My sister is a seasonal-candy junkie. Bunny-shaped SweeTarts for Easter? She’s at the register. Pink strawberry-flavored York Patties for Valentine’s Day? She’s gotta try them. So when Andes came out with a candy-cane flavored version of their delicacy, she practically flew to Target to snatch up a package of them, and was nice enough to share a few with me. We both liked Andes well enough, but neither of us called it our favorite. The mint-and-chocolate is my favorite flavor combo (along with raspberry-and-chocolate) but I preferred Ghiradelli white mint squares.
Candy canes are, of course, mint candies, so I figured these would taste the same as the original, without the chocolate. Well, I was half right. I can’t exactly remember the structure of the original Andes, but I think there was mint flavor sandwiched between two layers of chocolate. These have only two layers: a minty red strip on the bottom, and a creamier minty strip on top. In the “creamy” strip, miniscule bits of candy cane have been mixed in to add a little texture. It’s a cute little candy, about two inches long, one inch wide, and half an inch thick. The red against the off-white gave the slim rectangular treat a festive striped appearance.
As for the taste, well, it’s all right. It’s basically a generic mint flavor that seems more “breath mint” than the sweet variety that you usually get in these sorts of candies. Being one not unaccustomed to squirting toothpaste on my finger and licking it off, I enjoyed it but thought it was a bit weak. I did like the candy cane bits as they added a nice crunch, but bigger pieces might have been better. That might mess with the perfect rectangular shape, though. We wouldn’t want that.
I guess what they really lacked was chocolate. Mint by itself is fine, but chocolate always brings out the delicious flavor. So I’d take a regular Andes over these any day.
If I ever come across these again, I will leave them on the shelf. There’s nothing particularly wrong with them, but with all these new mint candies coming out in honor of wintertime and Christmas, why settle for these less-than-spectacular treats? However, if you are just looking to settle a craving for mint, these will do the trick. Another bonus is that you get a lot of them, definitely your money’s worth! (Or your sister’s money.)
6.5 out of 10
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Almond Roca
Almond Roca is one of those candies that always seem to be around during Christmas. And I do eat one is they are offered to me, but I never buy them myself, and I never really crave them.
My mother had a gift exchange with her friends, and one of the gifts she received included a can of Rocas. They are on top of the fridge now. Every once in a while somebody will eat one. Mostly they are left alone. I had a few earlier in the afternoon and now am reviewing them.
Almond Rocas are inch-and-a-half long sticks of either molasses or toffee, I don’t know which, coated with a painfully thin blanket of milk chocolate and rolled in a generous amount of chopped-up almonds. Actually, “chopped” isn’t the right word. These bits are so tiny and uniform, not the irregular hunks you get from chopping. Whatever. They come loosely wrapped in golden foil subtly etched with the Roca logo. So the presentation is certainly very fancy-dancy. Does the candy measure up?
The first thing that happens when you unwrap a Roca is a scattering of several almond bits. I think they secretly pour in a couple extra pieces to rattle around in the wrapper so that almonds will scatter every time you eat one of these suckers. Gah. The next thing you notice is how quickly your teeth sink through the coating of chocolate on the Roca. How quickly? Very quickly. It’s as if the chocolate is only meant to be a paste to keep the chopped almonds glued onto the molasses/toffee. A shame, too. I scraped off some chocolate with my index fingernail and tasted it... and it was heavenly. The texture was so soft that it could have been melted marshmallows, if it weren’t for the strong cocoa taste. That’s right, it didn’t taste like chocolate. It tasted like cocoa. So good. Too bad there was so little of it.
By contrast, there was way too much toffee/molasses. Chomping into the lump felt similar to gnawing on an oversized twig. A brittle twig that eventually snaps and leaves you with a mouthful of sweet pebbles. It’s a lot of work to crunch one of these down.
