Chicken vienna sausage, made by armour, NASTY. Generic pink flavor, plastic-like texture. Really horrid.
Regular vienna sausage, also made by armour, much better - very much like armour's brand but there seems to be a slightly different seasoning blend.
15 February 2011
12 February 2011
Whippers
Orange cream - Tastes just like a melted creamsicle (only thinner.) Little bit of an artificial sweetener aftertaste, but not too bad. Pretty much a win.
Blueberry Acai - Another good flavor, heavy on the blueberry, mercifully light on the acai, which just tastes like ass. Fairly smooth, not really my favorite but not bad.
Strawberries and Cream - Awesome - smells and tastes exactly like strawberry PEZ, which made Lynnafred fall in love with it. Best sweetening blend of the three, also - has the least aftertaste of any of them.
drinkwhippers on facebook and twitter
www.drinkwhippers.com
supposedly can buy them at thirstmonger.com
Blueberry Acai - Another good flavor, heavy on the blueberry, mercifully light on the acai, which just tastes like ass. Fairly smooth, not really my favorite but not bad.
Strawberries and Cream - Awesome - smells and tastes exactly like strawberry PEZ, which made Lynnafred fall in love with it. Best sweetening blend of the three, also - has the least aftertaste of any of them.
drinkwhippers on facebook and twitter
www.drinkwhippers.com
supposedly can buy them at thirstmonger.com
09 December 2010
Rylee's Chips
Spicy Dill Pickle - sounds disgusting, but actually pretty good. Dill, vinegar, a touch of garlic...and a spicy heat that isn't noticable at first but creeps up and builds as you enjoy more chips. Surprised at how much i liked these.
07 December 2010
Taco Bell Sauces
Mild - Rich chile flavor, like chili powder. A touch of heat, but not much. I like the flavor, though.
Hot - Actually, I can't tell this one apart from Mild. There's no difference in the overall taste, and the heat increase is insignificant.
Fire - Detectable heat (not painful or even uncomfortable) with little nubbins of onion and jalapeno in the sauce. I really like this sauce - wish TB would sell it in bottles.
Verde - Not very hot, green-tasting and vinegary with a sharp tomatillo flavor.
Fire Roasted - No heat at all, but an awesome sweet/smoky chile flavor that is just awesome. I mixed some with Fire sauce for a really excellent medium-heat sauce.
Hot - Actually, I can't tell this one apart from Mild. There's no difference in the overall taste, and the heat increase is insignificant.
Fire - Detectable heat (not painful or even uncomfortable) with little nubbins of onion and jalapeno in the sauce. I really like this sauce - wish TB would sell it in bottles.
Verde - Not very hot, green-tasting and vinegary with a sharp tomatillo flavor.
Fire Roasted - No heat at all, but an awesome sweet/smoky chile flavor that is just awesome. I mixed some with Fire sauce for a really excellent medium-heat sauce.
30 September 2010
Chicken Pot Pies
Banquet - 2 crust, small, as low as 50c on sale. Gravy is thin and very artificial-tasting. Meat is in uniform cubes and somewhat spongy (I suspect it's some sort of loaf or composite product.) tiny cuts of vegetables. Definitely more gravy than meat/veg. Veg: Carrot, potato, peas. Crust is thin but good, I usually like it but for some reason the microwave cooking sometimes leaves the bottom crust a little gooey in the center of the pie.
Marie Callenders 7 ounce - Same size as the Banquet, made by the same company (ConAgra). Hard to find this size in the grocery store, but available in multi-packs at Costco. Better gravy than Banquet, better quality meat & more of it, bigger vegetable cuts. Might be by the same company but they're using a different recipe. Microwave recommended, paper pie pan so no toaster oven.
Same kind of problem with the bottom crust; sometimes kind of skeevy.
Willow Tree - Top crust only, aluminum pan must be baked in an oven or a toaster oven. Huge chunks of white meat only, no veg, excellent homemade-tasting gravy. V. expensive. Locally made in Attleboro MA and distributed primarily in New England.
Valu-Time - Cheaper than Banquet, but otherwise comparible.
Boston Market - 16 oz pie, 2 crust. Lots of meat (white and dark) but also odd chunks of cartilage. Gravy tastes good. Good veg: carrot, corn, green bean. Crust is flaky and decent, even on the bottom. This should be a winner, but there is something about this pie that almost nauseates me. The gravy has a "slippery" mouthfeel, a vague and unpleasant gumminess that triggers my gag reflex. this may be unique to me; with the other positive aspects of the pie you might want to try one for yourself. Onions are slimy. Made in Canada, est 277
Stouffers - 16 oz, 2 crust. Lots of meat (all white) delicious, homemade-tasting gravy (with a pronounced onion taste.) Peas, carrot, potato, onion veg. Crust is awesome. A little salty. Totally, however, awesome. 1st place so far. Canada, est. 186
Bremer Select - 10 oz, sold in 4-packs at ALDI. All white meat, veg include potato & carrot. Very good gravy and lots of real white meat chicken; top and bottom crust, very good.
Bremer 7 oz - sold individually at ALDI, 55 cents, small cubes of dark meat only, sparse carrots and potatoes, dark and kind of artificial-tasting gravy. Top and bottom crust. Comparible to Banquet.
note from Steph re: Mrs. Budd's - This microwave pot pie is surprisingly and delightfully delicious. (twitter 10/6/10)
Swanson - 7 oz, 2 crust - Better crust than banquet, flaky, good flavor. Gravy is thin and dark, white meat chicken is obviously reconstructed chicken loaf, spongy, strange tasting. carrots. no taters, a few very strong-flavored peas. As good as banquet, no better.
