What's In A Name

I've never really given a great deal of thought about the names of treats until I got this bag of gummy candies. For some reason "Frogs Alive" sounded really dark. I think if you put it in the context of "I'm eating Frogs Alive", you might see where I'm coming from. This has made me think about other treat names, and how dark, weird or just wrong they might be. Nerds is a great example of just that, but I'm sure there are more. The problem is that many treat names become common place no matter how weird they actually are. Can you think of any treat or candy names that are just weird?

Find out how I felt about eating Frogs Alive (see what I mean).

This Week In Candy

My friend Randi posted a photo of what I can only describe as either the best, or worst name ever for a doughnut shop.  If you don't get the joke, chances are you may not want to. If you're too young or conservative to get it, then the first thing I can tell you is don't Google the name of this place (without the word doughnut).  While the name of this place is a little... edgy? The donuts look fantastic, and I think I may have to stop in this summer when I'm back in Toronto.

Make sure to check out our Instagram feed this week, also known as the "Snack Facts" feed, because we're looking at famous snacks that taste like oranges.  It's amazing how many famous treats taste like orange, and how many of these treats have some interesting histories.  If you're not on Instagram, we also publish our Snack Facts onto our Facebook page, Twitter feed, and our Tumblr feed.

The time for my triumphant return to Canada (for a little while) is near.  While I'm all excited about trying some classic treats from my past while I'm there, I'm also interested in trying some new things as well.  The problem is, I haven't really been keeping track with what's new in Canada.  If you happen to know of a new fun snack, candy, or junk food that I can't miss, make sure to let me know.

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Day 2 of Our Ritter Sport Review-a-Thon

Of the many treats that I've reviewed, from all over the world, Ritter Sport has the most awkward name to say, as a native English speaker.  The two words "Ritter" and "Sport" don't roll off the tongue together at all.  In fact I always find myself having to think a little harder when I say those two words together.  Stranger still is that although it is a German treat, they still use the word "sport", although according to my limited research there is no German word for sport.  Although I've also never seen a Ritter Sport bar that uses any kind of translation for the bar anywhere in the world.  I wonder if other languages find those two words together awkward to say as well.

Click here to read today's tasty Ritter Sport bar review.

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A Chocolate Bar Even Tinkerbell Could Love

I can't imagine how the bar from this week's review got the name, Pixie. There's nothing fairy like or whimsical about it at all, but that's the fun thing about candy.  You can name a candy bar just about anything you want, and it's pretty much accepted.  Sure, sometimes it's nice for the name of the treat to have an association with the bar, like Caramilk, or Big Turk, but it's not necessary.  Sometimes a bar can simply just have a fun name that has nothing to do with what you're about to eat.  Sometimes bars have names that are just complete nonsense and that's OK too.  This is one of the great fun things about candy.

Click here to read today's new review.

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I Just Love The Word Caramelicious

I can't say that I've ever heard a more appetizing word ever than "caramelicious".  It just sounds like warm sweetness melting in your mouth.  I'm sure that the name of this week's review "Caramelicious Slab" probably set my expectation of this bar pretty high.  Fortunately it wasn't too bad, although I'm not sure if it merits the caramelicious title.

Click here to read about the Caramelicious Slab.

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It's National Peanut Brittle Day!!!

One of my favorite aspects about candy naming conventions is the fact that the texture of your candy can be incorporated.  I think peanut brittle is the only time you ever want to hear the word brittle in your life.  Most of the time brittle is used in negative ways like, your bones are getting brittle, those bricks are brittle, and the steel on that bridge seems brittle.  It's never good news, unless you add peanuts.

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Australia/New Zealand Review-A-Thon - Hokey Pokey Milk Chocolate Bar

Is a "Hokey Pokey" an Australian/New Zealand thing?  I can't say that I've seen it anywhere else, but I can't say that I've looked either.  It sounds like it could be Australian, they seem to have an affinity for funny names for their food (for example they call McDonald's "Maccas").  I could easily see them calling the wonderful combination of honeycomb bits and chocolate something like hokey pokey.  It's not that it's a bad name, it's just not a name that many other places in the world would give to such a fine culinary delight.

Click here to read my Hokey Pokey review.

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Tuesday's Candy Links

Man finds strange green substance in Pay Day candy bar, I sure as heck want to know what it is.

Ever wonder where the Oh Henry Bar and Bananas Foster got their names?

"Can you fortify candy in order to make a nutrient content claim?" A question from the National Confectioners Association.

