My New Favorite Candy Bars

On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best) I would probably rate the Nestle Crunch a 2.  In a world that offers Twix and Baby Ruth, I wonder why anyone would choose a thin Nestle Crunch?  I guess I just never saw the allure of the plain crispies in chocolate. That all changed the day I found the Nestle Crunch Crisp.  Like the Butterfinger Crisp that has been out for a year or two, the Nestle Crunch Crisp takes components of the classic candy bar and layers them between light, crispy wafers.  

The Nestle Crunch Crisp is comprised of four crispy wafers layered with the rich chocolate creme.  The wafers are then covered in a sprinkling of crispies and it's all coated in chocolate.  The star here is the chocolate creme.  The creme makes all the difference.  It has this great rich cocoa flavor.  In fact it is even better than the chocolate that coats the entire bar.

     

Equally as delicious is the Nestle Baby Ruth Crisp.  The Baby Ruth Crisp has the same light, crispy wafers but layered with nougat creme, caramel, peanuts - all covered in chocolate.  It tastes like a Baby Ruth only a little more airy, and well...crispy.

Both these candy bars are available at CVS and I imagine, various other drug stores.  If you want to try something new for 2010, give either one a shot.      

Christmas Dots

Who would have thought that quiet unassuming DOTS which have been in existence since 1945 would be rocking my candy world so hard this year?  First, this Halloween, in what turned out to be an otherwise disappointing candy offering, I was thrilled to find the Candy Corn and Bat DOTS.  A month later I stumble upon Christmas DOTS.  Not only are Christmas DOTS adorable (I can imagine them sprucing up a gingerbread house this season...if I ever made a gingerbread house) but they taste good too.  There are two flavors - cherry and lime.  Each flavor is also enhanced by a white cap of vanilla. 

The cherry tastes like maraschino cherries, and the lime reminds me of green Jell-O.  Although the vanilla flavor is not prominent, I figure it must be doing something behind the scenes to mellow these two flavors out since they don't taste anything like the cherry or lime that you find in a box of Original DOTS.

I spotted Christmas DOTS at both Target and CVS in the Christmas candy aisle.  An added bonus of the seasonal DOTS is that the short shelf life guarantees they will be fresh and soft.  Don't pass these up, they're only like $1 a box.   

The Twin Bing

I was really hoping that I would like the Twin Bing.  The Bing has been made since 1923 by the Palmer Candy Co. in Sioux City, Iowa, one of the oldest candy companies in America.  On the outside, the Twin Bing sports an eye-catching, authentically retro red and white package.  But on the inside, I found one of the oddest candy bars I've ever laid my eyes on.  The Twin Bing comes packaged as two chunky looking brown lumps, conjoined at the bottom by a thin bridge of the coating.  The brown coating covering the lumps is a combination of "chocolate compound" mixed up with finely chopped bits of salty peanuts.  This surrounds another lump of sweet and chewy cherry filling.  I'm not sure how to categorize the cherry filling.  It's not fluffy or viscous or creamy, but rather solid almost like a nougat or fondant.

As I alluded to earlier, I can't say I enjoyed the Twin Bing.  The "chocolate compound" coating is waxy and flavorless.  The cherry center does not taste bad, but when taken in a bite with the coating, it's just a weird mix of textures and flavors.  The best feature of this candy bar is the peanuts.  I like how the tiny chopped bits appear in every bite and their saltiness helps to cut the sweetness of the cherry and lend some flavor to the chocolate coating.

I think if real chocolate was used and the cherry lump was just a little more creamy, I would find the Twin Bing much more appealing.  Obviously, this is just my opinion.  The Twin Bing must have its fans, otherwise it would not have survived since 1923.  In 1923, the Twin Bing was actually just the "Bing" and each package only contained one lump of candy.  It was not until 1973 that the second lump was added and the Twin Bing was born.  Because two just wasn't enough, the Palmer Candy Co. introduced the triple lump King Bing in 1986.  Although cherry is the original Bing flavor, the company also makes the Crispy Peanut Butter Caramel Bing.  This Bing has a peanut butter caramel center covered by a coating of chocolate and crispy rice.  This Bing sounds interesting, but I worry that the same fake chocolate coating would ruin it as well.

