product review
Product reviews and how-to's of cookbooks, recipes, popular kitchen items, and more.
Moonshot Review
Every beverage claims to be different. There’s some kind of hook or allure to it, and while I understand that from a marketing perspective, sometimes companies’ claims are a little too bold. Moonshot asserts themselves as an energy drink with a “different kind of buzz”. We’ll see about that.
By Alyson Lewis6 years ago in Feast
Recess CBD Review
There are some cultural moments that none of us understand. CBD has made the rounds in nearly every industry, from skincare to pet snacks. In some cases, the motives are entirely unclear. A few CBD-infused beverages have cropped up on the market over the last few years, and Recess joining the ranks with a perfectly instagrammable can and simple tagline: “calm, cool, collected”. The line currently includes three flavors: peach ginger, pomegranate hibiscus, and blackberry chai. Their website claims that they have “canned a feeling”, with dreamy cloud imagery and relatable millennial adages about how they “have too many browser tabs open”. They’ve managed to target their audience, but my main question is this: does it work?
By Alyson Lewis6 years ago in Feast
Lester's Fixins Review
This is one of the most chaotic things I’ve done in my life. Not just as far as beverages go, but in general. I’m willing to try pretty much any food once, and that extends to beverages as well. There’s no way I can justify what I’m about to do.I’ve been curious about these drinks for years. I’ve seen them on Amazon, but would always talk myself out of trying them, for completely obvious reasons. I have some predictions about which will be the most repulsive. Ranch is topping the list. There’s literally no way it can be good. I’m not really into Ranch dressing. I prefer Caesar. That being said, I wouldn’t want to try a Caesar dressing soda either. I can’t decide if these drinks would be better or worse without carbonation. It doesn’t matter, because they ARE carbonated and I WILL try them all. The minutiae of it all is pretty irrelevant at this point. What I WILL say, before even trying them, is that I appreciate that they’re all made with cane sugar. I appreciate a nice cane sugar soda. I know people will judge me for trying these. I understand that I will be persecuted and my beliefs will be brought into question. I’m not doing this for ME, I’m doing this for YOU and I’m doing this for US. I hope you all appreciate this sacrifice I’m making, even if you yell at me for it. OK, now let’s get into tasting and reviews.
By Alyson Lewis6 years ago in Feast
Clean Cause Review
After trying the SAP! drinks, I vowed to try more beverages that have a cause or positive message attached to it. I’m looking into more brands that do this (and I’m taking suggestions if you have any). Companies aren’t usually transparent about where their money goes or where the ingredients are sourced, and a lot of us don’t really question it. Why would we? We were raised in a climate where corporate brands have been vying for our attention, and it’s easy to miss smaller companies that are trying to do better. It’s tough deciding what brands or companies to spend your money with, when it really comes down to it. I don’t know that there’s necessarily a right choice in some instances. There’s constant stress and grappling with spending the money you earn, and how to spend it (unless you’re rich, but I don’t believe rich people have any reason to read or relate to anything I write). I even have some skepticism when I do find a brand that seems to hit the right marks with me. What are they hiding? What are their values? Sometimes the lines are too blurry to make a distinction between pandering and genuine mission statements. Do you ever feel that way? It seems like inclusivity and awareness are just brand benchmarkers now. But again, the lines are pretty blurry. It’s rare that I find a brand whose owner has transparency about their motives, so it led me to seek out something and report back.
By Alyson Lewis6 years ago in Feast
Try Zipfizz Energy as an Alternative to Your Usual Canned Drink
I remember having one of these Zipfizz tubes being passed to me by a family member. I was complaining about being tired and not getting enough sleep. We had to attend to a serious matter. I went to a corner store gas station, but they didn't have my usual choice of energy drink there. My cousin tells me, "Oh! why didn't you say anything? I have one of these with me. It's cool, take one. Just mix it with water."
By Jeffrey Fontanos6 years ago in Feast
Sap! Review. Top Story - September 2019.
What do you know about sap? Before trying these drinks, I knew little to nothing about it. In my head, I always confused it with maple syrup. I’m aware that these two things are in fact, different, but I never had a reason to seek out any answers. I guess it was just one of those things I was comfortable in my confusion of. I knew it was sticky and came from trees. That’s as far as my knowledge went. So when I saw the Sap! variety pack of maple seltzer, maple soda and sparkling birch, I thought I could use this as a learning experience.
