent tomatoes Amy's Organic uses. Also, the pie is rather small at 12.25 ounces. One of my roommates and I polished it off very quickly [Yes, I had three slices. Shush.].

Seven dollars for one tiny pizza is rather extravagant. I could have bought a bigger, albeit less tasty, one from Pizza Hut or Red Barron. It is unfortunate,but this yummy masterpiece is probably a one time buy for me. It seems impractical to purchase something so small and expensive unless you are eating alone or have a small appetite.

Book Review: Tender At The Bone

Ruth Reichl's disclaimer right off the bat is that some things may have been embellished. We do not prefer to hear that from every author, as some smoke and mirrors have their place. But that initial admission earns Ruth a place in our hearts as we follow her from childhood to the early years with husband Doug. Every memory, even the painful ones, are too ethereal and delicate to analyze too closely, lest they dissolve like bubbles in midair.This book combines the guilty pleasures of An American Childhood, How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents and "Strike." This is an unforgettable, must read book, to be savored in a cozy hideaway with a stash of fine chocolate and a bottle of wine.

Strike

An American Childhood

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents

Book Review: Candy Freak

After reading one or two chapters of Steve Almond's Candy Freak, one is tempted to think of him as a Dave Barry kind of guy. [And there is much geeky fan girl love for Dave here] But that is not the case. Steve has a insightful, witty and thought provoking style all his own. Reaching the end of this candy filled trip is akin to deciding a third date is in order with a particular person. You come to see that Steve has his flaws, but you like those flaws as is. Candy Freak will leave you wanting more candy and more of Steve's writing.

A rant about eggplant and squash

Many Americans dislike squash -- and with good reason. They have only tasted the mushy, thick pieces served in a casserole called "Aunt JoJo's Squash Supreme" or "Boiled Squash Delight." It is unfortunate they have never savored the delight that is my mother's fried squash. All one needs is peeled, thinly sliced pieces of squash. Drain them on a paper towel, coat 'em properly and fry, people. Nothing to it. I'm probably missing a step or two there, but you get my point.

Ditto for the monstrosity that is being passed off as eggplant Parmesan. There's no insult to the eyes and the palate like a big plate of spaghetti topped with a limp, mushy patty of eggplant. Great eggplant Parmesan should be able to stand out on it's own without heaps of pasta. Really, all you need to do is follow the same steps used for fried squash, then bake it with the other ingredients. And for Pete's sake, don't serve unpeeled eggplant or squash. It's like biting into fragments of plastic grocery sacks. *steps off soapbox*

Hey from Anchorage

Sorry for the lack of posts,y'all. I've only had internet access 2 or 3 times since I moved to Anchorage. More new posts are coming soon !

Anchorage restauraunts = More ideas, please !

I'm looking for recommendations about restaurants in Anchorage, since I'm new to the area. Any help is appreciated : )

Inlet View Espresso, Anchorage, Alaska

Inlet View Espresso
Ship Creek Center
333 W. 4th Avenue
Anchorage, Alaska
907-277-7332

The sandwiches at this cafe are not impressive. Don't get me wrong, the sandwiches were not poorly made or anything of that nature. It's just not worth $5 for one made from Kraft slices, some ham and the cheap brand of bread most of us buy at Carr's.

The selection of smoothies and desserts, however, is quite extensive and seems promising.

The Winter Thyme, Anchorage, Alaska

The Winter Thyme
735 K St # E
Anchorage, AK 99501
(907)677-3843

On my second day in Anchorage, I ate at Winter Thyme. The restaurant bills itself as presenting comfort food at low prices. I don't consider $20 for their buffalo meatloaf to be cheap, but then again I'm from the lower 48 : D

I did not order said meatloaf. What I chose was the salmon won tons. They came with a nice, tangy sauce containing a slice of mandarin orange and a side of lettuce. Absolutely delicious !

I won't be visiting Winter Thyme often, due to the prices. But I think it's a wonderful restaurant for a special occasion dinner.

*02/05/09 Update: The Winter Thyme is out of business, according to their MySpace page.

Sullivan's Steakhouse, Anchorage, Alaska

Sullivan's Steakhouse
320 W 5th Ave # 100
Anchorage, AK 99501
(907) 258-2882

My roommate and I ate at Sullivan's Steakhouse recently. The restaurant is horribly noisy, even when the musicians take a break from playing. I ordered the blue cheese meatloaf. The cheese was ground up too much to leave a noticeable taste. The beef was great, but too heavy on the bourbon sauce, onions and mushrooms. The accompanying mash potatoes were nothing special.

My roommate ordered a Caesar salad and crab cakes. Here is what she thought of it:

"The crab cakes were okay. Not great, though. They were actually kind of bland. They needed more of the seasoning. The salad needed more dressing. It was pretty bland, too."

I don't think either of us will go back to Sullivan's any time soon.

I'll be out of town for a week or two. New updates will be posted after I come back.

Until then,

enjoy Dave's blog.

He's my favorite author

Ezekial 4:9 Cereal

I think I have a new favorite cereal. I bought a box of Ezekiel 4:9 at Publix last month in the organic / all natural aisle, aka the really expensive section ; ) This cereal is made from:

Organic Sprouted Whole Wheat, Organic Malted Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Millet, Organic Sprouted Whole Lentils, Organic Sprouted Whole Soybeans, Organic Sprouted Whole Spelt, Filtered Water, Sea Salt.

I'm betting that right now that most of you either thought "Yuck ! Pass the Lucky Charms !" or "*doe eyes* Mmmm, wheat, barley...." Count me in the second group. This cereal tastes like a slightly less crunchy version of Grape Nuts. And it's flourless, too.