For additional info on the Twin Bing, check out the book Candy Freak.  In it, author Steve Almond visits the Palmer Candy Co. and witnesses the Bing's creation first hand.  You can also read more about the company's history on their website http://www.palmercandy.com/.

Bubu Lubu

My boyfriend recently returned from a work week in Mexico and brought me back some Mexican candy.  One of the treats was the Bubu Lubu candy bar, which apparently is very popular in Mexico.  The candy bar is comprised of a layer of strawberry flavored jelly and a layer of marshmallow all covered in a chocolate-flavored coating.         

I'm usually not a huge fan of thick jelly layers on anything, but it actually works well here.  The jelly, though not very strong in the strawberry flavor department, is more chewy than slimy.  The marshmallow layer is not as fluffy as a Peep and almost matches the consistency of the jelly.  The "chocolate-flavored" coating that holds it all together is quite tasty and probably my favorite component.  I know it's not "real" chocolate, but I figure if I'm eating something called a "Bubu Lubu" in a shiny blue wrapper with a creepy snow creature kid on the package, should I really be picky about artificial flavoring?

The Bubu Lubu reminds me of this chocolate-covered marshmallow cookie I used to get when I was a little kid.  I don't remember the name of the cookies, nor do I know if they are still made, but their chocolate coating was very similar to the stuff on the Bubu Lubu.  I've read some other blog posts about the Bubu Lubu, and generally everyone else hates it!  Could my fondness for this candy be blinded by nostalgia for cookies past? 

UPDATE: I saw the cookies I was thinking about at the grocery store.  They are Nabisco Pinwheels.

Paul Rudnick, You're My Hero

This afternoon I received an email from my sister asking me if I had ever heard about the guy who only eats candy.  She told me he wrote a book called something like "Living for Sugar, and Sugar-Coated Goblins."  Of course, being the librarian that I am, I Googled the phrase and found out that while "living for candy, and sugar-coated goblins" is not the name of a book, it is the title of a NY Times article written about author Paul Rudnick.  Turns out Mr. Rudnick does have a book out but it's called "I Shudder: And Other Reactions to Life, Death, and New Jersey."  I haven't read the book but of course I now have to. There are Peeps on the cover and it's endorsed by David Sedaris, win-win.  
 
Back to the NY Times article, the focus of which is how candy comprises most of Mr. Rudnick's diet yet he's healthy, happy, and still retains a full set of teeth.  Paul Rudnick is living the dream.  Read all the full article at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/dining/28Rudn.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1.  You can also check out photos of Mr. Rudnick's house that looks like something out of the Addam's Family - double awesome. 

While at the NYT, be sure to also check out the Diner's Journal Blog post "Sweet and Sour" where Mr. Rudnick discusses some of his favorite and least favorite candies.  Without giving away everything, let me just say that he likes Hostess Sno Balls and dislikes "gourmet" candy.  Paul Rudnick, you had me at "Sno Balls."

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/sweet-and-sour/

Wonka Sploshberries Gummies

I was very excited to find these new Wonka Sploshberries Gummies at Target over the weekend. I assume they are part of the new Wonka "Gummies" product line which includes Sour Puckerooms and Sluggies, however the Sploshberries are not listed on the gummies page at wonka.com. The Sploshberries come in four shapes and flavors - raspberry, blueberry, goji berry, and cloud berry. Raspberry and blueberry I had covered, but I was unfamiliar with both the cloud berry and the goji berry. To my surprise, both are real. Cloud berries are an edible, amber colored fruit that grow in the Northern Hemisphere. In North America, they are mostly confined to Canada, Alaska, and a few northern states like Minnesota and Maine. The goji berry is the popular name for the wolfberry. Goji berries grow in China, Mongolia, and the Himalayas. They carry claims of possessing "superfruit" cancer fighting properties, along with other health benefits. Am I crazy to picture Oompa Loompas in the Himalayans picking these rare berries for this candy? I love the thought, but I'll have to ignore the fact that neither goji or cloud berry juice are listed ingredients.


