Food finds: Limited edition Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper and Pizza Hut Pizza Mia

Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper

Thank goodness it's only a limited edition.

Dr Pepper debuted a cherry chocolate version of its diet cola for the holidays. It's supposed to tasted like chocolate-covered cherries, which is why I keep typing the chocolate before the cherry.

I tried one bottle of Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper and I don't care to have more. I didn't think it was disgusting, like the checker who rang me out did. I just couldn't taste any chocolate flavor. All I could taste was fakey, mothbally flavor characteristic of all diet sodas.

My husband, however, had the best description of Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper after just one drink. He said Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper tastes like a stale Tootsie Roll.

To which I add only: Avoid.

Pizza Hut's Pizza Mia

I'll be sad when Pizza Hut's limited-edition Pizza Mia reaches the end of its run. It is really yummy.

The Pizza Mia crust is hand-tossed and lightly topped with a sweeter, less herby tomato sauce, a blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheese and your choice of add-ons. I got only pepperoni. Pizza Mia is a light little pie and I found I had eaten all but two slices. It's not greasy and heavy like the pan Pizza Hut pizza I usually order there that makes me feel overfull and nauseated after just two slices.

Pizza Mia comes only in medium and with one topping costs $6.99; you can get three for $5 each. Pizza Mia comes in a cute white box adorned with white and gray curlicues like you might've doodled on your notebook in high school. The corners are blacked like photo corners in an old scrapbook.

You've got to try this pie! Especially if you don't live near a great independent pizzeria. For fast-food pizza, Pizza Hut's Pizza Mia is closest to authentic.

(A footnote: A cruise of some message boards told me that not everyone agrees: If those people like Pizza Hut's regular pizza, then of course they're going to pan this one. It's actually good. I went to Pizza Hut reluctantly the night I tried Pizza Mia. We don't eat a lot of junk food and we hardly ever eat out anymore. But the trip was sort of a reward for my daughter, who asked nicely and did a good job in dance class. I had been thinking about trying the Pizza Mia anyway and my server's enthusiastic endorsement of it sealed the deal. Conversely, she couldn't say enough bad things about Pizza Hut's newest promotion: the Crunchy Cheese Crust Pizza.)

So please-a take-a MIA word for it: Go get a Pizza Mia!

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