Around the World: KFC Japan - New Ginger Fried Chicken

Tinkering with the Colonel's chicken seems to be the norm at KFC Japan. Most recently, they've introduced new Ginger Salt Fried Chicken (previously they offered chicken with a rice breading).

The chicken is flecked with black sesame seeds and comes with a ginger seasoning packet to sprinkle on before eating for more ginger flavor.

KFC Japan is not cheap though. A single piece comes in at 260 yen (or about $3.23 US).

Frozen Friday: Breyers - Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Chocolate "Ice Cream"

Breyers' Reese's Peanut Cup Chocolate frozen dairy dessert is part of their Breyers Blast line, which features mix-ins to go with the frozen dairy dessert. The flavor features chocolate frozen dairy dessert interspersed with a Reese's peanut butter swirl and pieces of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

A 1.5-quart tub tends to sell for around $4, but I received this one courtesy of Unilever.

News: White Castle Offers Free Sweet Potato Waffle Fries for Voting

White Castle recently introduced new Sweet Potato Waffle Fries to their menu and are offering them for free on Election Day, Tuesday, November 6, 2012 to voters.

Specifically, White Castle is offering a free small order of Sweet Potato Waffle Fries with any purchase to any guest with either an "I Voted" sticker or who brings in a coupon for a "free small Crinkle Cut or Sweet Potato Waffle Fry" on Election Day. The coupon is available via the White Castle Facebook page if you vote for your favorite style of fries.

News: Sonic - New Premium Chicken Sandwiches

Sonic introduces two new Premium Chicken Sandwiches this month: the limited-time Asiago Caesar Chicken Sandwich and the re-tinkered Classic Chicken Sandwich.

The Asiago Caesar Chicken Sandwich is only available for a limited time and features your choice of a crispy or grilled chicken breast filet, tomatoes, a romaine lettuce blend, Sonic's signature Caesar sauce (a garlic aioli variant), and a slice of Asiago cheese served on a toasted, whole grain ciabatta bun.

Review: McDonald's - Holiday Mint McFlurry

McDonald's new Holiday Mint McFlurry is here for a limited time for the holidays with the taste of mint syrup, vanilla soft serve, and peppermint candy pieces.

A 12-ounce cup costs $2.49 at my local McDonald's.

News: Subway - November 2012 Featured $5 Footlong

Subway's Featured $5 Footlong for the month of November is the Spicy Italian. The sandwich features a base of spicy pepperoni and salami to go with your choice of veggies, cheese, and bread.

Also new, Subway's fresh-baked cookies are now available in 12-pack and 3-pack sizes (they've always offered them at a discount for 3 cookies in my area though...).

News: Dairy Queen - November 2012 Blizzard of the Month

Dairy Queen's November Blizzard of the Month is embraces the cool mint flavor that's popular around the holiday season and mixes it with chocolate: Choco Mint Brownie.

The Choco Mint Brownie Blizzard blends mint syrup, pieces of brownie, and choco chunks into vanilla soft serve. It's also available as a Blizzard cake for your more festive occasions.

Review: Corner Bakery Cafe - Bacon Tomato Mac & Three Cheese

Corner Bakery Cafe's Bacon Tomato Mac & Three Cheese features pipette pasta (pipe-shaped pasta i.e. macaroni), applewood-smoked bacon, and diced tomatoes tossed with a blend of three cheeses, and topped with toasted bread crumbs.

$6.59 nets you a good-sized bowl and a piece of toasted garlic bread.

News: Jamba Juice - $1 Oatmeal Wednesdays Returns to CA and DC

Jamba Juice has brought back their $1 Oatmeal Wednesdays promotion at participating locations in California and Washington D.C.

During the promotion, any variety of Jamba's steel cut oatmeal is available for $1 (regularly $2.99 at my local Jamba Juice) on Wednesdays. The promotion runs through December 26, 2012.

 It looks like Jamba is hoping to draw in customers during the cold, winter months with some hot oatmeal. Fall and winter are generally a down time for the chain's mainstay smoothie business.

News: Papa John's - New Chicken Poppers

Papa John's now offers new Chicken Poppers. They feature chicken breast poppers that are lightly breaded and baked in the oven.

They come with 15 poppers to an order for $5.99 and replace Papa John's Chicken Strips (which were offered at the same price for 7 strips) on the menu. Each order comes with your choice of two sauces (choose from BBQ, Ranch, Pizza, Blue Cheese, Honey Mustard, Buffalo, and Special Garlic).

