NEAROF

When I reach for a low-cal beverage (other than water, naturally), I typically grab a bottle of Coke Zero. I prefer Coca-Cola to Pepsi, so translating that preference to the low-calorie cola world is logical enough. But I’m also one of those long-suffering Canadians who has a fondness for cherry colas, a terrible affliction given [...]

During the winter months, I gravitate toward big, heavy, complicated beers, with lots of roasty, toasty, malty flavour. It’s the liquid equivalent of curling up under a nice, comfortable blanket with a good book while a roaring fire blazes on your TV. But in the summer? Sometimes I just want something simple, delicious and yummy, [...]

How’s this for an interesting chocolate bar flavour: blood orange and mango filling. In recent years, mango has become a trendy taste to add to all sorts of things, and the fruit itself is getting easier and easier to find in North American grocery stores of even moderate size. Blood orange, however, is still a [...]

If you’ve been following this site for any length of time, you’ll know that I loves me some oddball chocolate bars. Yes, yes, I know. Oddball is in the eye of the beholder, but come on: a kiwi flavoured chocolate bar? I found this curious Porta brand treat at the Italian Centre in Edmonton, along [...]

Wait, what? Since when has Ocean Spray been making chocolate-covered Craisins? Why did nobody tell me? I only recently found these in the produce section at several grocery stores in Calgary, in the spots where you’d normally find regular Craisins – look for salad toppings, croutons, etc. In case you’re unfamiliar with Craisins, they’re essentially [...]

I first found these last year on a trip to Seattle, and I’ve been patiently waiting for them to show up in Canada. And, well, what do you know? Here they are! The pharmacy gum-rack shelf-talker showed three flavours available in Canada: Strawberry Shortcake, Apple Pie and Orange Crème. While I don’t miss the mint [...]

I have happy childhood memories of picking rosehips, the shrivelled little berries that grow on rose bushes in the fall, after the flowers have wilted and died. They can be used to make jellies, syrup and, apparently, a drink that is available at Ikea’s food store. If you’d like to get better acquainted with this [...]

I miss Razzykat. It was an Alley Kat Brewing summer seasonal many, many years ago, and I adored it immeasurably. Something about the fresh, fruity taste of raspberries blended with a decent beer really struck a chord with a much younger me. It wasn’t sweet, and it wasn’t bitter; it was a course in fruit-beer [...]