Pop Mart Treats... Sort Of

For those unfamiliar, Pop Mart is a toy company that has stores all over the world featuring fun pop art style toys. While the name Pop Mart might not be that familiar to you, I’m willing to bet you’ve heard of Labubu, which is a Pop Mart toy. Their lines of toys reaches way beyond Labubu, and includes some of their own original creations as well as some licensed characters done in their style.  While I’ve seen their toys all over, I’d never actually gone into a Pop Mart store before, until now.

The main reason I’d never been into a Pop Mart store before is that it’s not uncommon for their to be a lineup to get it, sometimes the line can be really, really long. Most of their stores also often have a lot of security and bag checks just to go in. However, on a recent trip to Bangkok I came across a Pop Mart store with no line, and I happened to have no bag with me at the time (so I didn’t have to check it or have it searched).

I decided, for the sake of this blog, to check out all of the candy/snack themed treats that I could find and report back.

Since Labubu is what’s hot, I’ll start there. There are dozens of different monster/Labubu toys themed with snacks and food. In fact I would almost say that more than half of the Labubu toy lines have at least one or two characters that have some kind of food tie in, and several that are completely food themed.

Most of the food themed Labubus are pretty general and based on popular Asian foods, however I did come across a series of Coca-Cola themed Labubus, so you know they’re not shy about having official tie ins. Makes me wonder what other food company would pair well with Labubu. I’m thinking and Oreo cookie or Pocky themed Labubu would be kind of cool.

I also came across a series of toys they have called Pino Jelly that seemed to have a sort of gummy theme to them. Some of them seemed more candy branded than others.

I also came across these Mickey Mouse themed toys, many of which had fun candy/snack themes. The vending machine themed Mickey was probably my favourite.

Probably my favourite non-Labubu collection of toys was called “Molly Carb-Lover”. It’s a series of cute little dolls that all have some kind of bread/baked good theme. It’s a really peculiar set and even a weirder name, but I think that’s why I liked it.

The final thing I came across was this dog/hamburger themed toy called Hacipup. It seems like it might serve another function, but I really couldn’t figure it out since I don’t know what a “rolling time machine” does.

Candy and snacks as a theme in toys is common, when it comes to collectible toys like the ones from Pop Mart it seems like having a food tie in is essential. I didn’t buy anything on this trip as I was frankly overwhelmed with choices. Maybe one day I’ll get some kind of key chain/bag charm from Pop Mart, but for now I think I’ll just brows. 

One thing that makes me curious is if Pop Mart will ever go the other direction and start making treats. I feel like their visual style would work great for making fun and very pretty looking candy, and in particular gummies. For now though it appears that nothing at Pop Mart is actually edible, it’s just that half the toys look like they should be.

10 Second Kitchen - Cinnabon Bangkok, Thailand

 Watching them finish up some tasty mini cinnamon buns at the Siam Paragon in Bangkok, Thailand.

Holiday Cheer with Blue Orchid!

 Don't panic, there's still plenty of time to get Blue Orchid comics (and even some merch) to the one you love this holiday season.

You can get everything you need at https://www.bewarethecheese.com/blueorchid/ or on Amazon(or you can also search "blue orchid comics" on Amazon)

Is It A Cookie?

Is there a certain ratio that makes a cookie a chocolate treat? One of the biggest challenges I come across on a regular basis is trying to figure out which category of treat to put many of the snacks I review. This latest review is just such a problem. It's a cookie, but it's also a big glob of chocolate. There's probably more chocolate than cookie, but the cookie really feels like the part that's holding this whole treat together. So is it a cookie, or is it a chocolate?

Check out this latest confusing review.

Quick List - My Favourite Candy Packages

 A quick list of some of my favourite candy packages from all of the treats that I've reviewed on candycritic.org.

Blue Orchid For Christmas!

  Fill up someone's stocking with lots and lots of fun comics!

Pick every issue of Blue Orchid (the comic I wrote and drew) right now for that special person on your Christmas list.

You can get everything you need at https://www.bewarethecheese.com/blueorchid/ or on Amazon(or you can also search "blue orchid comics" on Amazon).

Best Gummy Ever?

The fact that there are so many gummy candies out there in the world makes it really hard to pick one that is better than another. I think we could all point out some of the worst gummies in the world, but the best depends greatly on what you like in a gummy candy. I have opinions on the subject, but I think I can also say that I've tasted a lot of gummy candies, so maybe my opinion matters? Probably not.

