taste-test

In March this year, Jim Beam released a versatile, near-clear spirit, Jacob's Ghost White Whiskey ($22), in an attempt to appeal to tequila and vodka drinkers, claiming it's "a whiskey both old fashioned and cosmopolitan" that can be treated like bourbon or mixed in cocktails like a clear spirit. While the label is quick to dispel this white whiskey as a moonshine or an unaged white dog, we couldn't help but scratch our heads and wonder what we were in for. A neutral-tasting spirit? A clear bourbon? A mild whiskey? The label explains it's an aged, 80-proof whiskey that has rested at least a year in charred, white oak barrels, and so us food editors raised our glasses and cheered for the best but prepared for the worst.

See what we thought of the white whiskey.

Put a box or two of cereal in our office kitchen, and it's rarely long for the world; the latest offering from Barbara's Bakery, Barbara's Snackimals Cereal ($5), was no exception. As soon as we set these adorable animal-shaped breakfast bites out for a taste test, the hungry masses descended like a pack of wolves to see if they were up to snuff, and — spoiler alert — they were, and then some. Keep reading to see which flavor will break you out of a breakfast rut.

To honor 50 years of being in business, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has released its new limited edition Birthday Cake Ice Blended ($4) drink, out starting today and available until Sept. 2. We've seen a slew of cake batter ice creams and frozen yogurts, so we were excited by the prospect of a cake-flavored frozen beverage from the makers of the Original Ice Blended Drink. Keep reading to see our review.

There are some pretty scary mock meats out there, but here's a new one that claims it doesn't compromise flavor or texture: Beyond Meat Chicken-Free Strips ($5). These strips, which are sold at Whole Foods nationwide, are being touted as gluten-free and protein-rich (about 18 grams for 3 ounces). They've even garnered praise from the likes of Mark Bittman, who claims he was "fooled badly" in a blind tasting. But let's get to the real heart of the matter: is this product, made primarily of non-GMO soy and pea protein, just a science experiment of sorts, or is it really worth eating?

Last week, Starbucks announced it was launching two new Bavarian-style pretzels ($2) in its snack lineup, for people who tend to sway toward salty provisions over sweet options. Curious about the new additions to the bakery section, we took a trip to our nearest Starbucks. The pretzels, which come in asiago and cheddar and stoneground Dijon, looked a little dehydrated and sad as they were pulled out of Starbucks's pastry refrigerator. The Starbucks employee said the pretzels tasted better when toasted, so they took a short trip to the oven before we brought them back to the office to try. Keep reading for our thoughts and the review.

From left to right: Pepperidge Farm's Dark Chocolate Cheesecake, Boston Cream Pie Milano Melts, and Carrot Cake cookies

When our food team ripped open a package from Pepperidge Farm housing their latest — and hopefully greatest — cookie flavors, a collective "ooooooh" broke out among all members. Its new offerings include cookies inspired by dark chocolate cheesecake, carrot cake, and my personal holy grail dessert: Boston cream pie. As longtime fans of Pepperidge Farm Dark Chocolate Milanos and Chessman cookies, our expectations were high.

Dark Chocolate Cheesecake

These soft, doughy cookies looked scant on their promised dark chocolate element. Thankfully, our fears were eliminated on first bite. While some tasters docked points, citing their failure to resemble the promised sweet treat, most enjoyed the cookie's balance between chewy cookie, dark chocolate, and cream-cheese-flavored chunks. That said, we wished they had a more prominent cream cheese tang, and we'd have appreciated a more generous hand with the chocolate chunks. Still, as a whole, they satisfied our afternoon snack craving quite well.

Keep reading to see how the other offerings fared.

Today's artisanal sweet blows York Peppermint Patties out of the water, even if we are longtime devotees of the chocolate mint candy. Hailing from a family mint farm in Oregon, Seely Peppermint Patties ($8 for five) are a close cousin to their drugstore analogue, but have a snappier, slightly thicker shell; delicately textured fondant; and a bright and bracing mint flavor that makes them an all-in-all win.

A word of advice: order up a pack or two of these winning sweets before the Summer heat makes shipping chocolate a poor choice. If you play your cards right, you'll have enough to tuck a few away in the freezer for a frosty treat perfect for cooling down on balmy days.

Whether you're hosting a festive Cinco de Mayo party or have mellower plans, including frosty bottles of Mexican beer is an easy, refreshing, and perfectly on-theme way to round out your South-of-the-border spread. From light and crisp (read: compulsively drinkable) to thicker-bodied malty brews, there's a cerveza for nearly any taste. Here are three of our go-tos.

Tecate

Our day-drinking pick, Tecate is exceptionally light and easy to drink. Though critics may call it watery, we think it's utterly refreshing and a solid choice if balmy temperatures are in your forecast this Cinco de Mayo. For extra freshness, try it with a squeeze of lime, or, if spicy is more your style, doctor a can up michelada-style.

Keep reading for two more suggestions.