Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Carvel Tie-Dye Specialty Shake

Vin

Carvel Tie Dye Specialty Shake

What is the Carvel Tie-Dye Specialty Shake?

Carvel has channeled Ben & Jerry’s hippy-inspired flavor formula with its Limited Time Only Tie-Dye Specialty Shake.

How is it?

Right out of the gate I was impressed by just how many squares of pound cake they managed to fit in the cup. Not only that, they weren’t frozen solid like I assumed they’d be. I probably ended up eating almost a full slice of cake if you factor in the tiny bits that were mixed in with the ice cream.

Carvel Tie Dye Specialty Shake Melt

Despite the shake flavor being cake driven, it wasn’t very cakey. I found the Cake Mix-flavored ice cream to be pretty similar to regular vanilla, so it just kinda tasted like a vanilla shake with bits of mushy cake and sprinkles.

With that said, Carvel’s soft serve vanilla is, in my opinion, the best vanilla ice cream on Earth.

It will always hold a special place in my heart, because I love the New York Mets (sad life, huh?) and every spoonful reminds me of my childhood sitting at Shea Stadium with a little plastic helmet full of Carvel Vanilla Ice Cream.

Anything else you need to know?

Carvel Tie Dye Specialty Shake Top

I’d be remiss not to compliment the jerk (isn’t that what they used to call ice cream parlor employees?) who made this shake because it almost looked like the press photo. Rarely does the visual reality of a product like this meet the expectation, and he claimed it was his first time ever making it.

I’d also like to criticize the jerk (actual jerk) for asking, “Do you want the food coloring? You sound like an adult?”

You believe that? I just want a Tie Dye shake, why you trying to harsh my mellow by asking that?

I immediately fired back, “Damn right I want the food coloring! That’s the whole point of the shake, bro! Why you judging me? Who’re you?!”

Ok, in reality, I semi-panicked and said, “Uhhhh, yeah ya know what? Go for it.” It’s because I’m a massive coward who is afraid of an ice cream man. It’s the Mets fan in me.

Oh, and yes, it’s just food coloring. Don’t get excited expecting a Roy G. Biv of flavors, because the tie-dye inspired swirls are just for show. They look cool though, no?

Conclusion:

If you’re lucky enough to live by one of Carvel’s 400 locations and want a fun five-minute distraction, this is definitely worth a shot. I’d actually love to see what your shake ends up looking like, because I feel like there’s very little margin for error.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: Small
Purchased at: Carvel
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Unavailable, but here is a standard Vanilla shake) 650 calories, 240 calories from fat, 27 grams of fat, 18 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 290 milligrams of sodium, 89 grams of total carbohydrates, 79 grams of total sugars, 11 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Taco Bell Pineapple Whip Freeze

Vin 6 Comments

Taco Bell Pineapple Whip Freeze

What is Taco Bell’s Pineapple Whip Freeze?

If you ever wanted a virgin pina colada from Taco Bell, now’s your chance.

How is it?

As far as frozen fast food drinks go, the Pineapple Whip Freeze is top-tier. It’s like drinking a refreshing pina colada-flavored Slurpee with an injection of vanilla cream replacing the coconut flavor.

Taco Bell Pineapple Whip Freeze Top

The pineapple slush is vibrant and delicious, and the vanilla flavor complements it perfectly, yet I was still left mildly unfulfilled.

I couldn’t help but think how perfect this would be if Taco Bell had an ice cream machine.

Taco Bell Pineapple Whip Freeze Bottom

While this Freeze tastes great overall, this would have been an all-time elite with a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream as opposed to the “vanilla creamer whip” that Taco Bell classifies it as.

I think the image of a Dole Whip was unfairly dancing in my head every time I took a sip, so maybe that’s an unfair complaint, but still, this would have been a 10 if it was pineapple slush mixed with a thick vanilla shake. In fairness, it melted a bit in the eight minute or so drive home.

Taco Bell Pineapple Whip Freeze Melt

Anything else you need to know?

Despite my petty whining, it’s a great drink to usher in the warmer weather. It also perfectly complemented the burrito I absolutely Frankensteined in the Taco Bell app by adding almost every possible ingredient.

