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REVIEW: Xxtra Flamin’ Hot Nacho Doritos

May 12, 2021May 10, 2021 Sean Leave a comment

What are Xxtra Flamin’ Hot Nacho Doritos?

Once you go hot, you can only go up. After the successful sting of 2019’s Flamin’ Hot Nacho Doritos, Frito-Lay has unleashed the only logical progression, just one “X” away from forbidden adult entertainment: Xxtra Flamin’ Hot Nacho Doritos.

How are they?

These chips are instantly and unabashedly HOT.

Ya know how when you’re eating Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and the first 3-4 are just tasty and cheesy with a little spicy zing, and then all of a sudden your mouth is tingling? There’s none of that here. The heat is immediate, one chip in.

As usual, the chips vary from SO RED to mostly red, and the seasoning level (can we call this cheetle since it originated with Chester, or is it deetle?) will ultimately determine your tongue’s fate, but even the lesser seasoned ones pack a punch.

It’s hard to describe the specific heat as anything other than “Flamin’ Hot,” but since you’re on this website, you probably have an idea of what that tastes like. It’s just kicked up on the hot chili and toned down on the cooling cheesy. The signature Nacho Cheese Doritos flavor takes a major backseat to the flames, just barely poking its head through the fire. Surprisingly the nacho aroma from the bag is pretty strong, but the taste gets swept away when eating.

Anything else you need to know?

Xxtra Flamin’ Hot Doritos not only bring instant heat, the fire lingers too. When I eat 3-5 in a row, the burn stacks in a way that causes my saliva to thicken up and pool as a defense mechanism against a potential runny nose and/or explosion. If you’re sensitive to heat, I’d steer clear away from these. Even if you aren’t, I’d have some milk or peanut butter on hand if you want to indulge in more than a serving.

Conclusion:

I like heat. I like Doritos. And these chips delivered on their promise, but they might be a little too hot. Not that they’re too spicy to eat, but I think I prefer the 2019 version without the two X’s when it comes to scratching that Nacho Cheese Doritos itch. Growing up, I loved the Spicier Nacho variety, and there’s no denying those aren’t actually hot at all, but these Doritos are a bit too fiery for repeated snacking.

Purchased Price: $1.99
Size: 2 3/4 oz bag
Purchased at: 7-Eleven
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (12 chips, 28g) 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Lay’s Summer BLT, Chile Mango, and Wavy Jerk Chicken Potato Chips

May 11, 2021May 10, 2021 Ann 9 Comments

Some industries are inherently more lighthearted than others. Not everyone can save lives every day; some people have to go to work and invent new potato chip flavors!

Okay, maybe “have to” isn’t the most accurate verbiage. But when I think of these industry professionals, specifically at Frito-Lay, my biggest hope and expectation is that somewhere within that company is a running list of EVERY variety they’ve ever commercialized. “The List” of everything from the all-star favorites like the day they stumbled upon Sour Cream & Onion perfection to the more recent cringe marketing stunts like Cappuccino…whuff.

Something about the idea of this compiled data set makes me grateful for humanity and our quirks. The latest additions to The List are the 2021 summer flavor line-up of Summer BLT, Chile Mango, and Wavy Jerk Chicken.

My first impression of this line is that the bags are gorgeous. Maybe a blend of food illustrations and actual images isn’t to everyone’s taste, but I thought they were vibrant. There were WAY more images of the ingredients on these bags than other Lay’s varieties which made me wonder if I should expect bolder flavor profiles overall.

Summer BLT

I’m not sure a “summer” BLT is really a thing, but maybe this is Frito Lay’s attempt to designate between the Classic BLT chips of 2012, the BLT reboot of 2017, and this latest endeavor. Overall, I would categorize these as delicate. The flavor is light, and if I were eating anything else at the same time, I don’t think I’d taste much.

I was obviously expecting to taste bacon, but oddly there wasn’t really much of it or any smokiness. Actually, these chips tasted like mayonnaise and lettuce. There was a sweetness that might have been an attempt at tomato, but overall these were subtle and underwhelming.

Purchased Price: $3.79
Size: 7 3/4 oz bag
Purchased at: Jewel-Osco
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 15 chips) – 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Chile Mango

These were certainly not lacking in flavor. The mango comes through bright and sweet, possibly too sweet for some, but definitely on the nose. These chips are TASTY. Usually, my biggest issue with spicy fruit combos is the heavy-handed use of lime, but that’s not the case with these chips. Could they be spicier? Definitely, but overall these are a fantastic blend of sweet mango and savory spice, and I intend to crush at least half the remaining bag while sipping a margarita in the sunshine.

