Maple Shirt Will Be Sweet

Maple Sugar T-Shirt
by candycritic

 The perfect gift for that special Canadian that loves sweets.

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Wish They Still Made It - Part 2 - Organic Candy Floss "Canadian Maple" by Pure Fun

Of all of the discontinued treats we're featuring this week, this is the one I'm most sad about.  The main reason I'm sad about this treat is that I'm most certain that I will never get to try this again.  Made by the Canadian candy company Pure Fun, this maple syrup cotton candy was perfect.  It was one of the most creative flavours of cotton candy that I'd ever tried.  I thought it was creative since cotton candy is essentially just spun sugar, it was really clever to use a different sugar to flavour it.  This leads me to wonder why we don't have a brown sugar or honey flavoured cotton candy as well.

The reason I'm sure I'll never try this again, Pure Fun the company that made it went out of business.  It's not that another company may not choose to try making this, I'm just not certain they can make it as well.  Having said that, if any candy company in the world wants to take on this challenge, please send me a sample and I'll be glad to take this all back.

Now here's my poem:

Maple cotton candy that's second to none,
Made by Canadians, known as Pure Fun.
Not pink, yellow, blue, but instead brown,
The king of cotton candy, you wear the crown.
I at a whole mouthful, I was in bliss,
Maple cotton candy, I will surely miss.

Click here to read the Candy Critic review.

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Canadian Candy List - Part 1 - What I Miss Most

Over the last few years I've been living away from my home country, Canada.  I've been traveling the world exploring all kinds of snack foods, junk foods, and sweets, but my heart is still in Canada.  I'm going to be back home for an extended period, and I've decided to compile various lists on the theme of Canadian candy and snacks.  Each week, for the next several weeks, I'll be posting a different list of Canadian candies I've reviewed in various categories.  Some of these treats may be available in other parts of the world, some are exclusive to the Great White North, but in my mind all of them are Canadian.

Since I'm still not back yet, this is a list of treats that I most miss from my home and native land.  While away I've pined for some of these treats, and even begged friends and family to mail me these treats on occasion (with mixed results).  Since I'm only visiting when I return, I'll be sure to stock up on all of these snacks to keep me going for a while for my next several year long adventure.

The first treat in this list is a really simple treat, a Kraft Caramel.  From what I understand the origins of this candy come from Kraft making a caramel for baking purposes that kids used to love snacking on.  My entire experience with these has been as a penny candy, rather than a baking supply.  Sure this treat is simple, but it works.

Click here to read the Kraft Caramel review.

 I think the thing that makes me most nostalgic for a Crispy Crunch bar is the memories that come with it.  This was my dad's favorite chocolate bar, and I always remember getting a bite or two of his when I was a kid.  Don't get me wrong, this bar has more than nostalgia going for it, it's a tasty bar in its own right.

Click here to read the Crispy Crunch review.

 Maple sugar candies are another nostalgic treat for me.  I remember going to the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) in Toronto, and finding vendors selling these all over the place.  The CNE was a great memory for me, and these, in particular the smell of them, are a big part of that memory.  Although much like the Crispy Crunch bar, these are pretty tasty as well.

Click here to read the Maple Sugar review.

 When I was a kid, the Oh Henry! bar was my bar of choice.  For those Americans reading this, the Oh Henry! bar is most similar to a Baby Ruth, but I think it's a little better.  It seems slightly less sweet than a Baby Ruth, and it has all kinds of childhood memories attached to it.

Click here to read the Oh Henry review.

When I was a kid growing up in Canada our closest neigbours to the South seemed to have everything I wanted.  They had more ice cream, more chocolate bars, and more fast food places.  The one thing that they did lack was a great range in flavours of potato chips.  Canada has always had hundreds of different flavours of chips to choose from, and the strangest one that really has kept on is dill pickle.

Click here to read the Dill Pickle Chip review.

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Happy Canada Day!!!

Today is the perfect day to eat red and white candies.  Also acceptable are candies flavoured with maple, and anything covered with gravy and cheese curds.

Happy Canada Day!!!

