Ivins' Spiced Mini Cremes

Ivins' Spiced Mini Cremes are a hidden gem in the grocery aisle. That is, if you can find them. They are the love children of a ginger snap and an Oreo (or Hydrox, if you prefer). Their special spiced wafers bear a certain resemblance to ginger snaps, but transcend them in almost every way (darker, spicier, molassesier and, well, better). They come in a mouth-pleasing bite size, and the cookie is better than any other hard cookie on the market, be it chocolate, vanilla, or ginger flavored. The creme is more than passable, and I would choose Ivins' Spiced Mini Cremes over any package of Oreos or non-cream ginger snaps. They're just perfect. They're especially good with an iced coffee!

This is a classic example, however, of demand exceeding supply. The most frustrating aspect is the fact that they are so good yet,

1) They're not available year-round. Why are spice flavored products only available in autumn? Are you telling me that people wouldn't eat these at any time of the year? Oreos are enjoyed year-round, so why not these?
2) They're not available outside the Philadelphia area, apparently. I've read lengthy lamentations bemoaning the fact that they cannot be found in most areas of the US. Much like the beloved Tastykake, they seem to have a very loyal local following and could probably do alright branching out to a wider audience.
3) Even regionally, they're difficult to find. I was able to find this brand, which is the best of all the regional ginger snap producers, at only one store in the area (Acme). Acme, unfortunately, happens to be one of my least favorite stores to shop in. And, of course, Acme doesn't even keep them in the cookie aisle. My local store had a display that they kept moving all around the place so I had to go on a scavenger hunt every single time I looked for them. Sometimes, I was unsuccessful and couldn't find them. To make matters worse, the workers sometimes didn't even know where the display moved to! (Typical Acme..)
4) They don't have an acceptable website for consumers. I think that people would be more than willing to buy them directly from the company online, but that doesn't seem to be an option.

When I managed to find them at Acme, I paid $2.00 for a box. That's a great value for the best of the 'Spice and Molasses' cookie options, and these mini cremes are indeed even better than regular spice cookies. Still, I wish that Ivins' Spiced Mini Cremes were sold in more stores and for a longer period of time!

What I Should Have Bought: A couple more boxes to get me through the long, hard summer months.

From The Vaults: Figamajigs

[Note: I originally penned this review two years ago and never returned to post it. I have a few never published reviews that I'm going to post here before I start posting anything new. Clearing out the vaults, so to speak. Many of these older posts might have special 2010 notes at the end indicating any additional comments I would like to make on the product.]

I love figs and I love Raisinets, so how could this be bad?

After reading all about Figamajigs, I have been dreaming of finding them in a store. The reviews on candy websites have all been enthusiastic and exceedingly positive. When I finally discovered that Target sells them, I immediately went to get a package (or two). I found the individual-sized packets in the health and pharmacy area (near the energy bars), and I loaded down my basket with the little packets and hurried home to sample them.

The Figamajig is a bite-size capsule of real fig covered in a dark chocolate. The dark chocolate is similar to the waxy Raisinet chocolate in that it doesn't really melt in your mouth. The fig texture I know and love exists, but there really isn't a strong enough fig flavor.

After my high anticipation, I was a bit disappointed. At about $1.00 per serving, Raisinets are a better deal and are just as satisfying. Fig lovers like me would do better with a package of dried figs. At least you would be able to guarantee a fig flavor and texture as well as all of the health benefits.

What I Should Have Bought: One package of dried figs would have been tastier and would also have made more sense financially. I won't be purchasing Figamajigs again.

From The Vaults: Dannon Activia - Prune Flavor

[Note: I originally penned this review last year and never returned to this blog to post it. I have a few never published reviews that I'm going to post here today, and hopefully over the coming days, before I start posting anything new. Clearing out the vaults, so to speak. Many of these older posts might have special 2010 notes at the end indicating any additional comments I would like to make on the product.]

I've been on a yogurt kick recently. I've tried every multipack that begins with a 'yo,' as well as the always satisfying Breyer's and Yoplait single cups. But, when I read about the existence of prune flavored yogurt, I knew I needed to track it down.

I've always been saddened by prune's bad reputation. Prunes are rarely mentioned without a snicker or a knowing look. Sunsweet has tried to reinvent the prune's image many times, to the extent that it is often referred to as a 'dried plum' to distance itself from the stigma of its laxative reputation. Many seem to forget the rich, sweet flavor of the fruit and its moist and luxurious softness. To me, prunes have always been the candy of the fruit world. It's more satisfying and sweet than a similarly-sized piece of chocolate. I've loved everything about prunes since I was a child and have never been deterred by its reputation. Although, it is true: anyone with the slighted bit of digestive problems should be thrilled by the marriage of the Dannon Activia line with the utilitarian prune flavor.