Purchased Price: $3.79
Size: 7 3/4 oz bag
Purchased at: Jewel-Osco
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 15 chips) – 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Wavy Jerk Chicken

Last but certainly not least is the Wavy Jerk Chicken chip, and let’s just say there’s A LOT going on here. I tasted brown sugar, a floral spice, heat, savory garlic, and that smoky and brothy flavor that Lay’s has used multiple times to deliver the taste of charred chicken. They didn’t really meld together so much as each one shows up in a flash before the next comes barreling in.

The aftertaste is like I just ate jerk chicken, but I’m not sure the chips taste that way. They are full of flavor, though. Possibly so much so that I wouldn’t want to eat much more than a serving.

Purchased Price: $3.79
Size: 7 1/2 oz bag
Purchased at: Jewel-Osco
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 15 chips) – 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 130 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Overall, I think these new flavors show a wide range of trendy complex flavors, but they each miss the mark by enough in their own way that I would be surprised if they stuck around longer than a single season. Not to worry, though, I’m sure Frito-Lay is already cookin’ up the next flavors to add to The List.

REVIEW: Dulce de Leche Toast Crunch Cereal

May 10, 2021May 8, 2021 Marvo 4 Comments

Every time I do a review of a dulce de leche-flavored product, I have to remind myself what’s the difference between dulce de leche and caramel via Google.

Search results have repeatedly reminded me that caramel is basically sugar cooked slowly, while dulce de leche is made by slowly cooking sugar and milk. But when I dig deeper, I learn there are caramel recipes that have milk. So doesn’t that make them dulce de leche recipes? Then some recipes involve butter. And then some recipes involve butter AND milk.

This has led me to wonder if dulce de leche or caramel would be better to dunk my face into to muzzle my frustrated screams. Google has not been helpful with that.

I had to remind myself of the difference because of the new Dulce de Leche Toast Crunch that’s caramel flavored with other natural flavors.

The pieces look like many other Toast Crunch family members with ridges and swirls baked into them and dusted with sugary granules. Its aroma isn’t as distinguishable as the original Cinnamon Toast Crunch (CTC). Instead, it’s more of a nondescript sugary scent that doesn’t make me think of dulce de leche or caramel.

The cereal has a slight butteriness when dry and is more noticeable in milk. I thought it was weird at first, but then again, this is caramel flavored, and it also shouldn’t seem odd since there’s the eggy flavor in French Toast Crunch.

Along with the buttery flavor, there’s also cinnamon, which doesn’t help convince my taste buds that this is dulce de leche or caramel flavored. Instead, I wonder whether or not I just ate a bowl of rejected Cinnamon Toast Crunch pieces that didn’t meet the cinnamon-y standards of General Mills. The leftover milk at the bottom of the bowl did get a bit of cinnamon, but it’s not at CTC levels.

Dulce de Leche Toast Crunch is a sweet, pleasant-tasting cereal that I’d eat again. But unlike the Cinnamon Toast Crunch, French Toast Crunch, or Chocolate Toast Crunch (or even the discontinued peanut butter one), I cannot definitively tell it’s dulce de leche or caramel flavored.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free product sample. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 12 oz box
Purchased at: Received from General Mills
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup/41 grams without milk) 170 calories, 4 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 1 gram of polyunsaturated fat, 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 230 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, 12 grams of added sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Pepsi Blue (2021)

May 6, 2021May 5, 2021 Holly 28 Comments

Nostalgia is a heck of a thing.

Sometimes it can drive us to make questionable decisions like almost buying a $160 17-year-old bottle of a discontinued soft drink. Luckily for me, Pepsi decided to do a re-released, limited run of Pepsi Blue hence saving me from a financial error as well as a trip to the doctor.

I had occasionally thought of the drink over the years and wondered if I had just imagined it (hence the eBay searches). But it is very real, and that the bizarrely satisfying flavor of berry cola was mine again to drink.

Pepsi Blue was a weird blip in the timeline of soft drinks. Having a US-wide release in 2002, it would only be around for a little under two years before being pulled from US markets. Described as “Berry with a splash of Cola,” its bright blue color along with unique flavor was another attempt by Pepsi to capture the youth market. You have to also appreciate this was the peak time where Britney Spears was the face of Pepsi.

