Welcome To FANTA-see Island

Used to be Sunkist was the Orange Soda on the block and I have vague memories of Nehi brand as well as White Rock and the Supermarket brand varieties, not sure if Nehi was only available as a Fountain Soda though and of course there was the non carbonated brands like Kool-Aid and Funny Face, Tang is an Orange Drink unto itself and in a different category as is Tengo the Alcoholic Vodka and Oreangeade pre mixed in the bottle and then a tad later to my recollection comes Fanta. Fanta Orange Soda may have been around prior to Sunkist but I am going from my memories this time round and not running to Wikipedia.

As a FOOD Fanta Soda tastes accordingly to the label. 

Grape tastes like Grape, Orange tastes like Orange and so on and so forth.

I have often said to various people that "Orange Soda Is Evil" which would be greeted with a puzzling stare and of course this statement would be explained. Orange Soda is inherently Sweet, so much so that after finishing a bottle I find you are instantly craving for more, this is easily explained. Orange Soda is high in Sugar content, although I have never until just tonight read the Nutrition Facts label this was just a given and I was proven right.

Every so often I will choose a 16 ounce Fanta Orange at the corner bodega to quench my thirst but also do realize what I am in for, as soon as the bottle is done there it is I want another.

Tonight between jobs a bottle of Pineapple Fanta was chosen and this had the same Sugar craving aftertaste that was expected, after purchasing a Fanta Orange and Lipton Citrus Iced Tea for the train ride home I was amazed and proven right seeing that Fanta Orange contains sixty two Grams of Sugar then was taken aback that Fanta Pineapple has eighty Grams, thats even more !!!

Coca Cola has sixty seven Grams so I guess its all a moot point.

Sailing the Seas Of Sugar with a Fanta Orange.

Typical of myself the gears started moving in my tinderbox upstairs so off the train and into the Candy store to see what I could see.

Fanta Strawberry is running neck and neck with Pineapple containing seventy four Grams of Sugar

Also on the shelf is what is referred to as Mexican Soda (as it is a Product Of Mexico) which is preferred due to its use of Sugar as opposed to High Fructose Corn Syrup and also comes in a glass bottle for the purists who are swayed by the notion that soda tastes better from glass than plastic and they do have a point there.

Also the Mexican Fanta has forty two grams of Sugar as opposed to sixty two but is also four ounces smaller than the twenty ounce serving and as I am horrible in mathematics I just am not going to figure this one out.

Fanta de naranja una botella de vidrio, hecha con azucar.

Well this has become a posting mainly concerning Nutritional Value in a Sugary sense which these entries are not known for but to date it looks like the Pineapple Fanta takes the Sugar cube with 80 Grams content. Apple Fanta shown above is one of the more unique Flavors as there are not many Apple Sodas on offer to me, only one other comes to mind (Sidral Mundet).

The Berry Fanta is Berry Berry Good but as I have said Be aware what you are getting yourself into when about to enjoy a Fanta. A sweet tasting Soda indeed even when its Sugar content ranks pretty much equivalent alongside all the other pops on the market.

I am just plain scared of the Pineapple variety but will I indulge in the future,...

Yes I Will.

BALLS TO THE WALL - THE RICE BALL WARS

The Rice Ball (Arancini) seems to be derived of a Sicilian descent and creation propagating from the 10th century and is Eaten to commemorate the Feast of Saint Lucia which is held on December 13th when there is a fasting from Bread and Pasta.

I also just plain eat them.

The only criteria for this entry will be Rice Balls that I come across in my neighborhood or during my workday at various Pizzerias. So far Manhattan island appears to be bereft of The Rice Ball but this could all change very swiftly and at the drop of a Pizza cutter of course. The Rice Ball Special is an entity on its own so we will stick mainly to the plain variety.

I am finding that the Rice Ball does not appear to be outsourced from a central location as they differ from every Pizzeria so far.

Mr. Phil's Pizzeria ($3.75) - A little on the Salty side, Meat and Peas in the center.

Papa Pasquale ($3.00) - I have already voted this my favorite Rice Ball off the top of my head but there is certainly room for more contenders this early in the game. Does not have the Marinara Sauce dispersed throughout the Rice which is what I had expected since this is a Sicilian Rice Ball but what it makes up for in Sauce is with plenty of Mozzarella, just the right amount. Of course there could always be more Meat and perhaps some Peas (I did spot one) but Papa Pasquale's simply can not be bettered is the opinion I still hold, simply Delicious and destroys Mr. Phil's for seventy five cents cheaper. Anyway too early on the list to pick a victor but this is Damn Good.

