Beyond Meat Chicken-Free Strips, Lightly Seasoned

This was my first time trying a meat substitute. They seem to be all the rage these days as more and more of the popular looks to vegan options as more desirable. On first appearance it looks like chicken strips. There are even little "grill marks" to give it the appearance of chicken. I have tried cooking it two ways. I tried it both in the microwave and in a pan on the stove. They both yielded similar results however when cooked in the pan ensure that you use enough oil. I put a generous amount in the pan however it seemed to soak it up and some of the chicken stuck towards the end of cooking.

The key to this product is to eat it quickly. This is because if you let it cool down too much it become very very chewy. There is a decent chew to the "chicken" even when hot. Not rubbery but almost like tofu texture. The smell is not that appealing to be honest. It smells like dog food. It doesn't taste like dog food but the smell resembles the canned chicken dog food.


The product tastes like chicken. However, not like grilled chicken fresh off the barbecue. It tastes more like chicken bouillon cubes. Similar to the canned chicken noodle soup taste. So there is a reminder of chicken just not traditional chicken.


Overall I would rate this 2 out of 5.  This takes into account nutritional value which is the only positive of this product. It is not that good tasting. I would only consider

it if I needed to serve a vegetarian chicken something. It is expensive as it was $5.29 for a 9 oz bag.

Luisa's Fiesta Dip, Mild - A Five Layered Dip

I had the opportunity to try a new dip this weekend.  I picked this dip up from my local supermarket for $4.99. It usually retails between $4.99 - $5.99. A review of the dip is below.

The appearance of the dip is not that great. It is loose consistency so when you tilt the container a bit it slides. Secondly the cheese on the top is a dull yellow which is not appealing. It gives the appearance that it is overly process or has a long shelf life.

The dip is five layers, Cheddar Cheese, Sour Cream, Beans, Salsa, Guacamole. However the layers are not equally distributed. There was still not that much cheese on the top as you can see in the picture. It is only sprinkled over the sour cream. Secondly the sour cream layer is very thick, too thick. While I understand it is probably cheaper to add volume via sour cream it is too much and doesn't add enough to the overall dip to warrant it. The flavor once I got passed the sour cream was interesting in a good way good. The layers underneath had a unique taste that I couldn't pinpoint the source, the guac, salsa or beans.

The dip is too one texture however. All the layers are a similar creamy texture and makes it feel like  you are eating all the layers. The guacamole should be chunkier as should the salsa. This will definitely enhance the dip as the flavor is decent overall underneath the sour cream. I would actually recommend scooping off some of the sour cream layer as I did. It will test better and have more balance. There is a need to eat it with carrots and tortilla chips as I did. It will provide the crunch and texture that the dip lacks. Overall I would give it a 2.5 out of 5. This takes into account price, nutritional value and taste.

 

Enough Said

Heritage Hills Honey Bourbon Review

I picked up the Heritage Hills Bourbon for $12.99 at my local store. I figured it was worth trying given the fact that it was rated highly by the store and its workers. I have always been a bit cautious of buying flavored bourbons as they are usually targeted for bourbons drinker who don't like the taste of bourbon.

This product was unique. I must first say that I am neutral on this bourbon. It is sweet and the honey is prominent. On first smell, the smell the bee pollen its quite forward. I am not sure how I feel about this as it doesn't smell like bourbon. The honey doesn't taste artificial as many other flavored whiskeys. 

The drink is smooth. This can be attributed to the replacement of alcohol with honey, ie sugar. This is important because bourbon without flavor is usually around 80 proof or 40% ABV. This bourbon is 35% ABV. The 5% different can be attributed to the addition of honey ad displacement of alcohol. 

In conclusion I think that this would be best used as a mixer in ice tea or with lemonade. It you do not like bourbon as it may be too strong then give this a try as it may be easier on the palate. 

If anyone has had this bourbon before I would love to hear your comment and opinion. I would also love to get reviews on other bourbons that you enjoy.