If I’m being entirely honest, I probably wouldn’t have tried this back in the early aughts if not for my school board making a (highly controversial) deal with Pepsi to put vending machines in the schools. To help sweeten the deal, they did giveaways of their newest product to help win us over. The product? Pepsi Blue.

I tried to not get too excited as I raced home to try it. I had been disappointed by re-released or retooled products brought back to cash in on nostalgia (looking at you Coke with Coffee). I reassured myself it was probably going to taste different due to different ingredients and my own tastes changing. After delaying the inevitable, I went ahead and opened the bottle.

The smell immediately triggered a strong memory of my middle school cafeteria. The berry sugar smell instantly reminded me of the many hours spent sitting at the uncomfortable tables, trying to scribble down something for class while shoving undercooked tater tots in my face.

The first sip was overwhelming in the best way. It tasted exactly how I remembered. The sweet berry-cotton candy like flavor hits first, followed by the cola taste. It’s almost an indescribable flavor profile. It’s not a cola with berry flavor (like Wild Cherry Pepsi), but a berry flavor with a hint of cola.

The best way I could think to describe it is this: imagine berry-flavored cotton candy packed into a cup. Now take an original Pepsi and slowly drip a little into the cup, letting it dissolve the cotton candy. That’s probably about as close as you can get to explaining the flavor to someone who has never tried it.

Nostalgia and middle school memories aside, Pepsi Blue is an extremely sweet (like 138% of your recommended daily sugar sweet), but enjoyable one-of-a-kind treat. In all the years since trying it for the first time, nothing else has ever even come close to it. It is also wonderful that a re-released item lived up to my memory of it when so many others have failed.

According to Pepsi, it will have an extremely limited run. So I would recommend, if you are at all interested, to give it a try. I look forward to it being re-released in another 20 years where I can wax poetic about when I tried it again in my 30s.

Purchased Price: $1.98
Size: 20 oz bottle
Purchased at: Walmart Neighborhood Market
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle) 260 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 69 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 69 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Gatorade BOLT24 Restore

May 5, 2021May 4, 2021 Marvo 12 Comments

I did a collagen peptides deep dive on the internet to find out why 10 grams of it is included in Gatorade’s BOLT24 Restore. Let’s just say my Google journey involved preventing or reducing skin wrinkles, joint pain caused by osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and Jennifer Aniston. Just to be clear, the supplement does not prevent or reduce Jennifer Aniston.

I’m sure the reason for the collagen is one of those I mentioned that’s not Jennifer Aniston. But I have no way to test whether the collagen peptides in BOLT24 Restore help with any of those things. So I’ll just tell you how the two flavors – Peach Mango and Apple Pear – taste.

Both varieties look like flat champagne or white wine. They pour like regular beverages, but they’ve got a mouthfeel that’s like Jello that’s been put into the fridge to set but taken out after 30-45 minutes. I don’t want to say there’s a thickness to them, but I already typed it, so I’m not going to use my arrow and delete keys to change it. I’m going to assume that’s the collagen at work.

If you need or want more collagen in your diet, go with the Peach Mango because it’s the better tasting one of the two. Its flavor has an equal balance of peach and mango. The stevia is a bit more noticeable in these Restore versions than with the original BOLT24, but they don’t taste as odd as other beverages that are only sweetened with it. I’m looking at you, Zevia.

Now, Apple Pear mostly tastes okay. It has a flavor that’s more Fuji apple than pear, and that sounds wonderful. However, the aftertaste takes an acrid turn. Once the fruit flavor fades, there’s a sweet artificial meat-like taste in my mouth that pops up for a few moments. It’s odd, and enough for me to push the Peach Mango one instead.

Because these are Gatorade beverages, of course, they come with electrolytes. But unlike your standard Gatorade, BOLT24 drinks get it from watermelon and sea salt. Also, these don’t contain artificial sweeteners or flavors.

The bottle says it has 10 grams of protein, but it also says it doesn’t provide any daily value of the nutrient. It’s making my head hurt. Does collagen help with that?

Purchased Price: $1.99 each
Size: 16.9 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Peach Mango), 4 out of 10 (Apple Pear)
Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle) 80 calories, 0 grams of fat, 230 milligrams of sodium, 11 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of sugar, 8 grams of added sugar, 10 grams of protein, and 100 percent vitamin C.