The Mike & Ike Split

Mike wuz here '12
(Thanks to Melissa for the pic!)

 I was actually informed by a friend over a month ago about this split, when she casually said, "did you hear Mike & Ike broke up?" Soon after I began seeing the scribbled out names on candy boxes and then billboards that looked as if a graffiti artist demonstrated a dislike for one or the other member of the candy duo. More people started telling me about it and finally, my sister found out. She's the last to hear about anything. I did not want to address this feud, or split, because I wanted to focus on the candy: Mike & Ikes. They're delicious. They're top ten. And I can suggest 3 other ways off the top of my head I believe would or could generate more revenue than a split slash publicity stunt of classic monikers in the candy game.

1. Bring back Cherry & Bub. Cherry Mike & Ikes are one of the best fruit candies known to man. The pairing of cherry and a bubble gum flavors was incredible. It was genius and Cherry & Bub would be a smash if they came back.
2. Watermelon. It is the pinnacle of taste in the highly delicious Red Rageous Mike & Ike flavor. Use it. Bring it to other areas. Make a mix that focuses on watermelon and is complimented by the other flavors. The Red Rageous are possibly the best thing going for Mike & Ike right now; you can devour them by the handful and each flavor stands on its own. A big reason for this is the cherry but the watermelon, I mean, WOW.
3. A vanilla flavor. Pair it with almost anything else and it is BOMB! Make cream flavors...didn't Mike & Ike have lemonade flavors? Orange cream, strawberry cream, vanilla cream...doesn't that sound awesome? Put them all in the same box! You could even market it to an older crowd at first, then kids will inevitably find out and scoop them up.


Can't we all just get along?



I might also suggest more focus on the fruit twists. Since I've found those I've bought pack upon pack, stocking up on Saturdays to get me through til Fridays. I'm hooked. They are awesome. Do a cherry one with vanilla inside. Please?

Arizona Cherry Lime Rickey

Last week while at my nearest convenience store a young man asked the local merchant to begin carrying Arizona Cherry Lime Rickey. My inquisitiveness about this new beverage was quickly answered as the young man pulled an enormous, colorful can from his pocket, informing the cashier he had purchased this down the street. I thought little of the exchange until I saw the can at a 7-Eleven, the only location these new drinks are available, while working yesterday.

"How dare you interrupt my lime rickey!"
- Mr. Burns

First, and most obvious, impression is the size of the can: 23.5 oz and 695 ml. For a carbonated beverage this is a little large for my one serving tastes. The can design is extremely unique, created by Kenny Vidinich, winner of a contest for the cherry lime rickey's big can design contest. The swirling greens and reds on the can sweeping across the Brooklyn Bridge really helped set this can apart while the bubbly cherries and halved limes found bouncing around hint at the unique flavor contained within.

The name speaks for itself. Exactly as prescribed, this is a cherry lime rickey with a strong lime aftertaste. Initially, I believed there would be a really bubbly first bite, but the drink is smooth. With it being cherry, and not raspberry, that little kick of bitter that raspberry sodas tend to give is absent. But the lime is definitely there, taking right over after the liquid hits your lips. At halfway through the soda, I'm still trying to peg the taste as it's something I've never experienced. At halfway through the soda, I'm also starting to fill and the drink is slowly getting warmer.

That is the major drawback of the big cans. Too big for a guy like me, who would prefer to open and consume two smaller containers than one large one. I think the soda stays fresher. But with Arizona Cherry Lime Rickey only being available in the big cans, I had to make do. I definitely recommend trying the beverage but it's availability is questionable, so get to your local 7-Eleven soon to pick one up and help celebrate Arizona's 20th Anniversary with their new flavor.