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Candy News

Black licorice, love it or hate it?  The Finnish people love it, and they love it more when it's extreme.

Drunk guy eats popcorn at a football game, hilarity ensues.

Here's a great list of 65 Amazing Facts from Mental Floss, and there are a few candy related ones worth mentioning.

The history of candy, and why you think it's bad for you.  This is a must read for candy fanatics whom are constantly defending the health problems associated with sweet treats.

If you think I don't ever publish articles that are against candy, you can always read this article convincing us that a candy tax is necessary to keep our children safe.

Huffington Post published the "The Best 25 Candy Bars Of All Time", but keep in mind they're all American, and they're missing some pretty great smaller candy companies.

If your name is "Fudge" and you steal ice cream, you're pretty much asking for a headline in the newspaper.

According to a recent study, shape can make you're chocolate taste better.  But it's still no excuse to make it smaller.

The story of how William Wrigley Jr. became a gum super star is pretty impressive.

Here are some facts about the words "Fat Free" that's all over that healthy food you're eating.

Did you know that people still bootleg things other than DVDs?  Say for example... Maple syrup?

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

Breast milk lollipops, I was going to post this under "Stuff I Want To Try", but I don't really want to try it.

Would you drink a 20 year old can of cola?  I wouldn't, I once sampled a 10 year old can of root beer, and I couldn't drink the stuff for years afterwards.

This might be the best idea ever for Poptarts, why aren't they making them then?

Our friends at Madelaine chocolate in New York got hit pretty hard by hurricane Sandy, but it looks like they'll be back up and running in June.

Pez just announced that they're going to release special edition Harry Potter Pez dispensers, I'm thinking it's about 3 years too late.

Looking refresh yourself and cool off this summer, but you also love Italian food, well I have the perfect solution.

Healthy chocolate is really trendy right now, does that mean fine quality dark chocolate full of flavour, or chocolate filled with chemicals to make it "less fat" and "no sugar".

It appears that the glazed donut sandwich has officially gone mainstream in the USA.

Rock bands are notorious for demanding special foods backstage, although if I was famous, I'd ask for what Marilyn Manson wants.

Not sure what to do with the ice cream you left out all afternoon? Well don't throw it out, here's some ways you can transform your ice cream soup into other tasty treats.

Here's a great collection of stock photographs of people that "don't know how to eat popsicles".

Have you heard that the Canadian 100 dollar bill smells like maple syrup?  Can anyone confirm this?

Computer programmer takes some time off to work at a chocolate factory, so which job is better?

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

Candy News

According to science, you gain more satisfaction from finishing a snack than by eating a large amount of the snack.

Just in case you want to have a smart conversation with a Canadian about Maple syrup, here's some information to help you out.  In Canada this was part of our primary school education.

Ever wanted to taste ice cream for a living, don't worry, the job exists.

Barry Callebaut wants you to know what you should be looking for in chocolate.  Don't worry about what you actually might want, it may not be trendy.

Here's a few Superbowl related tidbits from earlier this week:

As it turns out M&Ms topped the list of most searched terms during the Superbowl.

Here's a really interesting article about how OREO managed to get an advertisement posted about the blackout only minutes after it happened.

The Jason Priestley Tim Horton's donut was all the rage in my home country, then it started to spread around the world.

I'm not sure that gum needed more crunch, sure more flavour, and longer lasting flavour, but probably not more crunch.

Ever wanted to know why Mentos and Diet Coke explode into a fountain of awesomeness?

Most people assume that all sugar free treats are laced with chemicals, this isn't always the case.

I've never been to Minnesota, but seeing how much they're into candy and candy making, I'm thinking a road trip might be in order.

Did you know that in 1947, in Canada, there was a "Chocolate Candy Bar Strike"?

If you've never tried salted caramel chocolates, this Valentine's Day would be the perfect time to pick up a box. For someone you love... as long as they're willing to share.

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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Spreads - Maple Syrup

I just finished an art piece for bewarethecheese.com's fine art gallery "Senses". For this piece I had to photograph, and eventually eat more than 40 different spreads.  I've decided to post a little something about each spread that I sampled.

