Tag: Condiment

REVIEW: Heinz Sriracha Tomato Ketchup

Marvo 5 Comments

Heinz Sriracha Tomato Ketchup

If you love sriracha, there’s a very good chance you have a bottle of it in your kitchen right now.

And there’s a much greater chance you have a bottle of ketchup in your kitchen or, at least, several ketchup packets you’ve accumulated from generous fast food drive-thru workers who dumped an uncounted amount of ketchup packets into your bag after you said “yes” to the question, “Would you like ketchup?”

If the idea of sriracha ketchup excites you, and you have bottles of sriracha and ketchup in your kitchen, you’re better off combining the two instead of purchasing Heinz’s Sriracha Ketchup.

When I first heard about Heinz’s Sriracha Ketchup, I was excited because I love sriracha. But when I started thinking harder than anyone should over a condiment, I realized if I want a sriracha-flavored condiment for burgers, fries, hot dogs, and limp Kid Cuisine chicken nuggets, wouldn’t it be better to use sriracha over a sriracha-flavored ketchup?

Also, while thinking harder than anyone should over a condiment, I might’ve realized why Heinz decided to make a sriracha ketchup. The difference between ketchup and sriracha is as small as the difference between humans and chimpanzees. Because both condiments have salt, sugar, vinegar, garlic and/or onion, if I was somehow able to remove the tomatoes in ketchup and replace it with chili peppers, I’d have something that tastes similar to sriracha. And if I were to remove the chili peppers from sriracha and replace it with tomatoes, I’d have ketchup.

You’d think combining sriracha with ketchup would create a new Asian condiment. Well, it doesn’t. But it does taste like a old Mexican condiment — taco sauce.

Yeah, not what I was expecting.

After doing more research than anyone should on condiments, I learned it makes sense Heinz’s Sriracha Ketchup tastes like taco sauce, because the combination of ingredients IS taco sauce. Here are the ingredients found in Ortego Taco Sauce: Tomato Puree, Water, Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Modified Corn Starch, Spices, Paprika, Citric Acid, Green Chile Powder, and Onion Powder.

Heinz Sriracha Tomato Ketchup Closeup
Regular ketchup (top) Heinz Sriracha Ketchup (bottom).

The back of the Heinz Sriracha Ketchup bottle says it has a “hint of garlic,” but when I ate them with fries, I couldn’t detect it. Garlic isn’t listed in the ingredients list, but I imagine it’s included with “Natural Flavorings” on the list. While I didn’t taste any garlic, I did notice the ketchup had some heat to it. Its spiciness was slightly less than the rooster sauce I have in my kitchen.

Speaking of the sriracha in my kitchen, since I have some and a bunch ketchup packets, I decided to combine the two and compare it with the Heinz Sriracha Ketchup. The condiment mixture, which had more ketchup than sriracha, had a better flavor. I could taste the garlic and it wasn’t similar to taco sauce.

Overall, if you’re a fan of sriracha, I can’t recommend Heinz Sriracha Ketchup. But if you’re a fan of taco sauce, I can recommend this.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 Tbsp – 20 calories, 0 calories from fat, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.)

Item: Heinz Sriracha Tomato Ketchup
Purchased Price: $5.19
Size: 14 oz. bottle
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Not horrible. Pleasant spiciness. Having sriracha in the kitchen. Having ketchup in the kitchen. Fast food drive-thru employees who make it rain ketchup packets.
Cons: Tastes like taco sauce. Lacks garlic flavor. Garlic isn’t listed in the ingredients list. Limp Kid Cuisine chicken nuggets. Thinking harder than anyone should over condiments. Mixing rooster sauce and ketchup tastes better.

REVIEW: Reese’s Spreads

Margaret 9 Comments

Reese's PB Choc Spread

The challenge is issued, the gloves are dropped, the physicians wait at the sidelines, ready to dress the wounds of the wounded. Who will stand above: the candy or the spread? The Modernist or the Traditionalist? Call the bluff. Claim your honor. The pistols are loaded.

Reese's PB Choc Spread Reese's Traditionalist

With cat-like reflexes, the Traditionalist makes the first move. The Reese’s candy ever remains a classic, the very foundation upon which all peanut butter candies attempt to stand. It sharpens its brass knuckles on its well-grounded history: the gritty, crumbly peanut butter insides, the hyper-sweet, milk chocolatey outsides, all nestled away in its charming paper cup. I can’t even keep it around long enough to consider if it’s less than perfect.