Review: Jack in the Box - Chili Cheese Curly Fries

Jack in the Box's Chili Cheese Curly Fries feature seasoned curly fries topped with beef chili and shredded cheddar cheese.

An order goes for $2.49 at my local Jack in the Box.

News: McDonald's - New French Vanilla Latte

McDonald's introduces a new French Vanilla Latte this holiday season to their McCafe menu, except it might not be "new" at all, but might be more like new to appearing on the menu.

According to an employee at my local McDonald's, they use the same vanilla syrup that they use for the rest of their McCafe beverages (it is also possible my local McDonald's jumped the gun and started offering it before actually getting the new syrup, if there is one). So basically if said employee was correct, it's just a Vanilla Latte, which technically wasn't on the menu before (they've always offered a latte with a choice of syrup if you so chose).

Update 12/1/12 - McDonald's confirmed that the syrup is a newly-developed syrup with a "sweet, creamy vanilla flavor."

Update 10/31/12 - I stopped by another McDonald's in my area. The menu board now only offers "French Vanilla" and "Sugar-Free French Vanilla" syrups with no mention of plain "Vanilla" syrup.

Around the World: Domino's UK Now Delivers Movies

Domino's UK has partnered with Lionsgate UK and now "delivers" movies with their pizza in a service they're calling "Pizza Box Office." The movies are actually delivered via online streaming to a PC/Mac, mobile, or tablet.

Basically, you order from a selection of pizza and movie deals and receive a code to stream the film. The rental period is good for 48 hours after the code is redeemed.

Review: Burger King - Gingerbread Cookie Shake

Burger King's holiday-themed Gingerbread Cookie Shake features vanilla soft serve blended with gingerbread flavored syrup and finished with whipped topping and crumbled gingersnap cookies.

A 12-ounce small-size cup cost me $2.49.

News: Del Taco - New Caramel Apple Crunch Bites

Del Taco introduces their own rendition of the deep-fried apple pie (turnover) with new Caramel Apple Crunch Bites. The bite-sized desserts feature battered and fried apple pie filling served with a side of caramel sauce for dipping.

They also brought back Mac 'N Cheese Crunch Bites which are bite-sized snacks of battered and fried macaroni and cheese.

Price and participation may vary.

Nutritional info not available.

News: Krispy Kreme - Free Donuts for When You Visit in Costume on Halloween

Krispy Kreme is getting into the spirit of Halloween by offering a treat of your choice of a Halloween or Pumpkin Spice donut for free when you drop by in costume on this Wednesday, October 31, 2012.

The offer is good at participating Krispy Kreme locations in the U.S. and Canada on Halloween only and is limited to one donut per person.

Review: Nabisco - Peanut Butter Creme Oreos

Peanut Butter Creme Oreo cookies combine the time-tested combination of chocolate and peanut butter with America's bestselling cookie.

A 15.25-ounce packages generally sells for about $3.79 at my local supermarket. On sale, it tends to range form $2.50 to $3.00.

Around the World: McDonald's UK and Germany - Tastes of the World

Perhaps to spite us here in the U.S., McDonald's restaurants in the U.K. have been offering a "Great Tastes of the World" promotion where each week a different burger is available inspired by the cuisine of a specific country. The promotion runs for four weeks and the four countries represented are Spain, Australia, Mexico, and India.

For week 1 (which started last week), McDonald's offered the Spanish Grande with Chorizo. The burger features a paprika topped bun, beef patty, chorizo, roasted red and yellow peppers, cheddar cheese, Batavia lettuce and a bravas-style sauce.

Review: Fresh and Easy - Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Fresh and Easy's Pumpkin Spice Muffins were the last of the pumpkin-based baked goods that my local Fresh and Easy started selling this year.

A 14-ounce box of four sells for $3.99.

Around the World: McDonald's Taiwan - Sesame Pork Chop Burger

McDonald's Taiwan has embarked on a world tour (not literally) similar to the ones their European counterparts seem to do every now and again.

First stop? Japan with the "Sesame Pork Chop Burger." It looks to be a breaded and deep fried pork cutlet ("tonkatsu") topped with shredded cabbage and what I think is Japanese mayo. The bun is dotted with the occasional black sesame seed along with the typical white ones.