In Canada putting maple syrup on bread is a fairly common practice.  Putting maple syrup on bacon, sausages, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, cake, fried eggs, chocolate, fudge.... is also a common practice.  So basically Canadians will put maple syrup on anything.

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Spreads - Maple Sugar Fudge

I just finished an art piece for bewarethecheese.com's fine art gallery "Senses". For this piece I had to photograph, and eventually eat more than 40 different spreads.  I've decided to post a little something about each spread that I sampled.

Have you ever spread fudge on bread?  It's a pretty amazing treat, particularly if the fudge is really fresh.  I never knew, until now, that there are companies selling fudge specifically to be spread on bread.  This is a brilliant idea and one that should be more popular.

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Monday's Candy Links

Read about how technology is working in old school sugar shaking, the future looks great.

Sure every Kit Kat isn't perfect, but it doesn't happen often that you get a bad one, and you can be sure Nestle will make it right.

I'm not sure glow in the dark sushi makes me happy, what do you think?

Apparently the maple syrup season this year isn't doing well.  DAM YOU GLOBAL WARMING!!!

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Friday's Candy Links

I just heard that the television show Recipes to Riches is going to have a "Candies and Chocolate" category this year, listen up candy companies you might learn something new.

Check out Nestle's entrance into the fine chocolate world, it looks pretty good, but I think I have to taste it to be sure.

Sure you're happy about the mild winter this year, but that means less maple syrup, now are you happy?

Here's a behind the scenes look at Candy House, while they prepare for a big event.

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Stuff I Want To Try

Candy-Filled Microphone - Made by: CandyRific - Why: They come with a sound bite from Chuck D. - Click here to learn more about this treat.

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Thursday's Candy Links

M&M's unveils their new spokes candy, Ms. Brown.  She's sporting the sexy librarian look.

I can only describe this first link as the best new design for chocolate bars since the break away square was invented.

Mental Floss looks at Maple Syrup, one my  favorite ways to ingest sugar.

Did you know that Coca-Cola was originally designed to help with your morphine addiction?  Here's more "Hugely Successful Products Originally Invented for Something Else"

In sad news, it appears that Adam Sandler has been given the go ahead to make the Candy Land movie, based on the board game.

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Maple Syrup Makes Good Candy

If you need proof you might have to visit a sugar bush, like the one featured in the article below.  They don't just harvest the stuff, but they also make treats out of it too.

Click here to read about Shepherd Sugar Bush.

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Sugar Shack Epic Meal Time

If you've never seen Epic Meal Time, you're not eating epic.

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It's Maple Syrup Season!

Maple syrup season is one of my favorite times of the year.  If you've never tried good quality fresh maple syrup then frankly you haven't lived.  Although I prefer the stuff from Quebec or Eastern Ontario, the US has some pretty good stuff as well.

Click here to read about some US maple syrup.

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It's National Maple Syrup Day

I find this kind of strange.  I assume that this "National" day is in fact an American National day.  The thing is maple syrup is kind of the national food of Canada.  So we don't really need to celebrate it on a particular national day, instead we celebrate maple syrup all of the time.

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Spring Time Review

Here in Canada, and in many Southern US states maple sugar is starting to run. Those out there you consider themselves to be maple syrup connoisseurs know that a fresh maple sugar is far more tasty than an older maple syrup. There’s also some debate about types of syrup, however I’m fairly certain that the light or dark are equally tasty. However if you ever get the chance to lick the bottom of a maple sugar boiler after the day long boil you will not be disappointed. You might want to wait till it cools a little though.

Click here to read the review.

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Maine Maple Sugar

Apparently March 28th is Maple sugar day in Maine. In my house we call maple sugar day "Sunday".

Click here to read about Maine Maple Sugar.

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Maple Time

The article bellow talks about the maple sap running in Vermont, but it's also running here in Ottawa as well. I'm so excited and I hope I can make it to a sugar bush this season to try the really fresh stuff.

Click here to read about maple syrup in Vermont.

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