Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Chocolate Baklava?

I'm not sure how traditional this is but the other day I went to a Greek festival and was lucky enough to sample some chocolate baklava. I was following the basic candy rule, anything is better covered in chocolate.
I must say that in this case the treat wasn't really any worse, however the addition of chocolate only made it negligibly better. I'm thinking that maybe if they added a cocoa powder into the mix instead of just melting chocolate on top it would be dramatically better.

CC

Monday, August 30, 2010

Vampire Fad

Hey I like a candy or sweet treat tie in as much as the next guy, but this new vampire trend is really not working all on levels. Seriously? She looks like a walrus.

CC

Friday, August 27, 2010

A Little Break

Hey candy folks,

I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to be taking a little break from the Candy Critic blog for a few weeks. I'm off to enjoy a little summer fun before it goes away. When I get back I promise lots of big things, for example when I get back I plan on getting back onto the candy book that I was working on last summer, I also plan on the new update of candycritic.org with a brand new look. I have a few updates scheduled for the next week or so, but the news updates and such will probably be few and far between.

See you in a couple of weeks!

I Just Needed A Laugh


I typed in "funny commercials" and took the first obvious candy commercial. Enjoy!

CC

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Apparently Sales Might Not Be So Great In Russia

Yesterday I posted an article talking about how great the chocolate sales are in Russia this year and today I came across an article saying that the extreme warm weather has harmed the candy sales this year in Russia. I'm thinking yesterdays article might have taken their statistics from early in the year (end of winter spring) and the article below is more about the current state of the industry. That or someone is lying.


CC

Health Bars, I Generally Don't Like Them

My problem with "health" bars starts out with something I feel is the most important, and that's taste. I've eaten very few health bars that taste any good at all. Now I know that the point is to fill a hunger gap in a healthy way and taste isn't as important. But I've read a few articles (including the one below) that says that many of the health bars aren't even that healthy. So basically you get a crappy tasting bar that really isn't that good for you, sound horrible. Now I defend candy bars because they at least rarely claim to be healthy, however in moderation they can satisfy your cravings and not be too bad. If you want healthy, go for fruit, it's tasty, healthy, and a lot less expensive then these health bars.


CC

What Are You Doing Tomorrow?

Well if you happen to be in Vermont then you can witness what can only be described as one of the strangest candy promotions in history. The marriage of one chocolate moose to another... yup, it's as strange as it sounds.


CC

Not Apropriate

This is the first time I've ever seen this ad for Beech-Nut Gum. Man is it not politically correct.


CC

Food, The Mood Ring of The 21st Century

Here's a great article that talks about how certain foods affect your mood. Now you can take two views of this article, you can examine your diet and try and change your mood based off of what you eat. Or you can also look at this article and figure out what kind of mood your friends and family will be in when you see them. Or even more diabolical you can feed your friends and family certain foods in order to change their moods, then drop bombs like asking your parents for a loan, or asking friends to help you move.


CC

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Work For Candy

I've been coming across many articles about how candy companies are doing really well financially right now. There seems to be a great deal of growth in the business and I'm even seeing lots of high quality and creative snacks starting to pop up more and more. Best of all, if you've ever wanted to go even more into your candy obsession, many of these companies are starting to hire more and more people to help with expansion. So if times are tough and you've been laid off, you might want to explore a fun and rewarding career in candy.



CC

New Tim Horton's Cookie

Now I was going to write about the new Tim Horton's Strawberry Shortcake cookie but I have a bone to pick with Tim Horton's. I've noticed a complete lack of organization when it comes to your special treats. I'm seeing different special treats at different stores, and I'm seeing old "special" treats on the shelves and advertised as regular. I used to like a simple monthly special treat, but now it's just confusing. Maybe it's the branches I visit, or maybe it's a lack of organization, but Tim Horton's, please make it stop.

P.S. The cookie kind of sucked.

