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