Trader Joe's Candy Corn Popcorn: Even though I don't particularly like candy (you may notice I review very little of it here), I still like Halloween because it's the only time of the year I can have Butterfingers. And I actually do like candy corn in small quantities, even though it essentially tastes of pure sugar. I bought this Candy Corn Popcorn on an impulse buy at Trader Joe's in Brooklyn, where the lines snake very intentionally around the snack aisles. The snack tastes like caramel popcorn, except instead of just... (read more) 2.0/5.0
traderjoes candy corn popcorn 2.0
Sound Sparkling peach and ginger white tea: I bought this bottle of white tea from Perelandra Natural Food Center in Brooklyn. As a fan of both peach and ginger, as well as sparkling versions of normally-not-sparkling beverages, I was excited to try it. Unfortunately, the flavor is weak and diluted, and the carbonation doesn’t hold up for long after the bottle is opened (on the order of 5 minutes). Would not purchase again. 2.0/5.0
drinks tea sound sparkling peach ginger white 2.0 organic
Calpico White peach drink: As a kid, I used to drink Calpico when visiting family in Taiwan. A Japanese “soft drink,” Calpico has a milky-white color but is much thinner in consistency. I remember it being very sweet but probably haven’t had it in over a decade until I came across this white peach flavor. My memory ended up being pretty accurate, though, as the drink was far too sweet and tasted like liquid peach gummies. It’s hard to imagine a situation when it would be desirable to drink this. 2.0/5.0
drinks japanese calpico white peach drink 2.0
Almond Dream Pumpkin spice almond drink with cinnamon: Purchased from Whole Foods, I was hopeful about this seasonal pumpkin spice almond drink, but it became immediately obvious upon tasting that this is meant as a flavoring for coffee or other beverages, rather than something desirable to drink on its own. I tried adding it to chia seed pudding and even to oatmeal, but the flavoring just made me want to eat those things even less. Too sweet and artificial tasting. 2.0/5.0
drinks whole foods almondmilk pumpkin pumokinspice almonddream spice almond drink cinnamon 2.0
Trader Joe's Cheesy Trees Sharp Cheddar Cheese Crackers: I like some of Trader Joe's other cheese crackers, such as their Cheddar Rockets and their Gorgonzola crackers, so I decided to give these Cheesy Trees a try. They come in a smaller box and contain two individually wrapped trays of crackers stacked one of top of one another. The crackers have a crumbly texture and have this kind of greasy cheese taste to them, kind of like melted low-quality cheddar cheese you put in the microwave to eat over tortilla chips. I really don't like them becau... (read more) 2.0/5.0
avoid cheese traderjoes cheesy trees sharp cheddar crackers 2.0
Mah Ze Dahr Banana Bread: Mah Ze Dahr is a small bakery in Greenwich Village with pastries carefully organized on wooden boards and raised platters, somehow conveying both abundance (through its variety of baked goods) and scarcity (there are <10 of each). This banana bread was served in a sizable disc, like an enlarged, leveled-off muffin top, or an especially thick cookie. Unfortunately, while banana bread is one of my favorites, I found it to be a bit on the dry side, and the sugar coating on top made it far too... (read more) 2.0/5.0
desserts bakery nyc mahzedahrbakery banana bread 2.0