Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Remembering 2013 in Treats

Best chocolate bar that should be an international classic.

It doesn't happen often, but once in a while I sample a bar that seems like it should be an instant classic.  Sometimes this bar is something brand new, and sometimes it's only new to me.  In this case, the Catch bar is only new to me.  Apparently these have been a classic treat in Ireland for a while, they just haven't caught on in the rest of the world.  But that may change, the company that makes these informs me that they're trying to spread them all over the world.  If you're lucky enough to find one now, make sure to give it a try.

Click here to read the Catch bar review.
Best new chocolate bar idea.

As candy fans, we are generally inundated with variations on chocolate bars.  I've complained countless times about the poor choices candy companies make with these variations, most of which are uninspired and lazy.  This variation on the other hand is not uninspired at all, although it could have been executed a little bit better.  This is an idea that is very strange, yet it makes perfect sense at the same time.  Next year when I post this list again, you may not find the category of "best bar idea" because it happens so rarely in the candy industry.

Click here to read the Lacta Sandwich review.
Most creative homemade/small candy company treat.

One of the joys of running this site is those occasional e-mails I recieve from small candy companies looking to promote their treats.  These independent candy companies often create some inspiring treats that taste great and/or can be super creative.  This lollipop is a great example of a small company treat that excels in both taste and creativity.  It's strange, it's tasty, and it works very well.

Click here to read the salted caramel lollipop review.
Favorite foreign treat.

As you may know, I travel a lot.  While all my travel isn't officially for Candy Critic, I never travel anywhere without tasting the local treats.  2013 started in Australia for me, and I also managed to visit Scotland, Northern England, Berlin, the Greek Islands, and Turkey.  Of all those places that I visited, the most memorable treat I sampled was Turkish Delight.  I've sampled many Turkish Delights in the past, but this pistachio filled, pomegranate flavoured, covered in rose (pedals and leaves), was truly one of the most creative flavour's I'd ever sampled.

Click here to read the pomegranate and rose Turkish delight review.
Worst idea that could have been good.

It's really fun to be creative with flavours.  Today the popular trend is to blend savory and sweet flavours together.  One of the best ways to do this is by using chocolate as your sweet flavour.  Chocolate is so popular that people are willing to try just about anything covered in chocolate.  Chocolate is also so versatile that it almost always works, no matter what kind of salty snack you mix it with.  Notice I used the word "almost" in the last sentence, that's because of the Tayto bar.  While potato chips and chocolate are a pretty sure thing, when you ad cheese and onion flavours into the mix, things don't work as well at all.  Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I tried this bar, I'm just glad that I won't ever have to try one again.

Click here to read the Tayto review.
Best classic treat that I had not tried before.

As I mentioned before, I love getting free candy from small candy companies, but I also love getting treats from big companies as well.  While I've tried many of the worlds most popular treats, occasionally one gets past me.  Every now and then someone sends me an e-mail, asking why I haven't sampled a particular treat, because it's a classic.  Walnettos was just such a situation.  I got an e-mail from a candy company asking me if I'd like to try a few treats, they also asked if I'd like a bag of Walnettos just to enjoy on my own.  I had no idea what a Walnetto was, and they were astonished.  I was promptly sent a bag of these wonderful little cubes, and devoured them immediately.

Click here to read the Walnettos review.

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