SPOTTED: Blue Diamond Bold Mexican-Style Street Corn Almonds
Yes. Give us more Mexican street corn. Mexican street corn-ize everything. (Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)
REVIEW: Goldfish Old Bay Seasoned Crackers
What are Goldfish Old Bay Seasoned Crackers?
Goldfish’s latest limited edition drop brings Old Bay seasoning to the cracker aisle! If you’ve never had it, it’s a signature blend of 18 herbs and spices. It was invented in Baltimore, Maryland, for steamed crab, so I still immediately associate it with seafood, crawfish boils, etc. But, it’s truly the bomb on everything — including Goldfish crackers.
How is it?
I expected it to be a bright orange cheddar cracker because of the image on the front. But it was actually pale and oyster cracker-esque. It still worked well, though!
While the seasoning coverage looked sparse and inconsistent, it was super flavorful. It was true to Old Bay’s aromatic start with a generous punch of salt, tempered by a backdrop of slight sweetness. It peaked at a high note of celeriac and ended with a bit of heat on the back of my tongue. This flavor journey also came with Goldfish’s gummy goodness that gets stuck in your molars when you eat ’em by the handful.
However, I noticed that almost none of my fish-shaped crackers smiled back. I truly find delight in the “snack that smiles back,” and I expect it with all Goldfish crackers. So, I dumped out the bag and flipped each one over – only to get a sad dimple or half-smile here and there.
Yes, I’m fully aware that this doesn’t affect the taste, but it does have an outsized impact on my joy of eating these crackers.
Anything else you need to know?
The simplicity of the packaging is stunning. The designers really brought forward the yellow and red colors of the Old Bay tin can. I could spot it easily five feet away from where it was sitting on display.
Conclusion:
Since this is Goldfish and McCormick’s second collab (the first time was Frank’s RedHot), and I believe good things come in threes, I’m sure we’ll have another one to look forward to. Would French’s Seasoned Goldfish be too polarizing?
Purchased Price: $1.98
Size: 6.6 oz bag
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (55 pieces or 30 grams) 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 310 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, 0 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein.
REVIEW: Van Leeuwen Grey Poupon Ice Cream
When social media alerts you to Grey Poupon ice cream, there are only two possible explanations: April Fools’ Day is upon us, or the mad geniuses at Van Leeuwen are at it again.
Given that it’s late May and you are reading this review, you can probably deduce that Van Leeuwen’s Grey Poupon with Salted Pretzels Ice Cream is a very real product. Considering the brand’s propensity for wacky, experimental flavors, including Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and Pizza, we shouldn’t be surprised. Of all possible unconventional savory pairings for ice cream, why not choose mustard? Why not mustard that tastes so good, gentlemen request it from neighboring vehicles?
You may have a lot of answers to that question that you will share in the comments IN ALL CAPS, but I love mustard. I sometimes eat certain foods solely so they can serve as vehicles for mustard. Ice cream isn’t one of them, so the prospect of mustardy ice cream left me curious and considerably trepid. For the sake of adventure and sharing my experience with you, dear readers, I’m willing to put my money where my mouth is.
My mouth, overall, was not displeased with the purchase. The French ice cream base does not taste like mustard, but rather rich vanilla. The flavor is simple but very high quality: delicious, rich, and creamy. (According to the container, French ice cream contains double the egg yolks than standard ice cream, which contribute to its richness.)
Pieces of thin pretzel sticks are generously spread throughout the base. They add a hint of saltiness, but their texture is lacking. The ultra-creamy base begs for a crunchy element, but the pretzels range from soft to soggy.
At this point, I wondered if the product WAS a belated April Fools’ joke, but then I hit the bright yellow swirl running throughout the base. Mustard time. However, this swirl, which has the consistency of very loose caramel, does not share the vinegary, spicy pungency of Dijon mustard. The flavor is much more consistent with honey mustard. Honey is listed as an ingredient, which is likely lending that sweetness to the swirl’s notable mustardy tang.
The honey mustard flavor is prominent in some pockets of the pint. The thinner ribbons are more subtle; they offer just a bit of bright flavor and acidity to cut the rich base. Together, all components of the ice cream give a French- fries-and-milkshake vibe, if the French fries were replaced by pretzels lightly seasoned with honey mustard powder. The flavor is certainly unusual, and while I wouldn’t want a cone full of it, I don’t regret buying it.
Van Leeuwen’s latest creation may not inspire this devout mustard-lover to ask the ice cream truck: “Do you have any Grey Poupon?” But its adventurous blur of sweet and savory defies expectations, resulting in a surprising, interesting dessert experience. When soggy pretzels are the biggest downside of a condiment-themed ice cream, that’s a win for creativity.
Purchased Price: $4.98
Size: 14 fl oz
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 2/3 cup) 310 calories, 18 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 100 milligrams of cholesterol, 280 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 26 grams of sugar, and 6 grams of protein.
SPOTTED: Jurassic World Trix Trax with Marshmallows Cereal
So does the dinosaur get to eat Trix, while the Trix rabbit doesn’t? Or is the dinosaur also denied from eating Trix and the reason why the Trix rabbit is smiling is because he’s happy he’s no longer the only one who isn’t allowed to eat the cereal? (Spotted by Brad H at Kroger.)
SPOTTED: Little Debbie Star Crunch Ice Cream
The Unicorn Cakes Sparkling Strawberry Ice Cream we covered the other day is sharing the shelf with this flavor. Also, this will probably reflect badly on someone who has been following junk food on this site for almost 18 years, but I had no idea the Little Debbie Star Crunch was a thing until I saw this ice cream. (Spotted by Brian W at Walmart.)