Snack Love

Kanro Pure Lemon Cola

2011-12-14T12:50:00.004-05:00

Pure is one of my favorite Japanese candy brands. If you like sour gummies, Pure is definitely worth a look. It's very cheap in Japan (around 100 to 120 yen, if my memory is correct), and pretty cheap in import stores in the USA, too. I bought this flavor at Mitsuwa Marketplace for just under $2.

Since I'm not a big soda drinker, I'm not sure if I've ever had actual lemon cola. I will have to give it a taste on my next Sonic run (preferable to committing to a 2-liter bottle or a 12-pack of cans).

These gummies did not smell good. The lemon scent seemed artificial and bordering on floor cleaner. Thankfully, they tasted much better than they smelled. Both the lemon and cola flavors were distinct and well-executed.

Both flavors were tart and tasty, and the gummies had that firm but chewy texture that I've come to love. The lemon cola flavor was different and fun, and these would be sure to please sour gummy fans.

A-

Pure website

Poca Nori Seaweed Chips

2011-12-02T12:13:00.003-05:00

Here's yet another product kindly provided by my globe-trotting boss. This time, she and her husband went to Vietnam for a vacation filled with hiking and kayaking, but they also spent some time in larger cities. One of the snacks she brought back to share with the office was seaweed flavored potato chips.

Seaweed isn't a strange flavor to anyone familiar with Japanese snacks, and the dominant flavor in seaweed snacks is typically salt. These particular chips were made by Lay's, which is called Poca in Vietnam. Several of my coworkers tried the nori chips, and most enjoyed them.

The chips got a bit damaged in transit, but not crushed too badly. They smelled salty and a bit sweet. The chips had the texture of Pringles (Lay's calls their version Stax). As expected, the seaweed chips mostly tasted salty, with just a hint of sweetness and a very faintly "fishy" aftertaste.

Overall, the flavor was very mild. The aftertaste was noticeable, but not unpleasant. I like seaweed, but even people who don't like it enjoyed these chips. They were pretty addictive!

B+

Pepsico website (Vietnamese)

Stride Whitemint

2011-11-21T12:35:00.004-05:00

The Olympics Games are a big deal in my house. Professional sports just don't interest me, and my lack of knowledge of team sports is almost embarrassing. The Olympics are different. I will watch any (or every, if possible) Olympic event, and the way I track medal standings is borderline obsessive. I know the Winter Olympics have a lackluster reputation in comparison to the Summer Olympics, but I like the Winter Games better.

So, when Shaun White puts his name and face on a product, it totally works for me. The man is a snowboarding god. These samples were kindly sent to me for review by a PR representative, but just so you know, I would have bought this gum anyway. May I also add that the PR sample packaging was the cutest I've ever seen?

The bold colors on the outer package were very eye catching and tied into the promotion nicely. The gum wrappers themselves were pretty, too! I loved the metallic white and blue motif. The gum itself was a cool and sweet mint. There were no hints of wintergreen or spearmint, just a nice, easy peppermint. I liked the sweetness, but some of my coworkers found it to be too sweet.

The texture was great: soft but not mooshy, and it didn't seem to harden as I chewed. The cooling effect was pretty strong, and I found it to be a good after-meal breath freshener. Stride delivered on the long-lasting flavor, too. I was sick of chewing gum before the mint had completely worn off (probably about 10 to 15 minutes - gotta start timing these chews better). Whitemint is a safe flavor, but with the fun celebrity tie-in, it certainly left a good impression on me.

B+

Stride website

Gandour Unica

2011-11-09T12:41:00.004-05:00

My sister gave me a nice selection of candy bars from a Lebanese grocer recently, and it's about time I got to reviewing them. The first one I tried was the Unica bar, a chocolate wafer bar.

It's worth mentioning that I have never been a fan of wafer bars. I didn't even like KitKats until college, and those plain delicate wafer cookies? Still not for me. So I am somewhat biased.

The Unica bar was very pretty, with a nice-looking, rippled milk chocolatey coating. It smelled pleasant, like a mild cocoa. The chocolate was extremely mild, in fact. It got a bit lost in the wafers, which were also subtly flavored.

The cream between the wafers was slightly salty with a hint of vanilla. They had a light, delicate crunch, which was really the main experience of the bar. It felt very unsubstantial, but as I mentioned, wafer bars are not my thing.

The wrapper said Wafers coated with milky chocolate sensation and the website says Wafers Coated with Chocolate Flavour, so draw your own conclusions about that. There's nothing really wrong with this bar, but it's just too bland for me.

C+

Gandour Website

Dolfin Chocolat Au Lait au The Vert Sencha du Japon

2011-10-16T10:53:00.005-04:00

For my brother-in-law's birthday, my sister ordered chocolate from Chocosphere, but since they offer flat rate shipping under for orders under $50, she asked me to order some things to get the total order closer to that level. Honestly, it was hard to limit myself! Don't be fooled by the 1997-esque web design - there is some quality chocolate to be ordered.

I had to try more Dolfin chocolate, so among other things, I ordered their Sencha (green tea) bar for myself and the Lavender bar for a friend of mine. That friend was kind enough to give me a bite of the Lavender bar - I never liked lavender before, but consider me converted! It was that good.

Though I prefer matcha, sencha is pretty good, too. It's made from dried tea leaves and it's the most common kind of green tea in Japan (and probably the kind most Americans drink, too). In this bar, the sencha aroma was delightfully grassy and bitter. The tea leaves broke up the smooth chocolate with a slightly gritty crunch.

The green tea melded perfectly with the milk chocolate, which was some of the best milk chocolate I've had the pleasure of tasting (my husband loved it, too). It was smooth, not overly sticky, and neither too milky nor too sweet. This is absolutely the best green tea bar I've ever had. Although it was sencha, I found that it had more of a matcha essence than plain green tea. The green tea and chocolate weren't competing for flavor dominance; they were just in perfect harmony and balance.

A+

Dolfin website

Dolfin Noir au Poivre Rose

2011-10-14T12:03:00.004-04:00

I think I have a new favorite brand. My sister gave me Dolfin's Noir au Poivre Rose (Black with Pink Pepper) for my birthday, and it was the first time I had seen the brand. Sometimes chocolate sits around at home because I have so much, but I prioritized this bar because it was so pretty. There's still a bit of wrapping paper stuck to the package in my picture because I was in such a hurry to eat the bar.

The whole experience, from opening the package to finishing the bar, was delightful. The wrapper reminded me of a checkbook (maybe it's a bit overpackaged). The bar itself was wrapped in a liner that reminded me of old-fashioned wallpaper. It was so cute and elegant!

Oh, the chocolate. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed chocolate this much. The bar had a strong peppercorn scent that carried over into the flavor. The pepper was more aromatic than spicy, and it was absolutely perfect with the dark chocolate.

Speaking of the chocolate, it was some of the best dark chocolate I've ever had. It was nutty and only mildly bitter, with very little fruitiness. The middle notes were sweet and creamy, and the finish was bitter and clean. The pepper even clearer my sinuses a bit, but I didn't find it to be too strong.

My husband had one complaint: the slightly gritty texture of the peppercorns reminded him of dirt at times. The texture didn't bother me. After this bar was gone, I promptly ordered more Dolfin chocolate, and, as you'll see in upcoming reviews, I was not disappointed.

A

Dolfin website

Vosges Exotic Caramels

2011-10-12T07:04:00.002-04:00

On our Las Vegas vacation this summer, my husband sat in his first real Texas Hold 'Em tournament. The stakes were pretty low (none of that televised business), but he's always wanted to try a Vegas tournament. This meant he would be at that casino for several hours, so after watching the first hand and wishing him luck, I embarked on a shopping trip.

Of course, I found myself at the Vosges store inside the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace, and after sampling three different chocolates and exploring the store, I couldn't shake my curiosity about their Exotic Caramels. Since I couldn't limit myself to just one or two flavors, I bought the whole set.

The box was a colorful smorgasbord of caramels, nine varieties in total. Vosges is always a splurge, and at $29 US, this set was no exception. Maybe it was just the Las Vegas spirit that compelled me to buy it. I'm not a big gambler - at least when I go shopping, everyone wins. Reading the flavor descriptions alone was worth at least a dollar.

I forgot to photograph each one individually, but let's start in the lower left corner of the picture above. Canadian maple sugar + maple syrup + walnuts + dark chocolate didn't seem that exotic to me. The maple wasn't very strong, but the rich caramel still reminded me of pancakes. It was smooth and a little salty with a nice crunch from the walnuts. Dark chocolate was a good match, and the coating was smooth and mild. The salty-sweet balance was nice, and this one would please even a timid palate.

The next caramel to the right was Blood orange + Campari + dark chocolate + hibiscus powder. That's more like it! Campari is an Italian bitters made from fruit and herbs, and I've never tried it, but Wikipedia says it is bitter, spicy, and sweet. The red coating was lovely and had a sour, floral flavor. The caramel was very soft and fruity with a citrus finish that reminded me of lemonade or jelly fruit slices. It was quite complex, and complemented by the dark chocolate coating.

Rounding out the bottom row was Aboriginal anise myrtle + dark chocolate, and I did manage to photograph this one. After a bad experience tasting Absinthe, I lost my liking for anise, so I was wary, but the flavor in this caramel was very pleasant. The bitter chocolate stood out, but the mild licoricey anise was noticeable especially in the mid to end notes. It was surprisingly tasty, despite my distaste for anise and it being the last caramel I sampled (two months after buying the box). The chocolate sagged a bit over time, but the flavor still wowed me, so I doubt any real damage occurred.

The leftmost caramel in the middle row was Hawaiian red sea salt + milk chocolate + li hing powder. Again, Wikipedia was required: li hing powder is a red powder that covers dried salty li hing mui (plums). Despite not knowing what it would taste like, the li hing was easy to detect. The sea salt combined with the li hing gave this caramel a complex salty-sour-sweet flavor. The milk chocolate was on the sweeter side, but it helped to balance the extremely salty finish.

In the center, Mexican guajillo chilies + licorice root + dark chocolate + organic pumpkin seeds had the longest name. It smelled woodsy, and the dark chocolate felt deep and smooth. The pumpkin seeds were dispersed throughout the melty caramel, giving it a tender crunch. The chilies gave it a nice heat on the finish. I didn't get a sense of the licorice root, but it was still a standout piece.

To the right was the strangest caramel in the collection: Tupelo honey + milk chocolate + bee pollen. It was the first one I tried because it seemed the "most" exotic. The pollen beads were floral, slightly bitter, and maybe a little waxy. The honey felt warm and was not overly sweet. It seemed very filling compared to the other caramels!

Rose water + pink peppercorns + dark chocolate + red rose petal was in the upper left corner, and I loved the rose petal garnish. It was aromatic and floral, but the peppercorn gave it an intense kick! It was unexpected and delicious. The rose was delicate but easy to detect, and well matched to the subtly sweet caramel.

In the upper middle, Brazil nuts + South American cocoa nibs + dark chocolate had the most crunch of any of the truffles. Brazil nuts have an earthy flavor that I have never enjoyed on its own, but when mixed with sweet and creamy caramel, I had no objections. The cocoa nibs added a hint of bitter fruitiness to the nutty flavor, and all together it was comforting and easy to eat. This caramel seemed firmer than the others.

Finally, Argentine dulce de leche + Costa Rican cashews + milk chocolate was one of my favorites. Although the sources of the ingredients are exotic, this one didn't push and flavor boundaries; it was just extremely well executed. The milky caramel was refreshingly simple, with the slightly bitter nuts at the front of the flavor. It was rich and creamy, and neither too salty not too sweet.

Any food lover would enjoy this set. It was such a pleasure to taste, and there is not a single bad caramel in the bunch. Words like delectable, delightful, savory, and complex easily spring to mind. Am I gushing? Yeah. Is this set worth $29? Without a doubt.

Vosges website

Caffex CaffeMallows

2011-10-11T20:51:00.002-04:00

I'll admit it, I was a bit apprehensive about trying caffeinated marshmallows. I love my coffee (currently drinking Trader Joe's Dark Sumatra), but energy drinks and shots just aren't my thing. Still, when it comes to food and candy, I will try anything* once. It was with that spirit I accepted an offer for free samples of Caffex Caffeinated Mallows for review consideration. As always, the samples were free but no compensation was received for this review.

Three varieties of marshmallow came in the sampler: Java, Coffee, and Mocca. I kept putting off trying them for a morning when I wasn't drinking coffee, but that never happened. Eventually, I just went for it, sampling each kind on three different days. More on the buzz later, but I was very productive at work those days.

The packages were printed with the caffeine dosages (though I did not capture this on camera), which was a bit frightening for a caffeine novice like me. The Coffee Mallows had 200 mg of caffeine per serving, which is just over the caffeine content of two cans of Red Bull. The pale brown Coffee Mallows smelled of cinnamon, and they had a slightly bitter coffee flavor. The marshmallow was had a slightly gritty texture. I appreciated the aroma, but I'd rather drink coffee. Unlike a cup of coffee sipped slowly over time, I felt the Coffee Mallow right away; I was downright hyper! My coworkers noticed a difference

The Mocca Mallows were the best of the bunch. They also had 200 mg of caffeine, but I loved how this marshmallow looked-and tasted-just like a brownie. It was dense with big sugar crystals and cocoa nibs, giving it an excellent chocolate flavor. It had the mildest coffee flavor of the three, and while I still prefer a cup of coffee, I really enjoyed this one. Again, I got a pretty strong buzz.

Of course, I forgot to take a picture of the beast of the bunch, the Java Mallow. I saved this one for last. It contained a whopping 280 mg of caffeine, and I was so intimidated, I split it with my husband (and neither of us had coffee that day, based on previous experience). This marshmallow was extremely bitter with a very strong, concentrated espresso flavor. It was absolutely not for me, but someone who enjoys energy drinks might like it more. Even though I split it with my husband, the buzz was intense!

Candy Gurus, Energy Fiend, The Daily Nerdgasm, and Food Junk also reviewed these, and opinions ranged from love to hate. I think I fall somewhere in the middle.

C

Caffex website

* I reserve the right to make exceptions to this rule. "Anything" is pretty general.

Hubba Bubba Max Mystery Flavor

2011-09-24T15:15:00.000-04:00

Back in elementary school, when I got an allowance of 2 dollars a week, much of that money was spent on bubble gum from the grocery store a couple blocks from my house. There's just something so fun and frivolous about bubble gum, and I still blow bubbles to this day, no matter what kind of gum I'm chewing.

These days, I tend to stick to sugarfree gum, but every now and then, something like Hubba Bubba will jump out at me. When I bought this gum at the supermarket last week, my exact words to my husband were, "This girl I can't resist a mystery flavor." I love a good gimmick, and I think I have a pretty good guess at this flavor.

The two-toned gum smelled like almond extract. Right away, it tasted like lemonade, and as I chewed, cherry flavor emerged. My guess is Cherry Lemonade. It was juicy and sour, and not too sweet. When I blew bubbles, the woodsy cherry flavors really emerged, reminding me of amaretto and cherry Starbursts. The lemon wasn't at all like a cleaning product, just sour and tangy.

The gum itself was large and very soft, making it easy to chew and blow bubbles. I had to be careful of my glasses, because the bubbles I could blow could have easily overtaken my nose. As expected, the flavor started to wear thin after just a couple minutes, but the delicious initial favor won me over.

Check out another review at Gum Alert, and from reading the comments, it seems like this "mystery flavor" is a simple re-release. Well, it worked on me.
B+

Hubba Bubba website

Wizarding World of Harry Potter Chocolate Frog

2011-09-23T13:19:00.001-04:00

Is anyone else anxiously awaiting access to Pottermore? Is anyone already exploring the site? I was accepted for early access, but with barely over 2 weeks until it's open to everyone in October, I've just about lost hope of getting that sneak peek. At least the wait is almost over for all of us! Just because I needed a Harry Potter fix, it seemed like a good time to sample the Chocolate Frog I purchased during my trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

In the books and movies, Chocolate Frogs are presented as lithe, enchanted chocolate creatures that could slip through your fingers with ease, or, if you're quick and lucky, wiggle all the way down to your stomach. Of course, there's no way to reproduce that experience for a mass market, but I was surprised by how the Chocolate Frog was brought to life for Universal Studios. There's no way the Chocolate Frogs sold at the actual Honeydukes inside the park could slip out a window. They're solid, huge, and surprisingly hefty! At an equally hefty theme park price price of $9.95 US, maybe Universal Studios was going for the value angle, but they didn't really hit that mark, either.

The solid chocolate frog filled the entire box, but unfortunately it smelled a bit dusty, like a cheap Easter bunny. The easiest way to serve the frog seemed to be cutting into it with a knife, which was fun for my husband. Much to my dismay, the chocolate tasted like it smelled: dry, grainy, and a little chalky. The cocoa flavor was mild and very sweet, and even though it was a one-note chocolate flavor, I did appreciate that there were no sour or otherwise unpleasant aftertastes. The chocolate wasn't very milky, and although I dislike the overly sticky quality that milk chocolate often has, this frog could have used some creaminess. Now, I must disclose that I did wait a couple of months to eat this, but the package was sealed and far from the sell-by date, so it was a bit of a letdown.

I'll admit that this blog has spoiled cheap chocolate for me, but for this price, I'd rather have less chocolate of a higher quality than this giant brick of disappointment. But, as Ron Weasley pointed out to Harry, It's the card you want, and in that respect, the Chocolate Frog was pretty cool. The package was gorgeous and well-constructed, and finding the holographic trading card inside really made me feel immersed in the Harry Potter universe. I got Rowena Ravenclaw (and I think I'd be a Ravenclaw), but I can't see myself trying to collect them all at $10 a frog.

