Weekly Buy Nothing Day - Happy New Year!

Today is a Buy Nothing Day. Probably the last one of the year. This will probably also be the last post of the year. I'm hosting a small New Year's Party as well as The Human Baton (aka Running Fool) from the Ze Frank forums on Sunday.

I hope you all had a great 2006! Thanks for sticking with me, commenting, e-mailing, participating.

Happy New Year!

Reviews resume on Jan. 2nd.

I'm not the kind of guy who makes a whole lot of resolutions, but it seems like I have quite a few this year. Some of my resolutions:

-To quit buying cigarettes (see that I didn't say quit smoking... because we all know that's a lie... this way I either have to bum one or wait for the charity of a friend. Luckily, my roommate bought me a carton for Christmas... ) . I want to quit smoking by the time I'm thirty and stop giving my money to the tobacco industry (as well as those Truth.com ads that never tell me anything I don't already know).

-Save money (see above) so I can travel more and fund more interesting projects.

-Finish book and tour it, even if it means reading in front of crowds of one persons (more on this soon).

-Lose the winter gut

-Update/expand Consumatron.com with varied content such as video, contests, etc... (keep an eye on the forum for more info)

-Communicate more with you.

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Slice of Pepperoni Pizza from Massa Cafe

Item Purchased: Slice of Pepperoni Pizza from Massa Cafe
Location Purchased: Massa Italian Cafe / 807 W. Roosevelt Rd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $2.99 + tax

Review: I know what you're thinking. You're thinking: That looks like four pieces of pizza you lying pig!

Well, in a sense, you are right. It is four slices of pizza and sometimes I am a pig. What you don't know is that there are four slices of pizza because the slices that Massa offers up for the low price of $2.99 are so hugantic that they have to cut it into four pieces to make it manageable.

As for the taste... Massa's pizza dough is the perfect medium between thin and thick crust with both crispy and chewy qualities. The tomato sauce used is fresh and slightly sweet and the slathering of cheese atop these American staples is cooked to a pleasant golden brown that will make even the staunchest deep-dish purist squeal with glee. There are several pizza places in Chicago that do pie better, but for something so close to my work location, I'll take it!

$2.99 for fresh baked pizza this good and this big? Helloooo Massa.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

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Dec. 28th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Travel Mug Full of Reindeer Blend Coffee from Caribou Coffee ($1.50) / San Pellegrino Aranciata (11.15 fl. oz. can) from Massa ($1.65) ]

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Ecologically Sound, Financially Drowned

One of the only things I actually asked for this holiday season was a travel coffee mug so I wouldn't be wasting so many paper or plastic coffee cups during my highly caffeinated day.

Today, I felt good about taking my reusable coffee mug into Caribou coffee. At first everything seemed to be going swimmingly. Not only was I saving money by paying $1.50 for a cup of coffee instead of $1.55, but I was also doing my tiny part to save the environment by not using a paper cup and disposable plastic sip cover. Hell, I was even saving the Caribou corporation a few fractions of a cent by not using up one of their cups. Everything was brighter and greener in the world... From the environment, to the tip cup to my pocketbook.

I didn't start to feel conflicted until I went back later in the day to get a refill. Usually when I buy a cup of coffee from the Caribou down the street, they let me come in once during the day for a free refill in my paper cup. I usually throw close to a dollar into their tip jar when I do this. Though the staff at Caribou changes in the middle of the day, the night baristas know that I have made a purchase because I have one of their cups in my hand. Today, I was charged the full $1.50 for my refill. The night crew had no way of knowing that I had bought a cup of coffee earlier in the day since I was using the travel mug.

I'm not upset about having to pay for my coffee twice. I'm not even sure that it is store policy to give out free refills to customers who leave the store, but the fact that my attempt to conserve resources cost me more financially struck me. I saw it as a microcosm of how our consumer culture is set up. Not only is the consumer world set up to take us for everything we are worth when selling us products we don't need, but there are also subtle deterrents to environmentally conscious ways of conducting business. On the surface, I am saving $.05 per cup of coffee, but am losing $1.50 a day. Coffee and cups don't cost a company like Caribou that much and, in the long run, that extra five cents a day is probably more profitable to them after material costs than simply selling me coffee in my travel mug. In addition to profit, the value of having me run around town with the company's logo on my coffee cup is probably much more valuable to Caribou than the extra $1.50 they will make from me for a refill.

How this will affect my coffee consumption habits, I am not quite sure. Perhaps I will simply brew coffee at home for my first cup of the day and save the $.05 without having to worry about being charged for a refill.

I just needed to ramble. I could be completely off base.

---

Feel free to ramble along with me in the forum. There's only a few more days for you to post something and be automatically entered into the December 2006 contest anyway.

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Mexican Scramble from Eleven City Diner

Item Purchased: Mexican Scramble from Eleven City Diner
Location Purchased: Eleven City Diner / 1112 S. Wabash / Chicago, IL
Price: $8.95 + tax

Review: I am surprised beyond all explanation that I have not ever reviewed this dish from Eleven City Diner before. This means that I have either gotten this meal comped in the past or someone has purchased it for me each and every one of the handfuls of times I have enjoyed it.

Okay, well, obviously I like this dish, otherwise I wouldn't have ordered it so many times, but I can't say it is the best of its kind. Eleven City's Mexican Scramble consists of eggs scrambled with green onion and spicy chorizo sausage. Topped with salsa, cheese and served inside of two hard taco shells, the primary focus of the dish will fill you up before you even get to the side of potatoes or toast. The chorizo is on the mild end of the spice scale and somewhat greasy. I'd much rather have my chorizo cooked longer before being mixed into the eggs, but all in all, this dish is a pleasant palatte pleaser that won't have your co-workers avoiding your breath (unless you forgot to brush, of course).

If you are looking for something to challenge your spice tolerance, head on down to Huck Finn's, but if you want something that will have you marvelling at the subtle mix of flavors within, stick to Eleven City.

Rating: 4.00 / 5

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Dec. 27th - Unreviewable Purchases

Purchased for my girlfriend:

[ Great Shroom Burger from Eleven City Diner ($8.50) / Orange Juice from Eleven City Diner ($2.00) ]

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Dec. 27th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Cup of Coffee from Eleven City Diner / 2 Costa Rica Coffee from Caribou Coffee (travel mug refills) ($1.50/ea.) / 7-Eleven Egg Salad Sandwich / Snyder's Sourdough Nibblers (small bag) ]

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Adriana Salad From Massa

Item Purchased: Adriana Salad From Massa
Location Purchased: Massa Italian Cafe / 807 W. Roosevelt Rd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $6.49 + tax

Review: Back from the holidays and into the grind again. I had so many cookies and candies and meats over the last four days that I couldn't imagine ordering another prosciutto and salami sandwich. I also didn't think I could quit the meat cold turkey. I had to come down from my binge slowly, so I opted for this light greens bowl with a grilled chicken breast on top.

