The Original Flavor

Every good product eventually reaches a point of such success that its makers are faced with the question: Do we create additional versions of the product or do we continue with our current offering alone. Like a sequel to a movie, adding additional variations rarely improves upon the original. As a result, it's usually the original flavor that's the best. ... but that doesn't seem to be enough to prevent companies from continuing to try to improve on perfection.

At a recent trip to the supermarket, I found two such examples:

Oreos
While the 'Double Stuf' comes pretty close to being as good as the original, Nabisco seems to have taken things to a whole new level with this wide assortment of products. (I know there are lots of folks who prefer Double Stuf, but I still favor the original.)

Oreos are a classic which are hard to improve upon. I've tried a number of these product variations and none comes close to the original snack.




Cheez-Its
Like the Oreo, the original Cheez-Its approximate perfection. Cheez-Its and a can of Coke is one of my favorite ways to binge.

While, in theory, there are lots of great options in terms of cheeses to use, the original cheese flavor seems to work the best. The White Cheddar tastes pretty good, but is far too messy. And the new Pepper Jack has a nice aftertaste -- but not a great during-taste.

Additionally, along with different flavors, the Sunshine Company added variety by creating different sizes of the product. The Big Cheez-It is like the original Cheez-It, only bigger. While, in theory, this should result in an even better experience, more often than not, a larger version results in poor eating ergonomics or a disruption in the delicate balance of flavors in the product.

So remember, aside from Cool Ranch Doritos and maybe Hint of Lime Tostitos, it's always best to go with the original flavor.

Finally a way to eat Hot Dogs and Spaghetti simultaneously cont'd

Multi-lingual pudding

It's not often that a product design makes me smile, even one as simple as this. I'm not sure if it's the happy spoon, but the one-two punch is the spoon PLUS all the language options on how to spell pudding. Now, the questions is, what languages are they?

Finally a way to eat Hot Dogs and Spaghetti simultaneously

Being a fan of strange, alien looking things and also food, this link courtesy of boingboing is complete heaven to me.

I can't wait to get home and make this. : )

Milk and Cream! How Supreme!

How many times have you ordered coffee or tea in a restaurant, and one of you wants milk and the other wants cream? Usually, they come back to the table once or twice with either 2 pitchers or 1 pitcher of milk and a bowl of plastic creamer shots.

Major props to the Park West Diner out in Wayne, NJ. My friend Gary and I ordered hot tea and - without asking - the lady brought one small saucer with a Milk vessel surrounded by little Creamers. Just like a NJ diner to do it right - eliminated a conversation and one trip to the table. Go Jersey!

Girl Scout Cookies Eating Tip #1 - Thin Mints and Milk

This was an ancient history trick I learned from my pal John Haley, and for a Fun Food Fight foodie it's awesome. You take your newly acquired box of Thin Mints and some milk. You need a glass that is more shallow - wide enough for you to get a cookie and some of your finger into it.

Bite a tiny bit off at the twelve o'clock and six o'clock positions (top and bottom) as seen here on the right. Lower the cookie so that the bottom of the cookie is in the milk, and the top of the cookie is up. Lean in and suck the milk THROUGH the thin mint cookie, like you're syphoning a gas tank. Once the milk has passed all the way through for one or two rounds, pull the cookie out of the milk and eat it.

The chocolate cookie casing holds the milk and cookie in without breaking apart or getting wet chunks in your milk (like oreos). It brings the taste of a Thin Mint cookie to a great height... the minty chocolate infused with cool creamy milk is extremely delightful and carries this decadent weight of goodness to it like an $8 restaurant dessert. I highly encourage you to try this. If anyone has comments to this, or other tips and tricks for snacking on your favorite girl scout cookies (in small amounts or eating them by the row) please tell us!

Shout out to some Brilliantly Foul Creations

Thanks to the here and now world of facebook and some twisted friends, I came across this website called ThisIsWhyYoureFat.com. Here is a photo of Sandwich Cake which consists of a layer of deviled ham, chicken salad and olive-nut spread between a whole loaf white bread surrounded by four packages of strawberry cream cheese. This is one of the prettier concoctions, there are several that will make you gag and others that are seemingly do-able (especially for someone like me who likes any strange things fried).

The one posting I like the best was a deep fried cupcake, mmmm. Browse and add your own heinous combos if you have them to the site. Bon Apetit!