Overall Taste: 6.5 - Unique, but a little flat, with a much stronger lime than cherry

Fizz Factor: 5.0 - Not much fizz but a smoother drink than soda

Appearance: 8.5 - The can is huge, but the design in marvelous, and reminds me of graffiti

Flavor: 7.0 - A must try but it's doubtful to become a regular choice of mine

From the company: 8 oz has 70 calories, 0g of fat, 19g of carbs, 18g of sugar and 0g of protein. The big cans hold about 3 servings (23.5 oz)

Mexican Coke vs. American Coke

There is a battle brewing, my friends. One between soft drinks made with corn syrup and ones made with cane sugar. The war goes back (and please don't quote me on any of this) to agriculture, with the United States being a prime climate for corn, not sugar. Corn syrup is made through processing corn starch and is widely used to sweeten products, including but not limited to, soda. Cane sugar on the other hand comes from tropical climates, like Brazil, is more heavily taxed as an import, and is a more natural way to sweeten foods as the cane sugar juice is heated to produce a syrup, where as corn starch requires additional processing (the addition of enzymes) to produce corn syrup. With both being sugars, and neither being a great source of anything but empty calories and deliciousness, the case for either remains strong.



Mexican Coke (left) vs American Coke (right)



With sodas, many organic flavors and imported sodas use cane sugar and many of the American mainstay beverages use corn syrup. Since Coke in my town is available in both American and Mexican styles, I am able to provide some insight into a taste comparison between the two.

First impression is the bottle. The Mexican Coke bottle is larger, 12oz (355ml) and bears a better resemblance to the classic Coke bottle shape. American Coke, the bottles I tested, were smaller, albeit cuter, but only contained 8oz (237ml). The Mexican bottle size is preferable, offering that additional 4oz that I'm particularly used to in one container as opposed to opening two separate American bottles to get a similar amount.

Moving to the first sip. They are distinctively different. The Mexican Coke fizzes as it hits your tongue and bites. The taste is less powerful than its American counterpart but very smooth, enveloping the entire mouth. American Coke, on the other hand, sits on your tongue an extra split second, coating it, lubricating your mouth as it spreads all the way down the back of the throat. Even the bubbles feel bigger; while the Mexican Coke fizzes the American bubbles. The tastes are very different as well, subtle enough to make both Classic Coke but overt enough so that anyone can tell the difference.

From a health perspective, the Mexican bottle came in at 150 calories compared to 100 calories for the American - meaning that equal volumes would contain equal calories. And really when it comes down to the other components outside of cane sugar or corn syrup, the two sodas are alike (carbonated water, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural flavors and caffeine). So is there really a clear leader? Yes, Mexican cane sugar is less processed, but isn't supporting corn farmers part of the American way?

Anyway, my roommate tried them both and could tell there was a difference and claimed to like the American a little better...which was the same conclusion I came to as well. So for me, it'll be American Coke, the taste that maybe because I grew up with it, is a little more what I envision a Coke to be.

Thomas Fentiman, You're My Hero

"I love Cherry Tree Cola and Bacardi mang"
- Redfoo

After becoming a fan of LMFAO and Far East Movement, I noticed a specific soda bottle popping up in each band's videos. Intrigued, I researched and discovered the soda bottle was Cherry Tree Cola, named for the bands' record label, Cherry Tree Records.

Further research led me to the maker: Fentimans.

Before giving my review, the history of Thomas Fentiman, founder of Fentimans beverages, begins in 1905 with botanically brewed ginger beer. The brewing process uses herbs and roots, simmering them with flavorings and leaving them to ferment and carbonate to create a unique tasting cola, which coincidentally contains less than .5% alcohol.

In reviewing this cherry cola I realized my bias and asked a few friends to try the cola, one an avid soda drinker and the other not so much. They both, however, came to the same conclusion: it tastes like medicine. Could it be the cherry flavor? The botanical brewing process? I do not know but my opinion vastly differs. I love the stuff. Its so distinctly cola and yes, I'm a fan of drinking something so cool, from the bottle, to the band support, it is so unique.