Though not as flavorful as the Mandalay salad that I usually order, Massa's Adrianna is still tasty. Loaded with sliced tomatoes, feta cheese, red peppers and lightly laced with red onions, this romaine salad is enough to fill you up without making you feel full. Though the price is a little higher than the rest of Massa's salads (due to the chicken breast), the price is still worth the quality of the food.

Rating: 3.75 / 5

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Dec. 26th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Small Reindeer Blend Coffee from Caribou Coffee ($1.55) / Camel Turkish Royal Cigarettes (Hardpack) ]

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Happy Holiwhatzit!

I'm busy stressing over the holidays, so this will stay up top for a while. I may be popping in from time to time, but full reviews return in earnest on Tuesday Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me all this time. Thanks to everyone who stumbles here some other way as well. Hope you are all well. Don't forget to win some free stuff over in the forum! It's so easy!

Oh, and sorry for the bad sound quality on the video. I'll be buying a camcorder soon. More video blogs coming in the new year... as well as a few other exciting projects! Stay consumed!

For a much more interesting take on gift giving, read The Gift by Lewis Hyde.

Hope you all have a happy one! Content continues below.

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Dec. 19th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Small Reindeer Blend Coffee from Caribou Coffee ($1.55) ]

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Dec. 18th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Small Discovery Blend Coffee from Caribou / Camel Turkish Royal Cigarettes (Hardpack) ]

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Fresh Horseradish Root from Whole Foods (0.84 lb)

Item Purchased: Fresh Horseradish Root from Whole Foods (0.84 lb)
Location Purchased: Whole Foods Market / 1000 W. North Ave. / Chicago, IL 60622
Price: $4.19 + tax

Review: I'll admit it, I pulled the old 'innocent tourist' trick to get this big honkin' piece of horseradish. I've never seen raw horseradish before. The only knowledge I've had of it until now is those small disgusting packets of horseradish sauce you get at Arby's restaurants. You know the ones... They taste like ass pudding and tickle the nose hairs you never thought you had.

While in the produce section of Whole Foods today, I found the sign for horseradish, but it was among five or six other signs for vegetables I also did not have any experience with. I thought I knew which one it was, but I'm not the typical male who won't admit his lack of knowledge and continue driving in the wrong direction. No. I'm the type of male who will pretend he didn't even see the sign and ask the grocer if they have any horseradish at all, so as not to look completely uneducated.

Only serving to rub in the shame of asking for help in this way, the grocer took me over to the roots I had originally thought to be horseradish and pointed at them. This left me questioning where my shame came from at all. I know I don't know everything. Hell.. I don't even know all that much. Perhaps it was the drone-like competency of the rest of the Whole Foods customers that caused me to feel anxious and defensive... I don't know.

Regardless, I got this large hunk of horseradish that looks a bit like a bugle to me. I only needed three tablespoons of the root for the tofu bars I made, so I can still play bugler for quite some time.

Fresh horseradish is not nearly as strong as the mulched kind you buy in jars. It smells like dijon mustard and adds a great spicy flavor to whatever you sprinkle it atop. I have a feeling my fear of horseradish has been cured and I will be using this root much more in the future.

I better. There's a lot left!

Rating: 4 / 5

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15 Fresh Sea Scallops from Whole Foods

Item Purchased: 15 Fresh Sea Scallops from Whole Foods
Location Purchased: Whole Foods Market / 1000 W. North Ave. / Chicago, IL 60622
Price: $42.30 + tax

Review: I'd like to invite everyone to my next dinner party where I will be serving ramen noodles and Safeway brand soda in the can.

Holy jeez these scallops were expensive! $22.00/lb. But this dinner party was special. This was my non-holiday, pre-holiday dinner party, so I had to go all out... In honor of those people who don't feel comfortable with any holiday (me), but extremely comfortable with good seafood (me again).

I almost bought my scallops from Dominick's, but when compared to the selection at Whole Foods, Dominick's scallops looked like fleshy marbles in a bucket of sewer water. In the scallop world, mine were professional wrestlers, politicians or both. These suckers were big! Each one measured nearly three inches across pre-pan and two inches post-pan. After smothering them in a lemon vermouth sauce and bacon fat, these scallops were not only big, but famous. Even Theresa, who hates seafood, liked them!

So my question is, when will the investors come crawling out of the woodwork to pay for my own restaurant? Or maybe they could just cover my grocery bill for my dinner parties.

Whole foods offers fantastic fresh foodstuffs at a price that is set to attract people who know nothing about food and base quality on price. For the most part, Whole foods succeeds in backing their prices up with quality. These scallops are just one example. The flesh of the scallops was a healthy white rather than the sickly gray-pink hue most grocery store scallops have. I wouldn't buy these every week (even if I did have the money), but for special occasions, this is a fair price for quality seafood.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

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Gallo Dry Vermouth (750 ml.)

Item Purchased: Gallo Dry Vermouth (750 ml.)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $4.49 + tax

Review: With all of the other wines on my counter, I hope someone doesn't drunkenly drink this bottle of Vermouth. I need it for cooking. (note: every other bottle of wine was emptied, but my guests steered clear of the vermouth... good thing I didn't have any vodka or gin!)

Whenever a recipe calls for white cooking wine, I tend to reach for vermouth. Because vermouth has such a strong aroma, you can sometimes get away with using less than a recipe calls for and still come up with a unique taste (thrifty, huh?). Vermouth used to be infused with wormwood (the herb used in making absinthe) but I am not so sure this is the case anymore. If it is, they use a very small amount, because the licorice flavor of wormwood is not present in this drink. Instead, the scent and flavor of dry vermouth tends to be that of cheap cough syrup. This is probably why dry vermouth is rarely drunk by itself and, instead, used in flavoring drinks and entrees. I find it works especially well with seafood.

Gallo is not one of the most popular brands of vermouth, but it is inexpensive and available at my local chain grocery store. Vinted in California, I have no complaints about this inexpensive bottle of booze. Martini & Rossi may be the choice of martini makers everywhere, but I don't need my liquor cabinet to look like a bar. I need it to look like a liquor shelf.

