Author: Sean

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Exclusive Flavor Berry Sweet Mascarpone Ice Cream

Sean

Ben Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Berry Sweet Mascarpone Ice Cream

What is Ben & Jerry’s Berry Sweet Mascarpone Ice Cream?

While it’s commonplace for Target, Walmart, Safeway, and even 7-Eleven to have their own exclusive Ben & Jerry’s flavors, the now Amazon-owned Whole Foods enter spring 2020 with its first special pint. Berry Sweet Mascarpone combines blackberry and mascarpone ice creams with shortbread cookies and fudge-covered almonds.

How is it?

Ben Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Berry Sweet Mascarpone Ice Cream Top

I love blackberry ice cream, and sadly, this one really misses the mark. I get virtually no berry flavor at all from the pleasantly light purple base, and its blandness completely confuses my mind while I eat. It looks so pretty but tastes like nothing. On the plus side, the mascarpone ice cream is the same one used in the recently revived Cannoli, and it has a solid creamy and cheesy flavor with a sweet frosting finish.

Ben Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Berry Sweet Mascarpone Ice Cream Spoon 2

The mix-ins here are good but not good enough to offset the bland berry base. The shortbread is soft and sweet with a vanilla flavor and a texture that reminds me more of cake than cookies, akin to a madeleine soaked in milk. Tasty.

Ben Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Berry Sweet Mascarpone Ice Cream Spoon 1

I love chocolate covered nuts in ice cream, and these are the same almonds that absolutely sing in Target’s exclusive Glampfire Trail Mix. But here, without any salty component to balance out their crunch, they aren’t nearly as good and generally feel out of place.

Anything else you need to know?

As is the case with most Ben & Jerry’s pints, if there isn’t a gooey swirl of some sort to tie things together, I always wish there was. And this is no exception. Something sweeter or saltier than the other elements could elevate this mishmash of flavors. But as it stands, it just feels flat.

Conclusion:

While it’s far from inedible and far from the floppiest of Ben & Jerry’s flops, this springy pint is lacking the tart berry punch I had hoped for and is simply a franken-flavor that just doesn’t deliver.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Whole Foods (Exclusive Flavor)
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 350 calories, 22 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 27 grams of sugar, and 7 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dunkaroos (2020)

Sean 11 Comments

Dunkaroos 2020

The 1990s were an incredible time.

The internet popped into our daily lives, the economy was lush, Disney had its animation reawakening, Nintendo and Sony ushered in the three-dimensional era, and fashion was neon and expressive. There was also a flurry of new kid-targeted snack foods — Fruit by the Foot, Gushers, Lunchables, Doritos 3D, Trix yogurt, and…

I need to stop before I start weeping.

While so much that we ate back then was truly frightening and delicious, no snack food may have better encapsulated the feel of the 90s and the hearts of millennials more than the discontinued Dunkaroos.

But they’re back, baby!

For those who missed out during its peak, Dunkaroos is a simple concept – a package of cookies with a small serving of frosting to dunk them in. The original Dunkaroos lineup had several different cookie and frosting pairings. Cinnamon graham with chocolate frosting, chocolate cookies with vanilla frosting, and even one with chocolate chip cookies and rainbow sprinkle frosting.

The 2020 reboot chose to dip just one foot into the pool of nostalgia with one crowd-pleasing flavor – vanilla cookies with vanilla frosting and rainbow sprinkles. Bless you, Betty Crocker!

Dunkaroos 2020 Cookies

During its snack dominance, Dunkaroos appeared in many different shapes, the most prominent in my memory being that of Sydney, the brand’s kangaroo cartoon mascot. Betty simplified this decade’s cookie into a classic circle with a bold “D” and little ridges around the sides. The cookies are vanilla flavored, thin with a crisp crunch, and a slightly salty finish, not too far off from a buttery shortbread. I miss the touch of cinnamon the 90s version had, but they’re far from boring and are commendable on their own.