CC

Good News and Bad News In Russian Chocolate

Apparently as is the same almost all over the world, with the economy in the toilet candy sales have gone up and are doing really well. The bad news is that apparently in Russia many local companies are having a hard time competing with large global corporations. Hey giant corporations, can't we just share, I mean there's enough candy love for us all.


CC

Make Your Own Art In Candy

I don't normally like to post too may recipes and such, but I love it when people post crafty type projects that use candy as the main medium. Edible crafts always put a smile on my face, the only problem with them is sometimes I don't want to eat them because they look so cool.


CC

Gummy Bear Marketing

It's funny, I read the article bellow and I can tell you that I've never read such a serious piece of writing about gummy bears ever in my life. It was totally about the business future and past of Haribo, the company that makes gummy bears, and rips them apart about their marketing as of late. The strangest thing about this article is the choice of image used as well.


CC

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Gift Of Food

According to a study more people are giving food as a gift rather than anything else. I have to admit I'm a little skeptical when it comes to giving away food as a gift. Sure it's fine if you're visiting a friend for dinner and you provide a salad or a dessert. The problem I have is in giving food away as a full on gift, it's actually a lot trickier than you might think, and you can really run the risk of buying a bad gift. In some cases the person you give the gift to might not like the food you present, in other cases they may be allergic or unable to eat the food. I guess if you get a gift of food and you don't like or can't eat it, it's a little easier to toss out.


CC

Derrick Rose's Skittle Machine

The Chicago Bulls basketball player has been a huge fan of candy for a while and the folks at Skittles decided to pay him back for being a loyal candy fan. The machine they gave him looks spectacular. On a separate note, I'd like to mention my fanaticism of candy and in particular how much I like Skittles (address available upon request).


CC

A Professional Look At Extra Professional

So I just heard about this new Extra Professional gum and I was wondering whom I could ask that would know all about sugar, teeth, and those sorts of things. Then I remembered that I had a dentist appointment and figured Dr Archibald would be the perfect person to ask about this new gum.

I sat down in the chair waiting to have a cavity filled, and just as the numbing started in my gums I asked her if she would be willing to give her opinion. She was intrigued, although after reading the package the word “Lame” did come out. She read the ingredients and commented on the number of fake sugars and then asked if she could try out a piece.
The two first things she noticed after chewing for a second was a strong mint flavour and a rather granuly texture. Dr Archibald had mentioned that her teeth where feeling a little “plaquy” that day so her hopes where high. After a single fillings worth of time her final comments where “teeth are still plaquy and you should continue to brush your teeth”. However she was happy to endorse any gum that was sugar free, and she enjoyed the strong mint flavour of this particular gum. Thanks Dr Archibald!

CC

Chocolate Is A "Healthy Pleasure"

According to this article in CNN chocolate is rated between sex and a girls night out in their top 10 list of healthy pleasures.


CC

A Look At Astronaut Food

Boing Boing posted a great article about a new book on astronaut food. Now I'm a huge fan of that stuff you find in science themed stores that they call astronaut food but only because I think it's kind of gross, but in a cool way.


CC

A New Way To Play With Your Food

Social networks have created a whole new way to play with your food. Before social networks playing with your food basically meant that you would make believe your gummy bears are test subjects in your evil Frankenstein lab (for example). However today the trend is to give treats social networking identities and allow you to communicate and vote on all kinds of subjects. M&Ms is a great example with their vote for your favorite colour campaigns. Many other candy companies are also doing similar type promotions and they're catching on like wildfire.


CC

Monday, August 23, 2010

Politics and Candy

In the past I never really gave much thought into the amount of politics that goes into candy. When I say politics I mean the amount that candy companies have to deal with government policies and taxes in order to stay in business. The few times I've had to send candy over borders and the many times I've received candy over borders has shown me what can really happen to people just trying to do business.


CC

I Don't Get Marketing Jargon

I just read this article about a new campaign that Kit Kat is planning that will feature something called "augmented reality" packages. All I can tell you other than that is there's some kind of music tie in as well. I feel so out of the loop, any tips as to what the heck this is would be nice.


