Russian Beer That's Beer But Not Beer?

So there's this market down the street from my friend's boyfriend's place... which is a neighborhood I used to live in years ago. She's told me she gets interesting chocolate there from time to time.

Yesterday after I dropped her off at the airport and ran some errands, one of the places I went to was the market (which has a rather American sounding name, but a good chunk of the products they sell are Russian and are written in Russian).

So this post will be a little... difficult to explain since I was not able to read/comprehend the label.

When I walked into the market, I saw lots of fruits and vegetables, but it's a tiny market so about two-thirds of it was non-produce. I checked for the chocolate and saw various other things that caught my eye, but back at the coolers were these tall bottles that looked like 2-liters of soda, but the pictures one each of them had someone holding a frothing mug of... something. When I see the image, I immediately think "beer", but it's only a couple of bucks and on the top shelf right above the juice and water.

In the end, I decide Why not? It's only a couple of bucks. and then head up to the register with my small basket of goodies.

A short woman, perhaps the Russian version of my mother, greets me kindly and begins to ring up my stuff. When she scans the bottle, I say, "That's soda, right?"

"No," she said in a thick accent, "it's beer." I'm surprised, but she continues before I can say anything. "But it's not." Now I'm confused. Then she points to the apple on the bottle and says, "This is apple... so it will be sweet."

So then I venture in with, "So it's not beer?"

"No," she replies, then searches for the words and says, "it's made like it."

"Oh, it's wheat based but distilled like beer?"

"Yeah."

I told my other roommate about it when I got home, and she said, "I dare you." Of course now I'm thinking I bought it for crying out loud... I pretty much dared myself.

So let me say... it's pretty tasty. It's like apple soda with just a bit of carbonation, but I can taste something in there which goes along the lines of what the lady said of it being 'beer but not beer'. It's color is the cross between apple juice and a medium-dark beer.

For some reason I'm thinking this would make a great float with apple or just plain vanilla ice cream.

Would I try it again?: I think I would... as well as the other flavors they have... whatever they would be seeing as only one bottle has an apple on it, and one of the price tags on the shelf said 'currant'. Hm, it will be a drinking adventure.

http://www.nicola.ru/
http://www.nicola.ru/about/

Magnolia Premium Ice Cream - Mais-Queso (Corn & Cheese)

So I LOVE going to Asian markets and shopping around. It brings me back to my childhood when I'd shop with my mother. Sometimes when I miss my childhood, I seek out things Asian (like Goldilocks or Chinese food or whatever) just to wax some nostalgia.

Of my many market adventures, I usually check out the ice cream since I love me some mochi... and I saw tubs of stuff that I've grown to love like green tea or red bean... and then I saw it.

Magnolia Premium Tropical Ice Cream. The brand has many flavors, but one that threw me for a loop and held my attention for a while was Mais-Queso. Now I'm not a linquistics major or know many words in any other language than English... but I know those words mean 'corn' and 'cheese'.

I usually think when trying things I've never tried before... if the components making up the main thing are things that I like individually, there's a good chance I might like them altogether. Now that was good with cheese and peanut butter... or even chocolate and bacon... but this?

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE my carbs. They are the main reason I will never be thin... EVER. I shall always be thick and sturdy. Fit? Yes. Supermodel thin? Hell no. So I love me some cheese and love me some corn.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I never could find anything but huge tubs of the stuff. I kept thinking doesn't it come in pints?... and then the other day I found a small tub of it and figured Why not? I got a couple spare bucks.

I brought it home, ate my dinner and then later had some interesting ice cream for dessert. I scooped myself three small scoops into a mug and sat down to watch some TV. I put a small bit in my mouth and stopped moving.

How many different ways is there to say "Holy crap, what the hell did I just put in my mouth?" (Don't go all dirty on me. I'm talking about ice cream.)

I was hoping that it'd be sweet or... or something... but damn. It was nasty. My mouth was immediately filled with cheese and a slightly less strong taste of corn. I'm not sure if these two flavors would essentially go together well in any other situation, but in the ice cream world... NO!

Per the package, it said that it was a quart size (946 mL) with 4 oz per servings leaving that to be 230 calories per each of the 8 servings in the tub.

I don't know what could make this flavor better. I can't imagine it in a sundae or a milkshake... it's just a whole lot of 'OMFG NO!'

Those crazy Asians (of which I am one)... what will they think of next?

