Latest news with #SharkBites
Eater
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
An Honest Review of Flamingo Estate's $82 Fruit Snacks
is the senior commerce editor at Eater. She has more than 15 years of experience in culture journalism and food media, grew up in an Italian restaurant, and is always down to order for the table. For my entire life, I've been a fruit snacks enthusiast. As a child, I was indoctrinated by the seemingly limitless 90s fruit-snack-sphere: Shark Bites, Gushers, Fun Fruits, and (deep cut) Fruit Wrinkles. To this day, my movie-theater snack of choice is Welch's Fruit Snacks. What, like they're only for children or something? Something about the gummy texture, the vibrant flavors, the bite-sized format — it all just adds up for me into something greater than the sum of its parts, a marvel of modern food science. I read the website's copy for this mysterious product, once, and then again. 'We took the lushest, ripest Strawberries from Harry's Berries and dusted them with the bright spice of Guajillo Chiles grown by Boonville Barn Collective, adding a squeeze of Key Lime and a pinch of Big Sur Sea Salt. Then we gently dehydrated them to preserve their juiciness and concentrate all of that quintessential Strawberry flavor. The result is these small dried wonders. Insanely addictive, sweet, tart and spicy with a delectable chew. Truly nature's candy.' At this juncture, I paused. These 'small dried wonders' sound like all I've ever wanted: the one fruit snack to rule them all. The antidote. The culmination of my desires. Do you know about Harry's Berries? They're, like, the Platonic ideal of strawberries; they're a Southern California sensation set apart by their exceptional quality, flavor, sweetness, and jamminess. The lines for Harry's Berries at any Los Angeles-area farmer's market tend to be long, snaking, and unrelenting. To make these berries into a chewy snack… unheard of, previously, as far as I know. I continued. 'We are honored to partner with the inimitable Harry's Berries by using their exquisite Strawberries. This small-batch family farm has been growing for over 50 years, and is the true definition of generational farming. Their berries represent what Strawberries should be at their best — harvested when perfectly ripe, ruby red, and sweet. They are Certified Organic, employ sustainable growing practices, and have a deep commitment to stewardship of the land.' I imagined transcendence. I yearned. I longed! I saw hot people eating the fruit snacks on TikTok and Instagram and felt a profound sense of FOMO. Lo and behold, I eventually became a recipient of a jar of these storied creations. Could chewing on a Spicy Strawberry Snack so robustly exceed the joy of eating a bag of saxophone-shaped Fun Fruit? Jar procured. Photo by the author First impressions: the Strawberry Spicy Snacks definitely feel premium. The jar and label have a much different presence than the thin plastic or foil-lined paper packets from which I've historically eaten fruit snacks. A jar feels… artisanal. Open it and you'll see dozens of dark, shiny berries, glimmering like rubies with a syrupy, crystalline sweetness instead of the satin finish of a traditional, preservative-covered fruit snack. Did I mention that they're made with almost entirely organic ingredients (besides the sea salt — salt cannot legally be certified 'organic')? Naturally, you want to know how they taste, what it's like to eat them. The answer is: surprisingly complex. At first, the stickiness was a bit of a surprise — they're not gooey, but they definitely don't have that sort of powder-coated anti-stick technology found in, say, Welch's, or the fruit snacks of the 90s. They're still definitely finger food, but you will need to give your hands a quick wipe or rinse after eating. Chopsticks could be an asset here. That said, I enjoy the mouthfeel of the tiny seeds embedded in the strawberries' surfaces, despite internal references in my psyche from childhood that likened jammy, seedy fruit to alien pod people. As for the flavor, it begins with a slight tartness that morphs into a sweet, jelly-like, classic strawberry flavor that soon gives way to a surprising amount of heat. They're not joking — these fruit snacks are unquestionably spicy; they're spicier than Cholula hot sauce, which I generously doused on my eggs this morning, but not spicy enough to induce any sweating. I'd say they're on par with hot Takis or Flamin' Hot Cheetos — there's a slow and mild burn but it fades within about 15 seconds of finishing each bite. Think an elevated, less tropical and more berry-forward interpretation of chile mango. The TL;DR is that they're delicious; a Harry's Berry marinated in sugar, lime juice, Guajillo chile, and cayenne, as it turns out, creates a chewy, tactile gift of the Earth. They're sweet but in an adult way; piquant but not in a way that's limiting. Truthfully, I like them a lot, but would only eat a few at a time. Savor them. Don't let the magic become routine. As for the price tag — which, at $82 per jar, is undoubtedly eye-popping — let's break it down a bit. Flamingo Estate says that there are three pounds of Harry's Berries in every jar, and a pound of Harry's Berries costs $20 (or, from some sellers, nearly $30). Sure, Flamingo Estate surely buys them wholesale, but right there, we're looking at $60+ of the jar's value mathematically expressed through the cost of the berries alone. Then there are the other organic ingredients, the cooking and drying process, and the need for a profit margin, and yep, you're looking at $82. While it's a discourse-worthy price tag, it's not terribly different than, say, the really expensive fruit in Japan that's specifically developed for gifts and holidays— this isn't a chill pantry addition for casual everyday consumption, although if that's a possibility