REVIEW: Papa Johns Crispy Cuppy’ Roni Papadia

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Doesn’t it seem like all the pizza chains have been releasing products with crispy cupped pepperoni? As someone who follows this stuff more than any normal person should, it’s hard to ignore it. Little Caesars, Pizza Hut, Domino’s. Oh wait, Domino’s doesn’t have cupped pepperoni…yet. But beating Domino’s to the punch is Papa Johns with its Crispy Cuppy’ Roni line of products: XL New York Pizza, Papadia, and Papa Bites.

Because it’s been windy here, and I didn’t want an extra large pizza box to become a sail in that wind, but I wanted to feel like I ate a pizza, I ended up getting the Papadia version that features crispy, cuppy pepperoni, creamy tomato sauce, and a three cheese blend folded in the chain’s fresh, never frozen original dough to create a handheld flatbread-style sandwich. Mine also came with a side of pizza sauce for plunging, but you can get it with any sauce Papa offers.

Having cupped pepperoni from other chains, I knew what to expect with these curled slices of meat, crispy edges, and a slightly different taste than the regular pepperoni. And that’s what I got here. Well, at least with the ones peeking out from the edges of the crust. Those that were compressed between cheese and dough weren’t as crispy, and I wish I had taken the chance of being blown away by gusts of wind and got the pizza instead. But I did get some crispiness back with the edges of the dough. Also, the promotional photos appear to have a plentiful amount of pepperoni, but my Papadia was poorly packed with meat. Perhaps four or five per half.

I’ve read that the creamy tomato sauce is a new addition to this Papadia, but Papa’s usual pizza sauce is still available. The only taste difference I noticed is that the new sauce is not as sweet as Papa’s regular pizza sauce, making it not too prominent among the cheese, meat, and bread. But if you want to wash over your taste buds with that sweet, red sauce, you can always get it in a dipping cup.

Papa Johns Crispy Cuppy’ Roni Papadia is pleasant, and I’d order it again. But if you want a better experience with the new cupped pepperoni, getting the XL New York Pizza might be the way to go.

Purchased Price: $9.99
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 870 calories, 42 grams of fat, 21 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 105 milligrams of cholesterol, 2120 milligrams of sodium, 81 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 39 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Ultimate Cookie Blizzard

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I am by no means an expert on calendars. Yes, I can name the 12 months in order and even know which ones have 30 or 31 days. OK, I mostly know. August always gets me. I also know that early April is what people like to refer to as spring, and summer doesn’t come around until sometime in June. The fine folks at Dairy Queen apparently know even less than I do about how a calendar works, as they have just released their Summer Blizzard Menu, which includes three new concoctions and three returning flavors. After trying the new Ultimate Cookie Blizzard, I am quite happy about DQ’s complete disregard for chronology.

As you might have guessed, the Ultimate Cookie is loaded with cookies, and I mean loaded. It includes Oreo, Chips Ahoy, and Nutter Butter cookies, and the ultimate moniker of this version is spot-on. This might be the crunchiest Blizzard I’ve ever had, and that made it delightful. Every bite had the satisfying texture of the soft serve offset by a constant cookie crunch.

As for the taste, that also landed in the ultimate range. The Oreo cookies bring that famous chocolate flavor that is a part of so many Blizzard combinations, and the Nutter Butter cookies contribute a strong peanut butter taste but in a different way compared to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I love having PB cups in a Blizzard, but Nutter Butter might be even better. They seem to provide a more robust peanut butter flavor that can stand up to the chocolate without being secondary, as PB cups can sometimes be because they also contain chocolate. This Blizzard gave me more of a chocolate and peanut butter vibe than an Oreo and PB cup version.

And I didn’t forget about the Chips Ahoy. Actually, I kind of did. I saw evidence of their inclusion in the blend, but other than bringing some added crunch, it was hard to pick out the Chips Ahoy flavor compared to the Oreo and Nutter Butter.

Most fast food creations with ultimate or supreme in the name fail to deliver as promised, but this one does. If the words chocolate, peanut butter, and crunchy make you hungry, then you won’t want to miss this Blizzard. And thanks to DQ stretching the meaning of the word summer, you’ll have plenty of time to pick one up.