The price is rather steep, but I would buy this cereal again. The taste is worth it.

York Mints

I recently spotted a display of York Mints at Food Lion. They were nearly $2 : P But I decided to splurge a little and give them a try.

The candies consist of a white mint shell, a layer of chocolate and some more mint filling. Two pieces was enough candy for me. York Mints are not one of those candies like Snow Caps or M&Ms that you want to keep popping into your mouth. It's not a matter of tasting bad; the candies taste decent enough. They're just lacking in something. I would have to agree with this from

Candy Blog

...They’re not quite strong enough to be a breath mint and not satisfying enough to be a candy...

Wrigley's Kona Creme Gum

I received a pack of Wrigley's Kona Creme gum from my mother recently. The pack had been sitting in her purse for a couple days because "I tried it the other day and didn't like that gum. It leaves a bitter aftertaste. You know I don't drink coffee." I don't drink coffee either. I love coffee ice cream, coffee candies and those coffee smoothies from Barney's, but not the actual drink.

I ended up liking the taste of the gum. It left a pleasant, definitely not bitter coffee taste in my mouth. Just one problem, though: With mint gum, you want the taste to linger. With coffee flavoring, I want to wash the taste down with a pastry. Who wants to go around with coffee breath all day ? This product would definitely fall under novelty candy for me. It's nice to try once, but I wouldn't buy it again.

**The coffee gum was not listed in Wrigley's website. What I did find was this explanation and review from

Impulsive Buy

....For those who don’t know, Kona coffee is considered to be one of the premium coffees in the world and it comes from a little town called Kona, which is a tourist destination, much like Oahu’s Waikiki or Maui’s Lahaina, except significantly smaller and without any transvestite prostitutes....

Food In The News

Amish bakers

Greece

Sources:

"Amish bakers in Ohio face food safety scrutiny", by Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch via AP USA Today, March 14, 2007

"Greece's first health food on-the-go a hit", Reuters, by Angeliki Koutantou, March 14, 2007

Food In The News

Very hot ice cream

Street vendors

Illinois: Kid friendly food

Sources:

"Spicy ice cream hits a hot spot", by Pailin Wedel, News and Observer, USA Today, 7/3/2006

"Project to teach street food vendors a thing or two about hygiene", Express News Service, Kolkata Newsline, March 5, 2007,

"Palate Pleasing Kids’ Menus", February 16, 2007, Posted by Rob Benes on Kids Cuisine, Well Fed Network blog

Trident Splash: Strawberry with Lime

Strawberry mixed with lime is a tasty combination when it comes to tropical poolside drinks. In a gum, however, it's not so hot.

Upon opening my sample of Trident Splash, I was hit with a sickly sweet aroma of artificial strawberry. The first bite produced a flavor closer to artificial watermelon than strawberry. In the center of the gum was the lime filling, which tasted like a lime Slurpee. The flavor of the gum alternated between watermelon and lime. Those two flavors did not mix well : P

Chocolate Hazelnut Pudding

Yesterday was my first attempt at making pudding from scratch. The original recipe, sans the candy bars, came from a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

3 TBSP cornstarch
1/2 C. granulated white sugar
Dash of salt
1/2 C. cold milk
1 3/4 C. scalded milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla [I used French Vanilla
Coffee Mate coffee creamer]
5 - 1.3 oz Hershey's Cacao Reserves Bars [Milk
Chocolate With Hazelnut]
1/3 C. cocoa

Mix cornstarch, white sugar and salt. Combine the dry mixture with the cold milk. Slowly add hot milk to the above mixture. Cook the entire mixture in a double boiler, stirring until thick, for 15-20 minutes. Add candy bars. Stir until melted. Add the vanilla. Chill pudding in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Hershey's Nuggets

I tasted Hershey's Nuggets: Special Dark Chocolate Truffles With Mint recently. I never understood why people said Hershey's chocolate tasted waxy until now. The outer shell is dark chocolate. It doesn't taste like Hershey's usual dark chocolate bar. The inner filling is the consistency of Play-Doh and has a cheap, obnoxious mint flavor [And I normally love mint candies]. This candy is similar in taste and appearance to Brach's Double Dutch Chocolatey Cremes I reviewed before : / If you're looking for outstanding candy, skip Hershey's and buy from See's Candies or River Street Sweets instead.

Amy's Stuffed Pasta Shells

"Tender organic pasta shells stuffed with low fat ricotta and organic vegetables in a genuine Italian tomato sauce and smooth, creamy white sauce. A delightfully rich comfort food, perfect for guests and special occasions."

I wasn't expecting much from the stuffed pasta shells, especially after the blandness that was the pesto bowls. However, this dish turned out to be extraordinary.

I thought the three shells in the bowl would not be enough food for me. But by the second one, I was absolutely stuffed. They were absolute heaven *dreamy eyes* The filling of spinach and ricotta was moderately rich. The shells were not mushy or overcooked. The tomato sauce was very pleasing to me; it was not horribly acidic and overbearing like Hunt's or other brands of tomato sauce. The white sauce was not noticeable. It got lost in the tomato sauce somewhere. Amy's probably should have just stuck with one sauce in the bowl. The white sauce aside, Amy's stuffed shells were luscious and worth buying.

Amy's Pesto Tortellini Bowls

"The ultimate in comfort foods…tender organic tortellini pasta and ricotta in a rich creamy pesto sauce."