CC

Are You Addicted To Sugar

Most people figure I'm addicted to sugar but I really don't believe that's true. I think that there are a lot of people in the world that don't eat right, and that makes them upset, but I don't think many people are addicted to sugar. I think sugar is a good scapegoat for advice givers and nutritionists to sell their advice. I think the problem is bigger than a desire for sugar and instead a desire for simplicity that has lead to laziness. I think if people where addicted to sugar than people would be buying sugar and eating it, not buying chocolate, sundaes, and other fun treats.


CC

Ring Pop Art

I just saw this great art installation made completely out of ring pops. I particularly like the dripping effect and I wonder. Did they lick each pop to make them drip?


CC

How To Eat Candy, And Keep Your Dentist Happy

Most people think that how much candy or sweets you eat affects your teeth, but according to some research how and when you eat your treats affects your teeth more. According to the study it's better to eat a whole bunch of candy all at once then slowly eat a little candy all day long. Now I'm sure your doctor would have something to say about you eating a whole bunch of candy all at once, but you get my point.


CC

Candy For a Good Cause

I love it when candy goes out and supports a good cause. I particularly like it when they support the cause not by asking for donations but giving away a bit of their profit. Some candy companies do this all of the time, and that's great. Not to toot my own horn, but at our other site (bewarethecheese.com) every time we do an art show a portion of our greeting card sales goes to a local charity.


CC

I'm Liking The Look Of Laura Secord

For those of you unfamiliar with Laura Secord, it's a Canadian chain of candy stores famous for their ice cream and chocolates. For a while now I've thought the looks of their stores has become kind of stale.
However recently I've discovered some great looking displays and signs that make my mouth water. Laura Secord seems to finally be dropping their "traditional" look and going a little modern.

CC

Fancy Marshmallows

I'm not sure if the trend of fancy marshmallows is going to catch on and grow to the level of cupcakes. For those out of the loop, cupcakes are now the new black (or so I'm told). But decadent marshmallows are a trend that I can see always staying at the fringes of popular snacking never really going the full distance. I'm not upset by this at all, in fact I think it's good for those making these great treats because it keeps them from having to deal with larger companies trying to flood the market with lesser quality products... see cupcakes.


CC

I Shed a Tear

Any time a candy store closes I get sad, when it's because of a fire I get a little more upset.


CC

Happy National Sponge Cake Day

It's a pretty good time of year to celebrate sponge cake because of the abundance of fruit available right now. Nothing is better than a slab of sponge cake covered in strawberries or raspberries.

CC

Sunday, August 22, 2010

A New Review?

Yup, it's been a while but I figured it was about time that I posted a new review. I also figured what better review to post than one that reminds me that I have to go work on my garden. Fortunately for me I did the review before working on the garden because had I seen the real worms and then had to eat these realistic gummy worms I probably would have had a very different opinion.


CC

Friday, August 20, 2010

I Post News About Unhealthy Looking Fast Food

I'm not sure why I do it either. Do I post it because I love the idea of munching on insanely unhealthy grub for the sheer show of it. Or do I post it as a warning, particularly for you candy fanatics that should be eating balanced meals. I'm not sure, and frankly when faced with the option to actually eat these foods I'm faced with a similar dilemma inside as well.


CC

Eating Chocolate In New Jersey

Seriously... A place called "Beach Haven" had a chocolate festival. On paper that sounds like the ultimate vacation. I've never visited Beach Haven New Jersey, but I'm sure the people are fine and decent folks, I mean they planned a chocolate festival.


CC

Strangest Chocolate Factory Photo Ever

I just read this article about Charles Chocolates expanding with a new factory and new store. The article was OK, the photo attached to it is really strange.


CC

Happy National Aviation Week!

I'm sure you're wondering what National Aviation Week has to do with candy. Well click the link bellow and you'll find out how to make a special little toy, out of candy, to celebrate this awesome holiday. It's the cutest candy plane you'll ever see.


CC

How Jelly Bellies are Born

Ever wanted to know who, how and why certain flavours of Jelly Bellies are created? Want to know who's responsible for the great and horrible flavours? Well wonder no longer, because the article below describes a great tour of not only the Jelly Belly factory, but also the creative proses.


