Category: Food Business

Mama Cozzi’s French Bread Pizza Review – An Aldi Product

Another Aldi product this week, actually did this one some time back, didn’t write it up. Mama Cozzi’s is the brand name the Aldi grocery chain has cooked up for their frozen and fresh (take and bake) pizzas. I’ve tried a lot of them, including the one I wrote about directly below, and a “Mega… Continue reading Mama Cozzi’s French Bread Pizza Review – An Aldi Product

Tyson Crispy Chicken Strips Review – Home Cookin’

I’m not much for ‘heat and eat’ products, tho I do try them from time to time to see if they’ve improved. For the 40-50 years there has been frozen “crispy” food – chicken, fish, whatever, I’m quite surprised the industry hasn’t licked “crispy” yet. Apparently not a priority. I especially don’t like microwaved (or… Continue reading Tyson Crispy Chicken Strips Review – Home Cookin’

Better Living Brands Review (In-house Safeway, Albertsons, et al)

I used to be SUCH a brand snob.  I wouldn’t even consider buying a store brand. And I’m old enough to remember when “generic” products first started showing up in store – do you?  Black and white boxes with plain block lettering? Today’s “generic” (store) brands are considerably different and often made by the large… Continue reading Better Living Brands Review (In-house Safeway, Albertsons, et al)

Buona Beef Restaurants Review – Chicago area

About thirty years ago, Chicagoan Joe Buonavolanto Senior had a notion to open a restaurant serving Chicago specialties – Italian beef and sausages, hot dogs, ribs, sandwiches and pizza. He took a 2nd mortgage out on his house to finance it, and did some of the initial construction with his own hands. Today, the third generation… Continue reading Buona Beef Restaurants Review – Chicago area

Great Value Beef Meatballs Review – WalMart Nationwide

“Great Value” is one of  the in-house brands for many WalMart products. They aren’t actually manufacturered by WalMart, of course, they are contracted out to be made to Bentonville’s specifications. I take great pride in my own meatballs, it’s a recipe that I have screwed around with for decades. When I make them, I do… Continue reading Great Value Beef Meatballs Review – WalMart Nationwide

Spartan Brothers Greek Grocery Review, Chicago, IL

One of the joys (for me) of living in Chicago (or any big city and I’ve lived in a raft of them!) is having access to a preponderance of ethnic supermarkets. Within 20 minutes of me, I can partake of markets dedicated to Italian food, Indian, Asian, Polish, Ukrainian, Spanish, Middle Eastern, and Greek. It’s… Continue reading Spartan Brothers Greek Grocery Review, Chicago, IL

Jungle Jims Grocery Review – Cincinnati, OH Area

Another place that’s been on my bucket list for years, Jungle Jims opened in 1971 and has been described as a “theme park of foods.”  That’s an understatement, in my opinion.  Clocking in with square footage about two times a WalMart, Jungle Jims specializes in a great depth of product choices, and foods from all… Continue reading Jungle Jims Grocery Review – Cincinnati, OH Area

Corkys BBQ Heat and Eat Meals Review

While there are a multitude of styles of “BBQ” in the US, it’s generally thought that the top three are Texas, Memphis, and Carolina. As a result, many BBQ restaurant chains have  spawned in those areas, including the mini chain of Corky’s, born in Memphis, five minutes from Elvis’s house. Corky’s opened the doors in… Continue reading Corkys BBQ Heat and Eat Meals Review