Rereading this, I realized I’ve been a little harsh on Almond Rocas. They aren’t as bad as I’ve made them seem. But really, this isn’t a candy that stands out from anything else in the chocolatey sugary industry. If you want fancy candies in individual pieces, go buy yourself a box of those marvelous Ferrero Rochers.
6 out of 10
My mother had a gift exchange with her friends, and one of the gifts she received included a can of Rocas. They are on top of the fridge now. Every once in a while somebody will eat one. Mostly they are left alone. I had a few earlier in the afternoon and now am reviewing them.
Almond Rocas are inch-and-a-half long sticks of either molasses or toffee, I don’t know which, coated with a painfully thin blanket of milk chocolate and rolled in a generous amount of chopped-up almonds. Actually, “chopped” isn’t the right word. These bits are so tiny and uniform, not the irregular hunks you get from chopping. Whatever. They come loosely wrapped in golden foil subtly etched with the Roca logo. So the presentation is certainly very fancy-dancy. Does the candy measure up?
The first thing that happens when you unwrap a Roca is a scattering of several almond bits. I think they secretly pour in a couple extra pieces to rattle around in the wrapper so that almonds will scatter every time you eat one of these suckers. Gah. The next thing you notice is how quickly your teeth sink through the coating of chocolate on the Roca. How quickly? Very quickly. It’s as if the chocolate is only meant to be a paste to keep the chopped almonds glued onto the molasses/toffee. A shame, too. I scraped off some chocolate with my index fingernail and tasted it... and it was heavenly. The texture was so soft that it could have been melted marshmallows, if it weren’t for the strong cocoa taste. That’s right, it didn’t taste like chocolate. It tasted like cocoa. So good. Too bad there was so little of it.
By contrast, there was way too much toffee/molasses. Chomping into the lump felt similar to gnawing on an oversized twig. A brittle twig that eventually snaps and leaves you with a mouthful of sweet pebbles. It’s a lot of work to crunch one of these down.
Rereading this, I realized I’ve been a little harsh on Almond Rocas. They aren’t as bad as I’ve made them seem. But really, this isn’t a candy that stands out from anything else in the chocolatey sugary industry. If you want fancy candies in individual pieces, go buy yourself a box of those marvelous Ferrero Rochers.
6 out of 10
A Fond Memory: Harry and David Chocolate Enrobed Cherries and Blueberries
A while back, my grandpa bought a box of chocolate covered fruits from Harry & David, the makers of one of my favorite snacks, Moose Munch. Oh, make that chocolate enrobed fruits. Sounds frivolous, but these gems are well deserving of even the fancy-schmanciest of titles.
Let’s start with the cherries. These were so good that I ate two in one sitting, and they’re pretty darn big; about one inch by one inch in diameter. They take a nice big cherry and shrivel it up into a sweet chewy wad, then enrobe it with a generous amount of chocolate. No skimping here! On top of that is a light pink layer of some sort of sweet sugar coating. I’m not really sure what it is, but it sure tastes great! Then there is a thin little coating of vibrant red that doesn’t add to the texture, but gives it a lovely bright color. I love the way you can taste all the layers as your teeth sink into the treat. The milk chocolate paired with the creamy pink stuff creates a delicious milky exterior that complements the chewy cherry perfectly. Why do I keep referring to the cherry as “chewy?” Well, because it just was. It had a striking tang that kept the candy from being over-sweet, and I’m proud to give these a rating of
10 out of 10
Now for the blueberries. I don’t think I can ever describe how undeniably scrumptious these were. They didn’t have nearly as much chocolate as the cherries, probably because they were only about one-third of the size. I don’t recall any of the mystery pink substance being added here, but it did have that thin outer coat, this time colored a muted pastelle-baby blue. These were tiny little buggers, about the size of a Skittle, but rounder; almost a perfect sphere. I usually eat my candy in small nibbles, but I found that popping one into my mouth was the best way to enjoy these.
And when I popped my first berry... boy, was I surprised.
