REVIEW: Limited Edition Vernors Boston Cooler

/ / Reviews / 5 Comments

Ah, Michigan. Home of American autos, Detroit-style pizzas…and Boston Coolers?

One of these things is not like the other. But nearly 160 years ago, Vernors joined the soda world from, you guessed it, a pharmacy – just like many of its fizzy forebears.

Vernors is ginger ale, but not the sharp, spicy kind you’d find in a ginger beer. Think Canada Dry, but even more mellow in my opinion.

A Boston Cooler is like a root beer float – only the “root beer” part is Vernors ginger ale.

The origins of the seemingly random name? Murky at best.

Some trace it to Boston Boulevard in Detroit’s historic Boston-Edison neighborhood. Others say marketers liked the ring of “Boston” over “Detroit.” Another theory? It was once a generic name for any soda + ice cream combo. Whatever the real story, Vernors trademarked “Boston Cooler” in 1967 for its ginger ale ice cream bar, and by the ’70s, it had become a Detroit staple.

As a current Michigander, I had to ask the born-and-raised Michiganders. The response was lots of nostalgic nods as well as friendly reminders that “we call it pop here, not soda.”

So when the limited-time Vernors Boston Cooler soda pop hit shelves, I had to give it a try.

My first impression, though: heavy artificial vanilla. Think A&W Cream Soda on the nose. As I kept sipping, my brain tried to convince me it was tasting a creamsicle. The vanilla was overpowering – so much so that the Vernors flavor felt like an extra in the background rather than the supporting actor. Sweet, yes. Fizzy, yes. But that signature “ginger” note? Not really there.

All in all, it was kind of a letdown. I think I’d rather try the original ginger ale ice cream bar for the full experience. Still, if you’re curious (or just craving a taste of Michigan nostalgia), grab it while it’s around. You’ll find it in 12-packs of 12-ounce cans, 20-ounce bottles, and 2-liter bottles.

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 2 liter bottle

Purchased at: Meijer
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 140 calories, 0 grams of fat, 55 milligrams of sodium, 39 grams of carbohydrates, 38 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein

REVIEW: KFC Kentucky Fried Pickles

/ / Reviews / Leave a Comment

The Colonel has entered the (pickle) chat!

As mentioned in my Popeyes Fried Pickle review, I’m a proud pickle enthusiast. While I’ve since run out of pickle toothpaste, I’ve moved on to delights like pickle de gallo and pickle chips. Shake Shack’s version recently let me down, but that’s a review for another day.

Let me rewind for a moment. The Colonel and I go way back. As a kid, KFC was my go-to. Apparently, it’s slipped to #4 nationally now, but back then, it was my #1 weekly tradition. I loved the silky, overprocessed mashed potatoes and especially those biscuits. KFC was a summer staple in my household.

Fast-forward to today. I hadn’t been to KFC in a minute, but when I heard about its new fried pickles, I was drawn in like a magpie to something shiny. This time, the shiny thing was golden-fried pickle coins.

These pickles are part of KFC’s new “Comeback Era” menu, a refresh inspired by customer feedback. They’re described as “golden-fried dill pickle slices that are the perfect crispy bite.” No signage was up yet at the location I visited, but the staff kindly clued me in: 8 pieces for $3.79 or a 45-piece family pack for $14.99. The family pack was tempting, but I hesitated. What if they weren’t good?!

I played it safe and chose the 8-piece. They arrived hot and fresh in a nugget box. I had hoped for something more pickle-themed, but not a big dill.

First test: shape. Coin-shaped, not spears. That’s a win; I’m firmly in the “coins have better crispy-to-cuke ratio” camp. They were also properly golden-fried – so far, so good.

The breading was flavorful, similar to Popeyes’, but without the Cajun kick. That tracks, since Cajun isn’t really KFC’s thing. I chose ranch as a dipping sauce, but it wasn’t really necessary. The pickles held their own. I did feel noticeably thirstier after eating them, though, which hadn’t happened with Popeyes.

However, there was a bit of sogginess between the breading and the pickle, and they were definitely oily. My napkin had the receipts after just eight pieces.

All in all, Popeyes still holds the S-tier fried pickle crown among national chains. But since theirs were limited-time only, KFC will do for now. I may even spring for the 45-piece!

Unfortunately, it’s also a limited-time item, so I’ll be on the hunt for my next fix soon. One of these chains really needs to make it permanent already!!

Purchased Price: $3.79
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 8pc – 290 calories, 16 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 1400 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Lay’s Do Us a Flavor Valentina & Lime Potato Chips

/ / Reviews / 3 Comments

Do Us A Flavor is back! If you missed the previous years of this Lay’s flavor contest, it’s a crowd-sourced chip challenge where the winning idea earns its creator $1 million. I was completely locked in when it first started – tracking down every. Single. Flavor. Shoutout to the fever dream that was Lay’s Cappuccino.

Valentina & Lime by Araceli Huerta from San Jose, California, is one of 2025’s flavor finalists. The inspo was her favorite childhood snack made by her mom: a bag of Lay’s Classic potato chips tossed with Valentina hot sauce and fresh lime.

