REVIEW: Mtn Dew Baja Caribbean Splash and Baja Passionfruit Punch

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“Always two there are. No more. No less.”

That quote from a green, wise old man can be applied to the Sith and with annual Mtn Dew Baja flavor extension rollouts.

With the new Baja Caribbean Splash and Baja Passionfruit Punch, Mtn Dew has turned almost all the most popular tropical fruits into Baja flavors. (Waiting for banana and papaya, Mtn Dew.) Pineapple has been used twice, mango once, whatever is in tropical punch once, and then there are these two latest varieties — Caribbean Splash with a blast of guava and Passionfruit Punch with a blast of, well, you know.

Baja Caribbean Splash smells tropical, but its aroma doesn’t quite bring guava to mind. Its orange-red hue also doesn’t quite remind me of guava flesh, which in my head is pinkish. But its flavor is guava, although a lot milder than I’m used to because I grew up drinking many cans of this. Although I wish the guava stood out more, Caribbean Splash is tasty, and I like it slightly more than the other new Baja flavor.

Even though the can’s artwork shows a volcano spewing out many purple passionfruit, I was surprised by Baja Passionfruit Punch’s purple color because I grew up drinking many cans of this which depicts yellow-skinned fruit (lilikoi is passionfruit here on this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean). But the soda’s slightly tart taste does bring to mind the passionfruit juice I’ve consumed over the years, but much like Caribbean Splash, the tropical fruit flavor needs to be punched up a bit. Also, I don’t know if the purple color is influencing my taste buds, but its aftertaste made me think of Mtn Dew Pitch Black.

Overall, Baja Caribbean Splash and Baja Passionfruit Punch are great and worth a try to fulfill your fruity caffeine needs. But I was more impressed with previous Baja Dew flavors, like Baja Gold and Baja Mango Gem. Anyway, they’re still good, and I look forward to next year’s Mtn Dew Baja offerings (again, waiting for banana and papaya).

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 12 oz cans
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Caribbean Splash), 7 out of 10 (Passionfruit Punch)
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) Caribbean Splash – 170 calories, 0 grams of fat, 50 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 44 grams of fiber, 44 grams of sugar (including 44 grams of added sugar), 0 grams of protein, and 55 milligrams of caffeine. Passionfruit Punch – 170 calories, 0 grams of fat, 50 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 44 grams of fiber, 44 grams of sugar (including 44 grams of added sugar), 0 grams of protein, and 55 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Starbucks Frozen Lemonade Refreshers

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Summer is here, and so are new cold drinks at Starbucks. A look back through my last several months of Starbucks reviews reminded me that most of the newly released Starbucks drinks have been coffee-based, but the three new items on the menu this season are made using the Starbucks Refreshers. The coffee chain has introduced three frozen lemonades: Pineapple Passionfruit, Mango Dragonfruit, and Strawberry Acai. I tried the first two for some initial thoughts.

The Frozen Pineapple Passionfruit Lemonade Starbucks Refresher Beverage (that’s a mouthful!) is the Pineapple Passionfruit Refresher blended with strawberry puree, lemonade, and a scoop of diced dried pineapple. Similarly, the Frozen Mango Dragonfruit Starbucks Refresher Beverage uses the Mango Dragonfruit Refresher base with – you guessed it – lemonade and dried dragonfruit pieces. While these drinks had some similarities, you’ll soon find interesting differences, too. More on that below.

Pineapple Passionfruit is very tart, and the pineapple overshadows any taste of passionfruit. The pineapple also masked the strawberry puree. I am a big pineapple fan, so this didn’t bother me too much. But what I would have liked was more presence of the lemonade. Since this is billed as a frozen lemonade, you’d think it would be more prominent. But I felt this tasted like they had blended the Refresher base itself.

The Mango Dragonfruit was similar in that it tasted JUST like the Refresher with a lack of lemonade. I liked that it was smooth, wasn’t overly sweet, and the strawberry puree meshed nicely here. (Hence a slight increase in rating for this one over the other.)

I find it easiest to lay out the rest of my thoughts in a list:

  1. DO NOT mobile order this drink if you’re not going to pick it up within a few minutes of them making it. While I tried my beverages, I saw a Pineapple Passionfruit waiting on the mobile order table, and you could see the separation of the frozen concoction. You’d be stirring that bad boy up and potentially even sticking it in the freezer unless you want it super liquidy. Interestingly enough, as I sipped, the Mango Dragonfruit did not separate in the same way the Pineapple Passionfruit did. I never had to stir that one up, but I did with the Pineapple Passionfruit. I can only chalk it up to the different Refresher bases, as everything else is so similar. (Another reason for the slightly higher rating for Mango Dragonfruit.)
  2. I recommend getting a straw – or bringing your own reusable straw – for these. Since it’s frozen, I had difficulty sipping it through the small hole in the cup lid.
  3. Personally, I wouldn’t go any bigger than a grande on this one. I think a venti would cause some serious brain freeze.
  4. These frozen lemonades feel like a fun non-alcoholic cocktail from an exotic resort. They are a nice option for folks to have if they’re only tea or Refresher drinkers.