I wasn't too pleased with Amy's pesto tortellini. The pasta on the bottom of the bowl became horribly soggy after being microwaved. The ricotta filling was brown and barely noticeable. The pesto sauce was also disappointing; Amy's did not add enough of the basil traditionally used in pesto sauce. I will stick with making my own pesto sauce and pasta from scratch.

Amy's Roasted Vegetable Pocket

"Inspired by Amy's Roasted Vegetable Pizza. The same great tasting combination of organic shiitake mushrooms, roasted red peppers, sweet onions and marinated artichoke hearts."

I absolutely adored this sandwich. I was worried the onion taste would overpower the other veggies, but that wasn't the case. The veggies were actually sweet and tender. The crust was soft and delicious. So good !

Dinner ala Kraft

I am on the email list for Kraft. Most of the recipes they sent me today sounded really good. But then I came across this in the middle of the email:



I thought at first Kraft meant you should make a casserole from Capri Sun, apples and macaroni [I must be really exhausted from final exams]. That aside, who would find that to be a filling dinner ? If cooking dinner is that much trouble, wouldn't it make more sense just to eat at a restaurant ?

Altoids Sours, Part II

The last time I reviewed Altoids Sours, I tasted the mango flavor. Here is the latest batch:

- Raspberry Sours = At the first taste, the raspberry Altoids are great. I was pleased not to encounter the usual sickly sweet artificial taste most raspberry candies possess. The problem was that the taste got worse the longer the candy was in my mouth. They just didn't taste like raspberry after a certain point.
- Citrus Sours = Remember the lemon-lime Tic Tacs I reviewed ? Yeah, these aren't much better. More candy that tastes like Lemon Pledge : X
- Tangerine Sours = After the raspberry and citrus tastings, I thought I was in for another disappointment. But Altoids actually did this flavor right. The tangerine ones actually evoke the full flavor of eating a juicy tangerine.

Luna Elixir

I received a sample of Luna Elixir in the mail today. It is a powdered drink mix that only requires adding water. The suggestion on the 1/2 oz package of Orange Passion fruit was to add 8 oz of water for "juicy, full flavored" taste, 12 oz for "tad sweet" and 16 oz for "flavored water." I went with the 8 oz suggestion. The scent I encountered after adding the water was a nice orange aroma. The taste was similar to a less intense orange juice. The aftertaste is a really pleasant bit of passion fruit.

Amy's Indian Samosa Wraps

"We took lightly spiced organic potatoes, peas and tofu and wrapped them in a wheat tortilla and baked it. The result is outrageously delicious."

The bolded parts are what I disagree with. The wheat tortilla by itself is delicious, but the filling is another story. The amount of turmeric is horribly overpowering. Also, the color of the filling is gross. Mushy bright green bits + mushy bright yellow bits = not very attractive sight. Bleh. Trust me,the picture on the box was not an accurate portrayal.

Amy's Country Dinner

This meal from Amy's consists of vegetarian Salisbury steak, gravy,mashed potatoes, green beans and apple crisp. The Salisbury steak is made from grains, walnuts and a little bit of cheddar cheese.

- I am not a big fan of Salisbury steak most of the time. I have too many memories of the U.S. public school system's version of it : P However, Amy's vegetarian Salisbury steak was tender and flavorful. I really could taste the small amount of cheddar in it.
-I've always hated green beans. The smell of boiled [canned]green beans makes me gag. But this side dish was the complete opposite of what I expected. The green beans smelled wonderful and were very fresh tasting.
- The amount of gravy on the steak was moderate, which I liked.
-The mashed potatoes were smooth and creamy.
-The apple crisp was another pleasant surprise. Anyone who's had apple crisp in a frozen meal knows it tends to be mushy and sub par, at best. That was not the case this time. The apples were fresh tasting and deliciously seasoned.

Amy's Tofu Rancheros

"Organic tofu scrambled with vegetables and topped with salsa and grated cheddar cheese covers a mini organic tortilla with refried black beans on the side"

This meal from Amy's was fantastic. The ranchero sauce was not that awful mixture found in most frozen Mexican meals. The potatoes were crispy. The refried black beans were great, too. The tortilla was soft and had a delicious flavor. I did not notice any cheese in the rancheros, though; maybe it got mixed in with the rancheros sauce and the tofu scramble ? Also, the box I bought said it was supposed to have Monterrey Jack, not cheddar cheese. But other than that, I was very satisfied with the tofu rancheros.

Oven Poppers : Stuffed Flounder

This meal from Oven Poppers consists of two 5 ounce flounder fillets stuffed with garlic, shrimp and almonds. The portion sizes were rather generous; I ate both fillets by myself. However, the taste is another story.

The fish was not flaky. It was bordering on rubbery. While there were plenty of almonds in the flounder, the shrimp were virtually non-existent. I found three or four tiny bits of shrimp in the entire meal. I didn't taste any garlic, either.

The filling on the package is lightly colored and features generous portions of [mostly absent] shrimp. The actual filling was dark brown and mealy. It is made from "Alaska pollack, cracker crumbs, onions, shrimp [eye roll],
almonds, chicken flavor [chicken meat, including chicken juices...]" Oven Poppers put a lot of effort into the packaging, but not into the actual food : P

What should have tipped me off at the store were these lines on the package:

"...our special blending techniques result in a superior tasting product..."
"...one of the finest lines of frozen seafood dinners and entrees available anywhere..."

