Flash in the Pan

A bottle of New Amsterdam gin arrived from the company's PR firm for testing, claiming that it had "a taste so smooth you can drink it straight." So I tried it that way ... and have to agree. This gin is perhaps the most gentle on the palate of any that I've tried. The taste is not so explosively floral as Bombay Sapphire, but it's agreeable and balanced and would lend itself well to mixed drinks. It's certainly proven its worth in gin and tonics, one of my occasional pleasures during the summer months. A fifth runs about $14, with various other sizes available, and although I would never recommend a beverage based on the bottle design — and consider the industry's stressing of container aesthetics to be bordering on silly — this one is attractive, if that matters to you.

Labels: alcohol, beverages, drinks, product, review

Honest Tea's PR firm sent on some samples of their two latest flavors - which, given my reaction to the Honest Kids Drinks, took either a thick skin or an observation that at least some companies don't read what I write. But, hey, anyone can have an off day, and I have liked the Honest Tea bottled drinks for years, so it seemed wroth the shot. Reactions here were mixed. My wife drank some and pronounced them "good." (That's not an easy judgment to get from her, either.) I tried them and, while finding them just a little bit astringent for my taste, I still thought they were good overall, and wouldn't shy from them if I couldn't get my hands on, say, a Peach Oo-la-long. The kids, however, had a far different reaction best summed up by what my teenage daughter said after bringing some to school and letter her peers try them: "Smells like gingerbread, tastes like yuck." So, give one a taste, but you might find that this is the definition of the great generational divide. By the way, the "energy" part doesn't mean that they're packed with sugar and caffeine; it refers to a carbon-neutral approach to manufacturing - a topic that, in itself, causes me to gnash my teeth, because it's trying to appeal to ecological concerns by saying, "We made sure that other people weren't contributing to global climate change." Ah, well.

Labels: drinks, opinion, product, review

My wife has gone on a tear about high fructose corn syrup because of some widely publicized health concerns. Companies treat corn syrup with enzymes to increase its sweetness, and import restrictions on sugar keep the price artificially high - supposedly twice that in the rest of the world - in this country, so many food manufacturers rely on HFCS to reduce their costs.

It's in wide use - a Tufts study in 2005 suggested that whereas bread was once the major source of calories in the diets of Americans, drinks sweetened with HFCS have now taken that position. For more personally empirical data, go to a grocery store and see how many products include HFCS: everything from sodas to snack chips. We've undertaken an interesting experiment of trying to eliminate HFCS as much as possible from our house. That still leaves anything at a restaurant that might fly under the radar, but I can say that even just within the house, making the switch is difficult. But any ingredient that has Archers Daniels Midland (ADM) spending heaven knows how much in lobbying fees to protect it can't be all good.

Labels: drinks, ingredients, processed foods, sugar

TeaSpot's Steepware cup is a nicely designed product, and if you have a taste for non-bagged tea, it's something you should consider. I tested the 8 ounce model ($15.95) in a flashy red. Without a handle, it looks like a perky oversized Japanese tea cup. But this ceramic vessel comes with an equally ceramic strainer insert and a top. Slide the strainer into the cup, drop in a teaspoon of loose tea, add the hot water, and put the top into place. A few minutes later, when the tea has brewed properly, you remove the lid, invert and set it onto a flat service, then pull out the insert and place it on the top. It looks good, works well, and is just plain smart. Personally, I prefer a handle (although warming - not burning - your hands on a day far crisper than should be allowed in spring is pleasant). There is a 16-ounce mug with handle ($20.95) if you prefer more volume and cooler way to hold it.

The company also sent a tin of Earl Grey - great balance, and I was surprised to see a thread or two of some blue bonotanical that I haven't seen before in this style looseleaf. Fragrant and very pleasant to sip, in case you need something with which to test your new cup.

Labels: drinks, product, review, tea

I saw mention of the newest V8 V-Fusion flavor: açaí. For those unfamiliar with the products, they are blends of fruit and vegetable juices, meant to get people to ingest more vegetables by disguising the taste with something sweet. When the bottle came in, my kids started eyeing it, as I guess they are already fans, so if your intent is to improve the nutrition of a younger crowd, you've got that base covered. But what isn't clear, to my non-nutritional mind, at least, is just how much more of a balanced diet you can drink yourself into.

