Cloverhill Bakery

I normally review traditional bakeries on Thursdays, but Cloverhill is called a "bakery", so I decided it counts.  They don't have a storefront though, rather they produce packaged goods, usually sold in vending machines.

Vending machine baked goods are not something I'd normally eat, but the really good one from 7-Eleven re-inspired me (although that one wasn't pre-packaged exactly, as they claimed they are baked fresh every morning).  Anyway, I learned my lesson.  No more packaged baked goods.  Meh.

Big Texas Cinnamon Roll.

This thing is an award winner: "The Big Texas is the 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 Automatic Merchandiser Readers' Choice Pastry of the Year". Potential?  No.

First, I tried it at room temperature. This cinnamon roll had absolutely nothing going for it.  It tasted like kinda stale bread, just with a bit of cinnamon swirled in and cheap icing on top.  Not worth even a second bite.

However, I was encouraged by the glazed bun from Walgreens, which was clearly a prepackaged item, was also not good at room temperature, but proclaimed I should warm it up, and when I did, it got much better.  The packaging for the Big Texas Cinnamon Roll said the same thing.  So, just like the Walgreens one, I put it in the toaster oven for a few minutes.

The icing melted. The whole thing got softer.  It was better, but ... that didn't really save it.  Definitely won't be trying another one of these, and I've been re-inspired to stop trying packaged baked goods :)