Rating: 3.75 / 5

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Dominick's Lower Sodium Sliced Bacon (1 lb.)

Item Purchased: Dominick's Lower Sodium Sliced Bacon (1 lb.)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $4.72 + tax

Review: I once attempted to become a vegetarian. It lasted for three weeks and I blame bacon for my relapse. Really, is there any meat more delicious than bacon? The natural cooking grease derived from heating it up... The smell that wafts through the air and hangs there like a buffet of odor when you cook it... The alternating crunch and chew of its consistency. Mmmm... Bacon.

Yes, it's a pretty disgusting, fat filled, heart-stopping product sliced from a rooting animal, but when I gave up veggie and came back to the world of consuming flesh, I was like the protagonist in Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses when he renounced his faith. I went out and bought a pile of bacon and proceeded to eat it on everything.

Now days, I rarely buy bacon to cook at home. A scallop recipe I am cooking called for two strips. What am I going to do with an extra pound of bacon? Eat it, of course.

Despite the lower sodium (note, it doesn't say "low" sodium), these plump strips of bacon are surprisingly salty. Not the best bacon I've ever had, but definitely not the worst.

Rating: / 5

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Dominick's Brand Plain Salt (26 oz.)

Item Purchased: Dominick's Brand Plain Salt (26 oz.)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $0.47 + tax

Review: This purchase makes the story of Lot's wife (found in the manual of Christmas) that much more insulting. I mean, at $0.47 for every 26 ounces of salt, a one hundred pound woman who had been turned into a pillar of salt would only be worth about $28.93. I know she suffered from an incurable curiosity, but free will was a gift, right?

Salt is one of those things I use nearly every day in the attempt to clog up my veins with a substance resembling yogurt. Rarely does my supply run out, though. Ubiquity is one of salt's strength here in America. In fact, any place you see a potato, you are destined to see a container of salt. There comes a time, however, when one must replenish even the most common of culinary resources. This was one of those times. I hadn't realized plain, un-iodized table salt was so inexpensive. The next time someone posits the question, 'what can you get for a dollar these days?' I am going to respond: "A shit load of salt!"

As for the salt itself, it tastes... well... salty. How do you describe one of the basic tastes? I prefer the texture of sea salt or kosher salt, but when it comes to dissolving salt in water or seasoning recipes, good old table salt is the way to go and this will do just fine.

Hooray for edible rocks!

Rating: 3.5 / 5

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Creamette Elbow Macaroni

Item Purchased: Creamette Elbow Macaroni (32 oz.)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.99 + tax

Review: Creamette was the first company to develop quick cooking elbow macaroni. I only know this because it is the type of information one seeks out when they can't think of anything else to say about the macaroni they just bought.

As a child of not only the eighties, but also middle class America, I have eaten a crapload of macaroni in my life. Macaroni with powdered cheese. Macaroni with grated cheese. Macaroni with cheese sauce. Macaroni with ch... you get the picture. The point is, even though I try and look deeper into the everyday purchases we make, some things are so ingrained into my being that I can't successfully comment on them in an interesting manner. Macaroni just happens to be one of these things.

I can say that Creamette elbow macaroni doesn't develop the starch powder taste that many boxed pastas do. It cooks fast and tender and goes well with just about anything you have on your spice rack.

For a boxed pasta that isn't whole wheat, Creamette does just fine. Though, maybe I just need to pay more attention and contrast and compare. Tell ya what... Next time I buy macaroni, I'll be sure it is a different brand so I can delve deeper into my pasta subconsciousness.

Rating: 3 / 5

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Dec. 16th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Safeway All Purpose Flour (2 lb. bag) / Dominick's Butter Quarters Sticks (1 lb.) / 3 Organic Lemons from Dominick's ($2.37) / 2 Yellow Onions from Dominick's / Herbal Garden Fresh Mint (3/4 oz.) / Herbal Garden Basil (3/4 oz.) ($2.29) / 8.167 Gallons of Unleaded Gasoline from Citgo ($20.00) / Bunch of Flat Leaf Parsley from Dominick's / Old Spice High Endurance Anti-perspirant/Deodorant - Original Scent (3oz. Invisible Solid) from Target / Duracell Coppertop AA Alkaline Batteries (16pk.) ($8.99) / Coffee from Earwax Cafe ]

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From the Forum - A Clean Buy

Talking point from the forum:

While sipping my coffee this morning, I noticed this:

I've seen napkin advertising before, so this didn't shock me. I did get to wondering, however, if anyone has ever been influenced by this kind of advertising. Has someone out there been wiping the mayo slurp from their lips and thought, heyyyyy.... I really need to buy the second season of Boston Legal on DVD?I know I haven't, but I don't watch Boston Legal. Maybe if it was an ad for Black Books, I might have given pause to the coffee stained sales pitch.

What about you? Have you ever knowingly or unknowingly been directly influenced by a napkin ad? How about one of those ads they put on the cardboard grip rings around coffee cups? How often do you think about your entertainment purchases while scarfing down a sandwich or during tea time?

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Breakfast Sandwich from Bridgeport Coffee House

Item Purchased: Breakfast Sandwich from Bridgeport Coffee House
Location Purchased: Bridgeport Coffee House / 3101 S. Morgan St. / Chicago, IL
Price: $3.25 + tax

Review: I live equidistant from Bridgeport Coffee House and a Dunkin' Donuts. Those of you who have read the site for a while may remember that I was somewhat addicted to DD's Breakfast Sandwiches, but when given the choice, I'd take this handmade creation any day. Though similar, the ingredients used at Bridgeport Coffee House are not kept in single-wrap modules and filed in drawers, but in refrigerators and on the counter like they would be in your kitchen (well, maybe not your kitchen... I see that ramen cupboard). You get to choose from four types of cheeses, three types of bagels and a plethora of toppings for your sandwich. I chose cheddar, bacon, eggs and tomatoes for mine. Like Dunkin' Donuts, the sandwich is microwaved to warm it up, but Bridgeport Coffee House takes the time and care to put the tomatoes on after the nuking. This small step gives this inexpensive sandwich a fresh taste that is rare in the convenience breakfast sandwich world.