Amy's Indian Vegetable Korma

"Tender organic vegetables in a curry sauce with a rich, mild flavor that comes from coconut milk and organic raisins, cashews and slivered almonds, combined with organic tomatoes and authentic hand-roasted Indian spices. On the side are fragrant golden basmati rice and a dal consisting of a mixture of six delicately spiced lentils and beans."

I found Amy's Indian Vegetable Korma to be so-so. I liked the juicy raisins, potatoes, nuts, spices, big, soft carrots, peas and crispy cauliflower. What I disliked was how bland the brown basmati rice was. The cashews in the rice were too soft. In addition, the dal was gray and yellow, almost a puree. I would not buy this one again : /

Veggie Patch Meatless Sausage

I recently came across Veggie Patch's Spiced Apple Meatless Gourmet Sausage at Publix. I can honestly say this is one of the worst products I've ever tasted. When I opened the package, it smelled of artificial apple and dry cat food. Bleh !

The taste was even worse. The skin / casing was too tough. The filling was disgusting. It tasted too sweet and mushy. I also disliked biting into the dried apple pieces. [The package label lists dried apples, apple concentrate and pineapple concentrate.] Veggie Patch's sausage tastes and looks like someone scraped out the filling from a hotdog and made a poor attempt at replacing what they took out : X

There is a prominent sticker on the package that says "New ! Money back guarantee !" I wish I had saved my receipt, so I could take Veggie Patch up on their offer. Never again will I buy Veggie Patch products : P

Amy's Tofu Scramble W/ Hash Browns & Veggies

"Generous portions of tofu scrambled with organic vegetables with hash browned potatoes on the side make up this delicious meal."

This meal from Amy's was dynamite. First of all, the picture on the box had big slices of tomatoes. I initially thought, "Hmmm, I'll bet they're either chopped up very fine or not in the scramble at all." I was very wrong about that. There were three or four huge tomato slices in the meal. And they were so sweet and juicy to boot! I've never tasted tomatoes that good before : D The mushroom slices were large and fresh tasting, too.

The hash browns were crispy and browned nicely in the microwave. No ketchup was needed ; )

The only let-down was regarding the carrots and zucchini. I assume those were chopped up finely and added to the tofu scramble, because I certainly didn't taste or see either of those vegetables. Other than that, I think this is a kick-butt breakfast meal !

Tostitos All Natural Chunky Salsa

The label on Tostitos All Natural Salsa promises "Now Fresher Tasting !" Did this product live up to it's claim ? I can tell you this : yes, it certainly did ! When I first opened the jar, the fresh smell of tomatoes and jalapenos wafted out.

The bottle I bought was the hot version; it was so delicious and spicy ! I loved the chunky texture of the tomatoes, onions and jalapenos. The taste and smell are much better than Tostitos' other version. I will definitely buy this salsa again.

Strawberry Mentos

In a previous post, I gave a positive review of green apple Mentos. The strawberry Mentos I just tasted turned out to be a big disappointment, however. The flavor is not very artificial tasting [huge points for that] but it's not very tasty, either. The taste is close to being yogurty and smooth, but it stops short of being that. There's just something missing from the strawberry Mentos. My other gripe is that the filling is not very juicy compared to the green apple Mentos.

Baja CA and Tropical Starburst

Thank you to Irish, Llana and Sarah for the reviews.

Starburst Baja fruit chew flavors: Limon, Strawberry Watermelon, Baja Dragonfruit, and Aztec Punch.

Starburst Tropical fruit chew flavors: Mango Melon, Pina Colada, Royal Berry Punch and Strawberry Banana.

Here is what my classmates and I thought of the candies:

- My opinion = The limon tasted so-so; the flavor was comparable to those green lollipops banks give out. The baja dragonfruit tasted like a mix of lemon and blue-raspberry Bubble Yum. I liked that one very much. The royal berry punch was terrible. It had an odd, cheap, heavy grape taste.

- Llana = "The orange one [mango melon] was tangy. The purple one [royal berry punch] was the best one. The second best one was the strawberry banana."

- Sarah = "I had the yellow one [pina colada]. It tasted like bananas."

- Irish = "They all tasted the same to me. I just really like them all !"

Brach's Mint Patties

I've tried Brach's chocolate peppermint candies in the past. They're not as good as York Peppermint Patties or my homemade version, but they suffice in a pinch. The pieces I tried recently, however, have a different taste than what I remember. The mint filling is now grittier and leaves a spearmint aftertaste. Brach's mint patties are definitely scratched off my candy list.

Brach's Rich and Dreamy Assorted Cremes

Brach's Rich and Dreamy Cremes come in five flavors: vanilla bean, orange sorbet, raspberry parfait, cherry jubilee, and double dutch chocolate.

Raspberry Parfait Chocolatey Cremes
The inside is a freakish lavender color, bordering on pink. The label says "artificially flavored"; the creme definitely didn't have any kind of raspberry taste. The ingredient list includes "Red 3, Blue 1 and Yellow 6." 'Nuf said :P

Cherry Jubilee Chocolatey Cremes
The filling was a bright red. And when I say bright, I mean like the bleeding armadillo cake from Steel Magnolias. Or Sesame Street's Elmo tossed into a blender. The taste was even worse than the color. Picture eating a piece of chocolate and washing it down with an entire bottle of cherry cough syrup. It's really that bad : X

Double Dutch Chocolatey Cremes
Really, I should know better by now than to eat anything with the word "chocolatey" on the label. It's not chocolate and it's not satisfying to eat. This one was wasn't horrible like the previous two samples, but it wasn't that great either. Brach's is basically on par with the chocolate made by Palmer's;[cheap-o] people give it out at kiddy parties and around the holidays, but no one buys it for themself because it's so low quality.

