December 16, 2011

Phoood Hall of Fame: It’s-It Vanilla Ice Cream Treat

There are few things that I find to be as delicious as an It’s-It. First, I love oatmeal cookies. I also love vanilla ice cream and chocolate. Put a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two oatmeal cookies, cover it in chocolate, and I’m in heaven. It just doesn’t get much better. Straight from the freezer, an It’s-It will be pretty firm. As you eat it, it gets softer as the cookies and ice cream thaw a bit. By the end (if you don’t eat it too fast...), you may have ice cream dripping down your hand. Don’t be embarrassed if you have the urge to lick your hands like you are a cat - it’s normal. In addition to vanilla, It’s-Its also come in chocolate, mint, and cappuccino flavors. I’m a traditionalist, so I stick with vanilla. Look at the ice cream treat section of your supermarket some time. There’s a lot of choices and many of them are very tasty. However, I think It’s-Its are the best of them all.

If you live outside of California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Hawaii, or Arizona, you may have never had the opportunity to enjoy an It’s-It. Don’t fear, you can buy them directly from the company and have them shipped to you (link here). I recommend getting at least a couple of cases.

October 23, 2010

Phoood Hall of Fame: McDonald's Chicken McNuggets

I can hear it now: “McNuggets? You’ve got to be kidding. Only kids eat them.” Well, maybe we can learn something from kids. The much-maligned McNugget is viewed as a joke by many people, not “real” food and certainly not something that a sophisticated adult would eat. Perhaps a sophisticated adult wouldn’t eat them, but then, I’m not very sophisticated. I just like my fast food to be tasty, deep fried, and easy to dip into a little tub of sauce. The McNugget meets all these criteria. Another great thing about McNuggets is that you can order them in various quantities, depending on your appetite. The 10-piece McNugget pack, fries, and a soft drink make a nice meal for me. McDonalds sometimes offers a 20-pack, which is probably more McNuggets than any one person should eat but is sure hard resist for this McNugget fan. It’s time the McNugget received the recognition it deserves, which is why it is being inducted into the prestigious Phoood Hall of Fame.

June 1, 2009

Phoood Hall of Fame: In-N-Out Burger Double-Double

Residents of four western states are extremely fortunate that they can eat at In-N-Out Burger, my favorite fast food restaurant. The highlight of In-N-Out’s sparse menu is the Double-Double, which has two patties, two slices of American cheese, lettuce, tomato, spread (similar to Thousand Island dressing with a mayonnaise base), and fresh or grilled onions (or no onions at all). It’s by far the best fast food burger I’ve eaten, and has had a very special place in my heart since the first time I ate one. The flavor and freshness of In-N-Out's burgers are what makes them so much better than the competition. When I need even more meat and cheese, I order a 4x4 (you guessed it - four patties and four slices of cheese!). In-N-Out will make your burger with as many patties and slices of cheese you want. I’ve been tempted to order a 6x6 or an 8x8, but haven’t … yet. One of my many goals in life is to order a 100x100 someday (see example here). In-N-Out is legendary for their excellent food, clean facilities, and friendly service. If you are one of the unfortunate souls who don’t live in California, Nevada, Arizona, or Utah, what are you waiting for? Get on a plane, train, automobile, motorcycle, bicycle, Segway, skateboard, or pogo stick and get yourself to an In-N-Out. I promise that you will not be disappointed.

Update July 6, 2009: The rumors are true! I confirmed with In-N-Out corporate headquarters that you can no longer order a burger larger than a 4x4. A company representative told me that this policy was implemented so that they could maintain their high quality standards. I wonder if the fear of lawsuits from sleazy lawyers (à la McDonald's) is the real reason for this change in policy.

September 15, 2008

Phoood Hall of Fame: Jack in the Box Ultimate Cheeseburger

Jack in the Box’s Ultimate Cheeseburger is in the Phoood Hall of Fame for several reasons. First, it’s an extremely tasty burger. Second, it has been on the menu for about as long as I can remember and has been consistently good the entire time. Third, I don’t have to pick off the rabbit food (otherwise known as lettuce, pickles, onion, tomato etc.) like I have to with most other burgers. Sure, other fast food restaurants have their own version of the double cheeseburger, but none come close to the Ultimate Cheeseburger. Maybe it’s because the others try too hard, while the Ultimate Cheeseburger keeps it simple with a perfect combination of meat, American and Swiss cheeses, and condiments. Jack must have been reading my mind when he thought up this burger, because it has exactly what I want and none of what I don’t want. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

August 25, 2007

Phoood Hall of Fame: Doritos Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips

There are a lot of different brands and flavors of tortilla chips, and the number just keeps increasing. Many of them are quite good, but none are as tasty as Doritos Nacho Cheese. There’s really not much that needs to be said about their flavor (I’m sure you are all familiar with it) except that it sets the standard by which all other flavored tortilla chips are measured. Occasionally, I’ll have another favorite flavor for a period of time. But sooner or later, I always come to the realization that Fiery Taco, Smokin’ Cool Salsa, or Blazin’ BBQ Nacho flavors, although they may be delicious, can never take the place of my faithful favorite, Doritos Nacho Cheese.

October 10, 2005

Phoood Hall of Fame: Cheez-It Crackers

For almost as long as I can remember, Cheez-Its have been my favorite snack crackers. One of my earliest childhood memories is that of me and my best friend at the time, Todd Edwards, eating Cheez-Its together while sitting in my garage on a hot summer day. There are many Cheez-It imitators, some of which are pretty good, but none are better than original Cheez-Its. The cheese flavor and crunch just cannot be beat. For a tasty combination, eat them with a glass of milk. I think that milk complements them better than any other beverage. Try it! My other favorite way to eat Cheez-Its is to put them inside a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Yum!

July 5, 2005

Phoood Hall of Fame: Mother’s Circus Animal Cookies

Every since I can remember, my favorite cookies have been Mother’s Circus Animal Cookies. To this day, my mouth still waters every time I see a bag of them as I walk down the cookie and cracker aisle. These pink and white-frosted cookies with sprinkles are probably aimed at the 10-and-under market, but I don’t care – I love them anyway. I’m don’t know if Mother’s cookies are available in all states. If they’re not, then I feel sorry for those of you that can’t get them. You are really missing out. Keebler makes a similar cookie, and I’m sure other cookie makers do to. But I’ve never tried these others – it would be like cheating on a girlfriend. Did you know that you can improve the taste of these cookies by putting them in the freezer? It’s the only way I eat them. For some reason (maybe a scientist could explain in to me…), they just taste better when frozen. Try it and I bet you’ll agree.