QUICK REVIEW: Cheez-It Duoz Caramel Popcorn & Cheddar

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Cheez It Duoz Caramel Popcorn Cheddar

For years, without ever trying it, I dismissed the cheddar and caramel popcorn mix.

I couldn’t wrap my head around how the two could work together. But then I tried it and my preconceived notions got shown the door. It was at this point I had an existential crisis and wondered what other combinations I thought don’t work well, but actually do.

Oil and water? Nope, got the burns to show they don’t work together.

Toothpaste and orange juice? Nope, I’ve got the worn down enamel to prove they’re not a good duo.

The sweet and savory combo works so well that I thought the Cheez-It Duoz Caramel Popcorn & Cheddar would get some serious kudos from me, but it won’t.

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At a quick glance, the popcorn to cracker ratio appears to lean more towards the Cheez-Its. But as I ate my way through the box, one piece of each at the same time, it turns out there’s an almost even balance of the two. Of course, your box may vary.

With the caramel and cheddar popcorn mixes I’ve had, there’s usually been a balance of flavors. But that’s not the case with this.

The caramel popcorn tastes fine on its own, it’s crunchy, buttery, and sweet. But its flavor gets pushed out of the way by the tang and potency of the cheddar seasoning, making it much more savory than sweet. Also, it tastes as if some of the cheesiness attaches to the popcorn, dampen their sweetness. There were delightful moments of flavor equilibrium, but it happened when the popcorn was heavily coated with caramel and the Cheez-It wasn’t seasoned very well.

Overall, the Cheez-It Duoz Caramel Popcorn & Cheddar is okay, but its sweet and salty fusion isn’t good enough to make it a hard-to-put-down snack. I’d rather get a bag of cheddar and caramel popcorn.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free sample in order to review it. Receiving it for free did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 8.7 oz. box
Purchased at: Received for free
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 130 calories, 6 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 2 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 1.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, less than 1 gram of 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

QUICK REVIEW: Dunkin’ Donuts Mint Brownie Donut

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Dunkin Donuts Mint Brownie Donut

True story: I had to buy this Dunkin’ Donuts Mint Brownie Donut twice, because I wasn’t sure they gave me the right one the first time.

But they did.

Part of what gave me pause is that the frosting looked nothing like the festive green on the promotional materials. The first was more blue than green. But the second just looked white. If it’s not green, what on earth does mint have to do with St. Patrick’s Day?

Dunkin Donuts Mint Brownie Donut 3

On top of the frosting are crunchy chocolate bits. I don’t mind the crunchiness, but it’s not the texture I associate with brownies. My second donut’s pieces were so small it was almost a powder. When I pulled an Ariana Grande and licked the frosting, it was just plain frosting with no flavor.

Dunkin Donuts Mint Brownie Donut 2

The main part of the donut is a typical yeast dough; you can’t go wrong with it. Inside the donut is a chocolaty filling. Here’s where the discrepancy is between the two donuts I tried. On the first, I couldn’t taste the mint. It reminded me of the oily filling of those Hostess chocolate pies I loved as a kid, but it wasn’t minty.

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The second, however, did taste like a mint brownie, though toned down from most that I’ve had. I liked it.

So, if you go down to your local Dunkin’, I can’t guarantee whether your mint donut will actually taste like a mint donut. If it does, it’s great! It’s an underutilized flavor for donuts. But if it doesn’t taste like it, you’re left with an ordinary chocolate-filled yeast ring.

Purchased Price: $1.09
Size: N/A
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 370 calories, 170 calories from fat, 19 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 370 milligrams of sodium, 47 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 25 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: IHOP Tuxedo Pancakes

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IHOP Tuxedo Pancakes

Two things I love in this world are pancakes and coffee.

So IHOP nearly broke my heart when it discontinued its delicious Latte Lover’s pancakes. But when I found out about these new Tuxedo pancakes I nearly lost my mind. I promised myself for Lent I’d give up coffee, but this was the loophole I had been waiting desperately for ten minutes after I made that commitment.

IHOP describes the new stack as: “One Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Pancake, layered with our world-famous buttermilk pancake and topped with vanilla bean mousse and mocha mousse and sprinkled with chocolate chips.” Surely, I had thought, this would taste exactly like the mocha cream on the Espresso Mocha Cream pancakes and the vanilla bean cream on the Double Vanilla pancakes, which were both around for the Latte Lover’s promotion.

I was half right.

The vanilla bean mousse tastes nearly identical to the vanilla bean cream. On its own, it has a nice vanilla bean flavoring, but is very subtle. I think I would have been able to enjoy it, but the chocolate chips on top are very distracting, especially once the chocolate mousse gets factored in. The mocha mousse doesn’t taste much like mocha and is missing that bubbly mousse mouthfeel. Instead, it feels more like icing. Compared to the mocha cream I had known and loved, this new chocolate mousse is a lot darker, richer, and sweeter.

If I were to compare it to anything it would be dark chocolate ganache, which is delicious, but it’s not the coffee-infused chocolate mousse I was hoping for. Furthermore, the amount of mousse allocated to a short stack isn’t much. So if someone were to order a full stack of four pancakes, the mousse would definitely leave one wanting more.

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As for the pancakes themselves, the chocolate, chocolate chip one is delicious but the original buttermilk is boring and detracts from this overall experience. Perhaps if IHOP had used a vanilla bean flavoring instead of plain buttermilk it would have fared much better, but the buttermilk and chocolate pancakes fail to complement each other and are not something worth returning for given all the other, more interesting flavors to choose from on the menu.

Overall, I am disappointed and bored with this new limited time menu item. Those who prefer more straightforward, simple pancakes might find these more appealing. To me, these are dry, lack any real sweetness, and doesn’t do the Tuxedo cake justice.