But then…

Reese's PB Choc Spread Reese's PB Choc Spread is made of Goodness

Stronger than a 3-horsed chariot driven by Ron Swanson, the spread busts out with a perfume of peanut butter and chocolate. Smooth, shiny, a smidge gritty from itty candy chunkies, this Righteous Goodness combines all the textural traits of a nut butter with the classic chocolate-and-honeyed-peanut-butter taste of its candy contender.

With a flavor that combines peanut butter, Nutella, and sweetened condensed milk, it’s easy to eat from the jar or spread on those 48 leftover Christmas cookies from the office party. It goes on toast. It goes on waffles. It goes on ice cream. It would make an easy job for marketers conspiring to brainwash humankind with a catchy jingle that would subconsciously influence us [i.e.: me] to buy more of it. I already blame my subconscious for the excessive number of jars I will be purchasing in the future.

Reese's PB Choc Spread Reese's Spread is trying to hypnotize you

So the shots have been fired, the dust has cleared, the cowboy audience got bored and returned to the Tavern to nurse their beer bellies. But which product emerged victorious?

Reese's PB Choc Spread Reese's duel finale-which wins?

When you’re in a duel, you are acutely interested in NOT dying, so why kill your fellow compatriot? If you shoot, s/he may very well fire in return, rupturing your aorta and, well…sayonara to that vacation to Puerto Rico. Both versions of Reese’s realize this and offer their respective qualities. One, a munchable, melty candy. The other, a smooth, chocolatey peanut spread that integrates well with anything you consider suited for peanut butter. Me? I prefer something that I can carry around in my pocket, but, dang if this spread isn’t delicious.

Perhaps more importantly, the spread proves an important point: that, despite its long history, peanut butter and chocolate live in the gullet of the confectionary world with justifiable cause. The salty-sweet combination, combined with a gritty, sugared goodness, fills a special pocket of the stomach without overwhelming. It punches you and embraces you at the same time. Like a good man hug. And what better way to start the year than with a good man hug?

(Nutrition Facts – 2 Tbsp – 190 calories, 100 calories from fat, 12 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 140 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 19 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.)

Item: Reese’s Spreads
Purchased Price: $3.29
Size: 13 oz. jar
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Sugary. Chocolatey. Peanut-buttery. Nubbins of candy/chunky peanut butter stirred in. Tastes just like spreadable Reese’s. 3-horsed chariots driven by Ron Swanson. Beer-bellied cowboys. Man hugs.
Cons: May induce sugar rush. May induce buying too many jars. May induce lack of pantry space after buying too many jars. Not quite as awesome as the candy, but still very awesome. Reminder that those leftover Christmas cookies are very, very stale. Catchy jingles that get stuck in your head. Vacations in Puerto Rico that don’t exist.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Jif Whips Pumpkin Pie Spice

Jack 6 Comments

Jif Whips Limited Edition Pumpkin Pie Spice

Plunging pretzels, crackers, and yes, even fingers into the peanut butter jar have always been saved only for the dead of night while shooting paranoid, cautionary looks over each shoulder.

That is, of course, until Jif Whips came along.

Jif knew our secret all along, and last year they finally acknowledged that PB&Js aren’t the only things that the good people of the world have been gracing with the spreadable goodness of everyone’s favorite legume. Now, the inviting wide-mouthed tub of Jif’s Whips welcomes those same activities that once made us feel so dirty inside. George Washington Carver would have been proud.

With the warmest days of summer behind us and the flashing lights of the Christmas season already looming in the back room of every Target, Walmart, and dollar store, the brief(ish) window we call the “Fall Season” is finally, and thankfully, upon us. To celebrate, Jif Whips has whipped up something special for us (and it’s way better than my puns): A limited edition Pumpkin Pie Spice flavor of their crowd-pleasing whipped peanut butter.

To get myself in the mood, I grabbed a warm chai and put on my most autumnal sweater. I would have carved a ceremonial pumpkin too, but I didn’t really feel like moving. Also, I was itchy from the sweater.

Fixed in my chair, I decided that the best vehicle to deliver the peanut butter concoction into my mouth, without overshadowing the Pumpkin Pie Spice, would be graham crackers, a snack so boring on its own that they were actually invented to make everyone masturbate less. The outcome was definitely spectacular.

