Berkeley Bowl Pumpkin Ice Cream: Actually from Loard's Ice Cream, a chain based in Oakland, the Berkeley Bowl Pumpkin Ice Cream is sherbert orange with specks of brown throughout. If you let it sit out at room temperature, it takes on a whipped consistency almost like whipped cream cheese (I prefer this to the otherwise firmer, more dense texture). Sweet but endearingly so, like a dessert made with far too much cream but with a lot of love. 3.5/5.0
recommended berkeleybowl pumpkin cream 3.5 icecream
Uji Mochi Ice Cream: Offering over 12 different mochi ice cream flavors, Uji in Berkeley is taking a unique spin on this classic Japanese dessert. They take it very seriously, serving their mochi with bamboo sticks that are meant to be used to prod the mochi, ensuring that it's soft enough to eat. After ten minutes of waiting, though, I got impatient and held the container in my hand to try to bring the mochi down in temperature quicker. I tried the Ginger Zing (a mild, rather than spicy, sweet ginger flavor)... (read more) 3.0/5.0
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Bouchon Bakery Pumpkin Macaron: On my recent visit to Las Vegas, there seem to be Bochon Bakeries at every corner of my hotel. As I previously enjoyed pistachio macarons at their NYC locations, I decided to try their seasonal pumpkin flavor. The autumnal macaron is about the size of my palm and has a vivid orange shell that easily breaks to reveal a chewy, dark brown interior. Texturally, this pastry was very good, but it was unfortunately overly sweet on the whole. 3.0/5.0
dessert pastry lasvegas sweets bouchonbakery pumpkin macaron 3.0
Way Better Snacks pumpkin cranberry tortilla chips: I found this out-of-season bag of chips heavily discounted at my local supermarket. The chips need...something. They are neither here nor there-not sweet enough or savory enough to be satisfying. I also find them very underseasoned, and I already prefer lightly seasoned food. Definitely begging to be eaten with some sort of dip, though what could complement this odd flavor combination is beyond me. The chips themselves have an unappetizing dark purple hue. Bottom line: Not a success. 1.5/5.0
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Straw Propeller Oh My Pumpkin Pie oatmeal: Not quite a snack, but I purchased this product from the Leanbox in lab to sustain myself for a few hours. Unfortunately, I misread the directions, thinking this was microwaveable after adding tap water. Instead, you are supposed to add boiling water. Nonetheless, I microwaved it for 2.5 minutes and mixed the combination of oats, raisins, pumpkin seeds, and sugary spice blend, including nutmeg and cinnamon. Overall, it was filling and not too sweet, until I realized all the sugar was at the ... (read more) 3.0/5.0
strawpropeller oatmeal pumpkin raisins breakfast oh my pie 3.0
Trader Joe's pumpkin seed brittle: I am not against pumpkin flavored things, as you may have guessed from my steady stream of pumpkin snack reviews from Trader Joe's. This week, I purchased seasonal brittle, dusted with sugar and pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom) and with whole pumpkin seeds throughout. Immediate out of the box, the permeating smell is butter. And since smell plays such a key role in taste, I can't help but feel like I'm eating a crunchy stick of butter. The scent even lingers on you... (read more) 2.5/5.0
traderjoes brittle pumpkin pumpkinpie spiced sweets 2.5 seed