Overall Taste: 9.0 - Cherry colas are my fav and this one is special

Fizz Factor: 5.0 - Not much from this botanical brew

Appearance: 9.0 - Distinctly-shaped bottle, dark colour, and a label the bears the record company's insignia

Flavor: 9.5 - Almost perfect, maybe the best Fentiman flavor, nothing compares to this cherry cola

Honestly, I think I need to do some more research. I think I need to have a few more people try this and get a few more opinions. There will be another Cherry Tree Cola review...

Wonka Kazoozles

While I'm on this binge of eating twists filled with sugar my friend Shane introduced me to Wonka Kazoozles. The ones he brought me were strawberry ropes with watermelon filling and they were thin. I didn't think much of them as a big draw of the Mike & Ike Twists are the thickness. However, I did find some Kazoozles cherry ropes with punch filling the other day so I decided to give them another try. Thank little baby Jesus I did because these ropes are bigger, thicker and exploding with an inner paste/gel that gives off a strong sugary odor as soon as the pack is opened.

Kazoozles - Delickoricious Chewy Candy

The candy is hard to describe other than it's a rope, so picture a long piece of rope licorice despite these Kazoozles definitely being more of a chewy fruit candy. The outer texture of the cherry candy is smooth, resilient and shines beautifully in different colors under different light (ok, that might be a stretch but right now, I'm seeing deep maroons and almost transparent reds mixed together). Inside is where the action is as the super sweet sugary paste, which even looks like a gel at the ends, bombards the taste buds with the sweet-sour 1-2 punch. The combination of the two different tastes and textures is near perfect, with the balance skewing to the paste over the the thin, but generous, outer cherry shell. I'm beyond ecstatic that I picked these up and gave them another chance because I just crushed two packages while writing this post and they were delicious.

I highly recommend trying these candies if you see them out. I wouldn't go as far to say order them right away, but definitely give them a shot if you too are riding the fruit twist addiction from which I am currently suffering (/enjoying).

From the company: 1 package/2 ropes contain 170 calories, 0g of fat, 43g of carbs, 29g of sugar and 0g of protein

Mystery Solved: Mike & Ike Blue Raspberry Fruit Twists

When I originally reviewed Mike & Ike Fruit Twists I joked about the blue raspberry flavor being a "mystery" because when I did the review, my research led me to find that this candy has been out for some time and I figured if I had not seen the blue raspberry flavor by now, I probably wouldn't for some time, or not at all. But it's times like these that show me there is really a "mystery" to the world and life itself. Yesterday while at Six Flags, I found the blue raspberry flavor. At a time when I wasn't looking for them, there they were. My brother and I entered the candy store to buy a mixed bag of gummi for the ride home and I was given a real fruit juice answer to a candy prayer I begged the sugar gods only weeks ago. And...

They are good. Better than, in fact, these Mike & Ike Fruit Twists are my favorite candy going right now. It takes years to become an all-time favorite, seeing as tastes can fade after the initial excitement, but right now I drool when I think of them. I'm making special trips to Walgreen's to stock up. I'm even buying them and putting them in the freezer to keep fresh, removing them hours before eating to allow time to soften up (they're chewier when a little cold). Now I get to taste the blue raspberry? Yes please.



Blue Raspberry: Bigger, Longer and Uncut


I can't even put the twist down to write this blog. They are addictive. I'm not a huge fan of blue raspberry flavored candy as sometimes the flavor comes off sour or overpowering but not here, not even slightly. It is the exact opposite as the strawberry takes over and visually, the filling looks more generous than in the shorter, watermelon, strawberry and green apple twists. The color of the filling is also pink where as the outer twist is blue, giving the candy a striking contrast from interior to exterior. But the taste reigns supreme here; they are as good as the other flavors, and these Mike & Ike Fruit Twists are a unique and extremely succulent candy, one of the best "new" options on the market.

From the company: 1 pack/container has 110 calories, 1g of fat, 25g of carbs, 16g of sugar and less than 1g of protein

My note: There is one twist to a package. The other flavors come 6 to a package and are shorter.

80's and 90's Soda Cans

My brother just sent me a link to The Chive where they are featuring soda cans from the 80's and 90's. I remember a few of these...

Click here to view their post.