Junk Fud and You - Candy Brands and Stores I Don't Mess With

 I answer the question, is there any candy brands or candy stores that I just won't deal with?

Pops Sweets an Treats – A Local Candy Store in Michigan

Over the next little while we’re going to feature candy stores all over the world that are bringing a little bit of sweetness into the world right now. We’re going to start with our friends at Pops Sweets an Treats in Mt Clemens, Michigan (USA).

This fun retro candy store is not only a place to buy candy, but it’s a destination.

They not only have a huge selection of bulk treats, but they have regular visitors to entertain the kids.

Pops Sweets an Treats also knows that it’s important to support the community, and they do their best to make sure everyone in the area is a little happier, and they’re always trying to make the world a better place to be.

While the doors are closed right now, because they want to make sure they’re keeping their community safe and following the local guideline, they still offer sweet treats for sale on their website.

So, make sure to check out popssweetsantreat.com (or facebook.com/popssweetsantreats) to see what they have for sale, and help support a fun retro candy shop trying to make the world a little sweeter right now.

(ED – This is not a paid advertisement, we here at Candy Critic want to help the local candy shops in this very difficult time. If you’re feeling down, and you need a little sweet treat, make sure to visit the website of your local candy shop, and consider placing an order, many are still open for curbside pick up or delivery. If you run a small sweet, snack or dessert shop, let us know, we’ll be happy to feature you on this blog and on our social media to let people know you’re still open for business.)

This Week In Candy

Today is the first day in a few weeks that I feel like myself.  I had a two week long cold that didn't knock me out, but it made me feel pretty tired every day.  But candy news and fun waits for no cold, and I spent the two weeks working on all kinds of fun things.  First of all, I had a quick 4 day weekend in Dubai, I took lots of pictures, and sampled a few fun candies.  I'll have a full write up on the trip later this week.

Recently, we also posted a question on Twitter to a few famous chefs, we asked them "What's the best candy to cook with?".  Overwhelmingly chocolate and cocoa ranked number one on the list.  Many of the chefs commented on how well chocolate works in both sweet and savory dishes.  Second favorite seemed to be candied fruit, which can also be used for many different savory and sweet dishes as well.  Probably the most surprising answer I got was the suggestion of using Red Hots candy in savory cooking.  I could see how it might work, but I think it would be a really tough challenge.

Also, all this week and last week we've been telling you guys about some of the cool candy themed t-shirts and greeting cards we have available at our store.  They make a great gift for any candy fan in your family, and all the profits go to keep this site up and free.

This week on Snack Facts, we're looking at the most famous of all Christmas candies, the candy cane.  We have a new candy cane fact going up every day on our Instagram feed.  If you don't use Instagram, you can also find the snack facts on our Twitter and Facebook feeds as well.

Finally, in continuing our line of holiday themed candies this month, today's new review is of a classic holiday chocolate that I would often find under the tree this time of year.  While the chocolates themselves don't really have a holiday theme, they're very much tied to the holidays for me.  Click here to read our Quality Street review.

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Gummy Bears Don't Play Nice

Gummy Bear Tug-of-War Tees by candycritic
Make unique customizable tee shirts online at Zazzle.

This is one of the first gummy bear themed t-shirts that I'd ever designed, and since then I've designed several more.  But while looking back at these two bears playing tug-or-war, it got me thinking.  Maybe I should design a series of t-shirts featuring gummy bears playing various sports.

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Fun Candy Related Site - The Worst Things For Sale

I just discovered this website called "The Worst Things For Sale".  It's a simple Tumblr site dedicated to really strange and horrible things you can buy.  Many of the items featured are candy related, like this Jolly Ranchers Watermelon candle.  The only thing worse than eating a Watermelon Jolly Rancher would be for my whole house to smell like one.

This rather inappropriate OREO Barbie will probably be a collectors items soon.

They also feature some candy related gadgets, that don't work very well, like this chip bag resealer that apparently overheats very easily.

Click here to check out more from "The Worst Things For Sale".

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Cards For Your Friends

Fields of Chocolate Strawberries by candycritic
Shop for greeting cards at zazzle.com

Nice friends send nice cards to nice people... are you nice?