Pastosa Ravioli ($4.99) - A few short days after bragging about how Papa Pasquale's Rice Ball pretty much can not get beat it goes ahead and gets beat (if only just slightly). The Pastosa Rice Ball which is rather Huge by the way is not as heavy on the Mozzarella but even though it is not seen visually represented in the photo there is Chop Meat (Ground Beef) in every Bite and just the right amount of Green Peas, also the Rice has been tossed with some Marinara Sauce giving it the red hue that I have come to expect from a Sicilian Rice Ball.

Key Food ($2.99) - O.K. I am not holding out too much hope for this, it being a supermarket Deli Rice Ball, here goes.

Not Awful, Rice is slightly discernible as the granules are slightly mushed together probably since it has been in storage fresh though it is. Its meaty center is a bit oily but alright. I see a pea but all in all this is a failure, edible but a failure.

Frank & Sals ($3.00) - I have high expectations for this one and am happy to have this local Salumeria right on my corner. Sadly and oddly the first Rice Ball half I dated up for its photo shoot fell apart under its temperaturic duress so pictured above is one half in its refrigerated state.

These boast an ample amount of Meat filling of which I am happy to see. Rice is seemingly flavored in Chicken Broth and the filling has a hearty texture, must be Sausage based. Slightly Greasy but these are very good, no idea what Cristina (a detractor) was talking about.

Frank & Sals ($1.50) - These are the mini Rice Balls from my Salumeria and they garner a mention since this is where I came across this establishments Rice Balls first. I am a seeker of Prosciutto Balls and tried their version which contained much Rice and from what I can tell Sopresatta and not Prosciutto (I could be wrong) but are still quite tasty.

Three Kinds (from noon to nine o' clock) is pictured the Prosciutto Ball, Spinach Rice Ball and Plain Rice Ball. All Cheesetastic and Flavorful.

Anthony's Butcher & Deli ($2.99) - These look terribly promising.

Thoroughly rich in Flavor. a Tasteful Marinara Seasoning the Rice rotating around a center of Creamy, Fresh Mozzarella. The only complaint is the lack of Meat and Peas which plays a characterizing factor. Excellent otherwise.

Lenny's ($4.00) - It is called a Rice Ball but as this is one of the larger of the large sized variety it just contains a bit too much Rice and not a proper ratio of Meat and Peas. Rice is a bit on the mushy side and Meat is a bit overcooked, the Peas are only proliferating the Meat portion but that is just about the industry standard, still definitely tasty.

Pizza Den ($2.75) - I recall these being crappy, let's see.

Ricotta in the Rice portion, Mozzarella in the Meat center.

NO PEAS.

Not Great, still O.K.

Lioni's ($4.00) - This is my "go to" eatery for the Prosciutto Ball of which I rate in the highest category. Their LG. Rice Ball is touted as "Meat & Cheese" and I do not see any Peas myself and Cheese in this instance is an elusive ingredient.

Not much if any Cheese is present, the Meat Filling is quite Flavorful offsetting the not bland but plentiful orbit of Rice. The Rice is somewhat Tangy on its own and Salted perfectly.

NO PEAS.

Lioni's ($1.25) - The Mini Rice Ball. The Pop-ems of the Rice Ball world.

The Plain mini is just that. Plain, lightly Saltish and if any Cheese is barely perceptible.

Pepperoni & Cheddar appears to contain no Cheddar but it says it does so it must however there is a distinct Flavor of Pepperoni which permeates.

Tony Pepperoni ($4.00) - This Pizzeria was not even in my conscious running for a candidate but passing by I checked it out. Tony Pepperoni used to be Vittorio Pizzeria (Bay Ridge Parkway & 18th avenue) and after many years was sold and plummeted so far in quality that I gave up after just one Slice, you could actually look at the Pizza and tell it was not quite up to par, on this visit everything looked pretty good and the Rice Balls come in two sizes of Large and mini.

Rice is slightly bland and of the Chicken Stock variety with some Mozzarella dispersed throughout but not that you really would notice. The Meat filling is Average as is this Rice Ball, I also see a few Peas AND Carrots giving the impression that these are canned Vegetables but I am sure they are in pretty much All the Rice Balls.

