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The Bakery Collection. You may think we are trying delicious homemade pies and cakes… but nope, we are trying out the Bakery Collection by M&M’s.

But first…

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Which M&M’s are we trying today?

* Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll

* Lemon Meringue Pie

* Cherry Chocolate Cupcake

Who are our Questers today?

* Kris - his shells are cracked.

* Matt - the Green M&M’s child.

* Amy - what the heck?

A History of M&M’s

M&M’s got their start with Mars. Forrest Mars Sr, who managed the Mars candy company, got the idea for M&Ms while working in Europe in the 1930s. He was overseeing production of Mars candy bars as a part of army rations. Forrest discovered soldiers liked to eat sugar coated chocolate so it wouldn’t melt as fast. So upon returning to the states, Forrest Mars worked with Bruce Murrie and created M&Ms (Mars and Murrie)

Some fun facts about M&Ms…

* Initially M&Ms were exclusive to the US Army.

* The M on the candies was added to distinguish themselves from the copycat competitors.

* M&Ms were the first candy in space.

* The movie ET was supposed to feature M&Ms but Mars declined and Reese’s Pieces were put in the movie instead, resulting in a 65% sales increase for Hershey.

* There are over 400 million produced each day.

List of past and present flavors

* Almond

* Banana

* Birthday Cake

* Café Mocha

* Candy Apple

* Carrot Cake

* Cherry Cordial

* Cherry

* Chili Nut

* Cinnamon

* Coconut

* Crispy

* Crispy S’mores

* Easter Sundae

* Gingerbread

* Honey Nut

* Hot Chocolate

* Peanut

* Dark Chocolate

* Mint

* Orange

* Peanut Butter

* Pecan Pie

* Pineapple

* Pretzel

* Pumpkin Spice Latte

* Raspberry

* Red Velvet

* Strawberry

* Vanilla Shake

* Toffee Apple

* White Chocolate

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

Lemon Meringue Pie

* Amy - “It has a sickly sweet to it.” - 4

* Kris - “I don’t like these.” - 3

* Matt - “That first one was horrible.” - 4

Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll

* Amy - “That’s an interesting transition.” - 6

* Kris - “I can’t tell if I really like these or I don’t like them at all.” - 6

* Matt - “I wish it was more balanced.” - 7

Cherry Chocolate Cupcake

* Amy - “It’s giving cordial cherries.” - 6

* Kris - “Once you get past the black licorice hit, they are pretty good.” - 5

* Matt - “It gets chocolate cakey at the end.” - 6

There you have it. We give the Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll M&M’s the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.mms.com/

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Have you tried these? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support! And right now, maybe more importantly… SHARE! We want more people listening! SHARE!

Show Notes:

https://www.businessinsider.com/the-story-of-the-mms-characters-2016-3#after-the-super-bowl-mms-said-its-spokescandies-were-back-9

https://www.mms.com/en-us/mms-candy-flavors/caramel-cold-brew-mms-905oz/ct1237-p.html

Oreo is cranking out the Limited Edition Oreos again. Let’s see if these new ones are worth it.

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Which Oreos are we trying today?

* BTS Oreos

* Cinnamon Bun Oreos

* Firecracker Pop Oreos

Who are our Questers today?

* Kris, Amerrrrica!!!

* Matt, your brown sugar pancake.

* Amy, if you’re still with us.

A road trip is never complete without some good road food. Whether you are packing up a cooler before you leave or stopping at a gas stations on the way, your snack choice is critical to the enjoyment of the trip.

Cue Buc-ee’s!

If you are lucky enough to live near a Buc-ee’s, you know their snack and food selection is top notch. So today we are trying out their own branded potato chips.

Let’s see if these are any good!

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Kris, bless you my daughter.

* Nate, appreciates a clean urinal.

* Matt, smells like mothballs.

* Amy, this podcast is off the rails.

Which Buc-ee’s Chips are we trying?

* Kettle Cooked Sweet Southern Barbecue

* Kettle Cooked Salt and Vinegar

* Kettle Cooked Jalapeno

* Kettle Cooked Sorta Spicy Dill Pickle

* Original

* Salt and Pepper

* Bold and Blended

The siblings are back in today’s episode of Quest for the Best! Janet, Alan, and Michael are joining me to try out one of the best candies ever created…. Nerds!

Which Nerds are we trying today?

* Grape Nerds

* Strawberry Nerds

* Big Chewy Nerds

* Sour Big Chewy Nerds

* Nerds Candy Corn

* Nerds Gummy Clusters

Who is on this quest?

* Janet, the oldest.

* Alan, the second middle.

* Michael, the youngest.

* Amy, the first middle.

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

The History of Nerds

What exactly are Nerds? Nerds are a neon-colored itty bitty tiny candy. They are made out of sugar, corn syrup, artificial flavors, and a lot of dyes. Sounds delicious.

Nerds got their start in 1983 in the Willy Wonka Candy Factory. Invented by Angelo Fraggos, these little treats originally came in the double compartment box, Strawberry on one side, Grape on the other or you could get Cherry on one side, and orange on the other.

In 1985, the National Candy Wholesalers Association named NERDS “Candy of the Year”. 

Today there are many flavors and many different NERDS products.

Including…

* NERDS Grape & Strawberry

* NERDS Watermelon & Cherry

* NERDS Rainbow

* NERDS Gummy Clusters

* NERDS Rope

* Big Chewy NERDS

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

6th Place: Big Chewy Nerds Sour

* Alan - 2/10 “I’m getting black licorice here.”

* Amy - 2/10 “That’s a pass.”

* Janet - 1/10 “Audra would like these, but Sour Patch Kids is better.”

* Michael - 1/10 “I don’t want to eat these, these suck.”

5th Place: Big Chewy Nerds

* Alan - 3/10 “It is not as sweet.”

* Amy - 8/10 “I like the texture of these.”

* Janet - 2/10 “I don’t like these other kinds of candy.”

* Michael - 1/10 “It’s like Pepto Bismol.”

4th Place: Nerds Candy Corn

* Alan - 4/10 “The orange ones suck.”

* Amy - 3/10 “These are very very sweet.”

* Janet - 3/10 “I’m going to have a stomach ache after this.”

* Michael - 5/10 “They have a nice flavor and texture.”

3rd Place: Nerds Gummy Cluster

* Alan - 7/10 “These are more fruity and juicy.”

* Amy - 7/10 “Not a huge fan of the gummy part.”

* Janet - 8/10 “These are really nice surprise.”

* Michael - 10/10 “These are amazing.”

2nd Place: Strawberry Nerds

* Alan - 9/10 “It’s a good Nerd.”

* Amy - 7/10 “They are a good candy but not my favorite.”

* Janet - 10/10 “Strawberry is the best.”

* Michael - 10/10 “These belong with Grape.”

1st Place: Grape Nerds

* Alan - 8/10 “This is good purple.”

* Amy - 10/10 “Grape is the best.”

* Janet - 9/10 “Grape has a nice subtle taste.”

* Michael - 10/10 “These belong with Strawberry.”

There you have it. Grape Nerds receive the Quest for the Best seal of approval. 

Thank you all for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried all these Nerds? We would love to hear your rating as well.

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

SHOW NOTES:

Eater.com

Nerdscandy.com

Happy 2024 Questers! Many of you might be wondering where we have been. Three week hiatus… Well, the holidays were very very busy, and so were our usual line up of guests. So, we decided to take a small break. But do not worry. We have great episodes to bring you and more and more foods to try. We are going to continue on our restaurant battles soon, and hit up some more areas of the grocery store. (and some different ethnic grocery stores).

But today, we are trying out the Dinamita Sticks Doritos.

Which Doritos are we trying today?

* Smoky Chili Queso

* Hot Honey Mustard

* Tangy Fiery Lime

Who is on this quest?

* Janet, the oldest.

* Alan, the second middle.

* Michael, the youngest.

* Amy, the first middle.

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

The History of Doritos

To go back to the beginning of the Doritos saga, you are going to have to travel back to 1955, and to an unlikely location. That location? Disneyland in Anaheim, California. In 1955, Frito-Lay struck a deal with Disney to open a Mexican restaurant in the Frontierland section of the park. This restaurant was known as “Casa de Fritos”. 

You see, Doritos actually came as a solution to old tortillas. Instead of throwing out old, stale tortillas, the restaurant would cut them up, add seasoning, and fry them. That way they wouldn’t lose money on inventory, and actually make money on would-be trash. The employees liked the chips so much, they started packaging them as well.

In the early 1960s, Archie West, the vice president of Frito-Lay, visited the restaurant and saw how busy it was. And along with being busy, they were selling huge amounts of the bags of chips. Archie was taken with the chip. He decided that since they were golden in color, to name them for the Spanish word for gold, “oro”. Combined with the “ito” in Frito, and slapping the letter “D” to the beginning, the name Dorito was born.  Soon after, mass production of the chip began.

A soft launch happened in the southwest region of the United States and it was so successful that the factory was overwhelmed by the demand. The popularity was unquestioned. Doritos made their national debut in 1966, when Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola merged.

The first flavor that debuted was taco flavored. In 1972, history was made with the release of the Nacho Cheese Doritos, becoming the most popular variety. In 1986, Cool Ranch Doritos were released.

Since the release, there have been over 100 different flavors. Flavors you can get today include…

* Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch

* 3D Crunch Spicy Ranch

* 3D Crunch Chili Cheese Nacho

* Flamin’ Hot Nacho

* Flamin’ Hot Limon

* Nacho Cheese

* Cool Ranch

* Spicy Sweet Chili

* Dinamita Chile Limon

* Spicy Nacho

* Flamas

* Salsa Verde

* White Cheddar

* Tapatio

There have also been flavors like

* Cheeseburger

* Ranch-Dipped Chicken Wings

* Mountain Dew

And overseas…

* Olive

* Yogurt and Mint

* Clam Chowder

In 2020 99.67 million Americans consumed Doritos.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

3rd Place: Smoky Chili Queso

* Alan - 7/10 “I really enjoy the smokiness.”

* Amy - 2/10 “It smells like a hamster cage & the aftertaste is like vomit.”

* Janet - 2/10 “The flavor is not good. Why you would get this?”

* Michael - 2/10 “They missed the mark on the cheese.”

2nd Place: Tangy Fiery Lime

* Alan - 8/10 “I kind of like it.”

* Amy - 5/10 “I like the flavor, but the heartburn is bubbling.”

* Janet - 5/10 “Holy crap. They have a flavor.”

* Michael - 5/10 “Oh, man. Give me a Corona.”

1st Place: Hot Honey Mustard

* Alan - 8/10 “It’s a vibrant flavor.”

* Amy - 6/10 “I like the initial tang.”

* Janet - 8/10 “You definitely taste the honey mustard.”

* Michael - 5/10 “I could get behind that in a small dosage.”

There you have it. Hot Honey Mustard and Tangy Fiery Lime Dorito Dinamita Sticks receive the Quest for the Best seal of approval. 

Thank you all for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried all these Dorito flavors? We would love to hear your rating as well.

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.doritos.com/products

https://www.snackhistory.com/doritos/

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/things-didnt-know-doritos/

Hostess is at it again! Two more flavors to try out today, one a limited edition, one a new product flavor! But do they have what it takes to get the Quest for the Best seal of approval?! Let’s find out together!

Who are our Questers today?

* Alan, NERDS!

* Nate, fancy boy.

* Cody, pace yourself.

* Amy, icy.

A History of Hostess…. again.

For a longer history, check out the original Hostess episode here.

https://open.substack.com/pub/questforthebestpodcast/p/ho-ho-hostess?r=rjail&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

The Hostess brand was founded by the Continental Baking Company, who bought Taggart Bakery, which was the bakery behind the famous Wonder Bread. Along with Wonder Bread, Continental Baking Company wanted to create a line of treats. So in 1919, they launched the Hostess Cupcake. More than 10 years later, Hostess became snack cake legends with the creation of Twinkies. Created by Jimmy Dewer in 1930, the company’s bakery manager, these spongy treats were a great way for the company to make an inexpensive product during the depression. You could get two twinkies for a nickel.

In 1995, Interstate Bakeries Corporation acquired Continental Baking company for $330 million.

Despite a couple bankruptcies since then, the company now seems to be back on its feet. The Hostess Brand’s product portfolio includes CupCakes, Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Ho Hos, Donettes, SnoBalls, Fruit Pies, various breads, and more.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

Chocolate Drizzle Baby Bundt

* Nate: “That artificial flavor at the tail end of it is a little off.” 6/10

* Amy: “It reminds me of the mini muffins.” 5/10

* Alan: “I’m getting Tootsie Roll vibes.” 5/10

* Cody: “There’s a lot in a small package.” 5/10

TOTAL: 21/40

Hot Cocoa & Marshmallow Mini Donettes

* Nate: “This tastes like something made with an Easy-Bake-Oven.” 2/10

* Amy: “Add some salt and this would taste like Playdoh.” 3/10

* Alan: “This is a pretty bad texture.” 3/10

* Cody: “What the hell is this!?” 1/10

TOTAL: 9/40

There you have it. We give the Chocolate Drizzle Baby Bundts the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.hostesscakes.com

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next, along with your thoughts on this episode.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Article/2019/02/22/Happy-birthday-The-100-year-history-of-the-Hostess-CupCake

https://www.foxnews.com/us/timeline-the-history-of-hostess-brands

https://www.mashed.com/83028/untold-truth-hostess-cakes/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joey-chestnut-twinkie-eating-contest_n_4169657

Cereal is a staple in many households. And not just for breakfast. It is a great snack throughout the day, or sometimes even a nice simple meal. Today we have the Swiss Cake Roll and Nutty Buddy cereals. Let’s see if either get the seal of approval.

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Kris, hide your wife, hide your kids.

* Hannah, aka Hot Take Hannah.

* Matt, he’s here!

* Amy, here we go again.

A History of Cereal

Breakfast has had an interesting evolution. In the colonial times, people generally ate porridge or leftovers from the night before. Something that would get them going in the morning and give them energy for the day. But as the nation grew wealthier, breakfasts also grew. Big breakfasts of steak, eggs, bacon, sausages became very common. And having a big meal made sense if you worked on the farm and needed a meal to last you until dinner after a long day of hard labor. But as time passed and the Industrial Revolution happened, less and less people needed a huge meal in the morning, nor did they have time for it. Additionally, a heavy morning meal wasn’t considered ideal for health reasons.

Queue Dr. John Harvey Kellogg. Dr. Kellogg took over the Battle Creek Sanitarium, a world-famous medical spa. He believed in “biologic living”, promoting exercise, massage therapy, and digestive health. And with that goal in mind, Corn Flakes were born. They were so popular among patients at the sanitorium, Kellogg decided to market the flakes as a light, healthy breakfast meal.

The cereal business was cutthroat as soon as it started. One-time patient at the sanitarium, C.W. Post quickly adapted the cereal into his own creation, Grape-Nuts, which was incredibly successful. 

Today Americans buy around 2.7 billion boxes of cereal each year. This amounts to about 14 pounds of cereal that the average person consumes annually.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

Swiss Cake Roll

* Hannah: “The texture is bad.” 6/10

* Amy: “They are funky and bad.” 3/10

* Kris: “The first crunch is really bad.” 5/10

* Matt: “This is just like a cocoa pebble, along those lines.” 5/10

TOTAL: 19/40

Nutty Buddy

* Hannah: “This looks like it isn’t made for human consumption.” 2/10

* Amy: “Throw this in the trash where it belongs.” 1/10

* Kris: “Where is the peanut butter?” 2/10

* Matt: “It smells like a tootsie roll.” 3/10

TOTAL: 8/40

There you have it. NOTHING gets the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Save your money. Save your time. Save your taste buds. Horrible horrible horrible.

Thank you for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried these cereals? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Did someone say Moreos? Because we have more Oreos to try! Hardy har har. Oreo has been coming out with some more limited edition cookies, so why not give them a try!

Today we have the Red Velvet Oreos and the Hot Cocoa Oreos. Let’s see if either get the seal of approval.

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Nate, fists of fury.

* Alan, coffee dipper.

* Cody, limited edition.

* Amy, savage.

A History of Oreos

So the first Oreo cookie was produced in 1912 at the Chelsea Market in Manhattan. As everyone knows, an Oreo is basically a sandwich cookie made from two chocolate cookies sandwiching a disc of vanilla frosting. Oreos are actually sort of a knock off. Hydrox cookies were already on the market. These kosher cookies were introduced in 1908 as two chocolate shortbread cookies with a vanilla fondant center. These cookies had a scalloped edge and a design on the top of the cookie. Oreos and Hydrox are supposed to be very similar and Hydrox cookies are still sold today. 

So the original Oreo was introduced in 1912. It wouldn’t be until 1974 that the Double Stuf was introduced. In 1992 the Oreo Minis came to stores. In 2013 minds were blown by the Oreo Mega Stuf. And if Mega Stuf was not enough, the Most Stuf was introduced in 2019 which has 4x the amount of frosting as the original.

The 2010s is when Oreo started releasing limited edition runs on their flavors, which is why we have the pleasure of trying out these Neapolitan cookies today.

