Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Limited Batch Punch Line Ice Cream

Marvo 11 Comments

Ben Jerry s Limited Batch Punch Line Ice Cream Pint

Cherry Seinfeld.

That’s what I want to call Ben & Jerry’s and Netflix’s Limited Batch Punch Line Ice Cream as sort of a callback to Cherry Garcia. Because, according to the pint’s packaging, the flavor has a “chuckle of cherries.” It also has brown butter bourbon and almond ice creams with roasted almonds.

But naming it after Jerry Seinfeld wouldn’t be fair to the zillions of comedians who also have stand-up specials or shows on Netflix. The same can be said if this variety was named Bill Burrbon or Dave Cherryppelle.

Like almost every Ben & Jerry’s flavor and Netflix comedy special, this limited batch offering brings a smile to my face. Although, I have to admit it’s not a huge smile.

Let’s start with the ice cream bases. When I eat the almond-flavored one on its own, I can’t help but think of pistachio. I experienced the same thing with a Magnum flavor that also had almond-flavored ice cream. Not even the almond bits, which were plentiful, do anything to make me think otherwise, but their mild snap does contrast the softer parts in the pint.

The brown butter bourbon base isn’t as alcohol-y as I remember Ben & Jerry’s other bourbon-flavored variety. The ice cream also has a slight butteriness, but overall, the flavor is a bit muted when tasted on its own, which makes it hard to notice among the other ingredients.

Ben Jerry s Limited Batch Punch Line Ice Cream Closeup

The pint’s headliners are the sweet and slightly tart cherries that complement the almond ice cream exceptionally well. I’d be happy if Ben & Jerry’s sold a flavor with that combo and perhaps called it Cherry Galmondcia (yes, I’m available for freelance work, Ben & Jerry’s marketing department). Although the cherries are the headliners, the amount in my pint was lacking. But when my spoon did find one, they tend to almost overwhelm everything else, so much so that, at times, it kind of tastes as if I’m eating a spoonful of Cherry Garcia without fudge flakes.

Look, I dig the combo that the kids from Vermont have put together with this pint, and I’ll dig my way through the entire thing. But it’s not a flavor that makes me want to binge eat the whole container in one night.

While Ben & Jerry’s Punch Line seems like a random combination of components, I think there’s a deeper meaning that ties in with stand-up. The almond-flavored ice cream and roasted almonds represent the nuttiness of comedy, the cherries are the redness in one’s face when laughing too hard, and the brown butter bourbon base is, um, the alcohol served at comedy clubs? I got nothing with the last one.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free sample of the product. Thanks, Ben & Jerry’s! Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Received from Ben & Jerry’s
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 310 calories, 19 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 90 milligrams of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber 25 grams of sugar, and 6 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Sugarplum Iced Macchiato

Vin 9 Comments

Dunkin Sugarplum Macchiato Cup

What is Dunkin’s Sugarplum Iced Macchiato

One of the most flavorful coffee concoctions Dunkin’ has ever released, and certainly its most purple!

How is it?

I love it, but I have to admit, I didn’t know what a sugarplum was, and I still kinda don’t?

Are they even a real thing, or did that dude who wrote “Twas the Night Before Christmas” make them up? Is it just a candied plum? Is “sugarplum” just a cute blanket word for “sweets,” kinda like how the British use “pudding” to describe everything from actual pudding to cake to, like, toothpaste?

Every time I hear the word, I think of a hard-boiled noir detective being a jerk to some poor dame. “Hows about grabbin’ me a cuppa joe, sugarplums?”

Perhaps that bit of poorly aged dialogue somehow inspired this delicious coffee drink?

I decided to skip any and all research in an attempt to figure out what sugarplum actually tastes like, and I settled on “berry bomb.”

Dunkin Sugarplum Macchiato Berry Closeup

I may have been influenced by the whimsical color of the drink itself (seriously, how cool looking is that?). But on any given sip, I tasted just about every “dark fruit” from grape to blueberry to its namesake, plum. I’d describe it as vaguely “Fruity Pebbles After-milk.”

If Nestle Quik released an all-encompassing “Berry Milk” flavor, it would probably taste like the lower level of this drink, and I can’t compliment Dunkin’ enough.

Anything else you need to know?

As you can see from the oil and vinegar-style separation, the top layer is espresso, and it packs a wallop. I was able to take sips of each layer individually just by moving the straw. That’s some of the strongest coffee Dunkin’ has to offer.

After sampling each layer a few times, I mixed it up, and while the milky sugarplum layer lost a lot of its punch, it still made for a really nice iced macchiato. Then again, I’m the type of freak who likes to order blueberry flavor shots in my coffee.