I'm not sure where else I can score a fresh and tasty breakfast for $5.00 in Chicago. I'm not sure I need to worry about it, though. I'm just a short walk from this great neighborhood cafe, and I like it that way.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

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Coffee from Bridgeport Coffee House

Item Purchased: Coffee from Bridgeport Coffee House
Location Purchased: Bridgeport Coffee House / 3101 S. Morgan St. / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.29 + tax

Review: People who say Bridgeport is a desolate area of Chicago with no character have never been down to Bridgeport Coffee House. Spend just a few minutes at this tucked away neighborhood establishment, and you will not only see a destination for the locals, but a comfortable hangout that any visitor will want to come back to. Bridgeport is a more diverse neighborhood than its rap would suggest, and the crowds at Bridgeport Coffee House are a great representative of this. The owners and workers are always friendly, remembering and referring to their customers by name, sharing a story or two, or just asking how your day is going with a laid back genuine tone that is all but gone from coffee shops in the city. Did I mention that there is also free Wi-fi access for students and bloggers like myself?

If all of that isn't enough to get you down here, Bridgeport Coffee House is also a coffee roaster. Even though they have only been in business a little over two years, the owners invested their passion and money into their own commercial grade coffee roaster. Roasts are made fresh every day and are available by the cup or the bag. Coffees are less expensive and more delicious than most other roasters here in Chicago (or Seattle, for that matter) and usually a light-to-medium roast with none of that charred coffee flavor people have been duped into enjoying. The flavors are full and the aroma will make you feel as if you are inside of one of those commercials where it is the best part of waking up. Of course, coffee is always the best part of waking up for me.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

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Dec. 15th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Camel Turkish Royal Cigarettes (Hardpack) ]

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From the Mommy, Where Do Baby Ruths Come From? department:

Ever wonder how your denim jeans evolve from a plant in a field to the crusty whiskey-stained jumble on the coffee table of the random stranger you met last night? New website, Kunkelfruit aims to explain in Sesame Street/Mr. Roger's fashion, where our consumables come from.

The site is an open-source wiki and named after the book, Indecision by Benjamin Kunkel (which I reviewed over on Mediatron). Check it out and contribute if you have some manufacturing knowledge.

(Kunkelfruit)

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Dec. 14th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Small Discovery Blend Coffee from Caribou ($1.55) / San Pellegrino Aranciata (11.15 fl. oz. can) from Massa ($1.65) ]

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Half Sandwich (Soprano) and Half Salad (Italian Chopped) from Massa

Item Purchased: Half Sandwich (Soprano) and Half Salad (Italian Chopped) from Massa
Location Purchased: Massa Italian Cafe / 807 W. Roosevelt Rd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $5.99 + tax

Review: I actually wanted to purchase the Caprese Salad from Massa today, but when the employees told me that they didn't have enough Mozzarella cheese to make it for me, I had to change my mind. I suppose running out of Mozzarella is a good sign for an Italian cafe. It means that business is good! Running out of Mozzarella, however, is high on my list of things an Italian cafe should never do. Fresh Mozzarella is expected. More importantly, fresh Mozzarella is loved... by me.

I'm not a big fan of chopped salads, but I wanted to try something new from Massa. Like G.I. Joe would say during the coke-addled eighties... Knowing is half the battle. Now I know that I definitely do not want another chopped salad from Massa as long as I live. I guess the other half of the battle is getting the aftertaste out of my mouth. All of the ingredients are fresh and tasty when eaten alone, but when you mix turkey, ham and salami together along with gorgonzola, greens and vinaigrette, the resulting taste is that of a pickled meat bomb that was just foraged from a field.

The sandwich half of my meal was tasty, but lacking. I should have realized when I was told that Massa was low on Mozzarella cheese, that they would skimp on my favorite part of this panini. Deep within the depths of salami, gardiniera and tomato was a sliver of cheese the size of a large toenail. I had to brush everything else aside.

Lesson learned. Steer clear of Italian restaurants when the Mozzarella is gone.

As another series of PSAs from the eighties said... The more you know.

Rating: 2.25 / 5

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From the Forum - Possible Reasons for Starbucks' Sludge

Those of you who read Consumatron regularly know that I have a hate-hate relationship with Starbucks Coffee. Those of you who read carefully also know that my hatred isn't due to some anti-corporate knee-jerk reaction. No, it is due to some my-coffee-tastes-like-carbon-ash knee-jerk reaction. I am a big fan of drip coffee. I like it lightly roasted so that the flavors of the bean are still discernible and the caffeine content is naturally high. Starbucks is the char-broil king when it comes to coffee. I can't understand why anyone enjoys their product.

Faithful Consumatron reader, Chris Hajer has a theory, which he posted in the forum:

Anyway, I am with you on Starbucks brewed coffee being far too dark and burnt. They are the my 2nd to the last choice for coffee (right before McDonalds and just after any gas station.) But, the other night I stopped in a Starbucks (hey, it was on the way home) and to temper the burnt taste I figured I would order a latte (extra half-n-half was not going to help.) I actually asked the dude "what is a latte?" before ordering, to make sure I was getting an espresso drink with a lot of milk in it. He patiently confirmed what I thought, so I ordered away.

It cost almost twice what a brewed coffee cost ($3.55 latte vs. $1.85 brewed) and was against my better judgment at the time, but I think I know now why they make brewed coffee that is nearly undrinkable: they WANT you to buy the $3/$4/$5 espresso drinks. The latte I had actually taste good. It was smooth, not too dark, a little sweet, a little caramel maybe and not at all bitter. It was actually enjoyable. I don't know that I will get one every time I find myself at the doorstep of a Starbucks, since with tax it's almost $4, for a cup of coffee, but I just realized that the scam is to make the regular coffee taste like crap so you HAVE to buy the espresso drinks, which taste pretty good.

Now I don't know if I am convinced that Starbucks purposely makes their coffee taste like sludge just to push the drinks with a higher profit margin, but it is an interesting theory nonetheless. It's the antithesis of offering a larger size for a minimal price hike. Instead, offer a minimally better taste for a larger price hike. In the rare instances I do find myself inside of a Starbucks, I rarely see people ordering drip coffee. Usually, an order consists of a twelve-part alien language incantation in return for a drink that is basically espresso, sugar and milk. Some Starbucks locations have even stopped listing regular drip coffee on their menus.

Could Chris be on to something? Howard Schultz always seems downright giddy when he speaks about sampling his company's coffees, but one man's treasure is another man's trash (mine). What do you think?