As a coffee and sugar fiend, these only leave me wanting a lot more. My caffeine withdrawal headache is still here, telling me that whatever coffee might have been in the mousse wasn’t enough for even the slightest buzz.

But, believe it or not, the saving grace is the mocha mousse. Not because it’s mocha, but because dark chocolate ganache makes everything better as far as I’m concerned and was the sweetest thing about this stack. Next time I’ll see if they can give me the chocolate, chocolate chip pancakes with plenty of this mousse layered between each pancake. Now THAT gets me excited!

(Nutrition Facts – Not available.)

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: Side order of 2 pancakes
Rating: 4 out of 10
Pros: The mocha mousse tastes like dark chocolate ganache and is very sweet. The ability to now order this mousse on a stack of the chocolate, chocolate chip pancakes without the buttermilk pancakes or vanilla bean mousse getting in the way.
Cons: The mocha mousse didn’t have any coffee flavoring to it, and the vanilla bean mousse was not nearly sweet enough to compete with the chocolate. The buttermilk pancake base did no justice for this stack, it just made it less sweet and flavorful. Felt like I was missing something – perhaps more, or at least a stronger vanilla flavor.

QUICK REVIEW: Lay’s Kettle Cooked Honey Chipotle Potato Chips

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Lay s Kettle Cooked Honey Chipotle Potato Chips

Lay’s Kettle Cooked Honey Chipotle Potato Chips have an orange tint that makes them look cheesy. But rest assured that no cheeses were harmed in the making of these chips.

They get their orange hue from chipotle chili powder and there’s enough of it that the aroma of eau de chili wafts out as soon as the bag’s seal is undone. But the chips don’t radiate any honey or sweet smell.

But the honey makes its appearance when the chips mingle with my taste buds. It reminds me of what’s on the honey butter potato chips from South Korea I’ve tried, but more natural tasting. It’s in the forefront with the first few chips, with the chipotle and other seasonings taking a back seat. Although the honey stood out with the first few chips, the flavor, I have to admit, was strange and not too pleasing, much like the new Lay’s Kettle Cooked bag design.

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But after eating a few more of the super crunchy chips, the chipotle builds up and the honey moves to the back, causing the flavor to morph into something more palatable…and familiar.

The combined sweet and savory notes remind me of Lay’s Barbecue Potato Chips, but the chipotle turns it into a spicy version. Okay, now when I say, “spicy,” it’s not going to you run to the kitchen to grab a glass of milk or tub of Greek yogurt, unless you’re super sensitive to spice. It’s more smoky with a mild peppery kick.

If you buy a bag of Lay’s Kettle Cooked Honey Chipotle, don’t let the first few chips deter you. It’s a bit odd, but once you get past that and let the chipotle build up in your mouth, the chips end up having a decent flavor.

Purchased Price: $2.75 (on sale)
Size: 8 oz. bag
Purchased at: Longs Drugs
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 15 chips) 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade

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Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always thought of ginger ale as a drink that skews toward the older demographic. I can’t say for sure because I don’t spend much time at skateparks or halfpipes, but I don’t imagine too many people under 21 grabbing an ice-cold ginger ale after doing some kind of extreme sport.

Even for the legally-able-to-drink-but-under-65 crowd, ginger ale is something that might be included in a fancy drink you order to impress a date, but not a beverage you imbibe on a regular basis.

On the other hand, lemonade is a drink for kids. Sure, adults will get a glass at an outrageously marked-up price from the neighborhood stand run by kids who always mess up the directions and either serve the strongest or weakest lemonade ever concocted. And yes, if you are of drinking age you’ve might’ve had lemonade with vodka. But if you are at a fancy dinner for a job interview — like at the type of place with tablecloths and metal utensils — chances are you are not ordering a lemonade (unless said interview is for a job at Country Time or Snapple).

So that brings us to Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade. As soft drinks go, it’s not very creative or wild. Soda flavors have proliferated over the past decade in a seemingly endless pursuit of the most extreme outcomes to the point where bacon-flavored drinks are passé. And this Canada Dry offering certainly isn’t a fancy craft soda using dragon fruit, passionfruit or other variation of fruit that I’m not certain truly exists.

Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade 2

It’s just ginger ale and lemonade, but it’s surprising this combination of flavors is really satisfying and refreshing.

The aroma is barely existent, with a faint smell of ginger ale and no lemon at all, and the color is more translucent than you might expect. But the flavor is where this drink shines, as it should. You do have to focus a little to pick out the separate ginger ale and lemonade flavors, as they meld into almost a mellow Mountain Dew-like taste with a bit less citrus kick and a touch less carbonation. Further research confirms that this also makes an excellent mixer with vodka or other spirits.

The label touts that it’s made “from real ginger and real juice,” but before you get ready to count a glass as a daily serving of fruit, take notice that it contains a whopping 1 percent lemon juice. For the mathematically-challenged, included is a visual aid showing 12 ounces of the drink with the amount of lemon juice it actually contains (about 3.5 milliliters). A juice drink this is not.

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I guess this would be easy to make yourself by mixing ginger ale and lemonade, but why go to that trouble when the good folks at Canada Dry have already found the right flavor combination that is surprisingly good.

(Nutrition Facts – 12 fl. oz. – 140 calories, 0 grams of fat, 50 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 36 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $1.00
Size: 2 liters
Purchased at: H-E-B
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Pleasant, mellow and refreshing flavor. Mixes well with your favorite alcohol.
Cons: Won’t count as your daily serving of fruit. Can’t be sure if this drink will make you feel old or young.

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