The "splosh" in Sploshberries comes from the dab of fruity gel filling found at the center of each piece. The candies actually have three components. There is a gummy top, a dense marshmallowish bottom (which is kinda of similar to the white part of a peach gummy ring), and a fruity filling. Each piece is also decorated to resemble its namesake. Judging by the photos I viewed online, the goji and cloud berries really do look similar to the real thing. But of course the most important question here is, how do they taste? I surprised myself by really liking the Sploshberries. At first thought, gummy and fruit filling didn't appeal to me but the gummy portion is not at all slimy and holds up nicely to the fruit filling. I think the marshmallowish bottom also contributes to a tougher chew which I prefer. The flavors were also very nice. As I mentioned earlier, I have no point of reference for the goji or cloud berry, but like the raspberry and blueberry, they all just tasted fruity.

I like these candies. They are fun, eye-catching, and taste good. And if I want to imagine they were created for me by Oompa Loompas, that's an added bonus.

Kiss M&M's

I've never been a big fan of the band Kiss, but I have to admit, the detail found on these Kiss M&Ms' is pretty cool. Each candy is stamped with the likeness of one of the four instantly recognizable Kiss members. I have yet to see the Kiss M&M's in person, but if you're interested in picking up a bag, you'll have to head to Walmart because that is the only place they are being sold. So grab your screaming toddler and head over to Walmart for a piece, more like pieces, of pop culture!



The Metal Misfit already has a bag. Check out his blog for more pics and details.

Halloween Dots

Guess what kids, summer is over which means it's time to start planning trips to the cider mill and stocking up on Halloween candy! Let me introduce you to Halloween-themed Dots, who could pass up such a thing? I found these Candy Corn and Bat (blood orange) flavored Dots at Kroger. There is also a Ghost version available that are a neon green translucent color and fruit flavored, but I did not buy them. The candy corn flavor initially PIQUED my interest because they looked really cute and I have to admit, sometimes I do crave me some candy corn. It's not a candy I can eat in large batches or very often, but about once a year I find a nice fresh bag thoroughly enjoyable. A couple years ago around this time I found candy corn flavored salt water taffy that was quite awesome. Which reminds me, I should look for that again, but I digress...on to the Dots!


The Candy Corn Dots are pleasant. They sport the traditional dome shape and size of a Dot. Each piece has a yellow and orange layer mimicking real candy corn minus the white tip. The candy corn flavor is not very strong, nor are they overly sweet. In fact, I couldn't even taste much until a few seconds into the chew. They have a caramel flavor, whereas traditional candy corn has more of a honey flavor.

The Bat Dots were quite a surprise. First of all, I almost passed them up because I assumed they were black licorice. When I read they were blood orange flavor, I was intrigued, so I grabbed a box. I have to give the Tootsie Roll people credit for the clever tie between blood orange - "blood" - and Halloween. I can't say I've ever had a real blood orange, but I love the way these Bat Dots taste. I couldn't stop eating them. They remind me of a cross between grape and orange soda. They also have something in common with an orange slushie in that there is a nice tangy sparkle to them.

Both the Candy Corn and Bat Dots are nice additions to this year's Halloween candy offerings. Out of the two, I have to say I prefer the flavor of the Bat Dots. My only complaint is that they seem to make their way into ever crevice of my teeth. Very sticky, but delicious.

Chocolate Flavored Smarties

Non-chocolate "chocolate flavored" candies are quite a conundrum. Sometimes they work out great, like Tootsie Rolls, chocolate-flavored Tootsie Pops, or even chocolate Necco Wafers; but quite often the result is pretty grody. If you've ever tasted chocolate licorice or chocolate bubble gum, you know what I'm talking about. Nevertheless, when I heard about Chocolate Flavored Smarties, I was curious and a little bit hopeful.

I found this roll of Chocolate Flavored Smarties in the well-stocked candy section of a Party City store. If you can't tell from the photo, or just think I have really tiny hands, this happens to be a Smarties "mega" roll where each piece is about the size of a quarter. I'm not sure if this flavor is available in the traditional Smarties size.

As I untwisted the wrapper, the first thing I noticed about the Smarties were the smell. They definitely have a "chocolate" smell, but not real chocolate. It reminded me of a cross between the chocolate-scented pencil erasers that I would get as a kid and the scent of a Cabbage Patch Kid. More recently, I experienced the same smell from the Chocolator, the chocolate bar shaped chocolate-scented calculator that my sister bought me for my birthday. I took the Smarties smelling like plasticy rubber as a bad sign, and my gut was right. Sadly, the Chocolate Smarties not only smell like plastic, they taste very artificial. I couldn't eat more than one and half without getting grossed out.

