December 29, 2009
Bays English Muffins
You’ve never heard of Bays English Muffins? I’m not surprised, as they are found in the refrigerated dairy section of the grocery store rather than the bread aisle with all the other English muffins. They are very easy to overlook. I’ve always figured that they are sold in the refrigerated section because they are special in some way and different than their competition. I read all about Bays and their English muffins on their web site, but I’m still not exactly sure why they are sold in the refrigerated section. However, I did learn that Bays English Muffins have a long history and were used by McDonalds for the original Egg McMuffin in the early 1970s. Bays should be commended for making English muffins since 1933, and I really wish I could recommend their muffins over their competitors. But, I can’t. The truth is that the Bays muffins that I ate recently tasted pretty much like other English muffins I’ve had. They had the “nooks and crannies,” crispy texture, and flavor that you expect from an English muffin. They were very tasty, like English muffins are, but they didn’t stand out in any way. I was kind of disappointed, not because they didn’t taste good, but because they tasted so ordinary. I didn’t have any other English muffins to compare the Bays to, and maybe I should have. I’ll consider having a Phoood Fight between Bays and Thomas’ English muffins in the future. But for now, Bays English Muffins are deserving of a Good rating.
Phoood rating: 
December 26, 2009
Mountain Dew Game Fuel
Mountain Dew is a brand that is constantly trying to find the next big hit. They bring in new flavors what seems like every time I head to the store, with the hopes of finding one that grabs the market. I like the fact that they continually try to diversify and better their product line, but at times I think it can be a little excessive. The drawback to this business strategy is that some people might ignore the new flavors as simply a marketing strategy of “new is cool” and not as a serviceable soft drink desired for its flavor. That is one reason why I chose to review Mountain Dew Game Fuel. Someone needs to do this drink justice and separate it from the herd of other Mountain Dew novelty flavors, because this drink is simply delicious. This drink is similar to Mountain Dew Code Red (another new flavor favorite), but at the same time so different. They have the similar sweet-as-its-color cherry flavor, except Game Fuel’s is a touch sweeter and has a bit more of a fruity essence (it’s described on the can as a “blast of citrus cherry flavor”). Game Fuel seems to be smoother to drink, reminding me slightly of the drinkability of a juice. That may be because it has less carbonation--at least, that is what it tastes like. I don’t know how long Mountain Dew is going to keep Game Fuel on the market, but if you are a fan of fruit-based sodas or Gatorade, you need to try this for yourself. The only way this item should stay out of your refrigerator is if you don’t drink non-diet sodas or have an extreme taste aversion to either the original Mountain Dew or Mountain Dew Code Red products. If that is the case, I feel sorry for your taste buds, bud.
Phoood rating: 
December 20, 2009
Giant Cheetos
An easy (lazy) way to expand a product line is to make a new product that is either smaller or larger than the original. For example, Mini Oreos or Big Cheez-Its. Cheetos has taken this approach with new Giant Cheetos. They’re pretty big all right – about the size of a marshmallow. If your mouth is as big as mine, you can pop the whole thing in your mouth and get a mouthful of cheesy crunchiness. I advise against doing this, however, as it’s a lot of Cheeto to chew and your jaw may get sore. No kidding. My jaw ached after eating just a few of them this way. They are a lot more manageable when bitten in half, but still require a lot of chewing. So, the downside of Giant Cheetos is that you may develop temporomandibular joint disorder. The upside is that you get a lot of great Cheetos flavor quickly. If you love Cheetos as much as I do, I recommend that you try Giant Cheetos and decide for yourself if the great flavor is worth the effort it takes to eat them.
Phoood rating:
December 5, 2009
On The Border Loaded Carne Asada Tacos
I’m a creature of habit. I packed the exact same lunch to take to work every day for about three years straight. I’ve also ordered the same thing every time I ate at On The Border for at least the last five years, a Shredded Beef Enchilada Combo. When I find something I really like, I just stick with it because I am not an adventurous eater. On a recent visit to On the Border, I noticed that there were some new items on the menu. One of these was Loaded Carne Asada Tacos, which I ordered. The tacos are made with grilled flatbread tortillas (really thick tortillas that have more substance and flavor than a regular tortilla) filled with carne asada, cheese, and onion strings. They also come with a creamy red chile sauce that is unique and delicious. If I could buy it by the gallon, I would take it home and put it on everything I eat. My only minor complaint was the amount of meat. Considering that the name includes the word “Loaded,” I was hoping for a little more carne asada in the tacos. Oh well, at least the meat was very tasty and juicy. I’m glad that I finally broke the habit and ordered something new, because the Loaded Carne Asada Tacos are an excellent dish. I know for sure that I won’t be ordering Shredded Beef Enchiladas ever again.
Phoood rating:
December 1, 2009
PayDay Chocolatey Avalanche
I’ve always liked eating PayDay candy bars because I told myself that they were healthier than other candy bars. After all, they’re mostly peanuts. Peanuts are healthy, aren’t they? Well, maybe not but I like PayDays nonetheless. What I like even more is a PayDay covered in chocolate. It’s a wonderful thing when something that tastes good gets covered with chocolate and then tastes even better, which is the case with PayDay Chocolatey Avalanche. The combination of salty peanuts, caramel, and chocolate is absolutely delicious. The chocolate coating in particular is very good. I’m not sure if it’s some special kind of chocolate or just tastes good in combination with the other ingredients, but wow, it is great. I don’t think I’ll ever eat another regular PayDay again. Give me a Chocolatey Avalanche instead! I’ll go so far as to say that the candy bar is among the best, right up there with Baby Ruth, Snickers, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Yes, it's that good.
Phoood rating: