REVIEW: Lay’s Turn Up the Flavor Potato Chips

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Lay s Turn Up the Flavor Potato Chips

After the success of the

ARE Y’ALL READY TO TURN UP THE FLAVOR?!

I’ll take that tepid response as a “yes.”

Like snack preference, musical taste is subjective, but I’m gonna try to compare each new chip flavor to a song from the genre they’re inspired by.

Tonight’s opening act is Classic Beer Cheese.

I guess Lay’s took the classic “rock” inspiration literally by making these “hard as a rock” kettle chips.

The chips smell like cheese, but not much like beer. The initial taste is that of flat pilsner followed by a muted indiscriminate cheese taste. I was hoping for a sharp cheddar flavor, but it’s dulled down a bit by that faint hint of a beer you may have consumed ten minutes prior.

Lay s Turn Up the Flavor Classic Beer Cheese Potato Chips

As with every kettle chip I’ve ever had, they tasted kinda stale, and I wished these were just a regular chip, but I know people love this style. They’re fine but didn’t rock my socks off like I thought they would. I prefer Kettle Brand’s Cheddar Beer flavor, which are the only other beer cheese chips I’ve tasted.

Inspired by the classic rock genre, the beverage featured, and the lightning bolt in the name, I’ll compare these to a solid rock song I never need to hear again in my life – Have a Drink On Me by AC/DC.

Whatever, no one comes to see the opening act anyway.

Next up to the stage is, Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle Remix!

Here we have a Hip-Hop inspired continuation of Frito Lay’s brand-crossing Flamin’ Hot line, and they’re exactly as advertised.

Lay s Turn Up the Flavor Flamin Hot Dill Pickle Remix Potato Chips

The smell from the bag is amazing. There’s heat as well as that aroma of popping the lid off a pickle jar. The chips may be a mess, but they taste like pickles. Imagine dipping a pickle in hot sauce, and that’s essentially what you get. The heat is a nice complementary Hype Man for the pickle. I mean, these may have been slightly better without the Flamin’ Hot element, but that wouldn’t be very “hip-hop,” now would it?

I’ll compare these to a classic hip hop track that fires me up so much I can only listen in small doses – Ante Up by M.O.P.

And now ladies and gentlemen, give it up for your headliner, Electric Lime & Sea Salt!

So, upon opening this bag, there were some technical difficulties.

I was taken completely aback by the scent of expired cold cuts took me completely aback. It was confusing, to say the least. Most pop music stinks, so maybe I didn’t realize how literal they were with the inspired genre?

Lay s Turn Up the Flavor Electric Lime Sea Salt Potato Chips

Despite the smell, I trudged on, and I am glad I did. The initial smell cleared a bit and I was left with a nearly flawless potato chip. I like these better than any single “Do Us a Flavor” release.

There’s nothing crazy here, it’s just a wavy chip flavored with lime and sea salt, and it works so damn well. If you’ve ever had Tostito’s Hint of Lime (the best tortilla chip in the aisle, IMO), it’s that except it somehow works even better on a ridged potato chip.

I polished off the bag in two sittings.

I tried to think of a pop song I initially thought was a giant fart bomb but almost instantly changed my mind on. There’s only one fairly recent pop song I could recall that hit me, and it CAME IN LIKE A WRECKING BALL.

“Did he just hype Miley Cyrus while basically calling AC/DC average earlier?”

He did. Wrecking Ball is great. You like it, and you know it. You’ll like these chips too, even if they’re a guilty pleasure.

I wouldn’t be upsetting if any of these become mainstays, but Lime & Sea Salt is elite. Now that the former King of Pop is “canceled,” we should pass the name on to these chips.

Lay’s needs to expand on this new line. Gimmie a country-inspired flavor. Classical. Whatever you call that electro-techno music. Bring ’em on. Here’s hoping they turn up some more varieties. We need an encore.

Purchased Price: $2.50 each
Size: 7.5 oz. bags
Purchased at: Wegmans
Rating: 5 out of 10 Classic Beer Cheese)
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle Remix)
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Electric Lime & Sea Salt)
Nutrition Facts: (15 chips) Classic Beer Cheese – 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 grams of sodium, 165 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle Remix – 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 grams of sodium, 15 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Electric Lime & Sea Salt – 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 135 grams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starbucks Cloud Macchiato

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Starbucks Cloud Macchiatos

What are the Starbucks Cloud Macchiatos?