CC

Chocolate Factory Bits For Sale

Thinking of starting up your own chocolate factory? Or maybe you just want to make your private candy making facilities a little over the top. Well next month in New York a bunch of industrial candy making equipment is going up for sale. Who knows, maybe I'll pick up a chocolate vat... so I can bathe in it.


CC

Classy S'mores

I have two opinions of Chef Patrick Tafoya's super classy and fancy interpretation of s'mores. First of all I think it's kind of neat that he updated the treat so adults can eat it and not feel like children. Secondly I'm saddened that a desert had to be updated in order to allow adults to eat it. In my opinion you're never too old for any sweet treat, when I turn 50 I plan on downing a bag of Poprocks for my birthday.


CC

Pop Tarts World


What could possibly be wrong about an entire store dedicated to the best instant breakfast ever. I'm particularly interested in trying the Pop Tart sushi.

CC

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Chocolate Good For The Heart

So they say that chocolate is good for the heart. They say that if you eat a little chocolate each week it can reduce the chances of suffering heart problems. The way I figure it, since I've eaten a ton of chocolate in my lifetime, I must be invincible by now. Well at the very least my heart must be invincible.


CC

Some Tips For Better Chocolate Storage

Although the article below seems to focus on bakers chocolate the rules are pretty much the same for chocolate bars and other chocolate treats. These are good tips, so now when you see the crate of 500 chocolate bars on sale you'll know what to do.


CC

Don't Drop Those Chocolates

This advertisement makes me a little sad. I hate wasted candy.


CC

Chocolate Might Get Expensive

Of all of the news article I get sent to me the ones I tend to post less are the stock news. Although I am aware that stock market trends affect candy prices and quality, I just find that it's pretty dull reading. However every once in a while I see such a trend that I figure it's at least worth mentioning. The trend now is the increase in the price of chocolate on the stock market. It's going up pretty high and with the crazy weather we've been seeing around the world cocoa crops might be affected and the prices may continue to rise. You might start to notice an increase in the price of chocolate treats, or even worse, you might start to notice that some chocolate companies will use more fillers and less cocoa.


CC

Big League Change

Other than major deals like that of Kraft and Cadbury, I rarely mention if a candy company has been sold to another. From my perspective that kind of information is irrelevant as long as the treats are still just as good. However I came across this article about Big League Chew being sold to another company and the last line caught my interest. "There are several line extensions in the planning stages".


CC

Buying Direct

Apparently a new trend is brewing and it could lead to changes in the way business is done in the candy world. It appears that some chocolate manufacturing companies are starting to buy their cocoa beans directly from farmers instead of going through cocoa distribution companies. It apparently gives a higher quality bean and also supports the farmers. I'm sure this won't shut down the cocoa distribution industry but it might start changing the way they do business.


CC

Chocolate Maker In Bangalore

When you think about fine hand made chocolates certain geographical areas come to mind, Belgium, Switzerland, maybe even France. The thing is there are great chocolatiers all over the world. It's really the beauty of this industry, anybody can take the basic idea of fine chocolates and give it a spin all their own. Because of this each culture has a great take on these yummy treats.


CC

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Dallas Chocolate Conference

Come read about the Dallas Chocolate Conference. Find out what it's like to spend a whole day eating chocolate, learning about chocolate, and just generally loving chocolate. It sounds like a good time, too bad it was last weekend and I missed it.


CC

Hershey Products Are Going International

Now don't get too excited, I only say this because when I first started reading this article I thought that there where some cool overseas Hershey products I'd never tried. I then thought that they would soon be available to me. Then I realized that I was reading an article out of Mumbai and that the products in question are "conical chocolates, wrapped in foil" or Hershey's kisses. It was really neat to think that some North American treats have not been discovered by others, and even cooler to know that they're going to get the opportunity to try them.