I bet this would make a fantastic alcoholic drink. I may grab another one and toss an airplane shot of Malibu or two in the cup. Don’t judge me. It’s summer. Live más.

Oh, and this was supposed to come with a green lid to give it a fun pineapple appearance. Naturally, I didn’t get one, because I NEVER get the special edition packaging on anything for some reason.

Conclusion:

The syrupy vanilla wasn’t as perfect as I had hoped, but the Pineapple Whip Freeze was still pretty fantastic. If you’re a fan of Dole Whips, I would recommend getting the regular Pineapple Freeze and adding your own vanilla ice cream (and maybe a shot of rum).

Purchased Price: $2.49 ($1 during Happier Hour)
Size: Regular
Purchased at: Taco Bell
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 210 calories, 1 grams of fat, .5 grams of saturated fat, 55 milligrams of sodium, 52 grams of total carbohydrates, 49 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of fiber, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starbucks Iced Guava Passionfruit Drink

Heather 7 Comments

Starbucks Iced Guava Passionfruit Drink

What is Starbucks’ Iced Guava Passionfruit Drink?

It’s a sister drink to the Iced Pineapple Matcha and Iced Golden Ginger Drinks in that it features coconutmilk as its base. This one packs a flavor punch with guava, passionfruit, pineapple, and ginger. It uses the pineapple ginger syrup along with a guava juice blend to create a bubblegum pink color and creamy flavor.

How is it?

You know how when you’re little and you think you don’t like fish (or insert other food you hated here), but it’s really because you actually haven’t tried it and just think you don’t like it? That’s how I used to be with coconutmilk. But once I began trying it a few years back in Starbucks’ Pink and Violet drinks (Refreshers paired with coconutmilk), I was sold.

The new Iced Guava Passionfruit Drink does not disappoint when it comes to creamy coconutmilk goodness. Having really enjoyed the recently released Iced Golden Ginger Drink, I was excited to try this one too.

Starbucks Iced Guava Passionfruit Drink 2

At first sip, it immediately transports me to somewhere tropical – I definitely wanted to be on the beach with this one in hand. Despite the 25 grams of sugar in a tall, it’s not overly sweet. The fruity guava flavor definitely comes through, but the pineapple ginger syrup wasn’t very noticeable. All in all, it’s a pleasant drink – fruity flavor, a nice thickness from the coconutmilk and certainly refreshing on a hot day.

Anything else you need to know?

Like the Iced Golden Ginger Drink, there’s no caffeine in this one. So if you’re willing to fork over the more than $4 for a Starbucks drink that’s not going to give you a caffeine boost, it’s worth a try.

Conclusion:

While I enjoyed and loved the taste, I wouldn’t add it in to my normal Starbucks drink rotation, but keep it as a special, once-in-a-while beverage for an afternoon treat.

Purchased Price: $4.45
Size: Tall
Purchased at: Starbucks
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 140 calories, 2 grams of total fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 25 grams of total sugars, 1 grams of protein and 0 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Lucky Charms Honey Clovers Cereal

Leonard 3 Comments

Lucky Charms Honey Clovers Cereal

What is Lucky Charms Honey Clovers Cereal?

Lucky Charms Cereal with new clover-shaped pieces sweetened with real honey and the marshmallows pieces that you know and love.

How is it?

Sooooo, I’m completely torn on this one. I had an absolute roller coaster of thoughts while sampling. The first pass was the cereal as a dry snack, which offered unhinged sadness. I felt like those kids in the commercial who are not able to outwit Lucky and his leprechaun shenanigans. The clover pieces are nicely themed, but I wasn’t getting the big honey flavor I was expecting as that is the selling point this time around. Just look at the dripping beehive on the box!

The marshmallows are as delicious as ever too, but the honey flavor was an empty pot of gold at the bottom of a rainbow for me. The pieces taste similar to any sweetened corn cereal.

Lucky Charms Honey Clovers Cereal Bowl

My second pass is how cereal is usually consumed — drowning in a big bowl of milk, of course! I began to come around to what was the goal here. I kind of love the interplay between the milk, super sugary sweetness of the marbits, the corn base, and then the subdued honey sweetness of the cereal pieces. It works well and, honestly, has a better-rounded flavor than the original version of Lucky Charms. UPGRADE!