Conclusion:

I doubled back to Dunkin’s press release, which described sugarplum as “bright berry flavors of blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, and plum,” so I was in the ballpark. I love that a fruit like plum gets to shine a bit for once, and I think this was a creative new spin on holiday gimmicks. I can see this becoming a yearly thing, and I fully expect more brands to get on the Sugarplum Express. We all know imitation is the sincerest form of fattery… flattery.

Purchased Price: $4.39
Size: Medium
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (with whole milk) 280 calories, 6 grams of fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 20 mg of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 47 grams of total carbohydrates, 44 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of fiber, and 9 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Betty Crocker Dunkaroos Cookie Dough

Leonard 5 Comments

Betty Crocker Dunkaroos Cookie Dough Package

What is Betty Crocker Dunkaroos Cookie Dough

Ready-to-bake sugar cookie dough paired with Dunkaroos classic frosting for a 90s DIY snack fresh from the oven!

How is it?

Betty Crocker Dunkaroos Cookie Dough with Frosting

Dunkaroos, at its core, is a playful sugary concept that boils down to cookies that you dip into rainbow speckled frosting. This refrigerated version offers up a fresher take, and for the most part, it is pretty successful. The cookies are nothing special as they seem to be just any regular old sugar cookie dough. The magic here is that it comes with vanilla frosting with rainbow sprinkles.

Betty Crocker Dunkaroos Cookie Dough Dunk

Betty Crocker is no stingy gal. There are two packets included when I was most definitely expecting only one, and the sprinkles themselves are big and plentiful. I decided to use the frosting in its proper form as a dip, and I really did feel like I was a kid again eating my Dunkaroos straight out of my lunch box in the cafeteria! (Tradesies, anybody?)

Anything else you need to know?

Betty Crocker Dunkaroos Cookie Dough Raw

This is not just a nostalgia trip as it is also very much a trendy DIY dessert. You can use the frosting to make little sandwiches or just drizzle it over them right after baking. You can also play with the sizing to make either six big cookies (although they look regular size to me) or 24 mini ones.

I’m lazy, so I went with the six since the 24 requires slicing and rolling. I also did it this way because I like my cookies to be a little chewier in the center, and you can only do that with bigger ones. However, I must caution that I followed the baking time in the directions, but the centers did not seem done. So I let it go a little longer, but that caused the bottoms to be a little burnt. So make sure you pull out right when the edges are a VERY light brown.

Conclusion:

Betty Crocker Dunkaroos Cookie Dough Frosting

These are not revolutionary by any means. It is just prepared sugar cookie dough with the added bonus of colorful frosting. Give them a try if the 90s was your favorite decade or if you love pre-made cookie dough cookies and want to be a little bit more creative. However, most of all, give these a try if you want to experience a fun take on the break-and-bake segment where the end result is a fun and colorful but sugary dessert.

Purchased Price: $2.50
Size: 8.6 oz
Purchased at: Giant
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 big cookie with frosting) 170 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 100 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 17 grams of sugar, and less than 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: McDonald’s McRib (2020)

Denis 8 Comments

McDonald s McRib 2020

The McRib is back…for the 57th time! I was surprised to learn it debuted way back in 1981, and that it has apparently been eight years since McDonald’s has offered it nationwide in the U.S.

Even though the McRib is far older than the internet, it might be the perfect food for our social media-focused world. It trends every time McDonald’s unleashes it. Also, furious debates ensue about whether the hype is warranted or just brilliant marketing, and if it is the best or worst fast food item in history. Because on social media, there can be no in-between. But in the frenzy created whenever the restructured boneless pork patty sandwich with BBQ sauce, pickles, and onions is released, an important question is rarely asked.

Does it taste good?

McDonald s McRib 2020 Pickles Onions

It seems like an obvious query, of course, but I’m not sure I’ve ever really thought about it. Like, I’m guessing, the majority of you fine readers of TIB, I’ve had a McRib a few times in my life. But I don’t remember the last time I had one, or even if I enjoyed it.

So I was left to ponder, is it actually a tasty meal? Or do I — and many of you — buy it because of that innate human desire to snatch up limited-time items (even though, when you think about it, everything on Earth is a limited time item)?

I also find it more than a little coincidental that after initially flopping, the McRib was brought back on a limited basis in 1989, the year after the hair band Cinderella taught us, “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone).” Seems like some McDonald’s marketing exec was a Cinderella fan.

So back to the question at hand…does the McRib taste good?