Would I try it again?: Um, how many ways can I say 'no'? I'm sure there are a lot of colorful ways to, but I will just simply say that I will not try this ice cream flavor EVER again.

http://www.ramarfoods.com/index.php
http://www.ramarfoods.com/magnolia/index.php
http://www.ramarfoods.com/magnolia/flavor_mais_queso.php

Zaisu Tea - Green Tea with Ginseng, Honey and Agave

So I was on my way to pick up my roommate from work and take her to the airport when I had to stop and get gas. I went to the AM/PM nearby to fuel up, and since I was thirsty, a drink as well.

In the cooler, there were these tall cans of tea. I have to admit that the can design intrigued me at first. There were three flavors: mango, strawberry-kiwi, and green tea. Being a lover of mango and green tea it was difficult, but I went with the green tea in the end... perhaps it was the 'ginseng, honey and agave' that got me. I don't know.

I pump my gas, I get in my car and head off to my friend's job. I crack the can like a cold beer on Redneck summer afternoon (hey, I can say that since I'm half Redneck) and start to sip... honestly expecting the worst.

Lo and behold to my surprise... it doesn't suck. Looking at the can it screams "no preservatives" and "100% all natural", but to warn those that read labels, etc, it has 'high fructose corn syrup', and I know how that's become a thing these days.

Now the can also tells you that a serving size is 8 fl oz (did I mention the can is 23?), and that it's 80 calories per serving (no calories from fat) which there are approximately 8.

I know it's liquid, but I consumed three servings... approximately... of tea. I just want to know, on a complete tangent that is related to food and drink... WHO THE FUCK MAKES UP THE PORTIONS? I am aware of portion control and all that, but whereas I'm not going to devour a mountain of food, I am not happy eating what looks like to be barely enough for a damn fly.

I just think the portions are ridiculous. Now, moving onwards...

The drink itself was slightly sweet, not overly so regardless of what kind of sugar was in it. It tasted good and not overpowering and quenched the thirst that I had originally set out to tame.

Would I try it again?: High fructose corn syrup and portion ridiculousness aside, yes... I would try it again. I'm curious to see what the other flavors taste like - not to mention the other products. Now mind you this is not a drink that I'd seek out, but if I came across it again, and I didn't have it in my mind to have something else... I'd definitely consider these drinks an option.

http://www.intellibev.com/
http://www.intellibev.com/teas.html

Lupicia Fresh Tea - Matcha Kiara Rice Tea (Genmaicha with roasted rice and matcha)

My thing with tea started years ago... not a long time ago, but a few years... probably back in the late 90's.

At first I drank fruity teas like Orange Spice or Cranberry Almond... stuff like that. That was the springboard for the various other teas like black or red. I prefer green and white most of the time, at least that's what I've noticed. Black or red teas, for me, depends on the flavor of the tea.

At my last job, a lady in a nearby cubicle was having a little meeting with a member of her team, and she had had brewed herself a cup of tea that smelled rather yummy and wafted through the office so well that all the tea drinkers (and non-tea drinkers) asked, "What is that lovely smell?" It was a brown rice tea that just smelled 'dee-lish'. Ever since then, I've had a soft spot for brown rice tea.

So far every tea that I have tried and/or purchased from Lupicia has been yummy so I highly recommend them to all lovers of tea.

Would I try it again?: Hells yeah!!! I'm fiending for more actually even though I have other teas from the grocery store and other tea places I've come across. I need to get more, but I haven't been back to the mall that I originally got the tea from. Ugh. I shall make it back there someday when I have the time. *happy grin*

http://www.lupiciausa.com/
http://www.lupiciausa.com/product_p/12408807.htm

Wazoo - Wild Berriez

Candy is good in moderation, and I'm all about portions, but dammit... this candy bar was so yummy, I'm pissed that I didn't get more than one.

I bought this candy bar on the way back from visiting my grandmother in SoCal with my brother and his family. I remember seeing it at the Circle K where we stopped for gas and snacks... and it looked so colorful and interesting. I hadn't seen it anywhere else before that I thought "Sure, why not".

The only flavor that was out was Wild Berriez, and I didn't eat the bar until the next day or so since I had bought one too many snacks and ended up driving the last leg of the trip home.

Oh, the sweet creamy goodness. The bar itself was sugary sweet but not too sweet (although you might think it from the picture alone... plus with all the extra candy on top). The consistency of the bar reminded me of a Charleston Chew at room temperature. Whenever I have a Charleston Chew, I usually stick it in the fridge and later eat it cold or frozen. I'm curious to see how the Wazoo would stack up to that kind of treatment.