I have never ever had a blueberry before, much less one dried and covered in chocolate. I was missing out. Biting into the blueberry, I actually physically wiggled a little bit in my chair, it tasted so good. The blueberry was irresistibly tangy and tart. The chocolate sweetened it up so it didn’t taste bitter. I really can’t explain it well enough that you would be itching to dash to the store and buy a box, but I can tell you that you should do so, it is well worth it.
Ghiradelli can move over. I’ve got a new favorite candy.
10 out of 10
UPDATE: I saw that Jelly Belly is producing candies very similar to these. It was six dollars for a bag of their blueberries, though, so I didn't try them when I saw them.)
Let’s start with the cherries. These were so good that I ate two in one sitting, and they’re pretty darn big; about one inch by one inch in diameter. They take a nice big cherry and shrivel it up into a sweet chewy wad, then enrobe it with a generous amount of chocolate. No skimping here! On top of that is a light pink layer of some sort of sweet sugar coating. I’m not really sure what it is, but it sure tastes great! Then there is a thin little coating of vibrant red that doesn’t add to the texture, but gives it a lovely bright color. I love the way you can taste all the layers as your teeth sink into the treat. The milk chocolate paired with the creamy pink stuff creates a delicious milky exterior that complements the chewy cherry perfectly. Why do I keep referring to the cherry as “chewy?” Well, because it just was. It had a striking tang that kept the candy from being over-sweet, and I’m proud to give these a rating of
10 out of 10
Now for the blueberries. I don’t think I can ever describe how undeniably scrumptious these were. They didn’t have nearly as much chocolate as the cherries, probably because they were only about one-third of the size. I don’t recall any of the mystery pink substance being added here, but it did have that thin outer coat, this time colored a muted pastelle-baby blue. These were tiny little buggers, about the size of a Skittle, but rounder; almost a perfect sphere. I usually eat my candy in small nibbles, but I found that popping one into my mouth was the best way to enjoy these.
And when I popped my first berry... boy, was I surprised.
I have never ever had a blueberry before, much less one dried and covered in chocolate. I was missing out. Biting into the blueberry, I actually physically wiggled a little bit in my chair, it tasted so good. The blueberry was irresistibly tangy and tart. The chocolate sweetened it up so it didn’t taste bitter. I really can’t explain it well enough that you would be itching to dash to the store and buy a box, but I can tell you that you should do so, it is well worth it.
Ghiradelli can move over. I’ve got a new favorite candy.
10 out of 10
UPDATE: I saw that Jelly Belly is producing candies very similar to these. It was six dollars for a bag of their blueberries, though, so I didn't try them when I saw them.)
World’s Finest Almond Chocolate Bar
My mom, after a day of watching my sister’s softball games, came home with a handful of World’s Finest Chocolate Bars. She explained that a sweet little sixth-grader was selling them as part of a fundraiser to raise money for science camp. I personally had a personally personal experience with science camp in fifth grade, and personally hated it. Good ol’ Camp Campbell. I advise this sweet little sixth grader, wherever you are, if ever you read this, to stay in the comfort of your own home. Don’t venture out into all that danged nature without even your loving parents to nurture you. Don’t do it. Don’t.
Anyway, the chocolate bar. It’s a weird shape, long and narrow. It’s only about an inch wide, and about five inches long. It splits into four rectangular sections. The two end pieces are stamped with the World’s Finest logo, a simple crown with “WF” written underneath it. The second square reads “World’s” and the third square, “Finest.” Could this really be the world’s finest chocolate bar? Could it? I had pretty high hopes for this bar, and I’m sorry to say I was disappointed.
