One Type Of Chocolate

You might think after years of eating thousands of different kinds of treat, that I might consider myself a chocolate expert. While I do know some fun facts about chocolate, there are many simple concepts I do not understand. Today's featured review brought up one such example. I don't understand why having cocoa beans from one place (country or even part of a country) makes chocolate better. I guess if purity is something you look for in chocolate, but honestly taste and texture rank higher for me.

Check out my latest chocolate review where I grapple with this particular problem.

This Is Truly Bean To Bar

Strangely, this is actually something you could do at home. It would just take a while, and a bit of practice. Maybe you should just go out and buy one instead.

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It's About Time That We Posted Another Episode Of Junk Food and You

In this episode I answer the most common question I get as the Candy Critic, what's your favourite candy. I also talk about the greatest chocolate experience I've ever had, it might even be the greatest candy experience too.

Make sure to follow us on YouTube and Sound Cloud to keep up with all our podcasts.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for previews of our podcasts and other fun stuff.

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Candy In The Media - Let The Argument Begin!

Probably the most heated debate in the candy world is weather or not white chocolate is chocolate, and PBS decided to take it on with science.

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Candy In The Media - Traditional Chocolate

If you want to know how chocolate was traditionally made, this is it. Best of all, it's still made this way in some places.

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A Warm Candy Thing

After checking the weather reports for a great deal of the northern hemisphere, I thought that this week's "Candy Thing" should be something to warm people up. And what could be warmer than a nice steaming cup of hot cocoa?  The only problem you'll have after getting yourself a neat hot cocoa machine, is deciding what you want to ad to your cocoa.  Are you a marshmallow and cocoa person, or do you like melting in a candy cane, maybe you'd prefer a little bit of chilly powder. What's the best addition to your hot cocoa?

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Stuff I Want To Try

Raw Chocolate - Various Companies - This is the way chocolate can become a health food. - Click here to learn more about this treat.

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Candy News

Could this be the new internet snacking sensation that's taking over the world?  Unicorn Barf???

Making gum that can actually make people's life better is truly one of the greatest candy inventions ever.

Beautiful blown glass art, oh yeah, it's also made of sugar and completely edible.

The candy business is a really serious place, fortunately it can also be kind of fun too.  Here's a look at the business side of Bazooka Gum.

I'm sure I don't have to explain to you again why cocoa and some chocolates are good for you, but you can always send this link to any skeptical friends.

Have you ever wondered what it means when a package says "natural" or "artificial" flavours?

I've always known why they put the M's on the M&M's, but I'd never thought about how they do it.

If you want to keep up with all of the daily candy news that we come across as it happens, follow us on Twitter.

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Candy News

That 20 year old Twinkie you're eating, you might want to stop. Learn more about that, and other sad food truths.

Luck Charms is turning 50, and they're planning all kinds of fun stuff to celebrate, all I need is a box and a bowl myself.

A few years back I had to give up two jars of peanut butter that I had in some carry on luggage because they defined it as a liquid. This guy figured a way around this.

CNN has been researching the cocoa industry for a few years now, unfortunately what they've found isn't that nice, but it could be fixed.

I've always wondered how many candycritic.org readers are pot heads, according to this article it could be quite a few.

If you want to keep up with all of the daily candy news that we come across as it happens, follow us on Twitter.

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Candy News

Best innovation this year in the snack world, Popcorn Chips, second best Finger Pup-pets?

This might be the best candy headline of the month "Novelty, Innovation Key To U.S. Gummi Market".

Last week I posted an article about the difference between natural and dutch processed cocoa powder, today you can find out how to pick the tastiest cocoa powder.

Nothing says true love like eating the severed head of your betrothed.

At first I thought Cadbury was just getting more extreme, but as it turns out the wasp that might have been found in one of its bars was a mistake.

I'm not sure if this chocolate toothpaste is a real thing, or more importantly, if it's a good idea.

If you want to keep up with all of the daily candy news that we come across as it happens, follow us on Twitter.

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Candy News

For all of you bakers out there, I have three words for you "Sweet Potato Caramel".

So the folks at Haribo designed some candies that aren't really politically correct, so now they're saying sorry.

What better way to say I love you than candy, because apparently people would rather have that then a handful of dying flowers.

According to the Specialty Food Association, everybody is looking to blow out their taste buds with extreme flavors.

The words decadent and chocolate are used a lot together, I think this is a good thing.

Did you know the difference between Dutch Process and Natural cocoa?  Did you even know that there was a difference?

I never thought that one could even make Cotton Candy by hand (without a machine) but I've been proven wrong.

First Cadbury purple is trademarked, now it appears that the shape of a Kit Kat might be trademarked too.

Speaking of Kit Kat, apparently there's a Kit Kat store in Tokyo that just opened... change my travel plans.

First they tell us that chocolate prices are going up, then they tell us to eat more white chocolate, now they're saying that chocolate prices are going back down... I'm so confused.

If you want to keep up with all of the daily candy news that we come across as it happens, follow us on Twitter.

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Candy News

Science is looking to make it possible for you to taste things over the internet.  Some things I've very excited about, others I'm terrified.