CC

Presidents Choice Recall

Presidents Choice (a famous brand here in Canada) has posted a recall on some of their Decadent Chocolate Chip cookies. The main reason I posted this is after reading it I remember that two nights ago I completely indulged in a bag and started to panic. Fortunately I had a few left over and managed to determine that my batch is OK.


CC

Sweet Rexie's?

I'm not too sure about "Sweet Rexie's" as a name for a candy store. Don't get me wrong, judging by the article the store itself sounds great, I'm just not sure about the name.


CC

Greek Deserts

Last night I went to a great Greek restaurant (my favorite style of food by the way) called Aroma Meze and had a spectacular meal. Best of all, unlike many Greek restaurants they offered more than just baklava for dessert. We got a mix of three tasty treats that just blew my taste buds away. The first two (pictured above) are nice subtle custard cakes, one was a nice layered lemon cake and the other a custard covered with phyllo dough. The last desert pictured with the nuts on top was just so intense. It was basically a lemon yogurt with candied pecans on top. The first bite was so sour in the good way. With the candied pecans to balance the sweet and sour, each bite after just got better and better.

CC

It's National Soft Ice Cream Day!

Soft ice cream is so versatile and really allows for so many cool treats. Sure a cone is fine, but soft ice cream also makes it possible to have such yummy treats as the one pictured above.

CC

Le Whiff... Soon Available In The UK

I have to be honest, I'm not sure if anybody reading this blog is from the UK, but if you are and you want to try a Le Wiff for yourself then I have good news for you. Apparently they're going to be available soon. I recommend getting the chocolate, it's both wonderful and strange all at the same time.


CC

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Caffeine Problem

I have to be honest with you, I have a caffeine problem. I love the stuff when I'm tired, but right after too much consumption (which is almost always), I feel jittery and sick. I just can't stop myself from eating (or drinking) the stuff either. I feel tired and I head for some caffeine. I'm going to try to be better about it, and stop seeking it out.


CC

Warren Buffett Has Good Taste

Apparently he also believes in investing in the candy industry. All I can say is that Warren Buffett is a billionaire, and he must know what he's doing. I wonder if I should go public?


CC

Chocolate Art

I'm always impressed to hear about how different candy makers are designing their treats. I'm not talking about taste either, I'm talking about shaping chocolate, gummies, or even hard candy into great looking art. The only bad thing about these pieces of art is that you have to destroy it in order to eat it.


CC

Happy News About Food Poisoning

I few days ago I wrote about my fear of getting really bad food poisoning at one point in my life. Well according to statistics if I'm eating US treats I have an 8% less chance of getting sick than I did in the past. It's not much but I'll take what I can get.


CC

Hiding Drugs in Candy

Why in the world do people insist on hiding drugs in candy. Why can't the go ruin another treat, like coffee or cigarettes. Why is candy always the target for these dealers. Either way I guess it's ok because they keep getting busted, because the police know that candy is a popular place to hide drugs.


CC

I Love Promoting Candy Stores

I love the idea of telling the world about candy stores. Big or small it doesn't matter to me, I love going into each and every one of them and I love the people who own them. It takes a certain mindset to decide that selling sweet treats is the life for them.


CC

Yummy Dough, or Yummy No?

I came across this box of "Yummy Dough" at my grocery store the other day and I was almost tempted to pick it up. Then I remembered how grey and gross my Play Dough got after I played with it as a kid and I wondered if eating it after would be more fun. I decided that it probably wouldn't and passed. Also, isn't Play Dough already "safe to eat"? I mean it can't taste that bad right?

CC

Happy National Vanilla Custard Day!

Above is a picture of me eating an ice cream cone, it's the only picture I could find of myself eating anything even remotely close to custard. My goal today is to try and find a custard treat before the days end so I can celebrate this auspicious holiday.

CC

Monday, August 16, 2010

Cops Are Giving Away Ice Cream

If you live in Boston and you see one off the fine people in blue you might get a free cool treat. Just ask nice and promise you'll never rob a bank.


CC

Who Doesn't Want a Safer Peanut?