Oreo is the best-selling cookie of the 20th century. Approximately 34 billion Oreo cookies are sold each year, 92 million cookies per day - with 10 billion of those cookies sold in the US annually. An estimated 500 billion Oreo cookies have been sold since the Oreo biscuit was introduced.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

Red Velvet Oreo

* Nate: “Meh. It’s fine for an Oreo.” 4/10

* Amy: “The frosting is so bad. It’s weirdly sweet.” 4/10

* Cody: “The cream cheese… ugh.” 4/10

* Alan: “I like the sweetness.” 7/10

TOTAL: 19/40

Hot Cocoa Oreo

* Nate: “The cocoa cream pairs well with the cookie.” 8/10

* Amy: “I like these. They are lovely.” 8/10

* Cody: “They just taste like Oreos.” 6/10

* Alan: “It’s a good cookie.” 8/10

TOTAL: 30/40

There you have it. We give the limited edition Hot Cocoa Oreos the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.oreo.com/

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried these Oreos? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.rd.com/article/dunking-cookies-in-milk/

Who hasn’t had a frozen pizza?

I dare say everyone has gone to the freezer and pulled out a pizza, a quick meal that doesn’t cost much and fills you up. And there are so many different brands out there, everyone has a chance of finding something they like, or at least tolerate. Well that is what we are going to hopefully find today, a Quest worthy frozen za!

If you have it in your heart, consider becoming a producer of our wonderful Quest for the Best podcast! By becoming a producer, you are helping us with the production costs of our show (this doesn’t happen with nothing!). We really appreciate your support!

Help us sustain our podcast and keep us trying foods like these!

Which Jell-O flavors are we trying today?

* Di Giorno

* Tombstone

* Totinos

* Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Who is on this seasonal quest?

* Alan, Bachelors of Bean.

* Nate, wait for it.

* Matt, man overboard!

* Amy, over sauced.

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

The History of Frozen Pizza

The simple act of turning on the oven, grabbing a frozen pizza out of the freezer, and baking it until the cheese melts, the toppings are hot, and the crust has a nice crunch, is actually something that has not been around very long. Sure, pizza made it’s way to the United States in the early 1900s thanks to Italian immigrants, but there wasn’t even the ability to preserve a pizza until freezers were made and home freezers became a regular thing, which wasn’t until the 40s and 50s.

But with the popularity of pizza taking off after World War II, pizza restaurant owners in the U.S. started offering take-and-bake pizzas, and soon after, frozen pizzas were common in the grocery store. In the 50s, frozen pizza started taking off, with many regional companies raking in the dough. But it wasn’t until the 1960s that a brand rose to national fame. Rose and Jim Totino began mass-producing frozen pizzas in St. Louis Park, Minnesota in 1962 and by the 1970s, Totino’s became the country’s top-selling frozen pizza, with sales reaching $50 million by 1974.

Totino’s was not a the only company reaching great pizza heights, however. In the 1960’s, Mama Celeste came onto the scene. Also, in 1966, the Simek brothers went from selling pizza in their bar, called The Tombstone Tap, to selling their frozen pizzas to other taverns. And by 1984, Tombstone Pizza was one of the top frozen pizza distributors.

Who rolls on the scene next? Schwan’s of course, with the purchase of Kansas-based pizza manufacturer Tony’s. And in 1976, Schwan’s expanded their pizza business further by launching Red Baron, which is now one of the country’s leading pizza brands.

By the 1980s, the market was worth $1 billion

Today the top frozen pizza brands in the U.S. are…

* Di Giorno - $319.28 million in annual sales

* Red Baron - $255.73 million in annual sales

* Totino’s Party Pizza - 104.22 million in annual sales

* Jack’s - 91.48 million in annual sales

* Tombstone - 57.43 million in annual sales

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

4th Place: Di Giorno’s

* Alan -3

* Amy -3

* Nate -4

3rd Place: Tombstone

* Alan -4

* Amy -5

* Nate -6

2nd Place: TMNT

* Alan -6

* Amy -6

* Nate -7

1st Place: Totino’s

* Alan - 8

* Amy -6

* Nate -7

There you have it. Totino’s Pizza receives the Quest for the Best seal of approval. 

Thank you all for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Which is your favorite frozen pizza? We would love to hear your rating!

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

And of course, remember to subscribe to hear the latest episodes. And chip in on the podcast! Whatever value you get out of this entertainment, send it back our way. We thank you for the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/02/the-history-of-frozen-pizza-from-totinos-to-digiorno.html

https://www.statista.com/statistics/915572/leading-frozen-pizza-brands-us-dollar-sales/

I love love love popcorn. Nice warm buttery popcorn. And through the years I have tried other flavors. The loved by many (but not by me) cheesy corn. A nice fresh caramel corn. A bite or two of the candied popcorn is okay. But really, the best is the classic buttery popcorn. But maybe, just maybe, we will have a new favorite today when we try the Smartfood Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce flavored Popcorn.

Thank you to our supporters by the way! We appreciate your help in getting these shows produced. We have a new producer as well! Someone to sit proudly with Loraine, Lisa, and Laurie! A special thanks to Reid! We appreciate the support!

You too can be an active member in the quest family… All you have to do is comment, share, and donate! Thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Cody, a Questing newbie!

* Alan, slow down.

* Nate, full of fun facts.

* Amy, nervous for this one.

A History short of Smartfood

Smartfood was created in 1985 by Andrew Martin and Annie Withey out of Hampton, Connecticut. Their goal was to make popcorn that people actually liked, and to get pre-popped popcorn’s reputation out of the gutter. They also knew through their research that Americans made their own popcorn multiple times a week, and just figured consumers would want an easier way to consume.

When the product went to market, it was almost an overnight success. In 1989, the product was sold to Frito-Lay and the original duo split ways. Annie Withey went on to open Annie’s Homegrown.

Varieties of Smartfood Popcorn include…

* Original White Cheddar

* Flamin’ Hot White Cheddar

* Caramel Cheddar Mix

* Movie Theater Butter

* Sweet and Salty Kettle Corn

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Alan: “It has a weird funk to it.” 2/10

* Amy: “This is the Funyun breath of food.” 1/10

* Cody: “This tastes like garlic sauce that has sat out in the sun for 3 days.” 2/10

* Nate: “This made me wish I was doing something else with my life.” 3/10

TOTAL: 8/40

There you have it. We do not give Smartfood Buffalo Wild Wings Popcorn the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to test your stamina and fate and give it a try? Check out their website to find a retailer near you!

https://www.smartfood.com/

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next, along with your thoughts on this episode.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.snackhistory.com/smartfood-popcorn/

Jell-O. I think that when many people hear that word, some specific memories might pop up in their minds. For me, I think about the Jell-O dessert my dad makes for Thanksgiving. I think about how my grandma’s Jell-O always had that rubbery film on the top that was pretty gross. And of course, the occasional Jell-O shot at the bars with my friends.

Today we are going to try out seven different flavors of Jell-O and see which one really hits the spot.

If you have it in your heart, consider becoming a producer of our wonderful Quest for the Best podcast! By becoming a producer, you are helping us with the production costs of our show (this doesn’t happen with nothing!). We really appreciate your support!

Help us sustain our podcast and keep us trying foods like these!

Which Jell-O flavors are we trying today?

* Strawberry

* Lemon

* Berry Blue

* Orange

* Grape

* Cherry

* Raspberry

Who is on this seasonal quest?

* Alan, teacher’s pet.

* Nate, oversharing today.

* Matt, middle of the road.

* Amy, watch out for Jell-O skin.

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

The History of Jell-O

If you want to know about Jell-O, known as “America’s Most Famous Dessert”, you first should know a bit about gelatin. A Frenchman named Denis Papin is an original when it comes to discovering the substance. In 1682, he was experimenting with removing the glutinous material from animal bones by boiling it. He discovered it had no taste, odor, or color, but was pure protein. But despite this discovery, it wouldn’t be manufactured until the mid 1700s.

But when would it become the flavored, jiggly dessert kids and adults near and far enjoy? Well, in 1845, Peter Cooper secured the patent for a gelatin dessert powder called Portable Gelatin, requiring only the addition of hot water. But he sat on the patent for 50 years, not doing much with it at all. In 1895, Pearle Wait, a cough syrup maker bought the patent from Peter Cooper

Pearle and his wife May experimented with the powdered gelatin, adding different fruit syrups, and came up with a fruit flavored dessert which May named JELL-O. Realizing he had something good, Pearle tried to market his product but lacked the capital and marketing know-how. In 1899 he sold the trademark for $450 to Frank Woodward. Sales were slow for the new product. Woodward decided to launch an advertising campaign using the slogan, “America’s most favorite Dessert.” He plastered the brand all over pictures, posters, billboards, magazines. The campaign put recipes in magazines and were distributed across the United States. Over 15 million Jell-O recipe booklets were printed and distributed. Norman Rockwell provided colored illustrations. The advertising campaign proved so successful that sales in 1902 were $250,000. (this amounts to almost $9,000,000 today) 

Today Jell-O is the largest selling prepared dessert and is known worldwide. 

Some fun facts about Jell-O

* The first flavors of Jell-O were Orange, Lemon, Raspberry, and Strawberry.

* Utah consumes more Jell-O than any other state. It is also their official state food.

* Jell-O is apparently very popular among the Mormons. Sales figures released by Kraft Foods revealed that Salt Lake City Utah to have the highest per-capita JELL-O consumption. In fact, the Mormon Corridor region in Utah has been nicknamed the “Jell-O Belt”.

* For the 2002 Olympics, held in Salt Lake City, a commemorative pin was made featuring a big bowl of green Jell-O.

* In the movie The Wizard of Oz, the horse of a different color was 6 different horses, each of them tinted a different color using Jell-O.

* In the 1960s, Jell-O released savory and vegetable flavors such as celery, mixed vegetable, Italian Salad, and tomato. Many of the Jell-O recipes of the day included ingredients like cabbage, celery, green peppers, or cooked pasta. For example, one recipe recommends adding a can of tuna, tomato, hard boiled eggs, olives, green peppers, onions, Italian dressing, and lettuce to the Mixed Vegetable or Celery Jell-O.

* Some other retired flavors include cola, chocolate, coffee, sparkling white grape and apple.

* Jell-O is nearly 90% sugar.

* The most popular flavor is Strawberry.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

7th/6th Place (tie): Strawberry

* Alan -5

* Amy -4

* Matt -5

* Nate -3

7th/6th Place (tie): Grape

* Alan -5

* Amy -6

* Matt -5

* Nate -2

5th/4th Place (tie!): Berry Blue

* Alan -7

* Amy -6

* Matt -4

* Nate -2

5th/4th Place (tie!): Raspberry

* Alan -6

* Amy -5

* Matt -5

* Nate -3

3rd Place: Lemon

* Alan -7

* Amy -4

* Matt -5

* Nate -5

2nd Place: Orange

* Alan -8

* Amy -5

* Matt -5

* Nate -4

1st Place: Cherry

* Alan -6

* Amy -7

* Matt -6

* Nate -5

There you have it. Cherry Jell-O receives the Quest for the Best seal of approval. 

Thank you all for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Which is your favorite Jell-O flavor? We would love to hear your rating!

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

And of course, remember to subscribe to hear the latest episodes. And chip in on the podcast! Whatever value you get out of this entertainment, send it back our way. We thank you for the support!

Show Notes:

https://whatscookingamerica.net/history/jell-0-history.htm

https://www.jellogallery.org/history.html

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/11-fun-things-you-didnt-know-about-jello/#:~:text=Utah%20eats%20more%20Jell%2DO%20than%20any%20other%20state&text=The%20state%20has%20an%20entire,even%20Utah's%20official%20state%20food.

https://www.mashed.com/1011933/discontinued-jell-o-flavors-youll-never-get-to-try/

M&M’s are a classic any time of year. Whether you just want a quick chocolate snack, or maybe you are baking some cookies or mixing up some trail mix, M&M’s are a go-to for many people.

Today we are trying out the Limited Edition Campfire Smores M&M’s. Will these earn a seal of approval? Let’s find out!

But first…

Without your support, this podcast would not be a thing. Thank you so much for subscribing and following our show. Whether it is on this site, or on your favorite podcast app. Thank you! Also… please share our podcast with your family, friends, enemies, whoever. Just share it on your social media accounts or by word of mouth. Help us get a bit of a following. We love doing this and are hoping it will catch on.

Also, feel free to donate to our show to help us out on our growing grocery bill.

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Hannah, aka Sticky Fingers Hannah.

* Kris, with a K.

* Matt, living on the edge.

* Amy, here we go again!

A History of M&M’s

M&M’s got their start with Mars. Forrest Mars Sr, who managed the Mars candy company, got the idea for M&Ms while working in Europe in the 1930s. He was overseeing production of Mars candy bars as a part of army rations. Forrest discovered soldiers liked to eat sugar coated chocolate so it wouldn’t melt as fast. So upon returning to the states, Forrest Mars worked with Bruce Murrie and created M&Ms (Mars and Murrie)

Some fun facts about M&Ms…

* Initially M&Ms were exclusive to the US Army. 

* The M on the candies was added to distinguish themselves from the copycat competitors. 

* M&Ms were the first candy in space.

* The movie ET was supposed to feature M&Ms but Mars declined and Reese’s Pieces were put in the movie instead, resulting in a 65% sales increase for Hershey.

* There are over 400 million produced each day.

List of past and present flavors

* Almond

* Banana

* Birthday Cake

* Café Mocha

* Candy Apple

* Carrot Cake

* Cherry Cordial

* Cherry

* Chili Nut

* Cinnamon

* Coconut

* Crispy

* Crispy S’mores

* Easter Sundae

* Gingerbread

* Honey Nut

* Hot Chocolate

* Peanut

* Dark Chocolate

* Mint

* Orange

* Peanut Butter

* Pecan Pie

* Pineapple

* Pretzel

* Pumpkin Spice Latte

* Raspberry

* Red Velvet

* Strawberry

* Vanilla Shake

* Toffee Apple

* White Chocolate

The product description for these Campfire Smore M&M’s is….

Each bite is a blazing delight with a milk chocolate center surrounded by a toasted marshmallow and vanilla-flavored white chocolate layer, covered in white, black, and orange colored candy shells. With a delightful twist on the classic campfire treat, each bite will transport you to a cozy campsite under a starry autumn sky. From visiting the pumpkin patch to tailgating at a football game to a Halloween movie marathon, M&M'S Halloween candy is perfect for all fall occasions. Orange, white, and black candy-colored shells of M&M'S Campfire Smores make for a perfect Halloween treat in a candy dish and to top your ghoulish decorated desserts.

* Whether you're visiting a pumpkin patch or going tailgating before the big game, M&M'S Campfire Smores Halloween candy is great to take on the go for any fall occasion

* Elevate your Halloween movie night with friends by mixing your popcorn with the delightful crunch and campfire-inspired flavor of M&M'S Campfire chocolates for the ultimate cozy experience

* Whether you're filling up your Halloween candy dish or jazzing up your ghoulish desserts, these chocolates are the ultimate must-have for capturing the spooky spirit of the Halloween season

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Hannah: “It’s like an artificial maple aftertaste.” 1/10

* Amy: “The marshmallow and chocolate makes it taste hazelnutty.” 2/10

* Kris: “This literally tastes like a Yankee Candle.” 2/10

* Matt: “You tricked me into eating another.” 2/10

TOTAL: 7/40

There you have it. We do not give the Campfire Smore M&M’s the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.mms.com/en-us/mms-candy-flavors/campfire-smores-mms/ct2153-p.html

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Have you tried these? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support! And right now, maybe more importantly… SHARE! We want more people listening! SHARE!

Show Notes:

https://www.businessinsider.com/the-story-of-the-mms-characters-2016-3#after-the-super-bowl-mms-said-its-spokescandies-were-back-9

https://www.mms.com/en-us/mms-candy-flavors/caramel-cold-brew-mms-905oz/ct1237-p.html

The Snickerdoodle is one of those classic cookies that just about everyone loves. A nice fluffy cookie with cinnamon sugar. Warm right out of the oven on a cold winter day, maybe with a mug of hot chocolate. Yum. Or if you are one of those coffee lovers, I am guessing coffee and a cookie might sound good to you as well.

Unfortunately, we are not trying Snickerdoodles today. But we are trying out the Snickerdoodle Pop Tarts! Maybe they will be just as good? Let’s find out!

Thanks for joining us today. As always, let us know in the comments if there is a new food you really want us to try out. Also, be a pal of the show and donate!

Who are our Questers today?

* Kris, podcasting with Hannah.

* Hannah, podcasting with Kris.

* Matt, podcasting with Amy.

* Amy, podcasting with Matt.

A Mini History Pop Tarts

In 1963 Post Cereals adapted a process for enclosing food in foil to keep it fresh without spoiling. And with this process, they made a new toaster-prepared breakfast food. These fruit-filled pastries could be shipped and stored without having to be refrigerated. In 1964, Post unveiled this product, called Country Squares. But unfortunately, Post was slow to release the product to stores and six months later, in September of 1964, Kellogg’s swooped in, stealing the market  with a new product called Fruit Scones.  The first toaster pastries that were produced were all unfrosted. They came in four flavors. Apple Currant Jelly, Strawberry, Blueberry, and Brown Sugar-Cinnamon.  In 1967 the first frosted Pop-Tarts hit the shelves with four flavors as well. (Any guesses on the flavors?) Dutch Apple, Concord Grape, Raspberry, and Brown Sugar Cinnamon.

