School
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Expertise
Food Science, Cheese & Dairy, Beer
- Sam runs a cooking blog with his wife, where he helps bring her easy, healthy recipes to life with written descriptions and mouth-watering photos.
- His wife is a food scientist specializing in chocolate. Their house has multiple chocolate storage locations brimming with chocolate chips, bars, wafers, and more.
- As a lifelong Midwesterner, Sam is well-versed in all things dairy and beer-related, but knows that there's always more to learn and the best way to learn is by tasting.
Experience
Sam began his professional writing career in 2023, writing about everything from food to sports. In addition to his work for Mashed, he writes features on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as a variety of short stories. He's currently working to get his debut novel published.
Education
Sam has bachelor's degrees in journalism and communication arts with a focus on radio, television, and film from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Mashed’s industry-leading coverage is created by qualified and experienced writers, and is reviewed and fact-checked by our editorial team to ensure everything is accurate and timely. Outside experts are also consulted to help deliver factual, up-to-date information.
Our mission is to inform and engage our readers, telling them things they need to know, things they want to know, and things they didn't know they wanted to know about food. We strive to always provide a well-rounded reading experience, whether that’s the news of the day or a new original recipe you can try making at home. In an effort to provide the most comprehensive, current, and accurate content, our editorial team constantly reviews and updates articles as necessary. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
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Taco Bell just dropped its Flamin' Hot Grilled Cheese Burrito, so we did a taste test to see if this spice-laden, cheesy creation is worth ringing the bell for.
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Vanilla ice cream can be basic, but it's also the best base for sundaes. With so many brands of vanilla ice cream available, we set out to find the best one.
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Firehouse Subs just dropped a holiday-themed menu to satisfy Thanksgiving turkey cravings. So are the limited-time dishes worthy of the hype?
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Crispy, flavorful bacon is always a good choice, but which Kirkland Signature variety sold at Costco is the best? We tested four styles of bacon to find out.
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Just when you think The Cheesecake Factory menu can't get any bigger, the chain adds an array of new dishes. Here's what we thought about its newest offerings.
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Cracker Barrel is an institution in the U.S., and the chain is known for its extensive menu. We tasted a wide selection and ranked the items to find the best.
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In the search for the best store-bought pancake mix, we set about cooking and tasting several options to come to a conclusion. Here are the results of our test.
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The McGriddle was a fast food game changer, but can the frozen Walmart version beat it? We grabbed a couple of sandwiches to put them to the test.
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Shopping Tips
By Sam Zwick
We did a taste test of 10 grocery store bratwurst brands to see which is the best. Read on to discover which brat came out on top and which is truly the worst.
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The best fish is caught fresh, but that's not always an option. We tried a variety of frozen seafood sold at Walmart to learn which are the best and the worst.
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Sonic Drive-In has just released a trio of sweet foam topped lemonades to usher in the summer season. We tried them to give you the scoop on the chilled drinks.
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Sonic is making dreams come true with its new Unicorn Dreams Slush. Read on to find out if this is a unicorn you want to take for a ride.
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Gas station pizza, could it be any good? We grabbed pies from convenience-store brand Casey's, and put the pizzas to the test to see if they're worth ordering.
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If you're getting bored with your sauces, Sonic is rolling out two new flavors for dipping enthusiasts. We got our hands on them to see how they stack up.
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Subway just released its new Hot Honey subs, and we tried both, so read on to find out whether its latest effort is a sweet treat or a spicy swing and a miss.
By Sam Zwick
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Firehouse Subs teamed up with Hot Ones to create two new sandwiches that bring on the heat. Check out our review to see if these subs serve up flavor and spice.
By Sam Zwick
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Sonic is unleashing a new slush just in time for spring. But does this strawberry drink with the addition of Tajin deliver a spicy and sweet sip or fall flat?
By Sam Zwick
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Casual Dining
By Sam Zwick
Both Red Robin and Texas Roadhouse make hamburgers that hit the spot when you're hungry. We tried them to learn which establishment makes the superior burger.
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Read on to determine whether or not the Vanilla Creme Cold Brew or the Toasted White Chocolate Iced Coffee should be part of your next Dunkin' run.
By Sam Zwick
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Casual Dining
By Sam Zwick
Applebee's and Chili's may not be steakhouses, but both offer a few affordable steaks on their menus. We tasted and compared both sirloin and ribeye cuts.
By Sam Zwick
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While you're waiting for the next county fair, you might want to get your corn dog fix elsewhere. We look at how the options from Sonic and Culver's stack up.
By Sam Zwick
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Chili's introduced Honey Chipotle Mozz just in time for the holidays. See if the sweet and spicy secret menu item is worth ordering at your next Chili's visit.
By Sam Zwick
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As the mayor of Flavortown, Guy Fieri keeps barbecue high on his agenda. We tried and ranked the brand's BBQ sauces, and learned that one needs to be voted out.
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Wendy's released its new Mushroom Bacon Cheeseburger that's covered in garlic sauce and Muenster cheese. Find out if it is worth sinking your teeth into.
By Sam Zwick
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Burger King's Whopper is a classic but the brand recently launched a contest for a new kind of Whopper and we reviewed the top three finalists.
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To find out what makes Cracker Barrel's mashed potatoes so delectable, we went straight to the source and chatted with an expert. Here's the inside scoop.
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Sonic dropped its winter menu just in time for chilly weather. See if the new festive drinks and cheesy smash burger will get you ready for the cozy season.
By Sam Zwick
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