(Join in the discussion)

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Dec. 12th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ 6" Italian Special Sub from Fontano's / Camel Turkish Royal Cigarettes (Hardpack) / Small La Minita Peaberry Coffee from Caribou Coffee ]

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Dec. 11th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Nabisco Ritz Crackers (4 oz. box) / Tomato Basil Soup from 7-Eleven (12 oz.) / Coca-Cola Classic Soft Drink (12 oz. can) from 7-Eleven ($0.75) / Planters Salted Peanuts (1.75 oz. tube) ]

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Cushicle Screenprinted Poster (misprint) by Mat Daly (19' x 25')

Item Purchased: Cushicle Screenprinted Poster by Mat Daly (19' x 25')
Location Purchased: Mat Daly / Renegade Craft Fair / 1419 W. Blackhawk / Chicago, IL
Price: $10.00 w/tax

Review: Renegade Craft Fair did a bang up job curating their winter craft fair. Not only were there a more diverse group of crafters, artists and artisans this time around, but I felt that the crafts appealed to a more diverse audience. Yes, the primary browser/customer was the 20-something female, but as a late 20-something guy with varied tastes, I found a lot of things that piqued my interest amidst all of the cutesy jewelry and knitted everythings that were on site.

One of those piquing products was the printwork of Mat Daly. Daly is one of the few Chicago artists who is a regular with the now famous silk-screen print shop, The Bird Machine. His work is stark and heavy on the contrast, making use of bold geometric shapes arranged in a seemingly chaotic jumble that takes the viewer by surprise with its inherent (yet dischordant) harmony. Those elements couldn't be more perfect for this poster.

The particular print I purchased is an ad for the free jazz group, A Cushicle, who perform intermitteantly on Tuesday nights at Rodan in Chicago's Wicker Park. Dischordant harmony is a perfect description of their sound.

Though Daly's official prints nearly all cost $20.00, I found this one in a stack of misprints that were half price. I would gladly hand over twenty of my hard earned dollars directly to an artist for a piece of his work that I like, but in the month of December, during the holiday shopping season, I had to take the low road toward high art. Luckily for me, slight misprints and off-center layers of print don't bother me. To me, imperfections are perfections in the art world. I would even say that Daly's style lends itself to the beauty of mistakes. Either way, this print makes a dischordant harmony out of my apartment's otherwise empty wall. Perhaps after the holidays, I will head over to The Bird Machine to purchase more of Daly's work.

Daly-fy your walls: Matdaly.com / TheBirdMachine.com

Rating: 4.5 / 5

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6 - 1" Buttons from Re-Conceived.com @ Renegade Craft Fair

Item Purchased: 6 - 1" Buttons from Re-Conceived.com @ Renegade Craft Fair
Location Purchased: re-conceived.com / Renegade Craft Fair / 1419 W. Blackhawk / Chicago, IL
Price: $5.00 w/tax

Review: Again with the buttons?

Yes... Again with the buttons.

I don't know what it is about these kids these days with their button making machines and the bowls upon bowls of these little badges of nostalgia crowding up every DIY fair I go to. I don't know what it is about me being drawn to these bowls, plunging my hand into them as if they were fine grains or accupuncture needles that instantly cure me of all of my ills. I like buttons. I like the personal decoration they provide without necessarily being categorized as jewelry. I like the advertising some buttons achieve (hint hint). I like the recycled art ethic that button making highlights (of course, the plastic and metal used in making buttons isn't necessarily recycled). My name is Kevin and I am a button addict.

Standard price for 1" buttons nowadays hovers right around $1.00 (except in some cases). In addition to the time and materials used in making buttons, what else am I paying for? I suppose I am paying the button maker for their haphazard design luck or their keen eye (I'd wager 50/50 between the former and the latter). The buttons at re-conceived.com's table at the Renegade Craft Fair were priced at $1.25 each or 6 buttons for $5.00. Though a little steep when compared to the other buttons at nearly every other table, re-conceived.com had the widest variety of found-art buttons of the vendors. I spend nearly 15 minutes scooping buttons out of a bowl and examining them one by one until I came up with six I liked. By the looks of my choices, I can now wear on my lapel my fondness for happy clouds, coffee/tea, baby ducks/chickens, fans of paper currency and 1970's era abstract design that resembles a tree from an Ed Emberley book.

Hooray me.

A part of me thinks I should get my own button making machine and tailor my flair more accurately to my personal taste, but half of the fun is in the hunt.

Rating: 3.75 / 5

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Vegetarian Chili from Heartland Cafe

Item Purchased: Vegetarian Chili from Heartland Cafe
Location Purchased: Heartland Cafe / Renegade Craft Fair / 1419 W. Blackhawk / Chicago, IL
Price: $5.00 w/tax

Review: The Renegade Craft Fair was in town again for its winter outing (inning?). This time around, the open air market sought shelter in the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse. Utilizing three large rooms in the park's recreational facility, there were a wide selection of craftmakers, D.I.Y. types and a whole lot of yarn being spun. You may recall that I attended the Renegade Fair back in September, when I bought myself some buttons and a bowl. This time around, the fair had a more diverse selection of vendors, with an emphasis on gifts for the holidays and clothing.

Along the way, in one particularly cold section of the field house, the Heartland Cafe (located in Rogers Park and on the far left side of the political spectrum) had a long table set up with offerings of chili and various other snacks. Though the Heartland was offering a Buffalo chili (with actual buffalo meat, not just hot peppers and spices), I opted to go with the vegetarian variety so my girlfriend could help me out.

Though a bit thin, the Chili was tasty. Heavy on the beans and spicy broth, along with a smattering of mushrooms that I happily gave to my girlfriend, this Chili hit the spot, but probably wasn't worth $5.00. The steamed corn torillas that came with the Chili helped bulk the meal up, but I couldn't help feel that it could have used a bit more substance. Maybe I should have gotten the buffalo!

Regardless, Heartland Cafe is a great restaurant with it's heart and mind in the right place... The community. I rarely get up to their neck of the woods, so it is always nice to see them down in mine.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

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Trader Joe's Grass Fed Gouda Cheese (0.785 lb.)

Item Purchased: Trader Joe's Grass Fed Gouda Cheese (0.785 lb.)
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $4.31 + tax

Review: Trader Joe's does it again! Bigger blocks of cheese for smaller chunks of change! Not only is this Gouda a lot less per oz. as the May-Bud I am used to buying, but it also packs a richer and creamier taste than the never-to-be-bought-again cheeses I have fallen back on like the stuffed animals that used to keep me company in my crib. As for being grass-fed, I'm not sure what else dairy cows would eat. I hate to think that there are farmers out there feeding their cattle Totino's pizzas and Baby Ruth bars. Isn't the forage that is fed to most cows made up of grass and hay (dried grass) anyway? Perhaps the label on this cheese simply means that the cows are fed fresh grass? I've read the reports and heard the stories of how cows are fed remnants of their slaughtered and ground up brethren. I'm not sure if it bothers me more that a dairy product must say "grass fed" on the label to ensure that I am not eating a cow that has eaten a cow or the fact that I don't see many labels that do state this.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

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Cabot Naturally Aged Extra Sharp White Cheddar Cheese (0.545 lb.)