Today, around 2 billion Pop Tarts are sold each year in the United States. The best selling Pop Tart? Strawberry, followed by Brown Sugar Cinnamon and S’mores.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Kris: “It is the lesser version of the Brown Sugar Cinnamon.” 3/10

* Amy: “It has no punch to it.” 3/10

* Hannah: “They are okay, but cook in a toaster oven.” 4/10

* Matt: “It’s bland for a Snickerdoodle. Needs more cinnamon.” 4/10

TOTAL: 14/40

There you have it. We do NOT give Snickerdoodle Pop Tarts the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you still want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.poptarts.com

Thank you for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried these Pop Tarts? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Thanks again for the support. Until next time, stay sane out there.

Show Notes:

https://medium.com/@tonylow/the-pop-tart-story-6a5269062bb9

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/best-selling-poptarts-flavors_n_5836520

https://www.mashed.com/117295/untold-truth-pop-tarts/

We have had a brief hiatus from the show! And not because of something fun or cool. Our cat, Oy, who has made some appearances on this podcast, had emergency surgery. He was questing for the best piece of plastic and got it stuck in his tummy. So for two weeks we have been in recovery and comfort mode. But thankfully, Oy is doing much better and he is now roaming the house, annoying our other cat, Bumbler.

Today we have a couple sodas to try… Cherry Float Coca Cola and… Mr. Pibb is back! Let’s see if these are any good!

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Kris, never go full retard.

* Nate, never go full Beatles.

* Matt, wait what?

* Amy, Dr. Pepper Girl

Which sodas are we trying?

* Cherry Float Coca Cola

* Mr. Pibb

As our loyal listeners know by now, I spend a lot of time in the grocery store looking for new products. Lots of brands will take an old product and put a new flavor to it. Sometime you just happen to find something brand new. Well today, we have five different varieties of chips that all have a new flavor put to them. And instead of doing 5 episodes, we decided to combine these and see which one is the best new product.

As you know, we are on the value-for-value model of podcasting here. No paid subscriptions (unless you want to). You can donate any amount. Whatever value you get out of this podcast, give it back. Help us keep this amazing content coming.

Which chips are we trying today?

* Funyuns Spicy Queso

* Herr’s Game Day Flavors Cheesy Pizza

* Bugles Hidden Valley Ranch

* Doritos Spicy Pineapple Jalapeno

* Cheetos Mexican Street Corn

Who is on this stomach churning quest?

* Kris, pardon my French.

* Hannah, growing out the stash.

* Matt, always and forever.

* Amy, for the science.

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

The History of Chips (scroll down to skip to the history of Bugles as well!)

The origin of the potato chip is not exactly set in stone. But the most popular chip legend is as follows.

Let’s go to Moon’s Lake House, a popular restaurant in the resort town of Saratoga Springs, New York. Here we will find Cornelius Vanderbilt, a shipping and railroad baron, dining at Moon’s Lake House, where he was sorely disappointed in the fried potatoes he had been served. He sent them back to the kitchen, asking for a thinner slice of potato. The chef, George Crum, was a little offended by the request and decided to show him who was chef. He sliced some potatoes as thin as he could, fried them to a crisp, and served them to Vanderbilt. But to Crum’s surprise, they were loved by the patron and the potato chip was born.

But there are holes in this story. For one, if this was true, Cornelius Vanderbilt was likely not the patron of the restaurant. 

Another issue, Crum’s invention was unrecognized during his lifetime. He was a celebrated chef, being named “the best cook in the country” by a writer for the New York Herald in 1889. Being as accomplished as he was, surely it would have been set in stone if he was the inventor.

Additionally, an obituary for Catherine Adkins Wicks maintained she was the originator of the potato chip. Catherine was Crum’s sister and worked alongside him in the kitchen. One story tells the story with her and the disgruntled customer, not Crum. Another says she was peeling potatoes and dropped a thin slice into a boiling pot of fat and stumbled upon the discovery.

There are multiple other people who have claimed to be the inventor posthumously. But one things is probably certain, Saratoga Springs did a lot to popularize the potato chip, and were even known as Saratoga Chips for many years.

The History of Bugles

Bugles debuted in May of 1964 with regional launches in Seattle, Portland, Omaha, Des Moines, Buffalo, and Syracuse. Its national launch happened in 1966. 

Unlike every other corn chip on the market, Bugles were and are shaped as small cones and are actually described as a corn snack, rather than a corn chip. 

And who was the brain child of this unique, delicious snack? That would be Verne E Weiss. Verne was a food engineer who kept it pretty simple when it came to Bugles, sans the shape. The original flavor primarily consists of corn meal, coconut oil, sugar, salt, baking soda, and BHT

(Side note, I didn’t know what BHT was so I looked it up. According to WebMD, Butylated hydroxytoluene is a lab-made chemical that is added to foods as a preservative. People also use it as medicine. BHT is used to treat genital herpes and AIDS. Studies have also found that high amounts can cause cancer. yummy)

Today Bugles are sold in the United States, Canada, China, Saudi Arabia, and several more countries in Central America and the Caribbean. 

Bugle flavors include

* Original

* Nacho Cheese

* Hidden Valley Ranch

* Caramel

* Cinnamon Toast Crunch

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

5th Place - Cheetos Mexican Street Corn

* Amy - 2

* Hannah - 1

* Kris - 2

* Matt - 3

4th Place - Doritos Spicy Pineapple Jalapeno

* Amy - 2

* Hannah - 4

* Kris - 1

* Matt - 2

3rd Place: Herr’s Game Day Flavors Cheesy Pizza

* Amy - 3

* Hannah - 1

* Kris - 4

* Matt - 5

2nd Place - Bugles Hidden Valley Ranch

* Amy - 4

* Hannah - 3

* Kris - 3

* Matt - 5

1st Place - Funyuns Spicy Queso

* Amy - 3

* Hannah - 4

* Kris - 5

* Matt - 4

There you have it. Spicy Queso Funyuns got the highest score, but nothing we ate today receives the Quest for the Best seal of approval. 

Thank you all for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried any of these? We would love to hear your rating as well.

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

And of course, remember to subscribe to hear the latest episodes. And chip in on the podcast! Whatever value you get out of this entertainment, send it back our way. We thank you for the support!

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.verywellfit.com/bha-and-bht-keep-foods-fresh-but-are-they-safe-2506579

https://www.snackhistory.com/bugles-chips/

https://www.generalmills.com/news/stories/50-years-for-the-bugles-brand#:~:text=Bugles%20debuted%20in%20May%201964,into%20the%20snack%20food%20market.

Churros. Man do I love a good churro. When they are still warm, and you get that wonderful dusting of cinnamon sugar, the crunchy bite but fluffy pastry. You really cannot go wrong. And until now, I do not think I have ever seen a product try to make a churro flavor. But Kit Kat is giving it a shot. Let’s see if they hit the mark.

Thank you to our supporters by the way! We appreciate your help in getting these shows produced. We have a new producer as well! Someone to sit proudly with Loraine, Lisa, and Laurie! A special thanks to Reid! We recorded this episode (and a few others) before your donation, but expect to get a shout out soon! We appreciate the support!

You too can be an active member in the quest family… All you have to do is comment, share, and donate! Thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Hannah, weird flavor expert.

* Kris, well hydrated.

* Matt, aka Off Mic Matt!

* Amy, bring back the cherry Kit Kats!

A History of Kit Kat

The Kit Kat bar got its start across the pond in 1935. These wafer treats were originally known by Londoners as “Rowntree’s Chocolate Crisp.” Two years later, the candy would be renamed to “Kit Kat Chocolate Crisp.” The name Kit Kat came from the Kit Kat Club which was named after Christopher Catling who used to hold a literary and political club in his pie shop in London in the 17th century.

So what exactly are Kit Kat bars? Kit Kats are three layers of wafer covered with an inner and outer layer of chocolate. If you buy the regular size candy bar, each of the pieces you break off are called a finger.  Depending on the size of bar you get, they can have 1, 2, or 4 fingers in them. 

When people think of Kit Kat bars, a little jingle probably goes through their heads. The classic line, “Have a break, have a Kit Kat” was introduced by Donald Gillies. The slogan became such an icon that it is now a registered trademark.

And the Churro Kit Kat is described as…

Warm summer days just got sweeter! KIT KAT® Churro Flavored Candy Bar takes inspiration from a beloved dessert enjoyed in many corners of the world. This limited-edition flavor features buttery churro-flavored creme with sugar around crisp wafers.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Hannah: “This would be a lot better with a cup of coffee.” 4/10

* Amy: “I’m surprised, I like this quite a lot.” 7/10

* Kris: “This tasted pretty good.” 7/10

* Matt: “It tastes like a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch.” 6/10

TOTAL: 24/40

There you have it. We give the Churro Kit Kat the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website to find a retailer near you!

https://www.hersheyland.com/products/kit-kat-churro-candy-bar-1-5-oz.html

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next, along with your thoughts on this episode.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.hersheyland.com/products/kit-kat-churro-candy-bar-1-5-oz.html

http://breakwithkitkat.weebly.com/history-of-kit-kat.html

Our world at Quest for the Best seems to be a rotation between Hostess and Coke as of late. Two brands that really push out new products constantly. But Little Debbie is screaming from the back hoping to be noticed, and I definitely noticed when the Cookies and Creme Brownie popped up on the grocery store shelves. It is hard to do cookies and creme wrong, so let’s see if this new brownie can stand up to the competition.

But first, let’s hear it for our producers! Woohoo! Thank you for your contributions to our show. Now I ask that everyone else become a producer of this podcast. Why? Well, as much fun as it is to make this show, it does cost us a lot of money. And we also do not want to be just like the other podcasts who just ask you for money AND STILL have sponsored ads throughout their episodes. No. We will not subject you to ads about securing your home and seeing a doctor! But that is the way most podcasters make any money off their effort. Not us. We just ask you to donate or share our podcast to help get the word out for us. So, please help us out!

Who are our Questers today?

* Hannah, wants more squid.

* Kris, yum, brownies.

* Matt, Fudge Round kind of guy.

* Amy, here we go!

A History of Little Debbie

The Little Debbie story started during the Great Depression when entrepreneur O.D. McKee began selling 5¢ snack cakes from the back of his 1928 Whippet. In 1934, he and his wife, Ruth, bought a small, failing bakery, using the family car as collateral. 

In 1960, O.D. decided to name the brand after his 4- year old granddaughter Debbie and used her photo for the logo. In August of that year, the first family pack was produced and consisted of the original snack cake, the Oatmeal Creme Pie. They were individually wrapped products and the first carton was only 49 cents. After this initial introduction, more than 14 million cakes were sold within 10 months, and by 1964 there were 14 different varieties being sold.

Today, more than 75 different varieties are available. Little Debbie snacks are available in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

The top-selling Little Debbie varieties are Oatmeal Cream Pies, Swiss Cake Rolls, and Nutty Buddy Wafer Bars. McKee Foods sells more than 200 million cartons of these three products every year.

Today we are trying out the brand new Snicker-Doodle Creme Pies.  These new pies were introduced at the beginning of July of 2022. And we just got them here in Iowa. According to the Little Debbie website, they are described as…

Take a bite out of nostalgia with Little Debbie Snickerdoodle Creme Pies. Two soft vanilla-flavored cookies baked with cinnamon morsels are sandwiched around our famous fluffy creme, making them the perfect choice for mornings, mid-day or anytime a little cinnamon sweetness is just the treat you need. As vanilla-flavored creme melts in your mouth, surprises of cinnamony sugar crystals combine with the soft-baked cookies, creating a delicious snickerdoodle cookie experience that is irresistible. Grab a box to try the newest snack from Little Debbie, and Unwrap a Smile® today!

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Hannah: “It does not have distinct flavor profiles.” 3/10

* Amy: “It tastes just like a Cosmic Brownie.” 3/10

* Kris: “Nothing about this tastes like Cookies and Creme.” 2/10

* Matt: “It gives the illusion of Cookies and Creme.” 4/10

TOTAL: 12/40

There you have it. We do not give the Little Debbie Cookies and Creme Brownie the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website to find a retailer near you!

https://littledebbie.com

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next, along with your thoughts on this episode.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

littledebbie.com

Old El Paso is a pretty well known brand name in the grocery store. You have the taco shells, taco seasoning, sauce, chips, cheese, rice, beans… I mean, can you have taco night without Old El Paso?

And now, you have a whole new product to snack on when you are not in the mood for tacos… The Old El Paso Twists. So let’s get our snack on.

But first…

Without your support, this podcast would not be a thing. Thank you so much for subscribing and following our show. Whether it is on this site, or on your favorite podcast app. Thank you! Also… please share our podcast with your family, friends, enemies, whoever. Just share it on your social media accounts or by word of mouth. Help us get a bit of a following. We love doing this and are hoping it will catch on.

Also, feel free to donate to our show to help us out on our growing grocery bill.

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Nate, Arm Pit smeller.

* Kris, getting down with that.

* Matt, ranch man.

* Amy, joke’s on me.

Old El Paso Fiesta Twists…

No history today, just a quick run down on what each of these twists are, directly from the Old El Paso website. And the descriptions do not vary much…

Queso Flavor:

Crispy and Crunchy with a twist. Bring the whole family together during snack time with Old El Paso Queso Cheese Fiesta Twists. These light and airy corn twists have a satisfying crunch that will be unlike your typical savory snacks. These fun shaped corn twists are packed with some of your favorite southwestern flavors. Old El Paso Fiesta Twists feature the perfect blend of delicious queso cheese and salty corn chips. This fun and friendly snack food adds satisfying flavor to snack bags or the office snack drawer. Old El Paso Fiesta Twists make great, delicious fun for both kids and adults.

Zesty Ranch Flavor:

Crispy and Crunchy with a twist. Bring the whole family together during snack time with Old El Paso Zesty Ranch Fiesta Twists. These light and airy corn twists have a satisfying crunch that will be unlike your typical savory snacks. These fun shaped corn twists are packed with some of your favorite southwestern flavors. Old El Paso Fiesta Twists feature the perfect blend of zesty ranch and salty corn chips. This fun and friendly snack food adds satisfying flavor to snack bags or the office snack drawer. Old El Paso Fiesta Twists make great, delicious fun for both kids and adults.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

Zesty Ranch

* Nate: “This smells like an armpit.” 2/10

* Amy: “The flavor isn’t bad.” 4/10

* Kris: “What is with that texture?” 4/10

* Matt: “The aftertaste is whack.” 3/10

TOTAL: 13/40

Queso

* Nate: “The flavor is a lot better in this one, for sure.” 3/10

* Amy: “I wish the flavor was stronger.” 4/10

* Kris: “There is a heat at the end.” 5/10

* Matt: “This is more pleasant than the others.” 4/10

TOTAL: 16/40

There you have it. We do not give the either of the Old El Paso Fiesta Twists the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give ‘em a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.oldelpaso.com/products/fiest-twists-zesty-ranch

Thank you for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Have you tried these? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support! And right now, maybe more importantly… SHARING IS CARING! We want more people listening! SHARE!

Coca Cola is trying it again. Another new soda flavor. And like I always say, why mess with perfection? Coca Cola does not need to make anything other than Classic Coca Cola and Cherry Coke. But obviously they must make some money on these limited runs, since people like me have to try them out.

We try these sodas and foods out so you don’t have to. And if you like this set up, and like the episodes we put out, please consider becoming a producer of our show by donating!

Who are our Questers today?

* Kris, leveling up.

* Nate, living in the 2000s.

* Matt, bitter, like life.

* Amy, smells someone’s burp.

A History of Coca-Cola

As stated before, we have done a lot of cola episodes, so if you want a history, be sure to listen to our many other episodes.

But here is a brief synopsis of Coca Cola Ultimate.

Experience Coca-Cola® Ultimate, the latest Coca-Cola® Creations sparkling beverage to matchmake with the shelves. Join as Coca-Cola® Creations and League of Legends come together to unlock Coca-Cola® Ultimate’s +XP flavor. The limited-edition flavor, made in co-creation with Riot Games, takes the recognizable Coca-Cola® taste and adds the electrifying taste of +XP. Whether gaming or watching, reach out for an ice-cold Coca-Cola® Ultimate to celebrate your fandom. Try the +XP, before the game is over.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

Coca Cola Ultimate

* Nate: “It’s a soda.” 4/10

* Amy: “I don’t mind this. It reminds me of a Gobstopper.” 6/10

* Kris: “I’m not disappointed. It has a decent blend.” 7/10

* Matt: “It’s okay. I’d give it a 6 if it wasn’t for the marketing.” 5/10

TOTAL: 22/40

There you have it. We do give the Ultimate Limited Edition Coca-Cola the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.coca-cola.com

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next, along with your thoughts on this episode.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

As we round out the end of summer (that’s right. If you are reading this on the day it is released, TOMORROW is the last day of our beautiful summer.) it only seems fitting to try out something that will quench your thirst on a warm summer day. Something that will indulge your sweet tooth. Something that will leave you smiling. Something with a little pop and fizz. Well, at least that is what we hope as we try out some Orange Cream Sodas.

Help us sustain our podcast and keep us trying foods like these!

Which orange cream sodas are we trying today?