Click here to check out our store and be a nice person by helping out the folks at Candy Critic.

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That's a Lot Of Gummy Bears

Circle of Gummy by candycritic
Learn where to sell art online with Zazzle.

And a lot of gummy bears would look really cool on your wall.

Click here to check out our other products in our store.

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Do You Love Gummy Bears?

Gummy Bear Tug-of-War by candycritic
Use Zazzle's shirt designer

Why not celebrate your love of these squishy little bears with this awesome t-shirt.

Click here to check out more stuff that we're selling, and help us keep this site up and running.

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Funny Gummy Bear T-Shirt

If Gummy Bears Could Dream by candycritic
View more Gummies T-Shirts

Gummy bears are not only tasty, but they provide for a great concept on a T-shirt.

Click here to check out more stuff that we sell.

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Ice Cream Fake

I was walking up the street the other day, and out of the corner of my eye I saw two signs in the window shaped like ice cream cones.  I thought that maybe a new ice cream place had opened up in my neighborhood and I was overjoyed.  Once I got up close to the place, I quickly realized that it wasn't a ice cream parlor.  Instead it was just a shoe store that for no apparent reason decided that deceiving people into thinking they sold ice cream is a good way to drum up sales.

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Grocery Store Sign Fail

It's funny because I've seen many a failed grocery store sign in my days, sure nothing as silly as "Pop Tards", but still pretty funny.  Here's a fun list of a few that have been making the rounds on the internet lately.

Click here to check out the list.

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IKEA Snacks Frustrating and Fantastic

On recent trip to IKEA I realized how strange a place it can be when it comes to snacking.  I say this because the entire store is filled with snacks that you're not allowed to eat.

Almost all of the jars on display where full of great looking treats, and glued shut.  I say "almost all" because the jar of gummy mushroom things in this photo was open and I had one.

When you finally get through most of the store you come to a restaurant that does have some great food, like this D'aim cake, but none of those cookies or gummy treats are available.  You eventually find that you can only get these treats at the end of the store, having already paid for your stuff and generally just interested in leaving the chaos of IKEA behind you. Why don't they have more snacks available throughout the whole store when I'm tempted by the display models.

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If You Happen To Pass Through Chattanooga...

Do take the train, but be careful when you buy your sweets. A store clerk in Chattanooga found a strange bag of what ended up being marijuana stuck between some candy in the sweets isle of a local store. The story in my head that would lead to such a situation involves the words "munchies" being used several times in one evening.

Click here to read the details.

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Pop Tarts World

What could possibly be wrong about an entire store dedicated to the best instant breakfast ever. I'm particularly interested in trying the Pop Tart sushi.

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Bubbles Chocolate?

I've never heard of or tried this "Bubbles Chocolate" but it sounds ok, and it sounds like it's getting really popular all over North America. I'll have to try and find myself a bar of it and maybe give it a review. The main reason I posted this article about the mass distribution of this new treat is so I could quote the CEO of Bubbles Chocolate when he said "Americans are ready for aerated chocolate". Now that's a statement.

Click here to read the whole article.

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Who Knew Milwaukee

I just finished reading this piece about a bunch of international bakeries in the Milwaukee area. I never really took that town as one with a rich culture like this, but I guess I'm wrong.

Click here to learn about these places.

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New Candy Store In Brooklyn

I love when the opening of a new store gets a little fanfare. This particular place looks pretty cool too, and lord knows New York needs more candy stores. I’m not being sarcastic either, for a place with like 13 million people you’d think candy stores would be everywhere.

Click here to learn about it, go to New York to check it out.

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It’s A Good Time to be in The Candy Business

Apparently Thortons, one of the UK’s biggest chocolate sellers had a great Christmas season this year. It’s just proving even more the idea that when financial crisis hits people buy candy.

Click here to read more.

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Tell the Peeps about the new store.

The folks at Peeps have opened a retail store near Washington DC. I’m not sure what they have but judging by the picture it’s more than just marshmallow birds. What I want to know is what is that giant Peep thing behind Ms Bassininski?

Click here to read more about it.

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Crazy Candy Store Mystery

The Chive has this great colourful picture of the famous Belgium statue. It looks like it might be decorations for a candy store and I want to know where.

Click here to check it out

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