Item Purchased: Cabot Naturally Aged Extra Sharp White Cheddar Cheese (0.545 lb.)
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $2.56 + tax

Review: I know this may get me kicked out of my home state of Wisconsin when I go back to visit, but I have to say it. Vermont has the upper hand when it comes to cheese making. Maybe Wisconsin does milk better. I don't know. All I know is that I have not had a better cheddar in my life. End of story.

This naturally aged cheddar packs a bite and flavor unmatched by anything that Packerland has ever churned out. Though dry and powerful in flavor, there is still an underlying creaminess to this white cheddar. It is a disappointment that this is another product that doesn't claim to stay away from factory farming or rBGH, but I will admit that it would be hard for me to switch brands based solely on those factors. With a taste like this, even sensible health concerns fall to the wayside.

Sometimes my hedonistic tendencies disgust me. Of course, we're talking about curdled milk and mold here, so who's going to split hairs with that?

Rating: 4.75 / 5

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2 Trader Joe's Organic Tomato Paste (6 oz.)

Item Purchased: 2 Trader Joe's Organic Tomato Paste (6 oz.)
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $0.79/ea. + tax

Review: Step aside O Organics, there's a new kid on the block! Sweeter and fresher than your pureed paste, Trader Joe's tomato paste is my new pick for pasta sauce base. Since I don't make it to Trader Joe's very often and make my own sauces extremely often (Paul Newman is good, but I'm better dammit), perhaps I should invest in a case of this paste so that I will never have to settle again.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

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Trader Joe's Reduced Fat 2% Milk (1 qt.)

Item Purchased: Trader Joe's Reduced Fat 2% Milk (1 qt.)
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.39 + tax

Review: This is one of the few dairy products on Trader Joe's shelf that doesn't claim to be organic or explicitly say that it is made from cows that have not been treated with rBGH. This is disappointing for a few reasons. First of all, Trader Joe's seems to take pride and go out of their way to stock affordable and healthy selections. Though still in deliberation, many foodies and health nuts consider rBGH an unhealthy choice in dairy production. Secondly, though Trader Joe's does stock organic milk brands, none of those brands come in a quart size. I do not eat very much cereal anymore and do not drink milk plain. As a result, I do not go through more than a quart of milk in any two week period. I will use milk to make sauces, pancakes, other baked goods and to cream my coffee. That is all. I would much rather buy organic, but organic milk that goes bad is more of a waste than non-organic milk that will be used completely. Ultimately, it is a minor setback in the grocery decision making process that costs me a few more seconds.

As for the taste, I will be honest. I cannot tell the difference between this milk and the major grocery store brands I usually buy. Does anyone know where I can buy smaller containers (1 qt. or less) of organic, non-rBGH infused milk in this city for a reasonable/comparable price?

Rating: 3 / 5

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2 Trader Joe's Organic Vegetable Broth (32 fl. oz.)

Item Purchased: 2 Trader Joe's Organic Vegetable Broth (32 fl. oz.)
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.99 ea. + tax

Review: This veggie broth is lighter on salt and bulkier on flavor than the usual broth I get from Dominick's. Since I have reconciled my disappointment with broths coming in such large containers by using whatever excess I have to cook up whatever kind of rice or other grain I have in my cupboard, I decided to buy two boxes. Chances are, I will use both of these broth boxes up by the end of the week. More than likely, I will use them up sooner than that, since the taste of Trader Joe's organic products are so good that I would actually consider heating this broth in a sauce pan as-is and slurping it as a soup.

Rating: 4 / 5

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Trader Joe's Grated Parmesan Cheese (0.61 lb.)

Item Purchased: Trader Joe's Grated Parmesan Cheese (0.61 lb.)
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $3.04 + tax

Review: Remember how I raved about the Bel Gioioso Parmesan cheese I purchased last month? Well, chalk that up to naiveté. This Argentinian Parmesan cheese tastes stronger, is just as fresh and costs less than half as much as that name brand ubiqui-grocer brand. Though I need this cheese for a dish I plan on making for a dinner party next Sunday, I find myself eating spoonfulls and marvelling at how this cheese melts in my mouth and leaves a watery greedy maw that begs for more.

This is just one of the many reasons I wish I could make it to Trader Joe's more often.

Rating: 4.75 / 5

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Trader Joe's Jalapeno Pepper Hot Sauce (5 fl. oz.)

Item Purchased: Trader Joe's Jalapeno Pepper Hot Sauce (5 fl. oz.)
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.99 + tax

Review: I didn't think Trader Joe's sold hot sauce. My girlfriend didn't think so either (and she used to work there). You can imagine my surprise when I found this stuff tucked away on the bottom shelf next to the canned beans and salsa. Okay, maybe you can't imagine my surprise. Hell, I don't even know if I was surprised. I was, however, happy to find it.

The real surprise came when I tasted just a speck of this stuff on the tip of my pinkie finger. Wow! Not only is this pepper sauce hot as August in Arizona, but also fully flavorful. I could actually taste the roasted peppers in all of their breath-gasping glory.

I can't wait to make a rice dish with a splash of this hot sauce mixed in. I'm sure I'll be rolling the complexities around in my mouth as well as reaching for an oil drum of ice water.

A must for all spice-heads! You'll never go back to Tabasco again.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

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Goodness Greeness Certified Organic Garlic (2 heads)

Item Purchased: Goodness Greeness Certified Organic Garlic (2 heads)
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.79 + tax

Review: You can always count on Trader Joe's to have fresh organic produce for a decent price. The one caveat is that you usually have to buy said produce in quantities larger than one. Fortunately, I eat a lot of garlic. Vampires got nothin' on me. I chop up a clove of garlic to make almost everything. Even if I'm just cooking up a couple of eggs, it is not uncommon for me to throw a little garlic in the frying pan and let it brown before cracking the shells.

As far as TJ produce goes, two of anything in a package is a small number. Avocados must be purchased in packages of four. Tomatoes usually come in threes.