Tropical Chewy Lemonheads

So I was on the elevator at work headed up to my office when I spotted a woman holding a small light blue box and all I could make out was the smiling face of Mr. Lemonhead. Hmmm...light blue? I didn't know of any Lemonhead product that came in a light blue box. I knew this had to be something new, so I had no other choice but to head back down to the first floor and survey the gift shop where I found displayed at the register Tropical Chewy Lemonheads. Last July I wrote about Chewy Lemonheads & Friends, the first incarnation of these candies. Tropical Chewy Lemonheads put a spin on the original product by putting two flavors in every piece, kind of like Crazy Core Skittles, and giving Mr. Lemonhead a hawaiian shirt. The flavors break down like this:

Peach Mango (orange w/green center): Generally the first flavor listed is the one that makes up the outer shell. I'm not a big fan of peach flavored candy, and here it kind of tastes like cat pee, luckily once the peach flavor dissolves the mango is pretty good.

Berry Banana (blue w/yellow center): I'm a fan of artificial banana flavor, but still I was skeptical of this one. It turned out to be my favorite of the box. The berry flavor has a nice tanginess and the banana is flavorful yet mild.

Pink Lemonade & Lemonade (pink w/yellow center): Two types of lemonade may seem redundant but this flavor works. It tastes like very much like a regular Chewy Lemonhead only a not as sour.

Cherry Watermelon (red w/pink center): Tastes like a Cherry Head. I can't really tell there is watermelon inside, but I still like it.

Kiwi Strawberry (green w/red center): Does anyone really know what kiwi strawberry tastes like? I usually only get strawberry flavor with a tiny kick of sourness. Nevertheless, I like this flavor. It reminds me of Kiwi Strawberry Snapple.

More Twilight Candy

As the release of the movie New Moon draws near, the Twilight candy prophecy is complete. I've finally laid my hands on, I don't even know what to call it, the package says "Heart's Desire" so let's call it Heart's Desire, a creme filled milk chocolate heart from the makers of the Sky Bar. I found them at Blockbuster for $0.79 a piece. The Heart's Desire is available in three different wrappers featuring the Twilight characters Edward, Bella, or Jacob. As you can see from the photo, I choose the Edward package.

The candy piece itself is about 2 inches long and pretty thick. If you can't tell from the photo of my half-melted piece (my apartment was 90 degrees yesterday), it features two conjoined hearts one saying "Bella", the other "Cullen" atop a pedestal that says "Sky Bar". Sky Bar...how romantic. The candy itself tastes similar to a Cadbury Creme Egg, only not as sweet and less salty. It's obviously the vanilla portion of the traditionally four flavored Sky Bar.


I may have stated in a previous post that the original Sky Bar tastes like feet. I happily admit that this candy did not taste like feet and I ate the whole piece...and not just because Edward was on the package. Overall, the Heart's Desire is a fun novelty candy for fans of the Twilight series, but it's not a candy I can imagine craving two years from now.

A la Mere de Famille

I recently had the great opportunity to visit a few excellent places in Europe including Germany, Amsterdam, and Paris. To my delight, Europe did not disappoint in the candy department. One of the most charming and lovely places I visited was a candy store in Paris called A La Mere De Famille. It was founded in 1761 and is known as the oldest confectioner in Paris. Stepping through the doors of this shop was like going back in time to a magical place. The walls are lined with wood and glass cabinets and various colorful treats are housed in glass jars. Normally, I'm not a big fan of wood decor, but in this store it's just perfect and contributed to the whole old-world comfort feel. I was a little timid about taking photos inside the store, mostly because I do not speak or understand a word of French in order to ask permission, but Julia at Sweet Travel Blog has some beautiful photos and a nice description of her visit to the shop.

The chocolates looked tempting, but because it was so warm outside I was reluctant to spend 4 euro 50 on what could be a chocolate puddle in half an hour. Instead, I choose to sample a few less meltable candies. I bought a nougat bar, a marzipan bunny (for a souvenir), the cutest marzipan cherries I have every seen, and a mixed bag of hard candies that included bergamot and creme brulee flavors. I have not had time to sample everything yet, the cherries are too cute to eat right now, but I can tell you that the nougat bar is delicious. It's full of crunchy almonds and pistachios and the nougat just melts in your mouth.