The packaging is absolutely an A+, but overall, this is a C. It's still a good souvenir because of the card and box, but the chocolate left a lot to be desired. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter blog reviewed Chocolate Frogs and really liked them. Please remember, this is just my opinion. If you've got your heart set on a Chocolate Frog, I think the box and card alone will make you happy, and if you enjoy the chocolate, even better.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Green & Black’s Classic Collection

2011-09-19T18:40:00.005-04:00

It’s about time I continued working on my backlog of reviews. First, a PR representative for Green & Black’s kindly sent the lovely Classic Collection of miniature chocolate bars. The first thing that popped into my head when I saw the tiny bars was that they would be a great size for an American Girl doll (my favorite childhood toy). Maybe that's why I still think miniatures are so fun!

The cutest thing about the bars was that they were perforated, just like a full size bar! Adorable. The perforations worked, too, which is always a plus! The collection includes six varieties: Milk, 70% Cocoa, Ginger, Cherry, Almond, and Toffee. There were two bars of each kind, so I recruited my husband as a guest taster and have included some of his comments below. I should also mention that, to quote the press email, Green & Black's sources high-quality organic and fair trade certified ingredients for all of its bars, and that this collection will be available for $9.99 in US major retailers starting in September.

look how cute these are!
Even though it's a standard flavor, Milk was not my favorite of the set. It's really just my personal preference (which is typically > 60% cocoa or bust). It was very sweet and milky with a sticky melt (which is what my husband likes about milk chocolate). I detected a hint of what almost seemed like mintiness, but it could have been my imagination.

However, when the milk chocolate was combined with Toffee, I loved it. The bar had a nutty, caramelized flavor that went very well with the sweet milk chocolate. The chewy, slight crunch of the toffee was just right (Heath bars are too hard for me). The finish was very sweet, but it went well with the subtly salty toffee.

The Almond bar smelled milky, and the chocolate was soft and sticky. the almond pieces had a tender texture with a slightly crunch coating. The flavors mixed well, and it had a well balanced sweetness.

But you know I was waiting for those dark bars. The Dark 70% bar had a satisfying snap and a nice, sweet start. The middle was fruity and slightly bitter, with the bitterness in the forefront on the finish. It had a lovely smooth melt and hints of toasty marshmallow flavor. It was never too bitter or too sweet, making it a fine specimen of dark chocolate. I'd be tempted to buy this bar alone in full size if I had a dark chocolate craving.

Cherry consisted of dried cherries in dark chocolate, and I was immediately stuck by just how sour the cherries were. My husband and I both love sour cherries, but neither of us were crazy about them here. The cherries struck me as especially tangy against the dark chocolate, and I might have liked it better with a sweeter chocolate to counteract the sour. It might have been because of the small size, because I noticed bites that had more chocolate than cherry were much better.

Finally, the Ginger bar was a standout for both myself and my husband. It totally hit the spot. The 60% cocoa went very well with the sharp and noticeable (but not too strong) ginger pieces. The bar was clean, refreshing, and unique. The ginger added a tasty crunch and spicy flavor without a sinus-clearing burn. I could definitely see this as a great dessert after a pungent meal.

Green & Black's Classic Collection has a lot to offer, with the Toffee, 70% Cocoa, and Ginger bars standing out in particular. While I wasn't crazy about the Cherry, I did appreciate its boldness, and it was really only the Milk that didn't excite me. The Classic Collection felt fresh, and tasting the set was a very enjoyable experience.

A-

Green & Black's website

Product was submitted for review by a PR representative. No compensation was received and the product was reviewed just like any other.

Isala Amaretti

2011-09-19T12:22:00.001-04:00

This summer, a scientist from the Italian branch of my company came to work at our lab for a couple weeks. Before she left, she shared some treats from Italy. Our lab interns warned me that they tasted weird, but I was undeterred; I thought the Amaretti macaroons looked delicious!

Almond can be an intense flavor, and I think that might have been what scared off some of my coworkers. My dad (who works in the same office) sampled the cookies before me and described them as fragrant. For the record, he enjoyed them.

The Amaretti smelled strongly of almond extract, heavy with woodsy, cherry-like notes. I was surprised that the cookie was very soft and had a sugar-like crunch. It chewed from a light and fragrant fluffy nut paste to a slightly bitter but very sweet finish. I got a strong sensation of amaretto, but there was no alcohol taste.

The Amaretti was moist with a gritty, soft crunch - not at all doughy. The delicate texture reminded me of French macarons, although the Italian Amaretti were much denser and had a much stronger flavor. I enjoyed the heavy aromatic almond sensation, but those less keen on almonds or amaretto would do well to avoid these.

B+

Mentos UP2U

2011-09-01T12:28:00.006-04:00

Sometimes, I'm all for gimmicks. The idea of the Mentos UP2U gum struck me as quite cute: two different types of gum in one pack, so the chewer can choose between fruity and minty. Since I'm physically incapable of resisting new gum when I see it, I bought this gum during a recent grocery store run.

While a slogan like a choice for every moment of the day seems like a major overstatement, I did like the packaging. With its bold colors and metallic accents, it was stylish and eye catching. Very current, right down to the strong social media tie-ins.

Being a fruity gum fan, I went for the Mandarin Strawberry first. It smelled like strawberry Mentos, and the flavor was mostly fake strawberry with hints of orange sherbet. It was tart and juicy with soft flavor crystals, and the overall chew seemed a bit on the firm side. I did find the initial fruitiness to be short-lived, only a couple minutes, leaving behind a vaguely tart but not unpleasant hint of citrus. There was no mint, but it did leave my mouth feeling cool and fresh without any staleness.

though not as beautiful as Trident Layers, the two-tone gum was quite pretty
Spearmint didn't push any flavor boundaries, but as far as an after-meal breath freshener, it did a fine job. As expected, the mint flavor hung around for a while, with the stronger stuff wearing off after about 5 minutes. I chewed for about 20 minutes, and could still detect a slight flavor when I threw it away. The crunchy flavor crystals were a welcome textural addition. Again, the chew was firm, but this one seemed to soften over time.

Both gums fall solidly in B+ territory.

UP2U on Facebook (feels more relevant than a website)

Vosges Black Salt Caramel Bar

2011-08-16T12:27:00.009-04:00

Looking back at my recent (and infrequent - sorry about that) reviews, it seems I've been into chocolate bars lately. Trying different chocolate brands and types is one of my favorite things about running this blog; I love looking for little differences in flavor and texture.

Vosges is not a brand I buy often, simply because it's expensive. This bar, for example, was $5.99. Despite the price, when I went on a recent chocolate buying spree (seems like this happens a lot these days), the Black Salt Caramel bar called out to me. The Bapchi's Caramel Toffee bar I tried last year was so delicious, I thought another caramel bar from Vosges would be a sure bet.

If you were wondering, the unbroken bar looks like this, but it was important for me to show you how this bar broke, because it completely dominated my overall impression of the bar. It was such a mess, even by caramel standards! The bar just wouldn't break at the "perforations" for me. The chocolate just kept cracking, leaving an oozy, sticky pile of caramel I had to lick off the wrapper (I'm not ashamed). Maybe it's just because I'm very neat, but this really bothered me.

The bar didn't have a strong scent, just a mild hint of cocoa. The 70% cocoa chocolate was slightly bitter, but it had a dreamily smooth melt. The runny liquid caramel was intensely sweet, but it did carry a hint of salt along with a toasty, slightly earthy flavor. The caramel really needed the dark chocolate to balance the bite, but since the caramel kept leaking out, that goal was hard to accomplish. When I did manage to keep it together, the bites along the borders of the pre-formed squares were more appealing; bites from the middle were just too sweet because there wasn't enough chocolate to offset the caramel.

Vosges does dark chocolate very well, but I could have done with less caramel. Don't eat this bar in the car, or at least try to have a moist towelette on hand if you do. This review is based on the entire consumption experience - if the bar hadn't been so messy, I would have rated it higher based on flavor alone, but as much as it pains me, I've got to account for my frustration. I still love you, Vosges!

Please read other reviews at The Candy Enthusiast and The District Chocoholic for some different perspectives on this bar.

C+

Vosges website

Ferrero Gran Soleil Caffe Cappuccino

2011-08-12T12:15:00.000-04:00

The laboratory for which I work has close ties with our facilities in Italy, and people from my office are constantly traveling there for business. I haven’t gotten this opportunity yet, but at least when people from my department go to Italy, they often bring back sweets for my blog.

Gran Soleil is an interesting, ice cream-like treat my boss found in the check-out lane at an Italian supermarket. It comes in other flavors, but this one is Coffee Cappuccino. My boss doesn’t speak much Italian (nor do I), so neither of us knew what it was, but we gathered that it had to be frozen. My stepmother-in-law, who speaks some Italian (thanks to several lengthy assignments there), was able to gather from the instructions that I needed to freeze the package overnight. It was a snacking experience unlike any I’ve had.

Before freezing, the Gran Soleil sounded like gel when I shook it. It solidified after freezing, and since there were two packets, my husband and I each had one. The frozen paste didn’t really look like the picture, but it was still somewhat ice cream-like. It was quite sticky and had an intense coffee scent.

Gran Soleil must have contained a fair amount of water, because there were plenty of ice crystals. True to its scent, the coffee flavor was strong. This was a good thing, though, because the mixture was syrupy and sweet, even a little cloying. Still, the experience of freezing the package myself was fun and new. I think I’d like to try other flavors, though.

B

Gran Soleil website

Madecasse Chocolate

2011-08-02T12:52:00.004-04:00

I just might have a new favorite chocolate brand. It's not cheap at $5.99 a bar (I bought both of these myself), but Madecasse Chocolate is worth the investment. It's single origin chocolate from Madagascar, but beyond that, they pay above fair trade prices and provide equipment and training to their cocoa farmers. Oh, and it's delicious.

The two bars I've tried are the 70% Cocoa and the Sea Salt & Nibs (63% cocoa). My friends and family have had to put up with me raving about this brand for several days now (but it's worth it because I share). I'm not a chocolate connoisseur, but it's not often that a bar impresses me this much.

The first bar I tried was the 70% Cocoa. The understated packaging was beautiful, and according to the back of the wrapper, the little straw tie was hand-tied in Madagascar. Inside, the bar was wrapped in pale gold foil (and I do love shiny things), and the chocolate itself was a lovely shade. It broke cleanly along the perforations with a nice snap. The chocolate was had a deep and varied flavor; strongly fruity, but not acidic. I often enjoy chocolate at around 70%, and this was no exception. It was certainly bitter, but still silky smooth on the tongue.

The packaging and look of Sea Salt & Nibs was similar, but the back of the bar was just beautiful. It smelled quite bitter, but the flavor was fruity and bright. The cacao nibs added a fantastic crunch and a strong, bitter bite on the tongue, but overall, it was sweeter at 63% cocoa. The sea salt was there to bring out the slight sweetness of the chocolate, and it was just right - not too strong but not absent. While I prefer the plain dark chocolate, it's nice to have a bit of texture variety.

I was thrilled with both of these bars, and looking back at old reviews, I've got to give both my top rating. Review blogging is subjective by nature, and it all depends how I feel about a product at the time. It usually takes multiple tastes over several days, but it's really just for fun.

A+

Madecasse Website

Wizarding World of Harry Potter Butterbeer

2011-07-19T12:07:00.008-04:00

Along with candy and chocolate, Harry Potter is another one of my great loves. Shortly before the fourth book was released in the summer of 2000, I was introduced to the series, and have been ~~a rabid~~ an avid fan ever since. When Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released in 2007, I was feeling bittersweet, but I remember thinking, at least I have the movies to look forward to.

With the recent release of the last movie, I thought it'd be a good time to post a little non-review of the Butterbeer served at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Florida. My husband and I went there in June on vacation, and it was like a dream. Even though my husband is not really a Potter enthusiast, he had a blast there as well.

After riding The Forbidden Journey (which was incredible) and the Dragon Challenge, we headed to the Hog's Head Pub to beat the heat. There's only one way to cool off in Hogsmeade, and that's with an ice cold Butterbeer. Only available in the Harry Potter section of the park, Butterbeer comes on ice or frozen, and both varieties are about $3 US.

The regular, on ice variety smelled of cream and mild soda. The bartender first dispensed the amber-colored soda, then topped it with a fascinating bit of magic in the form of a thick white cream. The soda tasted like mild cream soda with hints of butter and vanilla, but the topping was incredible. It was thick and frothy and reminded me of marshmallow fluff, only smoother. It had a lovely vanilla flavor with a hint of saltiness, and seemed to expand and bubble with the carbonated soda, so that there was soda and cream in every single sip.

Here's that magical topping in action!
Later that evening, we returned to the Harry Potter area to ride the Forbidden Journey again, and top off the night with a frozen Butterbeer and a Pumpkin Fizz. Again, the bartender first dispensed the Butterbeer, this time a frozen slurry, and then the magical topping. Because the topping comes out of the tap at around room temperature, it melted some of the frozen Butterbeer, dripping down the inside of the cup.

The frozen Butterbeer was much denser and thicker than the regular variety. If it was carbonated, I didn't notice, and the buttery flavor was much richer. While I really enjoyed it, neither my husband nor I could quite finish it, as it was a much more filling beverage.

I should also mention the Pumpkin Fizz; when I ordered Pumpkin Juice, the bartender recommended a Pumpkin Fizz instead - half juice and half club soda. Apparently, the Pumpkin Juice on its own is nearly unbearably sweet, and the soda cuts down on the sweetness. The Pumpkin Fizz was still sweet, but it was tasty and refreshing. The pumpkin pie spices were great: cinnamon and nutmeg were easily detected. It was much easier to finish than the frozen Butterbeer!

I expected Butterbeer to be more like a thick butterscotch than a fancy cream soda, but I wasn't disappointed at all. Harry and his friends drink it warm in the books, but that's not practical in the Florida heat. The Harry Potter-themed beverages were highly enjoyable and not terrible overpriced (for a theme park).

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is an absolute delight for fans of the books and movies, but anyone would have fun there. It's absolutely worth the admission price! If you made it this far, thanks for putting up with my fangirlish raving. Are any of you Harry Potter fans? The last movie was amazing, wasn't it?

Mariebelle Dark Chocolate with Strawberry

2011-07-14T12:22:00.004-04:00

Last time I visited my local fancy grocer, I went nuts buying chocolate. The shelves were loaded with products labeled as "new" or "just in" and I am physically incapable of resisting that sort of marketing!

This Mariebelle bar is one of the new products I bought. The square shape reminds me of Ritter Sport, but I found the packaging to be much more country-cute than the simple and modern Ritter Sport. The bar itself, as you can see in the next pic, reminded me of Legos, and I really loved the look of it!

The bar smelled strongly and delightfully of strawberries; it was just loaded with little chunks of fruit! The chocolate was dark and deep but slightly sweet at 65% cacao, giving the bar a bit of a bitter scent.

The freeze-dried strawberry bits gave the bar a nice crunch and a lovely fresh fruit flavor. The tartness and sweetness of the strawberry was well matched with the slightly bitter chocolate. In contrast to the fruity crunch, the chocolate melted smoothly and a bit cool on the tongue.

It's odd, because I liked this bar for the same reason my husband didn't - the dehydrated strawberries. They really make or break the bar, depending on your personal tastes. It reminded me of fruity breakfast cereal - I love that texture!

B+

Mariebelle website

Hachez Cocoa D'Arriba Mango Chili

2011-07-07T07:21:00.000-04:00

This candy bar combines many things I can't resist: very dark chocolate, mango, and chili peppers. I bought it along with 4 other chocolate bars when I had to restock, and had to break into this one first.

From the gold details on the package to the crisp silver foil, everything about this bar's design was elegant. Inside the wrapper, the bar was a gorgeous, glossy brown - a total feast for the eyes.

The lovely bar had a very crisp snap, but the 77% cocoa was a bit dry and chalky. The fruity flavor of the mango enhanced the fruity notes of the dark chocolate, but I think it would have benefited from a slightly lower cocoa percentage.

The chili was very mild, so those with lower spicy tolerance may not need to avoid this bar. The combination of slight heat and mango with the bitter chocolate reminded me a bit of curry powder, which was a unique touch. The finish had a nice, tart mango flavor, but the texture of the bar was just too dry for the mango - and I normally love dark chocolate.

B-

Hachez website

Nestle Yakiimo KitKat Bar

2011-07-06T07:18:00.000-04:00

I've been hanging onto this Grilled Sweet Potato KitKat for a while, as it was the last thing in my candy stash, and the only KitKat I've had recently. I've restocked my stash, but I haven't bought any new KitKats as it's been too hot to have them shipped to my house.

Summer is in full swing where I live. Even in my air-conditioned house, my cats stretch out as far as they possibly can on the kitchen floor for maximum cooling. Forgive me a little cat tangent, but my cats have a really funny way of stretching out. They both do it.

The Yakiimo KitKat smelled like potato, but it tasted a bit like lemon. The white chocolate coating on the large bar was very thick, and had an extremely mild flavor. I didn't taste the potato much, just a hint at right away (mostly attributed to the scent).

I liked the lemony, sweet flavor, and the buttery texture of the chocolate was nice. It didn't seem too sweet, but there wasn't much going on in terms of flavor at all. It reminded me very much of the Daigakuimo KitKat, but since both were sweet potato-based, that's not surprising. It was good, but bland.