Dunkaroos 2020 Frosting

The rainbow sprinkle frosting is a staple of anyone’s childhood. Sweet and vanilla forward with little multicolored chunks that add some texture and playfulness to the action. The frosting is the best part of the whole experience, and if you don’t use your finger to scrape every last bit of it out of the container, we definitely couldn’t have been on the same dodgeball team in 1998.

So this brings us to the ‘Roos classic 90s tagline, “How do you do your Dunkaroos?” I can’t honestly remember exactly how I dunked back in 1997, probably like a total savage, but I have an opinion about how you should dunk in 2020.

The new cookies are a bit thin, and since the frosting is a sacred commodity, the best way to dunk these new-aroos is two at a time with ample frosting. Put them together, back to back, so you have two D’s facing outward and get a sizable scoop of that rainbow chip goodness on your ‘Roo. It’s perfect, with the frosting steering the flavor boat just as it should be.

Dunkaroos 2020 Lid

This Dunakroos relaunch is everything that any of us sentimental millennials could have asked for. From the throwback design of the package with retro colors and logo to the perfectly ridiculous website that teased us into submission – they all rule. Dunkaroos are available first and only as single servings at 7-Eleven, and will roll out to more stores in July. Should you make a trip to 7-Eleven and get these immediately? No duh, dude!

Purchased Price: $1.99
Size: 1.5 oz
Purchased at: 7-Eleven
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 tray with frosting) 190 calories, 8 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 18 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Rold Gold Recipe No. 5 Savory Butter Pretzel Twists

Sean 9 Comments

Rold Gold Recipe No 5 Savory Butter Pretzel Twists

What are Rold Gold Recipe No. 5 Savory Butter Pretzel Twists?

We may never know what happened to recipes one through four, but recipe number five kicks off Gold Rold’s new presumably premium line of pretzels. Savory Butter is the name of this game, and it tastes like these pretzels came to play.

How are they?

Despite the vague “savory butter” title, these pretzels pack a lot more flavor than I expected. They’re definitely buttery, but they also have a prominent garlic and onion flavor that’s just bold enough to let the butteriness shine. They have a soft toothy crumble and decisive salty pop that make them nearly impossible to stop eating.

Rold Gold Recipe No 5 Savory Butter Pretzel Twists 2

I would have no problem if these were branded as garlic bread pretzels because the sharp and addictive flavor reminds me distinctly of two things – Texas Toast and Papa John’s Special Garlic Sauce. They also taste like Rold Gold’s Butter Checkers with the shape and texture of the brand’s Honey Wheat Braided Twists that’s been dunked in garlic bread seasoning. And, honestly, it’s a beautiful combination.

Anything else you need to know?

As we often get swept up in the latest Sour Patch Kids or Oreo collaboration, it’s good to be reminded that oftentimes simpler is better. Adding a new seasoning on a classic twisty pretzel might be all we need to feel truly at peace with our snacking self.

Conclusion:

Much like their “No. 5” name can allude to, these pretzels are an absolute symphony of flavor. For a mainstream snack food, they carry a bit of a hefty price, but that comes along with a hefty experience that should not be missed.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 11 oz. bag
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (15 pretzels) 140 calories, 5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 370 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Limited Botch Chip Happens Ice Cream

Sean 6 Comments

Ben Jerry s Limited Botch Chip Happens Ice Cream

Way back in 2011, before The Tonight Dough, Ben & Jerry’s and Jimmy Fallon collaborated for Late Night Snack, which threw clusters of chocolate-covered potato chips into vanilla bean ice cream with swirls of salted caramel. It was a great flavor that I regrettably only scooped once until it disappeared in 2015.

In 2020, appearing right around the annual 4/20 festivities, Ben & Jerry’s has a new collaboration with another TV giant, streaming content king Netflix, that also also features potato chips.

Chip Happens, inspired by the baking competition show Nailed It, combines “a cold mess of chocolate ice cream with fudge chips & crunchy potato chip swirls.”

Ben Jerry s Limited Botch Chip Happens Ice Cream Pint

The chocolate ice cream isn’t listed on the container as anything unique or new for B&J’s, but it looks lighter in color than what I’m used to in classics like Phish Food.