Now the candy is made/distributed by Topps which makes me think of the nasty gum you get in packs of baseball cards. I had no idea that they were in the candy game at all. Hmmm... I'm curious to see what else they have.

Would I try it again?: I plan to... I just wonder if I can get both flavors next time. I'll probably buy extra and stick them in the fridge for later. *grin*

http://www.topps.com/candy/
http://www.topps.com/candy/brands/wazoo/wazoo_Nutritional_Info.htm

Organic Earthly Delights Pomegranate Cranberry with Meyer Lemon Flavor

As previously stated, I love all things pomegranate... well, almost all things. I suppose I should say that I'm willing to try all things pomegranate. Yeah, that sounds better.

While at the store one day with a friend, we were in the produce section, and I was craving a snack and something to drink. I forgot what I grabbed to eat that day, but I saw some organic fruit drinks in the nearby cooler and was intrigued. Upon further inspection, I saw the word pomegranate and then ended up standing there reading the label, debating on whether I wanted to try the juice or not.

Per the label, it is 100% juice (shake well, keep refrigerated). There are 1.5 servings in a 12 fl oz bottle. 120 calories. There are several different juice concentrates and blends in this drink as well as natural flavors (which always makes me laugh because I imagine some bottle somewhere labeled 'natural flavor') and then some fruit and vegetable juice for color. Wouldn't the juice concentrate give it color anyway?

Never mind. Forget I asked.

Well, this drink wasn't all that great to me. Yes, it was natural and organic... and yes even pomegranate-y, but I've had healthy drinks that are also sweet tasting. Yes, I like my drinks sweet. So sue me. You could definitely taste the lemon in the drink which I normally don't mind, but I didn't like it in this drink.

Overall it just tasted like water with something in it... more water and than juice or good tasting stuff. It just didn't make me want to buy a six-pack of the stuff much less another bottle all by its little lonesome.

Would I try it again?: Maybe. When I try drinks like juices or sodas, etc, that don't taste good on their own, I like to think that they would make great mixers. I have yet to try the idea with this juice, but unless someone has an extra bottle laying around somewhere, I'm not going to rush out to the store to buy some anytime soon... but I am open to trying some of their other lines of drinks.

http://www.truetothefruit.com/
http://www.truetothefruit.com/prod-pomCranberry.html

Lindt Hot Mango (Mango and Cayenne)

Ever since the movie "Chocolat", I have been curious about chocolate and chili powders. (That hot chocolate looked awesomely yummy!)

Also anything pomegranate or mango is just a 'yes' for me by default.

So when I saw this chocolate bar at the store, I thought "This should be interesting." And it was.

The chocolate bar is 70% cacao and quite yummy indeed, but it didn't leave me with a overwhelming urge to run out and buy another one. I could taste the spice more than the mango or chocolate which didn't leave me happy at all, but the chocolate overall was nice.

It's just not what I thought it would taste like, but let me state for the record that I didn't enter into the tasting of this chocolate with some preconceived notion that it should taste a certain way. I was just more impressed with the idea than the actual result.

Would I try it again?: Maybe, but it didn't leave enough of a lasting impression on me to make me want to seek it out again... even though I'm pretty sure where I can find it.

http://www.lindt.com/
http://www.lindt.com/de/swf/ger/produkte/tafeln/dunkle-schokolade/hot-mango/

GooGoo Cluster Supreme

Oh the chocolate... oh the yummy.

I love chocolate. I do. Not because I'm a girl or anything... just because. I must admit, however, that my obsession in consuming chocolate has gone down considerably as I've gotten older. I remember the days when I was very little and stole the bag of Hershey's miniatures from my mother after she gave me and my brother one a piece. I just wasn't having any of that... so I saw where she hid the bag and took it to consume to my satisfaction.

Nowadays my love of chocolate has perhaps become more refined and random. Still every once in a while if I see something that looks interesting or if I get a craving for something particular... oh yes, chocolate will be mine.

Such cravings I've had include chocolate, marshmallow and nuts (preferably not walnuts). So when I came across the lovely Goo Goo Clusters, why... I just had to have one.

They come in a variety of flavors, but the one I got consisted of milk chocolate, pecans, caramel and marshmallow. Yummy yum yum!