B-

KitKat website

Marks & Spencer Caramel & Toffee Mousse Splits

2011-07-05T07:32:00.000-04:00

It's coming up on the third anniversary of this blog! I haven't been candy blogging nearly as long as many people, but after three years, it's nice to come across a candy bar that's completely unlike anything I've tried since I started this blog.

Marks & Spencer is a department store chain in the United Kingdom. According to their website, they have locations in 40 countries, but the United States is not one of them. This candy bar is another kind gift from my boss, who is from the UK and sometimes brings candy back to the States with her when she visits. My boss told me that she thinks this bar is re-branded Thorntons chocolate, and this review at Chocoblog seems to back that up, but I couldn't find anything official.

The amazing thing about this bar is that each of the segments has both toffee and caramel filling, separate but not divided so that they mix together a bit in the middle. The toffee was very buttery and just a bit salty, and while those flavors were tasty, it was very, very sweet. The texture of the toffee was like lightly whipped mousse, soft, creamy, and thick.

The caramel on the other hand was runny and smooth, and somehow even sweeter than the toffee mousse. The milk chocolate melted smoothly with a hint of stickiness, but it was still quite good. It had that milky richness that many British bars have. On the whole, this bar was a bit too sweet for me, but it was certainly unique. I preferred the buttery, salty flavor of the toffee mousse to the flatter caramel.

B-

Marks & Spencer Website

Orbit Strawberry Remix

2011-07-04T08:27:00.003-04:00

Happy Independence Day to my American readers, and belated happy Canada Day to my Canadian readers! I was curious about the national holidays of other countries, and came across this list. It looks early July is a fairly common time for Independence celebrations around the world, so best wishes to all who are celebrating.

Something that always catches my eye at the grocery store is a new flavor of Orbit gum. Recently, I've seen commercials for Tropical Remix and Strawberry Remix, and since I'm such a fan of Strawberry Mint, I had to go with Strawberry Remix.

The gum had a strong fruity scent, and it was strawberry-like, but with a little citrus scent. The flavor was tart, slightly sour, and had a fruity berry flavor. It wasn't terribly authentic or just strawberry, but I suppose that's the remix. Still, the gum was juicy and pretty good.

The flavor was solidly fruit - no mint and no cooling sensation. The chew started out very bouncy, but it did harden as I chewed. Most of the flavor was gone in 2 or 3 minutes, and even though the leftover flavor wasn't bad, I wished the gum wasn't so short-lived.

B

Orbit website

Gimbal's Sour Lovers

2011-06-18T15:13:00.007-04:00

My candy stash has been woefully low for the past month, and my blogging has suffered as a result. Well, this review is just the thing to recharge my blogging spirit. Not long after posting a review of the highly disappointing Nobel Blueberry Sours, a PR representative for Gimbal's candy offered me samples of Sour Lovers gummies. In other words, the product in this review was provided by a PR company, but I promise that I treated it just like any other candy I review.

I had never seen Gimbal's products in stores and only vaguely remembered reading a review of earlier products on Candy Blog, but now that I've had Sour Lovers, I'm afraid I'm hooked. Sour gummies have been one of my favorite candy categories since I was a kid, and Gimbal's did an amazing job. There were 12 distinct flavors, and I liked every single one of them.

Meyer Lemon was tart and tangy, with just the right amount of sour - enough to make you pucker just a tad, but in a pleasant way. The flavor had a zesty, citrus feel without tasting at all like a cleaning product.

Georgia Peach had a distinct peach flavor, and while it was sour, it was a bit sweeter and fruitier than many of the other flavors.

Watermelon had that classic watermelon candy flavor (real watermelon never tastes that intense), charged up with a nice sourness. That's another great thing about these candies - they are sour throughout, not just in the outer sugar coating.

Bing Cherry fell somewhere between real cherries and cherry Kool-Aid. It had a nice, rich flavor and a great sour/sweet balance.

Mango was one of my favorites of the bunch. It reminded me so much of real mango that it almost seemed pulpy.

I'm not sure why Sour Blueberry was named as it was; all of the flavors are sour! But anyhow, this one was tart and just a bit bitter (but in a good way, like real berries). It was a good blueberry, but if I didn't know, my guess would have been raspberry.

Strawberry Daiquiri had a lovely sweet strawberry flavor, and it felt pretty authentic. It seemed to have some citrus as well, making it extra sour.

Fuji Apple tasted a lot like apple juice. It was sour and fruity, but if I had to pick a least favorite flavor, this would be it. I didn't have any trouble eating it, though.

Baja Margarita tasted just like margarita mixers from grocery stores. To give you an idea of the flavor authenticity, if you are nursing a hangover, you may want to skip this one until you feel better. It definitely packed more than just lime flavor!

Pomegranate had an earthy, juicy flavor that was richer than the cherry. It was the least sweet of the bag, but I'm afraid it's been so long since I've had pomegranate seeds that I can't comment on the flavor well.

Tangerine was extra sour and extra citrusy. It had that classic vitamin C-laden flavor I used to crave as a child and still enjoy. This was another top flavor.

Grapefruit was sweeter than the real thing. It was tart, but less so than Tangerine or Meyer Lemon. It had just enough grapefruit bitterness to give the right effect.

I'm so glad I got to try these. As a sour candy lover, I can say Sour Loves definitely got it right. The texture of the gummies was thick and sticky, a bit like a fruit gem. I found that about 6-8 gummies at a time hit the spot, so I took several days to review these properly. Every single time I tried them, I was impressed.

I should also mention that both Gimbal's Sour Lovers and the Gimbal's factory are free of just about every common food allergen (peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, gluten, soy, fish, and shell fish), and Sour Lovers are kosher pareve.

The only minor annoyance was that they got stuck in my teeth, making me want to brush. I can certainly forgive that - it's candy, after all. Everyone I shared these with (my husband, my father, my boss, and some coworkers) enjoyed them - though my husband wanted me to leave the bag open and let them get a little stale because he claims it improves the texture. Honestly, once the bag is open, I'm not sure I could make them last long enough to get stale!

A

Gimbal's Fine Candies website

Nobel Blueberry Sours Gummy

2011-06-02T12:50:00.003-04:00

Living in the Midwest in the United States means my access to Japanese candy is somewhat limited. Some brands, like Lotte or Meiji, are fairly easy to come by, but I can't ever recall seeing Nobel candy around here. I'm not familiar with Nobel at all, but since I don't live in Japan, nor have I ever, it's no surprise.

So, without any brand knowledge, I didn't know what to expect from Nobel or these Blueberry Sours Gummies. Had I read the bag before digging in, I would have noticed that the front of the package says they're hard. Twice, actually.

These are the firmest gummies I've ever had. They were so difficult to chew! I can't really fault them for that, since it's written on the package, but I really wasn't expecting such a firm texture. It's not what I prefer in a gummy.

The blueberry flavor was mild but fairly authentic, but these weren't even slightly sour. They might qualify as "mildly tart" but even that is a stretch. The dominant taste was sweet, and the gummies left a film in my mouth after swallowing. Even with fair warning about the hard texture, these gummies were a big disappointment.

C-

Nobel website

Look Matcha Anmitsu

2011-05-30T20:16:00.000-04:00

I really need to replenish my stash. It's down to just one KitKat (Yakiimo). This weekend, I had wanted to go to Toronto for a little shopping, but various parties and gatherings kept us in town. The weekend was fun, anyhow, but my candy supply is in critical condition.

This flavor of LOOK is Millstone Ground Matcha Anmitsu. I'll just take them for their word on the millstone ground bit, but anmitsu is a Japanese dessert made with jelly cubes, sweet red beans, black sugar syrup, and in this case, matcha. Everything is better with matcha.

The pieces just smelled like milk chocolate. Inside the shell, the matcha filling was creamy with small, grainy, millstone ground bits that melted smoothly. The flavor was a bit bitter and grassy, but it was very mild. Above the matcha filling was a thin layer of anmitsu, which was just slightly bitter with a hint of azuki flavor (only detectable when the syrup is tasted alone).

The milk chocolate was sticky, but the sweetness balanced the mildly bitter flavors nicely. I liked the grainy to smooth texture of the filling, but it would have been interesting to see some of the jelly texture brought in (I suppose that's best left to Tirol). It's hard to recreate the marriage of tastes and textures that is anmitsu. Matcha Anmitsu LOOK was pleasant, but the flavors, especially the matcha, just weren't strong enough to wow me.

B

Fujiya LOOK website

Orbit Fruit Punch

2011-05-27T12:08:00.001-04:00

Ah, Orbit gum. It's been a while, old friend. While waiting to check out at my local Target, I spied Fruit Punch during my routine impulse candy scan. I've been off gum for a while, but a new Orbit flavor is always a good excuse to start chewing again.

Fruit Punch is a very nostalgic scent and flavor for me. I used to use Bonne Bell Fruit Punch Lip Smackers lip balm every day in middle school, and that red smell is permanently buried in my nose. Even though it made my mouth feel fuzzy (probably from excess vitamin C), I went through a Hawaiian Punch phase at about the same time. These are my fruit punch memories, and I drew upon them to review Orbit Fruit Punch.

Maybe it was a bad idea to hope this gum would taste like Hawaiian Punch. It wasn't even close. The gum smelled sweet and a bit like strawberries. The flavor was slightly tart and fruity. I picked out banana and peach, but anything else was lost in an indistinguishable blend. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't fruit punch.

It didn't taste punchy (or like red food dye) at all. That's probably a good thing, because Hawaiian Punch is not a flavor that occurs in nature, but I wanted that flavor. Orbit Fruit Punch felt very subdued in comparison, and I was disappointed. Rest assured that there was no mint here, just a slight cooling sensation for that fresh feeling Orbit advertises. I chewed for about 15 minutes before the flavor dulled and I got sick of it.

C+

Orbit Gum

Lotte Wine Chocolat

2011-05-26T22:21:00.004-04:00

Mon Cheri is the lofty standard to which I compare all liquor candies. Nothing came close to that intense shot of filling...until now. Lotte's Wine Chocolat was a last minute addition to my most recent napaJapan order, but it blew me away.

With the pink background, sparkly glass of wine, and cute font, the packaging is clearly appealing to a certain type (myself included), but it came up short of the elegant look I think Lotte was going for. The chocolate contains 3.3% alcohol, and the package also reminds consumers to use discretion about driving.

The format was quite similar to Mon Cheri, only on a smaller scale. The milk chocolate shell had a mildly sweet milky flavor, but it was almost irrelevant; the filling was most definitely the star of the show.

The liquid center tasted strongly of sweet, brandy-like liquor. The filling had a slightly fruity flavor that reminded me most of cherries. It was sharp on the tongue and went well with the smooth chocolate. It was a bit on the sweeter side, but that boozy kick was a fantastic surprise!

A-

Lotte website

Tirol Matcha Soy Latte and Peach Pie

2011-05-20T12:31:00.007-04:00

I am such a sucker for new flavors of Tirol, and I can't resist matcha anything, so purchasing these flavors from napaJapan was an easy decision. It's slowly getting warmer where I live, meaning the end of chocolate shipping season is in sight and I need to get all my orders in soon before I come home to a pile of melted KitKats!

Matcha Soy Latte sounds like it was made for me (I don't get along with lactose), although I'm certain it was made with milk. Peach Pie sounded more like something my sister would love, but since last year's Apple Pie Tirol was so well executed, it seemed worth a taste.

Even though I love actual peaches, peach-flavored candy and chocolate often doesn't agree with me. In Tirol's Peach Pie, the flavor was pretty good. The white chocolate felt cool to the tongue and had a mildly sweet flavor, but I was reminded a bit of artificial sweetener. There were chunks of peach gel and "crust" crumbles in the chocolate, and the piece pieces alone had a good, fairly authentic flavor. The crumbles added a crunch that reminded me of soft granola, but they didn't add much flavor. It was nothing like the peach pie I'm used to, but still a good, unique Tirol flavor. My husband really liked this one. B

If my heart made its own Tirol flavor, it would be Matcha Soy Latte. The chocolate was a bold, grassy green with a white stripe in the center, and it smelled like milky green tea. I was delighted to find the matcha flavor stronger than the average green tea chocolate. It was slightly bitter but well balanced with some sweetness. Inside the flavored white chocolate, there was a gummy center that added a fun texture and a mildly sweet flavor (perhaps this was supposed to represent soy milk). I really enjoyed the strong matcha flavor, but didn't get much of a sense of soy milk. It's possible that it pulled a bit more vanilla than normal, but I'm not sure. A

Japanese Snack Reviews also reviewed the Matcha Soy Latte Tirol.

Tirol website

Thorntons Black Forest Gateau

2011-05-10T12:28:00.002-04:00

For today's review, I have some chocolate from the across the Atlantic (or the Pacific, if you take the long way). After returning from her most recent visit to her hometown in the United Kingdom, my boss kindly brought two chocolate bars that aren't available in the United States for me to try. It's such a treat to try candy from other countries - even when the flavors are familiar, the textures are often quite different!

First up is the Thorntons Black Forest Gateau bar. Cherry/chocolate combinations have grown on me in recent years - I never liked them as a child. Even now, I have some texture issues with maraschino cherries (I don't like chocolate covered cherries at all), but thankfully, I had no texture qualms here.

The bar had a very thick double chocolate coating of milk enrobed in dark, which is something I don't see often. It smelled mildly of cherry, and reminded me of a 3 Musketeers bar when I cut into it. The filling, however, was much smoother than 3 Musketeers; it melted in my mouth and, in combination with the chocolate coating, had almost a velvety feel.

The tart cherry zing reminded me of chocolate covered cherries (in a good way), which went especially well with slightly fruity dark chocolate. Excluding gourmet products, British chocolate often seems smoother and a bit richer than American chocolate, and this bar was no exception. It wasn't too sweet, and I really enjoyed the cherry flavor. It's worth noting that my husband, a chocolate covered cherry lover, found the flavor to be a bit artificial, but it didn't bother me.

B+

Thorntons website

Meiji Mango Chocolate

2011-05-08T10:22:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that mango and matcha my flavors. I'm not picky, but I won't go out of my way to buy just anything. When it comes to desserts (or any food, really), if matcha or mango is an option, the odds are quite good that I'm going to pick one of those.

So, it should come as no surprise that my latest order from napaJapan included both matcha and this Meiji Mango Chocolate bar. I've enjoyed similar Meiji strawberry and blueberry bars in the past, so I felt pretty confident that the mango would be tasty.

The bar was thin and smelled of milk chocolate and tart mango. From the first bite, I was very impressed. The mango flavor was incredibly authentic! Just below the thin chocolate coating, the filling was tangy and had a texture reminiscent of real fruit (maybe from "mango powder" listed on the ingredients).

The slightly sweet milk chocolate was just right, and the size of the bar made it a delightful, light treat. It was sweet, a bit sour, rich, and unquestionably mango. This isn't a gourmet bar by any means, but it was delicious, and definitely one of my favorite products of the year!

A+

Meiji Website

LOOK Chocolat 18

2011-04-24T07:11:00.000-04:00

I've been going a little LOOK crazy as of late. Since I've been enjoying their various flavorful fillings, I thought I'd give their plain old chocolate a shot. LOOK Chocolat 18 has 18 small pieces of chocolate rather than the usual 16.

Three varieties were included: Chocolate Mousse, Truffle Creme, and Ganache Creme. Right away, I was skeptical about LOOK's ability to distinguish between such similar textures, especially in such a tiny package. However, I was definitely in love with the cute little modern designs on each piece!

Chocolate Mousse smelled like average milk chocolate. It had a creamy, sweet flavor, but it was very flat. The center was slightly fluffier, but it didn't have that whipped texture of mousse.

Truffle Creme smelled a bit richer (but I could have been imagining it) and the cocoa flavor seemed a bit stronger, but it was still quite mild. The center had a firmer texture than the mousse, but it was lacking in the rich, smooth texture of a truffle.

Ganache Creme had the stickiest texture of the three, and the most cocoa flavor (I think). It didn't have the smooth, luscious texture of a ganache filling at all, not even a cheap ganache, but it did have the best cocoa flavor of the three.

This just was not LOOK's best offering. The small shapes and simple, classy designs were fun, but the fillings weren't even close to mousse, truffle, or ganache. The chocolate certainly wasn't bad, but I'd pass on this one in favor of LOOK's more flavorful offerings.

C

Check out another review at Sweets Blog.

Fujiya LOOK website

Mars Starburst GummiBursts Flavor Duos

2011-04-23T07:05:00.000-04:00

Yet another Mars review! It takes time for new candy to work its way into my local grocery stores, and it looks like all the Mars products hit at once. Again, it's a familiar product with new fusion flavors.

Starburst GummiBursts haven't been around as long as some other classic Mars fruit candies like Starburst fruit chews and Skittles, but they seem to be doing well. Flavor Duos is the third variety of GummiBursts (after regular and sour) I've seen, and there are probably more. There were four flavor combinations: Green Apple Strawberry, Cherry Fruit Punch, Strawberry Watermelon, and Lemon Cherry.

Green Apple Strawberry was dominated by the crisp, tart green apple flavor. It was good, but I could hardly taste the strawberry! The firm texture of the gummy part made for an enjoyable chew.

Cherry Fruit Punch had a yummy classic red fruit snack taste. It was both tart and sweet with a hint of a vitamin flavor. Also, the colors of this piece reminded me of a red blood cell.

Strawberry Watermelon was the star of the bunch. The watermelon center was sour and fantastic, and it went well with the fairly authentic flavor of the strawberry gummy.

