Expertise
Vegetarian Cooking, Baking, Fine Dining
- Carmen always seeks out vintage cookbooks at thrift stores even though she doesn't need to add any more to her collection.
- She loves to travel and savor local cuisine such as huitlacoche in Mexico, port wine in Porto, and gelato in Italy.
- As a member of the Yelp Elite Squad in 2021, 2022, and 2023, Carmen enjoys trying new-to-her places, attending foodie events, and writing reviews about her experience.
Experience
Carmen is a food, drink, and travel writer based in San Diego. She has 10+ years of experience and has been published in Chickpea Magazine, Parade Magazine, San Diego Reader, Luxe Beat Magazine, LOCALE Magazine, and more.
Education
Carmen has a bachelor's degree in journalism and a minor in health promotion and disease prevention.
Tasting Table’s editorial coverage hails from a veteran group of writers and editors with expertise in their respective fields in the food and drink, hospitality, and agriculture industries. Outside experts are also consulted to help deliver factual, up-to-date information and original recipes.
We strive to publish knowledgeable, engaging articles to give readers the information they're looking for, whether that is the news of the day; cooking tips, tricks, and trends; or reviews and recommendations. In an effort to provide the most comprehensive, current, and accurate content, our team is constantly reviewing and updating articles as necessary. Click here for more information on our editorial process.
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I got my hands on Chobani's Pistachio Chocolate Coffee Creamer, and here's why I was quite impressed by this brand-new Costco-exclusive creamer.
By Carmen Varner
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Costco has added a new BBQ platter to its repertoire of prepared foods. I gave this hefty platter a try, and here's what worked and what didn't.
By Carmen Varner
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The Costco bakery has been home to countless delicious treats over the years. Take a look at some of the retailer's most beloved bakery items, past and present.
By Carmen Varner
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Ultra-filtered milk is becoming more popular, so we wanted to check if Fairlife is really the best option. The results of our taste test will surprise you.
By Carmen Varner
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Trader Joe's
By Carmen Varner
Whether you're prefer the usual savory pretzels or a sweeter take on the snack, Trader Joe's has you covered. Here's how we ranked 12 of the store's pretzels.
By Carmen Varner
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While certain big snack brands dominate store shelves, there are some hidden gems among the store-brand options. Here are our favorite grocery-brand snacks.
By Carmen Varner
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You don't have to blow your budget on frozen treats this summer. Here are the best ones you can buy at your local Dollar Tree.
By Carmen Varner
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Those adorable elves have been baking up some of our favorite treats for decades now. We tasted and ranked 12 cookie varieties from Keebler.
By Carmen Varner
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Beer and Wine
By Carmen Varner
Mike's Hard Lemonade is ideal for casual drinkers who don't like strong, alcohol-forward sippers. We tried a dozen flavors from the lineup to find our favorite.
By Carmen Varner
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Costco sells four Kirkland Signature-branded coffee pods. We brewed each of them and ranked them from worst to best based on their flavor and enjoyability.
By Carmen Varner
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Trader Joe's
By Carmen Varner
Hot summer ahead? You'll need something tasty to cool off with, so we tried Trader Joe's summer beverages to see which ones are worth buying.
By Carmen Varner
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Dunkin' is celebrating Independence Day with a release of 11 new beverages. These drinks run the gamut from frozen treats to coffee, tea, and Refreshers.
By Carmen Varner
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Trader Joe's
By Carmen Varner
For years, Trader Joe's has been known for quietly discontinuing items. Fortunately, other stores offer solid alternatives for some of these products.
By Carmen Varner
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Exclusives
By Carmen Varner
After taste testing a dozen different shortbread and butter cookie brands, we determined which widely available option stands above the rest.
By Carmen Varner
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Casual Dining
By Carmen Varner
With plenty of fan-favorite flavors to choose from at Nothing Bundt Cakes, it can be hard to narrow down what to get if you're not familiar with the lineup.
By Carmen Varner
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Exclusives
By Carmen Varner
Even if a grocery chain isn't able to mimic a French bakery when making bread, some grocery store brand brioche options are far better than others.
By Carmen Varner
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These new Trader Joe's treats strike the perfect balance of rich chocolate and fruity flavor, and we hope they're here to stay.
By Carmen Varner
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Looking for a new decadent sipper this summer? If you like banana, the Cutwater Banana Mudslide may be for you. I tried it, and here's what I think.
By Carmen Varner
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Starbucks
By Carmen Varner
With so many iced matcha drinks gracing the Starbucks menu as of June 2026, we decided to try and rank each iced matcha beverage from the chain.
By Carmen Varner
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Panera's new summer menu includes bowls, coffees, and more. We tried each item so you don't have to. Here's what's worth a try, and what's worth leaving alone.
By Carmen Varner
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Restaurants
By Carmen Varner
Many chain restaurants serve pasta, but we wanted to find the best ones: the pasta dishes that customers simply can't resist and that have become repeat orders.
By Carmen Varner
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Starbucks
By Carmen Varner
Starbucks' new Iced Blue Coconut Matcha and Blue Coconut Refresher are here, but are they worth ordering? We tried them to find out.
By Carmen Varner
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Costco is the perfect place to swing by before attending a cookout, especially if you're on dessert duty. From cookies to cake, here are our recommendations.
By Carmen Varner
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Fast Food
By Carmen Varner
We've tried nine different varieties of Little Caesars pizzas, and here's how we rank them based on factors like flavor, toppings, and texture.
By Carmen Varner
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From rich and creamy to sharp and pungent, a charcuterie board should feature a range of cheeses, and thankfully, Costco has many options. Here are our picks.
By Carmen Varner
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Stores And Chains
By Carmen Varner
Nothing Bundt Cakes is known for launching limited-time flavors, including these 11 varieties that customers wish were permanent menu items.
By Carmen Varner
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There's a much wider variety of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups than you may have realized. From plant-based to PB&J flavors, we tried a bunch so you don't have to.
By Carmen Varner
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