Morinaga Matcha Yatsuhashi Hi-chew

Today, I received a package from a good friend of mine in Japan. We met in 2005 when she came to my university as an exchange student, and we've kept in touch ever since then. We exchange packages a couple times a year, and if we're really lucky, especially if me going to Japan or her coming to the US isn't in the cards at the time.

Anyhow, she lives in Kyoto and therefore has access to many special edition matcha snacks. This particular Hi-chew flavor is very Kyoto. Yatsuhashi is Kyoto's traditional regional sweet. It's made with rice flour, sugar, and cinnamon and can be raw or baked. The baked kind is good (it reminds me of Cinnamon Toast Crunch), but I especially love the raw variety, as it's soft and doughy like mochi. Kyoto and the nearby city of Uji are also known for matcha, and matcha is one of many possible flavors for yatsuhashi.


They smelled like cinnamon, and had a firmer texture than typical Hi-chew. The matcha flavor was clean, tasty, and quite authentic, though a bit mild. Unfortunately, the cinnamon flavor reminded me of a cinnamon gum instead of the actual spice.

The mochi-like element was great, with a mild rice flavor and good texture. I felt like it was a great approximation of the real thing, and was pleasantly surprised. The only issue was the cinnamon flavor, which felt more like red hots (though not as strong, of course). I'd rather have actual yatsuhashi, but these Hi-chew were very fun.

B+

Morinaga website

Wonka Pink Lemonade Kazoozles

Like many kids, I used to like sour, fruity candy much better than chocolate. My tastes have since changed, but I still hold a spot in my heart for goofy candy like Wonka Kazoozles. They also spoke to my love of Anatomy and Physiology, one of my favorite subjects in both high school and college, but more on that later.

Along with Pink Lemonade, Kazoozles also come in Cherry Punch. A Kazoozle is basically a licorice-style tube filled with soft, fruit punch flavored candy. The colors were bright and bold, and definitely earned some fun points. "Kazoozle" is also fun to say and type.


The tubes didn't have much of a scent, at least not a fruity one. The main tastes were sour and sweet, but I couldn't detect much of a lemon flavor. The center tasted a little like cherry, but overall, flavors were weak. On taste alone, Kazoozles were a C at best, but they did have other things going for them.

The texture, at least, was interesting. The tougher exterior went well with the soft center. I was expecting the center to be tougher, like taffy, but it had a consistency more like that of nougat. To be honest, my inner biology nerd was reminded of bone marrow, but that's not to say that the outside was crunchy (ew). Kazoozles were definitely a fun distraction, but I don't see myself buying them again.

C+

Have a look at what Candy Blog and I Heart Candies had to say about them.

Wonka website

Chuao Earl Grey

Since the other Chuao bars I've had have been so tasty, I was excited to try this bar. I found it at a Jewel Osco grocery store while traveling. The grocery stores near me definitely don't carry fancy lines like Chuao.

I'm not just a fan of matcha - I'm a fan of tea in general. Earl Grey isn't my favorite to drink by itself, but it is nice with a touch of milk. I didn't know what to expect of this candy bar, but I hoped it would be something like that.


The bar had a lovely scent, with cocoa and floral notes. The texture of the bar was good, with a nice, pleasing snap and a smooth melt. The taste immediately reminded me of royal milk tea, as it was flowery, sweet, and a little spicy.

The begamont flavors were especially strong on the finish, leaving a distinctly Earl Grey taste in my mouth. The bitterness was well countered by the sweetness of the 41% chocolate, making for a balanced bar. I shared it with friends and got an overwhelmingly positive response from them as well. My husband wanted me to give it an A+, but I was only slightly less impressed.

A

Chuao Chocolatier website

Norman Love Chocolates (part 2)

Well, the truffles are finished, a little after Valentine's Day. I tried to make them last, and I'm sad to see them go. It's a little cruel that the box included the full list of Norman Love varieties, so I had to look at pictures and descriptions of chocolates that were not included in my set. It's a very clever marketing ploy, because I definitely want to try the other varieties. Click here for part 1 or keep reading for reviews of the rest of the assortment in my box.