I have to be honest, I always worry about food contamination and food illness. Sure I try lots of foods from all over the world, but I know one day I'm going to get hit hard and get really sick. The problem is I'm never sure where it'll come from and each time I read about a food recall in the candy world I do some deep thinking and figure out if I've eaten or have anything that could make me sick.


CC

Can You Speak Chocolate?

I never thought of this, but I often use fancy chocolate terms on this blog, and some of you might not understand them. Well fortunately I came across a great little glossary of chocolate terms for you to reference.


CC

5 Keys Gone

The folks at Caramilk have just informed me that 5 gold keys are gone. That means 5 people have the chance to hold the Caramilk secret, and one of these 5 people might get an e-mail from me with a better offer to give up the secret.

Here's what Caramilk had to say:

"The Fifth Caramilk Key has been Found!
Jennifer Korchak from Sylvan Lake, Alberta may become the Protector of The Caramilk Secret — Canada’s most loved and best kept secret! She is the fifth person to find one of ten golden keys hidden inside Caramilk bars!

For more than 40 years, Caramilk has vigorously guarded the mystery of how they get the soft, flowing caramel into the Caramilk bar. Now, key-finder Jennifer Korchak has a one in ten chance to earn up to $250,000† to protect The Caramilk Secret for six months and ensure one of Canada’s most beloved secrets…remains a secret.

The Caramilk bar was purchased at a Sobeys."

CC

How To Enjoy Chocolate

Here's a great article about one of the Lindt masters one how to enjoy some fine chocolate. Read the article, try it for yourself, but remember that the best way to enjoy a sweet treat is any way you like.


CC

Candy And Cartoons

In India there's a new cartoon series that will feature a direct association with a candy brand. Now I don't mind when my favorite cartoon has a snack endorsement as long as the quality of the treat and the cartoon stay the same. I hate it when entertainment and candy mix together and lower the standards for either or both.


CC

More Science on Chocolate

I really can't get enough of this debate of chocolate, healthy or not.


CC

Going From Riches to Candy

I've noticed a trend in the candy world, I've noticed many people going from high end good paying work into the private candy business. I'm not sure what this means, but it's really interesting. Is the candy business profitable, is it a calm way to retire early, or is there something else?


CC

Advances in Vending Technology

I've recently come accross two posts about new ideas in vending technology. I love vending machines because I not only get to push buttons, but I get treats for doing it. It's like a double win.



CC

Denny's Float Craziness

I went to Denny's the other day and I came across their selection of new floats. I was impressed with the idea of mixing cherry cola, with strawberry ice cream. It's creative and fruity fun.
I was then horrified to see this extra bonus. You can order a few berry filled pancake balls to top your float. It sounds like such a good idea, until the balls get soggy and sink to the bottom of your drink.

CC

Twix Minus 48 Callories

A new Twix Bar is coming out and apparently it has 48 less calories. How did they do that you ask? Well they took out the cookie... WHAT! If you take the cookie out of a Twix bar, you no longer have a Twix bar. You may still have a fine treat, but my friend that is not a Twix. That's like taking the macaroni out of macaroni and cheese.


CC

Friday, August 13, 2010

Feeling Hot And Sober

Want to change both of those? Well here's the solution for you.


CC

Going To Hartford

Well check out the Independent fair and get yourself some carnival treats. Nothing says fun like a greasy snack and a ride on the tilt-a-whirl.


CC

I Don't Understand Kids These Days

I guess this isn't a new thing, but I just think the Internet has made it bigger. But apparently it's news when your favorite stars eat a particular candy. I mean I can understand when it's a candy themed event like the video for California Girls, but...


CC

Taste Test-O-Rama

I love the idea of collecting a bunch of people (like 1000 people) into a giant room and just having them pig out on great snacks and telling me what they think. If anybody wants to sponsor the Candy Critic Taste Test-O-Rama please contact me immediately.


CC

Save a Life, Carry Chocolate Covered Marshmallow

Even from my point of view (a guy who loves candy more than most) I must say it's pretty strange to read a story about how a tea salesmen saved a womans life with chocolate covered marshmallows. But who am I to argue with that logic, I think I'm going to start carrying them around with me all of the time.


