Quick Easter Round Up

This might not be the last, but it certainly is the first of a great collections of Easter articles here on the blog.

The first link is a collection of DIY Easter treats that look surprisingly like some of the treats you'd find at the store.

Click here to see the DIY collection.

Here's an Easter article about New England's oldest candy store Phillips Candy House.

Click here to read about Phillips.

According to statistics people, we'll be spending more on candy this Easter than last year, that's probably true since the price of chocolate has gone up.

Click here to read about how much we're spending on candy this year.

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It's National Licorice Day

Time to pull out a twisty wire of red or black and chew till your jaw hurts.

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Free Ice Cream At Ben and Jerry's Today

Apparently today is free cone day, so stop reading this, get yourself some free ice cream, come back, and read some more candy stuff.

Click here to read more about the free treat.

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My Dislike of the Nazi's Has Just Increased

Apparently during the second world war, the Nazi's had planned to sabotage food by poisoning it.  Worst of all one of the target foods was chocolate.

Click here to read more.

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Nom, Nom, Nom, Photos

I just came across a great collection of food photos from a Tumblr site called "Nom Nom Nom".  Some of these photos are spectacular and make me wonder why I'm sitting at this computer and not sitting at the table eating a cake covered in gummy bears.

Click here to check it out.

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Bad Photos?

Buzzfeeds has a collection of stock photographs that are "Completely Unusable".  They're strange, they're wacky, and there are a few that feature sweet treats.

Click here to check them out.

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Pie Filling On Ice Cream

Well, Allison is out of town, and I thought I would pick myself a nice little ice cream treat to cheer myself up.  I decided that I would check out the various ice cream accoutrement available at my local store as well.  I saw all the chocolate, butterscotch and caramel sauces, but nothing stood out to me at all.  Then on the shelf I noticed that the cans of strawberry pie filling seemed to be implying that it was also good on ice cream.

I rarely pass up the opportunity to try a new treat idea, particularly one that is gelatinous and in a can.  So how was it on ice cream?

I have to say that it wasn't as successful as I'd hoped.  First of all the filling is a little thick to be poured on ice cream.  I was expecting a more syrup type application of strawberries with a few whole canned strawberries inside.  Instead it was more like pouring a Jello like jam substance on my ice cream, and as you can see it kept sliding off my ice cream into the bottom of the bowl.  The flavour was also super sweet, and mixed with a sweet ice cream it didn't work at all.  It needs the savory crust to balance it out a little.

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How Does One Type In Russian

This week's review is a Russian treat with a name I could only guess at.  I'm sure if I had a Russian typwriter I might have manged something a little better, but then I worry that you folks reading the reviews might not have the proper equipment on your computer to read Russian.  Then when you see the review, all you get is a bunch of squares.  So instead I did my best and I came up with "xonon'ok".  If you happen to know what this means please drop me a note.

Click here to read this weeks review.

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Strangest Easter Treat Ever?

While randomly scrolling through Think Geek (one of my favorite online stores) I came across what I can only describe as one of the best/strangest Easter Treats ever.  Maybe not for your traditionalist friend, but definitely for the weirdo in your life.

Click here to buy one.

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Edible Pen

Dave Hakkens has solved a problem that would have saved me a great deal of mocking in public school.  When I was in grade 3 I used to chew on my pencils, I chewed on them until they where pretty much just a pile of soggy wood.  It earned me the name (in French) Christian, Onion, qui mange les crayon (translated Christian, Onion, who eats pencils).  Dave Hakkens has created a pen that not only can you chew, but it's made of candy, so it tastes good too.  Mr Hakkens, you may have created the invention that will save the sanity of many pencil and pen eaters.

Click here to read about the edible pen.

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India Likes Candy

According to some new statistics India is turning into the fastest growing candy market in the world.  I'm really happy about that and I hope the folks in India are willing to share.  I'd love to try more traditional Indian candies and maybe with the growth of their import market, their export market will do the same.  That or I'll have to plan a trip.

Click here to read about India's sweet market.

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Donut Maker

DOUGH Donuts: A Far Cry From The Old Fashioned from SkeeterNYC on Vimeo.
If watching donuts getting made makes your mouth water and makes you run out the door and buy a dozen than you might want to skip this movie.  Particularly if you don't live in the New York area, because it might be a long drive, and the minute you see these donuts nothing else will do.

Video from Serious Eats

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You Can Own Colours

Did you know that you can trademark a colour?  Many companies have, including Cadbury and Coca-Cola.  You know you're serious about your marketing when you go this far.