Check out my latest gummy review, it's in my opinion the best gummy ever made.

A Visit To Siamaya In Chiang Mai

I find more and more countries are making chocolate bars. It used to be that a great deal of the milk and dark chocolate of the world was made in Europe. The cocoa would be grown in a select places based on the fact that cocoa plants needs the perfect climate, but making bars is really possible almost anywhere in the world, however Europe really seemed to dominate this market. Today we’re seeing more and more chocolate from different parts of the world, and best of all these new chocolate companies are taking their chocolate and making it reflect the culture and flavours of the place their being made.

Siamaya (a blend of the words “Siam” and “Maya”) is a perfect example of just such a chocolate maker. Founded in Chiang Mai Thailand, the brand has expanded all over Thailand and can be found in just about every single grocery store in Thailand. Probably the highlight of this brand is the fact that they’re taking good quality chocolate and adding flavours that really make them feel Thai. Their durian chocolate is probably the most notorious, but I would argue one of the best ways to taste durian for the first time. They also have flavours based on Thai tea, spicy Thai food dishes as well as local fruit.

I recently found myself in Chaing Mai and I decided to pay a visit to their factory store. At the time their cafe was being renovated, but their chocolate store was totally open. The store not only serves as a place to buy every flavour of chocolate that they manufacture, but it also gives you the opportunity to watch them make the chocolate while you’re browsing.

One of my favourite details about this particular brand (beyond the tasty chocolate) is their package design. The good thing is if you feel as passionate about their package art as I do, you can pick up postcards, magnets and even t-shirts. I got myself a t-shirt and absolutely love it.

The store also offers some great learning experiences to teach you all about the chocolate process. They have a really great explanation about their chocolate making.

They also offer examples of cocoa at various stages in the process.

Since the chocolate is the highlight of this shop, they really have so many flavours to choose from at this shop. Best of all they offer samples of each and every flavour, so you can pick out your favourites. This is also a great opportunity to sample the durian chocolate to make sure you can handle a whole bar. This factory tour is a great hidden gem in Chaing Mai for any candy lover. The shop itself isn’t that big, but it has everything you might want if you’re into the chocolate process as well as munching on samples.

Junk Fud and You - What Is Candy?

 One of the most common questions I get is to define what is a candy, and the number of answers I give is bigger than the question.

Facts About Snacks

 If you crave facts as much as you crave snacks, then I think I have the perfect book for you.

Check out my awesome series called Snack Facts, a fun look at the history as well as some general information about the snacks you love.

Pick up your copy right now at candycritic.org/snackfacts/buy.htm or on Amazon.

Potato Chip Problem

I'm not sure if this is a trend in all snacks, or just in the regions I've been buying my treats lately, but for some reason there seems to be a great number of potato chip companies that don't use slices of potato anymore. It seems to be the trend to use potato starch or ground potato to make potato snacks. My assumption is that it's cheaper to make, but I really can't figure out why since you have to add a few extra steps to make these fake potato treats. Worst of all many companies imply that you're getting the real (classic) potato chip, only to let you down when you open the bag.

Check out my latest "potato" treat review, I'll warn you that I wasn't that impressed.

Chris, Why Would You Eat That?!! - Dried Peas and Mangoes

 In this episode of Chris, Why Would You Eat That?!! Chris tastes two things that taste great on their own, but who would have thought someone would put them together.

Blue Orchid!

 

Did you know I've written and drawn 3 Chapters of Blue Orchid?

You can pick up each chapter right now at bewarethecheese.com/blueorchid/ or on Amazon.

All In The Package?

When I first started candycritic.org I had a slight rule that I wouldn't judge a candy by its package. In the last few years I've really changed my tune on that rule. For one thing, the package is often the first reason I buy almost any candy from a store shelf. Unless it's suggested to me by people like you, I almost always inspect the package to figure out what I might be getting into. The package has to not only attract the eye, but it should also explain what might be inside. There can be a element of surprise, but in the case of this week's new review, some package are so surprising that they're down right confusing.

Check out my latest review featuring a package that just doesn't make sense at all.

Laura Secord

One of Canada’s most popular chocolate companies has a really odd relationship with Canadian history.  Laura Secord the person is a Canadian war hero from the war of 1812. She learned of an impending invasion of then British occupied territory (later Canada) and informed the British soldiers of an American invasion. Her information helped the British soldiers win an important battle that kept Canada from becoming American.