If you find yourself in Ampthill, you might want to check out the new and improved Sweet Sensations.

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Monday's Candy Links

If you're thinking of starting your own candy creation, think a little bit before you give it a name.

According to science, not only is chocolate yummy, but it might also protect you from the sun.

Lindt is teaming up with the Culinary Institute of America to help make the future of chocolate tastier and more creative.

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Thursday's Candy Links

Do you know what the "A" and the "W" stand for in A&W? How about N E C C O?  Well now you do.

USA Today has a great photo collection of wacky themed ice cream treats.

According to dentists, and it's pretty obvious, "Hidden Sugars Increase Risk Of Gum Disease", so eat candy, it's not hidden sugar at all.

The Royal Jubilee increased chocolate sales in London this past weekend... It might have helped that I was there too (more on that next week).

Cadbury also helped with the increase in chocolate sales with this awesome chocolate creation for the Jubilee.

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European Chocolate Bar Review-A-Thon - Part 5

While I don't base the scores of my reviews on packages, promotions, or names of treats, I have to admit that I decided to review this treat because of its name.  Cha Cha, sounds like it should be a lot of fun, and fortunately the treat managed to live up to its name.  So if you invent a candy, the name may not make you a great candy, but it might convince some people to try it.

Click here to read the Cha Cha review.

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Wednesday's Candy Links

Here are three facts you may not have known about Girl Scout Cookies, now stop reading and go buy some.

Here's a desperate attempt to claim that all candy bars are in fact named after sports figures.  Sure some are, but many are not.

Use candy to educate, it's pretty much the best idea to fix one of the worlds problems ever thought up.

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Viennese Review-A-Thon + A Little Something More

I'm going to do something that I don't normally do, I'm going to go a little further in the blog about the candy I just reviewed.  In this case this treat truly deserves about as much write up as one could possibly imagine.  It was a fine treat, it was tasty and original, but this treat also has the best (and most obscene) name that I think any innocent candy has ever had.

I'm not really sure what or who "Dickmann" is, but he sure has an unfortunate name, particularly if he wants to start marketing his namesake candy in the North America.  I'm also hoping that if he gains a great deal of success and moves to North America, that Mr Dickmann does something to make sure his kids aren't brutally teased in high school.  I would suggest either changing his last name, or giving away free Super Dickmann's to all of the kids at school.

On a side note, the packaging for this is also worth mentioning.  It has to be the most protective package I've ever seen for any treat ever.  They're fairly fragile, so it's useful, but most candy companies don't really think about this kind of thing.  The packaging was so good that I managed to fly my Super Dickmann's home in my suitcase with very little damage.

Click here to read the latest entry in our Viennese review-a-thon.

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Bars Called Mr.

There are so many bars in this world that have earned the moniker "Mr".  Mr. Goodbar, Mr. Big, and now Mr. Tom, I wonder what Sigmund Freud would say about this?  I choose not to think about this kind of thing too much, only because it will make me feel like a brute instead of the sensitive guy that I am.

Click here to read today's addition to the Bar Review-a-Thon.

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Stuff I Want To Try

"Excitemint” Flavored Gum - Pür Gum - It has a cool name - Click here to learn more about this treat.

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Ice Cream By Numbers

This is the first ever treat that I've reviewed that starts with the number 4.  I'm wondering if 4 is an unlucky or unworthy number in the candy world.  They say in entertainment, 3 is the best number, and there are lots of treats that feature the number 3.  5 is also a fairly popular number to feature on candy, but 4 really seems to be a rare find.

Click here to read today's addition to the ice cream review-a-thon.

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A Great Sprinkles Question

I never thought that "Sprinkles" (those little things that go on ice cream) could go by so many names.  The folks at Mental Floss decided to ask what other people called them.  The comments on the post are great.

Click here to read the post and the comments.

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The Smarties Debate Just Got Strange

For those unfamiliar with the "Smarties Debate" it's pretty simple.  In most of the world if you mention the word "Smarties" people will describe a candy coated chocolate similar to M&M's.  If you mention the word "Smarties" to an American, they'll describe those round pill like candies one often gets on Halloween (some call them rockets).  The US has their own Smarties, and many have no idea that the other Smarties even exist.  To add a new twist to this debate, Ce De Candies the manufacturer of the American Smarties, has officially changed their name to "Smarties Candy Co."  This might get interesting.

Click here to read about the name change.

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