Mrs. Budd's - 12 oz - fully baked white meat chicken pie 1, peas & carrots - delicious homestyle gravy, big pieces of carrots, huge chunks of real white meat chicken, awesome quality, excellent crust
Mrs. Budd's fully baked white meat chicken with brocc, carrots, pearl onions. - 12 oz - Big florets of broccoli, not over cooked, huge chunks of chicken, carrots. Didn't find any pearl onions at all in either of the pies we had. Still awesome, excellent gravy and crust, truly top notch. P-629
Bistro Cuisine - flaky puff pastry, really excellent, big chunks of real chicken, corn, peas, carrots delicious gravy but a bit thicker than I like. Another top-notch pie, also by Budd Foods. 10 or 12 oz I think.
Marie Callenders 7 ounce - Same size as the Banquet, made by the same company (ConAgra). Hard to find this size in the grocery store, but available in multi-packs at Costco. Better gravy than Banquet, better quality meat & more of it, bigger vegetable cuts. Might be by the same company but they're using a different recipe. Microwave recommended, paper pie pan so no toaster oven.
Same kind of problem with the bottom crust; sometimes kind of skeevy.
Willow Tree - Top crust only, aluminum pan must be baked in an oven or a toaster oven. Huge chunks of white meat only, no veg, excellent homemade-tasting gravy. V. expensive. Locally made in Attleboro MA and distributed primarily in New England.
Valu-Time - Cheaper than Banquet, but otherwise comparible.
Boston Market - 16 oz pie, 2 crust. Lots of meat (white and dark) but also odd chunks of cartilage. Gravy tastes good. Good veg: carrot, corn, green bean. Crust is flaky and decent, even on the bottom. This should be a winner, but there is something about this pie that almost nauseates me. The gravy has a "slippery" mouthfeel, a vague and unpleasant gumminess that triggers my gag reflex. this may be unique to me; with the other positive aspects of the pie you might want to try one for yourself. Onions are slimy. Made in Canada, est 277
Stouffers - 16 oz, 2 crust. Lots of meat (all white) delicious, homemade-tasting gravy (with a pronounced onion taste.) Peas, carrot, potato, onion veg. Crust is awesome. A little salty. Totally, however, awesome. 1st place so far. Canada, est. 186
Bremer Select - 10 oz, sold in 4-packs at ALDI. All white meat, veg include potato & carrot. Very good gravy and lots of real white meat chicken; top and bottom crust, very good.
Bremer 7 oz - sold individually at ALDI, 55 cents, small cubes of dark meat only, sparse carrots and potatoes, dark and kind of artificial-tasting gravy. Top and bottom crust. Comparible to Banquet.
note from Steph re: Mrs. Budd's - This microwave pot pie is surprisingly and delightfully delicious. (twitter 10/6/10)
Swanson - 7 oz, 2 crust - Better crust than banquet, flaky, good flavor. Gravy is thin and dark, white meat chicken is obviously reconstructed chicken loaf, spongy, strange tasting. carrots. no taters, a few very strong-flavored peas. As good as banquet, no better.
Mrs. Budd's - 12 oz - fully baked white meat chicken pie 1, peas & carrots - delicious homestyle gravy, big pieces of carrots, huge chunks of real white meat chicken, awesome quality, excellent crust
Mrs. Budd's fully baked white meat chicken with brocc, carrots, pearl onions. - 12 oz - Big florets of broccoli, not over cooked, huge chunks of chicken, carrots. Didn't find any pearl onions at all in either of the pies we had. Still awesome, excellent gravy and crust, truly top notch. P-629
Bistro Cuisine - flaky puff pastry, really excellent, big chunks of real chicken, corn, peas, carrots delicious gravy but a bit thicker than I like. Another top-notch pie, also by Budd Foods. 10 or 12 oz I think.
08 March 2010
lean cuisine chicken fetuccini alfredo
sauce has typical, processed-cheese-food-product flavor, but has a delightful and slightly unexpected black pepper burn in it, with noticable black pepper flakes and flavor. kind of grainy, and has an odd aftertaste, but not awful.
fairly standart pasta: not overcooked or chewy, but done just right.
chicken: better than healthy choice: These pieces of chicken are big chunks of whitemeat. no spongy pressed-together meats or oddly textured bubblemeat. Tender, flavorful, roasted chicken pieces. Awesome.
fairly standart pasta: not overcooked or chewy, but done just right.
chicken: better than healthy choice: These pieces of chicken are big chunks of whitemeat. no spongy pressed-together meats or oddly textured bubblemeat. Tender, flavorful, roasted chicken pieces. Awesome.
12 January 2010
Pot Pie Notes
Valu Time - Crust was very flaky and good, but kind of salty. Gravy decent. Not very much meat, lots of potatoes, bits of carrots (sort of underdone.) Bottom crust didn't cook evenly; needed more than the 4 minutes indicated on the package (closer to 6, and the bottom crust in the center was still gooey and had to be stirred into the gravy to keep it from being disgusting.) By Topco. 7 ounces. 50 cents on sale, 68 cents normally.