#taste-testing

#taste-testing

The methodology for this assessment was simple: put the canned beans in a bowl, warm in the microwave, and test for taste and texture. It was the excellent balance of flavors in these Italian green beans that sealed their position at the top of the list. The recipe takes a Southern approach, imbuing the beans with not just salt, but also bacon fat, onion, sugar, hickory smoke flavor, and even a touch of MSG for an extra punch of umami.

But which one do you pick, and which offers the best, most jolly flavor? I tested nine options from seven brands to see which one takes the cake - I mean, the cup. I judged them primarily on flavor, how it impacted my cup of joe, whether I could taste the advertised notes, and whether it added any merriment to my drink.

For this ranking, I evaluated flavor, texture, and juiciness, with the best-tasting and juiciest sausages taking the top spots, while blander, drier options ranked in the lower half of the list. Of course, this ranking is subjective, but hopefully, by understanding what different brands and varieties of sausage offer, you'll have a better idea of which varieties you want to try the next time you visit the grocery store.

Now, the origins of the French bread pizza are mysterious. If you ask Stouffer's, the brand will say that it was the first to cook up the dish - and it did launch the first frozen version in 1974. Others will tell you a food truck owner named Bob Petrillose invented it years before, or that the idea dated back even further than the food truck.

Leafy greens may often be key to a good salad (except for those salads that don't actually include any greens, of course), but when you really think about it, any good salad truly comes down to the dressing. This is the case for both greens-based salads and those that don't contain any lettuce, like macaroni salad or potato salad - a good dressing makes or breaks the whole dish.

Unfortunately, there was nothing classic about Ithaca's Classic Hummus. Instead of a balance of savory flavors from earthy garbanzo beans and nutty tahini, all we could taste was acidity. This hummus packed an overwhelming punch of both lemon and vinegar, which is great if Ithaca marketed this tub as a flavored variety. Most classic hummus recipes contain a squeeze of lemon juice to cut through the richness of the beans and tahini, but the lemon brings a subtle acidity as opposed to a primary flavor.

Protein bars are becoming really, really popular. The multibillion-dollar protein-bar industry is projected to grow to over 7 billion by 2029 - so it's no surprise there are a lot of bars on the market. But they can't all be winners. And they don't always taste great. To help find which is the best to buy at the grocery store, I bought protein bars in similar flavors from six different brands to review.

Cargill conducted a study where taste testers couldn't distinguish between fresh and frozen burgers, suggesting that frozen patties might hold their own against fresh ones.

The sun is shining, overcast-induced depression is long forgotten, and earth's vibrant bounty is simply begging to be transformed into some kind of mouthwatering, no-fuss meal.

The Honey Nut and Apple Cinnamon Cheerios topped the taste test rankings, showcasing the enduring appeal of these classic flavors, while some newer varieties fell short.

Overall, fruity cereals may not be the healthiest option, but they can be a convenient and tasty alternative when fresh fruits aren't available.

Trader Joe's Gluten Free Baguette is exceedingly thin and gummy, presenting significant issues not just in texture but overwhelmingly with its cardboard-like flavor.

The Lemon-Lime Kool-Aid flavor was deemed genuinely disappointing due to its unappealing taste and unnaturally bright color, evoking feelings of toxicity rather than refreshment.

The main source of our disappointment lies in the copious amount of sugar used to season the beef, giving it an unpleasantly sweet aftertaste.

The Victoria Vegan Alfredo Sauce has a grayish tint and a cloyingly sour taste that fails to replicate the flavor profile of traditional Alfredo.

Catalina Crunch's Dark Chocolate seeks to provide a healthier chocolate option but ends up tasting like cardboard with a bitter aftertaste and artificial sweetener.

While this butter came in last on our rankings, it was by no means bad. This butter had a smooth texture and tasty sweet cream flavor, but there was an odd, tangy aftertaste described as a "dead ringer for SweetTARTS candy" that we found off-putting.

"While the world of frozen treats has long barreled past just ice creams and soft serves, not all frozen desserts are created alike."