Birthday Cake Oreos

Yeah, that's right.  Oreos with cake-flavored cream.  YES.  I ran into a big display of these when I was at Market Basket last week with Viki and we both flipped out and practically jumped up and down with excitement.  I've always been a big Oreo fan and this new flavor has only strengthened that bond.

 The first thing I noticed when I opened the bag is that the smell was WAY stronger than I was anticipating, even having already caught a whiff of the birthday cake aroma through the front end of the bag before it was even open.  Nabisco is not joking around with its 100th Birthday celebration; clearly they mean business.  And lucky for me their business relies mostly on SUGAR!

Upon initiating consumption of the first sample I was tempted to immediately log on and write simply "BUY THESE COOKIES THEY ARE AMAZING THAT IS ALL GOODNIGHT".  I was THAT blown away.  But I allowed myself some time to consider, and eat a few more.  I've had one or two every day for the last week and now I feel I'm more qualified to discuss them coherently.  They still get a pretty good score, though. 

The only thing I would ever think of changing about these cookies is the flavor of the wafer.  I think it would be a little more faithful to the traditional cake-flavor theme if it were made with Golden Oreo wafers, but I'm not condemning the good old chocolate wafer.  Actually, I think they may have done right by using the chocolate in terms of balancing out the intense sweetness of the cream.  The vanilla wafer from the Golden Oreo would have been a closer fit in taste, but the original has a sort of bittersweet chocolate flavor that really begs for the cream accompaniment.  This makes it a better match for the super-saccharine flavor of the birthday cake filling.

The best part about these cookies is that the cream actually has real sprinkles in it!  When you eat the cream by itself you can feel them in there as a separate entity as opposed to just little colored dots that look festive but have no real affect on your eating experience. 

All in all these things are just fabulously delicious, and though they are definitely a little "much" I think that is to be expected with anything cake batter flavored.  It's kind of understood that it's something to be taken in small (or at least reasonable) doses, but since that's really how all cookies should be eaten anyway I'm going to go ahead and still count that as a plus.  5 Stars.

Easter Candy: Marshmallow 3 Musketeers

I've designated the month of February as Marshmallow Month! :-)  The Easter candy is starting to come out and there are a lot of new marshmallow and marshmallow-filled items showing up. 

First up is the marshmallow 3 Musketeers. 

I've been eyeing these for three years, and blogging has finally given me a reason to try them.  Every year when I go to set Easter I'm tempted, but I've never given in because I pretty much knew what they were going to taste like--and I was exactly right. 

There's really not too much to report on here.  But that's not necessarily a bad thing.  I'm a fan of 3 Musketeers and guessed the Marshmallow variety would taste very similar to the original.  Marshmallow tends not to have much of a flavor; they do have their own taste and aroma, but I think most will agree it's really more about the texture.  And texture is really the only difference between this version and the original.  Mars uses its usual chocolate which supplies most of the flavor.  In the original version the nougat gives it its trademark "whipped-up" fluffiness without too much effect on the taste of the bar as a whole.  The same is true here so the two bars tase very similar, but there is a slight difference in the consistency of the filling.  The marshmallow is lighter and airier than the nougat, and though the original nougat filling does have a tint of chocolate flavor to it that is not present in the marshmallow version. 

If you're not thinking about what you're eating (the American way) it's pretty much the same experience as eating regular 3 Musketeers miniatures.  But sometimes the art is in the details. 

5 Stars.  But this time I'll make it 5 marhsmallows.  They're just cuter. 

                                    

Cocktails: T.G.I. Friday's Pink Punk Cosmo

I actually happened upon this drink many months ago, but it just occured to me when Alex and I ate there a couple of weeks ago that this drink (and most of the cocktails I tend to enjoy) absolutely qualifies as a confection. 

As a kid I always loved cotton candy.  For almost 25 years I have been upholding my personal project of eating a batch without my fingers getting sticky.  I've tried every way I can think of to keep my fingers dry while eating it, including wiping my hands between each bite and delicately dropping each piece in so that not an iota of my own saliva can touch my fingers.  But somehow my own epidermus always manages to foil me, and perhaps that is one of the source's of cotton candy's allure.  At least for me.  I don't know if anyone else is obsessive enough to have battled this problem so epically.  But I digress.

The Pink Punk Cosmo is basically a Cosmopolitan poured over a fluff of cotton candy.   I myself always make sure to grab a piece for nibbling and garnishing purposes before the server pours the drink over it and it melts into a pile of pink sugary perfection in the bottom of the glass.  It was difficult to get a good photo of this drink in all its glory a) because of the lighting in the restaurant and b) because I really wanted to have the piece of cotton candy on the side of the glass, but as soon as any of it touches the smallest bit of liquid it starts to melt.  As fascinating as it is to watch the fluffy pink cloud in my hand be instantly eaten away by the moisture right before my eyes, this was not conducive to the project at hand.  However, after taking a huge gulp and meticulous wiping of the side of the glass with the corner of my napkin, I was able to get it done before the cotton candy was somehow reached once again by some bit of moisture and was pretty much disintegrated within two seconds after the photo was taken.  Magical, huh? 