All in all, I liked both of these, but I don’t think they’re Starbucks’ best brainchild. A nice, fun, and tasty drink if you’re a Refresher fan, but if you never get a chance to try one, I promise you’ll be OK too.

Purchased Price: $5.45 each
Size: Grande
Purchased at: Starbucks
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Pineapple Passionfruit), 7 out of 10 (Mango Dragonfruit)
Nutrition Facts: Frozen Pineapple Passionfruit Lemonade – 160 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 15 milligrams of sodium, 38 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 33 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of protein, and 50 milligrams of caffeine. Frozen Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade – 150 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 15 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 33 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of protein, and 45 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Pringles Harvest Blends Potato Crisps

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The name “Harvest Blends” might make one think these Pringles are a fusion of farm finds and actually might be healthy-ish, but their nutrition facts are the same as regular Pringles, and there aren’t any claims that these provide any whole grains or vegetable servings. They’re just Pringles with either multigrains or sweet potato blended into them to create different textures and flavors than just dried potatoes.

Pringles attempted multigrain chips before, which, if I remember correctly, were around for a few years and then disappeared like Julius Pringles’ hair. Also, a few years ago in Australia, the brand rolled out a Pringles Veggie Creations line, which included a sweet potato and sea salt flavour.

Of the two Harvest Blends I picked up, the Sweet Potato Sea Salt variety had me sticking my hand in the can more often than I would like to admit. A wise old man with a gigantic mustache and no hair once said, “Once you pop, you can’t stop,” and that’s the case with these crisps. It’s similar to sweet potato fries, although, with the first few crisps, I thought I was eating regular Pringles for some reason. But the more I ate, the more the sweet potato came out of these slightly orange-hued crisps. I love the flavor of sweet potato fries, but I can’t say I’ve ever had crispy ones. These crisps blend their taste with a crispiness I’ve never experienced with the fries.

Sunchips were the first thing to pop into my head after munching on the Multigrains Farmhouse Cheddar variety. Since Sunchips are also multigrain chips, it makes sense why these Pringles taste similar. As for the seasoning on these, its cheesiness doesn’t explode like on a Doritos or Cheetos. Also, I couldn’t tell you if it truly tastes like “farmhouse cheddar” since I’ve never had it. But it’s definitely cheddar, and it’s good. The crisps have an aftertaste that reminds me of regular Pringles, which makes sense since they also have dried potatoes in them. They also crunch slightly duller than regular Pringles, but it doesn’t take away from how snackable they are. Although, I didn’t inhale them like sweet potato ones.

Pringles’ Harvest Blends line also includes Multigrain Homestyle Ranch and Sweet Potato Smoky BBQ varieties, which I might try if able to find them since these two flavors I did try were great.

Purchased Price: $3.29 each
Size: 5.5 oz cans
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Sweet Potato Sea Salt), 7 out of 10 (Multigrains Farmhouse Cheddar)
Nutrition Facts: (1 ounce/about 14 crisps) Sweet Potato Sea Salt – 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of sugar (including 1 gram of added sugar), and 1 gram of protein. Multigrains Farmhouse Cheddar – 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar (including less than 1 gram of added sugar), and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Burger King Fiery Nuggets

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After multiple tries, Burger King is once again throwing its paper crown into the spicy nugget ring. Will it finally strike while the iron is hot, or will it flame out again?

Spicy chicken is nothing new for BK, but I feel it has always lagged behind the other behemoths in that category. Its spicy nuggets came and went with zero fanfare, the sandwiches never made much noise, and while I like hot Chicken Fries just fine, BK definitely has some catching up to do.

Those countless feeble attempts are actually what intrigued me about BK’s new Fiery Nuggets. I just assumed they were a re-branding of the previous spicy nugget, but they turned out to be much more. The innovators of the chicken fry have created something familiar but new here – chunks of chicken that exist between a standard nugget and a boneless buffalo wing.

“MEHHHH, boneless wings ARE just saucy nuggets.” – You. That’s you, right now.