* Polar Orange Cream

* Boots Beverages Dromsicle Orange Cream

* Old Centennial Orange Cream

* Blumer’s Orange Cream

* Fitz’s Orange Cream

* Appalachian Orange Cream Soda

Who is on this seasonal quest?

* Kris, expert extortionist.

* Nate, cream soda boy.

* Matt, not a cream soda boy.

* Amy, this is horrible.

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

The History of …

No history lesson today! We have done a ton of soda histories by now. But if you listen to the show, you will get a nice run down of our trip to buy these sodas.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

6th Place: Boots Beverages Dromsicle Orange Cream

* Amy - 2

* Kris - 1

* Matt - 3

* Nate - 1

5th Place: Polar Orange Cream

* Amy - 1

* Kris - 1

* Matt - 3

* Nate - 3

4th Place: Fitz’s Orange Cream

* Amy - 2

* Kris - 2

* Matt - 2

* Nate - 6

3rd/2nd Place (Tie): Blumer’s Orange Cream

* Amy - 3

* Kris - 3

* Matt - 3

* Nate - 4

3rd/2nd Place (Tie): Appalachian Orange Cream Soda

* Amy - 2

* Kris - 1

* Matt - 2

* Nate - 8

1st Place: Old Centennial Orange Cream

* Amy - 4

* Kris - 3

* Matt - 2

* Nate - 5

There you have it. None of these monstrosities receive the Quest for the Best seal of approval. 

Thank you all for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Which is your favorite Orange Creme Soda? We would love to hear your rating!

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

And of course, remember to subscribe to hear the latest episodes. And chip in on the podcast! Whatever value you get out of this entertainment, send it back our way. We thank you for the support!

Just when you think Hostess can’t possibly come up with another limited edition concoction to try out, here it is, slapping you in the face, prying open your wallet and forcing you to lay down your hard earned cash for the simple pleasure of sugary goodness.

But will they deliver?

Today we are trying out the limited edition Maple Glazed Donettes.

Who are our Questers today?

* Alan, shut up.

* Nate, I’ll do it my way!

* Matt, a crumbleman.

* Amy, so scared.

A History of Hostess…. again.

For a longer history, check out the original Hostess episode here.

https://open.substack.com/pub/questforthebestpodcast/p/ho-ho-hostess?r=rjail&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

The Hostess brand was founded by the Continental Baking Company, who bought Taggart Bakery, which was the bakery behind the famous Wonder Bread. Along with Wonder Bread, Continental Baking Company wanted to create a line of treats. So in 1919, they launched the Hostess Cupcake. More than 10 years later, Hostess became snack cake legends with the creation of Twinkies. Created by Jimmy Dewer in 1930, the company’s bakery manager, these spongy treats were a great way for the company to make an inexpensive product during the depression. You could get two twinkies for a nickel.

In 1995, Interstate Bakeries Corporation acquired Continental Baking company for $330 million.

Despite a couple bankruptcies since then, the company now seems to be back on its feet. The Hostess Brand’s product portfolio includes CupCakes, Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Ho Hos, Donettes, SnoBalls, Fruit Pies, various breads, and more.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Nate: “It felt like I was chewing a really thick loogie.” 1/10

* Amy: “Why does it feel like it has already been chewed?” 1/10

* Alan: “It tastes mapley, but more in the aftertaste.” 3/10

* Matt: “Can we talk about how waxy it makes your mouth feel?” 3/10

TOTAL: 8/40

There you have it. We do NOT give the Maple Glazed Donettes the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.hostesscakes.com/products/donettes/maple-glazed/

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next, along with your thoughts on this episode.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Article/2019/02/22/Happy-birthday-The-100-year-history-of-the-Hostess-CupCake

https://www.foxnews.com/us/timeline-the-history-of-hostess-brands

https://www.mashed.com/83028/untold-truth-hostess-cakes/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joey-chestnut-twinkie-eating-contest_n_4169657

I believe this might be our first ever cereal episode! Sort of anyway. When we first started the podcast, the very first episode we ever recorded was with Hannah and Kris and it was Halloween cereals. However, we never released it. (I had a cold so I sound funny, plus I was a little out of it post-knee surgery, so hey. You win some, you lose some.) But today we get to dive into a fresh bowl of cereal and try out the new Strawberry Milkshake Frosted Flakes!

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Nate, Alan’s mortal enemy.

* Alan, Nate’s mortal enemy.

* Matt, is going to be punched in the face.

* Amy, is going to punch matt in the face.

A History of Cereal

Breakfast has had an interesting evolution. In the colonial times, people generally ate porridge or leftovers from the night before. Something that would get them going in the morning and give them energy for the day. But as the nation grew wealthier, breakfasts also grew. Big breakfasts of steak, eggs, bacon, sausages became very common. And having a big meal made sense if you worked on the farm and needed a meal to last you until dinner after a long day of hard labor. But as time passed and the Industrial Revolution happened, less and less people needed a huge meal in the morning, nor did they have time for it. Additionally, a heavy morning meal wasn’t considered ideal for health reasons.

Queue Dr. John Harvey Kellogg. Dr. Kellogg took over the Battle Creek Sanitarium, a world-famous medical spa. He believed in “biologic living”, promoting exercise, massage therapy, and digestive health. And with that goal in mind, Corn Flakes were born. They were so popular among patients at the sanitorium, Kellogg decided to market the flakes as a light, healthy breakfast meal.

The cereal business was cutthroat as soon as it started. One-time patient at the sanitarium, C.W. Post quickly adapted the cereal into his own creation, Grape-Nuts, which was incredibly successful. 

Today Americans buy around 2.7 billion boxes of cereal each year. This amounts to about 14 pounds of cereal that the average person consumes annually.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Nate: “I like having the strawberry milk treat at the end.” 8/10

* Amy: “I didn’t expect to eat all of it but I did.” 6/10

* Alan: “These do not have enough strawberry flavor.” 5/10

* Matt: “It was a decent cereal.” 7/10

TOTAL: 26/40

There you have it. We give Strawberry Milkshake Frosted Flakes the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.frostedflakes.com/en_US/products/frosted-flakes-strawberry-milkshake.html

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Have you tried this cereal? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.history.com/news/cereal-breakfast-origins-kellogg

https://www.creditdonkey.com/breakfast-cereal-statistics.html#:~:text=Americans%20buy%20around%202.7%20billion,the%20average%20person%20consumes%20annually.

When you think of the Midwest, I am sure there are a few foods that stick out as pretty midwestern. Puppy Chow. Pulled Pork. Pork Tenderloins. Iowa Pork Chops. Casey’s Pizza. Iowa Sweet Corn. And of course, Maid Rites. If you live in California, do you even know what a Maid Rite is? I mean, have you truly lived if you haven’t tried a Maid Rite?

And if you think that a Maid Rite is the same thing as a sloppy joe, then you are about to be schooled, my friend.

Remember! We can’t continue this podcast without your support! Help us pay the grocery and studio bills! Donate to the show!

Help us sustain our podcast and keep us trying foods like these!

Which Maid Rite menu items are we trying out today?

* Classic Maid Rite

* Chili Cheese Rite

* The Panther

* French Fries

* Onion Rings

* Cheese Curds

Who is on this yummy yummy quest?

* Nate, come at me, bruh!

* Alan, ready to fight.

* Matt, rawr.

* Amy, damn cheese curds.

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

The History of Maid Rite

The original Maid-Rite sandwich was invented in Muscatine, Iowa in 1926.

A butcher named Fred Angell was working on a new concept for a sandwich, trying to get the just right combination of a special cut and grind of meat, the perfect blend of spices, and the just right consistency to make something different. He steamed the hamburger instead of frying it, added the spices and offered one of his sandwiches to a delivery man who declared, “This sandwich is made right!”

The first Maid-Rite restaurant opened that year. Sandwiches were sold from a walk-up window.

Within two years, Angell began selling franchises, with the first two opening in Newton, Iowa and Marshalltown, Iowa in 1928, making it one of America’s first quick service casual dining franchise restaurants (only being beat out by White castle in 1921 and A&W in 1920). As a franchise, Maid-Rite spread largely through word of mouth. These franchises ran and continue to run with an owner-operator strategy, meaning most of the restaurants you go to are going to be fairly independent. Angells original special seasoning was required to be used, but beyond that, there was not much stipulation in the franchise agreement.  And this is what helped many of the stores survive through the boom of fast food chains like McDonalds and Burger King. Many of the existing locations today are a staple in the community and feels like you get something unique and special.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

6th Place: French Fries

* Alan - 4

* Amy - 4

* Matt- 6

* Nate - 4

5th/4th Place (Tie!): Onion Rings

* Alan - 9

* Amy - 7

* Matt- 7

* Nate - 6

5th/4th Place (Tie!): The Panther

* Alan - 8

* Amy - 5

* Matt - 8

* Nate - 8

3rd Place: Cheese Curds

* Alan - 9

* Amy - 5

* Matt - 8

* Nate - 9

2nd Place: Chili Cheese Maid Rite

* Alan - 9

* Amy - 7

* Matt - 8

* Nate - 8

1st Place: Classic Maid Rite

* Alan - 9

* Amy - 10

* Matt - 7

* Nate - 7

There you have it. The Classic Maid Rite receives the Quest for the Best seal of approval. 

Check out their website to find a location near you!

https://maid-rite.com/locations.php

Thank you all for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Which is your favorite Maid Rite or side? We would love to know your rating!

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

And of course, remember to subscribe to hear the latest episodes. And chip in on the podcast! Whatever value you get out of this entertainment, send it back our way. We thank you for the support!

SHOW NOTES:

https://qctimes.com/the-history-of-maid-rite/article_a5c5f160-e760-11df-b1b9-001cc4c03286.html

https://www.maidrite.com/about-us/our-history

http://maid-rite.com/history.php

https://khak.com/maid-rite-iowa/

https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/93/Maid-Rite-Corporation.html

Another new flavor from Lay’s. You know, it is really really really hard to beat the classic Lay’s. Or some of the tried and true flavors such as sour cream and onion, cheddar and sour cream, and barbeque. But here we are getting our hopes up that the new Cuban Sandwich Lay’s will have our stomachs praying for more. But we will see about that.

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Nate, Loraine!

* Kris, Lisa!

* Matt, Laurie!

* Amy, THANK YOU!

A History of Lay’s

Our history lesson takes us back to 1932 where we meet up with Lay’s founder, Herman W. Lay. Mr. Herman opened a company that made various snack foods in Nashville, Tennessee, and soon after, purchased another business that made potato chips, called Barrett Food Company. Mr. Lay, while working as a traveling salesman, would sell potato chips out of the trunk of his car in the hopes to get more people to try out the chips. Soon he would turn to national advertising, becoming one of the first-ever snack food brands to advertise on TV,  and the chip took off.

Today there are over 200 varieties that have been created and the flavors vary from country to country. Common flavors such as salt and vinegar, barbecue, and cheddar are found in the chip aisle, but you can also find flavors such as cappuccino, vegetable soup, and beer ‘n brats.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Nate: “The aftertaste needs to be rinsed out.” 4/10

* Amy: “I like the pickle part.” 3/10

* Kris: “It smells like a dude’s toot.” 5/10

* Matt: “It’s like pickle and rye.” 4/10

TOTAL: 16/40

There you have it. We do not give the Lay’s Wavy Cuban Sandwich chips the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.lays.com/

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried these? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.lays.com/about-us

https://www.insider.com/lays-fun-facts-potato-chips-2018-11#the-cowardly-lion-from-the-wizard-of-oz-was-the-first-celebrity-spokesperson-for-lays-10

Welcome to Quest for the Best!

Today we have another random selection from the grocery store! I am always on the lookout for some new products. If you see any you want us to try, let us know!

Help us sustain our podcast and keep us trying foods like these!

Which snacks are we trying today?

* Twix Bits

* Chips Ahoy Chewy Cookies & Creme

* Buc-ee’s Beaver Nuggets - Cinnamon Sugar

Who is on this quest?

* Kris - Haaaeeey.

* Nate - Will cry if he wants to.

* Matt - Accurate.

* Amy - Subscribe!

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

Oreo is back and better than ever? Or maybe Oreo is back and should have stayed home. Well, today we find out when we try the LIMITED EDITION S’mOREO Cookie!

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Nate, hungry for more.

* Kris, messed things up.

* Matt, very full.

* Amy, the jig is up.

A History of Oreos

So the first Oreo cookie was produced in 1912 at the Chelsea Market in Manhattan. As everyone knows, an Oreo is basically a sandwich cookie made from two chocolate cookies sandwiching a disc of vanilla frosting. Oreos are actually sort of a knock off. Hydrox cookies were already on the market. These kosher cookies were introduced in 1908 as two chocolate shortbread cookies with a vanilla fondant center. These cookies had a scalloped edge and a design on the top of the cookie. Oreos and Hydrox are supposed to be very similar and Hydrox cookies are still sold today. 

So the original Oreo was introduced in 1912. It wouldn’t be until 1974 that the Double Stuf was introduced. In 1992 the Oreo Minis came to stores. In 2013 minds were blown by the Oreo Mega Stuf. And if Mega Stuf was not enough, the Most Stuf was introduced in 2019 which has 4x the amount of frosting as the original.

The 2010s is when Oreo started releasing limited edition runs on their flavors, which is why we have the pleasure of trying out these Neapolitan cookies today.

Oreo is the best-selling cookie of the 20th century. Approximately 34 billion Oreo cookies are sold each year, 92 million cookies per day - with 10 billion of those cookies sold in the US annually. An estimated 500 billion Oreo cookies have been sold since the Oreo biscuit was introduced.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Nate: “I am happy to say there was no marshmallow flavor.” 3/10

* Amy: “There are moments where it is really good but moments when I wonder if it actually is good.” 5/10

* Kris: “I’d rather have the original.” 2/10

* Matt: “It is not even recognizable of what it is trying to be.” 3/10

TOTAL: 13/40

There you have it. We do NOT give the limited edition S’mOREO Sandwich Cookies the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.oreo.com/

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried these Oreos? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.rd.com/article/dunking-cookies-in-milk/

Feeling a little peckish? Maybe you just need a small afternoon pick-me-up in the form of a snack? Maybe you want that snack to be salty? Maybe cheesy? Well, folks…. Today’s episode is salty, cheesy, and the perfect afternoon snack… Cheez-It!

Before we get started, just a quick note about our podcast. We are a value-for-value podcast. What does that mean? Well, we have zero sponsors, zero ads, zero people breaking into your enjoyment and begging you to buy a thing you don’t want or need. So, in order to sustain this podcast, we ask for donations. Whatever value you get out of this podcast, send it back to us. If you feel like you get $5.00 worth of value, donate $5.00. If you think this is more of a $20.00 podcast, send us $20.00. It is that simple. Help us keep you entertained and informed on the best foods out there.

If you can’t donate at this time, we ask you to share the podcast. Help us get the word out there!

And to those producers of Quest for the Best, we thank you so much! The support means everything to us!

Who are our Questers today?

* Hannah, where are the duos?

* Kris, a southern gentleman.

* Matt, I do declare.

* Amy, still not a cheese fan.

Which Cheez It crackers are we trying today?

* Original

* White Cheddar

* Hot & Spicy

* Italian Four Cheese

* Grooves Zesty Cheddar Ranch

A History of Cheez It

Transport yourself back to 1921. You are browsing the local grocer’s shelves and you stumble upon a brand new product. Cheez It. You read the package. “Baked Rarebit.” which you recognize as a melted cheddar beer cheese normally spread over toast. Yum, you think to yourself. The product ends up in your basket, and for a lot of people, this little cracker becomes a snack time staple. 

The Cheez-It company was formed in 1907 in Dayton, Ohio by Weston Green. The company specialized in many different kinds of crackers such as Edgemont, Dayton, and Flag crackers but none of these would come close to the popularity of the Cheez-It. 

In 1930, after Weston Green passed away, Green & Green Company was purchased  by Loose-Wiles Biscuit Company, which would soon become Sunshine Biscuit Company. The Sunshine Biscuit Company was eventually acquired by Keebler in 1996, and Kellogg’s would acquire Keebler in 2001. Even so, It wasn’t until 2015 until the name Sunshine would be taken off the front of the box.

Since the introduction of the original Cheez-It cracker, there have been over 40 different varieties and flavors. Current varieties include…

* Original

* Extra Toasty

* Extra Cheesy

* Extra Big

* White Cheddar

* Pepper Jack

* Cheddar Jack

* Whole Grain

* Italian Four Cheese

* Cheese Pizza

* Hot & Spicy

* Reduced Fat

* Buffalo Wing

Additionally, over the years, Cheez-It has had new products such as

* Grooves

* Duoz

* Snap’d

* And in 2022 the new Puff’d, which we are trying today.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

5th Place: Grooves Zesty Cheddar Ranch

* Amy - 3

* Hannah - 5

* Kris - 3

* Matt- 4

4th Place: Italian Four Cheese

* Amy - 2

* Hannah - 5

* Kris - 4

* Matt- 5

3rd Place: Hot & Spicy

* Amy - 4

* Hannah - 5

* Kris - 6

* Matt- 4

2nd Place: White Cheddar

* Amy - 2

* Hannah - 7

* Kris - 7

* Matt- 7

1st Place: Original

* Amy - 7

* Hannah - 6

* Kris - 7

* Matt- 6

There you have it. We give the original Cheez It the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.cheezit.com/en_US/home.html

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried these? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/brief-history-cheez-it-180977777/

https://www.snackhistory.com/cheez-it/

https://www.mashed.com/153401/snack-crackers-ranked-from-worst-to-first/

On our recent trip to Ohio, we stopped at a Kroger grocery store to see if there were any products that we don’t normally see in Iowa. Well, we were not disappointed and walked away with a couple bags of new products to try out (coming soon!) Today’s episode is a result of that day. We have the Apple Jacks Pop Tarts and the Banana Bread Pop Tarts!