Click here to read more about trademarked colours.

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Nestle In Russia

You may think that Russia is a new market for importing food products (at least since the fall of communism), but you would be wrong.  Nestle has been selling treats in Russia for 140 years and the business has just kept on growing.  In fact Nestle's business is so large in Russia that their largest manufacturing plant is located there.

Click here to read more about Nestle and Russia.

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Duncan Hines Had Secrets

According to this article from Mental Floss he had at least 5 little secrets that frankly seem a little strange.  Most strange is the recipe for his favorite cocktail.

Click here to read 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Duncan Hines.

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Expert Advice On Eating Easter Treats Healthy Like

I just read a health column that featured a letter from a reader that was concerned about the amount of sweet treats around during the Easter holidays.  Normally I don't really like these kinds of columns because they give unrealistic advice and condemn the candy world because it's an easy target.  However Karen Collins gives some pretty good tips on cutting down.  She promotes portion control, as well as making sure you sit down and enjoy whatever treat you're about to eat, so you get the full effect.  Good advice.

Click here to read the column.

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What Does PB Mean?

This doesn't make any sense, "P.B." is more likely to stand for "Punk Bulldog" than "Lots of real Peanut Butter". If they asked what "L.O.R.P.B" stood for I could see it.

Ad found on Vintage Ad Browser.

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Chocolate Wine

I've heard of wine and chocolate making a good pairing.  Many people suggest a little dark chocolate and a glass of red wine makes a stellar combination.  So why not simplify it and make a chocolate infused wine?  Done and done.

Click here to read about chocolate wine.

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Famous People Signing Easter Treats

What would be the best Easter gift ever for a Toni Braxton or Celine Dion fan?  How about a gold Lindt bunny signed by their favorite celebrity?  Lindt is auctioning off 85 gold bunnies all signed by famous people, all for a good cause.  If given the choice I'd probably bid on the bunny signed by Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick.  I figure Allison enjoys Sex in the City and I'm a huge Ferris Bueller fan, so we'd both win.

Click here to read more about it.

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Green and Black's New Eggs

The folks at Green and Black's have some new stuff this Easter and they sent me this note:

"Green & Black’s Organic Makes Easter Deliciously Unforgettable with Premium Organic Fair Trade Certified Chocolate Easter Eggs

Just in time for this Easter, the entire collection of Green & Blacks Organic Easter Eggs has been Fair Trade Certified.

“We are passionate about making the best tasting organic chocolate possible, contributing    to positive change and improving the lives of others,” says Emma Crabtree, International Development Manager for Green & Black’s.  “Whether you are entertaining family and friends or looking for the perfect hostess gift, Green & Black’s offers delicious, premium, organic chocolate to satisfy your Easter chocolate indulgences!”

Green & Black’s makes it easy to put all your eggs in one basket!  Known for its high-quality, premium organic chocolate bars, Green & Black’s — the world’s leader in organic and Fair Trade chocolate — offers a mouth-watering, indulgent Easter range made with fine, ethically sourced ingredients.  With Green & Black’s large Dark 70% and Milk Chocolate Easter Eggs and organic Mini Eggs, Easter will be more delicious than ever!

Green & Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate Egg celebrates the intense flavor of 70% dark organic chocolate spun into a 110g egg, creating a rich and satisfying taste experience.

Green & Black’s Organic delicious premium Milk Chocolate Egg is a 110g shell of cocoa rich milk chocolate containing 37% cocoa solids.

Green & Black’s Organic Mini Eggs are perfect for hiding or personal enjoyment:
·         Milk Chocolate Mini Eggs are made of 34% cocoa rich solids of milk chocolate and have a smooth milk chocolate soft centre.

·         Green & Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate Mini Eggs have a delicious bittersweet 70% dark chocolate shell and a smooth hazelnut and milk chocolate centre.

·         Green & Black’s Organic Butterscotch Mini Eggs are created with delicious milk chocolate blended with crisp, crunchy toffee – a decadent combination."

Now if you run a candy company and you want me to mention your treats, or even review them, say hello, and drop me a line here.  I don't like publishing comments that promote treats as much as giving them a full on post, that way I know they're legit.  You don't have to be a big company like Green and Black's, Hershey, or Cadbury to get my attention, in fact I really like small home start up companies.  Also I'll be keeping a particular eye open for Easter treats because I love to see what's new for every holiday.

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