If you’ve never had Valentina, it’s a mellow, chili pepper-forward Mexican hot sauce. Compared to Tapatío, which is spicier, Valentina leans into depth. Honestly, they’re pretty interchangeable to me, but I know people who are ride-or-die. I mean, I always have a bottle of Valentina in my pantry. Tapatío? Not so much. So, do with that info what you will.

Out of the bag, the chips look like Lay’s Barbecue – reddish-brown and familiar – but the taste definitely hits differently. That tangy Valentina heat comes through first, and then the lime sneaks in for a clean slam dunk. Paired with Lay’s signature thin, salty crunch, it’s the kind of chip you keep reaching for. I didn’t even realize I’d nearly polished off the bag until my eyes started watering from the heat.

Naturally, I tried recreating the original snack at home. And honestly, I preferred the Lay’s version. The seasoning is just more consistent – every chip delivers that same punchy combo of heat and citrus.

I haven’t gotten to the other finalists yet (Lay’s Wavy Korean-Style Fried Chicken is calling my name), but this one is absolutely worth a try. Vote by June 13 if you want it to stick around too!

Purchased Price: $3.50
Size: 7.75 oz
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (28g – about 16 chips) 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 140 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of total sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Popeyes Fried Pickles

/ / Reviews / 2 Comments

On April Fools’ Day, Popeyes introduced “A Popeyes Pickles Menu for Pickle People.” I was pleasantly surprised to discover it wasn’t just another April 1st prank but a genuinely well-thought-out menu featuring five limited-time items. Among them? Fried pickles!

Let me preface this by admitting that I’m a pickle person, so much so that I’m currently brushing my teeth with Grillo’s Pickles-flavored toothpaste. You might say, “That’s gross.” I say, “Mmm…dill-icious!”

Even as a pickle enthusiast, I’ve tasted both the good and the bad when it comes to fried pickles. After many disappointing orders, I’ve come to prefer chip- or coin-shaped pickles over spears. Why? Better crispy-to-cuke ratio.

And speaking of crispy, that is critical. I’ve had too many soggy fried pickles with breading that either falls off or never stuck in the first place. Of course, I still ate them. No pickle should go to waste!

When I received my order, I was concerned about what I saw. It was a little pale looking, rather than golden brown fried-to-perfection.

But, visual aside, I’m thrilled to report that Popeyes nailed it. Its signature Cajun-style seasoning added great flavor and just enough heat. While it was super flavorful on its own, when paired with the tangy buttermilk ranch dipping sauce, it was perfection. I really liked the buttermilk’s complementary tang with the pickle’s tanginess. The coin-cut shape also delivered on that aforementioned ideal crunch-to-pickle ratio.

I inhaled these, and I’ll definitely be back to try more of the pickle menu before it’s gone on May 5th. And if you’re a fellow pickle person? You absolutely should head to Popeyes too!

Purchased Price: $3.69
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 370 calories, 23 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 1080 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 7 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starbucks Iced Cherry Chai Latte

/ / Reviews / Leave a Comment

Spring isn’t here yet, at least not in the Midwest. But Starbucks’ spring menu has us manifesting! This year’s lineup brings back the delicious Lavender beverages – the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha and the Lavender Oatmilk Latte.

But, the new kid on the menu block is Starbucks’ first springtime chai drink—the Iced Cherry Chai. It’s made with black tea infused with cinnamon, clove, and other warming spices, combined with milk and ice, then topped with cherry cream cold foam and a sprinkle of cherry crunch topping.

Starbucks’ overseas locations create stunning cherry blossom beverages, so I had high hopes for this one. That said, cherry-flavored food and drinks in the U.S. can be hit or miss.

As I took my first sip, I kept repeating in my head like a mantra, “Please don’t taste like cough syrup. Please don’t taste like cough syrup.”

The first thing I noticed was how creamy it was. The light pink color made my brain want to expect strawberries and cream, but the flavor was distinctly cherry. Not tart cherry, but the kind you’d find in a baked good – sweet with no sourness at all. So, I can confirm that it does NOT taste like Robitussin cherry-flavored cough syrup.

The chai complemented it perfectly. It wasn’t overly spicy or strong enough to completely wash out the cherry flavor. I also didn’t find it too sweet, which is a compliment! Usually, I have to cut back on syrup pumps, but this one was perfect as-is.

I will say that I didn’t really care for the sprinkle of cherry crunch topping. It only added visual interest and texture, not an additional cherry flavor for me, so it seemed gratuitous.

I typically think of chai as a fall drink (shoutout to my beloved Pumpkin Spice Chai —side note: if you haven’t had one, you must this fall). But they’ve made it work for spring. Kudos.

While I will definitely be drinking more of these in the future, I am excited to try the cherry cold foam itself on more things like a mocha (for cherry chocolate vibes) or even on a matcha.

Purchased Price: $5.45
Size: Tall (12 ounces)
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Tall – 12 oz) 370 calories, 15 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 52 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 49 grams of sugar, 7 grams of protein, and 70 milligrams of caffeine.

Scroll to Top