Speaking of science, here's an explanation of the science behind one of the greatest things ever, cookies.

Are you wasting your life?  Not sure?  Why not take a look at your time on earth using jelly beans.

So you want to get into the snack food business, you want to be the biggest company in the world.  Well you have to get past PepsiCo. first.

Here's in interesting look at how the cocoa from your chocolate bar is born.

Yet another awesome looking Star Wars themed gingerbread house, tis the season, I guess.

In Europe, you can't have a low fat chocolate, chocolate must have 25% fat to be considered chocolate, and low fat must be below 23%.

Nuts might be the thing to keep you living longer... that and a little happiness.

A restaurant dedicated to the cocoa bean, that means chocolate for appetizer, mains, and dessert.

If you want to keep up with all of the daily candy news that we come across as it happens, follow us on Twitter.

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Candy News

Apparently there's a study that looks at what treats are best to eat while driving.

I was wondering if I should list this Japanese "Butt Pudding" as a "Thing I Wanted To Try", but frankly I don't really want to try it.

Do you love, or hate, the hard dip on an ice cream cone?  Well here's the science behind it, and it's only three words.

Jason Segel may be staring in the most Canadian movie ever made, all about maple syrup.

Think you could manage the worlds largest cookie, pumpkin pie, ice cream cone, or cupcake?  I'll place a bet against it.

More and more candy companies are pledging to stop advertising to kids, so start advertising to me, I'm a good demographic.

Cocoa prices have spiked, and that means chocolate bars will either be more expensive, or less chocolaty... It's a lose/lose situation.

Is the concept of savory and sweet in combination no longer a novelty yet?  I've been writing about it for years, candy companies have been making these treats for years, I think it's officially a common thing.

Ad Age takes a look back at Twinkie the Kid.

If you want to keep up with all of the daily candy news that we come across as it happens, follow us on Twitter.

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Candy News

Hershey's is opening a Chocolate World in Las Vegas, I hear Tom Jones has a sweet tooth.

For all of you Americans waiting for the Twinkie to come back, it's happening soon.

"World cocoa market will be in deficit for next two years"... This is not good news.

The worst part of having a cocoa deficit?  As it turns out cocoa might fight off diabetes.

This list of candies that are supposedly no longer available isn't completely accurate, but the parts that are make me a little sad.

Did you know that Tootsie just revamped their recipe page?  Did you know that you could cook with Tootsie Rolls?

Fruit infused cocoa beans, chocolate and fruit go together, so this seems like it might work.

Are hard candies coming back into style, or did they ever leave?

If a jelly donut is considered a wild choice for you, these might be a little out of your league.

If you want to keep up with all of the daily candy news that we come across as it happens, follow us on Twitter.

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Candy News

In 20 years, will we be eating the same amount and the same quality of chocolate?

I can't say that I've ever been in a store that specializes in Mexican candy before, but I'd like to.

New custom Ring Pops sound really great, if only I could propose to my wife again.

With the price of cocoa going up, chocolate makers are starting to change their recipes to keep prices down.

If you happen to visiting Chicago, you might want to sample some of their fine caramels.

When your box of chocolates says "Belgian Chocolate", it might not have actually been made in Belgium.  But that's going to change.

Watching candy getting made is a thrill, watching donuts getting made is the best way to start your day... assuming you have a donut in hand to deal with the serious craving you will have.

To dunk or not to dunk, according to science you'd better dunk.

If you've managed to avoid eating all of your Easter chocolate, here's a great guide to keeping your chocolate fresh.

If you want to keep up with all of the daily candy news that we come across as it happens, follow us on Twitter.

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Classic/Creative Candy Advertising

There's something very creepy about many vintage candy (and even other food) advertisements   It occurs only when there's someone in the advertisement doing something that they're supposedly doing as part of their regular day.  It's as if you can see the art director telling this man to just be relax and enjoy his breakfast cocoa.  Then he tells him to look at the camera, smile, and pretend you want to kill the person looking at this advertisement.  I've come across many advertisements that seem to have this same flaw, I'm not sure why companies thought it was appealing, but I think it's just terrifying.

I found this ad here.

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It's National Cocoa Day!!!

It's time to curl up next to a fire place and enjoy cocoa in one of it's more tasty forms.

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Friday's Candy Links

The stock market is a confusing place for a guy like me, fortunately I do understand that if the prices of cocoa goes down, my happiness level goes up.

With the election coming up in the USA, I've found many ways that people are taking poles on who they plan to vote for, this one sticks in my mind the most.

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Tuesday's Candy Links

Bad news for chocolate lovers, it appears some of the cocoa harvests might be lousy this year.

Three trends in chocolate bars from Mars, little bars, gigantic bars, and seasonally themed bars.

There's a new study that says if you leave the skins on your peanuts when you make peanut butter, it's better for you.

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Friday's Candy Links

If you're interested in slightly simplified but still mildly confusing stats on cocoa production this year, have I got a link for you.

If you own a restaurant, and you want customers to return to your restaurant, here's a really good way to make that happen.

Our friends at Honibe have expanded their market reach, if you happen to find yourself in space, on the international space station, then why not pick up a honey drop.

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