This picture makes it look way more orange than it really is.  It looks like its name suggests: Pink.  Friday's menu lists the ingredients as Skyy Vodka, cranberry juice, pineapple juice and fresh squeezed lime.  This list excited me immediately because it does NOT contain orange liquer, a trademark of the traditional Cosmo.  There is some lime juice involved, but it's not distinctly noticeable as "citrus-ey", and anyone who knows me well understands that "citrus-ey" is a label of condemnation as far as I'm concerned.  Instead of the orange flavor the Pink Punk uses pineapple juice, whose tart sweetness balances out perfectly with the slight bitterness of the cranberry juice.  Most would probably find this alone a satisfying cocktail, and I'd agree.  But the addition of the cotton candy, which non sugar-enthusiasts would likely find unnecessary, is exactly what gives this cocktail its stand-alone kick.  The process of watching the candy disappear into your drink adds fun and perhaps even childlike glee to the experience--after all, when was the last time you ate cotton candy? 

In terms of gastric functioning I know sugar and booze isn't really the best combination, and overdoing it often ends in peptic upset.  But let's face it--most delicious things do come with some sort of price.  And once I start gathering some ingredients and churning these out at one of my house parties, someone should probably be prepared to peel me off the bathroom floor in the morning.  I try to be moderate with my drinking, but frankly, this sh*t is just that good.  5 PINK stars.

Desserts- Haagen Dazs Blueberry Crumble

I've noticed that not a whole lot of people are into the idea of blueberry ice cream.  Fruity ice cream? they ask.  Fruity sherbet, yes.  Sorbet? Obviously.  But ice cream?  Some may say no (although may I remind you about strawberry?) but I say YES!  When we're talking fruit and dairy, whoever decided should be all about strawberry ice cream was obviously not aware of the amazingess of blueberry. 

Having already tried and enjoyed several varieties of blueberry ice cream, I was excited to come across something new.  And you really can't go wrong with Haagen Dazs, so I couldn't get the freezer door open fast enough when I saw this. And my rush was well-rewarded.  Here's why:

The crumble part is true.  This ice cream really is full of crumbly goodness that carries a true streusel-top flavor.  And it didn't fall victim to a most offensive issue I have encountered in other pie-themed ice creams: Soggy Dough Syndome.  If you've been following this fabulous blog from its humble beginnings you know I had some complaints about the "pie pieces" in Turkey Hill's Coconut Cream Pie ice cream, which really seemed to be no more than globs of barely-cooked pie crust dough.  Not good. 

But I felt the last of my grief over that confectionary tragedy begin to melt away as the first bite of Blueberry Crumble melted in my mouth.  The blueberry flavor is full and satisfying and yet also has a delightful sort of lightness to it; it seems to come entirely from the blueberry bits that are mixed in as opposed to any overbearing artificial flavoring.  The ice cream itself had the remarkably cream texture that Haagen Dazs always does, and the streusel pieces and blueberries were evenly distributed.  This distribution allows Haagen Dazs to stay at least one small step above Ben & Jerry's whose flavors, while creative and usually largely successful, often contain a deposit of the ice cream's components, leaving other parts of the ice cream nearly bare. 

Overall another bullseye for Haagen Dazs.  5 Stars.

Snacks- Pepperidge Farm Milano Melts

I'm going to tell you right now that I immediately began salivating when I laid my eyes upon these glorious-looking cookies.  I mean, I know the chocolate is never really as creamy or the cookie as flawlessly textured as they are in the picture on the bag.  But sometimes in the throes of confectionary passion I forget just for a moment about the magic of advertising and believe that what I'm looking at really may be the door to an alternate dimension, containing only the most supernaturally delicious of foods for my enjoyment. 

Before you call mental health services to come take me away let me assure you that this is only a momentary imagining...but that moment was more than enough time for me to decide I needed these cookies. 

There are two other varieties of these, one with a chocolate cookie and one with regular chocolate creme as opposed to the classic dark chocolate.  I chose the one I assumed would taste just like the regular Milano so I'd be able to do a better comparison, although I will be giving the double chocolate ones a try in the future for sure.

They pretty much look and taste like a regular Milano; the cookie is the same texture which has always been a bit too for my taste.  There is definitely more chocolate presence and flavor in these. The fact that there's enough chocolate to be able to let it coat the front of my tongue and taste the bittersweet deliciousness is a huge plus for these cookies.  I was imagining that the creme wouldn't actually be bursting from the cookie when I broke it apart like it is on the front of the package, but as you can see minus the photoshopping used on the packaging the real thing looks remarkably similar. 

My only real complaint about these cookies involves my own very personal taste, but I'll throw it out there anyway.  While I'm crazy about the abundance of chocolate in melts, I found that I still longed for the slight crispiness you get from the hardened chocolate in the original Milano.  It's almost undetectable, but when I bite into a good old sandwich-style Milano, right before I start grumbling about the crumbling, I savor that satisfying little snap as the layer of chocolate breaks.  It's the chocolate the supports the feeble cookie, whereas the melts give more power to the cookie by forming it into a shelter for softer, more vulnerable chocolate. 