McDonald s McRib 2020 Patty Closeup

Well, not really, but it wasn’t bad either. The texture was not as rubbery as I was expecting, so I guess that’s a positive. The pork patty, complete with fake grill or bone marks (I’m not sure which it’s supposed to be), didn’t have a strong flavor. It was definitely pork-like, but I probably could have been convinced it was chicken or turkey. McDonald’s claims the BBQ sauce is tangy, but that’s a bit of a stretch. It seemed like a generic BBQ sauce. The pickles and onions were fine, and the latter added some nice crunch. Simply put, it was an average-tasting sandwich.

McDonald s McRib 2020 Bite

It reminded me of one of those microwavable sandwiches you get out of those sketchy, old school wheel of misfortune-type vending machines. You know, the ones where you make a selection after spinning the food around and then open that plastic door while hoping to retrieve the vittles with your hand and fingers intact.

Would I ever buy a McRib if it were available year-round, like it is, according to McGoogle, in Germany and, for some reason, Luxembourg? I doubt it, and if McDonald’s announced the McRib as a permanent menu item tomorrow, then the one I just had today would probably be my last. But when they bring it back in a year or two and social media makes me feel like I’m missing out, then yes, I must sheepishly admit that I’ll probably have another. I guess McDonald’s knows a thing or two about marketing.

Purchased Price: $3.39
Size: N/A
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 520 calories, 28 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 890 milligrams of sodium, 46 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, and 24 grams of protein.

(Editor’s Note: Starting this year, I’m going to have a different TIB writer review the McRib every time it comes back. Why? Just for fun AND content.

REVIEW: Perdue ThanksNuggets

Leonard 6 Comments

Perdue Thanksnuggets Pouch

Thanksgiving might just be the biggest food-related holiday there is. So with that, companies have recently decided to capitalize on it in the most creative ways possible.

For a few years, Pringles was having all the fun with its multitude of coordinating flavors encompassing the full feast. But this year, Perdue decided to throw its hat into the ring, and it is most definitely not messing around. The company has brought a clever name, vibrant packaging, cute themed shapes, and various wildly appropriate flavors.

Perdue Thanksnuggets Shapes

The only disappointment here is the super limited availability, with only 100 bags available on its website. The 100 number was meant to celebrate Perdue’s 100th anniversary, but as you will see below, these deserve to be in way more people’s bellies!

Breaded Breast Meat Turkey Nuggets

Perdue Thanksnuggets Split

These are white meat nuggets in the cutest little shape of a turkey with a secondary sweet potato flavor. They look very much like regular nuggets with a light brown coating, and the inside is chock full of delicious white meat.

The meat is very tender and the coating is good, but I wish the nuggets could’ve been a little thicker/crisper. The sweet potato starts to emerge as you chew, and it doesn’t let go. The first few nuggets to me were just a tad sweet, but the flavor really developed for me after a few more. Holy cow (or turkey?) these really taste like I am eating a side of sweet potatoes. Yum!

Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (4 Nuggets) 210 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 390 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 17 grams of protein.

Breaded Dark Meat Turkey and Cranberry Nuggets

These are dark meat nuggets are drumstick shaped and inspired by stuffing and cranberry sauce. I was a little hesitant with this flavor because I have never been a huge fan of dark meat, nor have I ever had it in nugget form. The two different flavors as an add-on also seemed a little odd.

Perdue Thanksnuggets Innards

These are much darker in color, but I can’t tell if it is just because of the dark meat interior, because of the actual composition of the breading, or maybe a little bit of both. The dark meat definitely gives these a more intense chicken flavor. But it is heavier too, and I am not sure I’m digging the texture as it is not as consistent as the white meat nuggets. These do have better crunch, though.

Just like the sweet potato with the other, the flavors here are very noteworthy. I can absolutely taste some onion and garlic, which is definitely giving me stuffing vibes. Do you see those little darker specks? They aren’t mystery meat particles. Those are actual cranberry pieces! When you get one, it is rather jolting but also a very nice tart surprise.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (4 Nuggets) 220 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 590 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein.

Perdue came to the Thanksgiving-themed boxing ring and just KO’d the competition! These have a lot going on with the different shapes, meats, and flavors, but all in all, they are creative and delicious. Kids and adults alike would enjoy these, and I hope Perdue brings them back next year for more to try. Fingers crossed that the company doesn’t make us wait until the 200th anniversary for 200 bags to fight over.

Purchased Price: $19.20 (For both flavors)
Size: 24 oz bag
Purchased at: Perduefarms.com