# (blank) flavored foods than never taste like the original ingrediant **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 28, 2007, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066 "2007-02-28T19:47:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/1 "2007-02-28T19:47:54Z")
I like real cinnamon on cookies and toast. But cinnamon flavored juju bears, redhots, and fireballs taste nothing like cinnamon. They’re just hot. Strawberry flavored soda, taffy, icecream, etc. never really tastes like a strawberry. Same for orange and blueberry. Shouldn’t orange soda taste somewhat like orange juice? Not even remotely close. The cookie part of an oreo is supposed to be chocolate? That’s unlike any chocolate I’ve ever tasted. TGI Friday’s Jack Daniels sauce doen’t really taste like any Jack Daniels whiskey I’ve ever had. Same goes for the chinese food courts bourbon chicken. Any other flavors that taste nothing like the real thing? ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/2 "2007-02-28T19:49:38Z")
Artificial banana flavored stuff. Ick. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/3 "2007-02-28T19:50:13Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] Any other flavors that taste nothing like the real thing? [/QUOTE] I don’t really think ANY “\_\_\_\_\_\_\_-flavored” stuff tastes like the real thing. The WORST is probably banana, though. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/4 "2007-02-28T20:08:24Z")
For most of my life, I shook parmesan cheese on my Italian-red-sauce foods. That meant Kraft grated parmesan, or :eek: some offbrand of the same. Then, three years ago, on the advice of Lynne Rosato-Kasper, I got some real Parmesano Reggiano (from Parma!) It costs more, but the Kraft stuff tastes only vaguely like the real thing. I’m never going back. More and more, I’m agreeing with the concept that geographic food names should not be legal to use outside the original area. Champagne should come from Champagne, Parmesano should come from Parma. If you’re selling a boxed meal kit, and calling it _The San Francisco Treat_, then it by God better have some connection to SF. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/5 "2007-02-28T20:25:37Z")
Smoke-flavored anything. Liquid Smoke, et al…just utterly awful. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/6 "2007-02-28T20:26:42Z")
Watermelon. I love watermelon, and I love watermelon candy, gum, powdered drinks, etc., but the two flavors have absolutely nothing in common. Yet everything “watermelon flavored” does indeed taste like each other. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/7 "2007-02-28T20:28:58Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] Shouldn’t orange soda taste somewhat like orange juice? Not even remotely close. [/QUOTE] Also, the Pasteurized OJ you get in the grocery tastes nothing like fresh squeezed. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/8 "2007-02-28T20:38:53Z")
No mention of “grape”-flavoured anything? Not in the OP? Not in _six_ other posts? I’ve yet to find anything labeled “grape” flavoured that bears even a trace of a resemblance to actual grapes – they just taste of tartaric acid and… _“purple.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/9 "2007-02-28T20:44:55Z")
I love sweet tea. Nestea in a can does not taste like tea. It is a distant 5th cousin twice removed, but I like it also, but strangely, not when I’m in the mood for tea. I have to be in the mood for canned tea. Vanilla flavored coffee/candles/incense icky, only the most chemical of vanilla flavor. I’ll toss in a mention of cilantro because while it might taste like something other than dirty dishwater to YOU, it certainly doesn’t to me! ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/10 "2007-02-28T20:49:11Z")
I like sour cream and cheese-flavored potato chips. I can’t see where they even vaguely resemble either. They’re good, and they have orange _stuff_ on them, but it ain’t cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/11 "2007-02-28T20:52:55Z")
Oh… and “Cola.” Caffeine, “caramel colouring,” and phosphoric acid are a poor approximation of a kola infusion. “Coca Cola”: No coca, no cola. What a rip. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/12 "2007-02-28T20:55:07Z")
[QUOTE=Auntbeast] Vanilla flavored coffee/candles/incense icky, only the most chemical of vanilla flavor. [/QUOTE] Well, I’ll grant you the coffee, but I don’t think you should be eating _any_ “flavour” candles or incense. It’s bound to tast chemical-y. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/13 "2007-02-28T21:00:44Z")
