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CommentsThe Armchair Epicureans
With Thanksgiving on the brain, the Epicureans united to get our November snack on, and try dishes that might tide us over until Turkey Day. Here are our picks:
Pringles Select Cinnamon Sweet Potato, $2 a bag, Wal-Mart
These Pringles are so unique they come in a bag rather than the usual can. Heavy on the cinnamon flavor, they fall just short of sweet potato taste. One of the Epicureans experimented by licking all the cinnamon off a chip and then chomped it in search of the sweet potato flavor—with no success.
Verdict: We wouldn’t go out of our way to buy this specific chip, but if offered, we’d snack on a few.
Dole Easy Steamer Yellow Potatoes, $2.98 per bag, Wal-Mart
Mashed potatoes are pretty simple to make. But when the Epicureans saw that you can buy potatoes washed and ready for the microwave, we saw a shortcut. When the potatoes came out of the bag, all the Epicureans agreed that they looked like shriveled balls. After adding a stick of butter and some cream cheese, they still tasted like they came out of the microwave.
Verdict: If you are craving mashed potatoes and feeling especially lazy, it is possible to get past the microwaved taste.
Smart Ones Fruit Inspirations Cranberry Turkey Medallions, $2.72 per box, Wal-Mart
We aren’t big fans of microwavable dinners as snacks. However, we all admitted that we get a hankering for turkey this time of year.
The cranberry sauce smothering the turkey is sweet and fruity, while the stuffing and veggies included with the Thanksgiving-in-a-box meal are surprisingly edible. Not all the Epicureans where crazy about the waxy, nuked texture of the green beans, though.
Verdict: If Thanksgiving is coming out of a microwave, try to overlook the fact that the box says “Weight Watchers” and give it a go. You’ll be thankful.
Ben and Jerry’s Pumpkin Cheesecake, $3 a pint, Wal-Mart
Some of the Epicureans claim to dislike pumpkin pie, but the word “cheesecake” encouraged them to grab a spoon, anyway. This cold concoction made the pro-pumpkin Epicureans melt with just one bite. The anti-pumpkin epicureans agreed that the cheesecakeyness of the first bite almost makes it enjoyable… until the pumpkin aftertaste kicks in.
Verdict: If you’re pro-pumpkin and pro-cheesecake, this ice cream will leave you with only one word “mmmmmmmm”.