Recipes from the trial run

My group from culinary class did a trial run on Wednesday of the food we'll be serving at our final presentation dinner in 2 weeks. Our event has a jazz theme. I will post the pictures of the food and our table set up soon. The food was absolutely
out of this world : D Here is what we made:

Salad

A little bit of heavy whipping cream and white pepper made the dressing even better.

Cajun spiced chicken

Creole Meuniere Sauce

The sweetness of the creole sauce is a perfect match for the spice of the chicken.

Bourbon Street New York Strip Steak

American–style red beans and rice

Our next batch will have andouille sausage in it.

Bananas Foster

The dessert was heavenly. I normally think bananas are too gross to eat, but in this dessert they tasted amazing : D Ask my team members how many times I said this morning, "*sigh* I want another Bananas Foster."

Sources:

Warm Nut Encrusted Goat Cheese Salad with Bacon Lardons, Emeril Lagasse, 2003 Show: Emeril LiveEpisode: Bistro Cooking, Food Network

Cajun Spiced Chicken, Submitted by: Jennifer Owen, AllRecipes

Pecan-crusted Trout with Creole Meuniere Sauce and Brabant Potatoes, Emeril Lagasse, 2003, Emeril LiveEpisode: In a Nutshell, Food Network

Bourbon Street New York Strip Steak, Submitted by: Mark Daniel, AllRecipes

American-Style Red Beans and Rice, Submitted by: LAURENB222, AllRecipes

Bananas Foster II, Submitted by: BUTTERMEBREAD, AllRecipes

Food In The News

Nano-foods

The best restaurant in Sweden

Aubergine

The Cinnamon Club

Sources:

"Future foods: friend or foe?", By Paul Moss, BBC News, February 6, 2007

"The best restaurant in Sweden", September 1, 2006, The Local: Sweden's News in English

"Goa: Aubergine", GourmetIndia.com: India's Portal on Food and Drink, Reviews > Indian Restaurants> All Indian resturant reviews, Submitted by: ChetanHooli, January 4, 2008

"Cinnamon Club - London", GourmetIndia.com: India's Portal on Food and Drink, Reviews > International Restaurants> All International resturants, Submitted by: ChetanHooli, January 24, 2008

Altoids Mango Sours

A bit of background: I've never liked mangoes. They taste sweet and delicious when I bite into one, but they always leave a metallic aftertaste in my mouth.

That said, Altoids Mango Sours are worth buying. They really taste like fresh mangoes. Yes, the metallic taste was there for me this time, too, but that's a problem with my taste buds and not the product itself.

Green Apple Mentos

Normally I find Mentos to be repulsive and overly minty. But the green apple flavor is delicious! There is no discernible mint flavor in this candy. The outer shell and the filling have a light, sweet green apple taste. A big thumbs up for this candy!

Tic Tac Citrus Twist

The Citrus Twist pack of Tic Tacs features
lemon and lime mints.

Lime
The outside shell tastes like an orange Runt candy. Biting into them brings out an odd taste of orange Runts, lemon floor polish and lemons *Gag*

Lemon
The outside shell has a semi-pleasant lemonish flavor. The inside of the lemon ones taste like Runts and floor polish with tingly mint sensation thrown in. Again, ewwww !

The official Tic Tac website has this posted: "...Tropical tastes mingle with a subtle chill blending the best of both worlds. It's a sensation combination you'll never forget." They got part of that right. I'll never forget how nasty this candy tasted : P

Food In The News

Grazing In The Cuban Sunshine

Like a child's painting at the Louvre

Sources:

"Grazing in the Cuban sunshine", Review of the The Sol Rio de Luna y Mares hotel, by Susan Sampson, The Toronto Star, January 17, 2007

"Cuisine crumbles amid Gardiner ceramics", review of Jamie Kennedy at the Gardiner, by Amy Pataki, The Toronto Star, August 12, 2006

Food In The News

Wagyu cows

American foodies and how they grew

Sources:
"Take a Wagyu cow, give it a drop of wine... delicious",Belfast Telegraph, By Kathy Marks in Sydney, January 5, 2007

"American foodies and how they grew", by Mary Blume, International Herald Tribune, The Global Edition of the New York Times, December 27, 2006

Not pleased with Disney

I noticed something odd going on with Disney. I was watching Hannah Montana the other day [shush, I was waiting for Law and Order to come on : P] and one of the male characters hid the fact that he liked to bake. ["Oh no, my cake dropped -- I mean not my cake, 'cuz, you know, guys don't bake."] That same idea was present in the Disney movie Eddie's Million Dollar Cook-Off. [I haven't watched that one, so I'm going by commercials I saw and online spoilers I read.] And yet Disney is promoting a That's So Raven spin-off called Cory In the House, where Cory's dad is a chef at the White House.

The idea that cooking and baking makes a man effeminate, gay, weak or whatever else is a poor message for Disney to emphasize. Anyone who's spent time in a professional kitchen knows that chefs -- straight, gay, whatever else-- are a mighty tough lot. And it takes great business skills, creativity, accounting knowledge, resourcefulness and so much more to be a successful chef. It's a shame Disney is showing that 1950s mindset of "cooking is for girls." Kids don't think the culinary arts are strictly a feminine domain until someone tells that to them : P

Food In The News

The Domino's Myth

Source: Snopes.com, Home > Business > Consumer Relations Myths, "Mush Vroom Pizza", January 2007

Food In The News

Angela Schneider

How to start a green cafe

Does Thanksgiving have legs ?