Lemon Cherry had the same zesty lemon flavor as a regular lemon Starburst, but the cherry center tasted a bit medicinal to me. Still, this one was enjoyable, it just wasn't my favorite (and lemon flavors are usually a sure bet for me).

All in all, these GummiBursts were sweet but not cloying, tart but not sour, and the slightly firm, bouncy texture of the gummies was just right. The flavor combinations weren't all that new or exciting, but the Strawberry Melon and Cherry Fruit punch were particularly well done.

B

Starburst website

Lake Champlain Five Star Chocolate Bar Granola

2011-04-22T07:12:00.000-04:00

I was raised on breakfast cereal, and there's none more delicious than granola. It's so filling (and usually packs a caloric punch), and that crunch just gets me. Even though it's not as hearty as full on granola, I think I could eat Honey Bunches of Oats every day for the rest of my life.

For this reason, the Lake Champlain Five Star Chocolate Bar in Granola called out to me. I bought it at the same time as their mammoth caramel bar. As you can see in the next picture, this one had a creamy chocolate filling with granola bits, nuts, and cranberries throughout.

The bar smelled salty when I opened it. The chocolate filling was very creamy and smooth, making for less of a mouthful than the caramel bar. However, the bits and pieces in the middle made the bar incredibly salty.

I liked the flavor of the almonds and cranberries, and the oats and granola bits added an subtle, slightly earthy vanilla flavor. The crunchy texture was fun, and the granola held up well in the filling. Unfortunately, it was just too salty for my tastes, so I had to detract some points from this otherwise delicious and unique chocolate bar.

B-

Lake Champlain website

Mars Starburst Sweet Fiesta

2011-04-21T07:07:00.000-04:00

The thought makes me cringe now, but I used to play with my Starbursts like modeling clay to create hybrid flavors. I would mold two or more flavors together, make little shapes, and eat them. The idea of handling candy so thoroughly grosses me out these days, but maybe it was part of the reason I rarely get sick as an adult.

The newest (to my knowledge) offering from Starbust is called Sweet Fiesta, and it offers a more sanitary set of hybrid flavors. The fiesta includes Strawberry Pineapple, Peach Guava, Cherry Mango, and Melon Berry. Though the flavors are different, I was certainly reminded of the recent Skittles Blenders.

I could smell the pineapple in Strawberry Pineapple, which got me excited. It had a sour, juicy, slightly woodsy flavor, and I could taste the pineapple much better than the strawberry (fine by me). It was a great combination of sour and sweet.

Peach Guava had a tropical, papaya juice-esque flavor. I could only catch a slight hint of peach, and this one was quite sweet and juicy.

Cherry Mango had a fantastic cherry flavor that seemed better than the regular cherry Starburst, but I couldn't figure out why. I didn't taste the mango, just a modified cherry. It reminded me of fruit punch.

Melon Berry had a very fake melon flavor with a richer berry background flavor. It was my least favorite flavor of the bunch, but it wasn't bad.

Overall, the combinations felt fresh, and although some of them missed the mark, it was hard for me to save any for my husband (though I managed to leave him one of each flavor and a spare Melon Berry).

Check out some other reviews at Sugar Hi and Sugar Pressure.

B+

Starburst website

Tirol Kagami Mochi

2011-04-20T07:05:00.000-04:00

This review is about four months late, but this was such a cute promotion that I had to post it. New Year is a very important holiday in Japan, and one of the traditional decorations is called Kagami Mochi. Though they are often very elaborately decorated, the simplest form is just two stacked mochi balls, the top one smaller than the bottom, with a bitter orange on top.

The Tirol version consisted of several small Milk Mochi flavored chocolates with a large Mikan flavored chocolate on top, all encased in plastic shaped like Kagami Mochi. For some reason, Tirol felt the need to include instructions on how to pop out the Mikan piece. Before I even tasted anything, I was extremely amused by the variety of New Year-themed images on the Milk Mochi pieces. I especially liked the cute little Daruma.

Milk Mochi tasted like coconut, according to my husband. The mochi center was chewy, gummy, and slightly sweet, so it was similar to the real thing. The surrounding white chocolate, however, was a bit stiff and chalky. It wasn't too sweet, and did taste like milk or cream. My favorite part was the packaging. B-

The Mikan piece boasted real mikan flavor, and the chocolate smelled very much like oranges. I was thrilled to discover that it had a gel center. The gel was tender and chewy with a tart orange flavor, while the orange chocolate coating reminded me of sherbet. This Tirol reminded me of a punch my mom used to make for church parties (ginger ale, pineapple juice, and orange sherbet - yum). The gel had an odd sort of skin to it, but it did remind me of real fruit. This flavor was tastier than Milk Mochi, but unfortunately, there was only one Mikan in the set. A-

Tirol website

Fujiya LOOK Dessert aux fraises a la Francaise

2011-04-19T12:17:00.007-04:00

After thoroughly enjoying LOOK's Italian-themed chocolate assortment, I was compelled to buy this collection of French desserts with strawberries. The box is adorable and inspires me to work hard for my French class (at least that's what I tell myself).

The flavors, all strawberry based, are a bit ambitious. We have strawberry mille-feuille (a dessert made of layers of puff pastry, custard, cream, and strawberries), strawberry mousse, strawberry fromage (which might be fromage blanc, which is sort of like cream cheese), and strawberry champagne dessert.

I apologize for the lack of a cross-section photo
Strawberry Mille-feuille had an odd texture. There were tiny chunks of wafer that gave a crunchy texture to the creamy filling (to give the feeling of puff pastry). The filling didn't really taste like cream or custard, but was dominated by a bland cheese-like flavor. There was a layer of strawberry jam on top of the cream filling, which, while nice, was too mild to make a difference.

Strawberry Mousse had a stronger strawberry flavor than the mille-feuille, but the chocolate and cream had a very sticky mouthfeel. I'm not a big mousse fan, so it was a pretty good imitation of strawberry mousse in that it was rather dull.

Strawberry Fromage had the nice, tart pop of strawberry I was looking for, as well as a good, creamy cheese flavor. Everything went nicely with the chocolate, and it was pleasant. It was almost like it was a stronger version of the previous two flavors, though.

Compared to the rest of these wimpy flavors, Strawberry Champagne Dessert was a big surprise! The initial kick was quite boozy, but the underlying dry champagne and tart strawberry flavors were excellently matched with the mild chocolate. It was my favorite of the bunch!

I wish there had been more variety in the flavors, but I suppose the strawberry theme was a bit limiting. Though this assortment probably wouldn't disgust anyone, with the exception of the champagne flavor, it was underwhelming.

Check out a different take at Japanese Snack Reviews.

B

Fujiya LOOK website

Mars Skittles Blenders

2011-04-18T12:29:00.008-04:00

Did anyone else use M&Ms or Smarties in their elementary school math classes? I think it was third grade when my teacher presented every student in the class with their own bag of M&Ms to illustrate simple lessons in percentages and probability. I'm not sure if it was effective, but it was a lot of fun. I still remember that most of the M&Ms in my bag were light brown (I'm dating myself here - this was before the blue M&M).

There are five new flavors in this mix: Melon Berry Burst, Strawberry Lime Blast, Watermelon Green Apple Freeze, Cherry Tropicolada, and Mango Lemonade Freeze. I'm sure it's no accident that those names sound like they came straight off a Sonic Drive-in menu. Now, I mention M&M math because I applied some of the same principles when I sampled this bag of Skittles Blenders. It was immediately apparent that my bag did not contain an even flavor distribution (Mango Lemonade Freeze in particular was underrepresented). Here's a chart to illustrate my point.

Strawberry Lime Blast was similar to a normal red Skittle with a hint of sour lime. It was fruity, tart, and tasty, but it wasn't terribly exciting or special.

Cherry Tropicolada reminded me of cough syrup. The pineapple and coconut flavors were present along with the strong cherry, but it really rubbed me the wrong way.

witness the distinct lack of mango
Watermelon Green Apple Freeze worked well. The initial flavor was an artificial but tasty watermelon, followed by a green apple tartness. I'm not usually a fan of these flavors, but I liked them both here.

Melon Berry Burst reminded me of grape Nerds, but with more of a blueberry flavor. I didn't get much of a sense of melon flavor from this one, and it seemed to just be a rehash of a flavor from Wild Berry Skittles.

Mango Lemonade Freeze reminded me of my favorite smoothie (I've mentioned it before), so it was a bit nostalgic (especially since I just found out that shop is closed). The lemon flavor was sour and almost hit some floor cleaner notes, but it was saved by a good, distinct mango taste. Of all the flavors, this was the most unexpected.

Overall, Skittles Blenders is a decent mix, but it didn't really offer anything new or exciting. Still, it's worth a taste for fans of Skittles and fruity candy in general. Also, it seems like every time I review Skittles, their website just gets more and more cumbersome to navigate. I guess I'm not the target demographic.

B-

Skittles Website

Mars Twix Coconut

2011-04-15T12:21:00.002-04:00

Even though I eat a lot of candy and chocolate just for this blog, I try not to let myself lose my love for the stuff. Sometimes, I eat candy just to eat it, and it feels good. One of my favorite "just for fun" candy bars is Twix, so I couldn't pass up a chance to try Twix Coconut. The sample in this review was kindly provided by a PR representative, but please rest assured that I did not let that influence my opinion (and I definitely would have bought it myself eventually anyhow).

Twix Coconut is a new, summery variation on the classic Twix, available starting this spring. The coconut flavor is in the caramel, which should be good news for those wary of coconut texture. Coconut is one of those great polarizing flavors, or at least, when people don't like it, they really seem to hate it. I don't know if it's the flavor or the texture, but I used to be a coconut-hater myself. Thankfully, my husband turned me around.

When I opened the package, the mild chocolate and strong coconut scent of the bars reminded me of German chocolate cake. The coconut flavor in the caramel was good, not too strong and not too sweet, and it went well with the milky flavors that were already there.

Twix is all about the chocolate/cookie/caramel texture combination, so no changes were made to that formula. I liked the addition of coconut flavor; it seemed to temper the sweetness of the bars, which made me happy. As long as you like coconut, this limited edition bar is certainly worth a taste.

B+

Twix website

Lindt Black Currant

2011-04-14T12:15:00.006-04:00

Growing up in America, I have very limited experience with black currant. Writing a snack blog has certainly given me opportunities to try it, but it's still not a flavor I can immediately draw up in my memory.

Lindt's Black Currant bar was one of the first black currant sweets I've seen at my local grocery store, so perhaps this flavor is slowly working its way into American mainstream candy. Maybe one of these days, we'll join the rest of the world in having black currant Skittles instead of grape (not likely, and I hope not, because grape is my fave).

The dark chocolate bar smelled fruity and bittersweet, and the flavor was immediately intensely fruity, with strong, slightly bitter and liquor-esque cassis flavor. The almonds added a toasty flavor and a gritty crunch to the chewy texture of the dried fruit, which went well with the smooth, clean feel of the dark chocolate.

The dark chocolate was fairly standard; it had a good snap and a mildly bitter flavor that was a bit overpowered by the black currant. I don't see myself buying this bar often, but I would certainly go for it over a basic raisin and nut milk chocolate bar.

B+

Lindt website

Damian Allsop CH2OCOLATES Cinnamon & Lemon (Cola) Compact Bar

2011-04-05T12:34:00.007-04:00

When my sister-in-law visited London, she said she took great care in finding me a special treat as a souvenir. She's such a sweetheart, and she found the perfect thing: chocolate made without cream and butter! She picked up this bar with the help of a gracious employee at Liberty, and it was made by Damian Allsop Chocolates.

The idea that such a thing exists had never even occurred to me, but this chocolate is made with water. In addition, the flavor combination of lemon, cinnamon, and cola felt fresh and unique. The chocolate was a lovely taupe color, freckled with cinnamon and popping candy.

The chocolate itself was firm with a light, soft melt. The first flavor I tasted was a mildly sour lemon. As the white chocolate melted, its flavor emerged, along with a hint of cinnamon, reminding me of a cinnamon roll. The white chocolate was unlike any other white chocolate I've had. It wasn't too sweet, and had a rich vanilla flavor that went well with the cinnamon.

Finally, the cola flavor was present in crunchy popping candy. It had a fruity, cola flavor with a hint of molasses, and the gentle popping candy made for a fun finish. The chocolate wasn't sticky and had a clean finish. The CD-style shape and packaging were cute, but with a product this tasty and unique, it felt like a bit much; the chocolate spoke for itself.

A

Damian Allsop Chocolates website

Meiji Marshmallow Chocolate Bar

2011-04-01T12:26:00.003-04:00

Here's a neat little bar from Meiji with some nostalgic connections. I'm sure you can guess where I'm going with this: Swiss Miss instant cocoa with mini-marshmallows, a.k.a. the best thing about playing outside in the snow. OK, so it's nowhere near as good as fancy drinking chocolate, but it sure hit the spot after an intense snowball fight or an 8 hour shift of building snow forts. These days, the last thing I want to do when it snows is go outside, but I still hit the cocoa every now and then.

The mini-marshmallows in this bar added a new texture for me. I'm sure other companies have done it, but most marshmallow confections I have tried are chocolate-coated marshmallow (or sugar coated marshmallow, like Peeps, but I'd rather not discuss Peeps), which is usually too much marshmallow for my tastes.

The bar smelled like basic milk chocolate, and really, the chocolate was nothing special. It was milky and sweet with a slightly sticky melt, but it didn't need to be anything more. The marshmallows were what made this bar interesting.

Though I was expecting them to be freeze-dried, the marshmallows were spongy, soft, and light. They added an interesting texture to the chocolate, though not much in the way of taste. Since I've never had anything like it, this bar felt fresh and unique, and both my husband and I enjoyed it.

A-

Fujiya LOOK Italian Dolce

2011-03-24T12:32:00.000-04:00

First, I hope all readers living in Japan are all right after the horrible earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear instability, and that those with friends and family in Japan have made contact with them. Thankfully, my friends and coworkers in Japan are all right, as many of them live south of the devastated areas. My heart and thoughts are with those who were not so lucky. It will probably be a long time before the damage to the country can really be assessed.

Chocolate and chocolate reviews are definite mood boosters, so I'll get right back on track. Even though I posted reviews of other LOOK assortments first, this is the first LOOK assortment I tried after my long LOOK boycott.

The package contained four flavors: Tiramisu, Mont Bianco, Espresso Mousse, and Delectica Limone. I think that last one is basically a lemon tart. I've always been wary of coffee and espresso flavored candy, but it has been growing on me lately.

Delizia Limone seemed like my safest bet, so I started with that. The milk chocolate coating was sticky, but the lemon cream center was tart and cakey with crunchy candy bits. It was really tasty, and my favorite of the bunch.

Espresso Mousse had a good, slightly bitter espresso flavor and a truffle-like filling, but it didn't wow me like the lemon flavor did. Again, the milk chocolate was sticky and sweet, but the bitter-sweet balance was all right.

Mont Bianco was delicious with a delicate chestnut flavor. It wasn't too sweet or too subtle, and it had a very refined feel. It was a close second favorite!

Tiramisu was my husband's favorite. Of all the tiramisu chocolates I've tried recently, it was probably the best. Though sweeter that the other flavors in the pack, the mascarpone cheese flavor was just right, and the milky, creamy center was delicious.

To sum it up, if you can still find this LOOK assortment, get it! Here are reviews from Japanese Snack Reviews and Sweets Blog.

A-

Fujiya LOOK website

Tirol White Strawberry and Strawberry Tart Choco

2011-03-08T12:48:00.004-05:00

These two Tirol flavors, while both strawberry-related, did not come from the same collection. The White Strawberry came in a box shaped like a large Tirol chocolate (love when they do that), and it was the only flavor included. I can't remember ever having a white strawberry, but I read a bit about pineberries (hybrid strawberry-like berries that taste a bit like pineapple). I'm not sure if they are the same fruit, but it was an interesting read.

Strawberry Tart Choco came in this year's Ichigo ga Ippai collection. Since at least 2009, Tirol has brought out a strawberry-themed variety pack with some repeats and usually at least one new flavor. Have a look at my reviews of the 2009 and 2010 editions, if you like. This time, there was only one new flavor, so I thought I'd combine it with the standalone strawberry.

White Strawberry had an intense strawberry smell when unwrapped. The top inner layer was a thin strawberry gel, which was tart and authentically fruity. Some pieces leaked strawberry gel into their wrappers, adhering the chocolate to the paper - the strawberry flavor was noticeably less intense when this happened. The inner marshmallow layer nice, pillowy texture and a slight sweetness. The white chocolate shell was cool on the tongue and extremely sweet. There were a couple strawberry seeds embedded in the chocolate, but they didn't add much - just a hint of a crunch like the real fruit.

I liked the flavor of the strawberry gel and the texture of the marshmallow very much, but the white chocolate was just too sweet and cloying. Eating them with strong black tea helped to lessen the powerful sweetness, but the white chocolate tarnished an otherwise delicious Tirol. The strawberry flavor was delicious, so I had no trouble finishing the box, but I wish they had been less sweet.

B-

Strawberry Tart Choco had an ever-so-slightly soapy scent and flavor, but the texture was great. The white chocolate shell reminded me of strawberry yogurt, and it wasn't intensely sweet. Inside the chocolate, there was an extra crunchy, flaky biscuit with strawberry-flavored crystals on top. Those crystals were tart and had a nice, authentic flavor and a neat crunch that reminded me of freeze-dried fruit.

