That Time We Tried Cheetos Mac n' Cheese

This try-day Friday was memorable. Kevin stumbled upon this new culinary line of Cheetos-brand boxed mac n' cheese at the grocery store. Cheetos has settled upon the spiral (fusilli) noodle as their signature pasta shape. It must've tested as the best way to hold their cheese-infused sauces. There were three flavors to choose from original (aka "Bold and Cheesy"), jalapeno, and Flamin' Hot. The tasting crew that night consisted of Kristen, Josh, and Jeanette in addition to Kevin. Kevin took up the mantle of mac n' cheese cook for the evening. 

First up: Bold and Cheesy

This sauce is the vibrant orange one would expect from cheddar cheese powder and Yellow 6. Flavor gets mixed reviews, but the consensus is "meh." The mouth-feel is a bit firm, but no in an al dente way, hmm...

Second up: Jalapeno

The signature vibrant orange is more subdued, but is accompanied by green-tinged flecks one can only assume are the jalapeno component of this sauce (although Blue 1, Red 40, turmeric and Yellow 5 now accompany Yellow 6 in this recipe, interesting.) The flavor is slightly more appealing (the MSG helps), and were it not for the myriad of fillers in the ingredients list, this might be a box to purchase again. Texture is again firm, but not al dente, how is this achieved?

Lastly: Flamin' Hot

Oh boy, this was a visual and taste sensation. The coloring has dipped into the lake-district of chemistry; Red 40 Lake, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Yellow 6 Lake. What that means from a food science stand-point is unclear, from a user stand point it means the red-orange hue of this sauce is violent. It looks like an accent color available on an acrylic painter's palate. The flavor is... suboptimal. The sauce is spicier than the other two, but despite the registered trademarked name, Flamin' Hot is not what stands out about this mac n' cheese. It's unappealing flavor value is what stands out. Kristen and Jeanette opt to compost the rest of their bowls-full rather than eat it.

Ratings:

Kristen #1-Jalapeno, #2-Bold and Cheesy, #3-Flamin' Hot (inedible)

Josh #1-Jalapeno, #2-Bold and Cheesy, #3-Flamin' Hot (edible, but no seconds on this thank you)

Kevin #1-Jalapeno, #2-Bold and Cheesy, #3-Flamin' Hot (edible, but no seconds on this thank you)

Jeanette #1-Jalapeno, #2-Bold and Cheesy, #3-Flamin' Hot (inedible)