Now, since that trip, I have seen the Banana ones in stores locally, and have even seen a few reviews/articles about these. So the timing is right. You all can run to the store and buy a box and try it along with us. Or just trust our judgement, it is up to you.

Before we get going however, I have to do my usual THANK YOU to our producers. You keep our hearts and bellies full with food for this podcast, and we cannot thank you enough. Our new subscribers, THANK YOU! This doesn’t grow without you either, and just spreading the word means a lot.

And if you have it in your heart, and wallet, to help out a new but someday going to be mega popular and famous podcast, please donate to the show!

And please… SHARE! SHARE! SHARE! SHARE!

Who are our Questers today?

* Kris, Not Nate.

* Nate, Not Matt.

* Matt, Not Amy.

* Amy, Not Kris.

A Mini History Pop Tarts

In 1963 Post Cereals adapted a process for enclosing food in foil to keep it fresh without spoiling. And with this process, they made a new toaster-prepared breakfast food. These fruit-filled pastries could be shipped and stored without having to be refrigerated. In 1964, Post unveiled this product, called Country Squares. But unfortunately, Post was slow to release the product to stores and six months later, in September of 1964, Kellogg’s swooped in, stealing the market  with a new product called Fruit Scones.  The first toaster pastries that were produced were all unfrosted. They came in four flavors. Apple Currant Jelly, Strawberry, Blueberry, and Brown Sugar-Cinnamon.  In 1967 the first frosted Pop-Tarts hit the shelves with four flavors as well. (Any guesses on the flavors?) Dutch Apple, Concord Grape, Raspberry, and Brown Sugar Cinnamon.

Today, around 2 billion Pop Tarts are sold each year in the United States. The best selling Pop Tart? Strawberry, followed by Brown Sugar Cinnamon and S’mores.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

Apple Jacks Pop Tarts

* Nate: “Whether these taste like Apple Jacks or not, these are great.” 7/10

* Amy: “It tastes very Christmassy.” 5/10

* Kris: “I’m going to eat all of it, but I don’t know if it is because I like it.” 6/10

* Matt: “It’s a nice warm treat but I probably wouldn’t buy it.” 5/10

TOTAL: 23/40

Banana Bread Pop Tarts

* Nate: “It’s a really big bummer.” 5/10

* Amy: “It tastes like artificial banana.” 4/10

* Kris: “I like what the pastry was made out of.” 5/10

* Matt: “It’s not as satisfying.” 4/10

TOTAL: 18/40

There you have it. We do NOT give Banana Bread Pop Tarts the Quest for the Best seal of approval. BUT WE DO give Apple Jacks Pop Tarts the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.poptarts.com

Doo you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Thanks again for the support. Until next time, stay sane out there.

Show Notes:

https://medium.com/@tonylow/the-pop-tart-story-6a5269062bb9

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/best-selling-poptarts-flavors_n_5836520

https://www.mashed.com/117295/untold-truth-pop-tarts/

It has been a minute since we tried out some fast food! And we wanted to continue down the burger chain, but in our area, we are a little more limited on our options than if we lived in a bigger city. I WISH WISH WISH we could just pop over to In-N-Out and just eat all the burgers there. Hopefully they will head east soon. But until then, we gotta stick with what we have, and today that is Wendy’s vs. Arbys!

Before we dive in, I have a few important announcements!

First of all, a HUGE THANK YOU to our two newest producers, Laurie and Lisa! Hurray! These two ladies each have been listening since the beginning and have found value in our podcast and decided to make a donation. We really can only keep this going with support from our listeners. For some of you, that may come in the form of a monetary donation, which we really appreciate. For others, you may decide to share a link to the show on your social media accounts or just share via word of mouth. WE CAN’T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH to all of you. We have a lot of fun making this show, but get a lot of pleasure out of hearing that you all enjoy it too.

So if you haven’t, you can always donate now, or you can share, share, share!

And lastly, our producer Laurie has requested we do a Maid-Rite episode. And I was very pumped to do that episode. So I did my research, picked out which menu items we were trying, and invited the gang over. And then I remembered it was Sunday and Maid-Rite is closed on Sundays. So, Laurie, your episode will be coming, just not yet.

So on to Wendy’s vs. Arbys!

Which menu items will we be trying?

* Arby’s: Classic Roast Beef, Classic Chicken Sandwich, Curly Fries

* Wendy’s: Dave’s Classic, Classic Chicken Sandwich, Fries

Who is joining this fast food battle?

* Nate, crinkle cut kind of guy.

* Kris, saved by curly fries.

* Matt, hungry boy.

* Amy, two for five beef and cheddar!

And of course, thanks to our subscribers who are helping us build this small but excellent podcast! We appreciate the support!

The History of Wendy’s

Today we head back to November 15, 1969 where Dave Thomas opened his very first Wendy’s restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. Why open a fast food burger restaurant? Well, the man was obsessed with burgers. In fact, it is said he would visit any and every hamburger stand he could find. So when a friend mentioned that it was hard to get a good lunch in downtown Columbus, Dave saw it as his chance. He opened the restaurant, using his daughter’s nickname Wendy. He felt that the logo of a smiling, wholesome girl with the name “Wendy’s Old-Fashioned Hamburgers” would be the first place you went for a hamburger the way you used to get them, with fresh beef.

The original menu included hot ‘n juicy hamburgers, rich ‘n meaty chili, French fries, soft drinks and a Frosty Dairy Dessert. And to top it off, this place did not cut corners on quality, or on their hamburger patties, which is how and why it became known for serving square burgers.

In 1970 Wendy’s was another restaurant to claim that they introduced the Drive-Through window, a term Dave Thomas coined the “Pick-Up Window” so he could attract cruisers and joyriders to the restaurants. And by March 1978, the franchise was booming, with 1,000 restaurants and counting.

Some other notable dates include…

* The first Canadian restaurant opened in Ontario in September of 1975.

* In November 1979, Wendy’s introduced the Salad Bar, which was very popular in the 70’s and 80’s, but wouldn’t last forever, phasing out in 2006.

* In 1980, store number 2,000 opened up.

* In 1983 Baked Potatoes were added to the menu

* 1984, “Where’s the Beef?” (copyright) commercial aired, leading to a 31% boost in annual revenue.

* In February 1985, the 3,000th restaurant opened.

* In December 1992, the 4,000th restaurant opened.

* In December of 1995, Wendy’s Acquired Canadian chain Tim Hortons.

* In March of 1997, The 5,000th restaurant opened in Columbus, Ohio as a Wendy’s/Tim Hortons combo.

* In October of 2001, the 6,000th restaurant opened in Tijuana, Mexico. It was a two-story restaurant that could hold 224 customers.

* In August of 2006, Wendy’s added the Vanilla Frosty.

* The following year they would add the Baconator.

* In September of 2008, Wendy’s and Arby’s merged but a short three years later, they decided to go their separate ways in 2011. 

Today there are over 7,000 Wendy’s world wide.

The States with the most Wendy’s are…

* Florida - 536

* Texas - 454

* Ohio - 405

* And in the state of Iowa we have 40.

The History of Arby’s

What is in a name? Well, for the fast food chain, Arby’s, a lot of myth and little truth. Arby’s was founded in 1964, the Raffel brothers opened the first restaurant in Boardman, Ohio, naming it Arby’s. They were originally going to name it “Big Tex” but that name was already in market use, so instead went with Arby’s based on the initials of “R” and “B” of Raffel Brothers.  Now the rumors near and far would tell you that the R and B stood for Roast Beef. But it’s not. So that is what is really in the name.

But let’s back up to the history beyond the name. In the 1950s, the brothers bought their uncle’s restaurant equipment business and created Raffel Brothers, Inc, which would become one of the country’s leading fast food service consulting firms, specializing in restaurant equipment for operators. But while doing this venture, the brothers were also paying close attention to the massive growth of other fast food chains. Seeing all these burger chains succeed, they thought they could do a similar quick service model that was based on roast beef sandwiches.

The brothers, Leroy and Forrest, chose roast beef as the restaurant’s flagship product because it was different from hamburgers and they thought that customers would be more apt to paying premium for it. When they opened, a sandwich cost $0.69 vs. McDonald’s $0.15, but people still paid for them. It was such a hit that by the late 1960s, they had over 300 locations in nearly 40 states. But this growth was not without its challenges.  Utilizing bank loans and equity capital to finance the growth, the brothers knew that they couldn’t keep up, so they sought to go public in 1970, but that quickly fell through and the brothers ended up filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy. They used this time to restore their profitability and by the end of 1975, they grew to over 500 locations nationwide. They then entered an agreement with RC Cola in 1976, selling Arby’s for $18 million. The company would continue to switch hands throughout the years, but today is operated through The Arby’s Restaurant Group.

Now back to that pesky name. Arby’s aired a commercial in the 1980’s that had a jingle that spelled out the name Arby’s using the phrase, “America’s Roast Beef, Yes Sir!”. So, if you are going to dig your own grave, don’t be mad when the public puts you in it, I guess.

Today there are nearly 3,400 locations.

The states with the most Arby’s

* Ohio - 277

* Michigan - 177

* Indiana - 177

* Florida - 167

* Iowa has 59 locations.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

The Classics

Wendy’s Dave’s Classic

* Nate: “I love all the additional topping and condiments.”

* Amy: “I like that the burger isn’t super thin.”

* Kris: “When you bite into a burger with all the toppings, its satisfying.”

* Matt: “It was lacking in flavor.”

Arby’s Classic Roast Beef

* Nate: “I like the sauce but by itself the meat is tasty.”

* Amy: “They give you a lot of roast beef.”

* Kris: “I wish this was the one with lettuce and onion.”

* Matt: “Arby’s for me. It has a lot of flavor.”

WINNER: Wendy’s

Chicken Sandwiches

Wendy’s Classic Chicken Sandwich

* Nate: “I give points to Wendy’s for being well put together.”

* Amy: “Gotta have that pickle. It is perfect with the pickle.”

* Kris: “This is nice and juicy.”

* Matt: “Easier to eat and a good chicken sandwich.”

Arby’s Classic Crispy Sandwich

* Nate: “The white sauce is pretty flavorful.”

* Amy: “The bread is so good.”

* Kris: “Whatever the seasoning is on this chicken is good.”

* Matt: “There is something about the crust on the chicken.”

WINNER: Tie!

Fries

Wendy’s Fries

* Nate: “I like the potato skin, but I wish it had more seasoning.”

* Amy: “It is a good fry that needs salt.”

* Kris: “I’m a huge fan of skin on fries.”

* Matt: “It’s a solid fry.”

Arby’s Curly Fries

* Nate: “I wish they were a little bit thicker.”

* Amy: I really enjoy the seasoning on the Arby’s fry”

* Kris: “Agreed. Good seasoning.”

* Matt: “The Arby fry is just much more interesting.”

WINNER: Arby’s Curly Fries

There you have it. After trying 3 different menu items from Wendy’s and Arby’s we give Arby’s the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Check out their website to find a location near you.

https://www.arbys.com/

Thank you for joining us on this versus episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried these menu items? Which one was your favorite? Which restaurant is your favorite?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

If you were entertained today, consider donating to our podcast! Keep these episodes coming with your own treasure. We would really appreciate the support!

Thanks again for the support. Until next time, stay sane out there.

Show Notes:

https://www.wendys.com/wendys-story

https://www.wendys.com/who-we-are-daves-legacy-founding-wendys

https://www.statista.com/statistics/221967/number-of-wendy-s-restaurants/#:~:text=Number%20of%20Wendy's%20restaurants%20worldwide%202011%2D2022%2C%20by%20mode%20of%20operation&text=Quick%20service%20restaurant%20(QSR)%20chain,7%2C095%20restaurants%20worldwide%20in%202022.

https://www.zippia.com/advice/wendys-statistics/#:~:text=In%20North%20America%2C%20it%20is,Wendy's%20in%20the%20United%20States.

https://thetakeout.com/how-did-arbys-get-its-name-arbys-name-origin-roast-beef-1849779865

https://www.zippia.com/arby-s-careers-15212/history/

https://www.nav.com/blog/inspirational-story-brothers-behind-arbys-26195/

https://www.scrapehero.com/location-reports/Arbys-USA/#:~:text=The%20state%20with%20the%20most,Arbys%20restaurants%20in%20the%20US.

Doritos. Why, Doritos? WHY?! Who said let’s take arguably one of the worst condiments in a chip? This did not need to happen. But it did, and we are punishing ourselves with these chips. Tangy Ketchup and Hot Mustard Doritos. Please pray for us.

But first…

Without your support, this podcast would not be a thing. Thank you so much for subscribing and following our show. Whether it is on this site, or on your favorite podcast app. Thank you! Also… please share our podcast with your family, friends, enemies, whoever. Just share it on your social media accounts or by word of mouth. Help us get a bit of a following. We love doing this and are hoping it will catch on.

And also… We have a couple new producers of our show! Thank you, thank you, thank you to Lisa and Laurie! We appreciate you listening and for donating to our show! YOU GUYS ROCK!

Also, feel free to donate to our show to help us out on our growing grocery bill.

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Nate, living in a wild age of food.

* Kris, tasting texture.

* Matt, what’s happening?

* Amy, shout out to Mikey!

A History of Doritos

To go back to the beginning of the Doritos saga, you are going to have to travel back to 1955, to Disneyland in Anaheim, California. In 1955, Frito-Lay struck a deal with Disney to open a Mexican restaurant in the Frontierland section of the park. This restaurant was known as “Casa de Fritos”. 

You see, Doritos actually came as a solution to old tortillas. Instead of throwing out old stale tortillas, the restaurant would cut them up, add seasoning, and fry them. That way they wouldn’t lose money on inventory, and actually make money on would-be trash. The employees liked the chips so much, they started packaging them as well.

In the early 1960s, Archie West, the vice president of Frito-Lay, visited the restaurant and saw how busy it was. Not only that, they were selling huge amounts of the bags of chips. Archie was taken with the chip. He decided that since they were golden in color, to name for the Spanish word for gold, “oro”. Combined with the “ito” in Frito, and slapping the letter “D” to the beginning, the name Dorito was born.  Soon after, mass production of the chip began.

A soft launch happened in the southwest region of the United States and it was so successful that the factory was overwhelmed by the demand. The popularity was unquestioned. Doritos made their national debut in 1966, when Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola merged.

The first flavor that debuted was taco flavored. In 1972, history was made with the release of the Nacho Cheese Doritos, becoming the most popular variety. In 1986, Cool Ranch Doritos were released.

In 2020 99.67 million Americans consumed Doritos.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

Tangy Ketchup

* Nate: “This is a chip that tastes like ketchup.” 2/10

* Amy: “I didn’t have to spit it out...” 2/10

* Kris: “I don’t like ketchup that much, but this is pissing me off.” 1/10

* Matt: “I’m eating one more for science.” 2/10

TOTAL: 7/40

Hot Mustard

* Nate: “These aren’t good stand alone flavors.” 2/10

* Amy: “That tastes like hot mustard!” 3/10

* Kris: “It’s almost horseradish.” 4/10

* Matt: “It’s more like a spicy brown.” 3/10

TOTAL: 12/40

There you have it. We do not give the Tangy Ketchup or Hot Mustard Doritos the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give ‘em a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.doritos.com/

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Have you tried these? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support! And right now, maybe more importantly… SHARING IS CARING! We want more people listening! SHARE!

Show Notes:

https://www.doritos.com/products

https://www.snackhistory.com/doritos/

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/things-didnt-know-doritos/

First off, I have to apologize. This episode was supposed to be released last week! However, the wonderful 4th of July holiday festivities got me all mixed up on my days of the week and I completely dropped the ball! So to our subscribers and producers, I humbly ask for your forgiveness.

Now that we have been doing this podcast for over a year, I find that going to the grocery store is a whole new experience. Instead of getting what I need, I am going down ever aisle looking for podcast episodes. It is quite fun because I now get to try so many things I never would have purchased. And today is no exception! We are trying Tate’s Bake Shop Cookies! And not that I had anything against these cookies, or any opinion of them at all, I just have a hard time buying cookies when I can do a nice job baking up a batch myself. But today we try these!

Help us sustain our podcast and keep us trying foods like these!

Which Tate’s Bake Shop Cookies are we trying today?

* Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

* White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

* Chocolate Chip Cookies

* Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

* Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

* Lemon Cookies

Who is on this sugar quest?

* Nate, here!

* Matt, there!

* Kris, everywhere!

* Amy, ai yai yai.