This flavor also had seeds embedded in the chocolate, and again, they didn't seem to add much to the experience. I suppose they added to the authenticity, but they really just got stuck in my teeth later. Still, this was my favorite out of the two strawberry flavors in this review, and probably my favorite in the strawberry variety pack.

A-

Tirol Website

Cachet Vanuatu

2011-03-07T12:27:00.000-05:00

The brand Hageland (which I really enjoy) seems to be called Cachet now, but the packaging looks the same. I found this bar when looking for a baby shower card at a local superstore. I never thought to look in the greeting card aisle for chocolate, but there it was.

Cachet has a wide variety of "Limited Origin" chocolate bars from milk chocolates in the 30% range to very dark at 80%. The beans in this bar were from Vanuatu, an archipelago over 1000 miles east of northern Australia.

The bar had a strong cocoa smell with a bit of smokiness. The flavor was rich and just slightly bitter, with a wonderful hint of toasty caramel. Though I usually prefer darker than 44% cocoa, this bar was quite delicious.

The back of the box mentioned hints of coffee (along with spice, caramel, and smoke), but I wasn't refined enough to taste the coffee. Still, I was very pleased with the bar, especially since it was only $2.

A-

Hageland Website

Tirol Mini Variety Pack

2011-02-28T12:22:00.008-05:00

Diving right into my new Tirol selection, I'll start with this mini variety pack. Of the 3 flavors, 2 are new to me: Mango and Pachi-Can (popping candy) Soda. Milk is a classic Tirol flavor that I've had many times before but never reviewed.

I'm not sure why the bag says Thank You, but I guess it's Tirol's way of thanking anyone who purchases their products. Well, Tirol is most certainly welcome (though I can't really accept their thanks, since this was a gift), and the brand has such a good track record that I'd like to thank Tirol, too.

Tirol flavors with gummy centers rarely disappoint, and Mango was no exception. The white chocolate had a mild mango flavor, and it wasn't too sweet. The center was tart and authentically mango. The texture reminded me of the actual fruit, and Mango was definitely my favorite flavor in the bag. A

Pachi-Can Soda smelled and tasted like the Japanese soda Ramune, but the white chocolate was slightly soapy and floral. Despite that, this one was packed with tart, citrusy popping candy. It was really original and fun! The pops weren't too intense, and the tartness of the candy helped the chocolate taste better. B

Milk is not my favorite Tirol flavor. The best thing about it is probably this little cow on the wrapper. Milk didn't really seem to go with the set, since the other chocolates were fruity (and Milk unfortunately seemed to pick up some of the soda flavor during storage). The milk chocolate was very creamy, enhanced by the milk-flavored center, but it has a very mild and slightly soured flavor that I don't enjoy. C+

Tirol Website

Stride Spark Kinetic Fruit

2011-02-26T08:31:00.004-05:00

Stride hopped on the vitamin bandwagon with their new line, Stride Spark. Although I tend to disregard the vitamin aspect, I am a sucker for new products and citrus gum, so I picked up Stride Spark Kinetic Fruit for $1.29 at the grocery store.

B6 and B12 vitamins aside, the swirly, metallic packaging caught my eye. I only assumed it was a citrus gum because of the orange on the packaging - Kinectic Fruit isn't terribly descriptive.

Initially, the gum had a great sour orange flavor, and the best comparison I can think of is orange Tic Tacs (a childhood favorite of mine). There were small crystals in the gum that gave it a slightly crackly texture as I chewed - probably the Spark.

The tart flavor lasted around 10 minutes, if I remember correctly, though the leftover weakened orange flavor wasn't bad. The gum didn't get too soft or too hard, so there were no issues with texture. I found myself chewing until the flavor faded, then getting a new piece to enjoy the orange flavor again.

B+

Check out another review at The Impulsive Buy.

Stride Gum Website

Lake Champlain Five Star Chocolate Bar Caramel

2011-02-25T17:15:00.001-05:00

Before I get on with this review, let's have a quick chat about social media. It's getting harder to avoid these days (not that I ever avoided it - I'm a Facebook addict). If you are so inclined, please follow Snack Love on Twitter and/or Facebook.

I purchased Lake Champlain Five Star Chocolate Bars at 3 for $5 at the local fancy grocery store. These bars are shaped unlike any other chocolate bar I've tried. They are small, but very thick.

I cut the bar open first, and was amazed to see that it was almost entirely solid caramel. I was expecting a layer of caramel (like a Snickers bar), but instead, the majority of the bar was caramel with some nuts spaced throughout. I think the best way to describe this bar is to say that it's a mouthful.

The caramel was very sweet and buttery, but it was very mild. Along with the almonds, I think there were chocolate chips in the caramel as well. While the bar was good and had a nice vanilla flavor, it was very rich and more caramel than I could handle (and I only had half of the bar). I wished I could taste the chocolate better, but this might be better suited for a die hard caramel fan.

B

Lake Champlain website

Tiramisu Tirol

2011-02-24T12:31:00.003-05:00

Thanks to a friend of mine, I have 10 different flavors of Tirol chocolates to review soon! It's a favorite brand of ours, and she often sends me new flavors when she finds them. In preparation, I thought I should post the Tirol review I've been stewing on for a while before I dig into the various new flavors.

I don't really go nuts for tiramisu, but since I enjoyed the Tiramisu KitKat that came out a few years ago, I thought I'd take a chance on Tirol's offering.

The chocolate smelled a bit like cheese (though I was reminded more of cheddar than mascarpone), and the layers were quite pretty. The cocoa powder layer was a nice touch, especially once the piece was broken. The chocolate seemed very soft, and you can see in the picture that it didn't have a clean snap.

The rich chocolate had a slightly bitter coffee flavor with a tempered sweetness and not much in the way of cheese. All of the flavors seemed muted, and while it wasn't bad, it was a bit disappointing. To be honest, I think I would have liked it more if I hadn't just tried the Tiramisu piece in the LOOK Italian Dolce set. Teaser: it was so good that it may have affected my opinion.

Orchid64 also reviewed this flavor on Japanese Snack Reviews.

B

Tirol website

Fujiya LOOK Buche de Noel

2011-02-16T12:23:00.008-05:00

Before college, I studied the French language for 5 years, but at the end of high school, I started studying Japanese. At university, I focused on Japanese and forgot nearly all of my French. Recently, I started taking a French class at a local club, and I am enjoying the challenge.

My stepmother-in-law is also taking French with the same club, and for Christmas dinner last year, she and my father-in-law were inspired to make Buche de Noel for dessert. It was delicious (especially since they carved a little knot in the frosting to make it look extra log-like), so when I placed my last napaJapan order, I had to try Buche de Noel chocolate.

I was once wary of LOOK chocolates (I had some matcha LOOK a few years ago and was not impressed), but after reading a review at Sweets Blog, I decided to give them another chance, and I'm so glad I did! The Buche de Noel pieces were coated in sweet, milky, and slightly cool chocolate, and they had truffle-like centers.

Rather than cake, there were tiny bits of wafer in that truffle-ish filling, and the wafers added both a subtle almond flavor and a light crunchy texture. I could taste vanilla as well, and though sweeter than the Buche de Noel my in-laws made, the chocolates were delicious. I wish I had given this brand another look sooner!

A-

Fujiya LOOK website

Nestle Daigaku Imo KitKat

2011-02-15T12:44:00.000-05:00

Nestle has been recycling KitKat flavors in Japan again, but in this case, it worked out to my advantage. I didn't get to try the candied sweet potato (daigaku imo in Japanese) KitKat the first time around.

I've never had daigaku imo before, but the idea reminds me of the canned candied yams often served in American Thanksgiving dinners - even though I know that's way off (no soy sauce in candied yams, for instance). I looked at this recipe to get an idea of how daigaku imo would taste, but I'll have to try making it soon.

This white chocolate-based KitKat had an odd, buttery smell that reminded me of the Roasted Corn KitKat from 2 years ago. Thankfully, this buttery scent didn't carry over into the flavor. The white chocolate tasted almost lemony with maybe just a hint of sweet potato.

It was very sweet, as white chocolate KitKats often are, but the flavor was pretty good. I couldn't really pin the flavor down, and I would never have guessed that it was supposed to be candied sweet potato. Maybe that's because I've never had the real thing, but all I tasted was a mildly lemony white chocolate KitKat.

B

KitKat website

Tirol Castella

2011-02-09T12:17:00.002-05:00

The current limited edition flavor in the Tirol "Mix 8" pack is Castella. Castella (sometimes called kasutera) is a sponge cake adapted from cakes brought to Japan by Portugese in the 16th century. It's especially famous in Nagasaki, which was the only port open to foreign merchants during that time.

To my American palate, castella always tasted a bit bland. According to most of the recipes I saw online, honey is typically added for flavor and moderate sweetness. For extra credit, I made green tea castella according to this recipe. It didn't come out great, but I think it was because I overmixed the eggs and batter, which led to a very tough, dense cake. The ingredients are quite simple, though, so I'd love to try again soon with a different recipe.

Anyhow, this Tirol was based on plain castella, and the look of the chocolate reminded me of purin or flan. It smelled buttery, but didn't give me a sense of sponge cake. The white chocolate had a sweet, buttery flavor with just a touch of honey.

Inside, there was a barely-flavored biscuit to add some crunchiness (like in Tirol's standard BIS chocolate), but there were also large sugar crystals inside. The sugar added a new dimension of texture that I hadn't seen from Tirol before, and it added a nice flavor without adding too much sweetness.

Despite not really tasting like castella, this Tirol was quite pleasant, and I wouldn't mind having it again.

B+

Tirol website

Haribo Porsche Gummies

2011-02-08T07:03:00.002-05:00

My brother-in-law works in the racing industry for Porsche (a seriously cool occupation), and just when I thought it couldn't get any cooler, Haribo was a Porsche sponsor last year. My brother-in-law kindly sent me some of the special Porsche gummies so that I could blog about them! I can't write much about racing, since I am woefully ignorant, but I do know gummies.

Haribo gummy bears were one of my favorite supermarket checkout treats as a child. Compared to most fruit snacks, Haribo was leagues ahead. The little bears looked like shiny gems, and I have fond memories of biting off the heads of different colored bears to make hybrids while watching Eureeka's Castle. To this day, eating Haribo gummies reminds me of that show.

Some of the gummies didn't survive the summer mail, but the ones that did were in the form of ~~cute little shiny cars~~ fancy Porsche racing cars. This was definitely a promotion I could get behind!

Of course, the gummies gad that nostalgic (and delicious) Haribo gummy bear taste. Haribo gummies like this fall on the firmer side of the gummy spectrum, and most of the flavors are pretty ambiguous. The apple stuck out in particular, but for example, clear just tasted like clear gummy bear (I think it's supposed to be pineapple). I was always partial to the orange, which was more sweet than tart. In short, Haribo gummies are just as good as they ever were, and the Porsche racing promotion certainly impressed me!

Haribo website

Lake Champlain Rum Caramel Chocolate Bar

2011-02-07T07:02:00.001-05:00

Rum is often paired with confections, making for some very boozy treats. As a goody-goody child, I was wary of rum balls that smelled too strongly of alcohol - they were for grown-ups. These days, I love boozy chocolates, though I am partial to bourbon balls. It's been way too long, Rebecca Ruth.

I bought this Lake Champlain chocolate bar at a local fancy grocer around Christmas time (while making a gift basket for my in-laws) since I had heard good things about the brand. It was between $3 and $4 US, but I don't remember the exact price.

The bar had hints of a liquor scent that reminded me of rum. The gorgeous, almost too perfect-looking dark chocolate had such a strong snap that it was hard to break the bar cleanly. However, the chocolate was decadent and slow-melting.

The sticky rum caramel oozed out from the pods and had a wonderful burnt sugar flavor (though I couldn't taste rum). It was very rich and had a great consistency - not too runny but not firm. The chocolate had a clean, slightly bitter finish, which was a delicious match for the decadent caramel. This bar certainly piqued my curiosity about the brand, so I have since picked up three of Lake Champlain's 5 Star Chocolate Bars (reviews coming soon).

A-

Lake Champlain Chocolates website

Frito-Lay Sukiyaki Cheetos

2011-02-06T12:00:00.002-05:00

Sukiyaki is one of my favorite Japanese dishes. The sweet, earthy sauce goes perfectly with all the ingredients that simmer in it. I love the tofu, the enoki mushrooms, and, though I'm not a big beef eater, the delicate, paper-thin slices of marbled beef. It's not too tricky to make, either!

I also love Cheetos. They were my late Grandpa's favorite snack, so I always remember him when I eat them. So, if sukiyaki is good, and Cheetos are good, then Sukiyaki Cheetos must be good, right? When I saw them on napaJapan, I knew I had to get them. After reading reviews of things like Smoked Fresh Ham and Mascarpone Cheese Pizza Doritos on Food Junk, how could I resist a Japanese take on an American snack classic?

If I didn't see the word Cheetos in the corner of the bag, I never would have guessed what these were. The open bag smelled like sukiyaki - toasty soy sauce with a subtle sweetness. The Cheetos had a tart and savory flavor, mostly soy sauce with a hint of fruitiness, a subtle fishiness, and sweet beef.

The crunch was just like regular cheese Cheetos, but cheese powder was not among the ingredients (however, various meats and fish powders were). Although I wasn't a huge fan of the initial punch or the aftertaste, the middle range was good and they were certainly edible. My husband liked them more than I did, but I don't think I'll be buying them again.

As a savory snack accompaniment to beer, they'd probably do all right, but later today when I'm using the Superbowl as an excuse to eat unhealthy snacks, I think I'll leave the rest for my husband.

C

Frito-Lay Japan website

Meiji Royal Milk Tea Meltykiss

2011-02-06T07:04:00.003-05:00

My love affair with Meltykiss goes back years. I can't remember exactly when I first tried them, but I've tried so many varieties that I've come to consider them a sure thing. New flavors therefore must be sampled.

This winter, Meiji brought out Royal Milk Tea Meltykiss, which doesn't seem to be a re-release. I purchased my box from napaJapan for $4.99, which is 50 to 70 cents more than other flavors, suggesting this could be rare (or popular) even among limited edition flavors.

The cubes were wrapped in a lovely bold metallic blue, and had the signature Meltykiss dusting of cocoa powder. They smelled bitter and a bit floral (much like milk tea). Initially, the cocoa powder seemed extra bitter, but it's been a while since I've had Meltykiss, so my memory could be failing me.

The chocolate reminded me of Earl Grey tea, and though it tasted like bottled royal milk tea mixed with hot cocoa, it was missing that rich heavy cream note. Of course, the chocoalte had that signature Meltykiss meltaway texture. Despite the lack of heavy cream, this was a very tasty flavor, and if it was available locally, I'd certainly buy them again.

B+

Meiji Website (Japanese)

Juicy Fruit Groovy Fruity

2011-02-05T07:04:00.001-05:00

In keeping with that gum theme, I bought myself this cute little cup of Juicy Fruit Groovy Fruity because I was attracted to the funky, colorful packaging. Despite nostalgic jingles about the moving taste of Juicy Fruit, I was never a big fan, simply because I couldn't really tell exactly which fruit it was supposed to taste like.

Well, neither of the two flavors in Groovy Fruity were well identified, either. They didn't taste like the original, vaguely tropical Juicy Fruit. Since I'm not sure what the two flavors were, I'll go by color: white and red. In my cup, there seemed to be more white than red.

The red pieces had an artificial cherry-like flavor, so what I'm really saying is that they tasted red. The tabs were firm at first, but they softened as the crunchy shell dissolved. Red was sweet, juicy, and just a tiny bit tart. It wasn't minty but did have a slight cooling effect. The flavor lasted five minutes or so before becoming a dull hint of fruity sweetness. At this point, the gum had a firmer, denser chew than I prefer.

The white tabs were a little more like the original Juicy Fruit, only with a very strong minty flavor and intense cooling effect. These chewed softer than the red gum, but didn't taste as fruity. The flavor was longer lasting, but neither flavor was all that good. I still like the container, but I wouldn't buy this again.

C+

Juicy Fruit website

Vitamingum Fresh Cinnamon

2011-02-04T07:02:00.003-05:00

Cinnamon is the last of the three flavors of Vitamingum Fresh samples that the kind people at Vitaball, Inc. sent for me to try. I definitely enjoyed Spearmint and Peppermint.

Most of my cinnamon gum memories are associated with classic Dentyne, since it was my mom's favorite for most of my childhood. My dad liked Doublemint, and I used to wrap a piece of Doublemint around a stick of Dentyne for a cinnamint flavor.

Vitamingum Cinnamon was a straight cinnamon flavor with a strong, spicy punch (hotter than classic Dentyne). It was a nice, caffiene-free jolt in the morning! It lost its intial intense flavor faster than the two mint gums, but the remaining flavor wasn't bad.

Like the other two flavors of Vitamingum, Cinnamon had a good texture that chewed neither too hard nor too soft. Simply because of personal flavor preference, I didn't like this one as much as the Spearmint, but it was still a very good gum, and not just for a niche market.

B+

Check out another review at Gum Alert!
Vitamingum website

Vitamingum Fresh Peppermint

2011-02-03T12:06:00.008-05:00

Like many other residents of the Midwest, USA, I was snowed in yesterday. This would have been the perfect time to catch up on some blogging, right? Although I had the motivation to work from home (I kind of have to, since I'm salaried), I never got around to blogging. Did anyone else get snowed in?

