YumSugar

Taste Test: Brown Sugar Cinnamon Ritz Crackers

YumSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:15:15 -0800

With holiday parties looming on the horizon, I've had killer apps and hors d'oeuvres in the back of my mind. Since no party is complete without a meat, cheese, and crackers platter, it's only appropriate that Nabisco has come out with a new variety of Ritz cracker, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, that's sure to be popular come Christmastime. Ritz crackers were an after-school pastime for me growing up, so I couldn't wait to try the new flavor. Did it live up to its highly-regarded name? Find out when you read more.

Costco No Longer Carrying Coca-Cola Products

YumSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:15:25 -0800

If you weren't able to locate a case of Coke on your last trip to Costco, don't worry - you aren't going crazy. Yesterday, the wholesale club confirmed that it is no longer carrying Coca-Cola products in stores nationwide.

The Washington-based wholesaler is currently in the middle of a dispute with the Coca-Cola Co. Although neither would comment on the matter further, the world's largest soft drink maker said that it was involved in "ongoing negotiations" with the store.

Considering Costco is the fifth largest general retailer in the United States, I'm predicting a resolution soon. But in the meantime, customers will simply have to shop elsewhere to get their Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Dasani, VitaminWater, Fresca, Minute Maid, and Odwalla fills (among others). Will you be forced to stock up on soft drinks elsewhere?

Are You a Fast Food Junkie?

YumSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:50:07 -0800

In case you haven't been looped in, yesterday wasn't just Monday. It was also what some might argue to be the biggest food holiday of the year. No, not Thanksgiving; I'm talking about National Fast Food Day!

To celebrate the momentous occasion, I thought I'd test your knowledge of the drive-thru world. Have you been able to keep up with all of the newest offerings at your favorite fried franchises? Start playing to find out.

Question 1 of 8

Bacon & Cheese Angus Third Pounder

7-Eleven's Newest Plug? Wine

YumSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:30:39 -0800

Two Buck Chuck better watch its back - it's about to face some stiff competition. On Tuesday, 7-Eleven announced its plans to release value wines in the United States and Japan.

7-Eleven will launch two proprietary California wines - a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon - to roughly 15,000 outlets under the Yosemite Road label. They will each retail for $3.99.

The Chardonnay is described as having notes of apricot and peach, while the Cabernet will have "juicy plum overtones." So if you're missing your favorite stone fruits from Summer, perhaps it's about time to reach for some Yosemite Road wine. Would you fork over $4 for convenience-store vino?

KFC Braves Another Grilled Chicken Giveaway

YumSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:50:23 -0700

Now that KFC's finally named a winner in its search for the right grilled chicken spokesperson, the chain is ready for yet another Kentucky Grilled Chicken giveaway. Declaring next Monday, Oct. 26 "UNFry Day," KFC will be handing out one free piece of grilled chicken to customers at more than 5,000 restaurants across the US.

The fast food company's last grilled chicken giveaway, which was backed by none other than Oprah Winfrey, caused quite a stir when KFC, faced with overwhelming demand, was forced to issue an apology and staggered rainchecks to customers who were turned away.

Considering what happened during the last giveaway, I'm not sure I'm ready to show up for this one. Did you have a bad experience with the last promotion? Would you be willing give KFC another try?

Source

Fall Pantry Favorite: Cranberry Hazelnut Raincoast Crisps

YumSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:00:41 -0700

At a recent happy hour hosted by a friend, I found myself conveniently placed near a certain charismatic snack: rustic crisps studded with slivers of dried cranberries and roasted hazelnuts. Despite my attempts to save my appetite for dinner, I couldn't pull myself away from the crackers, which were just as habit-forming when eaten alone as they were with a slather of good goat cheese.

After a little research, I learned that Lesley Stowe's Raincoast Crisps, as they're called, hail from Canada and come in a multitude of flavors, like Raisin Pecan, Fig and Olive, and Salty Date and Almond, and are sold at many Whole Foods stores. I tried several flavors, but the hazelnut, with its mild nuttiness, paired with the slightly chewy consistency of the cranberries, remains my hands-down favorite combination. I'm keeping some stocked to make a mark at impromptu gatherings this Fall.

Have you ever tried Lesley Stowe's Raincoast Crisps?

Corona Introducing 24-Ounce Cans

YumSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:04:23 -0700

This news might come as a surprise to Anheuser-Busch, but Bud Light lovers aren't the only ones who like to get it in the can. So do Corona drinkers. Crown Imports, the importer and distributor for the popular Mexican beer, plans to roll out 24-ounce, single-serving cans of Corona and Corona Light. The cans - which contain twice the amount of beer as a typical bottle - make their debut in 26 initial markets this month, with Corona Light following soon. Considering Coca-Cola recently publicized plans to offer soft drinks in smaller can sizes, I'm surprised Corona has decided to venture in the opposite direction by scaling its sizes up. Even though Corona's one of my go-to beer brands, I wonder if a 24-ounce can will fall flat before I finish it. Would you buy Corona in a 24-ounce can?

Source: User dotbenjamin

Taste Test: Häagen-Dazs Tart Natural Frozen Yogurt

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:13:35 -0700

I'm one of the masses who's taken great advantage of the ballooning tart frozen yogurt trend. I make a pit stop at downstairs darling SoGreen at least once a week. But when Häagen-Dazs sent me its latest tart natural frozen yogurt flavor, I wanted to see if swapping it out for SoGreen was a possibility. Could it be the new replacement for my expensive frozen yogurt habit? The answer, after the jump.

Wolfgang Puck's Newest Venture: Iced Coffee

YumSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:37:08 -0700

Watch out, Frappuccino. There's a new iced coffee in town, and it's been created by world famous chef Wolfgang Puck. Amidst a nasty lawsuit, guest judging on Top Chef, and juggling his nearly 20 restaurants, the celebrity chef is rolling out a new line of ready-to-drink iced coffees.

The bottled beverages, which will compete directly with products like POMx Iced Coffee, will cost $2.39 each or $7.99 for a four pack of Vanilla Fusion, Double Blend Mocha, Creme Caramel, or Café au Lait.

Puck explained how his drinks would be different from those on the market, citing the fact that the coffees are sourced from certified organic farms in Ethiopia, Peru, Colombia, and Mexico and contain certified organic and kosher ingredients.

Whole Foods stores nationwide will stock the coffee by the end of the year. Would you be more inclined to buy iced coffee because it's by Wolfgang Puck?

Taste Test: Cheesecake Factory Cheesecakes

YumSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:50:57 -0700

I must admit: I'm not the world's biggest fan of cheesecake, it's always seemed a bit too rich. But I'm obsessed with red velvet cake, and was intrigued when I first heard about red velvet cheesecake. I put it on my list of things to make and before I could get to it, The Cheesecake Factory came out with a version and sent one our way - along with a couple others. Was it the perfect hybrid of Southern red velvet and smooth cheesecake decadence? How was the cheesecake on a whole? Find out when you read more