Perrier Watermelon Sparkling Water: Sharp fizzy sparkling water with a concentrated fruit flavor that doesn’t taste artificial. Conveniently sized can that’s slightly smaller than a 12oz, which I typically find a bit large for accompanying a meal. A smart direction for Perrier given the success of La Croix (I find this drink better than most La Croix I’ve had.) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks perrier watermelon sparkling water 3.5
Tre Marie Ancora Una milk cream filled wafer: From Milan, these bite-sized square vanilla wafers are like Quadratini, only better, with a deliciously rich milk filling. Thin wafers are crispy yet substantial. A snack whose quality you can clearly taste. 3.5/5.0
recommended montereymarket italian sweets dessert tremarie ancora una milk cream filled wafer 3.5
Made in Nature Tart Cherry Fig Figgy Pops: I can’t tell if energy balls / chews are on the rise more generally or just commonly found in health-conscious Berkeley. But I have seen them creep up on more supermarket shelves over the past year and have given a few a try. This one by Made in Nature was purchased at Monterey Market in Berkeley and consists of 1" diameter balls densely packed with dried fruit (figs, cherries, dates) and cashews, all coated with coconut flakes. This antioxidant-rich snack is nourishing though not entirely... (read more) 3.5/5.0
organic montereymarket madeinnature tart cherry fig figgy pops 3.5 recommended
Mystic Muffin Banana Bread: Upon entering Mystic Muffin, I was greeted by the friendly owner Elias, who quickly handed me a warm loaf of banana bread. His salesmanship worked, and I ordered a slice which cost about $2 CAD. The banana bread is not a banana nut bread, with no trace of nuts as far as I could tell. It had chocolate chips mixed into the batter. The cake was extremely moist and delicious, and the banana chocolate mix was wholly satisfying without being heavy or overly sweet. You could eat it with anythi... (read more) 5.0/5.0
exceptional baked desserts mysticmuffin banana bread 5.0
Mystic Muffin Apple Cake: Declared as "world famous," with newspaper clippings to support this claim, Mystic Muffin's apple cake is texturally fantastic, with an ultra moist interior and hearty slices of tender baked apple throughout. It's all topped with a sweet spiced crumble, buttery and baked such that it adds just enough tooth. The sweetness of the crumble sets it a bit over the top, but as far as cakes go, this is definitely one of the best I've had. And at less than $3 USD a slice, it's a wonderful affordab... (read more) 4.0/5.0
exceptional desserts Toronto mysticmuffin apple cake 4.0
Perrier L’orange Sparkling Water: I generally prefer Perrier to San Pellegrino because it has a higher level of carbonation and less of a salty aftertaste. This orange-flavored version is refreshing and perfect as a mid-day palate cleanser. 3.5/5.0
recommended orange citrus sparkling water perrier l’orange 3.5 drinks