A La Mere De Famille has a really cute website. It's all in French, but worth looking at even if like me, you can't read it.
http://www.lameredefamille.com

The Cadbury Crunchie

Despite being a Cadbury classic in the UK since 1929, I had never heard of the Crunchie until a few weeks ago when I spotted it during a recent candy store visit. The Crunchie is a chocolate-covered sponge toffee bar. The center is a buttery and well, crunchy golden sponge candy that slowly melts away in your mouth. The texture of sponge candy is similar to that of a Whopper malted milk ball in that it kind of disintegrates from the saliva of your tongue. However, this sponge candy has a delicious toffee flavor that is rich, but by being a "sponge" is also airy. To top it off, the bar is covered by creamy Cadbury chocolate. And not the mockolate that is making its way into some stateside candy bars, this is the good stuff.

I recommend enjoying the Crunchie in small bites. This bar is thick! And with the solid center it's easy to bite off more than you can chew.

P-NOT Butter Flavored Sixlets

I am actually angry at this candy, if it is possible to harbor such feelings toward a candy. Why am I angry? I am angry because I put this candy in my mouth and it tastes like vomit. And I'm not using the word "vomit" in a figurative sense, quite literally it tastes like vomit. You know the sour, burn taste that puke leaves in your mouth and throat? Well, in case you forgot, it is captured here in deceptively cute, colorful shiny balls of candy. I would compare their flavor to the Harry Potter Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Jelly Beans...the vomit ones, of course.

These Sixlets are supposed to be peanut butter flavored, while containing no peanuts or tree nut products so people with peanut allergies can eat them. It's a nice idea, but too bad they are just so awful. I guess I was expecting them to taste comparable to Reese's Pieces, but they don't. Luckily I do not have a peanut allergy, but if I did, I think I would rather go without then eat these. I hate to come down hard on Sixlets because I do love the chocolate flavored ones, even though I know they are not "real" chocolate. The P-NOT Butter flavored Sixlets are just P-NOT good. Eat at your own risk!

The Idaho Spud

Ahh, where to begin with the Idaho Spud? The first time I had an Idaho Spud a few years ago, I totally loved it. I remember it tasting like semi-melted chocolate ice cream. Flash forward to June 2009, I have my second Idaho Spud and...it's kind of grody. Is my mind playing tricks on me? Have my taste buds changed? I know its not the recipe that has changed. The Spud has been produced by the Idaho Candy Company under the Owyhee brand name since 1918.

Surprisingly, the Idaho Spud does not contain potato. Its name is an homage to the potato producing state where the candy is produced and the lumpy, bumpy shape it shares with the vegetable. The Idaho Spud is a lump of marshmallow covered in chocolate and coated with coconut. I have no issues with the chocolate coating or the coconut. Both of those variables are pleasant and quite tasty. In fact, I ended up peeling off the chocolate coating which has a great cocoa flavor, and just eating that. The Spud gets weird at its core. The marshmallow is strange. It is stoney gray in color and smells like maple even though "maple" is not a listed ingredient. The texture is not like any marshmallow I have experienced before. It's very dense, wet, and sticky. The closet thing I can compare it to is the inside of a Nerf football, or one of those squishy stress balls. I was afraid to swallow it.

In his book, Candyfreak, Steve Almond recounts his visit to the Idaho Candy Company, which includes a firsthand look at the creation of the Idaho Spud. He learns that where most marshmallows are made with gelatin, the Spud marshmallow is made with a seaweed derivative called agar agar. This gives it "resilience" according to company president Dave Wagers. I'm not sure resilience is what I'm looking for in my candy, but hey it's been around since 1918, who am I to argue with that?

The Idaho Spud gets props for its cute, retro wrapper. I have a soft spot in my heart for independent candy companies, especially the ones with a history. I love seeing black and white photos of ladies in hair nets wrapping candy bars. Therefore, I am determined to find an Idaho Candy Company product that I love. Unfortunately, the Spud wasn't it, but I'll write about it when I do!