It is milk chocolate with little chunks of almond in it, barely enough to give it texture. The almond pieces, when they turn up, are nice and toasty-tasting, but if you eat them all together with the chocolaty part of the bar, the super-sweetness of the chocolate overpowers the nutty flavor. The chocolate has a very smooth bite and is quite creamy. It’s an excellent texture, but a poor flavor. It’s very milky and waxy-tasting. The entire thing is much too sweet, and at times it feels as if you’re about to burn your throat with all the sugar. The nuts are neutralized by the chocolate and reduced to bits of tasteless crunch.
I didn’t finish the bar, but I did eat one the four sections. I gave the rest to my dad, who gobbled down a piece and stored the rest in the cupboard to be eaten probably by my sister. They have no class when it comes to chocolate. *sniff*
So, the chocolate was pretty terrible, but gee, I sure hope that girl has fun at science camp.
2 out of 10
Anyway, the chocolate bar. It’s a weird shape, long and narrow. It’s only about an inch wide, and about five inches long. It splits into four rectangular sections. The two end pieces are stamped with the World’s Finest logo, a simple crown with “WF” written underneath it. The second square reads “World’s” and the third square, “Finest.” Could this really be the world’s finest chocolate bar? Could it? I had pretty high hopes for this bar, and I’m sorry to say I was disappointed.
It is milk chocolate with little chunks of almond in it, barely enough to give it texture. The almond pieces, when they turn up, are nice and toasty-tasting, but if you eat them all together with the chocolaty part of the bar, the super-sweetness of the chocolate overpowers the nutty flavor. The chocolate has a very smooth bite and is quite creamy. It’s an excellent texture, but a poor flavor. It’s very milky and waxy-tasting. The entire thing is much too sweet, and at times it feels as if you’re about to burn your throat with all the sugar. The nuts are neutralized by the chocolate and reduced to bits of tasteless crunch.
I didn’t finish the bar, but I did eat one the four sections. I gave the rest to my dad, who gobbled down a piece and stored the rest in the cupboard to be eaten probably by my sister. They have no class when it comes to chocolate. *sniff*
So, the chocolate was pretty terrible, but gee, I sure hope that girl has fun at science camp.
2 out of 10
Lindt Lindor Milk and White Chocolate Truffles
The Lindt company claims to be a “master Swiss chocolatier since 1845” The package boasts their “meticulous craftsmanship.” Now, I’ve never paid attention to their spherical truffles, but I got ahold of two in the Valentine’s Day chocolate craze. One was milk, one was white. They were certainly packaged attractively. Once out of the wrapper, they were smooth and shiny with a seam going around the center like the equator on a globe. Or the Prime Meridian, depending upon how you look at it. The candy measured one inch in all directions, and it was so temptingly round that I gave in to my desire to roll it about on the tabletop before taking the first bite.
So how were they? Let’s start with the milk chocolate one, noticeably inferior to the white. It was quite fragrant (I always smell my chocolates, it’s one of my quirks) and I was eager as I bit through the thick shell. I let the chocolate shell melt into a layer of sweetness settled on my tongue. It was certainly very sweet, maybe a little too much so, and grainy rather than creamy. I carved out some of the filling with my pinkie nail and tasted that. Wow, amazing texture, but the chocolate was just too sweet. Maybe it was amplified by the silky smooth creaminess, but this was almost sickening if you took too large of a bite. It would have been divine if the chocolate were dark.
Rating: 5 out of 10
Now for the white. Since white chocolate is even sweeter than milk, I was expecting myself to be overwhelmed by a tidal wave of sugar when my taste buds took a hit of the creamy outer shell. But no, this white chocolate was pleasantly muted. And the creamy texture of the filling was complimented nicely rather than arrogantly. The entire thing was a delicious indulgence that had me satisfied for the rest of the day.
Rating: 8 out of 10
So how were they? Let’s start with the milk chocolate one, noticeably inferior to the white. It was quite fragrant (I always smell my chocolates, it’s one of my quirks) and I was eager as I bit through the thick shell. I let the chocolate shell melt into a layer of sweetness settled on my tongue. It was certainly very sweet, maybe a little too much so, and grainy rather than creamy. I carved out some of the filling with my pinkie nail and tasted that. Wow, amazing texture, but the chocolate was just too sweet. Maybe it was amplified by the silky smooth creaminess, but this was almost sickening if you took too large of a bite. It would have been divine if the chocolate were dark.