Banana was my least favorite of the set. The white chocolate was good, and though I didn't like the banana flavor at first, the end notes were nice, with a hint of sour to balance the sweet.

Almond Marzipan was another lovely piece, with just the right amount of cocoa. Just under the shell, there was a delicate layer of marzipan that gave the piece a cool texture. The mild almond flavors in the ganache were tasty and the piece had an overall traditional feel.

Java Fudge was an amazing little chocolate, and easily one of my favorites. The smooth, shiny center had a delectable dark chocolate espresso flavor. The coating was beautiful and delicious, as well.

Gianduja Truffle had a nice, mild, hazelnut flavor. The milk chocolate shell was wonderful, and the caramelized hazelnut coating gave the truffle a lovely toasted aroma and taste.

Cinnamon Roll had a delicious cinnamon ganache and a good milk chocolate coating. It was well balanced in terms of sweetness, and tasted like the gooey center of a cinnamon roll.

I'm always impressed with a good white truffle, and White Vanilla Truffle exceeded my expectations. The vanilla flavor was incredibly rich and intense, perfectly matched to the well-balanced white chocolate shell.

Florida Orange was beautifully colored dark truffle. The mild orange flavor went well with the dark chocolate, but it wasn't a stand out piece.

This was a visually stunning and overwhelmingly palate pleasing assortment. The pieces that really stuck with me were Butter Pecan, Java Fudge, Strawberry, and Cherry Cordial. The only flavor I felt lukewarm about was Banana. I can definitely recommend Norman Love chocolates and have no qualms about giving them my highest rating.

A+

Norman Love Confections website

Norman Love Chocolates

For Valentine's Day, my husband got me a box of Norman Love chocolates. We don't do much for Valentine's Day, but I may have hinted heavily that I wanted them ever since seeing pictures. These truffles did not disappoint, so as a bit of a Valentine's Day special, this is the first of a two part review of Norman Love chocolates.

The chocolates arrived in an insulated box with ice packs to keep them at a good temperature. In the middle of February, I'm not sure how much the ice helped, but I'm sure the insulation was good for protecting the delicate chocolates from the environment. According to a note included with the chocolates, Norman Love chocolates are made without preservatives and should be consumed within 21 days.


The truffles truly are works of art. Each piece has a unique look, and the stunning colors drew me in immediately. In particular, I was drawn to the golds and reds. The individual shapes of each piece were interesting and they were a 10 out of 10 for appearance.

Pumpkin was a stunning orange and white swirl, and had a lovely bouquet of spices. It was sweet and nutty and definitely hit pumpkin pie notes. My only complaint is that it might have been a little too sweet.

Vanilla Latte had a lovely teardrop shape and an equally delightful espresso flavor. The bitterness was well balanced by the sweet vanilla flavor, and this was one of my favorites.

The Strawberry was one of the best, most authentic strawberry confections I've ever had. The flavor was similar to a rich and creamy strawberry yogurt, and it even looked like the bottom end of a strawberry!

Caramel Apple was one of the prettiest truffles of the bunch with lovely shades of gold and green and an oblong shape. It was almost boozy, but the apple flavor was an authentic Granny Smith, and the caramel was oozy, sticky, and delicious.

Cherry Cordial is not normally a flavor I like, but this was a wonderful chocolate. It had an amazingly deep, authentic cherry flavor, and the tartness was balanced by the delicious chocolate coating.

Pistachio Cherry was a lovely shade of green, and had a cherry liquid and pistachio ganache center. The cherry flavor was intense and delicious, but the pistachio flavor didn't come across as strongly.

Butter Pecan was a surprise. The filling was like a soft, rich buttercream frosting, and the pecan pieces were delightful. This was my favorite of the bunch so far.

In Rum Raisin, the metallic purple and gold color scheme was so appealing, and although the flavors aren't my favorite, this was another tasty piece. The rum flavor was strong, but the raisin still came through.

Click here for part 2!