Purchased Price: $4.49
Size: Mini
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 480 calories, 20 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 67 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 49 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Popeyes Honey Lemon Pepper Wings

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Popeyes has a new sauce to toss its wings in: Honey Lemon Pepper. It follows the Honey BBQ, Roasted Garlic Parmesan, and Signature Hot flavors released late last year. The chicken chain says the wings have “a sweet and tangy punch with zesty lemon and a bit of peppery heat from black pepper, giving you all the flavors you love about lemon pepper wings with an extra hint of honey sweetness.”

Wafting from the black container these came in was a strong lemon scent that I thought smelled a little odd with the Popeyes spices. Thankfully, the thoughts of lemon-scented cleanliness didn’t come to mind. After tasting the sweet, tangy, and peppery chicken, what popped into my head was the goopy lemon sauce I’ve had on chicken from various Chinese takeout places, but with a bit of heat. It’s a strong and natural lemon flavor with an equally intense sweetness that I imagine helps prevent the chicken from getting too spicy.

Popeyes’ website says it’s two on its heat scale of five, and I agree. There’s a kick, but I’m not reaching for a tall glass of lemonade or squirting honey into my mouth from a bear-shaped bottle to soothe any burning. It’s a great tasting sauce, but…

Having 3,609 milligrams of sodium for six pieces is a bit much. In fact, that’s 749 milligrams more than the next highest amount from the Roasted Garlic Parmesan Wings. While I can understand the higher sodium content in chicken with a roasted garlic parmesan sauce, I’m puzzled by how a sauce made from lemons, honey, and pepper could contribute to such a high number. I know it’s fast food, and I know it’s Popeyes, but, geez, that’s a crazy number that doesn’t make sense to me, and I hope it’s a typo.

Popeyes Honey Lemon Pepper Wings are undeniably delicious. While they may not dethrone the Honey BBQ as my favorite, they certainly hold their own. Despite the alarming sodium content, which I hope is a mistake, I believe they’re worth a try.

Purchased Price: $7.49*
Size: 6-piece order
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 1,304 calories, 58 grams of fat, 25 grams of saturated fat, 2 grams of trans fat, 202 milligrams of cholesterol, 3,609 milligrams of sodium, 134 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 53 grams of sugar, and 60 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

REVIEW: Nestle Coffee mate Coconut Lime Dirty Soda Creamer

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Dr Pepper is a perfect blend of 23 flavors. So why would we want to muddy those with another two by pouring some of the new Nestle Coffee mate Coconut Lime Dirty Soda Creamer into it? Unless two of those 23 are coconut and lime, and the additive just enhances the two already existing flavors. And maybe if this sells well, then there will be another Dirty Soda variety that could be two more Dr Pepper flavors, and before you know it, we’ll have Dr Pepper’s secret recipe, and we can all make our own Dr (Insert Your Name Here).

I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to combine regular refrigerated coffee creamers with soda, but if you haven’t, it can get very science fair volcano-y once the creamer comes into contact with the soda. Fortunately, messy eruptions didn’t happen with this. The Dirty Soda liquid just mixed itself with the soda without stirring up the carbonation. I understand why it’s called Dirty Soda, but if you think about it, the enhancer kind of “cleans” the soda, turning the dark Dr Pepper into something lighter. Maybe I feel this way because I’ve watched too many OxiClean infomercials.

The bottle suggests adding a tablespoon to get the perfect pop, but a tablespoon to what? There’s an image of a can on the bottle, but is that the 7.5 or 12 fl oz? I ended up combining a tablespoon with eight ounces of Dr Pepper, and it tasted very coconutty, a smidge limey, and not very Dr Peppery. It was also that way when I added a tablespoon to the 12 ounces left in the 20-ounce bottle I purchased. It’s enjoyable, but all it does is make the Dr Pepper taste like 20 of the 23 flavors in the recipe were muted. So, I wouldn’t say it tastes better or as good as the original. However, it’s a product that makes me want to buy more soda varieties to find out how they taste with it. Good job, Nestle Coffee mate, for encouraging me to buy more soda! I hope you get royalties or something.

While it doesn’t need to be refrigerated when unopened, it does after you open it. Also, like regular coffee creamers, it’s best to use it all within 14 days for optimal flavor.

