Ditch Friend Marry #3

It has been awhile since we've played, what do you say?! Three things that I've ate or drank lately: one gets the boot, one gets the infamous like button and the other wins my ultimate affection.

Ditch

The margarita I made on Cinco De Mayo. (I know, wtf?)

I bought a shiny new bottle of Sauza Blanco but used and old bottle of Jose Cuervo "just add tequila" pre made (non-alcoholic) mix. I was too cheap and lazy to purchase triple sec and juice my own limes. Never again. Truth be told, I wasn't feeling so hot, so I am not sure why I drank a margarita anyways. The pre-made mix tasted stale - maybe from sitting in my fridge for so long? Meanwhile, the ingredients on the label don't appear to be ones I can pronounce with ease. Not sure what I was thinking. I'll make fresh, legit margs one of these days to redeem myself.

Friend

Annie Chun's Udon Noodle Bowls

I tried this all natural, preservative free product on a whim and ended up really enjoying it! A pouch of noodles, a spice packet and some seasoning sauce - combine according to directions, add water and microwave. The thick chewy Udon noodles bathe in a delicate broth of tofu and scallions. Bold Japanese flavors from the accompanying seasonings lend a pleasant saltiness and mild spice. It's an easy meal to prepare at lunch time in the office, but one of those microwave meals I eat sparingly so as to not become sick of them. Annie Chun - so glad we're friends!

Marry

Flat Black Coffee Company

A Boston based business, Flat Black offers over twenty single-origin coffees from around the world. They micro-roast to ensure that your beans, brewed cup, or espresso beverage contain the richest flavors of origin. (Source - website linked above.)Flat Black is Australian for Espresso; the company's original inspiration comes from a trip to Australia. From the website: Unbeknownst to most, Australia produces some superb coffee, grown on the slopes of an extinct volcano in a unique microclimate on the eastern coast. Discovering this little-known coffee producing region inspired a desire to bring rare coffees such as this back to Boston.After a doctors appointment one morning, I wandered in to the Financial District cafe location at 50 Broad Street. (The other two locations are in Dorchester - Lower Mills and Ashmont.) I was greeted by a modern space with angular paneled wood walls, bright blue industrial ceilings, large arched windows, clean table tops and muted red chars. A chocolate croissant caught my eye, (they will always remind me of France!) wrapped tightly to go, buttery and flaky with rich chunks of milk chocolate hidden inside the puff pastry walls. The coffee was rich and smooth, with delicate bubbles frothing on the surface. I thoroughly enjoyed this cup and there is not much more to it than that.The baristas were friendly which also served to win me over. It's always fun to discover a new place at random and leave feeling pleasantly surprised after the experience. Obviously "marry" is just a happy euphemism, don't go thinking I've gone off the deep end.

Your turn! Feel free to choose people, places or things - this is definitely not limited to food and drink. Tell me what you're Ditching-Friending-Marrying lately.

Ditch Friend Marry #2

About a month ago I featured a post by the same title. If you are new to the blog check it out so you can play along. I now look to Ditch - Friend - Marry certain foods I ate or drinks I drank as opposed to Ditching - Friending - Marrying certain boys of past lives.

Ditch

Starbucks Huevos Rancheros Wrap

This breakfast offering contains egg, cheese, black beans, spicy peppers, and roasted tomatoes in a whole wheat wrap. Out of the five ingredients listed I am pretty sure my wrap contained eggs and black beans only. I tasted no ooey gooey melted cheese, not a hint of tomato and maybe a dash or two of what resembled a pepper - but it definitely wasn't spicy. The whole wheat wrap had a consistency similar to cardboard. The wrap in its entirety lacked flavor and true substance. Of course I ate it anyways, I paid $3.25 for crying out loud! I don't normally order breakfast at Starbucks, but I have a time or two in the past. I feel like they are constantly changing their breakfast sandwich menus ever since they were first introduced, what gives? I was generally satisfied enough in the past that I am willing to try the newer variations they keep coming out with. Plus sometimes I just crave a Starbucks Coffee. It's true.
I get distinct cravings for Dunkin Dounuts on certain days and Starbucks on others. Anyways, the Huevos Rancheros wrap was completely disappointing. As much as I hate to do it, this one is an easy Ditch.

Friend

Thomas' Bagel Thins

I would probably marry these, if not for the fact that I died and went to heaven when I tasted the product that won out for marry. These bagel thins are excellent and I've been eating them non-stop.

Freshly toasted for breakfast

Slathered in plain cream cheese with blackberry jam on one half and orange marmalade on the other. I love the cream cheese / jelly combo.

Accompanied by a side of Yogi Chai-Green Tea.
Another breakfast favorite - Egg & Cheese sandwich.

Afternoon snack with hummus and lettuce.

Slathered in butter - a great addition to a bowl of Progresso Vegetable Soup.
I am tried an true when it comes to Thomas' products. I eat their English Muffins and Bagels on a regular basis. I am not ready to trade in my "thick" bagels for the thins but I am definitely glad I purchased them and would do so again in the future. A smart business venture on Thomas' part for sure. I love making new friends!