Brooklyn Pizza (unknown price, delivery order with other items, around three bucks) -

NO PEAS, NO CHEESE, NO TASTE.

I was somewhat impressed with the presentation of the quartered Rice Ball in delivery form and was also pleased with the added inclusion of some Marinara Sauce for Dipping/Pouring. 

The thing is though that this was so lacking in Flavor that it direly needed some Marinara to almost practically make it Food, the Sauce was decent though.

Krispy Pizzeria ($4.25) - Rice on the moist side but my initial first Bite told me this was definitely prepared with Chicken Stock as the base and reminded me of Stove Top Chicken Stuffing, now this is not in a negative way. Decent Rice Ball, minimum of Pea(s).

Tony's Pizzeria ($4.00) - This is the very first time in my Arancini sojourn that I felt that the Rice Ball may in fact be outsourced as opposed to unique to each location but this may be due to the illusion of spatial and optical influence. This Rice Ball was like Brooklyn Pizza's version served with a solo cup of Marinara Sauce but had the same effect on my taste buds as well.

NO PEAS, NO CHEESE, NO TASTE.

Frankly I was somewhat surprised since Tony's Pizzeria does make quite a good Slice of Pizza and have garnered positive entries on this here Blog. Like Brooklyn Pizza this Rice Ball needed Dipping Sauce and I even applied some Grated Cheese to enhance it's flavor.

B & A Pork Store ($4.00) - O.K. This one just looks plain promising but I am slightly biased as I have heard good things about their Rice Ball and even told the counterperson Frank about it after which he gave me a mini Rice Ball (see below) to taste on the house.

This Has Everything !!! All Ingredients done to perfection, the aspect that sets it apart is an overtone of Black Pepper which is not a bad thing and slightly Greasy which to me is also not a bad thing.

A good amount of Peas, Juicy Meat center and its nice to see Cheese return to my Rice Ball, its been a few back now.

B & A Pork Store mini-rice ball (about a buck apiece) - and how cute they are, actually i slightly preferred the one that was gifted me this afternoon at room temperature but this was still quite good but nothing compared to their Sicilian Rice Ball. Rice, Cheese and Ham.

Could have used a bit more Salt or Spice.

La Bella Marketplace ($9.30/11 or about 85 cents apiece) - La Bella gets a packaging photo because who spends ten dollars on Rice Balls in a shot ? Well, if I tally up the price tag of this list I may just get depressed about the wages spent on these items and also La Bella is not a marketplace its a Supermarket but the Italians are proud of the peasant lifestyle and Marketplace also belies the impression of mass marketed Food placing the pleasant idea of home Cooking in the mind.

I almost did not plunk down the change for this package on one time purchase price alone but that just would not be fair to this comparison list.

The La Bella mini was quite good and as I had it back to back with the B & A mini it was easy to compare. These were Saltier and Cheesier, comparable to the minis from Frank & Sal's on my corner.

AND THE WINNER ON THIS LIST IS.

Pastosa followed by B & A.

Anthonys Butcher gets an honorable mention as everything was perfect there but it was an unorthodox Rice Ball due to the absence of Meat and Peas.

For the time being I am just about ready to take a break from The Rice Ball but they will return.

MAMOUN'S FALAFEL

UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

HALAL

Nothing really to be said here except for the fact that I was pleased to see a Halal Food cart claiming a spot right outside of my local train station. Here is a container of Lamb over Rice which was of decent quality and it will get a 2 out of 5.

This was Cristina's serving so was requested without Sauce which is fine since that is the only complaint I have about the cart. The server was eager to please and I WOWed him with exotic sentences like "Do you have any Tahina Sauce" ? of which he did not but the Tzatziki sauce was what turned a 3 into a 2 in my overall rating, as opposed to being rich in Dill and Cucumber Flavorings the Sauce had a Mayonnaisey overtone to it, this was bettered with my leftover Falafel after a brief nap but appeared to have been there initially.

Flalfel on Pita was of the average construction but the Sauce just was not completely up to par, the Hot Sauce was a tad Spicy so I was surprised and pleased with that aspect.

And the reason this entry was not just plain deleted is the photo of the cart itself that Cristina took.

DD - $2 COLD BREW

The first thing I noticed after ordering two Cold Brew Chocolate Cherry for Cristina and myself was that C got 3 Squirts of Syrup and I only received two, the difference being mine had Sugar and hers did not. Guess the Syrup is Sweet enough on its own must be the logic.