I know the mantra is to eat X many servings of fruits and vegetables every day, but when I looked at the bottle's label, darned if I could find a massive influx of vitamins or minerals. So while the advice is out there, I can't figure out exactly what it is trying to accomplish in results.

However, if there is a benefit from drinking some portion of your fruits and vegetables, and the V-Fusion fits the bill, the açaí version had a quite pleasant taste, and the bottle was gone a lot faster than would have been the case with a bottle of regular V8. (Though I like that as well.)

Labels: drinks, opinion, product, review

Disappointing is the word that comes to mind as I write this review. I have greatly enjoyed Honest Tea bottled ice teas, so when I heard about Honest Kids fruit-based drinks that had only 40 calories and complete vitamin C requirements for a child, I looked forward to testing them on the family. In came the Goodness Grapeness, Berry Berry Good Lemonade, and Tropical Tango Punch flavors. In went the straws so we could try them. Down went our brows, as the products are anything but impressive. The ingredients are organic, and the first two are water and cane sugar. At 40 calories, you might think that the products had little sugar, and you'd be right. Unfortunately, they have even less fruit juice (10 percent, according to the package) and flavor brings up the rear after a long delay. These drinks taste watered. With a suggested price of between $3.99 and $5.99 for eight 6.75-ounce pouches, my suggestion would be to buy a bottle of good fruit juice and water it down yourself.

Labels: drinks, opinion, product, review

There's a lot about VeeV that would ordinarily make me wary, if it weren't for one massively redeeming factor. It's made of açaí berries, which various celebrities (and would-be celebrities trying to market themselves) describe as a "super food." Comments like that make me look for my culinary kryptonite, even if I can feel healthy while pickling my liver. Next, the company claims to be carbon neutral, which is a worthy goal, I reckon, but it bothers me when this all becomes marketing and you wonder how buying credits from someone else does any good when the same amount of carbon ends up generated. Third, they tout donating $1 per bottle to "green initiatives," which bugs me because if a company wants to donate money, great, but don't put it in the form of "You'd better buy if you want us to give," which is how such things hit me. And their PR people circulate a list of celebrities, some of whom I've never even heard of, that love love love VeeV. Frankly, I don't care who else likes it. Now for the redeeming factor: it's really good.

I didn't try any of the supplied drink recipes, because I think an ingredient must be able to stand on its own. And it did - neat, in a wine glass. The berry flavor has deep earthy depths, which they described it as "notes of chocolate," a description I didn't find completely accurate, but close enough, as I couldn't figure out how to describe it. It's an unusual taste, and a tad astringent on the finish, but quite pleasant. I can see how this would work in mixed drinks as well. It's certainly worth trying, even if you do run the risk of becoming an eco-centric celebrity follower.

Labels: drinks, opinion, product, review

When the small (under 9 ounce) slim cans of Fizz Ed came in for review from Apple & Eve, the whole family eyed them. These are mixes of fruit juices (as you might expect, heavy on the apple and grape, no matter what the name of the flavor) and soda water. Everyone here got a taste of several varieties and the unamimous conclusion was that they are a good sight better than most of their competitors. In fact, my wife said that she'd actually pay as much as $3 for a can of the blend with mango. My eyes bugged out as I reflexively grabbed for my wallet. You certainly could buy a bottle of exotic juice from R.W. Knudsen and mix in some seltzer, but this is pretty convenient, and the family masses have spoken. The products are supposed to start hitting supermarkets and other consumer outlets by January, so if you can't find it just yet, you soon should.

Labels: drinks, juice, opinion, review

I had an email from the PR people for Grey Poupon mustard. The company is pushing the use of their condiments in "festive cocktail recipes." OK, I could buy a bit of mustard in a bloody Mary, but mixed with cranberry juice, orange-flavored liqueur, and champagne? Or with champagne and carrot juice? What a perfectly bad thing to do to champagne. Sure, it would add spice, but really, the thought makes me search for an additional ingredient: antacids.

Labels: bad ideas, drinks