Laura Secord the chocolate shop has no real relation to the person, other than being named after her. None of her family owns or has ever owned any part of the company, it wasn’t even founded in the city/town she lived in (although it’s kind of close). The Laura Secord website says the following:

“In 1913, Frank P. O’Connor opened a small candy store in Toronto where he sold hand-made chocolates. He named his store after Laura Secord, the Canadian heroine who was a symbol of courage, devotion, and loyalty.”

While I’m sure Frank P. O’Connor wanted his business to thrive, I’m sure he couldn’t have guessed that it would be one of the biggest candy companies in all of Canada. This is where things get a little weird, because there are likely several Canadians in the world now who know Laura Secord as only a chocolate shop and not a person. While Laura Secord the person did make some history in her time, it appears her legacy is more tied up with chocolate.

The extra odd thing is that the chocolate shop still pays tribute to her. Many of their packages and even the chocolates themselves have her image printed or engraved into them. Her face is still on their logo as well. If I was seeing this store for the first time, my assumption would be that this Laura Secord started this chocolate shop. The thing is, she’s never been to this chocolate shop and never tasted their chocolates.

I’m not sure how the chocolate shop could change that, or even if they would want to. This is a really odd situation where the shop named after a person has become so much more popular than the person themselves. 

10 Second Kitchen - Deep Fried Pancake 16th Street Yangon

 A 10 second look at a deep fried breakfast pancake in Yangon, Mynamar.

Those Treats and Those Beasts

 If you've every wanted to read a fun alphabet book about all kinds of beasts and the treats they love, pick up my book called Treats And Beasts.

You can get Treats and Beasts right now at bewarethecheese.com/treatsnbeasts/ or on Amazon.

The OG Gummy

 

Did you know that the gummy bear is the first gummy ever? They've been around for a very long time (you can learn more about the history of the gummy bear in my book called Snack Facts), but what I want to know is when did they start making gummies sour? It's a really odd collection of flavours and textures if you think about it. Soft and squishy, sweet in the middle, but sour on the outside. The thing is, it works.

Check out Haribo's attempt at making their classic gummy bear sour.

Quick List - Worst Kit Kat Bars

 My favourite candy bar (according to candycritic.org) is a Kit Kat bar, but not all Kit Kat bars are great.

Snack Those Facts

 If the history of snacks has always eluded you, why not pick up my book called Snack Facts right now.

Pick up Snack Facts at candycritic.org/snackfacts/buy.htm or on Amazon.

Different Names For The Same Cookie

I'm sure you've come across the great debate "is it called a cookie or a biscuit" before, but have you ever considered the word cracker as well. You might be arguing that a cracker can't be put into the category because it's savory. I argue that there are many cultures that have sweet/sugar crackers. Now you might think that's crazy, but then I argue "graham crackers". This then begs the question, can you have a savory cookie too?

Check out my latest treat labelled as a cracker, but it's not savory at all.

Happy Halloween!

 

Happy Halloween! I hope your bags are full of sweet and scary treats.

What I Order - Part 3

Whenever I go to fast food restaurants I’m often presented a difficult choice. Do I order the new or special food items that’s available or do I go with the food item I know and love.  I got to thinking about this, and it made me wonder what is my go to order at most fast food restaurants. Obviously I have different choices depending on the restaurant, but I think each and every restaurant has a go to item for me. I’m not saying it’s the best item or the most popular. I’m just saying that this is the flavour I associate with this restaurant, and maybe you might have something else.

So here’s part three of my choices. Keep in mind that I haven’t included a few fairly popular restaurants, and that’s mostly because I’ve either never eaten there, or at the very least haven’t eaten there in the last 3 years. There also might be a few restaurants that you don’t know about, it could be because I’ve been living in Asia for the last few years so there are a few that are only common in this part of the world. I’ve only done fast food restaurants, which I describe as places were you either commonly get takeout (pizza mostly) or places that require a tray.

Pizza Pizza

Pizza Pizza is a chain from Canada that has a jingle that used to get stuck in my head all of the time. When it comes to a regular order I would often go for deluxe (pepperoni, green pepper and mushrooms) or pineapple, ground beef and mushrooms (it’s weird I know, but it tastes good). The thing about Pizza Pizza is you have to luck out on the location when you order. In my youth I would often walk to a specific location for pickup, just so I could choose which location made my pizza.