Sources:

"And in the beginning, there was a feast", by Angela Murrills, Straight.com, Vancouver's Online Source, February 1, 2007

"Nomad: How to Start a Green Café", WorldChanging Team, January 26, 2007, by Worldchanging San Francisco local blogger, Britt Bravo, WorldChanging.com

"Does Thanksgiving have legs?", by Patricia Conover, The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune: The Global Edition of the New York Times, November 24, 2006

Strawberry Chiffon Mousse

Thank you to Belinda for this recipe


10-MINUTE STRAWBERRY CHIFFON MOUSSE

1/2 cup (2 ounces) sliced almonds
2 cups (16 ounces) heavy cream, very cold
2 cups (16 ounces) strawberries, washed, hulled,
and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
4 tablespoons rock sugar or 12 sugar cubes

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place the sliced almonds on an unbuttered cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes or until golden-brown. Cool to room temperature.

In a bowl, whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks and gently fold the strawberries and sugar into it. (Do not over mix the cream, or it will get too watery.) Sprinkle the browned almond slices over the top and serve immediately.

Source: Rocky and Judi's Recipe Pages, 10 Minute Strawberry Chiffon Mousse, Personal.palouse.net,

New veggies for the US market

Source: "Farmers See Growing Ethnic Veggie Market", By JANET FRANKSTON LORIN, Associated Press Writer, CBS News, Jan. 28, 2007

Sauce Arturo Gourmet Sauce

Sauce Arturo has a sweet taste and chunky vegetables. My initial reaction was, "You know, this would be great added to Brunswick stew or combined with some other tomato sauce." I mixed the Sauce Arturo with the previously reviewed Dei Fratelli Presto! Pizza Sauce when I made a batch of spaghetti. The combination of the two sauces was a match made in heaven.

Dei Fratelli: Presto! Pizza Sauce

Presto! Pizza Sauce is head and shoulders above Hunt's, Heinz and other brands of tomato sauce and pizza sauce. The pizza sauce contains chunks of tomato and finely sliced onions. It is not sickly sweet or horribly acidic. This lesser known brand is definitely worth trying.

Amy's Tofu Scramble Pocket Sandwich

Amy's Tofu Scramble contains organic tofu, red peppers, shiitake mushrooms, organic onions, organic broccoli, jalapeno peppers, turmeric and wheat flour. I was impressed by how flavorful the tofu scramble was . I found the taste to be superior to real scrambled eggs. The crust of the pocket sandwich had the perfect thickness. The vegetables are much more finely chopped than the picture on the package, but this did not affect the taste of them. The flavor of the vegetables and the amount of seasoning was impeccable.

Monk's Bread : Sunflower Bran

I bought a loaf of Monk's Bread yesterday at Publix. It turned out to be a great buy. This bread was absolutely delicious ! I loved the lightly sweet taste and the sunflower seeds. I can't wait to try the other varieties.

Strozzapreti / "Priest Chokers"

This is one of my favorite recipes : )

Source: Lidia Bastianich

Spicy Crispy Beef

Thank you to Richelle's group for this recipe

Source: AllRecipes, Spicy Crispy Beef, Submitted by: Brent

Yoki Cheese Bread

I've seen boxes of Yoki Cheese Bread mix at Publix for the past three years, but I never got around to trying it until recently. Basically, you're supposed to add eggs and water to the mix, roll it into small balls and bake until crispy. The resulting rolls were not what I expected; the middles were spongy, but not in an undercooked way or in the sense of being soft and delicious. It's hard to fully explain. Another element I disliked was the cheese flavor. It tastes similar to Cheeto's white cheddar cheese puffs. The ingredient list says it contains "cheese flavor" made from whey, milk and a few other items.That certainly explains the taste : P I definitely won't buy Yoki Cheese Bread mix again.

Pillsbury Bake-Off

After reading the above story at Slashfood, I've decided to enter the Pillsbury Bake-Off. That is all. Back to your regularly scheduled snark.

Source: SlashFood blog, 43rd Pillsbury Bake-Off announced, January 19, 2007

Reese's Crispy Crunch

"Milk chocolate, crispy peanut butter candy, creamy peanut butter and chopped peanuts"

Hershey's actually did a fantastic job with this candy. The ratio of peanuts and peanut butter to chocolate was perfectly balanced. The crispy peanut butter layer reminded me of a Butterfinger bar; I'm not a fan of those, so I wouldn't buy it again for that reason. But I think this one deserves a thumbs up ; )

Savory Grilled Country-Style Pork Ribs

My project group made those tonight. They came out nice : D

Sources:
"RIB-STICKERS: Fire up the grill -- from Korean short ribs to Southern favorites, it's time for barbecue," Tara Duggan, Chronicle Staff Writer, May 25, 2005,SF Gate, Home of the San Francisco Chronicle

Savory Grilled Country-Style Pork Ribs, From "Dr. BBQ's Big-Time Barbecue Cookbook," by Ray Lampe (St. Martin's Griffin, 302 pages)

Hershey's With Caramel and Hershey's With Brownie Morsels

Hershey's Creamy Milk Chocolate With Caramel

The milk chocolate in this bar does taste creamy. The bars are divided into big squares instead of the usual small rectangles. When I broke off a finger of chocolate, caramel dripped out. Don't let that fool you, though. The amount of caramel is minuscule. I wouldn't have said "Hey, I taste caramel" if you'd fed the bar to me blindfolded.