Jif Whips Limited Edition Pumpkin Pie Spice Closeup

The texture of Jif Whips Pumpkin Pie Spice is much creamier and palpably sweeter than traditional ol’ PB. It’s also much lighter, making dipping with even the most flimsy cracker possible. While maintaining that base peanut butter flavor of brown-bagged happiness Jif is known for, the cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice work cohesively to bring back cozy memories of last fall.

Unlike many seasonal products that feel like someone at corporate just checking off the typical flavors, the pumpkin pie spice (despite being the king of obligatory seasonal flavors) complements the robustness of Jif’s whipped peanut butter. From all angles, Jif Whips Pumpkin Pie Spice is a great combination of two beloved flavors. And while you’re welcomed to follow my graham cracker example, scooping with your fingers work just as well.

(Nutrition Facts – 2 Tbsp – 140 calories, 100 calories from fat, 12 grams of total fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.)

Item: Limited Edition Jif Whips Pumpkin Pie Spice
Purchased Price: $3.49
Size: 15 oz. tub
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 9 out of 10
Pros: Combining pumpkin pie and peanut butter. Very spreadable. Not having to feel bad about using your fingers to eat peanut butter.
Cons: Probably shouldn’t be used to replace all peanut butter. Getting caught dipping your fingers in the peanut butter jar.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Jif Whips Maple Brown Sugar

Matt 7 Comments

Limited Edition Jif Whips Maple Brown Sugar

Most people know maple syrup as a sticky substance coveted by Canadians, the official currency of Vermont, and something that Kanye West sips when somebody orders pancakes. Though nothing can quite take the place of that precious Acer saccharum sap, Jif envisions a world where hungry citizens never have to resort to dousing their pancakes in syrup to receive their daily dose of maple flavor.

New Limited Edition Jif Whips Maple Brown Sugar blends the traditional flavor of peanut butter with hints of brown sugar and maple, all in a whipped peanut butter form. In contrast to its non-whipped counterpart, whipped peanut butter is considerably more light and airy. As a result, it spreads effortlessly onto both white bread and body parts.

Even the packaging of Jif Whips Maple Brown Sugar helps make the peanut butter experience a bit less painful. No longer will you find yourself struggling to scrape the last bits of peanut butter from the bottom of a glass jar — the wide plastic tub provides easy access to the whipped peanut butter from all angles. It’s the work of German engineers, I’m sure.

Limited Edition Jif Whips Maple Brown Sugar 2

Peeling off the lid, we discover that Jif Whips Maple Brown Sugar shares the same off-putting, scatalogical appearance with the last Jif Whips I reviewed. Only this time, the nut butter more closely resembles what I find in my backyard when the neighbor kids feed tan crayons to my dog. In other words, Jif Whips Maple Brown Sugar looks like a big ol’ pile of pale brown shadoobie.

Jif Whips Maple Brown Sugar’s scent is pungent, a mixture of peanut butter and maple aromas — as if Mrs. Buttersworth decided to play with Mr. Peanut, if ya know what I mean.

Limited Edition Jif Whips Maple Brown Sugar 3

In comparison to this scent, the flavor of Jif Whips Maple Brown Sugar seems less intense. Initially, the taste is nutty and sweet, like any typical peanut butter mixed with a touch of maple syrup. I was expecting the maple flavor to seem either exaggerated or artificial, but fortunately, it was neither. A spoonful of this legume spread culminates with a hint of molasses, alluding to the advertised brown sugar flavor. On the tongue, the whipped peanut butter feels somewhat less viscous than traditional peanut butter, but coats the throat identically.

I’m not a huge fan of maple flavor — I tend to resist it outside of maple syrup. Even so, I have to admit that Jif Whips Maple Brown Sugar is pretty dang good. This whipped peanut butter would pair nicely with ice cream, crackers, cookies, babies, and countless additional snack foods. It even tastes great in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, as maple complements the fruity flavor of jelly surprisingly well. All things considered, I highly recommend Jif Whips Maple Brown Sugar. Disregarding the defecatory appearance, this is one flavored peanut butter worthy of praise.

Jif, you’ve made me a fan of your crazy, new-fangled peanut butter. I realize now that when a problem comes along, I must whip it.

Before the cream sets out too long, I must whip it.

When something’s goin’ wrong, I must whip it.

Whip it. Whip it good.

Limited Edition Jif Whips Maple Brown Sugar 4

(Nutrition Facts – 2 Tbsp (24 grams) – 140 calories, 100 calories from fat, 12 grams of total fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 95 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.)