The treat may look small, but it definitely satisfies my sweet tooth with a just the right portion of deliciousness. It's just the right combination of all its tasty components to make the perfect bite every time until it's all gone.

Would I try it again?: Oh hell yes. Just looking at the website makes me want to try one of each with a nice glass of milk or a cup of coffee. Sweet!!!

http://www.googoo.com/
https://secure.woodgroupinc.com/googoo/GooGooproduct.asp

Sour Razzles

Once upon a time a little Asian girl wanted some sour candy... so she went into a beautiful candy store in search of treats. As she walked about the store, she found that there weren't many options for what she was looking for, but she did find three and purchased them to later snack on and be happy.

The first candy said it was sour, but the taste was anything but... which made her sad.

The second candy was a little more sour than the first and yummy in its own right, but still... not what the girl was looking for.

Then there was the third candy.

She was skeptical at first having been let down not once... but twice before. Trying to remain hopeful, she opened the package and took out a piece of candy... and yea it was good. Not only was it good, but it was sour.

Praytell, thought the girl, what is this wonderful concoction that pleases me so?

Sour Razzles.

Huzzah for the sour candy!!! And there was much rejoicing. (And the little girl was happy and ended up not having to kill anyone out of boredom and lack of proper sour candy fulfillment.)
*******
Forgive for the above story, but I was feeling silly.

But yes... Sour 'fucking' Razzles (available in the luscious flavors of lemon, cherry, lime, orange and blue raspberry).

Oh Razzles, how I love thee... even though in essence you are a crap candy in the respect that your flavor is nil-lasting. Seriously, for those of you that have never tasted a Razzle, the 'First it's a candy, then it's a gum' Razzle experience isn't all that great. It doesn't take that many chews for the flavor to take a hike leaving you with this gum that not only lacks flavor but, to me, tastes how silly putty looks causing me to want to stop chewing and spit it out almost immediately and quite possibly taking out someone's eye in the process.

Seriously, this candy made me happy and sad at the same time. I was overjoyed that I had found a confection that was adequately sour to make me happy... but then of course it has the shortest flavor lifespan. Whereas the other supposed sour candies weren't sour, at least they were long-lasting in the flavor department. It's like ordering a yummy steak and then having a piece of meat the size of a thimble brought to your table.

So sad.

But still... this is a candy I grew up introduced to me by a girl I went to school with back in the days of pigtails and ribbons. I think she got it for Halloween or something. Not sure what it is about Razzles that make me come back to them like a lover that's no good for you, but you just can't say no. (Wow, where the hell did that come from? Never mind... back to candy.)

To make the flavor last, I find that if you suck on the Razzle as opposed to chewing it right away works well. Granted, while executing this experiment, I was VERY tempted to chew and had to make a real effort not to.

Dammit... why can't I have long lasting sour flavor when I want it?

...
...
...

Fuck! I chewed it. *grumble*

Would I try it again?: Very likely. It wouldn't necessarily be something I would seek out, but knowing that there's candy out there that makes me happy... even for a very little while... is enough to make consider making the trek.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubble_bubble
http://www.tootsie.com/
http://www.tootsie.com/products.php?pid=155

Sour Jujyfruits

If you read the last post, you will know that I bought three different sour candies one day, trying the candy from the previous post second. (Did you catch all of that?) LOL!

The candy I tried first was none other than the ever popular and nostalgic Sour Jujyfruits... well, regular Jujyfruits are what people more commonly seem to know. But sour? Woot! (My friend that was with me that day said that making them sour was sacrilige. Oh well.)

The candy comes in five flavors: lime, grape, lemon, raspberry and orange. Normally with gummies or any candy, I go straight for the reds and purples because they taste the best... at least to me. None of these candies made me feel better about buying the box. There was almost NO SOUR with these candies. NONE! And that is SOOOO not happy-making for me. It's as if they held the Jujyfruits near the sour powder before packaging them.

Le sigh. Le disappoint. Le 'give me better candy'.

Seriously, if you're going to advertise that your candy is sour... make it sour, not just kind of sour. Look at the picture for crying out loud. The kids are puckering and making funny faces as if to say 'oh my gawd, this stuff is sour'.

Wouldn't that look great on the box? Kinda-Sour Jujyfruits. Or Completely-Not-Sour-At-All Jujyfruits. At least it it doesn't merit the title of Tastes-Like-Total-Ass Jujyfruits... but then again, that's not saying much.