Marry
Fiesta

Is it a candy bar? Is it a cake? It's Fiesta Orange. I think its a mix of both. And it's one of the best things I've ever tasted.
I bought this at Salumeria Italiana when I was picking up a loaf of bread on the walk home from work. Salumeria Italiana is an Italian specialty products store and I hardly every stop in because literally $7 boxes of pasta scare the bejesus out of me. I fear I might knock over a $50 bottle of olive oil and life in the North End as I know it will never be the same. It was a combination of laziness and curiosity that lured me back into the overpriced yet adorable little shop that I walk by day in and day out. The Fiesta bars sat in a box atop the cheese counter. They were priced at only $1.00. It tasted like a cloud floating down from heaven above. Sweet chocolate coats the light and fluffy cake with a orange liquor flavor drenching the golden layers.
Forget the pastry shops. I might eat all the bars in existence in my Little Italy.
I went in two days later to find that they raised the price to $1.25. Nothing can keep us apart, not even and extra 25 cents. We're getting married and that's that!

Have you ever tasted any of the above three products? What did you think?

I loved hearing your responses last month. Give it up. Who and what are you gonna ditch / friend / marry this month?

Ditch Friend Marry #1

My girlfriends and I used to play round after round of a highly entertaining game you may or may not have heard of called Ditch, Friend, Marry. (You may also recall the F word stood for something else. Keeping it clean, people.) Of course, this is back when we are all single and we played using boys. Real live human boys. If you are unfamiliar with the rules of the game it goes a little something like this: one gal puts 3 dudes on the chopping block, then you each choose who you'd ditch, who you'd friend, and who you'd marry. For girlfriends as close as us, there was an endless pool of boys from which to choose, and the decisions were not always easy. It kept us entertained for hours. I've done a great deal of maturing since those days, so I thought it would be fun to incorporate DFM into blog life. It's simple. I pick one thing I ate or drank this week that I disliked = ditch. One thing that I liked = friend, and one thing that I loved = marry. Catching on?

Ditch
Lyndell's Cupcakes.

Oh shut. This is harder than I thought. I'm such a softie and I hate saying anything mean about anyone or their cupcakes. This is not meant to bash Lyndell's all together, because I know for a fact that their danishes, at least from the Somerville location, are amazing. Within the last year they expanded into a tiny location at 227 Hanover Street.
I tried their cupcakes awhile ago and I thought they were just okay - definitely nothing impressive. Lyndell's is conveniently located on my walk home so I figured I'd swing by again and give them another chance to prove themselves. I mean, how could I not with all these tasty looking treats in the window display beckoning me inside.
On Wednesday I brought two cupcakes home for Adam and I. I'm no baker, but something about the taste and texture were very off. We were reluctant to admit that the vanilla with strawberry frosting tasted very dry, almost stale. It was also terribly un-photogenic.

Cupcakes are supposed to be light and fluffy. If not the former, then rich and decadent. These were unfortunately neither category. They bombed. The chocolate Oreo had some sort of a bite to it. I couldn't place it, but I do know cupcakes aren't supposed to have a bitter aftertaste. And again, the presentation leaves a little something to be desired. I mean the cookie is a fun idea, but it's broken for crying out loud.

And the frosting is haphazardly slathered on there. Such a let down. In the glass case at the store all together they look delightful.
On their own they can't hold a candle to other cupcakes I've photographed and ate. So sorry Lyndell's, your odd tasting cupcakes left me pretty disappointed this week, making them my first official Ditch.

Friend

Ben & Jerry's Boston Cream Pie

Attention Ben & Jerry's lovers, there is a new flavor invading your grocers freezer. Check out the ingredients in the pint of Boston Cream Pie I purchased on this hot and humid Thursday night.
It's pretty good. I enjoyed the thick chunks of yellow cake and the luscious pastry cream swirls embedded in the delicious vanilla and pie flavored ice cream. However, A true Boston Cream Pie is coated in sweet gooey chocolate frosting, and this ice cream only delivers microscopic sized morsels.
Those "Fudge Flakes" are disappointingly tiny. While I am happy to have this carton sitting in my freezer, I am in no rush to finish it. This flavor doesn't top my list of Ben & Jerry's favorites which include: Phish Food, Americone Dream and Karmel Sutra. Boston Cream Pie - let's stick to being just Friends.

Marry

Boston Common Coffee Co's Chai Latte

Tuesday afternoon I had a thirst that need quenching and I wasn't sure how to satisfy it. Did I want an iced coffee or did I want a smoothie? That's about as wide and as unspecific as it went in the realm of my cold drink craving that day. For answers to simple requests such as these, all you have to do is ask. Ask who I'm not sure exactly. Just put your feelers out there to the universe and trust that the answers will come. I was guided into Boston Common Coffee Co at 97 Salem Street. I browsed the drink board but didn't want to settle on an iced coffee or latte. Then I saw it. CHAI. It called too me. My request to the universe in that moment was granted. Iced Chai.

I don't even remember the last time I had a Chai. Rich and complex flavors of cinnamon, cardamon, clove and ginger combine to make this ancient tea from India. Over ice with creamy whole milk, this was just the pick me up I needed before my night of laundry began. I woke up the next cold and drizzly morning having heart palpitations just thinking about this drink. I stopped in on my way to work and ordered another, except this time, a hot one. My praise goes out to the baristas, it takes skill to make a cup of Chai as excellent as these were.
Boston Common Coffee Co. Chai, our whirlwind reunion has swept me off my feet. I hereby declare you my first Marry.

What about you guys? You get the idea, right? I will not limit you to food or drink. Skin care or makeup product? A fashion trend or article of clothing? An establishment or place of business? Exercise routine? Event you partook in?
1) Ditch?
2) Friend?
3) Marry?
GO!