If the Nestle Coffee mate Coconut Lime Dirty Soda Creamer interests you, you will not find it with all the refrigerated coffee creamers. You may find it with the dry and individual liquid Nestle Coffee mate products in the coffee and tea aisle. Or, you may find it at a random aisle end cap. Or, you may have to summon the courage to ask a store employee where in the haystack of this store is that needle known as the Nestle Coffee mate Coconut Lime Dirty Soda Creamer. That’s what I had to do at Target because it turns out that, while it says it’s “In Stock” on the app, there were none on the shelves. All of them were “in the back.” Oh, Target, you’re doing me dirty.

Purchased Price: $3.29
Size: 16 fl oz
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 tbsp) 35 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 5 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar (including 5 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Noosa Delights Yoghurt

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Noosa Delights is a line of sweet treats in the yogurt, I mean, yoghurt aisle. They feature a creamy yoghurt layer on top of a creamy flavor layer. Four flavors are available: Key Lime Pie, Strawberry Cheesecake, Coconut Cream Pie, and Brownie Batter.

Noosa Delights Key Lime Pie

I know it says on the container, “creamy graham-style bottom layer,” but with every spoonful, I wished that layer had some graham cracker crumbles. It’s like my mouth was expecting it when the slightly tart lime top layer hit my tongue. But it ended up disappointed when there were no gritty graham crumbles. The graham flavor in the goopy bottom layer was there if eaten separately but gets lost when eaten with the thicker top layer. Maybe actual graham pieces might’ve helped? Wink.

This was a tasty, sweet, but not overly tart treat. But if you’re hoping for a noticeable ghraham flavor, the brown bottom goop might disappoint.

Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 190 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 21 grams of sugar (including 14 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein .

Noosa Delights Strawberry Cheesecake

Another flavor that I really wish had some graham cracker crumbles in it. Instead, it has the same brown bottom layer as the Key Lime Pie one. And that graham flavor also gets lost when scooped up with the much better tasting strawberry cheesecake yoghurt layer. At least small strawberry chunks were floating in the main layer to give an added berry oomph. The yoghurt’s tang does well to emulate the tang from cheesecake. I enjoyed this one as much as the Key Lime Pie one.

However… I’ll save that for the end.

Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 160 calories, 6 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 20 grams of sugar (including 13 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein.

Noosa Delights Coconut Cream Pie

I wondered if this Noosa Delights flavor had coconut pieces in it. I enjoy the taste of coconut but hate actual coconut pieces. Something about the texture is a turnoff. I could’ve looked at the ingredients list to find out if there were coconut bits, but I decided to surprise my mouth.

There were coconut bits, but they were tiny enough that my mouth didn’t mind them too much. The coconut flavor is spot-on and pleasant. However, the creamy custard bottom layer is there and is custard-colored, but it doesn’t have much flavor, making this a coconut-dominant affair.

Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 180 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 20 grams of sugar (including 14 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein.

Noosa Delights Brownie Batter

This was perfectly fine, but I wouldn’t say its flavor was too memorable. A week from now, I’ll probably forget what it tastes like. So, I guess it’s good that I’m typing my thoughts here. There wasn’t a strong brownie flavor in the bottom layer, which is a theme going on with these Noosa Delights (see previous reviews). The first two spoonfuls I dug out didn’t even have any of the dark chocolate batter bottom layer. After some inspecting, it seemed to have slid to one side of the container.

Also, the tang from the yoghurt kind of threw off the flavor a bit. Semisweet chocolate bits were floating in the mix to add tiny cocoa punches, which was nice. It’s an okay flavor, but I wish it had a bit more decadence, like actual brownie batter.

Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 190 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 130 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 24 grams of sugar (including 18 grams of added sugar), and 6 grams of protein.

Overall, while tasting fine, I’m disappointed with Noosa Delights. Some better texture contrast and stronger flavors would’ve been nice, and it’s weird how small the containers are when the standard Noosa yoghurt containers look huge on the shelf next to the other yogurt brands.

I guess I just don’t find these delightful.

Purchased Price: $2.99 each
Size: 4.5 oz containers
Purchased at: Safeway

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