The initial flavor also tastes slightly different. It’s milkier and lighter with an almost malty undertone. It has a lightness to it that reminds me of vintage malt cups, but in the best possible way. Is this an altered base, or has the salty swirl seeped so much into the chocolate that it modifies it by accident? Either way, it works well as a base for this flavor.

Ben Jerry s Limited Botch Chip Happens Ice Cream Spoon

The fudge chips are nothing to write home about, just a smaller, more palatable version of B&J’s oft-used fudge flakes. Even though they’re unremarkable in flavor, I appreciate their smaller size, which leads to a softer texture. Not like actual fudge or ganache, but meltier and darker than the milk chocolate-leaning base.

Where this pint shines, and no doubt had to shine to be anything close to a stand out scoop, is the potato chip swirl. It’s thick, crunchy, and salty in a way that I can’t really wrap my head around.

The only times chips, pretzels, or cereals have been successful in ice cream is when they’re coated in chocolate or a thick glaze, and as far as I can tell, this is pure chip. It tastes like someone took a handful of Lay’s and tossed them right on top of the ice cream, maintaining all of the texture and fried potato flavor like they came straight from the bag.

I’ll admit I wasn’t too excited when I found this limited release Netflix flavor at Target before the first one, Netflix & Chill’d. It’s chocolate chocolate chip ice cream with some potato chips. How good could it be?! Turns out a lot better than I thought, and oddly addictive.

If this also had a caramel swirl, it would’ve ranked among my favorite Ben & Jerry’s of all time. But even without it, if you’re a fan of sweet and salty or not-too-sweet chocolate indulgences, this one’s for you. A simple textural treat that I will be happily buying again.

Purchased Price: $5.49
Size: One Pint
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 390 calories, 24 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 80 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 31 grams of total sugars, 6 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Tiramisu Oreo Cookies

Sean 6 Comments

Limited Edition Tiramisu Oreo Cookies

The latest release in the lengthy limited edition category for Oreo takes us on a trip to Italy as Nabisco attempts to put a pocket-sized spin on a classic romantic dessert — Tiramisu. The perfect ending to a garlic and tomato-filled meal can now be put into your lunchpail, backpack, and night table for easy access bedside snacking so the romance can commence all night long.

Limited Edition Tiramisu Oreo is one of the more bold flavor choices for a limited edition variety, and I don’t mean in the weird way that Cotton Candy and Swedish Fish are, but this is a complex flavor to replicate.

As a quick refresher, tiramisu is a layered cake made up of sweet whipped mascarpone cheese, espresso-soaked ladyfingers, a hint of liqueur, and a dusting of cocoa powder.

Limited Edition Tiramisu Oreo Cookies Layers

The layered aspect of the dessert is represented in the Oreo as two different colored cremes – one lighter brown with a sweet coffee flavor, and a white one, which reminds me of a cross between Oreo’s birthday cake and cream cheese frosting flavored cremes.

Limited Edition Tiramisu Oreo Cookies White Creme

The latter is sweet but has a hint of funkiness that I associate with a cheese-based frosting, and I like that added kick. The coffee flavor here is subtle but present. I’m not sure if my mind is playing tricks on me, but I swear I can taste and smell a hint of the alcohol that usually lingers in the ladyfingers.

These cookies remind me of the very well executed Latte Fudge Dipped Oreo Thins Bites that came out a few weeks back. Those tasted a bit more like coffee with a chocolate frosting finish. But those are similar enough in flavor with these that I almost feel as though I would have been more impressed with Tiramisu Oreo if I hadn’t had the dipped ones first. But I can’t be mad at two awesome treats in one month.

Tiramisu Oreo is an excellent cookie – complex and true to its namesake, with a more enjoyable overall flavor than the only other full-sized coffee Oreo – 2017’s Dunkin Donuts Mocha. Its only weakness is it’s a bit too chocolate heavy to be a truly faithful representation of the Italian dessert. Luckily, that’s easily remedied by removing the top chocolate wafer.

Purchased Price: $3.49
Size: 12.2 oz.
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 cookies) 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 2.5 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 13 grams of total sugars, and less than 1 gram of protein.