The Underground

I no longer live 90 minutes away from a Jamba Juice, I'm now 5 minutes away. This is causing all kinds of problems. I never thought that I'd need a budgeting category just for smoothies, but now I'm seriously considering it. Not to mention the many calories I'm sucking down.

I've enjoyed their smoothies since the Zuka days, but it wasn't until I learned of the Underground that I became a Jamba Junkie (hmm...I should trademark that and start a club). That's right, the Underground. JJ has a not-so-secret menu with super sweet items that they wouldn't dream of putting on their regular menus. Most are named after candies and taste exactly like their name implies. It's almost like a drug deal - you feel a little shady as you step up to the counter, slip them a five-spot and say in a hushed tone, "can you make...Skittles?" Next time you go, ask for the underground menu, pick one at random, and rejoice.

Here's a review of what I've tried so far (1-3 stars):

White Gummi Bear

It is inevitable. The first words out of your mouth will be "That tastes just like a white gummi bear!" Great taste, still fruity, not too sugary.

Red Gummi Bear
Not as good as it's cousin, the white gummi. It was ok, but not enough so to make me try its other cousins Green and Blue.

Fruity Pebbles
It tastes like Fruity Pebbles (which is one of my three favorite cereals) but it's WAY too sweet.

Purple Dinosaur
I have no idea what this flavor was supposed to be. It reminded me of a Lime Rickey from Arctic Circle.

Strawberry Shortcake
This is perfection, one of my two favorites. And I'm extremely picky about shortcake, my favorite cake. You can actually taste the strawberries, whipped cream and shortcake. I'm told that soy milk has something to do with it...

Peaches & Cream 
Pretty good, but there are better options. This is quite similar to a non-Underground Jamba.

Pink Starburst
Amazing. A strawberry Starburst in liquid form. My other favorite.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries
I can understand and appreciate this drink, but I'm not a fan. It tastes like chocolate and strawberries, but there's a reason I've never ordered a Chocolate Mood from Jamba Juice.

There's a website devoted to the Underground complete with recipes, but I'll leave that as an exercise for you to complete. :)