Anything else you need to know?

Lucky Charms Honey Clovers Cereal Closeup

It’s been a while for Lucky Charms for me so as I was singing the iconic jingle in my head (hearts, stars, horseshoes, clovers & blue moons, pots of gold, rainbows and a red balloon) I realized there have been some updates. This honey clover version contains stars, unicorns, clover hats, red balloons, horseshoes, hearts, blue moons, and rainbows.

There is some controversy with this debut as when it was announced. The product was expected to have an oat base and not a corn one. SCANDALOUS!! I wonder if it was a cost thing, a taste thing, or something else entirely? Hmmmm. Quick, does anybody have one of those 100% Lucky Charms Marshmallow boxes that we could mix with a box of Honey Nut Cheerios? Let us know.

Conclusion

Lucky Charms fans and marshmallow breakfast cereal lovers, in general, should try this one. It’s a nice upgrade on a classic. Just remember that honey takes a supporting role, so you aren’t disappointed like those kids in the commercial. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta figure out what happened to my favorite marshmallow, that pot of gold!

Purchased Price: $3.68
Size: 10.9 oz Box
Purchased at: Giant
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) – 140 calories, 1 grams of fat, 160 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Stuffed Puffs Chocolate-on Chocolate Marshmallows

Dustin 3 Comments

Stuffed Puffs Chocolate on Chocolate Marshmallows

Stuffed Puffs are chocolate-filled marshmallows that theoretically allow one to make an instant s’more without separate chocolate. While I never tried the original variety, I was excited to gorge on the new Chocolate-on-Chocolate Stuffed Puffs.

They have a pleasant chocolatey hue and welcoming aroma. The marshmallow itself is full-on chocolate and the outside appears to be coated in sugary cocoa powder. They are fluffy and familiar, with a pleasant onset of sweet cocoa.

Stuffed Puffs Chocolate on Chocolate Marshmallows Closeup

Stuffed Puffs Chocolate on Chocolate Marshmallows Innards

The chocolate inside is more substantial than the soft exterior. I was expecting either a dense hunk of chocolate or a whipped filling and it was neither. It was creamy, but denser than the surrounding marshmallow. Above all, it was incredibly delicious.

Being that it’s already pushing 100 degrees outside here, I shied away from making a fire to roast these. I delicately skewered one with a fork and placed it over a gas burner.

When it comes to roasting marshmallows, I’m highly neurotic. I take my time to get a perfectly golden exterior. I can’t stand one that has been scorched. I hovered the Stuffed Puff just out of reach of the dancing flames, expecting a wait. Within seconds, it caught fire. I quickly blew it out. Since it didn’t seem too badly burned, I gave it a shot.

Stuffed Puffs Chocolate on Chocolate Marshmallows Toasted

The Stuffed Puff was even better like this, but the filling only melted toward the edges. It wasn’t in the heat long enough to cook thoroughly. The coating seemed to contribute to the marshmallow igniting. It would probably be easier using the residual heat from the coals of an actual fire. One thing completely surprised me: I didn’t lose any chocolate out of the marshmallow. I assumed that would be a big problem.

Stuffed Puffs Chocolate on Chocolate Marshmallows Smores 2

I also tried something I normally wouldn’t have: a microwaved s’more. I placed the the Stuffed Puff on a graham cracker and nuked it for about 15 seconds. It was gooey, decadent and cooked through, but missing the satisfying caramelization of an authentic s’more. After this, I noticed that one of the recommended preparation methods was a toaster oven. That would have been smart.

Stuffed Puffs Chocolate on Chocolate Marshmallows Coffee

I stirred one into a cup of coffee and it was magnificent, so these should elevate hot cocoa nicely.

Despite my fumbling with cooking applications, these marshmallows are total winners. I have finished off the bag, popping them into my mouth as I write this. I fully intend to buy more.

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

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 8.6 oz. bag
Purchased at: Received from Stuffed Puffs
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 pieces) 140 calories, 5 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 25 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 17 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.