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

The History of Cookies

The name that pops up when researching the origins of the chocolate chip cookie…Ruth Graves Wakefield. Ruth was the owner of the Toll House Inn, located in Whitman, Massachusetts. This was a very popular restaurant that served home cooked meals. The most popular dessert served at the Inn was a thin butterscotch nut cookie with ice cream. But Ruth wanted to expand the offering and decided to adjust the recipe by adding chopped bits of a chocolate bar to the cookie dough. She named them Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookies. They were incredibly popular. Not only did the United States devour them, but American soldiers serving in the Pacific would receive care packages containing these cookies. They loved them so much that they would write back home asking for more Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookies. From there the popularity of the cookie exploded, leading to everyone developing their own version, with the simplified name, the chocolate chip cookie.

Now a little bit about Tate’s Bake Shop, which I pulled directly from their website, https://www.tatesbakeshop.com/the-bake-shop-way/

What makes Tate's Bake Shop treats so deeply delicious? It is something we call The Bake Shop Way. The Bake Shop Way is our commitment to uncompromising quality and bake-craft. It is nourishing the soul and delighting the world with exceptional taste experiences. It is what guides everything we do.

It all started when Kathleen King, founder of Tate's Bake Shop, began baking when she was just eleven years old, selling small batches of her crisp, buttery chocolate chip cookies off of a fold-out card table on North Sea Farm, her parents' Long Island farmstead.

In 1980, when she was only 21, Kathleen rented a space her mother spotted and opened her first bake shop. She developed a full line of traditional American baked goods, perfecting every recipe herself and baking each dessert from scratch. Named after her father, Tate's Bake Shop is the result of Kathleen's love of baking and keen eye for quality.

Tate’s Bake Shop in Southampton, NY has been Voted the Best Bakery in the Hamptons year over year, and is a destination for locals and tourists alike. A visit to the bake shop reveals Kathleen's personality is in every inch of the store, from the fresh flowers to the carved wooden tables. With a community of loyal customers and lines that stretch out the door, Tate's Bake Shop is, as the New York Times noted, "worth putting miles on the odometer."

Tate’s Bake Shop continues to raise the bar for itself and the baking community with our award-winning cookies and desserts. Today, Tate’s Bake Shop is a nationally recognized brand, loved for its signature, irresistibly crisp and buttery chocolate chip cookies as well as an ever-expanding line of bake shop delectable desserts including gluten free and vegan offerings. So, enjoy one of our deeply delicious treats and experience “The Bake Shop Way”. 

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

6th Place: Oatmeal Raisin

* Amy - 3

* Kris - 3

* Matt- 5

* Nate - 1

5th Place: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut

* Amy - 4

* Kris - 4

* Matt- 5

* Nate - 1

4th Place: Walnut Chocolate Chip

* Amy - 3

* Kris - 3

* Matt - 4

* Nate - 5

3rd Place: Double Chocolate Chip

* Amy - 4

* Kris - 5

* Matt- 7

* Nate - 4

2nd Place: Chocolate Chip

* Amy - 6

* Kris - 7

* Matt- 7

* Nate - 5

1st Place: Lemon

* Amy - 8

* Kris - 8

* Matt - 7

* Nate - 7

There you have it. Tate’s Bake Shop Lemon Cookies receive the Quest for the Best seal of approval. 

Check out their website to get some to try yourself!

https://www.tatesbakeshop.com

Thank you all for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Which is your favorite cookie? We would love to know your rating!

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

And of course, remember to subscribe to hear the latest episodes. And chip in on the podcast! Whatever value you get out of this entertainment, send it back our way. We thank you for the support!

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.tatesbakeshop.com/the-bake-shop-way/

Freeze dried food. Doesn’t sound too appealing at first. But when you are hiking 2000+ miles, and want something light in your pack, these are probably a pretty good option. Well, on this episode of Quest for the Best, we have avid backpacker, Mike here to tell us all about life on the trail and give us a taste of some of the foods you might be eating if you are on a through hike. So let’s dig right in!

Help us sustain our podcast and keep us trying foods like these!

Which Mountain House meals are we trying today?

* Beef Stew

* Breakfast Skillet

* Chicken Teriyaki

Who is on this freeze dried quest?

* Nate, getting a beer.

* Michael, Subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/@HeadNorthMikeMcKay

* Matt, am I recording?

* Amy, are you recording?!?

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

The History of Mountain House

At Mountain House, we trace our roots to meals we made for the United States Special Forces. During the Vietnam Conflict, the military put out a request for food that tasted better, lasted longer, and weight less than old K and C rations. Our parent Company, Oregon Freeze Dry, responded to that request and won the contract. We immediately started making freeze dried food as Long Range Patrol rations for the military. We’ve continued making food for the United States Special Forces and other branches of the military ever since. As the war began to wind down, we took our surplus rations to military surplus and sporting goods stores, where they rapidly sold out. It was then in 1969 that we realized the great consumer demand for good tasting, easy to prepare freeze dried food and Mountain House was born.  

For over 50 years, consumers have continued to choose Mountain House as their favorite brand of freeze dried food for on-the-go adventures, emergency preparedness and survival. With just-add-water convenience, easy no-mess cleanup and home-cooked flavors, Mountain House is the best freeze dried camping, backpacking, hiking and emergency preparedness food money can buy.

Mountain House is nestled in the heart of the lush Willamette Valley of Oregon, just south of Portland.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

3rd Place: Chicken Teriyaki

* Amy - 4

* Matt - 5

* Michael - 7

* Nate - 5

2nd Place: Breakfast Scramble

* Amy - 5

* Matt - 6

* Michael - 7

* Nate - 7

1st Place: Beef Stew

* Amy - 6

* Matt - 7

* Michael - 8

* Nate - 6

There you have it. Mountain House Beef Stew receives the Quest for the Best seal of approval. 

Check out their website to get some to try yourself!

https://mountainhouse.com

Thank you all for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Which is your favorite freeze dried food? We would love to know your rating!

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

And of course, remember to subscribe to hear the latest episodes. And chip in on the podcast! Whatever value you get out of this entertainment, send it back our way. We thank you for the support!

SHOW NOTES:

https://mountainhouse.com/pages/our-story

One thing I really enjoy about Lay’s potato chips is that they are never shy about trying out new flavors. And while I don’t really end up liking many of them, I still want to give each one a fair shot. And that goes the same for the BLT Sandwich chip that has been put out this summer. Now, I’m not a big fan of bacon, but hey, let’s give these a whirl.

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Nate, bringing it back.

* Kris, feels pretty good.

* Matt, smoky, zesty, crispy.

* Amy, needs to move on.

A History of Lay’s

Our history lesson takes us back to 1932 where we meet up with Lay’s founder, Herman W. Lay. Mr. Herman opened a company that made various snack foods in Nashville, Tennessee, and soon after, purchased another business that made potato chips, called Barrett Food Company. Mr. Lay, while working as a traveling salesman, would sell potato chips out of the trunk of his car in the hopes to get more people to try out the chips. Soon he would turn to national advertising, becoming one of the first-ever snack food brands to advertise on TV,  and the chip took off.

Today there are over 200 varieties that have been created and the flavors vary from country to country. Common flavors such as salt and vinegar, barbecue, and cheddar are found in the chip aisle, but you can also find flavors such as cappuccino, vegetable soup, and beer ‘n brats.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Nate: “This ain’t no GD BLT. This BS can TTYL.” 3/10

* Amy: “They aren’t good and they aren’t horrible.” 3/10

* Kris: “It’s not a terrible chip. It’s the middle of the road.” 5/10

* Matt: “Tomato and mayo is what it tastes like to me.” 5/10

TOTAL: 16/40

There you have it. We do not give the Lay’s BLT Sandwich chips the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.lays.com/

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried these? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.lays.com/about-us

https://www.insider.com/lays-fun-facts-potato-chips-2018-11#the-cowardly-lion-from-the-wizard-of-oz-was-the-first-celebrity-spokesperson-for-lays-10

What is your favorite kind of cookie? Well, you can’t go wrong with the classic chocolate chip. Or a peanut butter cookie. Actually, I pretty much like most cookies. Oatmeal Raisin is amazing. I even really enjoy a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie.

Now, which cookie brand is the best to purchase at the store? You know, you are tired, want a cookie, but don’t feel like baking. What do you purchase from Wal-Mart or Hy-Vee? Well, today we are going to try out Matt’s Bakery Cookies and see if this will be a new go-to store bought cookie.

But first, please consider becoming a supporter and producer of our show! Join the ranks of our other two wonderful producers, Loraine, and our newest producer, Laurie! You will be among good company, I assure you!

Help us sustain our podcast and keep us trying foods like these!

Which Matt’s Bakery Cookies are we trying today?

* Chocolate Chip

* Peanut Butter

* Oatmeal Raisin

Who is on this sugar quest?

* Nate, has the vibes.

* Kris, only has eyes for cookies.

* Matt, cookie spoiled.

* Amy, on the struggle bus today.

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

The History of Cookies

The name that pops up when researching the origins of the chocolate chip cookie…Ruth Graves Wakefield. Ruth was the owner of the Toll House Inn, located in Whitman, Massachusetts. This was a very popular restaurant that served home cooked meals. The most popular dessert served at the Inn was a thin butterscotch nut cookie with ice cream. But Ruth wanted to expand the offering and decided to adjust the recipe by adding chopped bits of a chocolate bar to the cookie dough. She named them Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookies. They were incredibly popular. Not only did the United States devour them, but American soldiers serving in the Pacific would receive care packages containing these cookies. They loved them so much that they would write back home asking for more Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookies. From there the popularity of the cookie exploded, leading to everyone developing their own version, with the simplified name, the chocolate chip cookie.

Now a little bit about Matt’s Bakery, which I pulled directly from their website, mattscookies.com

Since 1979, our mission has always been to make the best tasting cookie around. That’s why we do things a little bit different than the big guys.

First, we believe that real stuff tastes better, which is why we start with all natural ingredients just like you’d find at home. It may be trendy to have a “clean label”, but we’ve been using real ingredients since the very beginning.

Next, we bake the cookies with care in ovens that, for over 40 years, have delivered a perfectly soft texture.

Finally, we package the cookies while warm to lock in the fresh-baked taste. Because of each cookie’s unique size and shape, they must be hand-packed.

It might be a simple recipe - use only real stuff and bake it with care- but the result is anything but simple. It’s ridiculously delicious.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

3rd Place: Chocolate Chip

* Amy - 4

* Kris - 4

* Matt- 5

* Nate - 3

2nd Place: Peanut Butter

* Amy - 5

* Kris - 5

* Matt- 6

* Nate - 5

1st Place: Oatmeal Raisin

* Amy - 7

* Kris - 7

* Matt - 7

* Nate - 7

There you have it. Matt’s Bakery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies receives the Quest for the Best seal of approval. 

Check out their website to get some to try yourself!

www.mattscookies.com

Thank you all for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Which is your favorite cookie? We would love to know your rating!

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

And of course, remember to subscribe to hear the latest episodes. And chip in on the podcast! Whatever value you get out of this entertainment, send it back our way. We thank you for the support!

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.mattscookies.com/

Well, this is the first time we are trying a Twix bar! And no, we are not going with the original, that will have to wait for a bigger Twix episode. Nope, we are going to try the Cookie Dough flavor. I think maybe this is new? I hadn’t seen them in our area anyway! Let’s see what we got.

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Nate, five digits in the red.

* Kris, ready for fisticuffs.

* Matt, Peanut Butter is his jam.

* Amy, more candy!?

A History of Twix

Twix wasn’t always divided into Left and Right. Once upon a time, brothers Earl and Seamus (Shaymus) were united by an extraordinary idea: to combine cookie, caramel, and chocolate into one beautiful bar. But even as they developed their big idea, their differences were evident. Both perfectionists, Seamus and Earl clashed on everything from chocolate-pouring technique to caramel consistency. The final straw came at the grand unveiling of their new Twix bar. Tensions reached a breaking point and the bar snapped. So too did the brothers’ tempers and the occasion quickly descended into fisticuffs. Unable to reach an agreement and with neither willing to give way, the brothers had no choice: they had to divide the company. Earl rode away as far as possible to establish his enterprise, but found himself only yards from Seamus’s chosen plot. Each designed a unique building to house his factory, and each sneered at the mediocrity of the factory opposite. The two took distinctively different approaches to the manufacture of chocolate, finally able to do it their own way. Left Twix became a crunch cookie base upon which caramel was flowed before being bathed in chocolate. Meanwhile, Right Twix was a cascade of caramel on a crisp cookie base, cloaked in chocolate. Seamus and Earl were destined never to reconcile. And although a handful of wrappers from their time as partners still remain to this day, never again would a Left and a Right Twix sit beside one another.

Now the Cookie Dough Twix is described on their website…

We’e combined the tastes and textures of a classic Twix with a creamy, cookie dough-flavored layer. We’ve even sprinkled it with bits of delicious chocolate cookies and coated it all with rich milk chocolate. Give it a try for a luxurious cookie-dough experience.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Nate: “Talk about weird aftertaste.” 3/10

* Amy: “It is like a regular Twix with weird texture.” 4/10

* Kris: “The cookie dough is there for a half a second and then is gone.” 3/10

* Matt: “Not worth the calories.” 4/10

TOTAL: 14/40

There you have it. We do not give the Twix Cookie Dough the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.twix.com/cookiedough

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried these? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.twix.com

Smoky flavoring can be quite good when done well. Can Pringles do smoky? Let’s find out!

Which Pringles are we trying today?

* Smoky Cheddar

* Smoky Mesquite BBQ

* Smoky Bacon

Who is on this Newfangled Pringle Quest?

* Nate, picking down.

* Randi, good Lord.

* Matt, putting up.

* Amy, subscribe!

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

Help us sustain our podcast and keep us trying foods like these!

Oreo is pretty consistent on coming out with new Oreo flavors. However, I cannot say we have had a lot of winners. Lot’s of people stick with the originals. If you are like me, you lean more towards the mint selection. Well, let’s see if Nabisco has a winner on it’s hands with the Blackout Cake Oreo.

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Nate, gimme an O!

* Kris, gimme an R!

* Matt, gimme an E!

* Amy, gimme an O!

A History of Oreos

So the first Oreo cookie was produced in 1912 at the Chelsea Market in Manhattan. As everyone knows, an Oreo is basically a sandwich cookie made from two chocolate cookies sandwiching a disc of vanilla frosting. Oreos are actually sort of a knock off. Hydrox cookies were already on the market. These kosher cookies were introduced in 1908 as two chocolate shortbread cookies with a vanilla fondant center. These cookies had a scalloped edge and a design on the top of the cookie. Oreos and Hydrox are supposed to be very similar and Hydrox cookies are still sold today. 

So the original Oreo was introduced in 1912. It wouldn’t be until 1974 that the Double Stuf was introduced. In 1992 the Oreo Minis came to stores. In 2013 minds were blown by the Oreo Mega Stuf. And if Mega Stuf was not enough, the Most Stuf was introduced in 2019 which has 4x the amount of frosting as the original.

The 2010s is when Oreo started releasing limited edition runs on their flavors, which is why we have the pleasure of trying out these Neapolitan cookies today.

Oreo is the best-selling cookie of the 20th century. Approximately 34 billion Oreo cookies are sold each year, 92 million cookies per day - with 10 billion of those cookies sold in the US annually. An estimated 500 billion Oreo cookies have been sold since the Oreo biscuit was introduced.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Nate: “It would be good with a glass of milk.” 4/10

* Amy: “They’re not bad.” 5/10

* Kris: “It’s underwhelming.” 5/10

* Matt: “It is kind of flat without the regular frosting.” 5/10

TOTAL: 19/40

There you have it. We do not give the limited edition Blackout Cake Oreos the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.oreo.com/

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried these Oreos? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.rd.com/article/dunking-cookies-in-milk/

Sugar Wafers. These are one of those snacks that everyone seems to forget about. But often when brought up, a chorus of “Oh yeah! I like those things!” can be heard from all directions. And it is true. There really is nothing like a sugar wafer. There are better snacks out there, sure, but they are one of a kind.

Today we are trying six different flavors of Voortman Sugar Wafers. So join us as we find which flavor is the best of the best!

Help us sustain our podcast and keep us trying foods like these!

Which Sugar Wafers are we trying today?

* Vanilla

* Key Lime

* Strawberry

* Chocolate

* Lemon

* Tropical Fruit

Who is on this sugar quest?

* Nate, too short for cookies.

* Kris, cultured.

* Matt, wants to know the future.

* Amy, road trip snack supplier.

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

The History of Sugar Wafers

The wafer has been around for centuries, the first cookie recorded to be available on the streets of Paris as early as the 14th century. Though with the first waffle iron discovered in Western Europe in the 9th Century, the Wafer was surely around much longer. In 1890s, Josef Manner manufactured the first hazelnut cream-filled wafer sandwich, layering five of the the crisp, thin, sweet, dry, and flat biscuit with four layers of filling.

Wafers are enjoyed all over the world. They come in different shapes, sizes, and even prepared for different purposes. Christmas Wafers are biscuits that are created with patterns that depict different religious scenes, popular during Christmas for many European families. In Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, and Italy, the Christmas Wafers are served during the Christmas Eve Vigil.  In Mexico, Venezuela, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Colombia, the Oblea (Ah-Blee-uh) wafer is a cookie enjoyed as a dessert served with milk caramel in the middle. And popular in Egypt is the Freska, popular in the summertime, and filled with honey syrup. 

