Spicy Candy Changes, Or I Do

I'm having a bit of a mental dilemma lately when it comes to reviewing spicy treats. My problem is that I've grown somewhat since I started this site, and I believe I have a higher tolerance to spicy food than when I started candycritic.org. My problem stems from the fact that I have older reviews on this site from back when I not only couldn't tolerate spicy food, I actually had something against it. I used to believe that it was silly to eat any food that caused your mouth pain, even though for some reason I accepted sour as being okay. So when I look back at my old reviews I see a person that just couldn't accept spicy food as an option, and maybe didn't even give it a chance. I'm glad I've grown, but I'm not sure what to do about my past.

Check out my latest spicy review where I didn't actually mind it at all.

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This Week In Candy

This last week was really a pizza filled week for me.  First of all I was invited to a BBQ potluck pizza party, and it was fantastic.  The idea was that each person was supposed to bring ingredients for a pizza.  The dough was provided, so all you needed to bring was the toppings.  Then, one at a time, a pizza was put onto the BBQ, and each person that brought ingredients would have to top their pizza.  After the pizza was cooked, it was sliced up, and everybody got to have a slice.  I think by the time the night was over dozens of pizzas were made, including 3 dessert pizzas.  I brought one of those dessert pizzas, which consisted of marshmallows, grated milk chocolate (Dairymilk to be exact), and crushed graham crackers. S'Mores pizza!

Also this weekend, I recorded a new episode of the Junk Fud podcast.  This episodes theme was pizza.  Mark, who has been a guest on the Junk Fud podcast in the past had some great stories and insights into the world of pizza.  Hopelly this episode will be online later this week. Mark being such a great guest in the past and this time, is now going to be a regular on the Junk Fud podcast.  For now we're looking to post a new episode of Junk Fud featuring Mark every month.  We're still working out the details, so stay tuned.

This week we're also starting out a contest, brought to you by our friends at Just Born (the folks that make Mike & Ikes and Peeps).  They have some new/retro flavours of Mike and Ikes coming out soon, and they want to share some with one of our readers.  To win this prize pack, all you have to do is send an email or message explaining what your favorite flavour of candy is.  Tell us why this flavour is your favorite and whomever can convince us the most will get the new Mike and Ikes sent to their house (You must be a resident of the USA to enter, sorry rest of the world). You can submit your answer in the comments here, or send us a message on Facebook, Twitter, or here. Make sure include some way for us to contact you back (email always works), and the contest will end in two weeks (February 9th a midnight Eastern).

This week's Snack Facts we're looking at one of the best selling drinks in the world, Coca-Cola.  Every day we'll be posting a new fun fact on Instagram all about this soft drink giant.  If you don't have Instagram you can also follow Snack Facts on our Twitter feed, or Facebook page.

Our new review this week is from a chocolate shop in my home country.  Not only does the fact that they're Canadian make them awesome, but they also have the best name I've ever heard for a chocolate shop, Beanermunky.  Click here to read the Beanermunky's chocolate review.

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Stuff I Want To Try

Hot Tamales Hottie - Just Born - While I'm not a big fan of Hot Tamales, I do like being called a "Hottie". - Click here to learn more about this treat.

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Stuff I Want To Try

Peeps, Mike and Ike Christmas candies - Just Born - Christmas is coming, and so are the holiday treats. - Click here to learn more about this treat.

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Thursday's Candy Links

Chocolate, it's not just for candy, you can cook with it too.

Global warming might equal a huge chocolate shortage, from now on I walk everywhere.

An education about the difference between chocolate as candy and chocolate as a food, from a chocolate snob.

While you're worrying about the chocolate shortage, here's a little more information about the current peanut shortage.

Just My Show, a great podcast about all things retro has an interview with Ross Born, CEO of Just Born.  Did you know that some say they invented ice cream Jimmies?

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A Deal Is A Deal

Apparently the folks at Just Born had a deal with their employees.  They told them that if they increased their sales this year that the whole group of them would enjoy a nice trip to Hawaii.  However if they failed to increase the sales the whole group of them would have to take "trip to the nation's arctic tundra".  Well they didn't increase their sales this year, so apparently it was off to Minneapolis for the crew.  Now I don't mind the idea of setting up a deal like this for your employees, however I do object to the idea that Minneapolis is considered the "arctic tundra" even by American national standards.  Maybe they're forgetting that Alaska is a state as well?

Click here to read more about it.

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