This garlic is extremely fresh and is, on average, larger than most heads of garlic I purchase at the local Dominick's or Jewel. The warm fuzzy feeling comes with knowing that the garlic is organic, and hopefully the unfelt health benefits will come along with that. For now, I will take solace in the fact that this is a strong tasting, easy to chop, crush or mince garlic that will go well with the next "whatever" I cook up.

Rating: 4.75 / 5

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Dec. 10th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Safeway Brand Paper Towels (8 rolls) ($7.79) / Trader Joe's Extra Large Brown Cage Free Eggs (12 eggs) ($3.49) / Frugal Joe's Ordinary Beer (6 - 12oz bottles) / 2 Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Bars (3 - 1.75 oz. bars) ]

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Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Tart from Lula Cafe

Item Purchased: Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Tart from Lula Cafe
Location Purchased: Lula Cafe / 2537 N. Kedzie Blvd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $7.00 + tax

Review: I hate to admit it, but I was a bit disappointed with this dessert. That is not to say that it was bad. I simply thought the cake part of the tart tasted a bit stale while trying to be crisp and wafer-like. Like a fortified Oreo cookie, the sides, top and bottom of the tart needed to be cracked before reaching the inner cream filling, of which I could have eaten an entire bowl. A typical chocolate mousse with both hazelnut flavoring and actual pieces of slivered hazelnuts inside of it, this dessert could be much better if it followed the rule of "less is more." Besides the stale tart with scrumptious filling, there is also a light and fluffy egg-flavored cream dolloped on top and a runny creme anglaise forming a pond in the plate below.

Lula gets points for serving up something I have never seen the likes of before, but this may be one dessert where they tried a bit too hard. I would have preferred a small dessert dish of the mousse by itself with a token wafer cookie or two to offset the rich flavors within instead of a crunchy exoskeleton to wince through before getting to the good stuff.

Rating: 2.75 / 5

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Linguine A La Carbonara from Lula Cafe

Item Purchased: Linguine A La Carbonara from Lula Cafe
Location Purchased: Lula Cafe / 2537 N. Kedzie Blvd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $13.00 + tax

Review: People praise the Italians for their pasta and their pizza, but prefer to point out another "p" that the Italians do well... Pancetta. I don't like to think of the prospect of eating any animal's stomach, but pancetta is the exception to the rule. Piggy belly that has been cured, spiced and salted was precisely the primary selling point that made me pick this dish. Everything else in this dish is what made me eat everything on my plate regardless of the fact that I wasn't that hungry to begin with.

In addition to the pancetta, the carbonara sauce used in this dish is also made with Pecorino Romano cheese and pepper so fresh that you can taste a slight spice with each bite. Tender white beans add a welcome texture to the pasta, as well as the price-driving hen of the woods mushrooms included (I even ate some of them despite my aversion to ingesting fungus). Everything tastes as if it were harvested and created in the half hour between the time I place my order and the moment my dinner was delivered. This is just one of the many reasons Lula Cafe is one of my favorite restaurants in the city.

Lula always offers affordable and unique dishes made from local, seasonal and organic ingredients. You can show up in a pair of ripped jeans (because they are old, not hip) and a t-shirt and your meal will make you feel as if you are dining somewhere that demands a suit and tie. Best of all, Lula's food is fantastic enough to warrant that kind of dress code, yet regular Joes like myself can walk in any time and get a top notch meal.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

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Leffe Blonde Ale (16 oz. bottle)

Item Purchased: Leffe Blonde Ale (16 oz. bottle)
Location Purchased: Lula Cafe / 2537 N. Kedzie Blvd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $4.50 + tax

Review: While I don't usually review food and drink purchases I make for other people (even if I do happen to have a taste of the purchase), I felt that the sip I did have of this golden colored ale was enough to warrant an opinion. I feel this way because I doubt I will ever be taking a sip of this taste bud twirling atrocity again and would be remiss if I didn't take a shot at what is a poor excuse for a beer. Bear in mind, I love Schlitz, so base how seriously you take this review on that bit of knowledge.

At first, this beer tastes like a pleasant caramel ale on the tip of the tongue, but when the rest of your tongue is exposed to it, the true nature of this Belgian bamboozlement comes out. Though light in flavor throughout, there is an unmistakable cinnamon flavor to this brew. I half expected to see a cinnamon stick at the bottom of the bottle. My beer tastes run wide, but when it comes to woody spices like this, I'd rather have a hot apple cider than a cold brew.

Rating: 1 / 5

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Spinach Salad from Lula Cafe

Item Purchased: Spinach Salad from Lula Cafe
Location Purchased: Lula Cafe / 2537 N. Kedzie Blvd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $8.00 + tax

Review: Lula does everything right. On a crowded Saturday night, the hostess told my girlfriend and I that we would have to wait nearly 45 minutes for a table (we only waited about 20) and mere minutes after we placed our order, the appetizer arrived. Of course, it doesn't take much to throw together a spinach salad, but Lula did it again by keeping expectations low and the outcome high.

This simple salad is comprised of baby spinach greens tossed with dried cherries, string thin red onions (that neither my girlfriend or I ate, but appreciated for the flavor they added to the dish) and the creamiest chevre cheese that made me want to get down on my knees and beg for goat milk. All this is topped with a perfectly balanced drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette that dances and twists with the already strong flavor provided by the chewy cherries. At eight dollars, this is an adequately sized salad to turn your hunger into a somewhat comfortable salivating anticipation while you wait for the rest of the magic to emerge from Lula's kitchen.

Rating: 4 / 5

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Dec. 9th - Unreviewable Purchases

Purchased for my girlfriend:

[ Pasta YiaYia from Lula Cafe ]

Left too early to review:

[ Del Rey @ The Empty Bottle ($8.00) ]

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Dec. 9th - To Be Reviewed On Mediatron

Item Purchased: LP: Pata Negra - Blues De La Frontera (used)
Location Purchased: Reckless Records / 1532 N. Milwaukee Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $2.99 + tax

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Dec. 9th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Camel Turkish Royal Cigarettes (Hardpack) from 7-Eleven ($7.95) / Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) 12 oz. can from The Beachwood Inn ($2.50) / 2 Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) 12 oz. bottle from Lula Cafe ($1.75/ea.) / Red Stripe Beer (12 oz bottle) from The Beachwood Inn / 2 Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) 12 oz. bottle from The Empty Bottle ($2.00/ea.) ]

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Dec. 8th - Weekly Buy Nothing Day

Because if you don't take breaks from the shopping madness this season, it all begins to feel a bit like this:




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Consumatron.com's Monthly Contest for December!

Win Prizes For Puttering Around On Consumatron.com!