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

6th Place: Tropical Fruit

* Amy - 2

* Kris - 1

* Matt- 3

* Nate - 1

5th Place: Lemon

* Amy - 4

* Kris - 4

* Matt- 5

* Nate - 2

4th Place: Key Lime

* Amy - 5

* Kris - 5

* Matt - 4

* Nate - 4

2nd/3rd Place (Tie!): Chocolate

* Amy - 3

* Kris - 6

* Matt - 5

* Nate - 5

2nd/3rd Place (Tie!): Vanilla

* Amy - 6

* Kris - 5

* Matt - 5

* Nate - 3

1st Place: Strawberry

* Amy - 8

* Kris - 8

* Matt - 7

* Nate - 7

There you have it. Strawberry Wafers receive the Quest for the Best seal of approval. 

Check out their website to get some to try yourself!

https://voortman.com/wafers/

Thank you all for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Which is your favorite wafer cookie? We would love to know your rating!

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

And of course, remember to subscribe to hear the latest episodes. And chip in on the podcast! Whatever value you get out of this entertainment, send it back our way. We thank you for the support!

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.gamberorossointernational.com/news/food-news/the-real-history-of-the-wafers/

https://bakerpedia.com/ingredients/wafers/

https://www.biscuitpeople.com/magazine/post/wafer

Wow, wow, wow. Maybe we should change the name of this podcast from Quest for the Best to Quest for the Hostess. Because folks, we have another Hostess episode for you. They have another new snack cake! The Hostess Kazbars!

Before you continue reading, please consider a donation to our podcast! Whatever value you get out of this entertainment, just donate it back to us. Did you get $5.00 worth of value? Give us $5.00. It is that simple!

Who are our Questers today?

* Kris, pass the ice cream.

* Nate, Monday, Monday, Monday!

* Matt, not having it.

* Amy, completely normal.

A History of Hostess

Nothing new here from our other Hostess episodes. But a good read if you need to brush up on your history.

Listen to the Hostess Quest here.

The Hostess brand was founded by the Continental Baking Company, who bought Taggart Bakery, which was the bakery behind the famous Wonder Bread. Along with Wonder Bread, Continental Baking Company wanted to create a line of treats. So in 1919, they launched the Hostess Cupcake. However, this cupcake was not as we know it today. Originally it was just a chocolate cake with a chocolate frosting on top. No swirled frosting, no vanilla cream filling. The cupcake didn’t get its frosting upgrade until 1950. 

More than 10 years later, Hostess became snack cake legends with the creation of Twinkies. Created by Jimmy Dewer in 1930, the company’s bakery manager, these spongy treats were a great way for the company to make an inexpensive product during the depression. You could get two twinkies for a nickel. Again, this is another Hostess treat that started out quite differently. Sure, they always were the oblong spongy cakes, but they were originally banana flavored. For over a decade Twinkies were filled with banana cream filling. However, they switched to a vanilla center during World War 2, as bananas were rationed during the war.

It wasn’t until after World War 2 that Hostess introduced its next famous treat. The Sno Ball snack cakes found their way to the store shelves in 1947. These snack cakes are chocolate cakes with a vanilla filling, covered in marshmallow and coconut flakes.

Now apparently, if you peel back the marshmallow, these are simply a Hostess Cupcake that is upside down.

In 1967 Ding Dongs and HoHos were introduced.

In 1995, Interstate Bakeries Corporation acquired Continental Baking company for $330 million.

Despite a couple bankruptcies since then, the company now seems to be back on its feet. The Hostess Brand’s product portfolio includes CupCakes, Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Ho Hos, Donettes, SnoBalls, Fruit Pies, various breads, and more.

Which snack cake do you think is the best selling?

Well if you guessed the Cupcake, you would be right. 600 million cupcakes are consumed annually by Americans. That is enough to circle the earth once. Though if you guessed the Twinkie, I won’t fault you. The Twinkie has had its fair share of publicity over the years. 

In 1979, Dan White was on trial for the murder of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in the United States. White argued that he couldn’t have planned to murder his boss, because of his sugar high from eating too many Twinkies. And this defense strategy worked. White was convicted of manslaughter instead of murder.

Speaking of eating too many Twinkies, in 2013, competitive eater Joey Chestnut won the World Twinkie-Eating Championship, devouring 121 Twinkies in 6 minutes.

In 1999, President Bill Clinton chose the Twinkie as an “object of enduring American symbolism” for the National Millennium Time Capsule.

And of course, the 2009 blockbuster Zombieland followed a man’s quest to find the last twinkies after the earth was plagued with the living dead.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

Chocolate Caramel Kazbars

* Nate: “This is pretty super solid.” 6/10

* Amy: “This is alright, nothing makes it stand out.” 5/10

* Kris: “That crunch is nice when you get a bite of it.” 6/10

* Matt: “Not enough crunch.” 5/10

TOTAL: 22/40

Triple Chocolate Kazbars

* Nate: “It was a lot better than I thought it was.” 8/10

* Amy: “Tastes like a crunchy Ding Dong.” 7/10

* Kris: “I wanted more fudge in the middle, but good crunch.” 7/10

* Matt: “Too much outer chocolate.” 5/10

TOTAL: 27/40

There you have it. We give both flavors of Kazbars the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give them a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.hostesscakes.com/

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next, along with your thoughts on this episode.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Article/2019/02/22/Happy-birthday-The-100-year-history-of-the-Hostess-CupCake

https://www.foxnews.com/us/timeline-the-history-of-hostess-brands

https://www.mashed.com/83028/untold-truth-hostess-cakes/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joey-chestnut-twinkie-eating-contest_n_4169657

Well, Coke keeps throwing out these weird sodas to drink. And we keep buying them to let you know if they are worth dropping your hard earned cash for. Today we are trying the Move zero sugar and the regular Move Coca Cola. Now, we haven’t been impressed by the Coke lineup when it comes to these limited edition flavors. I mean, why mess with a classic? Let’s see if this one is any better.

And of course, let us know what you think.

Who are our Questers today?

* Kris, pantsless.

* Hannah, aka: Pack-a-day Hannah.

* Matt, afraid of getting yelled at.

* Amy, ol’ yeller.

A History of Coca-Cola

On May 8th, 1886, pharmacist Dr. John  Pemberton was visiting a pharmacy in Atlanta to promote his medicinal wonder, French Wine of Coca. This cure-all medicine was a mix of Bordeaux red wine, caffeine, and coca leaf extract. Since it was a medicine and more of a niche market, Pemberton decided to try to sell it as a soda. So he took his bitter tasting medicine and threw in a bunch of sugar. And to make it marketable to children and adults, he removed the alcohol. But not the cocaine, since after all, it was legal. 

Asa Candler acquired the company in 1891 after Pemberton’s death. By the end of the 1890s, they were selling a quarter of a million gallons of syrup a year. Coca Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company, employing over 700,000 worldwide.

Today we are trying out the new Coca-Cola Move. According to the website…

The newest Coca-Cola Creation, co-created with one of the most daring artists in music today, is a celebration of transformation. A homage to all the versions of ourselves that coexist within us, and that forms our very own personality. Coca-Cola Move is a tribute to the different faces of transformation, mixing a great, but familiar Coca-Cola taste with both bold and delicate flavors. 

So the artist is Rosalia, who I didn’t know, so I looked her up, and the google machine said…

Born in Barcelona on September 25, 1992, Rosalia Vila Tobella is a Spanish singer and songwriter who rose to fame for redefining the sounds of flamenco, a traditional Spanish art style based in folk music, often fusing it with hip-hop influences.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

Coca Cola Move zero sugar

* Hannah: “The aftertaste is bubble gum.” 1/10

* Amy: “This is terrible.” 2/10

* Kris: “Did they try to make a Pina Colada in a Coke?.” 1/10

* Matt: “I don’t hate it but I’m not interested in it.” 3/10

TOTAL: 7/40

Coca Cola Move

* Hannah: “This was a little bit better.” 2/10

* Amy: “It’s got that musty coconut taste.” 3/10

* Kris: “If you’re a fan of Pina Coladas, you might like this.” 4/10

* Matt: “If someone offered this to me, I’d say no.” 4/10

TOTAL: 13/40

There you have it. We do NOT give the Move Limited Edition Coca-Cola the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.coca-cola.com

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next, along with your thoughts on this episode.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.newsweek.com/most-popular-sodas-america-1628796

Baby Bundt Cakes. The wonderful Coffee Cakes. The Ding Dongs. The Tropical Blast Twinkies… Hostess has shown that they know how to make a snack cake. Let’s see if they can live up to their hype with the Strawberry Twinkies.

And before you continue reading, please consider a donation to our podcast! Whatever value you get out of this entertainment, just donate it back to us. Did you get $5.00 worth of value? Give us $5.00. It is that simple!

Who are our Questers today?

* Kris, Strawberry Shortcake fan.

* Hannah, feeling greasy.

* Matt, strangely fishy in the middle.

* Amy, smelling for Nate.

A History of Hostess

Nothing new here from our other Hostess episodes. But a good read if you need to brush up on your history.

Listen to the Hostess Quest here.

The Hostess brand was founded by the Continental Baking Company, who bought Taggart Bakery, which was the bakery behind the famous Wonder Bread. Along with Wonder Bread, Continental Baking Company wanted to create a line of treats. So in 1919, they launched the Hostess Cupcake. However, this cupcake was not as we know it today. Originally it was just a chocolate cake with a chocolate frosting on top. No swirled frosting, no vanilla cream filling. The cupcake didn’t get its frosting upgrade until 1950. 

More than 10 years later, Hostess became snack cake legends with the creation of Twinkies. Created by Jimmy Dewer in 1930, the company’s bakery manager, these spongy treats were a great way for the company to make an inexpensive product during the depression. You could get two twinkies for a nickel. Again, this is another Hostess treat that started out quite differently. Sure, they always were the oblong spongy cakes, but they were originally banana flavored. For over a decade Twinkies were filled with banana cream filling. However, they switched to a vanilla center during World War 2, as bananas were rationed during the war.

It wasn’t until after World War 2 that Hostess introduced its next famous treat. The Sno Ball snack cakes found their way to the store shelves in 1947. These snack cakes are chocolate cakes with a vanilla filling, covered in marshmallow and coconut flakes.

Now apparently, if you peel back the marshmallow, these are simply a Hostess Cupcake that is upside down.

In 1967 Ding Dongs and HoHos were introduced.

In 1995, Interstate Bakeries Corporation acquired Continental Baking company for $330 million.

Despite a couple bankruptcies since then, the company now seems to be back on its feet. The Hostess Brand’s product portfolio includes CupCakes, Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Ho Hos, Donettes, SnoBalls, Fruit Pies, various breads, and more.

Which snack cake do you think is the best selling?

Well if you guessed the Cupcake, you would be right. 600 million cupcakes are consumed annually by Americans. That is enough to circle the earth once. Though if you guessed the Twinkie, I won’t fault you. The Twinkie has had its fair share of publicity over the years. 

In 1979, Dan White was on trial for the murder of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in the United States. White argued that he couldn’t have planned to murder his boss, because of his sugar high from eating too many Twinkies. And this defense strategy worked. White was convicted of manslaughter instead of murder.

Speaking of eating too many Twinkies, in 2013, competitive eater Joey Chestnut won the World Twinkie-Eating Championship, devouring 121 Twinkies in 6 minutes.

In 1999, President Bill Clinton chose the Twinkie as an “object of enduring American symbolism” for the National Millennium Time Capsule.

And of course, the 2009 blockbuster Zombieland followed a man’s quest to find the last twinkies after the earth was plagued with the living dead.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Hannah: “It tastes chemically.” 4/10

* Amy: “This tastes like a normal Twinkie.” 4/10

* Kris: “Where’s the strawberry?” 3/10

* Matt: “It takes a weird turn.” 3/10

TOTAL: 14/40

There you have it. We do not give the Strawberry Twinkies the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give them a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.hostesscakes.com/

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next, along with your thoughts on this episode.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Show Notes:

https://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Article/2019/02/22/Happy-birthday-The-100-year-history-of-the-Hostess-CupCake

https://www.foxnews.com/us/timeline-the-history-of-hostess-brands

https://www.mashed.com/83028/untold-truth-hostess-cakes/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joey-chestnut-twinkie-eating-contest_n_4169657

Doritos has a pretty strong and big fan base out there. With such classic and good flavors, who can blame them? So when I saw the new Sweet & Tangy BBQ Doritos, I knew we had to give them a whirl.

But first…

Without your support, this podcast would not be a thing. Thank you so much for subscribing and following our show. Whether it is on this site, or on your favorite podcast app. Thank you! Also… please share our podcast with your family, friends, enemies, whoever. Just share it on your social media accounts or by word of mouth. Help us get a bit of a following. We love doing this and are hoping it will catch on.

Also, feel free to donate to our show to help us out on our growing grocery bill.

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Hannah, Junk food? What’s that?

* Kris, can I get a redo?

* Matt, pleasantly surprised.

* Amy, BBQ fan.

A History of Doritos

To go back to the beginning of the Doritos saga, you are going to have to travel back to 1955, to Disneyland in Anaheim, California. In 1955, Frito-Lay struck a deal with Disney to open a Mexican restaurant in the Frontierland section of the park. This restaurant was known as “Casa de Fritos”. 

You see, Doritos actually came as a solution to old tortillas. Instead of throwing out old stale tortillas, the restaurant would cut them up, add seasoning, and fry them. That way they wouldn’t lose money on inventory, and actually make money on would-be trash. The employees liked the chips so much, they started packaging them as well.

In the early 1960s, Archie West, the vice president of Frito-Lay, visited the restaurant and saw how busy it was. Not only that, they were selling huge amounts of the bags of chips. Archie was taken with the chip. He decided that since they were golden in color, to name for the Spanish word for gold, “oro”. Combined with the “ito” in Frito, and slapping the letter “D” to the beginning, the name Dorito was born.  Soon after, mass production of the chip began.

A soft launch happened in the southwest region of the United States and it was so successful that the factory was overwhelmed by the demand. The popularity was unquestioned. Doritos made their national debut in 1966, when Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola merged.

The first flavor that debuted was taco flavored. In 1972, history was made with the release of the Nacho Cheese Doritos, becoming the most popular variety. In 1986, Cool Ranch Doritos were released.

Since the release, there have been over 100 different flavors. Flavors you can get today include…

* Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch

* 3D Crunch Spicy Ranch

* 3D Crunch Chili Cheese Nacho

* Flamin’ Hot Nacho

* Flamin’ Hot Limon

* Nacho Cheese

* Cool Ranch

* Spicy Sweet Chili

* Dinamita Chile Limon

* Spicy Nacho

* Flamas

* Salsa Verde

* White Cheddar

* Tapatio

There have also been flavors like

* Cheeseburger

* Ranch-Dipped Chicken Wings

* Mountain Dew

And overseas…

* Olive

* Yogurt and Mint

* Clam Chowder

In 2020 99.67 million Americans consumed Doritos.

The product description for these Sweet & Tangy BBQ Doritos are…

Introducing NEW DORITOS Tangy Sweet BBQ, a bold flavor experience that amplifies traditional BBQ sauce with sweetness, complex spices and tanginess for a bold twist on a classic. You’ve tried BBQ chips but none like this.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Hannah: “It’s like bursts of flavor pain.” 3/10

* Amy: “I’m digging these.” 7/10

* Kris: “It is really tangy.” 6/10

* Matt: “Once you get the BBQ flavor rolling, it’s really good.” 6/10

TOTAL: 22/40

There you have it. We give the Sweet & Tangy BBQ Doritos the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.doritos.com/

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Have you tried these? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support! And right now, maybe more importantly… SHARE! We want more people listening! SHARE!

Show Notes:

https://www.doritos.com/products

https://www.snackhistory.com/doritos/

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/things-didnt-know-doritos/

M&M’s. I am actually surprise we haven’t quested for M&M’s yet. Maybe they should go on the short list since there are so many varieties. But today we are not trying out the classics… plain, peanut, peanut butter. No. Today we are taking a huge gamble with the Caramel Cold Brew. Let’s see what happens.

But first…

Without your support, this podcast would not be a thing. Thank you so much for subscribing and following our show. Whether it is on this site, or on your favorite podcast app. Thank you! Also… please share our podcast with your family, friends, enemies, whoever. Just share it on your social media accounts or by word of mouth. Help us get a bit of a following. We love doing this and are hoping it will catch on.

Also, feel free to donate to our show to help us out on our growing grocery bill.

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Hannah, coffee fiend

* Kris, aka Chocolate Jelly

* Matt, due for his insulin shot

* Amy, oh lordy, another coffee episode…

A History of M&M’s

M&M’s got their start with Mars. Forrest Mars Sr, who managed the Mars candy company, got the idea for M&Ms while working in Europe in the 1930s. He was overseeing production of Mars candy bars as a part of army rations. Forrest discovered soldiers liked to eat sugar coated chocolate so it wouldn’t melt as fast. So upon returning to the states, Forrest Mars worked with Bruce Murrie and created M&Ms (Mars and Murrie)

Some fun facts about M&Ms…

* Initially M&Ms were exclusive to the US Army. 

* The M on the candies was added to distinguish themselves from the copycat competitors. 

* M&Ms were the first candy in space.

* The movie ET was supposed to feature M&Ms but Mars declined and Reese’s Pieces were put in the movie instead, resulting in a 65% sales increase for Hershey.