Item: Limited Edition Jif Whips Maple Brown Sugar
Purchased Price: $3.49
Size: 15 ounces
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Easier to spread than traditional peanut butter. Balanced maple flavor. Devo references.
Cons: Resembles tan dog feces. Body parts covered in peanut butter.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Jif Whipped Peanut Butter & Chocolate Mint Whips

Matt 10 Comments

Jif Whipped Peanut Butter & Chocolate Mint Whips

Peanut butter is so overdone these days. Much like the Scary Movie series, people have had enough of it. Every other week, there’s a new peanut butter product released that nobody wants to buy. We’ve seen it in candy bars, pretzels, ice creams, everywhere. So who would ever want to manufacture a new peanut butter product?

Jif. That’s who.

Jif recently launched Jif Whips, a line of whipped peanut butters designed to be fluffy, smooth, and easy to spread. We’ve all experienced the frustration that arises when thick, viscous peanut butter rips through the delicate surface of white bread. It’s enough to drive a man insane. In fact, one out of ten psychologists suggest that continued use of unruly peanut butter could lead to the development of paranoid schizophrenia. (Note to editor: Don’t fact check this. It’s true. Trust me.)

Jif Whipped Peanut Butter & Chocolate Mint Whips Closeup

Peeling back the lid of the resealable plastic tub, we encounter a spreadable chocolate substance bearing a striking resemblance to…dog excrement. Yes, Peanut Butter & Chocolate Mint Whips looks a lot like turds — not the most appetizing substance in the world. I sincerely hope that Jif Whips does not mirror feces in taste. (I’ve personally never tasted feces, but my dog assures me it tastes terrible.)

As I stared at the container of peanut butter-flavored dog defecation, I quickly realized that I needed some dipping materials. Thus, I began an epic exploration of my pantry and fridge to locate the perfect medium for Jif Whips. Asparagus? No. A can of Spam? Interesting idea, but no. Cat antibiotics? Umm, no.

Jif Whipped Peanut Butter & Chocolate Mint Whips Closeup2

I eventually settled on Nilla Wafers, a classic cookie offering a plain vanilla flavor. Dipping the wafer into the Jif Whips, I immediately noticed the smooth, airy texture of the whipped peanut butter.

Jif has the discovered the Holy Grail of whipped peanut butter formulas. Gone is the thick, sticky texture of peanut butter. Instead, Jif Whips offers a light and fluffy spread which easily clings to dipped foodstuffs. It will not tear your white bread, nor will it adhere to the roof of your mouth (Arachibutyrophobiacs rejoice!)

Naturally, my first reaction upon experiencing the remarkable texture of Jif Whips was to stick my nose in it. While doing so, I took note of a scent resembling a mixture of Andes Mints and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: a combination of chocolate and peanut butter with the subtle aroma of mint.

It was time for the taste test. I lifted my Nilla Wafer high into the air and inserted it into my buccal cavity. To the taste buds, Jif Peanut Butter & Chocolate Mint Whips begins with a rich chocolatey flavor complimented by a hint of mint, slowly evolving into a bold peanut butter taste. Neither the mint nor peanut butter flavors are overpowering. In addition, the item being dipped does not need to be smothered in Jif Whips in order for the flavor of the Whips to shine through. Overall, the mint, peanut butter, and chocolate flavors found in Jif Whips are sweet and immensely satisfying.

Although Jif Whips might not stick to your mouth like regular peanut butter, it still leaves the same mucous feeling in the back of the throat. Perhaps this is the ever-present Achilles’ heel of peanut butter products.

Once you learn to ignore the dog poop appearance, Jif Whipped Peanut Butter & Chocolate Mint Whips is surprisingly enjoyable. I don’t usually expect much from new peanut butter products. After all, peanut butter just seems so cliché. Despite my initial hesitance, Jif has knocked my socks off with both the commendable texture and flavor of Jif Whips.

I ran out of Nilla Wafers. Where’s the Spam?

(Nutrition Facts – 2 Tbsp (26 grams) – 150 calories, 100 calories from fat, 11 grams of total fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 11 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 8 grams of sugars, and 3 grams of protein.)

Item: Limited Edition Jif Whipped Peanut Butter & Chocolate Mint Whips
Purchased Price: $3.79
Size: 15.9 oz.
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Smooth, airy texture. Satisfying mint, chocolate, and peanut butter flavors. Cat antibiotics.
Cons: Dog poop appearance. Leaves mucous feeling in throat. Paranoid schizophrenia.