Alright, so this month's contest is a bit late, but to make it up to you, I'm going to make it up to you. First off, there will be three prizes this month. Second, this contest is easier than a revolving door to enter. Here's the skinny:

Rules

1. Sign up for an account on The Forum.
2. Post a message to the forum. This can be a question, a comment, a story about your experience as a consumer, a criticism or simply a message saying hello.
3. Rest assured that you are entered into the December contest and your name will be thrown into a hat-like object at the end of the month for a drawing.
4. Each person who posts to the forum gets one entry, regardless of how many messages you post. Hopefully you'll stick around and join/begin the conversation though.
5. Additional chances to win will be awarded to anyone who donates $2.00 or more to Consumatron.com. (every $2.00 donated scores you one entry - Donation button is located on the right-hand sidebar)

It's so easy, I can't imagine why you wouldn't enter. Who cares what the prizes are? Oh... You do? Okay, well....

Prizes

-1 Consumatron.com T-Shirt from Cafepress.com


-1 copy of Adam Fitz's CD: Between The Incident And The Event


-$25 Gift Certificate to Fractalspin. The geeky digital gift shop run by Chicago's Quantazelle.








Holy mackerel... Or other fish! Those are some kickin' prizes right there. All available to you for nothing... except a few words in the forum. Why wouldn't you enter this?

The Fine Print

Any one who posts any message in any section of the forum will automatically be entered into this month's contest. No obscene (as defined by my personal judgement) forum messages or spam will be eligible for entrance into this month's contest. Contest entry ends at 11:59 PM (CST) on December 31st. Winner(s) will be drawn from a hat-like object on January 2nd, 2007. Rules/Prizes subject to change per my whims, but don't worry... they probably won't. Winners of this month's contest will be notified via personal message in the forum and will have 48 hours to respond to claim their prize.

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Consumatron.com - December Update

It's that time again. Time for snow (if you are from snowy regions... if not... well... can I come stay with you?). Time for blinking lights and inflatable snowmen outside of each and every building you come across. Time for fire hazard fir trees that light up with life. Time for bottlenecked checkout aisles and screaming children in cart seats. Time for financial realities and credit card debt. Time for pulling hair and breaking banks.

After all of that, it's also time for the things that all the songs sing about. Good will and peace on earth. Time with loved ones. Wassailing... whatever that is.

It's the holiday season and things seem tight. Money... Time... Your waistband. Just remember, this season isn't about presents, its about gifts. It's not about spending, it's about spending time. And as tight as all of the things in your life seem, there are countless people in this world in a tighter squeeze than you are. Please remember them in your thoughts and actions.

Reviews will continue. I've got a few more Consumatron-related projects in the works that I'll share with you all at the end of the year.

I'm throwing together a year-end contest that should be posted by the end of the day. If you haven't done it already, sign up for the forum. This one is going to be easy to enter!

I hope everyone has a great December and holiday season. Here's to good health and quality time with those you care about. Don't forget to breathe.

Thanks for reading.

-Kevin

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Dec. 7th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ 6" Italian Special Sub from Fontano's ]

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Small Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Gelato from Massa

Item Purchased: Small Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Gelato from Massa
Location Purchased: Massa Italian Cafe / 807 W. Roosevelt Rd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $2.95 + tax

Review: Peanut butter makes everything better, but when you are dealing with something as good as gelato, I'm not sure this universal law affects much. Don't get me wrong, this is some tasty tasty stuff, but the rich flavor of the peanut butter and chocolate doesn't do too much when added to the already rich and creamy flavor of a basic vanilla gelato.

Perhaps if the gelato itself was peanut butter flavored, I would rave on about this treat, but as it stands, this is just a candy bar ground up and mixed into some plain vanilla Ice Cream. Though worth the price you pay, this gelato gets a solid average score. If you're going to try gelato, stay away from the boring regular flavors (even if you are a vanilla fan like me) or Blizzard-like flavors.

Rating: 2.5 / 5

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Dec. 6th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Camel Turkish Royal Cigarettes (Hardpack) ]

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Nabisco Original Premium Saltine Crackers (4 oz. box)

Item Purchased: Nabisco Original Premium Saltine Crackers (4 oz. box)
Location Purchased: 7-Eleven / 1350 S. Halsted / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.79 + tax

Review: I'm one of those people who always asks for extra crackers with their soup or chili. I like to make a meal out of what most people treat as some kind of insignificant appetizer or side dish. Waste not want not. In order for me not to waste, however, there must be a crunchy salty chunk of super flat bread in every spoonfull of soup. Self-serve soup bars fear me and counter people never give me enough of those extremely wasteful cellophane wrapped two-packs. This is why I decided to buy an entire box of crackers for only one 12 oz. cup of soup.

As ubiquitous as Nabisco's saltines are, there are other options on your grocer's shelf, but this is one rare instance where I am a brand loyal consumer. I've tried several brands of plain saltine cracker (not to be confused with butter crackers or wheat crackers... that is a whole new ballgame) and none of the others come close to what Nabisco achieves with these papery biscuit strips. Premium saltines have the perfect amount of salt sprinkled and stuck on top of them to not only offset the plain flour taste of the cracker, but also to spice up whatever brothy meal you decide to eat them with.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

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Tomato Basil Soup from 7-Eleven (12 oz.)

Item Purchased: Tomato Basil Soup from 7-Eleven (12 oz.)
Location Purchased: 7-Eleven / 1350 S. Halsted / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.99 + tax

Review: I didn't expect much from this pre-made, ready-to-heat-n-eat plastic prisoned soup from a convenience store, but we all tend to encounter surprises in life when we pay attention. This stuff was actually good. I can even attest to the fact that 7-Eleven didn't skimp on the basil flavoring. It isn't flavoring at all, but actual basil. I am sure of this due to the fact that I got a basil leaf stem stuck between my two front teeth while sipping and slurping.

Regardless of the careless spicing of this soup, the flavor and consistency of it is better than that of some local diners and I'd actually purchase this again. Though it is a bit oily fresh out of the microwave, it is nothing that a little stirring can't take care of.

Not the best soup I've had, but definitely not the worst.

Rating: 3.25 / 5

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Dec. 5th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Take 5 Ice Cream Candy Bar (74g) ]

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Dec. 4th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ San Pellegrino Aranciata (11.15 fl. oz. can) from Massa ($1.65) / Small Daybreak Coffee from Caribou ($1.55) / Half Sandwich (Soprano) and Half Salad (Mandalay) Meal from Massa ]

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