CC

What Is Persica?

It's apparently an extract that can be added to gum that might actually help keep your mouth healthy. Better yet this article uses the words "Healthy Gum Market" and what could be wrong with that. Man science sure is kookie.


CC

There is An Ice Cream Sundae Hall Of Fame

And better still there is a chance that you could put your name in the history books and be in it. They're opening up entries to the public to look for the best sundae recipe. So warm up your scoops and pick out your sauces.


CC

Better and Neon


Lots of neon lights and things getting better. This Baby Ruth and Butterfinger ad pretty much sums up the 80s.

CC

I'm Going To a Movie Tonight

I just saw a great post on Boing Boing all about this brilliant seat saving idea that seems right up my alley.


CC

To Say That Japan Isn't Strange Is a Lie

Who in the world would think of inventing a cookie augmentation machine? Only the Japanese. Who wants to try this machine out? Me.


CC

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Have You Had a Glass of Fanta

It's strange how many people I know that have no idea what Fanta is. Those that do know what it is have memories of it but frankly it's pretty hard to find here in Canada. It's even harder to find in the US (or so I've found), but in Europe it's the bees knees. So why is that? Well here's a little history of the drink, so grab an Orange Fanta and learn a little history.


CC

What's Better Than Being a Candy Critic?

How about being a "Chocolate Master". Now that looks good on the resume.


CC

Ruth Magic

I love the look on this guys face as he does his Baby Ruth magic. He seems more amazed by the trick than we should be.

CC

Germs and Food Health

So it's been discovered that certain germs are often found in leaner (non obese) people according to a study done between the EU and Africa. So I say it's a matter of time until we see a yogurt that features the "slimming germs of Africa".


CC

Cool New Gum Ads In Tokyo

I couldn't find them yet on Youtube, but I really want to check out these new commercials for XYLISH gum. The gum is a brand in Japan, and the commercials look super retro cool.


CC

The Chocolate Bar Wars of 1947

To better feel the drama of this post, while read the rest of this post please picture me saying it as an old man on a rocking chair with a pipe.

I remember it like it was yesterday. The high ups in the government wanted to gain a few money bags by stomping down the fine folks that made our candy. We the youth of the day wouldn't stand for it, so we took arms, and made history. Now get off my lawn!


CC

What Better Way to say Happy Ramadan?

It's nice to see people making treats for holidays that I'm not as familiar with. I know about Easter, Christmas, and Halloween treats, but Ramadan chocolates are new to me. It just goes to show how universal candy really is.


CC

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Undeclared Allergy Alert

It seems strange that a company would have to recall a whole bunch of candy because they messed up a label, but that's the law. It's not that I think people with allergies are ruining anything for others, it just seems like a big waste of food.


CC

Callebaut May Be OK

I few days ago I posted a story about Callebaut and some financial problems they had. Well as it turns out an outside deal might generate some money and may save them from a bankers demise.


CC

Top Snacks

I never understand these polls ranking the most popular snacks. I don't understand it because I don't think they really matter. Here's my theory, a company puts out a great snacks. People all over say that they love this snack, they might even have one million facebook fans. However the sales of the snack aren't great, so the snack is pulled off the market. Same goes if a snack isn't "popular" but sells well. I'm sure you'll never find either of these situations so really do you need to spend money on polls?


CC

Corn Syrup

I'm starting to get frustrated with all of the conflicting information about corn syrup. Some say it's the worst thing in the world you can put in your body, others say it's a reasonable form of inexpensive sugar. This kind of debate makes me crazy.


CC

Enough With The Buying For Kraft

Kraft has decided that they own enough, for now at least. They figure it's better to focus on building what they have (Cadbury) than buying more. I look forward to seeing what they have planned.


CC

Do You Know Where Proctor Is?

Better yet, are you in Proctor? I only ask because there's apparently a new candy store opened up and it looks great.


CC

Where Do You Get Your Chocolate?