Popeyes 

I don’t actually have a history with Popeyes chicken. I think it might have been around when I was a kid, but it was never a choice I would make. As an adult however I’ve developed a taste for their chicken sandwich. I don’t want it spicy or with any “extras”. Their plain chicken sandwich is probably the best chicken sandwich available anywhere. 

Shake Shack

My go to order at Shake Shack is often leads to regret. The regret is that I’ve eaten way too much rich and heavy food. I go for a Double Shack Burger with cheese, cheese fries and a milkshake. The milkshake flavour might vary, but I’ll either go for their specialty shake or a chocolate shake. I’ve actually never regretted the specialty shakes, except for the fact that I’m truly stuffed/sick at the end of the meal. The same goes for the cheese fries.

Taco Bell

Taco Bell gets a bad reputation. The key to enjoying Taco Bell is to know what you’re getting into. If you expect the finest Mexican cuisine, you’ll be very disappointed but if you expect Taco Bell you’ll be fine. My go to order used to be a couple of simple soft tacos, however I’ve since changed/upgraded to the Crunch Wrap Supreme. It’s a very complicated disk filled with just about everything Taco Bell has to offer in one blissful meal.

Wendy’s

This is a little complicated. My most common order at Wendy’s is the Dave’s double combo without onions. I often forget to ask for no onions, so you’ll often see me picking them off. This all goes out the window however if they have the bacon mushroom melt available. The fact that this very messy burger is not a staple on their menu makes me extremely sad. I would actually go to Wendy’s more often if the offered the bacon mushroom melt all of the time.

5 Years of Eating the Same Halloween Kisses

 In this episode of Chris, Why Would You Eat That I eat another Halloween Kiss, for the fifth time. It's part 5 of a 14 year series where I'll eat a Molasses Kiss candy from the same bag till they get stale or until I finish them all.

Read my full Halloween Kisses review here: candycritic.org/halloween%20kisses.htm

Blue Orchid Comics!

 There are 3 issues of Blue Orchid out there, it's a fun comic featuring a kick ass girl that fights giant monsters.

Pick up each and every issue of Blue Orchid right now at bewarethecheese.com/blueorchid/ or on Amazon.

Offensive Packages

Every once in a while I come across a candy package that's kind of offensive by today's standards. The two main causes for such packages are history or cultural difference. This package for example depicts the old fashioned cinema trope of cowboys vs Indians. This is a problematic concept because we now know that these early depictions were false, and created a very negative stereo type of what North and South American aboriginal people's were like. So how can a package like this still exist, it comes from a culture that doesn't have that history. It's from Asia, a place where indigenous cultural history is very different than what we know in North and South America. This package is likely looked at as a vintage look at North American culture, and that's all. Is it right, that's not really for me to decide.

Check out this latest treat in a possibly troublesome package.

The Cereal Version of a Classic Bar

 Tasting the cereal version of another famous #andy bar, the Lion Bar in cereal form.

I Love Treats and Their Beasts

 There are all kinds of beasts in the world, and all kinds of treats. Find out which treats go with which beasts by checking out my fun alphabet book called Treats And Beasts.

You can pick up your very own copy right now at bewarethecheese.com/treatsnbeasts/ or on Amazon.

Corny Review

Sometimes I discover that a candy or snack company has made a version of a treat that just doesn't make any sense. This latest review is a prime example of just that, who would think to ad more corn flavour to a corn chip. It's not the first time I've come across this kind of thing, and I imagine it's not the last either. I just don't understand when there are infinite possibilities out there for flavours, that you would go so weird.

Check out my latest corn flavoured corn chip review.

What I Order - Part 2

Whenever I go to fast food restaurants I’m often presented a difficult choice. Do I order the new or special food items that’s available or do I go with the food item I know and love.  I got to thinking about this, and it made me wonder what is my go to order at most fast food restaurants. Obviously I have different choices depending on the restaurant, but I think each and every restaurant has a go to item for me. I’m not saying it’s the best item or the most popular. I’m just saying that this is the flavour I associate with this restaurant, and maybe you might have something else.

So here’s part two of my choices. Keep in mind that I haven’t included a few fairly popular restaurants, and that’s mostly because I’ve either never eaten there, or at the very least haven’t eaten there in the last 3 years. There also might be a few restaurants that you don’t know about, it could be because I’ve been living in Asia for the last few years so there are a few that are only common in this part of the world. I’ve only done fast food restaurants, which I describe as places were you either commonly get takeout (pizza mostly) or places that require a tray.

