Product review: Thai Kitchen Pad Thai Noodles / Amazon groceries / Home delivery during COVID-19 pandemic

I bought a couple of boxes of Thai Kitchen Pad Thai noodles.  The photo on the box is a bit deceiving, the package includes ONLY rice noodles and a package of sauce. It has no mix-ins included.  So you are only buying noodles and sauce, everything else you have to buy separately. I love Pad Thai in the restaurants, but the source in this box was not as good. It was edible, but the flavor fell short of what you get at a restaurant. The misleading picture that shows shrimp added to my disappointment. I can't rank it better than just OK (3 stars).  I will not be buying this package again.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: Chocolates "Ptichye Moloko" Bird's Milk - Chocolate covered zefir / groceries home delivery

This is my first time trying "Ptichye Moloko" (i.e. Bird's Milk) chocolate candy. I was attracted to it because the description said it is similar to chocolate-covered zefir that I love.  The texture of the candy is a little different from zefir (smoother and less sweet), but I liked this candy.  The price of this item was $6.69, but the description did not mention how many candies you would get.  I got a bag with 33 candies.  They bulk packed, no box.  This was fine, I rather get a better price!  The price on RussianTable.com is better then the price on Amazon even if you take into account the shipping cost (which is $15.75 for two-day shipping from New York to New England). The candies tasted fresh.

I fell in love with while visiting Russia.  I was introduced to zefir by Russian friends on my trips to Moscow.  Russian zefir can only be described as an American marshmallow as an approximation.  Zefir is made by whipping fruit and berry purée (apple puree or strawberry puree) with sugar and egg whites. It is less chewy than a marshmallow and has a lot more flavor, not just sugar.  Even thought what is inside of this candy has a slightly different texture and taste, I suspect the filling is made in a similar way to zefir.  If you like zefir it is worth a try.



You can find it on RussianTable.com by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Annie's Gluten Free Rice Pasta and Cheddar / Amazon groceries / Home grocery delivery during COVID-19

This package contains five individual packets of pasta and five individual packets of cheese.  Preparation is simple: boil water, add pasta, let it stand, mix in cheese.  The flavor is good and does not taste artificial like Kraft mac and cheese.  Rice pasta is good, similar to what you would get in a Thai restaurant when you order rice noodles.  The individual portions are pretty small, but you can always double them up if one is not enough.  I will be purchasing these again.  Good food to have on hand during COVID-19 pandemic!

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Idahoan mashed potatos large carton / Amazon groceries / groceries home delivery during COVID-19 pandemic

Idahoan mashed potatoes come in a carton (similar to a milk carton) that is 8" tall and has a good number of portions.  I purchased this carton in April of 2020, and the expiration date on the carton is January 5, 2021.
This is a good item to have at home during a COVID-19 pandemic.  It tastes good, it is filling, and it is reasonably priced.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Finn Crisp Crispbread, Original, 7 Ounce / Amazon groceries / Home delivery of groceries during COVID-19

I ordered the Original flavor of Finn Crisps (this listing also orders Caraway, which I do not like).  The original Finn Crisps are crispy and delicious, sourdough rye flavor with well-balanced flavor of ingredients.  There are 30 crackers in each box (in a plastic sealed bag) and a total of 9 boxes in one order. Each slice contains 8 calories, 3.7g carbs, of which sugars are 0.1   My box had expiration date a year in the future.  I bought them over a month ago, opened the second box today and it is just as good as the first one, it keeps well.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: AHJ CR123A Lithium Batteries - not compatible with Arlo Security Video Camera

I bought these batteries for the Arlo security camera.  Arlo is notoriously finicky about batteries, and not every 123a battery works well.  Since AHJ mentioned Arlo is the title, I had high hopes. But this battery is not compatible with the Arlo video camera.  The Arlo status showed a 0% charge level from the first moment the battery was inserted. The camera took three videos before it died. Very disappointing!

I owned the Arlo camera for a few years, so I had a chance to compare the longevity of several different batteries (Panasonic, Duracell, Energizer, and generic rechargeable batteries).  Every time I change the battery, I write down the date to compare the longevity I get from each set of batteries.   AHJ battery is the worst battery I have tried.  I never had a battery die after three 10 second videos.

* Cold weather (i.e., usage spans winter): Panasonic 4 months, Duracell 2 months, Energizer 2 weeks.
* Warm weather: Panasonic 6 months,  Duracell 4 months

Another data point I have is a comparison with rechargeable CR123A Lithium batteries.

* Cold weather: Panasonic  4 months, rechargeable 123A  2 weeks
* Warm weather: Panasonic 6 months, rechargeable 123A one month

I do not recommend these batteries for Arlo Cameras.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★☆☆☆☆

Product review: GoGo squeeZ YogurtZ, Strawberry, 3 Ounce (4 Pouches), Low Fat Yogurt / grocery home delivery during COVID-19

Each box has 4 pouches.  Each pouch has 3 oz and  90 calories.  I like that they are shelf-stable and don't need refrigeration, easy to take them along when you need a snack on the run.  I like the taste so they are not just for kids.
Each box has 4 pouches. Each pouch has 3 oz and 90 calories. I like that they are shelf-stable and don't need refrigeration, easy to take them along when you need a snack on the run. I like the taste so they are not just for kids.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