In case you didn't catch my recent review of Vitamingum Fresh Spearmint, Vitaball, Inc. kindly sent me samples of three flavors of Vitamingum Fresh. Today, let's look at Peppermint.

The packaging was nearly identical to the Spearmint flavor, only with oddly bright blue mint leaves for color consistency. Like the Spearmint, Peppermint had a strong minty burst, and a thoroughly chilled, fresh flavor. Again, it was an excellent breath freshener, though I prefer spearmint to plain mint.

The texture was bouncy and not too hard or too soft, and the minty flavor, somewhat subdued after the initial intensity, lasted well over 20 minutes. I'm still not a vitamin taker, and I don't know if this gum will change that, but I was pleasantly surprised that Peppermint (and Spearmint) Vitamingum is a good gum and not just a multivitamin.

B+

Vitamingum website

Vitamingum Fresh Spearmint

2011-01-31T12:26:00.006-05:00

I am a chronic gum chewer, so I was quite excited to receive samples of Vitamingum Fresh from Vitaball, Inc. I must admit that I don't take a regular multivitamin (even though I'm pretty sure I have a bottle in the medicine cabinet) because I try to take in my vitamins through my diet, but the idea of vitamin gum is certainly appealing.

Vitaball sent 3 flavors of Vitamingum Fresh: Spearmint, Peppermint, and Cinnamon. I'm starting with Spearmint, because it was my favorite. Each 2 piece serving provides 10% daily value of 12 different vitamins, and something I noticed while sampling the gum was that I didn't compulsively pop piece after piece of gum, knowing that I could overload on vitamins. That's good - just ask my dentist.

At first, the tablets were firm, but after a little chewing, the gum softened to a pleasant, bouncy texture. The gum was intensely minty, cool, and refreshing - great for morning coffee breath - and had a nice spearmint flavor. Unlike Trident Vitality Vigorate, I didn't feel like I was chewing medicine or cough drops.

Since I'm not a nutritionist or doctor, I can't comment much on the vitamin aspect, but as a gum, Vitamingum Fresh is pretty good. The fresh flavor lasted a long time (weakening after 5-10 minutes, with a milder mint hanging around much longer), and the texture was right on.

A-

Check out another review at Gum Alert!

Vitamingum website

Ichimi KitKat

2011-01-24T12:31:00.007-05:00

Shichimi Togarashi (seven flavor chili pepper) is a staple in my kitchen. It's a spicy seasoning that is typically made from seven ingredients, one of them being red pepper flakes. It's delicious on udon and ramen, and I sometimes use it on curry or donburi.

Ichimi Togarashi (one flavor chili pepper) is also available, but it's just red pepper. Shichimi has more of a distinctly Japanese flavor with the added nori and sesame seeds, but those flavors might muddle up a KitKat, so Ichimi was probably a better choice for a flavoring.

I could smell the pepper right away. The chocolate was a bit bloomed from its journey (since it was shipped at a time when it was still fairly warm in that part of Japan but cold where I live), and it looked like dark chocolate.

The red pepper had a nice, slow-building heat that was noticeable but not too strong. Dark chocolate was definitely a good choice for this flavor; the slight bitterness went well with the pepper flavor. I wish I had ordered more than just one mini bar!

B+

KitKat website

Sarah's Pastries & Candies

2011-01-22T10:05:00.005-05:00

While on vacation in Chicago, my sister and her husband stopped at Sarah's Pastries & Candies while downtown. My sister knows I love a good local sweets shop, so she kindly included some treats (Royaltines and Chocolate Delights) from Sarah's Candies in my Christmas present. After the small sampling I had, I will definitely stop in next time I'm in Chicago!

The Royaltines looked delicious, and they sounded tasty, too: Dark or milk chocolate mixed with crispy Feuilletine wafer pieces and caramelized almonds.

From the first bite, I was immediately reminded of the crunchiness of cereal, only a delicate, more gourmet version. The bitter dark chocolate was just a bit fruity, and the wafer pieces had a light vanilla taste. I couldn't get a sense of the almonds, but the crispy, light, flaky texture was so pleasant.

The milk was a bit softer, and I could taste the nuts better flavor. The smooth, creamy milk chocolate warmed the flavor up considerably as compared to the dark. The wafers reminded me of Rice Krispies here, but the flavor seemed more decadent because of the milk chocolate.

A

Chocolate Delights were described as a delicious blend of dark, milk, or white chocolate, caramelized almonds, roasted pistachios, and crispy rice, and they were very attractive.

Milk chocolate was first up, and it was very crispy and nutty, with the almond flavor holding most of my attention. The crisp rice added a fun crackle, but the crunch of the caramelized almonds dominated the texture. The milk chocolate was smooth and melted quickly on the tongue, making for a very decadent treat.

The flavor of the dark chocolate stood out more against the almonds, and it also brought out the caramelization. Here, I was struck by the heartiness of the Delights. I almost wished they had a tad more rice cereal in them, because with all those almonds, they were very filling. It's probably a good thing that I couldn't eat too many in one sitting, since it forced me to pace myself.

Of the three flavors, the white chocolate Delight went best with the pistachios. The white chocolate itself was mild with hints of vanilla and, most importantly, wasn't too sweet. It was also delicious with the almonds, but again, I feel like these make a better snack than a dessert, due to the intensely filling nuts.

A-

Sarah's Candies website

Camille Bloch Mousse Caramel

2011-01-22T07:00:00.001-05:00

This is one of the more interesting chocolate bar configurations I've come across since I started reviewing candy in 2008. I purchased it from a Jewel Osco grocery store while visiting family in the Chicago suburbs.

The "bar" looked a bit like bubble wrap, and consisted of little chocolate pods full of caramel flavored mousse. According to the package, the chocolate was imported from Switzerland.

Now, I can't give this bar a real rating, since it's been almost a year since I tried it. I misplaced my tasting notes, but it seems a shame to waste the pictures, and to not talk about the few things I do remember about it.

The chocolate pod was milky and rich, and the caramel-flavored filling was sweet but very smooth and melted like a decadent ganache. I can definitely say I would love to try other products by Camille Bloch, but I haven't been able to find anything since.

If you're interested, check out better reviews of Camille Bloch products at Chocablog, Candy Addict, and Candy Gurus.

Camille Bloch website

Niederegger Lubeck Marzipan

2011-01-18T12:52:00.003-05:00

Ah, the cost of research. My sister accurately called me out on using this blog as an excuse to buy expensive candy bars, but since I actually do review them, I think it’s a valid excuse. Here, we have the latest example: $8 marzipan.

I bought this at a local, family-owned fancy grocery store chain (they have 6 locations) right around Christmas time. It’s quite a hefty brick of marzipan! I’ve had Niederegger Lubeck Marzipan Classic before, so this review might be a little redundant, but I think there is a difference between the bars. Plus, I had to cut this one with a steak knife!

Under the thin dark chocolate shell, the marzipan was moist and delicious, with a tender, chewy texture. The almond flavor and was delicate and enticing, with lots of amaretto notes. The cool, bittersweet chocolate had hints of vanilla, and it was a lovely accent for the almond paste (particularly, making it slightly reminiscent of liquor).

I happened to have a Ritter Sport Marzipan square on hand, and in a head to head comparison, the Niederegger marzipan blows Ritter Sport out of the water. I don’t think I’ll be dropping $8 on marzipan again any time soon, but it was definitely worth the expense, if only once.

A

Niederegger website

Trident Vitality Vigorate

2011-01-14T12:31:00.004-05:00

It's not often that my regular grocery store gets new candy products (which makes me think I should find a new regular store), but recently, they started carrying Trident Vitality gum. When I brought Vigorate home, my husband thought it was a pack of cough drops.

Trident Vitality seems a bit like the Vitamin Water of the gum world. Was anyone really crying out for vitamin C in their gum? Still, even if I'm not using it as a health supplement, I did buy the gum, so the marketing strategy must be working.

The liquid center reminded me of the gel in Gushers fruit snacks. Right away, the citrus (mainly orange) flavor was very strong. Although the box also lists strawberry as a flavor, it was only hinted at. There was also a bold cooling effect, so strong that my throat burned a bit every time I had a piece. In fact, they were very much like orange cough drops.

The gum chewed very soft, and the flavor tapered off after about 5 minutes to a mild, sweet, and slightly tart fruit. The cooling rush hung around for much longer, and it reminded me a little too much of medicine to make me want to buy this flavor of Trident Vitality again.

C+

Trident Website

Meiji Crunchy Biscuit Chocolate

2011-01-11T12:30:00.005-05:00

I've always liked cookie bits in chocolate, so Meiji Crunchy Biscuit Chocolate was an easy pick during my most recent napaJapan order. There's something about the texture combination that really appeals to me; for example, I don't normally like Oreos, but coat them in chocolate and I'm there.

Since I really can't think of anything to say here, bear with me as I throw in another quick promotion for the Trident Layers Giveaway, which ends tomorrow! Now, on with the review.

The bar was stamped with a lovely texture (I'm glad my camera captured it) and it had a rich, warm cocoa scent. From the first bite, I enjoyed the crunchy texture and slightly bitter chocolate flavor of the cookie bits, which added depth to the sweeter, milky chocolate of the bar.

The crunchy and creamy combination was delicious, similar to a Hershey's Cookies & Cream, only with milk chocolate (and better flavor). The only thing that kept it out of "A" territory was the finish, which I found to be too salty. It didn't ruin the bar by any means, but it was definitely noticable.

B+

Meiji website

Trident Layers Contest Reminder

2011-01-10T12:31:00.007-05:00

This is just a quick reminder that my Trident Layers Cool Mint & Melon Fresco gum giveaway ends Wendesday, January 12 at 9:00 PM. Thanks to everyone who has entered so far!

Click here to enter!

For those who have already entered, if you have your Blogger profile set to private or don't have a profile set up, I can't get to your email address. Please send it to me (ebidebby@gmail.com) if you haven't. I think this only applies to 1 person, actually.

Here's a modern conversation heart to get everyone in the mood for Valentine's Day candy.

Tirol Wine

2011-01-09T10:28:00.000-05:00

Even though I know next to nothing about wine, I do know that Wine is not a very descriptive name for a flavor. From the package, it can be assumed that this is a red wine flavored Tirol, but even that doesn't add much.

My favorite red wine is Shiraz, which can have a strong bite, but there is a whole spectrum of red wines ranging from sweet to dry and beyond. The mystery Wine Tirol was purchased from napaJapan (4 for $3.29 US) just before Christmas, and limited quantities are still available.

The dark chocolate was of decent quality and had a bit of a chocolate liquor flavor to it. In terms of texture, it had a good snap and a slow melt on the tongue. The jelly in the center was thick and sticky like a fruit gem, but didn't taste like wine. This Tirol was more like grape jelly in dark chocolate, and while it was very good, there was no hint of that "luxurious aftertaste" the packaging mentioned.

Maybe they were aiming for dessert wine, but even that has more bite than this mild Tirol. There was a slight sourness at the finish, but it lacked the rich, complex end note that distinguishes sweet wine from grape juice. Even though this Tirol was tasty, it was misleading, so I have to account for that in my rating. This could be a good thing for those who don't like wine, but I wish Tirol had taken the concept just a bit further.

B+

Tirol Website

Dagoba Lavender Blueberry

2011-01-06T12:12:00.004-05:00

Sometimes, a bar sounds too interesting to resist, as was the case with this Lavender Blueberry dark chocolate bar. This is my second Dagoba bar review, but the brand name still reminds me of Star Wars, and lavender reminds me more of Ron Weasley's clingy first girlfriend than the flower.

Lavender is not one of my favorite fragrances, and I have limited experience eating it, so please keep that in mind. This bar also reminded me of hawking pillow mist at my old job, so I had no shortage of useless points of reference for this review.

The dark chocolate (59%) bar had a good snap, but again, the Dagoba "perforations" didn't work for me. I could smell and sense the lavender, but the taste was mainly dominated by blueberry. I should mention that my dad said he could taste the lavender, so that might just be me.

There were bits of dried blueberry in the bar, and the tart flavor enhanced the slight fruitiness of the dark chocolate, but the chocolate itself was just a bit chalky. The finish was clean and the bar wasn't bad by any means, but I don't think I would buy this bar again.

B-

Read more reviews of this bar at Chocablog and Doug's Republic.

Dagoba website

Tirol Coffee Jelly

2011-01-05T12:29:00.007-05:00

First, this is just a gentle reminder that there is one week left to enter my Trident Layers giveaway! Thanks to everyone who has entered so far.

Normally, Tirol chocolates have adorable packaging designs, but it seems like Coffee Jelly slipped through the cracks. The font isn't eye-catching (not to mention the yellow stroke on brown text), and combined with the grainy picture, it just looks cheap.

Of course, as chocolates go, Tirol is cheap, but it doesn't usually look it. Still, I wasn't too deterred from adding a set of 4 Coffee Jelly chocolates ($2.79, though they are now sold out) to my napaJapan order, and I'm very glad that I did.

Under the wrapper, the chocolate was quite attractive with its contrasting white top and dark bottom, all with a slightly glossy finish. It had a mild coffee scent, and the chocolate had a great snap to it. Inside the chocolate was a sticky gel center with a pleasant, slightly firm gummy texture.

The chocolate had the stronger espresso-like flavor, and the combination of milky white and bitter dark reminded me of a mocha. The gel center had a milder, more delicate coffee flavor. It was like a much more subdued Ferrero Pocket Coffee, and it was delicious. Don't let the unassuming package fool you - there's quality chocolate in there!

A-

Tirol website

Orkney Fudge

2011-01-04T12:40:00.001-05:00

Fudge seems to be a bit of a polarizing sweet, although that might be putting it too strongly. I don't dislike fudge, but it's not something I ever choose to eat. Every now and then, a little taste is great, but it's just so overwhelmingly sweet and rich that a little sample chunk at the fudge shop is good enough for me.

But this fudge is famous - it's Orkney Fudge. I had never heard of it in the US, but after a trip to visit her family in the UK, my boss kindly brought some back for us to try at work. She explained that this fudge experienced a surge in popularity when someone on the reality show Big Brother brought it to the house as their luxury item.

This fudge smelled amazing. It had a rich, buttery scent and an almost sparkly sheen. The fudge was slightly crumbly like very finely ground sugar, but the texture was melt-in-your-mouth delightful. It had an intense, enjoyable caramel flavor, with hints of vanilla.

Of course, the fudge was sweet, but it wasn't overwhelmingly so - the deep, rich buttery flavor was more noticeable to me than the sweetness. As fudges go, this is one of the best I've tried, and for once, I wanted more than one piece.

A

Nestle KitKat Kokutou and Kinako

2010-12-30T09:07:00.004-05:00

First, just a quick reminder: please enter my Trident Gum Contest! Moving on, if I'm not mistaken, this is the 50th KitKat review on Snack Love! As luck would have it, it's a very good KitKat. I purchased mine at napaJapan ($1.99 for 2 mini bars), and as of now, they are still available for purchase.

There's just something so sophisticated about bitter chocolate, and even though KitKat isn't a sophisticated, classy brand, they have released some very grown-up flavors this year in Japan. Add Kokutou and Kinako (black sugar and soy bean flour) to that list! Although it translates to black sugar, kokutou is a dark brown sugar with a rich, bitter flavor, often associated with Okinawa.

The bar smelled strongly of molasses, and the first bite was pleasantly bitter. The bitterness reminded me of coffee, and the milk chocolate was a lovely, sweet companion. The balance of flavors was fantastic! A hint of kinako was detectable only in the background, but it did give a certain nuttiness to the bar.

It was definitely unlike other KitKats I've tried, and I think it would please an adult palate, especially if that adult was a fan of molasses. I just couldn't get over that delicious initial bitter kick! It's definitely one of the best KitKats I've tried this year, if not of all time.

A

Check out a review of the first generation of this bar at Japanese Snack Reviews and the re-release at Jen Ken's Kit Kat Blog.

Nestle KitKat website

End of the Year Trident Layers Giveaway

2010-12-29T09:42:00.010-05:00

This giveaway is now closed! Winners are being notified.

Where I work, everyone gets a gift certificate for a fancy ham at the end of the year. It's just a nice little bonus that makes a holiday meal a little easier. For my readers, here's a little end of the year bonus giveaway - but it's not a ham - this bonus is paid in gum!

You guessed it, it's Trident Layers! Thanks to a kind PR representative, I've got 4 sealed boxes, each filled with 12 packs of Trident Layers Cool Mint + Melon Fresco gum to give away to 4 lucky readers! It was definitely one of my favorite gum flavors of 2010.

Entering the contest is simple: just comment on this post about the best candy you had this year. Also, be sure you leave an email address for me to contact you if you're not a Blogger/Google member. I apologize, I know Blogger's comment system isn't the best for this. If you would rather not leave an email address publicly, you can send it to me at ebidebby@gmail.com and let me know which comment goes with it.

From the comments, 4 winners will be selected at random to each receive a sealed box of 12 packs of Trident Layers Gum! The contest is open to all readers (as allowed by your state or country’s laws).

The deadline for entries is 9:00 PM EST on Wednesday, January 12, 2011, at which point the winners will be randomly selected and notified. I will make periodic reminder posts up to the deadline, and post again when all winners have responded.

Thanks for reading, and Happy New Year!

Ghirardelli Luxe Milk Almond, Toffee, and Hazelnut Bars

2010-12-21T12:34:00.002-05:00

Along with the individually wrapped squares, the Ghirardelli Luxe Milk line also includes chocolate bars. Coupons for these bars were kindly provided by a public relations representative. My local Target store only had the almond and hazelnut varieties, but I was able to find toffee at a Wal-mart.