* There are over 400 million produced each day.

List of past and present flavors

* Almond

* Banana

* Birthday Cake

* Café Mocha

* Candy Apple

* Carrot Cake

* Cherry Cordial

* Cherry

* Chili Nut

* Cinnamon

* Coconut

* Crispy

* Crispy S’mores

* Easter Sundae

* Gingerbread

* Honey Nut

* Hot Chocolate

* Peanut

* Dark Chocolate

* Mint

* Orange

* Peanut Butter

* Pecan Pie

* Pineapple

* Pretzel

* Pumpkin Spice Latte

* Raspberry

* Red Velvet

* Strawberry

* Vanilla Shake

* Toffee Apple

* White Chocolate

The product description for these Caramel Cold Brew M&Ms are…

Your favorite coffee shop just got some competition. Be your own barista and enjoy M&M”S Caramel Cold Brew Milk Chocolate Candy. Move over coffee beans! Experience bite size candy made from coffee flavored caramel surrounded by rich milk chocolate in colorful crunchy candy shells.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Hannah: “I can’t believe they think this could replace my morning coffee!” 3/10

* Amy: “That’s absolutely horrible.” 1/10

* Kris: “The proportion of caramel to the rest of it… there’s a lot of caramel here.” 4/10

* Matt: “It’s a bit too sweet for me.” 4/10

TOTAL: 12/40

There you have it. We do not give the Caramel Cold Brew M&M’s the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.mms.com/en-us/mms-candy-flavors/caramel-cold-brew-mms-905oz/ct1237-p.html

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Have you tried these? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support! And right now, maybe more importantly… SHARE! We want more people listening! SHARE!

Show Notes:

https://www.businessinsider.com/the-story-of-the-mms-characters-2016-3#after-the-super-bowl-mms-said-its-spokescandies-were-back-9

https://www.mms.com/en-us/mms-candy-flavors/caramel-cold-brew-mms-905oz/ct1237-p.html

Well, I almost made it through another Easter without eating any Peeps. But for this episode, I broke my life long streak of never eating any Peeps at all. Oh, the things I do for this podcast…

Now, Peeps seem to be a very divisive candy. So let us know in the comments if you love them or hate them. And while you are at it, we would really appreciate a show donation. Better yet, it would be amazing just to have some people share the podcast so we can gain some followers and traction.

Help us sustain our podcast and keep us trying foods like these!

Which Peeps are we trying today?

* Original

* Sour Watermellon

* Party Cake

* Dr. Pepper

* Fruit Punch

Who is on this sugar quest?

* Hannah, a spitter

* Kris, a chubby bunny

* Matt, a fluffy boy

* Amy, Peeps newbie

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

The History of Peeps

Some people are born to invent amazing things. And for Russian Jewish immigrant Sam Born, he certainly created some classics. For example, Sam invented the technology to produce chocolate sprinkles. He invented the hard chocolate coating used for Eskimo Pies. He even invented the machine that inserted sticks into lollipops. 

Sam Born started his own business, Just Born chocolates, in 1917 and was very successful, opening his own manufacturing company in 1923. The company grew significantly through the acquisition of other candy companies, such as the Maillard Corporation in 1935, which was known for their hand-decorated chocolates, crystallized fruits, Venetian mints, jellies, and “the best bridge mix in the country.”

But not all their amazing products were the result of acquisition. Mike and Ikes were introduced in 1940 and Hot Tamales in 1950.

In 1953 however, Just Born acquired the Rodda Candy Company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This company was known for their Jelly Beans, but Born was intrigued by the marshmallow chicks. These chicks were made by hand-squeezing marshmallow through pastry tubes. Sam Born’s son, Bob, helped to mechanize the marshmallow forming process a year after buying the company, reducing the time to produce and package from 27 hours to only 6 minutes.

Today about 2 billion Peeps are produced each year, which is about 509 every 8 seconds or 5.5 million every day.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

5th Place: Fruit Punch

* Amy - 3

* Hannah - 2

* Kris - 2

* Matt- 2

4th Place: Party Cake

* Amy - 2

* Hannah - 5

* Kris - 3

* Matt - 3

3rd Place: Dr. Pepper

* Amy - 5

* Hannah - 2

* Kris - 4

* Matt - 3

1st/2nd Place (tie!): Original

* Amy - 4

* Hannah - 4

* Kris - 5

* Matt - 3

1st/2nd Place (tie!): Sour Watermelon

* Amy - 6

* Hannah - 2

* Kris - 5

* Matt - 4

Peeps Pepsi

* Hannah: “Is this a real flavor, and why?!.” 2/10

* Amy: “It has that Pepsi flavor which is bad enough, then it turns.” 2/10

* Kris: “There’s probably a market for it… for people who are dumb.” 2/10

* Matt: “That after taste at the end is like, whoa.” 2/10

TOTAL: 8/40

There you have it. None of these receive the Quest for the Best seal of approval. 

Feeling brave? Check out the Peeps and the Pepsi website for more products.

https://www.peepsbrand.com/

https://www.pepsi.com/

Thank you all for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you bravely stepped into the world of Peeps? Have you tried this unfortunate Pepsi concoction? We would love to know your rating!

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

And of course, remember to subscribe to hear the latest episodes. And chip in on the podcast! Whatever value you get out of this entertainment, send it back our way. We thank you for the support!

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.justborn.com/who-we-are/our-history/

https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/news/2017/04/13-things-you-never-knew-about-peeps

There are a lot of people who collect things throughout their lives. Maybe you have a coin or stamp collection. I met a very interesting fella that had a teddy bear collection so immense that he created his own museum dedicated to the lovable stuffed animal. Or maybe you have a collection like the one our special guest today has… rocks. Well, Audra has a nice rock collection started, so Matt and I thought we would try to trick her into thinking we were eating rocks.

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Audra, rock collector.

* Matt, guitar collector.

* Amy, yarn collector.

No history lesson this time. But here are some links to episodes featuring the very cool Audra, just in case you missed them before!

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Audra: “Mmmmmmmmmm!” 9/10

* Amy: “They were alright.” 5/10

* Matt: “It kinda tastes like a Sixlet” 5/10

TOTAL: 19/30

There you have it. We give the Chocorocks the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out the giant candy store in Minnesota, or go to Amazon.

https://minnesotaslargestcandystore.business.site/

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried these rocks? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Here comes Easter! And some of you may be running out to Target, Walmart, HyVee, wherever to get candy to fill Easter baskets and Easter eggs. Maybe you go for the typical chocolate bunnies, or maybe you are more of a Peeps person. Whopper’s Bird Eggs are always a classic choice as well. But if you really want to do an Easter basket right, you probably are going for some Jelly Beans. Well, let’s find out which one is the flavor and brand you should go with.

Help us sustain our podcast and keep us trying foods like these!

Which Jelly Beans are we trying today?

* Brach’s Classic Jelly Bird Eggs

* Starburst Original Jelly Beans

* Skittles Jellybeans

* Sour Patch Kids Easter Jelly Beans

* Jolly Rancher Easter Jelly Beans

Who is on this sugar quest?

* Nate, super noddy.

* Kris, might s**t himself.

* Matt, enjoyer of grass.

* Amy, we are off the rails today!

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

The History of Jelly Beans

The earliest known appearance of the jelly bean was way back in 1861, in an advertisement for William Schrafft of Boston, that promoted sending jelly beans to soldiers in the Union Army during the Civil War. It is believed that William Schrafft had the idea to mould jelly into small round shapes, or beans. By the early 1900s, jelly beans were a common penny candy.

In the 1930s jelly beans became somewhat synonymous with Easter. And there really isn’t a known reason why, other than maybe their egg-like appearance. They remain one of the most common Easter candies today.

But it was actually the mid-60s when jelly beans really started to gain popularity. California Governor, Ronald Reagan, expressed his love for the candy. Reagan actually used the candy to wean himself of his nicotine habit and it is said that he had a dishes of jelly beans throughout the White House during his presidency. Jelly Belly even created a special blueberry flavor in honor of President Reagan.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

5th/4th/3rd Place (3 way tie): Brach’s Classic Jelly Bird Eggs

* Amy - 4

* Kris - 2

* Matt- 4

* Nate - 4

5th/4th/3rd Place (3 way tie): Starburst Original Jelly Beans

* Amy - 3

* Kris - 4

* Matt - 4

* Nate - 3

5th/4th/3rd Place (3 way tie): Jolly Rancher Easter Jelly Beans

* Amy - 2

* Kris - 4

* Matt - 4

* Nate - 4

2nd Place: Skittles Jellybeans

* Amy - 3

* Kris - 5

* Matt - 4

* Nate - 5

1st Place: Sour Patch Kids Easter Jelly Beans

* Amy - 8

* Kris - 6

* Matt - 5

* Nate - 6

There you have it. Sour Patch Kids Easter Jelly Beans receives the Quest for the Best seal of approval. 

Check out their website to get some to try yourself!

https://sourpatchkids.com/

Thank you all for joining us on this episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Which is your favorite Jelly Bean? We would love to know your rating!

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

And of course, remember to subscribe to hear the latest episodes. And chip in on the podcast! Whatever value you get out of this entertainment, send it back our way. We thank you for the support!

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/the-history-of-jelly-beans-1328767

https://news.jellybelly.com/origin-of-the-jelly-bean-or-why-are-they-called-beans/

https://thejellybeanfactory.com/the-history-of-jelly-beans-and-other-sweets/#:~:text=The%20jelly%20bean%20is%20believed,home%20fighting%20in%20a%20war.

Welcome to Quest for the Best!

Every time I head to the grocery store, I always have my eyes peeled for something new. And usually I find something. Those new items go to the cupboard and the next time we get together, I usually have quite the collection. Well, today’s episode is a random sampling of cookies and snacks that nicely fit into a junk food category. Let’s see if any of them are good!

Help us sustain our podcast and keep us trying foods like these!

Which snacks are we trying today?

* Pepperidge Farm Holiday Nog Cookies

* Honey Roasted Peanut M&M’s

* Cookie Dough Flavor Oreos

* Chips Ahoy Chewy Cinnamon Bun

* Cinnabon Bakery Inspired Cinnamon Roll Frosted Pretzels

Who is on this quest?

* Randi - Get outta here!

* Nate - Chugga Chugga!

* Matt - Talking about some noggin’.

* Amy - North Dakotan with a hint of anime.

And of course, our subscribers! Thanks to our small, yet coveted group. We appreciate the support. You too can join us on this food journey. All you need to do is… SUBSCRIBE!

Who doesn’t love a good chocolate truffle? And arguably, the Lindt truffles are among the best you can get. (In our local chain stores anyway… if we only had a See’s.) So when Matt and I stumbled upon these two limited edition flavors, Neapolitan and Blueberries & Cream, in our local Target, we knew we had a new quest on our hands.

Before we get started, I really hope you will share this episode, or any of our episodes on your social accounts, with your friends, your family… We are really hoping to gain some traction here. We love making this content, and would love even more if people listened to it. Ha!

Second, if you have a few extra bucks sitting around, send it our way. We are a value for value podcast. What does that mean? We do not bombard you with ads before our show, we do not make you listen to ads half way through. We do not get any revenue that way. The only way we make any money from this podcast is by getting donations from our producers… you guys. So if you got $2.00 worth of content out of this episode, give us $2.00. If you thought that a whole year of content gave you $100.00 of entertainment, give us $100.00. The money goes right back into the podcast so we can keep bringing you more episodes.

Who are our Questers today?

* Nate, a real bully.

* Kris, has a nipple.

* Matt, aka Mega Matt!

* Amy, has the chills.

History of Lindt

You can’t have Lindt without David Sprungli. David had a small confectionery in Zurich. His business and chocolates became very popular and he quickly became renown among chocolate manufacturers. In 1845, David and his son Rudolf produced the first solid bar of chocolate, and it instantly became a success. This lead to their first chocolate factory in 1847, where it is said throughout town you could smell chocolate in the air.

Meanwhile, Rodolphe Lindt started a small confectionery in 1879. Like all the other chocolatiers at the time, his chocolate was hard and bitter, but he was determined to make it better. After months of experimenting, he left the factory one Friday evening, forgetting to turn off the conching machine, which is used to perfect the texture and flavors of chocolate. Upon returning to the factory the following Monday, he found a delicately smooth and wonderfully tasting chocolate. In 1879, Johann Sprungli and Rodolphe Lindt met, and Sprungli offered to buy the company for 1.5 million gold fancs. And Lindt agreed under the condition the he still had a say in the business. They agreed and the partnership was formed.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

Neapolitan Truffle

* Nate: “It is a very smooth product.” 6/10

* Amy: “I like the strawberry shell.” 4/10

* Kris: “It all blends very well together.” 7/10

* Matt: “Not a fan of the combo of flavors in general.” 4/10

TOTAL: 21/40

Blueberries & Cream

* Nate: “I’m underwhelmed.” 4/10

* Amy: “I just don’t like blueberry.” 3/10

* Kris: “I didn’t get any blueberry.” 2/10

* Matt: “These probably shouldn’t have gone to market.” 3/10

TOTAL: 12/40

There you have it. We give Neapolitan Lindt Truffles the Quest for the Best seal of approval, but we do not give Blueberries & Cream Lindt Truffles the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you still want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.lindtusa.com/shop-chocolate/lindor-truffles

Thank you for joining us on this limited edition episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried these chocolates? What did you think?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Thanks again for the support. Until next time, stay sane out there.

Show Notes:

https://www.chocolate.lindt.com/world-of-lindt/lindt-history

Holy cow. Another Oreo episode. This time, The Most Oreo Cookies-n-Creme. These guys just don’t quit do they? Well, in all honesty, Matt and I were just commenting the other day on how Oreo hasn’t really come out with a new flavor in quite some time. Maybe they are buying their time until Girl Scout Cookie season is over? I guess we will never know.

But what we do know is that without your support, this podcast would not be a thing. THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBING! Seriously. Every time I get an email that we have a new subscriber, it makes me smile and I get excited to keep posting. Please share our podcast with your family, friends, enemies, whoever. Help us get a bit of a following. We love doing this and are hoping it will catch on.

Also, feel free to donate to our show to help us out on our growing grocery bill.

Help us sustain our podcast with a donation. Please and thanks!

Who are our Questers today?

* Nate, likes to twist

* Kris, bringing up the caboose

* Matt, dunky boy

* Amy, cracked

A History of Quest for the Best Oreo episodes

Need an in-depth Oreo history? Or maybe just want to catch up on some past Oreo episodes? Here are four past episodes.

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

* Nate: “I’m underwhelmed.” 4/10

* Amy: “Isn’t Oreo already cookies and cream?” 3/10

* Kris: “It’s like they skimped out on cocoa.” 4/10

* Matt: “Are these vegan? Cause they have no flavor.” 4/10

TOTAL: 15/40

There you have it. We do not give the limited edition The Most Oreo Cookies-n-Creme the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.oreo.com/

Thank you for joining us on this mini episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried these Oreos? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Help us sustain our podcast by donating! We appreciate the support!

Hostess has had a pretty decent run on our podcast. Why’s that? Well, they make a pretty decent snack cake. And they are good for all occasions. Road trips, after school snack, after work snack, after dinner snack, breakfast, lunch… you name it. So, let us see if these limited edition Strawberry and Key Lime Cupcakes live up to the high Hostess standards.

Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that tomorrow, March 11th marks the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF QUEST FOR THE BEST! I cannot believe it has already been a year! We have tried so many different foods and had a lot of laughs, a lot of good conversations, and probably added a few pounds to the ol’ scale. I want to say a whole hearted thank you to those of you who have been listening since the beginning. And a huge thanks to those who have supported us monetarily. It really means a lot to us! Please consider making a donation if you haven’t to help us celebrate this milestone. And better yet, tell your friends to start listening! Share our content on your social media. We really would like to see some traction on this podcast! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Who are our Questers today?

* Nate, watching out for the surprise Ding Dong.

* Kris, obsessed with the Crunch Wrap Supreme.

* Matt, going splitsies.

* Amy, going splitsies.

No history lesson today! But feel free to listen to our many other Hostess episodes for a complete and delicious history!

The Results

**SPOILER ALERT!**

Listen to the episode first if you do not want the results revealed to you yet!

Strawberry Cupcake

* Nate: “I definitely get the strawberry.” 3/10

* Amy: “These are drier than normal.” 4/10

* Kris: “Not a gigantic fan of it.” 4/10

* Matt: “I don’t know about this aftertaste.” 4/10

TOTAL: 15/40

Key Lime Cupcake

* Nate: “I get just a little tinge of that lime.” 4/10

* Amy: “It does not hit the key lime target.” 5/10

* Kris: “Give me something to make me salivate.” 5/10

* Matt: “Hostess does a decent job with the cake.” 4/10

TOTAL: 18/40

There you have it. We do not give Hostess Strawberry Cupcakes or Key Lime Cupcakes the Quest for the Best seal of approval. Maybe you still want to give it a try? Check out their website for more information on where to find some.

https://www.hostesscakes.com/

Thank you for joining us on this limited edition episode of Quest for the Best. Let us know what you thought. Have you tried this snack cake? What were your thoughts?

Also, do you have any foods you would love to get the coveted seal of approval? Let us know in the comments what you want to hear next.

Thanks again for the support. Until next time, stay sane out there.