[QUOTE=Larry Mudd] No mention of “grape”-flavoured anything? Not in the OP? Not in _six_ other posts? I’ve yet to find anything labeled “grape” flavoured that bears even a trace of a resemblance to actual grapes – they just taste of tartaric acid and… _“purple.”_ [/QUOTE] Thank you thank you thank you. My boyfriend makes fun of me when I call something purple-flavoured. It is _not_ grape, and I will not _call_ it grape. Popsicles, candies, jello, slushies… they’re purple-flavoured. And I stand by that. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/14 "2007-02-28T21:13:21Z")
[QUOTE=Antigen] Thank you thank you thank you. My boyfriend makes fun of me when I call something purple-flavoured. It is _not_ grape, and I will not _call_ it grape. Popsicles, candies, jello, slushies… they’re purple-flavoured. And I stand by that. [/QUOTE] Fellow grape-lovers, let me offer this suggestion: If you want fruit-flavored candies, look for ones made in Japan. The Japanese green “muscat” flavor _actually tastes like grapes!_ Other flavors (such as orange, melon, and the like) are generally good, but muscat is _awesome_. ---
**Author:** ![Shai\_tan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/15 "2007-02-28T21:23:54Z")
I used to have the same feeling about “fruit flavored” foods. I love cherry Jolly Ranchers. But didn’t think they tasted anything like real cherries. Then one day my aunt was making jelly. She made a couple of jars of cherry jelly, and lo and behold: It tasted JUST LIKE CHERRY JOLLY RANCHERS! I think that many of the candy fruit flavors (like orange) are based on the actual concentrated flavors of the fruit. I suspect that if you were to create a concentrated liquid from oranges, concord grapes, etc (like when making jelly) you would find a remarkable similarity to the artificial counterpart. ---
**Author:** ![Thirty-Nine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@Thirty-Nine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thirty-Nine)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/16 "2007-02-28T21:42:10Z")
[QUOTE=Larry Mudd] No mention of “grape”-flavoured anything? Not in the OP? Not in _six_ other posts? I’ve yet to find anything labeled “grape” flavoured that bears even a trace of a resemblance to actual grapes – they just taste of tartaric acid and… _“purple.”_ [/QUOTE] In my mind, this is easily the worst offender. None of them are accurate (do you really think you’d eat lemon flavoured candy if it tasted like a real lemon?) but it’s like they weren’t even trying with grape. And it also tastes nasty as hell. ---
**Author:** ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/17 "2007-02-28T21:52:45Z")
[QUOTE=Auntbeast] I love sweet tea. Nestea in a can does not taste like tea. It is a distant 5th cousin twice removed, but I like it also, but strangely, not when I’m in the mood for tea. I have to be in the mood for canned tea. [/QUOTE] Sweet tea doesn’t taste anything like regular unsweetened [hot or cold] tea. It tastes like sugar water that’s been cut with weak leftover tea-water. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/18 "2007-02-28T22:07:23Z")
> [@](#): > > Sweet tea doesn’t taste anything like regular unsweetened [hot or cold] tea. It tastes like sugar water that’s been cut with weak leftover tea-water. :eek: Blasphemer!! Sweet tea is the nectar of the gods! (My outrage is on behalf of _actual_ sweet tea, of course, not Nestea in a can — which, as **Auntbeast** points out, resembles sweet tea not a whit.) My contribution to the thread: green apple Jolly Ranchers. Mmmm…apple-y? ---
**Author:** ![29car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/ebca7d/32.png) [@29car](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/29car)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/19 "2007-02-28T22:10:55Z")
Baby oil. Tastes nothing at all like babies. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066/20 "2007-02-28T22:11:44Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] Watermelon. I love watermelon, and I love watermelon candy, gum, powdered drinks, etc., but the two flavors have absolutely nothing in common. Yet everything “watermelon flavored” does indeed taste like each other. Weird. [/QUOTE] Particularly watermelon-flavored Jolly Ranchers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-flavored-foods-than-never-taste-like-the-original-ingrediant/394066.md?page=2)