By Alyson Lewis6 years ago in Feast
Kin Euphorics Pear-Cinnamon Tea
Recently, I was thinking about alcohol. I don’t drink, and the main purpose of my beverage blog is to introduce products and recipes that are not alcohol-focused. I don’t enjoy drinking, because I don’t like the feeling of being hungover, and I don’t enjoy the post-drinking haze that sets into my brain. I feel foggy, uncoordinated and like every motion I make through the day is going to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Alcohol effects different people in different ways, but I actively choose not to have it as part of my life. What other people do is none of my business, and I have no opinion on what other people choose to do with their bodies. That being said, I’ve noticed an influx of drinks lately that tout having relaxing effects. I’ve tried a couple of them (reviews to come later), and my overall experience with them is that they simply make me sleepy. Tired and relaxed are different feelings for me, and I like to keep them separate. I’d yet to discover a drink that made me feel effectively calm without loopy side effects where I felt too tired to even walk across the room in a straight line. I think those beverages have a time and place, but that feeling isn’t “relaxation” for me. If I wanted to feel like that, I could just take two melatonin and watch cartoons until I rolled over and passed out face-down in bed. I wanted to explore something different.
By Alyson Lewis6 years ago in Feast
Mountain Dew VooDew Review
There are two conspiracy theories I hold to be true: the first one is that Jimi Hendrix was murdered. The second is that there are few “new” Mountain Dew flavors. While I personally have no evidence of either, I’m strong in my convictions. I first started believing the Mountain Dew theory when they came out with their line of Kickstart beverages—a more caffeinated diversion from their staple flavors. While they were indeed heavier on the caffeine content and rivaled other energy drink brands in their own way, there was truly nothing remarkably different about them. In a blind taste test, I could possibly pinpoint Code Red and Baja Blast, but otherwise, could I identify the other flavors? Not really. They are unmistakably Mountain Dew, that much is clear. But with the overwhelming citrus blend base used for every single flavor, we have to wonder what the difference truly is. This isn’t a call to action against Mountain Dew, I have nothing to gain from that. I’m just making an observation. When I brought this theory up to a friend, he likened it to the Taco Bell method of rolling out new items. He explained that while, yes, technically they do have “new” menu items that are given a wow factor of being available for a limited time, few items are truly new. They tend to have the same elements to them (meat, beans, cheese, potatoes) in various combinations. In a way, it’s comforting, because I feel confident that any time I go to Taco Bell for something new, I will end up liking it. I enjoy meat, cheese, beans and potatoes all in their various forms of glory, so why WOULDN’T I like this?
By Alyson Lewis6 years ago in Feast
Gatorade Bolt 24 Review
Bolt 24 is Gatorade’s newest addition to their lineup. Honest to God, every time they come out with a new anything I’m like... hmm... I wonder how much longer they’re going to keep doing this. How many times can they try to reinvent the hydration wheel??
By Alyson Lewis6 years ago in Feast
Banana Milkis Review
Banana is a pretty polarizing flavor. I know that. Unfortunately, I have a wide range of flavors I like, including artificial banana. I know it’s odd but I won’t stop liking it. I always loved when my mom bought the variety pack of Laffy Taffys to pass out for Halloween, because while my brother and I rifled through the package to save a few for ourselves, I knew my little banana babies would be safe. No one else wanted them. Honestly, of all artificial candy flavors, banana might be my favorite. It is consistent if nothing else. I always know what I’m getting myself into. I can’t always say the same for other flavors. Banana flavor is mellow and creamy. I’d heard of the Milkis sodas before, but never tried them. The idea of carbonation and milk is enough to send me over the edge. I don’t care for cream soda, really, but I do enjoy the very occasional ice cream float, so I’m at a crossroads I guess. I believe in my heart that creamy and carbonated can be a combination done correctly, if restraint and precision are exercised.
By Alyson Lewis6 years ago in Feast
8 Reasons to Make Your Popcornopolis Popcorn
Apart from being highly delicious, eating popcorn offers various health benefits. This American popular snack has more iron compared to eggs and spinach. Additionally, this crunchy snack has low calories, fat-free, and sugar-free when on a diet. It is no wonder that people eat popcorn at breakfast, when watching a movie, or when out in the park. Below are reasons why not to just eat any popcorn but Popcornopolis.
By Ashly Williams7 years ago in Feast