I've certainly mentioned this before, but I'm not typically a milk chocolate person. Dark chocolate (somewhere around 60 to 70% cacao, to be specific) is my preference, but even for me, Ghirardelli's Luxe Milk hits the spot with its rich, creamy, traditional milk chocolate. The pretty, pale gold wrapper helps, too.

Almond smelled of roasted almonds, and the chunky nuts had a meaty, chewy texture and strong, roasted flavor. The chocolate was milky and just a little sweet, and the bar seemed better than the individual squares. It was crunchy, a bit crackly, and very nicely balanced. The milk chocolate was just a little sticky but it didn't bother me. A-

Toffee might have knocked my socks off if I hadn't just tried the new Vosges toffee bar, but that's another review. The Ghirardelli bar smelled only of milk chocolate, but the toffee added texture right from the first bite. It was crunchy like fine hard candy bits, and it imparted a mild salty and savory butter flavor to the bar. The milk chocolate was smooth and cool on the tongue with just a little stickiness, and it was a good match for the toffee. At less than half the price of the aforementioned Vosges bar, it's not a bad choice at all. A-

Finally, Hazenlnut smelled nutty, and the rich flavor and slight sweetness of the hazelnuts brought out the sweeter flavors in the milk chocolate. Although they went well together here, I am not a big fan of hazelnut and chocolate (I don't even like Nutella), so it was a bit lost on me. The hazelnuts were fresh and crunchy, and I think fans of hazelnut chocolate would like it very much. B

Overall, the Luxe Milk line offers a nice range of fillings in good quality milk chocolate, and I think any of these bars would please a chocolate fan.

Meiji Mango Pudding Sweets Gum

2010-12-18T07:00:00.003-05:00

Have I ever mentioned my mango phase? When I was in college, there was this local hipster video rental store near campus (I may be young, but I had a VCR) with an attached smoothie bar, and I was addicted to their more-tart-than-sweet mango lemonade smoothies. Bubble tea may have been trendier, but I was hooked on those smoothies.

Once I graduated, I got over my addiction, but I still like mango. It’s fitting that this Mango Pudding gum came in a package from a dear college friend. Even though it happens subconsciously, I love associating scents and flavors with memories, and mango reminds me of fun with college friends and good grades.

Now that I’ve gone off on a complete tangent, I had better get on with the review. The shape of the gum was interesting – sort of like Combos or Collon. According to the box, the outer ring was gum and the middle portion was soft candy, but it all chewed down the same. At first, it was on the hard side, and it was difficult to get the chewing started.

The initial flavor was a delightfully sharp, sour mango, but after a few seconds, the gum became much softer, and the flavor dulled to a mild, waxy tropical. The way the gum became so soft reminded me of the center of a Charms Blow Pop, as if the candy portion somehow altered the texture of the gum for the worse. That first burst of tart mango was great, but along with the satisfying texture, it was short-lived.

B-

Meiji website

NewTree Granola

2010-12-17T11:59:00.005-05:00

After loving the NewTree Belgian Biscuit bar, I was excited to come across the NewTree Granola bar at my local Wal-Mart. It offered another unique combination of flavors and textures I had not yet tried: milk chocolate and granola with lime and green tea extract.

The cocoa percentage was on the low side at 31%, but NewTree bars boast lower amounts of sugar than comparable chocolate bars (without an artificial sweetener in sight, mind you). In addition, half of the bar was well under 200 calories, which seems like a very reasonable indulgence. The box also mentions higher fiber and antioxidants, which are nice to have, but in the end, it’s still a chocolate bar.

The bar smelled of rich cocoa and lime juice, and I could taste the lime immediately. The granola bits (more like single pieces of oatmeal scattered throughout the bar) had a subtle vanilla flavor and added a neat crunch, making the chocolate a bit drier than I expected. This worked well for me, because it seemed to cancel out some of the stickiness I often experience with milk chocolate.

The green tea was almost undetectable, but concentration rewarded me with a few hints of grassiness. The chocolate, lime, and granola combination reminded me of cereals I liked as a kid, and the sweetness level was just right. It didn’t blow me away like the flax seed bar, but it was still an innovative, enjoyable chocolate bar.

B+

NewTree website

Las Vegas Treats - Payard

2010-12-16T12:30:00.008-05:00

While on our long weekend in Las Vegas, my husband and I were determined to stop in at the Payard Patisserie inside Caesar's Palace. Last year, we went there for the first time after reading Cybele's enticing review on her Candy Blog. This year, I was definitely looking forward to visiting Payard again.

The gigantic clock in the picture above spits out a chocolate sample every 15 minutes - my husband snagged one last year, but we were not so lucky this time. Still, I was there for the pastries rather than the chocolate.

This photo is from last year, by the way.
The dessert case is a wonderful collection of delightfully decorated miniature cakes, tarts, and pies, costing around $7 each. They definitely fall into the almost-too-pretty-to-eat category, and although they are a bit pricey, it's Las Vegas. At least when you spend that $7 on a cake, you've got a guaranteed win.

I selected the gorgeous Manjari Berry Tart (shown below) because it was such a glossy, sexy red, and it reminded me of topsy-turvy designer cakes. The edible gold leaf topping didn't hurt, either. The cashier served it up on a plastic dish for me and my husband, and we sat at a table just outside the boutique, overlooking the slot machines. One of my favorite touches at Payard is that the plastic cutlery looks like silverware. It's very cute.

"Chocolate Almond Sponge layered with Berry Curd and
Manjari Chocolate Mousse topped with an Almond Macaron"
The gold leaf was a gorgeous, luxurious touch, and the French macaron was a fun, crispy topping. Apparently, Payard serves gorgeous full size macarons, but I guess I've been so distracted by the dessert case that I've missed them both times. Anyhow, the mousse and sponge were delightfully bitter, providing a rich contrast to the tartness of the berry curd.

The texture play inside the tart was quite fun, with sponge cake, mousse, gel, and a cookie-like bottom. Keeping the chocolate in the airier components of the cake gave it a delicate feel, and the intense berry curd flavor was just right. In short, the Manjari Berry Tart was decadent without being heavy, and the contrasting flavors were interesting and delicious.

Finally, this is the lovely Chestnut Tart I sampled last fall. Underneath the glossy orange coating, the texture of the filling was meaty and tender like a chestnut, but the flavor was more like pumpkin (which must have been intentional, since the description mentioned pumpkin). Still, it was quite tasty and again, not heavy.

To sum it up, these small luxuries are certainly worth it. If you happen to be on the Las Vegas strip, Payard is definitely worth a visit. They also have a beautiful sorbet and gelato display and a chocolate shop. Everything looks delicious, but I've really only tried the pastries.

Vosges Bapchi's Caramel Toffee Bar

2010-12-10T10:47:00.000-05:00

Technology never ceases to amaze me! Right now, I am writing this entry from cruising altitude on my way to Las Vegas. Thanks to Google, Delta's on-flight internet service is free this month. So, it seemed a good of a time as any to break my lazy blogger streak.

Vosges is not an indulgence I often allow myself to make. It's one of the more expensive chocolate brands available at stores in my area, but when I saw this new flavor, I couldn't resist. It was placed next to a mint flavor for the Holidays, but Caramel Toffee sounded better.

The bar was a little beaten up, but it had an amazingly complex scent and taste. It smelled of rich, browned butter toffee with a hint of something that reminds me of rum. The flavor was at first sweet cocoa, then the salt hit the tongue, and finally, it was nutty and full of rich, incredibly buttery toffee.

There were several textures at play - smooth, rich 45% cacao chocolate (just dark enough to offset the sweetness), crisp and chewy toffee, and meaty nuts. This is definitely the best bar I've tried all year. It reminded me of chocolate caramel corn, only much more refined. It was so hard to put this bar down, but after talking it up so much, I had to save some for my husband.

A+

Lotte Green Gum

2010-11-30T19:10:00.000-05:00

Another item in my package from Tsunami.hk was this Green Gum. With only that name to go on, I assumed it would be mint, but it was hard to be sure. The simple, old fashioned, and, of course, green packaging didn't give much away.

Green Gum is one of Lotte's signature gum flavors, and according to their Let's Chewing website, it contains chlorophyll and green tea flavonoids, giving the chewer minty and woodsy sensations.

The gum gave me deja vu; it smelled just like the candy cane page in a Christmas scratch and sniff book I had as a child. The mint flavor different, but it was fresh and a little sweet; it reminded me most of spearmint. There was a hint of evergreen, making for a woodsy, refreshing mint flavor.

The texture was soft and bouncy at first, and the cooling effect was pleasant. I loved it at first, but within 2 or 3 minutes, it lost most of its flavor, then became firmer as I chewed. Still, the initial flavor was unique and tasty and it was a good breath freshener, but it wasn't a long lasting chewing gum.

B+

Lotte gum website

Snack Nostalgia (Linked Article)

2010-11-30T18:34:00.003-05:00

Do you ever miss snacks from your childhood? Here's a fun list mainly geared at for Generation Yers (like myself), but I think older and younger readers might get a kick out of it, too. Collegecrunch.org compiled a 20 Discontinued Snacks We Wish Would Come Back list, complete with classic commercials.

Personally, I'm pretty happy with the current snack selection, but there are a few things I miss. On the Collegecrunch list, I fondly remember the palate-slicing French Toast Crunch cereal and, of course, that a classy little party beverage called Ecto Cooler.

Off the list, I've already mentioned the brief American appearance of Koala Yummies, and every now and then, I get a craving for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Pies. How about you?

Kasugai Cream Soda Gummies

2010-11-29T21:08:00.001-05:00

This cute yet slightly creepy package of gummies called out to me, although I can't remember where. It wasn't a gift...maybe I bought it in Vancouver, BC this October? I mention this because I'm normally very good about remembering where I buy my snacks, but these, I'm just not sure.

The company Kasugai makes many gummy candies, including a well known, Engrish-laden line called Gummy 100 that is made with 100% fruit juice. They are well-worth trying, since they taste just like real fruit. I especially love the red and green grape flavors, but that's for another review.

In Japan, cream soda almost always means melon cream soda, which is why this package is predominantly green. The gummies themselves are green and white, with the white half simulating a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It might be called a Melon Soda Float in the US (if we had melon soda).

The gummies smelled like slightly floral melon and citrus in the open bag. There was an odd coating to the gummies that made them feel slippery, and it immediately put a powdery film on my teeth. It went away quickly, but it was weird and detracted a bit from the otherwise very tasty flavor.

The green part was a mildly sour, almost melon gummy with hints of lime, and the bottom layer tasted and chewed like marshmallow for a neat texture play. Actually, the weird waxy film reminded me of eating straight marshmallows (something I haven't done since I was 8 because I don't like them).

Still, the flavors melded together so nicely, and these went over well when I shared with friends. No one mentioned the filminess, but they raved about the flavor, so I'd still recommend these gummies.

B+

Kasugai website

Ritter Sport Cappuccino

2010-11-24T12:57:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, I house-sat for my parents when they were out of town. My parents know me pretty well, because they "paid" me in chocolate! Their two cats are so cute that I would do it for free, but I wasn't about to turn those candy bars down.

Part of my "payment" was this Ritter Sport Cappuccino bar. Although I've seen it many times in stores, I've never purchased it for myself or even tried it. I love drinking coffee, but I'm always a little wary of coffee flavored treats. Too many of them have the sour, bitter aftertaste of cold, old coffee and not enough of the bold, toasty richness of a fresh cup.

The chocolate had a mild coffee scent, and the milk chocolate coating was sweet and just a bit salty. The filling was smooth and cool on the tongue, and it had a creamy coffee flavor.

Thankfully, the coffee flavor wasn't too sour, and the sweetness of the chocolate balances the subtle bitterness from the cappuccino flavor. Overall, the bar was enjoyable and sweet without being cloying, and it was one of the better coffee flavored sweets I've tried.

B+

Ritter Sport website

Kabaya Rilakkuma Pretzel Butter Flavor

2010-11-17T12:28:00.007-05:00

Hey, this makes two Kabaya reviews in a row! Instead of gummies, it's a Kabaya take on Glico Pretz, with a cute mascot character (Rilakkuma) tie-in. This snack was kindly provided by Tsunami.hk.

Rilakkuma is basically a couch potato. His name comes from the English word relax and the Japanese word kuma, which means bear. He spends most of his time relaxing, presumably stuffing his face with cookies like on the package.

The design on the inner bag was strikingly adorable. Although the package says pretzel, the sticks are more like crackers (basically naked Pocky). They smelled like buttered toast, and had a fresh, appetizing crunch.

The flavor was slightly sweet, salty, and buttery without being oily. I didn't detect a preservative aftertaste, and had no trouble finishing the whole bag (160 calories) in one sitting. Although addictive, they were pretty basic as far as snacks go. Still, they definitely satisfied my craving for crunchy.

B+

Kabaya website

Kabaya Kakigori Gummies

2010-11-16T12:38:00.002-05:00

Kabaya isn't the biggest name in the Japanese snack business, but they do make excellent gummies. These are based on kakigori, a popular Japanese summer treat that is basically a snow cone. These came in four flavors: Soda, Melon, Lemon, and Strawberry Milk. They were even shaped like little mounds of shaved ice!

Soda smelled strongly of ramune. The texture was really neat! The coating and bottom half was a little crunchy and grainy (sort of like ice) but the top of the inside was soft, sticky, and gooey. It had just a hint of a fizz to it and a good citrus flavor.

Melon smelled a little floral, and the flavor was a very convincing, mellow honeydew. It had the same interesting shaved ice-like texture, and I had no complaints.

Lemon smelled like a cleaner, and although it tasted a little more like a lemon than it smelled, it still wasn't too authentic. It was floral and sweet, but my least favorite of the flavors. Although the textures were similar, the flavor was not as good as the other Kabaya lemon gummies I tried.

Strawberry Milk was very authentic! It smelled and tasted just like strawberries and condensed milk. It was one of the sweetest of the bunch, but the favor was so good that I didn't mind.

B+

Kabaya website

Lotte Double Berry Cheesecake Toppo

2010-11-12T12:36:00.001-05:00

In a world of endless Pocky-like snacks, Toppo is one of my favorites. I usually like it better than Pocky (with the exception of those fancy dessert mousse types of Pocky), so I was excited to try a new flavor.

However, in a world of endless desserts, cheesecake is not my favorite. Oh sure, a bite is good, but it's often just too rich for me - even New York style (though it is better). It could have something to do with the lactose intolerance, but if I'm picking the dessert, it's almost certainly not going to be cheesecake.

The Toppo smelled strongly of cheese (yep, I took a Lactaid) but not cheesecake. The cheese flavor was quite subtle and didn't seem like cheesecake at all. Mostly, I tasted the strawberry and blueberry flavors, but they had a slight soapiness about them.

The pretzel was standard, slightly sweet and salty Toppo fare, with a slight preservative-like aftertaste. The whole thing left a little oily residue behind, but it wasn't bad. The soapy berry flavors turned me off, and I definitely prefer regular chocolate Toppo to this limited edition.

B-

Nestle Salt and Caramel KitKat

2010-11-10T12:45:00.000-05:00

This flavor has been recycled many times since Nestle Japan started selling limited edition KitKats, but this might be the first time I've tried it. Salted caramels were quite trendy a few years ago, and even though the sweets industry has mostly moved on, the combination is still good.

The packaging feels a little nautical, and I like that. My bar was a little melted, since it came from Japan in the summer (and I'm just getting around to it, yikes), but it still had its structural integrity, so I doubt the flavor was affected.

The chocolate had a strong caramel scent with just a hint of salt. When I bit into it, it was apparent that the wafers were very salty and that the caramel flavor seemed to come from the chocolate. The two tastes came together nicely for a savory flavor.

I do enjoy the ratio of wafer to chocolate in the larger KitKat, especially when the flavors are done well. The salt mostly kept the sweetness of the milk chocolate in check, and the bar easily defeated my craving for salty/sweet.

B+

KitKat website

Country Ma'am Ujikintoki Cookies

2010-11-09T12:38:00.002-05:00

Since I don't live in Japan, Country Ma'am cookies are something to which I have very little exposure. On my last visit to Kyoto, I tried a kinako version that was tasty, but I think that's the only time I've had them. You can read several reviews of different types of Country Ma'am cookies at Japanese Snack Reviews.

Ujikintoki is a type of Japanese shaved ice dessert (kakigori) made with matcha syrup and red bean toppings. The package suggested putting the cookies in the refrigerator to simulate the shaved ice dessert. To get the full effect, I tried three different preparation methods: straight out of the bag, one hour in the refrigerator, and 20 seconds in the microwave.

Straight out of the bag, the cookie was grainy and very sweet, but it had a soft and chewy texture. The matcha and azuki flavors were subtle, and I also tasted brown sugar. The chocolate chips seemed downplayed by the other flavors.

Refrigeration brought out the chocolate and azuki flavors, but the matcha was almost undetectable. Also, the cold made the cookie a little crunchy and I prefer a softer chew.

I'd definitely recommend going with the microwave option. The warm, buttery cookie had a nice chocolate and matcha scent, and they were so soft and gooey. They tasted like brown sugar or molasses with less azuki flavor and a little more matcha.

A-

Fujiya website

NewTree Belgian Biscuit

2010-11-08T17:57:00.002-05:00

I'm pretty big on textures, so any chocolate bar with a new or interesting makeup is at least a good experience. I'm not sure if this NewTree bar is state of the art in terms of components, but flax seed and cookie crumbs are not thing I often see in chocolate bars.