A very tasty number, now let us suspend disbelief in the fact that this is Coffee (even though it is), This is a different beast, the Flavored Iced Coffee. I sympathize with the purists point of view that the only way to go is Hot, Black, No Sugar but will be open to the fact that this is just plain a Coffee based beverage to have fun with, thats right FUN.

A pleasant blend of Chocolate Cherry but a tad higher on the Chocolatey side to my palate, still Delicious and there is even Coffee in it as a base. Ordered with "not too much ice" otherwise you could wind up with Coffee Water.

I sampled both and prefer the serving without sugar, the Syrup does indeed have the right amount of Flavor and even though I am new to Iced Coffee (thats a whole other story) I find Sugar to be slightly distracting unless in a Hot Cup of Joe.

Two Bucks apiece for a Medium size, quite the bargain by DD standards.

THE GRAPES OF WRATH - GRAPE JUICE WARS

All 100% Grape Juice is from Grape Juice concentrate.

Bombay Select - A little Tart A little Sweet.

Something tells me this War shall be a draw but we shall see.

And we can look at the nice Grapey pictures

Welch's Concord Grape - Upon opening the bottle a familiar scent from childhood wafts through the air, the scent of a vineyard and the Welch's we had in our youth. Curious if others will have this effect, had forgotten about this.

Wonder if Welch's still makes their Grapeade.

A bit Dry and Vineyardy in Flavor.

This one is a Grape Juice "Beverage" but we will let it slide since Tropicana has the Juice market in a bit of a stranglehold.

On the Sugary side for a strict Juice wether it be from concentrate or not. If you blindfolded me of course I would call it clearly a Grape but not quite a Juice, more a Grapeade which is why Snapple is not making this list.

PETER PAN DONUTS - Brooklyn, New York

For verification I had to look this up as I am not a big S'Mores guy at all but this is a creation of Peter Pan Donuts who has a wide reputation that precedes them. All Donuts and Cakes are Baked "in-house" to my knowledge and as I was in the area I had to stop in and it being late in their workday (they were closing in twenty minutes) had to choose from what was available which was a slim offering but did get to grab the last S'Mores Donut which was a target item.

A S'Mores is traditionally Marshmallow and Chocolate sandwiched between Graham Crackers and toasted over a campfire so I surmise this Donut is an approximation thereof.

S'Mores Donut - This to me which was very much anticipated was sadly tasteless (in flavor) and disappointing HOWEVER I did have a cold at the time so will put it down to that HOWEVER also I did in fact taste the Whipped Cream (Marshmallow ? Filling) which was not overly Sweet or seemingly Flavored by anything, what it did have was the classic Whipped Cream Taste of just plain Cream that is indeed proper but to me a key Ingredient being the Marshmallow was not represented but once again possibly due to my dulled senses due to sinus collapse (the cold).

The Donut Cake itself was above the standard as it had substance and a Chewy malleability which almost made this Food. Somewhat Bready in structure, definitely a plus and step up from the Crumbly Entenmanns and Dunkin Donuts Dough of the world. Topping was appearance wise Graham Cracker Crumbs with a Drizzle of Chocolate.

I was hoping this was not the paltry amount of Cream in the Donut and it was not, while not filled IN there was more around the circumference of the hole atop the Donut.

Brownie - Something which most of us have had and a bit of a yardstick can be thrown to conclude a ratio of perfection. Well, in this case it gets a 9/10 as in Brownies have been produced by other artisans just as good in Flavor and quality but only "just" as good as this one.

Top of its game, proper Icing, Moist Cake smattered with crushed Walnut and just the right amount of Chocolate Goodness with a slightly Chewy yet Crumbly composition. Delicious.

A selfie taken at the last minute after receiving my order, the reasoning behind this was somewhat nostalgic because I had been here years before sat upon these very stools.

Taken in 2006 seated with 28 Dates Later.

I dont recall what Donuts I had the dozen or so times I was previously here or what the Coffee tasted like but this visit was a brief trip down memory lane, if I was not in transit between jobs I would have sat down and had a Coffee as well.

A night time shot as you can see of the facade. During the day I am sure that window was filled with Donuts so I am glad they are making the correct amount as the scarcity of round thing activity on display is testament to the fact that donuts do not appear to be getting thrown away at the end of the night which produces Food Waste !!! Heavens To Murgatroyd !!!