Jack in the Box Tacos - Why Are They So Popular?

When the Wall Street Journal talks to you about tacos, you know you've done something right. At least it feels that way, 7 or 8 years deep into my competitive eating shenanigans. Back in 2008, when it all began, I never pictured myself being a subject of newspaper or magazine interviews. Apparently, eating large quantities of fast food makes your opinion relevant to things.

So, a couple weeks ago, I received a kind email asking for information relating to my experience of eating 50 Jack in the Box tacos. It's not the kind of thing people ask me about everyday. The main story was about Jack in the Box tacos - why are they so popular? And, as any internet search will show you, I was foolhardy enough to try to eat 9+ pounds worth of the stuff. Clearly, I held some opinion about WHY I'd want to eat so many of Jack's tacos.

I'll leave it to you to check out the article. It's a well-written, thoughtful read about popularity that has me wondering how long it's been since my last taco. On that note, I think I'm heading down to Jack's to sample another one (or two) of his greasy, crunchy, delicious tacos.

... And I'm not even hungover.

Pounding Santa Claus - Reese's Newest Peanut Butter Cup

Greetings! It's been awhile since I blogged here, but I'm hoping to fix that in the New Year. 2017 will mark a return to writing for me. Since I put in a special effort on my Christmas video on my YouTube channel, it seemed appropriate to get an early start on things.

So, anyone who does any grocery shopping around Christmas time will notice that all sorts of crazy products show up on the shelves to entice people to buy them. Sellers have that motivation - to create new things to justify getting ahold of our money. There's no time like a holiday for all sorts of interesting things to hit the shelves.

Reese's is no stranger to giant peanut butter cups. They've made them for years. What's new is making these giant 1 lb peanut butter cups in the shape of particular things, and not just the usual flying saucers. I enjoyed the peanut butter-filled rabbit they whipped up at Easter. I wondered if the company might try trotting out similar giant peanut-butter filled chocolate objects at other times of year.

Enter the giant 1 lb Santa. As a product, it is a no-brainer. Chocolate Santas have been a thing for years. Ever since I was a little kid, I've seen big chocolate Santas hit the store shelves every year. I've eaten a few, for purposes of full disclosure. I consider it a rite of passage for anyone who grew up in this country. Not a wholesome rite of passage, maybe, but a rite nonetheless.

It looks pretty. Shiny. And very dense. It feels like a brick in the palm of your hand. And sadly, the peanut butter to chocolate ratio on these giant peanut butter cups never matches the brilliance of the original normally-sized products. There's way too much peanut butter, and because there's so much of it, it feels exceptionally dry and powdery inside. The chocolate on the outer edges is ridiculously thick too. In some ways, it's not a pleasant eating experience. Chocolate will dry your mouth out quickly. Don't be like me - keep a drink handy. Your mouth and throat will thank you.

Is it worth $10? The food adventurer in me thinks so, but it's definitely not something you eat everyday (or see everyday) so I'd say it was worth a one-time go. We will have to see if Reese's brings it back next year. Can't say yet if I'd buy it again, but my dentist would be thrilled if I skipped out.

Any thoughts? Make sure to drop your comments in the discussion section! Everyone have a great rest of the week and I'll talk to you soon.

World's Hottest Candy?

There are no words to describe the pain and suffering these little candies unleashed in me. I'm glad the camera worked the first time - because there's no way I'm doing all that again.

The candies are the brainchild of The Pepper Boy, a company that specializes in unique superhot treats. Why anyone would really want to eat candies made with the hottest peppers in the world is actually beyond me.

They came in 3 flavors corresponding to 3 levels to heat. Strawberry anise was tamest, wintergreen tangerine was bearable, and mango was hellfire.

I'll leave it to you to check out the video and the company's website. I need to recover.

Donuts and Coffee - Boiled Together?

Sometimes the weirdest ideas fire us up. Often these ideas pop up in times of hunger or boredom. I think my weird ideas pop up because I'm really interested in how weird my food can get.

Case in point: I've boiled bananas in Sprite. It's a weird combo because consuming the two together will supposedly cause all kinds of stomach discomfort. The internet is full of guys and girls taking the "Sprite and Banana Challenge" and puking horribly afterward. If you're interested, you can see that video here:

But back to the case at hand. Donuts and coffee go together naturally. Like fingers on the same hand, you know? So I figured that boiling donuts in coffee would create a frothy, creamy drink that would be damn sweet. It would also pack that familiar morning caffeine punch.

Well, things don't always run as smoothly as you'd expect. It was an interesting experiment in food science. Anyone who considers themselves a food warrior would do well to check it out.

If you have any suggestions for future weird food mixes, let me know! I'm game for pretty much anything. Sometimes I'm game for everything.

Big Candy - Here to Stay?

Over the past few years, there has definitely been a trend of giant candy bars. They seem to roll out at Christmas and a couple other major holidays. Consumers tend to be suckers then.

Reese's makes giant peanut butter cups. York has giant peppermint patties. Snickers makes an epic 1 lb chocolate bar. Heck, Hershey's rolls out their classic candy bar in both 1 and 5 lb sizes.

And, if you're lucky, you'll find a 1 lb peanut butter and chocolate rabbit at Easter. The companies have figured out they can get away with selling them at $10 a pop, which is a bit overpriced if you compare it to buying the same volume of candy in smaller increments.

I get it - it's a novelty. Who wouldn't be impressed or disturbed at the sight of a half-pound peanut butter cup? But that's where the ploy runs its course... oversizing these candies tends to ruin the consistency of the candy and the ratio of the parts that make up the candy itself. Giant Snickers have too much nougat and the epic PB cups have too much damn peanut butter.

Don't get me wrong... I'm as happy to buy them and eat them as the next consumer. I guess it's a little food for thought as we head into the holidays. Merry Christmas and Season's Eatings!