"TasteTest" news and stories

The Wendy's vs. McDonald's french fry war is heating up. You've probably read the latest pronouncement: "In a national taste test, consumers said Wendy's fries taste better than McDonald's. When asked which they thought taste better after sampling both, 56% of participants chose Wendy's Natural-Cut Fries with Sea Salt. Only 39% preferred the taste of McDonald's."

Go ahead; be skeptical. That info comes straight from Wendy's website -- it's a part of their new ad campaign to topple McDonald's long-running reign as "America's Favorite Fries (McDonald's trademark phrase, by the way). And although that claim is on the pompous side, it's not without clout -- enough people have raved about them over the decades that McDonald's very identity is synonymous with those fried spuds. While some may disagree with their claims, there's no denying that McDonald's fries have set the standard that others in the fast-food industry aim for. Burger King has been trying to dethrone the Golden Arches for years, once even claiming victory after their own taste-test survey.

Wendy's claims their nationwide French fry survey was conducted by an independent research firm in eight American cities. However, there's some question about whether their resulting data is skewed -- it's their marketing campaign, after all.

We figured it was time for an unbiased review:

The Claims (From Their Websites): Wendy's latest fries are "made from 100% Russet potatoes and sliced 'natural-style' with the skin on for additional texture and taste, then cooked in proprietary oil that has 0 grams trans fat per serving. They are finished with a dusting of natural sea salt to further enhance the flavor." (Medium size: 420 calories.)

McDonald's "World Famous Fries" are "golden on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. Made with quality potatoes and cooked in our canola oil blend for zero grams of trans fat per serving." (Medium size: 380 calories.)

"Peanut butter and chocolate just got better!" claims the promo for the new Snickers Peanut Butter Squared campaign. But did they? We Slashfooders ran out for a bag of the new candy bars (each a 1.78-ounce square) as soon as they hit the store shelves today. I mean, it's a Snickers, the classic chocolate bar. What's to improve?

Turns out, not much. "I'm not getting the peanut," said one editor. "The nougat flavor is overwhelming." "I wanted more peanut butter," said our resident candy fanatic. "I feel like I've been duped!" And our resident candy curmudgeon said, "It's kind of a mess."

The verdict? Keep it classic, Snickers, with just the peanuts (singular) or up the ante on the peanut butter. But we still love you.

McDonald's almost got one by us. Earlier this month, we announced that the McRib would be returning to menus for a short time only, starting November 2nd. But we kept spotting massive McRib ads posted in the windows of various McDonald's locations, and our curiosity spiked. So we hit the McRib locator, made a couple of phone calls, and it was confirmed: McDonald's has sent the McRib into the world (at some locations) a week early.

For those of you who have been hiding under a rock, the McRib is a pork sandwich (not actually boneless ribs, so don't get your hopes up) slathered in BBQ sauce and topped with onions and pickles. After it made its last and brief appearance back in 2006, the McRib has gathered a cult following.

Making healthy tweaks to your fridge and pantry doesn't have to come at the cost of taste. If you're a pasta fiend, try twirling your spaghetti while getting some whole-grain advantages.

Here's a shopping guide for whole-grain pastas, organized by grain, and the classic sauces and toppings that suit them best. So opt for a warm pasta dinner -- an al dente delight that keeps family and friends coming back for more while filling them with healthful benefits.

When Slashfood saw these cute 8-ounce cans of limited-edition Halloween flavors, we had to try them. Every year Seattle's Jones Soda puts out four flavors suitable for trick-or-treaters -- and this year, they're tempting us with Buried Pomegranate, Spooookiwi, Candy Corn and Lemon Drop Dead.

We cracked open each so you don't have to. See how they stack up after the jump.