My sister gave me this bar as part of my birthday present last month. Many of my favorite chocolate bars involve cookies (like the Ritter Sport Butter Biscuit, KitKat Cookies+, or Tirol BIS), so this bar had the potential to be a winner, despite my limited experience with flax seed.

The Belgian Biscuit bar had a bitter, toasty scent and a good snap. The cookie bits and flax seeds gave the bar a rich and almost spicy flavor without adding any heat. As for the texture, it was crackly and crunchy, and most certainly new to me.

At 65%, the cocoa was just about perfect, and the chocolate was clean, smooth, a bit bitter but not fruity - a great match for the sweeter cookie bits. I've been try a lot of chocolate lately, but this is one of my new favorites! I don't know about the health benefits, but I'd definitely recommend giving this bar a taste!

A+

NewTree website

Seattle Chocolates Orange Appeal Truffle Bar

2010-11-07T21:15:00.001-05:00

After the filling distribution issues with my last Seattle Chocolates bar, I was a little worried about this one, but at the very least, the chocolate would be good. Oranges and chocolate are a classic combination, and the idea of candied orange peel filling sounded very appealing.

This bar was purchased locally, and again, the packaging really caught my eye. Clean lines and bright colors always seem to work on me. No Seattle tie-ins on the name of this bar, but at least there's a nice little pun.

The orange zest aroma of this bar was amazing. The chocolate was soft and delicious, and the slightly bitter cocoa was wonderful with the sharp, sour orange flavor. I don't know what I was expecting from the texture, but the candied orange peel was really hard! It almost felt like that unexpected bone in your meat, and it definitely took some getting used to.

Even with the texture surprise, the flavor was unique and wonderful. The orange peel was sour and zesty (and evenly distributed throughout the bar), and it was just perfect with 53% cocoa. There was no aftertaste or sticky mouthfeel, and it was a good bar all around. Just watch out for that candied peel!

A

Seattle Chocolates website

Morinaga Ramune Melon Soda

2010-11-05T12:37:00.002-04:00

This cute little bottle of Melon Soda flavored Ramune candy was included in the promotional package kindly provided by Tsunami.hk. This type of candy is very similar to Smarties in the United States - flavored pressed sugar pellets. I don't know anyone who gets excited about Smarties, but I don't know anyone who hates them, either.

I'll admit it - I've bought little Hello Kitty or Pokemon toys from grocery stores in Japan for myself and for souvenirs, and they often include a wrapped Ramune candy pellet. One is usually enough for me, but this Morinaga candy packs a whole 27 grams worth of pellets - 23 grams of which are sugar!

The open bottle smelled sweet and reminded me of cotton candy. The pellets chew into a very fine powder with an intensely sweet and slightly sour citric acid flavor. I didn't get any hints of melon soda, and the aftertaste was a little chalky. They were very similar to American Smarties.

Still, even though Morinaga didn't deliver on flavor, I can't say I disliked the taste. The whole bottle was too much for me to eat in one sitting, but I'm not really the target demographic. After 5 or 6 pieces, I had a nice sugar rush, but the candies became a bit cloying and I had to put the bottle away.

C+

Morinaga website

Seattle Chocolates Panoramic Pecan

2010-11-04T12:25:00.004-04:00

Although I've seen Seattle Chocolates in my area, when I was visiting Seattle and saw this truffle bar in the Space Needle gift shop, I was compelled to buy it. The package design was very cool, and I thought it would make a good souvenir...and I ended up eating it myself. To be fair, I shared it with 3 people, but I do feel a little guilty.

I never made the connection before, but many of the Seattle Chocolates truffle bars pay homage to famous locations in the Seattle area. Some good examples are the Pike Place Espresso Bar and the Whidbey Wildberry Truffle Bar, but I haven't tried either. Panoramic Pecan promised raisins and praline pecans in dark chocolate truffle.

Because it's a truffle bar, the chocolate had a matte finish and a very soft snap. It smelled of raisins and chocolate (like Raisinettes, if you've had them). The chocolate was sweet for being dark, but it was very smooth and silky with a mildly bitter finish. I liked the texture and the flavor very well.

Did you notice that I haven't mentioned any pecans or actual raisins yet? That's because in the first of 4 quarters of the bar, there was almost nothing but chocolate. My piece had one tiny candied pecan piece, and while it was crunchy and had a nice caramelized flavor, I was pretty disappointed with the distribution.

Luckily, one of my guinea pigs let me have half of another piece later, and the experience was quite different! The plentiful nuts added a firm, sweet crunch and the raisins were tender and flavorful. It reminded me of a high quality trail mix. If only the whole bar had been like that....

B+

Seattle Chocolates website

Ritter Sport Milk Chocolate with Cornflakes

2010-10-29T12:33:00.008-04:00

There's just something about Ritter Sport squares that makes them better than the average chocolate bar. I'm not sure if it's the square shape, the boldly basic packaging, or the plethora of flavors that appeals most to me, but I'm pretty hooked.

Although it's not a cereal I tend to reach for at the store, I do like Corn Flakes. They're quite versatile! One of my favorite comfort foods is cheesy potato casserole with corn flake topping - so healthy, right? But this is my first foray into chocolate with cornflakes!

Here's a bit of Halloween promotional fun from Ritter Sport: they are having a giveaway for fans who use their online application to send Halloween e-cards. Check out this entry at the Ritter Sport blog for details on how to use the application and enter to win a box of 84 Ritter Sport minis. Ritter will be giving one away every day until November 6!

The bar looked fresh and appetizing, and I especially loved the bumpy bottom texture from the cornflakes. It smelled mildly of cocoa, and the milk chocolate certainly was mild here. The cornflakes cut down on the creamy, sticky feeling of the chocolate (which suits me just fine).

While they didn't add much in the way of flavor (just a hint of vegetable sweetness), the texture the cornflakes brought to this bar was great! The crunch was different from that of puffed rice or wafers, and the cornflakes seemed very fresh (not stale or soggy). The bar was a little on the sweet side for my tastes, but if I'm ever in the mood for crunchy milk chocolate, I might pick this one up again!

B+

Ritter Sport website

Information on the Ritter promotion was sent by a PR representative, and Ritter Sport is hosting the giveaway - not me. It did not influence my review in any way, nor did I receive anything in exchange for blogging about this promotion. Luckily, I just happened to have a Ritter Sport square on deck for review!

Niederegger Lubeck Marzipan Classic

2010-10-28T13:01:00.009-04:00

There's a lot of chocolate in my house these days, and I've been slowly working my way through it. Thanks to various colds and sinus issues, I haven't been in the mood for tasting much of anything, but my taste buds seem to be functioning again so I'll keep trying to stay on top of it.

This bar was part of a birthday present from my sister, so I'm not really sure where she got it. Marzipan is a new favorite of mine, discovered when I tried Ritter Sport Marzipan earlier this year. When marzipan pieces are included in chocolate or truffle boxes, they are always some of my favorites, but my exposure is still pretty limited.

The gorgeous gold wrapper caught my eye, as did the glossy bittersweet chocolate. The bar had a nice slightly bitter cocoa scent with a subtle, cherry-like hint of almond, which was a great start. The pieces snapped apart in a satisfying (though sometimes uneven) way, and the marzipan inside looked moist (in an appetizing way - some people are weird about that word).

The chocolate coating had a decent balance of bitter and sweet, and it did a good job of accenting the marzipan with a slight fruitiness. This marzipan had all the lovely cherry or amaretto notes I adore. The paste was slightly drier than in other marzipan chocolates I've tried, but I was able to put that aside because the flavor was really lovely.

A-

Niederegger website

Ghirardelli Luxe Milk Squares

2010-10-21T12:53:00.006-04:00

A couple years ago, I ate at the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop in Orlando, Florida's Downtown Disney. I still remember the deliciously bittersweet cookie sundae I split with my husband. This is what immediately comes to mind when I think of Ghirardelli chocolate, so my opinion of the brand is pretty positive.

A marketing company representative kindly provided me with coupons for free products from Ghirardelli's new Luxe Milk line of all natural chocolatse, and in my area, I was able to find the Milk and Almond squares, as well as two bars to be reviewed shortly. As always, I wasn't paid for this or any review.

Though I usually prefer dark chocolate, I can always enjoy good milk chocolate. Luxe Milk Milk was very clean, classic, and quite tasty. The chocolate had a slightly nutty scent with the mild cocoa. The texture was the best part for me; it was smooth and rich but not sticky. The flavor was milky and just a little like caramel. It was quite enjoyable and not too sweet, and it made me rethink my beliefs about milk chocolate. A

Almond smelled milky as well, but the aroma of the toasted almond came through for a nice effect. The almonds were chunks rather than slivers or whole almonds, so the meatiness of the nuts was a nice change of pace. There was just a hint of saltiness which was interesting with the buttery chocolate (it reminded me of popcorn), but I think I preferred the milk chocolate by itself. This was a different take on almond chocolate, though, and I did enjoy this flavor, too. B+

Ghirardelli website

Trident Layers Cool Mint + Melon Fresco

2010-10-21T06:54:00.014-04:00

Sometimes, a gum just sounds right from the get-go. Cool Mint + Melon Fresco called out to me in the check out lane, as gums often do, and I answered. I love a good fruity mint, and melon is a great companion for mint. Maybe I wouldn't mind getting paid in this flavor...

For any readers in the New York city area, Trident is doing a bit of exciting non-traditional marketing in Times Square today from 6:30 AM until 2:00 PM. At Broadway and 42nd street, a fleet of taxis will give rides in exchange for a pack of this gum. There will also be celebrity appearances (Bethenny Frankel and Wendy Williams), free samples of the new flavor, and chances to win prizes instantly, or by snatching as many mint leaves in a "Grab for Mint" cyclone booth. It sounds pretty refreshing!

The gum smells like mint, and if I had to nail it down, I'd say spearmint. As I chewed, the melon flavor came out from the sticky center. It was like an extra tart almost honeydew, and it went very well with the mint. The sourness made the melon come off a bit like lime, but it was very subtle.

It's definitely my favorite of the Trident Layers flavors, and it's something I would buy again. The refreshing flavor lasted a very long time (probably around 20 minutes), and the gum had a good texture throughout the chew. If fruity-mint gum is not your thing, you may not like this one, but this gum was really well received by my friends and coworkers when I shared the pack.

A

Trident Website

Note: A PR company representative provided information about the promotional event, but I had already tried the gum, and this contact did not influence my review (not that it would have if I hadn't tried the gum). On a side note, I wish cool promotional events took place in the midwest...

Extra Key Lime Pie Gum

2010-10-07T12:46:00.000-04:00

Sugar free gum knows no limits these days. This Key Lime Pie gum didn't show up at my local grocery store at the same time as the Mint Chocolate Chip and the Strawberry Shortcake, but it's probably the oddest of the three flavors.

Once I sample a gum flavor and take pictures, the rest of the pack usually goes on the corner of my desk, both to save my jaw and to share with my coworkers. It doesn't seem like the Key Lime Pie gum is a big hit, at least not compared to the other two Extra Dessert flavors.

The scent and taste were pretty much a dead ringer for key lime pie, but there was something about the cream element that was just a little too sour for me. It didn't stop me from enjoying the gum, but the delicate balance of citrus and cream that didn't translate here. The taste was another Willy Wonka experience, because I could have sworn I sensed a graham cracker crust, along with tart and acidic key lime and that bizarre cream sensation.

The lime and cream didn't play as well here as the strawberry and cream in Strawberry Shortcake, but that weird sour note did eventually go away, and I didn't notice it as much the next time I tried a piece. The flavor faded to a very mild, sweet lime gum pretty quickly (maybe after 2 minutes), and it became a little tough to chew. Still, this was another fun dessert experience from Extra, but not my favorite of the three flavors. Extra gets extra points for trying something different.

B-

Extra website

Nestle KitKat Framboise

2010-09-29T12:00:00.000-04:00

This is the last of the September KitKat series, and Framboise is definitely my favorite. Like Semisweet and Bitter Almond, this one also seems to be tailored to adults, although it's probably more kid-friendly than the previous two.

This fall, I'm taking a French class one night a week. In high school, I studied French all four years, but switched to Japanese in college. My French suffered as a result, but at least I still remember that framboise means raspberry. Don't ask me to say "last week" in French though, because I'm totally drawing a blank. Hopefully we'll get to that in this week's class.

Both the scent and flavor of this KitKat were very strong (and pretty authentic). The flavor was more like raspberry liqueur than the actual fruit, but I was blown away by how the framboise came through the chocolate. It reminded me of Chambord, although I should note that the KitKat didn't taste boozy.

The milk chocolate was creamy and smooth, and the raspberry flavor between the wafers was tart and delicate. It was a little sweet, but I really enjoyed it. Raspberry and chocolate are a classic combination, and this KitKat is a great example of why it works so well.

A

KitKat website

Nestle Semisweet KitKat

2010-09-29T07:00:00.000-04:00

Well, since I mentioned the other KitKats, I may as well review them all in a row. I still have several treats to sample and review from my generous package from Tsunami.hk, but even with tasting notes, I think it's best to review things while they are fresh in my memory.

This Semisweet KitKat was purchased from an Asian grocer in Richmond, British Columbia. As I mentioned, the one rainy day of my vacation spent in Vancouver was not very productive, except for the KitKats I acquired (oh, and eating kabocha croquette at Guu).

The very stylish box promised sweetness in moderation, and the KitKat delivered. The chocolate smelled bittersweet and strong, and the cocoa tasted slightly fruity. It was an interesting flavor balance with the wafers, but the snap of the darker chocolate was a great texture match.

Semisweet was easy to eat and very enjoyable. It reminded me of Bitter Almond, only less sweet. Nestle was going for a more adult flavor, and I'd say they nailed it. If this flavor was permanent (and available in the US), I could see myself buying it often.

A-

Nestle website

Nestle Bitter Almond KitKat

2010-09-28T12:40:00.003-04:00

My husband and I visited Vancouver, BC during our Seattle vacation, and I can tell you that if you go there, one day is not enough time. It was my fault for overscheduling our trip, but all we really got to do was walk around the various Asian malls in Richmond. It was raining all day anyway, so it worked out rather well.

During those shopping walks, I picked up a couple Japanese KitKats that I hadn't tried yet. These are more recent than the Milk Coffee KitKat I reviewed two weeks after expiration, but they aren't brand new, either. First up is Bitter Almond.

The bars smelled of slightly bitter cocoa. Just like on the package, I could see flecks of slivered almond just below the surface of the chocolate. The almond flavor was entirely on the roasted side of the spectrum (with none of the cherry notes I love), but that was probably a better match for the slightly bitter cocoa.

The almonds added an extra crunch to the texture, and the flavors went together very well. It reminded me of Almond Crush Pocky, only not as good. Stronger almond flavors probably would have won me over, but in the end, this KitKat was good but not great.

B

KitKat website

Nabisco Pinwheels

2010-09-28T12:33:00.003-04:00

Recently, my mom shared the link to my blog with some of her cousins, and they requested that I review Nabisco Pinwheels. When they were growing up, their grandmother (and my great-grandmother) always served these cookies during visits, and it's a treat they all remember fondly.

Marshmallow isn't my favorite, but my mom loves it, so I approached these cookies with an open mind. I was immediately encouraged by the mention of "pure chocolate" on the bag, since many similar cookies tend to go for mockolate. The Pinwheels themselves were attractive and glossy, and they reminded me more of windmills or small crullers.

The real chocolate did make a huge difference. Each cookie was coated in a thicker than expected layer of chocolate with a good snap and just a slight bitterness. The marshmallow layer was sweet, as expected, but the chocolate cookie on the bottom was mildly bitter, which balanced out the sweetness quite nicely.

I sampled these after dinner with my parents, my sister and her husband, and my husband, and everyone was pleased with the cookies. Each cookie is 120 calories, which is pretty typical for a cookie, except that marshmallow isn't terribly filling. Still, Pinwheels are probably my new favorite marshmallow cookie (better than Little Debbie Marshmallow Supremes) simply because the thick, real chocolate coating was so tasty. They were a little pricey at $4.99 US for a box of 12, but I'd definitely recommend them to any marshmallow fan.

Here's another review I found at Unbecoming Levity.

B+

Nabisco website

Extra Strawberry Shortcake Gum

2010-09-23T12:58:00.000-04:00

Whether you prefer Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), or Roald Dahl’s classic novel, you’re certainly familiar with the iconic blueberry scene. I’ll admit it – as a child, the scene was a little intense.

The thought of an all gum dessert seemed very futuristic when I was younger, but with the advances in food science, it seems like Extra has just about taken us there. The new Dessert Delights line of gum definitely reminds me of Willy Wonka, with flavors like Mint Chocolate Chip (review soon) and the flavor reviewed here: Strawberry Shortcake.

The scent was typical of strawberry gum, floral, and slightly artificial. The first bite was very juicy and reminded me of how Strawberry Shortcake (the doll) smelled. Then, as the flavor developed, I tasted touches of cream. Here's the Willy Wonka part: maybe it was my imagination, but I swear I could taste angel food cake flavor in there, too.

Unfortunately, the flavor weakened dramatically after just a minute or so, but the angel food cake flavor hung around longer. The gum also got a little hard at this point seemed to make my jaw tired after about five minutes. Still, the flavor was complex and the experience of chewing a dessert gum was pretty cool. Thankfully, I haven't shown any signs of turning into a strawberry...yet.

Check out another review at Gum Alert.

B+

Extra website