Rating: 5 out of 10
Now for the white. Since white chocolate is even sweeter than milk, I was expecting myself to be overwhelmed by a tidal wave of sugar when my taste buds took a hit of the creamy outer shell. But no, this white chocolate was pleasantly muted. And the creamy texture of the filling was complimented nicely rather than arrogantly. The entire thing was a delicious indulgence that had me satisfied for the rest of the day.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Hershey’s Special Dark
My mother came home with a load of groceries the other day. As I helped with the putting away of food, I noticed an unusual purchase lying at the bottom of one of the plastic shopping bags, nestled between cans of tomato paste and boxes of macaroni. It was a large, flat bar of Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate.
“Why’d you buy this?” I asked, holding up the bar.
“I was just craving dark chocolate,” was her offhand reply. I shrugged and set it atop the refrigerator, the usual spot for storing sweets if they’re around.
A few days later, after we had eaten dinner, my mom fetched the bar and split off a piece. She offered it to me, and of course I accepted it. I wasn’t expecting it to be good, as Hershey’s is the cornerstone of cheap candy, but I figured I’d give it a try. It was, after all, special dark chocolate as opposed to regular dark chocolate.
It smelled bad. It wasn’t pure chocolate, of course. It was probably loaded with all that chemically junk that Hershey’s uses so sneakily that we don’t even taste it. But this bar actually smelled like the chemicals that contributed to its being. I took an unsure bite of the little rectangle, chewed, swallowed, and gagged.
Okay, I didn’t actually gag. But this stuff was pretty bad. It had an unpleasant chalky texture, not stiff and firm like a good dark chocolate, not even smooth and sure like a good milk chocolate. And those chemicals that attacked my nose with their aroma were now attacking my taste buds. Spare me!
Hershey’s, I am not pleased. Maybe you should just stick to milk chocolate, since you’ve got that down pat.
Rating: 2 out of 10
“Why’d you buy this?” I asked, holding up the bar.
“I was just craving dark chocolate,” was her offhand reply. I shrugged and set it atop the refrigerator, the usual spot for storing sweets if they’re around.
A few days later, after we had eaten dinner, my mom fetched the bar and split off a piece. She offered it to me, and of course I accepted it. I wasn’t expecting it to be good, as Hershey’s is the cornerstone of cheap candy, but I figured I’d give it a try. It was, after all, special dark chocolate as opposed to regular dark chocolate.
It smelled bad. It wasn’t pure chocolate, of course. It was probably loaded with all that chemically junk that Hershey’s uses so sneakily that we don’t even taste it. But this bar actually smelled like the chemicals that contributed to its being. I took an unsure bite of the little rectangle, chewed, swallowed, and gagged.
Okay, I didn’t actually gag. But this stuff was pretty bad. It had an unpleasant chalky texture, not stiff and firm like a good dark chocolate, not even smooth and sure like a good milk chocolate. And those chemicals that attacked my nose with their aroma were now attacking my taste buds. Spare me!
Hershey’s, I am not pleased. Maybe you should just stick to milk chocolate, since you’ve got that down pat.
Rating: 2 out of 10
Dove Blackberry Caramels
Happy Valentine’s Day! I was presented with a large array of chocolates this year. I will be reviewing them over the next month or so. (I’m a stasher.) But one candy I was so curious about that I couldn’t help but tear open the box as soon as it was given to me. My sister and I exchanged our annual Valentine treats first thing in the morning. She was pleased with the Ferrerro Rochers I got her, and I was intrigued by the interesting choice she made for me: blackberry caramels.