And what a flavor! Dannon Activia Prune is unlike any yogurt I have ever had, and, after just one cup, I wondered why prune isn't used more prominently in the yogurt aisle (or any aisle, for that matter). The yogurt was thick and creamy with just the right amount of prune flavoring. It was a natural prune flavor; no cloying sweetness in this cup! The yogurt was also generously filled with tiny diced prunes which added a little more substance to the already thick texture. Overall, the yogurt was unusual and delicious. If prune were more widely available, it would easily replace lemon as my favorite yogurt flavor. I will definitely be buying Dannon Activia Prune again, and I highly recommend giving it a try!

What I Should Have Bought: Another 4 pack to go along with the first one!

(Originally written in 2009)

Update 2010: I still buy Dannon Activia Prune when I can find it. Dannon has expanded their Activia product line with the newer Fiber and Dessert varieties. All my local markets sell Activia, but only one sells prune. I often can't find it when I'm craving it, and I really thought that it had been discontinued. I managed to find it recently at Giant, and I bought several 4 packs to tide me over. I'm not interested in the other flavors or the newer varieties. I recently tried a blueberry flavor in the Activia Dessert line, but I didn't care for the flavor. It would be a shame if Dannon would discontinue the Activia Prune and keep these inferior flavors! Please don't stop making this, Dannon!!

What I Should Have Bought - Take 2

I began What I Should Have Bought last year as a log of some of the food items I had recently purchased. The overly pessimistic premise was that, new products would catch my eye, and I would purchase them, only to be ultimately disappointed. Then, I would suggest what I should have purchased instead. Frequently, that item would be either a pouch of dried figs or prunes, two of nature's best candies.

I didn't give this poor blog a fair shot before, but I'm hoping to resurrect it with a slightly different bent. While What I Should Have Bought 1.0 emphasized reviews of foodstuffs, WISHB 2.0 will include all sorts of items that I have purchased. Reviews will namely be for new and noteworthy products; items I have purchased that I really enjoyed; and/or items that, for whatever reason, I would like to criticize (whether because I didn't like the product itself or because of some specific aspect I want to discuss, e.g. packaging). It's very likely that I will even review certain extraordinary or extraordinarily awful restaurants, stores, and services: anything on which money is spent and people are dealt with. What I Should Have Bought: the answer will still probably be figs.

Hershey's Chocolate Marshmallow Kisses

Chocolate, why do you beckon me from the mocking aisle marked 'candy'? Why do your lowest-priced, inferior varieties tantalize me so? In my head, I think of how I would gladly pay a premium price for some quality chocolate, but in the end it's always the same. My latest trip to Acme lead me down the same dreaded aisle. Bags of two limited edition Hershey's kisses were reduced to a hard-to-beat $1.74, and I relented. My sugar-addled brain screamed, 'Should I buy two, three bags!?!?,' but luckily I settled for one.

Lucky indeed! I bought Hershey's limited edition Chocolate Marshmallow flavor. Since I didn't read the packaging closely, I assumed it was going to be a Hershey's kiss filled with sweet marshmallow creme. A s'more without the graham cracker, if you will.

Much to my horror, it was solid chocolate. Hershey's plain, waxy, artificial, doesn't-melt-in-your-mouth-right chocolate! But it does have a marshmallow flavoring added to the chocolate. Technically, the kiss tastes exactly as if it were a chocolate marshmallow concoction, but, since there's no visual evidence of chocolate, the entire confection comes off as exceedingly artificial. The added sweetness, and the marshmallow flavor itself, becomes cloying after just two kisses, and unfortunately, there are more than two in the bag. All in all, it's time for Hershey's to discontinue this limited edition.

What I Should Have Bought: Nothing! I should have just walked away!

An ode to buyer's remorse

You know how it goes. You're in the supermarket buying your toilet paper and other practical goods, and you happen to pass the candy aisle. Slowly you backtrack and think to yourself, 'I'll just see what they have available.' Soon you have a rogue candy bar or bag of sweets next to the bag of frozen peas. Or maybe your temptation isn't candy. Maybe it's ice cream, magazines, makeup, or dried fruit. Or any other sort of unnecessary product to which you feel drawn and is inevitably exchanged for your hard-earned money.

If you're like me, you're happy with your purchasing decision while you're still in the store, but by the time you get home and get around to opening the coveted item, buyer's remorse sets in. It takes a while for the full realization of the frivolity of some purchases to make an impact. Usually after you've searched fruitlessly in your wallet for a bit of change or gasped at a number on the scale. What's worse than buying something that is a waste of money and not good for you? Why, discovering that the product isn't what you were wishing for after all!

And that's What I Should Have Bought in a nutshell: a review blog for food (and other inessential wares) that are purchased in the rapture of consumerism. As I still struggle with not spending a few bucks here, a few there on these extraneous items, I figure I may as well get some value out of the experience by writing reviews of the many products that have fallen short of my expectations. Here's how this will work: I will review a food item, inevitably wishing that I hadn't spent the money on something I didn't enjoy, and then I will name something I wish I had spent the money on instead. I imagine my answer will usually be figs.