Hershey's Brownies 'N' Chocolate: Creamy Milk Chocolate With Brownie Morsels

Again, the chocolate was creamy. Where Hershey's failed was the most critical element : the promised brownie morsels. If you've tasted Hershey's Cookies 'N' Mint or Cookies 'N' Cream, you know about the yummy cookie bits inside those bars. Basically, Hershey's slapped something that looks like the cookie bits into this one, too. I seriously did not taste anything resembling brownie.

Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream

White chocolate raspberry truffle
"White chocolate ice cream with raspberry swirl and chocolate fudge truffles"

The raspberry swirls were just the right amount of sweetness, without leaving an artificial chemical taste. The fudge pieces were absolutely decadent and worth the calories ; ) The ice cream itself, however, does not taste of white chocolate. Stone Cold Creamery's white chocolate ice cream should have been used in this product to make it perfect.

Bailey's Irish Cream

My heavens, y'all. This one is off the charts good. My roommate had a pint of this in the freezer, so of course I had to go and find out for myself how it tasted. [No, I didn't dip into her ice cream]. This is a must buy for anyone who loves Bailey's and ice cream.

Favorite Food Memories

Do you have a favorite food memory ? Is it Grandma's cinnamon rolls baking on Sunday morning ? That crazy Thanksgiving where the turkey never cooked ? I'd love to hear about it : )

Frito Lay Flamin' Hot Snack Mix

This product is a mixture of Cheetos, Doritos, Rold Gold pretzels and Sun Chips coated in a bright red mixture of spices. I found it to have just the right amount of heat. I needed a glass of milk to wash down the spice : D A definite winner !

*Flamin' Hot is a brand name.

Yoplait Whips, Part 3

This is the last batch of the yogurt:
-Light and Fluffy Texture:Key Lime Pie Flavored: Note that there's no lime listed with the ingredients. This sort of tastes like that whipped cream, marshmallow, and lime dish you find at buffet salad bars.
- Chocolate Mousse Style: Chocolate Raspberry
- Light and Fluffy Texture: Lemon Meringue

These three were all extremely better than the chocolate mint yogurt. I would definitely buy these three flavors again.

Birds Eye: Voila ! Chicken and Shrimp Penne

"New ! Voila ! Chicken & Shrimp Penne with Vegetables Penne Pasta in an Herb Sauce with Grilled White Chicken, Shrimp, Italian Beans, Red & Yellow Peppers, Grilled Zucchini & Sun Dried Tomatoes. Taste the difference ! Creamy Herb Sauce !"

#1. How can one taste the difference if it's a new product ? Inquiring minds want to know.
#2. The sun-dried tomatoes are in the sauce. There are no slices of it in the actual vegetable mix. The sauce is good, but still, that's a bit sneaky.
#3. Birds Eye was rather heavy handed with the amount of Romano beans / Italian beans. Those did not go well with the other vegetables and meat.
#4. Definitely not enough shrimp and chicken.

I'll only buy this again if it's marked down to 2 for $3.99.

Yoplait Whips, Part 2

After the debacle that was Chocolate Mint Mousse, I gave Yoplait Whips another chance. Today's yogurt cup was "Light and Fluffy Texture: Peaches 'N' Cream Flavored." It definitely tastes better than the mint mousse. Just one gripe, though: The yogurt is peach colored and has a chunky ["whipped"] look to it. Chunky substance + peach color = not appetizing. I just can't get past what it resembled : X I'll have to stick with the normal peach yogurt.

Sour Skittles With Limited Edition Flavor

I bought a bag of Sour Skittles the other night. The sour flavors included strawberry, raspberry, orange, grape and "lemon sorbet, a limited edition ice cream flavor." Normally I pick out the lime ones and hand the rest of the bag to someone else. But these are pretty good [and y'all know I never eat non-chocolate candies that are anything besides peach, lime or pineapple flavored].

The lemon sorbet Skittle, however, does not taste like ice cream, sorbet, or anything along those lines. It tastes like a regular lemon Skittle with sour coating. Sour Skittles normally include sour lemon in the bag, so I'm wondering what's the difference between the two flavors ? Skittles sells a limited edition ice cream flavored pack, but lemon sorbet is not included in that. Hmm...

Reese's Big Cup With Mixed Nuts

This candy has a milk chocolate shell and a filling of peanut butter, peanuts, pecans, cashews and almonds. Or so Hershey's promises. There is too much peanut butter in proportion to the amount of chocolate coating. I was rather disappointed by the lack of cashews, pecans and almonds. I found one little almond piece amidst the huge amount of peanuts. The cashews and pecans were nowhere to be found.

Some of you are probably thinking "Crud, does this chick ever praise Hershey's products ?" Well, yes, I normally like Hershey's candies very much. Their Cacao Reserve bars are absolutely outstanding. [I tried those in December]. I actually think that is part of the problem. After trying the Cacao Reserve bars, I expect too much from a regular Hershey's product and end up disappointed by the taste.

Fiesta Cheddar Nacho Cheez-It

The package is brightly decorated and promises a "crispy tortilla flavor." The first thing I noticed upon opening the bag was a pleasant jalapeño scent. The crackers have also have a mild jalapeño taste, but without being spicy. [Jalapeños are not on the ingredient list of the package.] I would definitely buy these again.

Hershey's S'Mores

Hershey's S'Mores candy bar has, according to the package, "milk chocolate, marshmallow and graham cracker bits." The overall taste and appearance was that of an overstuffed Three Musketeers Bar. There just way too much marshmallow inside. And the marshmallow filling didn't taste like marshmallow of any kind : / It left a rather chemical aftertaste in my mouth. The bottom layer of graham cracker bits did not stand out. The pieces were mixed in with something else to form one layer. Bleh.