Blackberry and caramel don’t appear to be compatible flavors. But the chocolate that enrobed the luscious goo inside was dark, my favorite, and I’m all for the fruit/chocolate combo. I created an informal tasting panel by splitting the package between my sister, father, mother, and I. Each piece was wrapped in purple foil and printed with gold hearts. That, coincidentally, is the color combination that I am planning to wear for promotion at the end of the year. A good omen. And the smell is simply heavenly. I don’t detect even a trace of caramel, but the intermingling of very dark chocolate and berry is a treat for the nasal tract. I scraped off a bit of the chocolate to taste. It was standard dark chocolate, nothing very standout. But once my teeth broke through to the runny filling, I was convinced that this was a standout candy, indeed.
Have I ever had a blackberry candy before? No, I don’t think so. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I’ve eaten an actual blackberry, and once it was in a salad covered in tangy vinagrette. But the flavor was absolutely fabulous, berries and chocolate embracing to create a super-rich indulgence. One bite lasted me for a full hour. I took another bite an hour later, which finished off the little square. One thing that puzzled me, though, was the lack of buttery caramel. The filling was a rich golden color, which tricked you into thinking caramel would overpower blackberry, but the blackberry was so strong that the caramel lent only its texture but no flavor.
These sort of reminded me of those fabulous Harry and David blueberries. But instead of giving me a chewy experience, it was runny. I thought they were fantastic. My mom’s reaction? “Yeah, that’s pretty good.” My sister’s? A buggy-eyed, “Whoa, that’s...!” My dad’s? A vigorous nod and a “Yeah, yeah... yeah...” He likes his candies creamy and cookies goopy and undercooked, (prefers the dough.) so I wouldn’t take it from him. Take it from me, dark chocolate fans. This was absolutely delicious. The berry notes sang along with my heart. The chocolate blended with the fruitiness just right. But I can’t quite bring myself to give them the highest honor, a ten out of ten, so consider this 9 a 9.9999999.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Blackberry and caramel don’t appear to be compatible flavors. But the chocolate that enrobed the luscious goo inside was dark, my favorite, and I’m all for the fruit/chocolate combo. I created an informal tasting panel by splitting the package between my sister, father, mother, and I. Each piece was wrapped in purple foil and printed with gold hearts. That, coincidentally, is the color combination that I am planning to wear for promotion at the end of the year. A good omen. And the smell is simply heavenly. I don’t detect even a trace of caramel, but the intermingling of very dark chocolate and berry is a treat for the nasal tract. I scraped off a bit of the chocolate to taste. It was standard dark chocolate, nothing very standout. But once my teeth broke through to the runny filling, I was convinced that this was a standout candy, indeed.
Have I ever had a blackberry candy before? No, I don’t think so. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I’ve eaten an actual blackberry, and once it was in a salad covered in tangy vinagrette. But the flavor was absolutely fabulous, berries and chocolate embracing to create a super-rich indulgence. One bite lasted me for a full hour. I took another bite an hour later, which finished off the little square. One thing that puzzled me, though, was the lack of buttery caramel. The filling was a rich golden color, which tricked you into thinking caramel would overpower blackberry, but the blackberry was so strong that the caramel lent only its texture but no flavor.
These sort of reminded me of those fabulous Harry and David blueberries. But instead of giving me a chewy experience, it was runny. I thought they were fantastic. My mom’s reaction? “Yeah, that’s pretty good.” My sister’s? A buggy-eyed, “Whoa, that’s...!” My dad’s? A vigorous nod and a “Yeah, yeah... yeah...” He likes his candies creamy and cookies goopy and undercooked, (prefers the dough.) so I wouldn’t take it from him. Take it from me, dark chocolate fans. This was absolutely delicious. The berry notes sang along with my heart. The chocolate blended with the fruitiness just right. But I can’t quite bring myself to give them the highest honor, a ten out of ten, so consider this 9 a 9.9999999.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)