Would I try it again?: Completely unlikely. Aside from the fact that I've only seen them in one place (which I don't go to very often), the chances of me seeking them out due to a craving for sub-par sour yumminess is pretty slim. *shrug*

http://www.farleysandsathers.com/About/WhoWeAre.asp?BrandID=5
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jujyfruits

Wonka's Sour Puckerooms Gummies

Long time no hear from me. Yeah I know the countless number of you out there that actually read this thing is close to nil, but still, it's been a while since I've had access to the grand old internets to post anything here... or anywhere for that matter.

But now I'm here stealing time on a friend's laptop to update you on the lovely things that I have partaken in and have not yet told you about. In my bag of empty boxes, labels and assorted tricks, I have first grabbed Wonka's Sour Puckerooms Gummies.

Stopping off at a candy shop while on the way to a friend's birthday gathering, I had browsed the store for new and tasty treats... and came across some sour candy goodness that I just had to try. (Sour gummies being a weakness of mine and sour candy, overall, being a curiosity, I bought several candies that promised via their labels to be 'sour'.

Now let me state right off the bat that I'm a selfish connoisseur of sour candy. I'm very particular of how much sour is needed to make me happy, but I have disappointingly found that just because the package says 'sour', the contents of said package are not as advertised.

Case in point? - the Puckerooms.

Of the three candies that I bought that day, I had tried the Puckerooms second and found them more enjoyable than the first candies (which I'll post about next). The Puckerooms were slightly more sour but still not pleasantly pucker-worthy, but the consistency of the candy was softier and gummier than the first I had tried. (Plus the little shrooms are so cute.)

The candies themselves are yummy enough to enjoy on their own and will sate that 'I want something sweet but not necessarily too sweet' craving. But as far as sour? Eh. It was like perhaps a three or four sour on a scale of ten, ten being my mouth looking more puckered than a cat's anus... um, but in a more pleasant way. *grin*

Would I try it again?: Of course. They were still yummy and happy-making for me, even though they weren't as sour-riffic as I would have liked.

http://www.wonka.com
http://mybrands.com/Product.aspx?pid=9038

SoBe lifewater - Yumberry Pomegranate

So the other day while out at the store sating a craving for cookies or just something sweet, I came across a bottle of SoBe. Now SoBe is something that I generally enjoy, but the 'lifewater' was something that I had been holding off on for a while due to the fact that 1) the commercials sort of annoyed me, and 2) various healthy water drinks have either let me down or just left me with a funny taste in my mouth.

Why did I pick up this beverage at this particular time? I have to admit that the word "pomegranate" caught my eye (I have a soft spot for trying things pomegrante) and the scales were tipped to curiosity's favor... so I purchased myself a bottle of SoBe lifewater, yumberry pomegranate flavor.

What did I think? I thought it was yummy!

Most healthy water drinks I have had have a variety of flavors and boast about how delicious they are and all that sort of nonsense. Also out of all the offered flavors, I usually only end up liking a handful or less since they all just taste like tainted water. Now I know this is pretty much what they're going for, but water has no flavor - it's not sweet or sour (depending on the source of the water you're drinking) - it's just water. So what am I going to find special about water that's supposed to taste like berries but ends up just tasting weird?

I was on my way to pick up one of my roommates from her work and had grabbed my bottle of lifewater for the drive. At a red light, I popped the top and took a sip expecting the worst (or what I usually get) and ended up being pleasantly surprised.

The water was sweet. It actually tasted like the flavor it said on the label. Then I thought of the sugar content and the calories. (I mean, come on, let's face it... normally when something is supposed to be good for you, it tastes like crap. And things that are 'naturally sweetened' also end up, at least to me, tasting like crap as well.) So I looked at the bottle and on the label, it said "0 calories, naturally sweetenend". I looked to read the nutrition facts, and it said the serving size was 8 fl oz (240 ml) and servings per container were 2.5. Now... calories per serving? Zero.

Now I have to admit, reading the ingredients, it doesn't look like there's any artificial sweeteners in it... unless some of the big words listed in the ingredients that I honestly can't pronounce to save my life are actual artificial sweeteners... then this drink has actually found a way to make something actually taste sweet and make it actually good for you.

Would I try it again?: Hell yeah! I'm also curious to try the other flavors according to the website.

http://www.sobeworld.com/0_cal_lifewater.php
http://www.sobeworld.com/