You’re partially right when it comes to Fiery Nuggets, but I still think these are unique.

They may look like a redder version of BK’s traditional chicken nuggets, but they’re coated with “an irresistible spicy glaze” that contains cayenne pepper, bird’s eye chili pepper, and black pepper. Those flavors combine to give these a mildly sweet and spicy flavor unlike anything on the menu.

The nuggets are somehow both dry and super greasy. The coating isn’t quite a dusting, but also not quite a sauce. They feel a little slimy but still hold a slight crispiness. I don’t know how they landed in the middle of everything here, but they did.

The flavor is all over the place, but it’s… excellent? I’m still not sure what’s going on. The sweet into heat reminded me of teriyaki on some bites, but honey BBQ on others. It almost tasted like a Lay’s Flamin’ Hot BBQ. They ride the line between spicy, sweet, and salty really well. That grease though…

They’re so greasy! It’s definitely to their detriment. The bag was dripping. I devoured the eight nuggets and didn’t feel great about it. That being said, they went down pretty easy in the heat department. I saw some rumblings that this might be the hottest chicken in fast food, but I think I had spicier chicken at Wendy’s and Chick-fil-A during recent visits.

Your mileage may vary on BK nuggets. I like ’em, but I can see how someone might say they taste like an old yoga mat. I think Fiery Nuggets are a hit despite the sickening amount of grease. If they had the dry, crispier structure of McNuggets, I might’ve flirted with a perfect score.

I don’t know if I can say they’re better than the old reliable Wendy’s spicy nuggets just yet, but I have them above Spicy Chicken McNuggets.

I like to think BK dropped these in honor of the Heat-Nuggets NBA Finals, but the truth is they put them out for me. These are for me and people like me, and I appreciate it. Try ’em. They’re only three bucks.

Long live The King.

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 8 pieces
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 530 calories, 39 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 1220 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 19 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Smoky Ghost Pepper Puffs

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I’ve never been much of one for eating something hot just for the sake of saying I did it. I don’t need a Guatemalan Insanity Pepper to make me feel macho. But I like spicy things. I usually get my Thai food “Thai hot.” I over-wasabi when I eat sushi. A little burn – when correctly applied – makes me feel alive.

While I’ve never had an ACTUAL ghost pepper, the flavor seems to have popped up everywhere over the past year plus. Burger King did an orange-bunned ghost pepper Whopper last October. Arby’s had the Diablo Dare last year, too. And within the past few months, Wendy’s has gotten in on the act with a ghost pepper sandwich and fries.

I’ve had none of these. It’s not because I’m not interested, don’t get me wrong. It’s more like if I’m not eating fast food to review for this site, I’m usually only interested in getting something tried and true. Something I know I’ll enjoy. Like everything else, fast food has gotten too expensive; my metabolism ain’t what it used to be.

The nice thing about the new Flamin’ Hot Smoky Ghost Pepper Cheetos Puffs, however, is that it’s pretty low risk — even if they’re terrible, I’m only out a single Abe Lincoln. And I don’t mind tossing a bag of chips.

(Okay, that’s a lie. I’ll hang on to it for years, slowly nibbling away and also offering them up to unsuspecting guests with a friendly, “Hey, you like to consume food. Would you like a handful of these? How about the whole bag?” Eventually, they’ll grow stale and inedible, at which point I will still have a few pieces at a time for the next three months before I finally pull the trigger on a full expulsion.)

From an appearance standpoint, you know exactly what you’re getting into with these. In addition to being shaped like peppers, they are an aggressively violent shade of red. A slight smoky vinegar aroma wafts up when you open the bag. That artificial smoke flavor is prevalent in the first second of the bite – I was surprised by that and appreciated the layered flavoring – and then the heat immediately sets your tongue on fire. There was no “slow build” here, just immediate and unapologetic mouth-arson.

If you don’t like hot, well… come on. Did you really think you might enjoy these? If you’re someone who doesn’t like chili unless it makes you weep and you end each night with half a pack of Tums, you may be unimpressed. These didn’t make me cry. They were tolerable, but even still, the hottest Cheeto (or chip or cracker) I’ve ever eaten.

Additionally, I enjoyed the fact that these weren’t just novelty-hot. There were nuanced layers of flavor and an appreciable complexity you don’t find in many other “hot” snacks. But still, a little goes a long way, so let’s not be surprised if this bag sees the next presidential election. As long as the other people in my house keep remembering to close the bag up tight, anyway.

Purchased Price: $4.30
Size: 7 oz bag
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (28 grams) 160 calories, 12 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 140 milligrams of sodium, 14 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

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