Two thumbs down for Hershey's S'Mores.

Fettuccine Recipe

My project group made this in culinary class the other day [No, we're not culinary majors]. It was so rich and creamy. *starry eyes*

Source: Fettuccine Pasta with Prosciutto, Peas, and a Cream Sauce, Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, Food Network, 2004

Nexxt Cafe, Miami Beach, Florida

Nexxt Cafe
700 Lincoln Rd
Miami Beach, FL 33139-2814
Phone: (305) 532-6643

Thank you to Aldo for this review

"If you want to sit outside in Lincoln Road Mall and enjoy a delicious place to eat lunch or dinner, this is the place to be at. Great staff of people that know their menu, too. The food is tasty and delicious. The portions are usually HUGE, more like for 4 people. Killer meat loaf, spicy chicken strips with a mountain of mashed potatoes and ahi tuna appetizer, pizza, burgers, all is yummy here. Overall, Nexxt Cafe is worth trying."

Mimi's Cafe, Jacksonville, Florida

MIMI'S CAFE
10209 RIVER COAST DRIVE
JACKSONVILLE FL 32246
(904) 620-0660
Located in New St. Johns Town Center in front of Dillards

I recently tried Mimi's Cafe, a restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida. It's in the St. Johns Town Center, for all of my Clay County / Duval County people ; ) Mimi's is a chain restaurant, with locations in several states.

The wait was not terribly long. We were given a pager, but it only took 10 minutes to for my parents and I to be seated.

The drinks were terrible. My mom asked for a glass of tea to be halfway filled with sweetened tea, then topped off with unsweetened tea. It tasted like the someone had added the sugar after the tea cooled [the sugar should be added and stirred while
the tea is still hot]. She then asked for a lemonade as a replacement. That drink was not any better. All of three of us agreed it was similar to drinking bottled lemon juice diluted with water. My dad had no complaints about his unsweetened
tea.

The bread basket our waitress brought was fabulous. There was one long baguette; it was crispy and warm. There were also three slices of brown bread with nuts and just the right amount of sweetness. I really liked the sweet cream butter
served with the bread.

I ordered the How 'Bout a Quiche - Lorraine, which came with a green salad, fruit, and choice of muffin [blueberry, pumpkin, buttermilk spice, etc]. What struck me as odd was that waitress brought my pumpkin muffin, a pat of butter, and a small gravy boat way before my parents' meals and the rest of my meal were done. I initially thought the gravy boat had cream in it for my muffin. It turned out to be the dressing for my salad.

My salad consisted of iceberg lettuce and one slice each of fresh pineapple, honeydew, cantaloupe and orange. A smaller portion of Romaine lettuce or mixed greens would have been a better accompaniment to fresh fruit and quiche. The blue cheese dressing was rather salty, for some odd reason.

The quiche was perfect. The crust was flaky but not too thick. The egg-to-cheese ratio was just right, too.

My dad ordered the pot roast sandwich on a sourdough baguette and the zero grams trans-fat french fries. I didn't taste any of his meal, but he said the meat was nice and moist.

My mom ordered the fries and the French Quarter hamburger with avocado, bacon, Swiss cheese and 1000 island dressing on grilled garlic sourdough. I tasted some of her sandwich. Absolutely delicious ! The bread was buttery but not overly garlicky. The hamburger was very juicy.

Would I go back ? Probably. Mimi's Cafe is kind of pricey, but the food is really good.

Yoplait Whips

I am normally a big fan of Yoplait products. I love chocolate, too. So I was pleased to find Yoplait's new line of Whips at Winn-Dixie. I didn't pay much attention to what I had picked up; all I noticed on the label was "Chocolate Mousse Style."

I ate the yogurt with my lunch this afternoon. My first reaction was "Eh, this has an odd kick to it...." Then I noticed the container said "Chocolate Mousse Style: Chocolate Mint." I really enjoy mint and chocolate together, but Yoplait did a poor job pairing the two flavors together. I never would have guessed that was supposed to be mint flavored yogurt : P

I have five more flavors of Whips in the fridge. Hopefully those will not be as awful as the chocolate mint : /

Two thumbs down for Yoplait Whips [Chocolate Mousse Style: Chocolate Mint]

Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate

I bought a bar of Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate on the trip back to Miami on Sunday. My first impression, after eating 4 squares, was that it did not taste any better or worse than the other dark chocolate bar by Hershey's. But the Dr. Pepper I was drinking probably masked the flavor difference.

I had two more squares of the bar today. I can really taste the difference between the older version and the Special version now. The Special bar left an unpleasant grainy taste, similar to that of poor quality powdered cocoa mixes. Hershey's lists it on their website as "The Dark Chocolate For Milk Chocolate Lovers," whatever that means.

Two thumbs down for Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate.

Welcome to my food blog

New year, new type of blog, y'all. AllisonMeetsWorld will now be focused on food. If anyone is interested in sending in a product review, a restaurant review, or random food articles, e-mail Megan at AllisonMeetsWorld(at)yahoo.com. Questions, comments and recipes are also welcome.

*Links from this blog to other sites are provided only for your convenience. AllisonMeetsWorld does not control or review these sites. Providing the link does not imply association or endorsement with other sites. AllisonMeetsWorld is not responsible for the content, accuracy, or security of products, services, and materials on third party websites.

**1/25/13 Update: Some of the older posts have links in the title,  instead of in the body of a post. Newer posts now have links in both the title and the body of a post.