Idaho Candy Company

Great article on the continuing popularity of the Idaho Spud from the Deseret News, 2006

Make Yourself a "Sweet" Belt

Check out these super cute candy wrapper belts made by Megan at Plum Pudding. I think I need to start saving up my wrappers. And the best part - no sewing required!

Candy Giveaway at the Candy Dish Blog

This is the time of year I lament not being able to attend the All Candy Expo. The Expo, sponsored by the National Confectioner's Association, starts tomorrow and is a three day affair of candy, sweets, and all things awesome. However, it's only open to vendors and industry professionals, which I can't fault them for. Could you imagine if nuts like me had an unlimited world of new candy within their grasp? The place would be cleaned out. For now, I am visiting vicariously by following the Candy Dish Blog . The Candy Dish Blog is the official candy blog of the National Confectioners Association. I recommend checking it out. Do it soon because they are running a candy giveaway contest full of treats from the Expo. Good luck!

Mike & Ike Cotton Candy

Cotton candy is one of the sweets that I have a hard time resisting.  I am delighted that it is now readily available in nonperishable packaging.  All the fun without the carnies - a win/win situation.  I bought this Mike & Ike flavored cotton candy at Dylan's Candy Bar a couple weeks ago and I have to say that it is absolutely delicious!  There are three flavored balls in the bag - cherry, lemon, and lime.  Each flavor is well executed.  The cherry tastes like just like a maraschino cherry.  I could have eaten three bags, but sadly I've finished my one bag and I don't know where to buy more.  


Just one word of caution, when I bought the Mike & Ike cotton candy I also picked up a bag of Hot Tamales flavored cotton candy for my sister, a Hot Tamales fan. While I didn't taste the Hot Tamales version, my sister told me it was inedible. Apparently it smelled like the interior of an abandoned car (her words, not mine) and left a weird aftertaste in her mouth. Perhaps cinnamon doesn't translate well into cotton candy.

UPDATE: I was able to find this at World Market. The new bag had one ball of lemon and two cherry. Lime was missing. Where's the quality control?

Smarties Bubble Gum Balls

I found these Smarties Bubble Gum Balls at Kroger (on sale for 65 cents with a Kroger Plus card). Being a fan of both Smarties and gum balls, I thought these were going to be something special, however I was a little disappointed. The package contains 10 pastel gum balls mimicking the delicate colors of Smarties roll candy in pink, yellow, green, orange, and lavender. They are pretty to look at, but lack the tartness I enjoy in Smarties.  Overall, Smarties Gum Balls are good gumballs, but they have little in common with Smarties. 

Candy Excursions in the Big Apple: Part I

Yikes! April is nearly over and I realize that I have not posted this month! Even though I haven't written much about candy, it has been a candy-filled month. First Easter, my favorite holiday, and I went on a short vaca to New York City last week. I made it a point to visit some of the major NYC candy haunts that I have read about over the years. I think I did a pretty good job. I visited Dylan's Candy Bar, Economy Candy, and Papabubble. Trust me, by the time we flew home I had to have my boyfriend carry a bag on the plane just filled with candy.

The first place I visited was Dylan's Candy Bar located at 1011 Third Ave. Dylan's looks like a candy paradise. It really is a beautiful store. From the lollipop sculpture (pictured) in the center of the first floor showroom, to the candy-embedded staircase, it looks awesome. The first floor housed bins of all kinds of bulk candy. Lots of gummies and licorice - for $10.99 a pound. Yeah, $10.99 a pound! I know it's NYC, but that still seems like a lot for a pound of gummi bears.

Down the candy-embedded staircase into the basement level, there was more candy, a chocolate boutique, and some really expensive candy-inspired clothing. I looked at a t-shirt with a bedazzled cupcake on it and was nearly floored by the $300 price tag. Maybe it was from some designer I'm not cool enough to know about. I did like the retro candy display (pictured above) that comprised an entire wall. Behold the mountain of candy bars! However, once again I was floored by the prices. I bought a strawberry banana Laffy Taffy and didn't realize until looked at my receipt later that night that I laid down 2 bones...for a Laffy Taffy! I could have bought three for that price at home.

Dylan's also had a special line of Barbie 50th anniversary candy that I loved.


If you can't make it to Dylan's Candy Bar in person, visit them online at http://www.dylanscandybar.com.