product review
Product reviews and how-to's of cookbooks, recipes, popular kitchen items, and more.
Bang Energy: Thank You for Being a Friend
There was a huge display for Bang energy drink at my local supermarket, so I grabbed a couple of them. They always looked intimidating to me because of the labels stating that people sensitive to caffeine should be careful. There’s also a warning on the back that says it’s meant to be consumed by “healthy” people. I’m not sure whether or not I’m “healthy.” I have good blood pressure and I work out regularly, but I don’t know if those are the kind of parameters they’re looking for. I smoke cigarettes too, and I eat processed food on occasion. I don’t fucking know what healthy is. I don’t even know if that’s an attainable thing, let alone a requirement for consuming a drink. But whatever! I grabbed Blue Razz and Sour Heads. My favorite flavor is sour/tart, so I was hoping these would be lip puckering sour with carbonation and, of course, caffeine.
By Alyson Lewis7 years ago in Feast
Monster Energy Hydro Water Review
I have a lot of questions about serving sizes. I’ve always had them, but I started thinking about them again when I bought the Monster Hydro Water Energy Drink (Blue Ice flavor). The flavor is GOOD, tastes like a blue raspberry, not super sweet. It isn’t carbonated, which has its pros and cons. On the positive side, it’s nice to just drink something smooth without harsh energy drink carbonation. On the negative side, it’s not carbonated, so there’s not much to keep me, you, or anyone from drinking the bottle quickly.
By Alyson Lewis7 years ago in Feast
Every Cook Should Own a Cast-Iron Skillet
Every good cook knows how important it is to have good cookware. There is a list of reasons a cast-iron skillet should be in every kitchen. No other cookware comes close to the durability, functionality, and versatility of a cast-iron skillet like the one our mothers and grandmothers used to do their cooking.
By Margaret Minnicks7 years ago in Feast
I Finally Found a Brand of Tea I Like
Almost everybody loves and drinks tea. Since there are so many different brands available, the selection is quite challenging. People might spend a considerable amount of time in the tea aisle in the grocery store trying to decide which one to purchase.
By Margaret Minnicks7 years ago in Feast
Pussy Natural Energy Drink Review
Let me start by saying that if you’re looking for a bunch of genitalia-related puns please look elsewhere. This is a serious review blog where sexual desires are repressed and beverage-related thirst runs rampant. No horniness allowed. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let's talk about Pussy.
By Alyson Lewis7 years ago in Feast
Best Artificial Sweeteners
There are many artificial sweeteners on the market these days. When low-calorie sweeteners are added to foods and beverages, they provide a taste that is similar to that of real sugar. So, which is the best one to use since there are so many?
By Margaret Minnicks7 years ago in Feast
Blue Bell Ice Cream Is Back in Grocery Stores
Blue Bell Ice Cream is back in the grocery stores after a long absence. In 2015, the company issued its first recall after operating 108 years without having to do so. The recall of over eight million gallons of the product had to be disposed of after three people died from listeria. Stores no longer carried the ice cream for four years while the company was shut down.
By Margaret Minnicks7 years ago in Feast
Wave Soda. Top Story - May 2019.
Wave Soda boasts few ingredients, but the ones they use pack a punch. Before I read more about the flavors and beverage, I expected this one to be more like a natural soda (similar to Hansens), but it’s different, in a good way. For me, the definition of this drink sits between being a sparkling juice and being a soda. If I were to parallel it to another (excellent) brand on the market I’d say it’s closest to Spindrift. Sparkling juices don’t seem to have harnessed the right carbonation to juice ratio, and the fizz sparks a little more than the fruit juice does... sparkling juices haven’t been perfected yet. I’m willing to argue about this, but the facts (my opinions) remain. Across the board, in a universal sense, sparkling juices haven’t gotten the formula right. Soda has that perfect ratio, usually in part due to the devil ingredient high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup is probably one of the most controversial food ingredients, and concern about it has only increased over decades. While some soda brands (like Hansens and Wave) are proud not to use it, other beverage brands (like Snapple), sneakily put it in their beverages and include it under the tricky umbrella of “natural ingredients.” Though around 2013, Snapple claims to have removed high fructose corn syrup from its beverages, there’s no way to know for sure—because of that “natural ingredient” listing. I could talk about this more, and will in a later post, but for now I’ll stick to the matter at hand.
By Alyson Lewis7 years ago in Feast
Turmeric Gloe: Blood Orange Flavor
When I first picked out this drink, I was expecting something else. The packaging is clear: TURMERIC in bold print and blood orange underneath. I was expecting a fizzy drink with body. The carbonation is strong—the kind that almost bubbles up behind your eyes after you drink it. There’s a definite blood orange flavor, but I was expecting spice—some kind of kick after the initial swallow. It never came. This drink is not bad. I think after suspending my expectations and just drinking it, I was able to enjoy. But that’s not the point.
By Alyson Lewis7 years ago in Feast
Starbucks' Cereal Latte
Starbucks always seems to be in front of the big hipster trends. They always seem to think outside of the box and become a pathway for others to experiment with their coffees. I’ve tried many of them over the years and around the world. To me, the best coffee will always be black coffee. Green tea and its various forms will always be my favorite tea. That doesn’t mean that I don’t stop experimenting or try other drinks. While I haven’t been to Starbucks in a while, I’d say the last time I went was last month.
By Chloe Gilholy7 years ago in Feast
Why I Switched to Bang Energy
If you clicked on this post I assume you, like many other Americans (or wherever you're reading this) and I, have an intake of caffeine we get for going through our week. This is for those who drink their Redbulls, Monsters, Rockstars, or whatever other named canned drink that falls under the same umbrella. I used to drink Rockstars to push me through the week. Whenever I'd crash, I'd top it off with a Coke to bring myself back in the game. The crashes were always the bad part. When the energy drink would wear off. I'd literally feel like my tank was on E. I don't get this with Bang. The energy with Bang is at a continuous go. No crashing, which means there's no need for my habit of buying a Coke to rev myself back up. That right there is a big plus. It also should be the number one reason to switch if you're an energy drink consumer like me. In case you need more than one reason. Here's a few more that you might like.
By Jeffrey Fontanos7 years ago in Feast
