Popsicles: Yosicle Duos!

So I'll start this one off with a couple of excuses--

I haven't blogged in a while because I've been busy,
 and I know I promised to keep the lowfat wannabe healthy snacks to a minimum...but these things just caught my eye today and I couldn't say no.  I truly had no intention of buying anything even remotely nutritious from the ice cream aisle, but may the confectionary gods forgive me, I ended up with these.  It was an accident, but (forgive me again) they really aren't too bad.

I've never really been a huge popsicle or ice cream cone person.  Not that there aren't delicious options available for each; I just prefer my frozen treats scoopable.  But I've always been a sucker for those carnival flavored popsicles that come with the watermelon and cotton candy flavors, and that's probably why this arrangement was so attractive to me.  And come on, there's CALCIUM in there!  I think it's great how they play up nutrients that have always been present in frozen yogurt and wave their arms about it as if it's something new.  And it totally works on the average consumer...it's adorable really.  But I digress.

What pleases me the most about these is the way you can separate the two elements if you want to.  The popsicle part isn't so firmly attached to the yogurt that you can't bite the sides off first.  This is one of those weird eating habits I've always had and performed no matter how potentially messy it may become: save the filling for last if possible.  I found it delightfully easy to do with these, and the flavors weren't too bad either.  I wouldn't say the cotton candy is spectacular, although I do like it better than other cotton candy flavored things I've had.  I expected to like the cotton candy better than the watermelon as artificial watermelon is something I like but am never intensely excited about.  There's a possibility that I liked it more because I ate it directly after the cotton candy one, which I found to be a bit lacking in intensity.  It seems it's hard to make something that tastes strongly of cotton candy without ending up having a sunblock-y aftertaste, and I think they were trying to play it safe here.  So my flavor summary is: watermelon about as good as it gets, cotton candy could've been better.

Since I can't say great things about either of the actual popsicle flavors, there has to be further explanation for why I just finished 2 of these and am already contemplating having another one later. (Did I mention there's only 110 calories in two of them?  Not to be a stickler in a place where it's unwelcome but that really is pretty awesome...) Maybe it's just the slight tartness and moisture that goes along so well with the flavor and texture of the yogurt which makes these so pleasing to me.  I think a cherry vanilla or blue raspberry vanilla would make for better combinations, but for now these flavors will do!

By the way, why do basketball players wear bibs?

Because they dribble.

Classic.

Overall score: 4 stars  (I thought about subtracting one for the stupid riddles on the popsicle sticks, but I guess it wouldn't be a Popsicle without that!)

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.