Starbucks’ new Cloud Macchiato is a new fancy take on an O.G., the macchiato, inspired by a classic Spanish summer drink (leche merengada or meringue milk). To achieve the frothy Instagram-worthy clouds, Starbucks’ R&D created a new “cloud powder” out of egg whites. In my mind, they just added egg whites to their existing cold foam offering, but maybe I’m oversimplifying it.

There are two new flavors: the Caramel Cloud (whipped cloud cold foam, vanilla syrup, espresso, caramel drizzle) and the Cinnamon Cloud (whipped cloud cold foam, cinnamon lemon syrup, espresso, caramel drizzle, a dusting of cinnamon). The latter seems to be more faithful to the Spanish’s meringue milk as it includes cinnamon and lemon.

Starbucks Cinnamon Cloud Macchiato Crosshatch

The crosshatching of the caramel drizzle on both is apparently a key Starbucks touch, but that’s not something I think of when thinking of when ordering caramel-topped drinks from here.

How are they?

They were way too easy to drink because I’m basically paying almost $5 for 1/2 cup of foam and an espresso shot, but I enjoyed it.

The Caramel Cloud had everything I enjoyed about the indulgent

In addition to being less sweet, the cloud foam added a luxe aspect to the drink like the cold brew whipped cream did for the Ultra. I liken it to eating a delicious, guilt-free lite whipped cream.

Starbucks Cinnamon Cloud Macchiato Clouds

Watch out for the cloud ‘stache though! Your first sip will be all foam, but the espresso catches up on the 2nd or 3rd sip depending on the size of your gulps. When the espresso broke through the clouds like a ray of sunshine, it packed a wallop because of the bold contrast to the fluffy light sweetness.

As for the Cinnamon Cloud, I didn’t pick up on any cinnamon or lemon at all. All I could discern was that it wasn’t as coffee-forward as the Caramel version. Maybe this one could’ve benefitted from an extra pump of syrup!

Is there anything else you need to know?

It’s available both iced and hot. The hot version comes in a plain, white cup like all the other hot drinks, which defeats the purpose of the frothy cloud concept. Why even introduce it in hot?

Starbucks Caramel Cloud Macchiato Glob of Caramel

Note that the iced version comes with the new straw-less lid, but I had to grab a straw anyway to get the globs of caramel at the bottom.

Conclusion:

All in all, it’s no surprise that it’s another winner from Starbucks! But these new drinks stand out because they’re not just another flavored syrup, but truly game-changing innovation in the coffee space. I’m already thinking about all the other flavored cloud possibilities with this new fluffy goodness!

Purchased Price: $4.45
Size: Tall (12 fl. oz.)
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Caramel)
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Cinnamon)
Nutrition Facts: (12 fl. oz.) Caramel – 210 calories, 6 grams of fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 28 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein. Cinnamon – 210 calories, 6 grams of fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 29 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Red Bull Pear Edition

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Red Bull Pear Edition

What is Red Bull Pear Edition?

A sugarfree Red Bull flavor that I wish wasn’t sugarless.

How is it?

It smells wonderful. It has a delicious, sweet pear scent that makes me imagine I’m in a giant pear hanging out with talking invertebrates. Oh, wait. My imagination is plagiarizing James and the Giant Peach.

But, before taking I sip, I know its flavor will not be taking my taste buds sledding down the side of a sweet pear. The letters in the blue stripe at the top of the can tell me what my expectations should be.

That enticing aroma doesn’t equate to a flavor that’s as delicious because it’s sugarfree. It uses our hyper-sweet friends, sucralose and Ace K, to bring its sugar level down to nil.

With that said, it has an excellent artificial pear flavor. Again, it’s not as pleasant as the way it smells, but for a sugarfree energy drink, it’s tasty and I’ve been enjoying it. The artificial sweeteners are noticeable, but they don’t seem to be as harsh as other energy drinks I’ve had.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Red Bull Pear Edition in a Fancy Glass

It has 114 milligrams of sweet, sweet caffeine per can. Its light green color makes me yearn for a melon-flavored Red Bull. Make that happen, Red Bull, even though I’m pretty sure no one there reads this site, so I’m just shouting into the wind.

With other sugarless energy drinks I’ve consumed to help keep this site running, once its no longer chilled, the artificial sweeteners are more noticeable and drinking them becomes somewhat of a drag. But, and this is going to sound weird to those who are familiar with what I described in the previous sentence, even at room temperature, this still tasted pleasant to me.

Conclusion:

If you don’t mind sugarfree energy drinks, Red Bull Pear Edition is worth trying because it has a nice flavor for a zero sugar beverage and a straight up pear-flavored energy drink seems to be a rare thing. So if you haven’t tried one, here’s your chance.