Overall I'm surprised to say that though these are delicious, I'm not positive whether I'd pick them over regular Milano's.  I guess it'll depend on which one I feel like seeing in charge. 

5 stars. 

Desserts- Ben & Jerry's Late Night Snack

Let me begin with one rather unprofessional thing that will sum up my feelings about this ice cream:
NOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM.

Ok, now that that's out of my system, I will proceed with my review in actual English. 

When I first read the contents of this glorious little pint {Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with a Salty Caramel Swirl & Fudge Covered Potato Chip Clusters}

 I definitely felt a smidgen of doubt, but that was quickly smothered by my contention that if Ben & Jerrys puts things together, they are safe to go together.  The carton boasts that the flavor was inspired by Jimmy Fallon, which gave it absolutely no extra appeal as I find him to be annoying and generally un-funny.  But anyway... I really put my trust in the good old B&J on this one, and I was not disappointed.  I tend to go by the rule that the strangest sounding combinations of flavors are often the best (although outside the world of sweets I practice this rule much more conservatively) and this ice cream is a shining example of why I employ such ideology. 

The vanilla bean ice cream itself was fabulously smooth and creamy, and the salty caramel was indeed salty.  Not too salty, however, to get in the way of the more obvious source of salt: the potato chip.  The chip clusters are coated in semi-sweet chocolate and when the salt first hit my tongue they carried an almost chocolate-covered-pretzel type of flavor.  But as the cool vanilla and caramel mixture liquified in my mouth and began to drain down my throat, the flavor of the potato chips really starts to kick in.  Just as I was about to swallow it all I was blasted briefly with this perfect potato chip essence on my pallete that sang sweet harmony with the last bit of creamy vanilla on my tongue...perfection.  Very similar to Ben & Jerry's other late-night-inspired flavor Americone Dream, but the saltiness from the chips and the slightly salted caramel give it a more unique flavor that you won't find on the Haagen Daazs side of the freezer.

5 stars...there was literally not one thing I disliked about this ice cream, and I will definitely be buying it again.

Desserts- Breyers Blasts!- Chips Ahoy

  So Breyer's has launched this new line of ice cream flavors called Blasts!. (exclamation mark included to assert its excitingness)  we've seen several of these super-chunk types of ice creams before, so despite the exclamation point I wasn't expecting to find anything too crazy.  The amount of flavors was a bit dizzying, I'll give them that much at least.  Each features a different candy or cookie, and although I was intrigues by the Whoppers, Mrs. Fields, waffle cone and Heath bar flavors, I decided to go with the Chips Ahoy.  The reason for this was actually that I found it to be the most precarious-sounding ice cream situation.  The carton indicated that it contained whole mini-Chips Ahoy cookies as opposed to your usual globs of cookie dough, and I was concerned about what the texture of the cookies would be.  If they were wet and mooshy the whole thing would be a dud, but if they were still crunchy and flavorful (which I felt was pretty unlikely) there was no way it could fail. 
     I'm happy to say these were on sale 2 for 1 when I discovered them, because even at their regular price of $5.99 I would have bought it for the sake of testing.  Unfortunately when I went back for a second flavor to test the sale was already over.  But I digress...
     The first thing I did when I began my test was taste the actual ice cream itself.  The carton refers to it as a "Cookie-Flavored Dairy Dessert", dairy dessert being a term used for ice cream varieties made primarily from milk instead of cream.   I've had some "dairy desserts" which could definitely have been mistaken for ice cream, and sometimes the difference is negligible.  But I'm sorry to say Breyer's let me down a little on this one.  While it did live up to its claim of being cookie-flavored, I found it to be kind of flat...sort of like it was missing a certain dimension of sweetness.  I guess the best way to describe it would be that the ice cream itself had a sort of diet-type of taste to it...or lack of taste, I should say. I guess it's better that this ice cream is primarily milk since it is filled with "chocolatey chunks", a sugary fudge swirl and calorie-laden cookies, but I think the addition of real cream would have made all the difference in the flavor.
     Moving past the slightly disappointing cookie-flavored ice cream, I'm happy to say that the cookies themselves were surprisingly firm and even a little crunchy!  I was having trouble imagining entire cookies surviving in such an atmosphere, but Breyer's pulled it off very nicely leaving the cookies with a dipped-in-milk sort of texture... nothing like the dreaded completely-saturated-with-milk situation I'd imagined as my worst-case scenario. 
   What I liked most about this ice cream is that the chocolate chips, oh wait I'm sorry, the chocolatey chunks, taste just like the actuall Chips Ahoy chocolate chips.  Between that and the fudge swirl there was a lot of chocolate going on in this ice cream, but somehow it still came nowhere near to being too much.  In fact, I could have stood even a few more chocolate chunks and fudge swirl to balance out the slightly funky ice cream.  The proportion of cookies was just right...you don't get one in every single bite, but thankfully there was not a single bite in which plain ice cream existed without anything else in it. 
    I'm not positive I would buy this again, although if it were half price again I would certainly consider it.  Definitely worth the money at half price, and a fun flavor when you want something a little out of the ordinary.  Four stars, would be five but the flavor of the ice cream really threw me off at the beginning.