Lotteria

Lotteria is a brand that I first tried in Japan, so I assume it’s Japanese, but I could be wrong. I’ve had really mixed results when it comes to Lotteria, particularly since recently I’ve only ordered it in places (outside of Japan) that have regular beef shortages. The biggest problem I’ve found as of late is a lack of availability of many products, most notably anything with beef. So my go to at Lotteria is often their chicken sandwich, but only because it’s often the only thing available.

McDonald’s

This is a tough one since I’ve been eating at McDonald’s my entire life. When I was a kid the cheeseburger was my go to, but as soon as I was able I transferred to the Big Mac. I would say that the Big Mac remains my go to, however I occasionally will get into the Filet-O-Fish for a while. I know that it’s one of the least popular sandwich at McDonald’s, but I just love it. I also can’t eat anything at McDonald’s without getting their french fries.

MOS Burger

MOS Burger is another Japanese (I assume) chain that seems to be spreading into other parts of the world. This is also one of the most unique items on this list as I don’t really go for their regular burgers very often. My one go to item is the yakiniku rice burger. The highlight of this burger is the fact that the bun is actually made up of compressed sticky rice (and not bread). The beef filling works really well with the rice as well, it’s like eating a nice teriyaki meal in one sandwich. The one fault of this burger is that it almost always comes insanely hot (temperature wise) and so I have to wait a few minutes before taking my first bite.

Pizza Company

If you ever want to read an interesting story about the founding of a company, check out Pizza Company. When I’m in (or living in) South East Asia, it’s my pizza of choice. My go to pizza here is also unique as I’ll almost always go for whatever gimmick pizza they’re offering, and they offer some amazing choices. Some of note are the cheese volcano pizza (with a mini cheese volcano on each slice) and the cheeseburger pizza (with mini cheeseburgers baked into the crust). The gimmicks don’t always work, but they’re always fun to try.

Pizza Hut

Since this list is specific about what I love about this chain for take-away, and not eating in restaurant, I have to say that their deluxe (pepperoni, green pepper and mushrooms) is my go to pizza. I will often also include extra cheese as well. I also almost always go with the deep dish pizza as they seem to do it best when it comes to chain restaurants.

The Smelliest Chocolate Ever?

 This has to be the 5th or 6th time I've eaten durian for an episode of Chris, Why Would You Eat That?!! Am I starting to develop a taste for the world's smelliest fruit?

CC

Facts About Snacks

 I bet you have all kinds of questions about snacks, even if you didn't, I bet you do now. Why not feed your curiosity and pick up my comic called Snack Facts and learn everything you want to know about the treats you love.

Pick up Snack Facts right now at candycritic.org/snackfacts/buy.htm or on Amazon.

Almost Done With Review-a-Thons

Normally on my Monday post I talk about a subject that's associated with the new review I'm posting during the week, this week's going to be a little different. I've decided to stop posting a monthly candy review-a-thon. As you may or may not know, over the last few years, once a month I've been posting a new review every day for a week. I've decided to slow things down a bit and in the future (likely January) I will stop this regular deluge of new reviews. It's not that I won't ever post a review-a-thon again, I'm just not going to do it regularly anymore. I'm not even sure that anyone has noticed that I've been doing this, and it eases up my having to update candycritic.org on certain weeks.

Check out my latest review that is the beginning of this week's review-a-thon (and also the subject of an episode of Chris, What Would You Eat That?!!.

Pickle Pepsi?

KFC came out with pickle Pepsi and I just could leave well enough alone. The bonus is that with each pickle Pepsi, you also get some Pepsi flavoured pickles.

Lots of Blue Orchid To Read

 

You can actually pick up 3 chapters of Blue Orchid, my fun comic about a South East Asian girl with awesome powers.

Pick up all three issues at bewarethecheese.com/blueorchid/ or on Amazon.

Hotdog as a Flavour

I have to be honest, I'm not sure I've ever had a good hotdog flavoured treat. I'm also pretty sure I've never had a treat that tastes like a real hotdog. I'm not sure if making a treat taste more like a hotdog would improve it though. It's particularly weird because for the most part I enjoy eating hotdogs. So basically, I don't know if anyone could make a good hotdog flavoured treat, both because no one has made one that even partially tastes like a real hotdog, but also because I'm pretty sure hotdog as a flavour wouldn't work with any snack.

Check out the latest hotdog flavoured snack that I tried. It was creative but didn't really taste like a hotdog.