Chocolate is an interesting treat, it can taste so vastly different yet it's still chocolate. Best of all you can get chocolate all over the world, and at each stop you'll taste something different.
People often ask me where the best chocolate can be found and that's tough to answer. I've tasted some of the worlds best, and some of the worst. I've been suprised by some regions chocolates in both good and bad ways. I can't tell you where the best chocolate can be found, but I can tell you that the best thing about chocolate is that there are so many types.

CC

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Cancer and High Fructose Corn Syrup

Most people don't really realize how many different sources of sugar are available all over the world. You can get beat sugar, cane sugar, as well as many other varieties of the sweet stuff. Corn sugar (mostly in syrup form) is getting some bad press as of late. Corn in general isn't doing very well if you take into account the low carb diet folks. So is corn (and in particular corn syrup) bad for you?


CC

Chocolate Lessons

In the back of my head I always think about learning how to make candy. I think it would be such a benefit to this site and my knowledge of food writing if I could actually make the stuff myself. Then I remember a few Christmas' ago when Allison decided to show me how to make chocolates and it was pretty much a hellish experience. So then I remember how much I just like eating treats.


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How Does One "Pasteurize" an Almond?

I have to be honest I'm not even really sure how one pasteurizes anything, but I didn't know that nuts had to be pasteurized at all. I assume it has something to do with bringing them to a high heat, but it just seems odd. Does that mean roasting them counts?


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Companies Going Global

Few people know this but every treat and candy company can have vastly different treats all over the world. The key for them is learning what's popular and what kind of flavours work in which region. This is what makes me so happy to travel around, because the variety can be spectacular, even if it's a Hershey, Cadbury, or Neilsons Bar.


CC

Golden Girls and Cheesecake

I really couldn't tell if the article below was a tribute to the Golden Girls or a description of some cheesecakes available in Miami. If it turns out it's both then I present the first contestant in the merge any topic with sweet treats article competition.


CC

Out Of The Loop

I'm a little out of the loop (the internet loop that is). My access to the web is limited for the next few days but I'm going to continue to try and update this blog as much as possible. I may do come catch up posts when things settle down a bit, and a post here and there when I get the time. Come Thursday night I should be all caught up and after that (for a little while at least) things should be back to normal.

CC

Ice Cream In Montreal

If you ever take a trip to Montreal there are two places that you must stop at, one is Schwartz Deli for the best smoked meat in the world, and the other is Ripples ice cream parlor. Now the good news is Ripples is right across the street from Schwartz, and if you want to find Schwartz just ask anybody.
The ice cream at Ripples is fantastic, It's home made, and full of flavour.
However the reason you must go to this place is one particular flavour. It's called 6x chocolate and it's worth the extra 25 cents it costs to get a scoop.

CC

Monday, August 09, 2010

Home Made Popsicles

I love reading about people and their DIY treats. Popsicles are one of the easiest to make and the results can be fantastic. I'm actually toying with the idea of a borscht Popsicle right now for those warm days when I want to celebrate my Ukrainian roots.


CC

Donut Burger

It's pretty much exactly what you think it would be but couldn't imagine actually existing. You take a donut, cut it in half, put a hamburger (fried meat), garnish, and eat. I'd never heard of this trend but apparently it's not new. I've also never seen a blog dedicated to eating hamburgers either. So this post is a double win.


CC

Tell Me Why A Cake Stuffed With Pies Wouldn't Be a Good Idea

I dare you... see you can't come up with one reason why stuffing a cake full of pies wouldn't make your day.


CC

Chocolate Bars Good For The Teeth

Callebaut chocolate just got an award for being good for your teeth. That's a lot better than even just not being bad for teeth if you ask me.


CC

Retro Cool Shops

On a road trip to Montreal I discovered what a great collection of vintage shops can be found in this great city. The shops are detailed and have a huge variety of stuff that Allison would never let me buy.
The best thing about retro shopping is how often you come across old candy machines, or candy merchandise. Retro and candy really do go hand in hand.

CC