Purchased Price: $2.50
Size: 12 fl. oz.
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (12 fl. oz.) 15 calories, 0 grams of fat, 200 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, and less than 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Sonic Brunch Burger

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Sonic Brunch Burger

For quite a while now, one of my favorite burger toppings has been that of a fried egg, usually sunny-side up, always sitting on top of the sizzling meat and cool cheese, the sticky ovum running down your face and hands with every sensual bite. It’s usually worth the extra dollar charge to the bill.

It’s a singular treat of mostly gourmet burger spots. Almost none of the bigger fast food joints around town have even attempted an egg-drenched burger, except Jack in the Box. But now Sonic adds itself to this short list with its new Brunch Burger, available for a limited time only at $2.79 with a single-patty, which is more than enough.

Made with the usual Sonic burger platitudes including an undoubtedly 100-percent pure beef patty, crispy bacon strips, and a gooey layer of melted cheese, the Brunch Burger throws in a pillow-soft brioche bun and, for good measure, a fried-egg of sorts. They all come together in Sonic’s grand effort to serve the underserved between breakfast and lunch, even if people have securely had brunch for years.

Still, even though I went against dining protocol and had it for dinner, I’d have to say Sonic is mostly successful in creating a somewhat decent substitute for true brunch.

Sonic Brunch Burger Eggs

While the meat is juicy, bacon is salty, and cheese gunky — and yes, the brioche bun is a definite somewhat sweet improvement — the real tipping point here is the egg which, as you might have guessed, isn’t of the sunny-side-up variety but rather of the rubbery McMuffin sort. That means it’s a large pressed disc of what I believe to be an egg, professionally shaped and heartlessly cooked.

Sonic Brunch Burger in Half

A good-enough spanner in the usual burger works, the egg, when combined especially with the cheese and large slice of tomato adds a nice bit of tasty roughage to the meal, a heated-wet goodness that can’t be denied. The meat I can give or take, especially when Sonic’s mouth-puckering bacon overtakes it. Thankfully, this brioche bun does an excellent job of tying it all together with its dull sweetness and makes it work rather well.

Overall, it’s a good attempt at a classy fast food burger. Do I wish it was a proper sunny-side up egg? Sure, I bet we all would. But, whatever it is, it can’t be any worse than the new Cherry Limeade Mimosa, which is a disappointing blend of limeade and orange juice.

The Brunch Burger would be a decent treat on a Wednesday morning (or evening), but on a Sunday, just head down to your favorite uppity bistro for its omelet, grapes, and champagne-infused drink specials instead. Cómpralo ya!

Purchased Price: $2.79
Size: Single
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 510 calories, 33 grams of fat, 21 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 190 milligrams of cholesterol, 1100 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 29 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Red Bull Peach Edition

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Red Bull Peach Edition

What is Red Bull Peach Edition?

A new flavor of Red Bull that seems to be on shelves earlier than it should be since peaches and nectarines are considered summer fruits and its press release came out in February.

How is it?

It tastes as if Red Bull was able to pick at the peak of their ripeness the freshest Trolli or Haribo peach gummies it could find. Seriously, the flavor and smell of this cloudy white beverage are extremely similar to those fruit-flavored gummies, which I love. So I heart the taste of Red Bull Peach Edition as its 114 milligrams of caffeine makes my heart beat faster.

Red Bull Peach Edition 2

Oh, about its color, it’s surprising it wasn’t a shade of yellow-orange like the flesh of the fruits. Although, I know both can also have white innards. But I feel as if when most people think of peaches and nectarines, they think of the orange ones, like the color of the text on the can. I have no idea why Red Bull went with cloudy white, but I want to assume that it represents the color of peach fuzz.

Is there anything else you need to know?

I had to look up the differences between peaches and nectarines because I wasn’t in the Future Farmers of America in high school and I never thought during moments of boredom to Google it. Here’s what I gathered via a few webpages that were not Wikipedia:

  • Peaches have fuzz, while nectarines don’t.
  • Nectarines are firmer and smaller.
  • Peaches come from a can, they were put there by a man in a factory downtown. If I had my little way, I’d eat peaches every day, sun-soakin’ bulges in the shade.

Conclusion:

Red Bull Peach Edition is a nice addition to the lineup. I’m not sure if it’s a limited edition flavor or permanent. But if you love peach gummies, you’ll enjoy it.

Purchased Price: $2.50
Size: 12 fl. oz.
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (12 fl. oz.) 160 calories, 0 grams of fat, 125 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 38 grams of sugar, and less than 1 gram of protein.

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