with the Scrooge McDuck gold swimming pool you're working with, by all means. This is not a commodity that you're going to buy in bulk and keep jars of on hand at all times. This is a special occasion fruit snack. A gift fruit snack. A luxury fruit snack. By the way, these may be fruit snacks, but my personal belief system dictates that they're not for kids. Buy your rugrats some normal gummy candy and send them outside to play in the dirt and develop an immune system. If Fruit Wrinkles still existed, I'd say get them some of those. (RIP.) (Please bring back Fruit Wrinkles.) A case could be made that in order for the world to maintain balance, there must be not only a very cheap, accessible version of any given product, but also a highly refined, elite version. There is $6 caviar on Amazon, and there is $2,600 caviar at Bergdorf Goodman. There is the $7 olive oil at Grocery Outlet and there is the $119 olive oil at Williams Sonoma. You know, it's like that Byrds song — there's a time and place for all things. So why wouldn't there be $1.49 fruit snacks and also $82 fruit snacks? And if the latter exists, why wouldn't we want to try them… at least once? Spicy Strawberry Fruit Snacks are available at Flamingo Estate.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jacksonville Sharks beat Quad City Steamwheelers 65-33
The force was with the Jacksonville Sharks on Stars Wars night at the arena Saturday as they picked up their biggest win of the season over first place Quad City, 65-33. The Sharks offense was on fire, scoring a touchdown on every possession, while the defense made key plays to keep the Steamwheelers in check. Advertisement Tyler Huff, the Sharks quarterback out of Ridgeview High School, had a tremendous night throwing the football and he also ran for three touchdowns. Head Coach James Gibson has been concerned about turnovers but the offense held onto the football and the Sharks defense got some key turnovers to turn a big time matchup into a blowout. The Sharks are now 8-4 on the season while the Steamwheelers drop to 9-3. Next week, the Sharks will face the Iowa Barnstormers on the road looking to secure a playoff spot. You can watch all the Sharks home games on the Action Sports Jax 24/7 Network and weekly find the Sharks show called 'Shark Bites' on the network here online and on the Action News Jax app and on your smart tv by downloading Action News Jax NOW. Advertisement >>> STREAM ACTION SPORTS JAX 24/7 LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action Sports Jax 24/7 live.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jacksonville Sharks hope to avenge early season loss against Quad City Steamwheelers
The Jacksonville Sharks will face the Quad City Steamwheelers this Saturday at the arena in the Shark Tank on Star Wars Night. The 7 p.m. kickoff features two of the best teams in the Indoor Football League and could go a long way in deciding the upcoming playoff race, Advertisement Quad City is currently atop the Eastern Division at 9-2 and has one of the toughest defenses in the league, allowing just 36.9 points per game. Jacksonville isn't far behind at 7-4, while giving up 38.5 points per game and ranking fifth in points allowed. Jacksonville gets a chance to avenge an early season loss on the road when they lost to Quad City 62-41. For an in-depth preview of the Saturday's game, watch this week's edition of Shark Bites. The Saturday matchup will also air on the Action Sports Jax 24/7 Network. All home games this season air on the network, the official streaming network of the Jacksonville Sharks. >>> STREAM ACTION SPORTS JAX 24/7 LIVE <<< Advertisement [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WATCH LIVE: Jacksonville Sharks play Fishers Freight at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
The Jacksonville Sharks (4-2) take on Fishers Freight (2-4) on Saturday night for a key Eastern Conference matchup at home. Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m. EST at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Jacksonville is looking to continue the momentum after a win over the Iowa Barnstormers last week. Advertisement The Sharks are in the middle of the pack record-wise in the Indoor Football League's Eastern Conference. A win over the Freight would help move the Sharks up in the conference. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] You can watch the game on the Action Sports Jax 24/7 stream. It's part of the partnership between the Jacksonville Sharks and Cox Media Group's streaming network partnership for the 15th season of Sharks football in Jacksonville. The partnership will feature all home games airing live on the Action Sports Jax 24/7 Network and the weekly airing of Shark Bites on the network. Advertisement [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action Sports Jax 24/7 live.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jacksonville Sharks lose two in a row
The Jacksonville Sharks have lost two in a row after a fast start to the Indoor Football League season. The Sharks lost to unbeaten Quad City on Saturday night 61-42. Jacksonville trailed in the first half multiple times by double digits but a Kaleb Barker to Jaedon Stoshak touchdown made it 21-18 in the second quarter. Advertisement >>> STREAM ACTION SPORTS JAX 24/7 LIVE <<< The Sharks would trail at halftime 35-21 and never could get closer than seven points in the second half. The Jacksonville Sharks return home Saturday night to host the Iowa Barnstormers at 7pm. You can watch the game on the Action Sports Jax 24/7 Network if you can't make it to the arena. Also, watch Shark Bites Friday at 7pm and Saturday at 10am and 1pm weekly on the Official Streaming Network of the Jacksonville Sharks, the Action Sports Jax 24/7 Network. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action Sports Jax 24/7 live.
