Wisconsin Candy Dish

Pigging Out On Candy Canes

2011-11-21T16:52:00.001-06:00

Normally I'd shop for my criminally insane bacon products somewhere like stupid.com, so I was thrilled to look no further than the Urban Outfitters on lower State for these.

I also got a little blue tree which goes well with my favorite Christmas theme of late, If You Can't Beat Them, Join Them or A Tacky Little Christmas. Putting a hook through raw bacon might be more in line with the latter, but these will do pig, these will do.

After the horror of tasting holiday bacon hard candy, I think they're best treated as decorations or possibly a seasonal threat for profane children. As I'm sitting here with one stuck in my mouth like Ralphie in A Christmas Story, I find the trick is not to swallow.

How funny is it that Accoutrements Hanukkah Candy Canes (peppermint) are next to the Bacon canes on one page and a Moses action figure on another?

A Fistful of GrapeVines

2011-11-13T15:51:00.001-06:00

Coke or Pepsi, Twizzlers or Red Vines, I like all four, but now I love GrapeVines more.

You can almost taste the smell of grape. No, I'm not tripping, there's a distinct grape flavor that breaks through the five senses creating the sense of smell-taste, "smaste" as it were. Your Grape Jolly Rancher, Sun-Rise Grape Soda, and other fine grape pops have it (Grape Juicy Twists do not).

GrapeVines Purple Grape Twists have that honest, earnest retro grape flavor that works fresh or stale—I love a candy that, like fine wine and Peeps, gets better with age.

GrapeVines seem lighter and more addictive than RedVines, with a pleasant aftertaste minus the artificial flavor that makes you want to wash your mouth out with Dove. The candy, not the soap.

The American Licorice Company's Timeline has the Purple Grape Twists making an appearance in 2002, but I just found and tried my first "tray." I see reference to other Fruit Vines such as Orange (tempting), Green Watermelon, and Blue Raspberry (not). I don't, however, see where to buy them online, at least not on the first page of search results so I'm out. And since I can't remember where I got these, I'm making a mental note to start making mental notes where I get candy.

Mental Note: Invent edible mental notes.

Cinnabon Candy Canes

2011-11-09T12:59:00.001-06:00

Cinnabon. The name evokes sweet dripping sin and an aroma that make angels (on a diet) cry. That's all the label of 12 canes says, "CINNABON," and that's all it needs to say.

The candy canes, with their orange and brown stripes painted on butter cream white, are just in time for Thanksgiving. They would have been nice for your Halloween tree, yes, that's a thing, but I didn't notice them until they cleared out the Halloween stuff and jammed the aisles with Christmas decorations.

The first bite might not be as tantric as biting into a hot, gooey bun dripping with frosting on a bed of warm dough and cinnamon, but it's pretty, pretty, pretty good.

The essence of morning bun smacks your tongue with the unmistakable mark of Cinnabon and lingers there with a tantalizing combination of cinnamon and sugar. I got these at Walgreens, and see a few places that carry them online. Cinnabon candy canes are made by Spangler, best known for their classic peppermint candy canes, so I imagine they'll be in wide release.

Poppin' Cane: Candy Cane Tootsie Pop Drops

2011-11-06T00:35:00.001-05:00

The idea of minting up a Tootsie Pop Drop seemed repugnant on a sunny autumn day. Then I sampled as I photographed, as is my custom, and am currently working my way through the 3.5 oz box.

Too much drop, not enough Tootsie was my first thought, now I'm just worried I'll run out. The center of the Candy Cane Tootsie Pop Drop is about the size of chewed Chiclets, so although not big enough, delicious just the same. The one broken peppermint drop I found seemed to benefit from the break more than a fractured orange or grape or cherry Pop Drop.

Instead of sweet and salty or sweet and sour, Candy Cane Tootsie Pop Drops are sweet and minty and hard and chewy. The peppermint is a good, hearty flavored drop which could rival any cane and begs the question, wouldn't a Tootsie Roll Pop Candy Cane be cool.

The box is a little busy, but the silver pouch is a great color choice, keeps the candy fresh, and opens easier than any packet of candy I've ever torn into. It's a good choice for movie sized—easy to open in the dark, not too noisy, easy to sneak in and would sell well at the counter. I bet they'd go over great in a candy dish and the weather might help prevent hard candy stick.

It might be a little early to sample Christmas candy and crack open filbert nuts with meat mallets, but build it (point of purchase displays and candy aisles) and they'll succumb.

Halloween Leftovers

2011-11-03T23:52:00.005-05:00

Out of ideas for leftover Halloween candy, might I suggest a maggot and tomato sandwich. Except for the gelatin, the It's Alive Creepy Crawly Sandwich with Marshmallow & Gummy Candy is vegan. So I guess it's not then.

It's a 4.9 oz grotesque gummy marshmallow sandwich made in China and distributed by Riviera Brands. The stomach churning behemoth comes in a half sandwich shaped plastic container, then another plastic wrapper which goes a long way to explain its outstanding taste, plastic. The wrappers are helpful because granulated sugar falls off the candy bread as soon as you open it.

The smell is not pleasant, like something approaching black licorice marinated in Vick's Formula 44.

It's hefty. The marshmallow sandwich has the opposite of an aftertaste, it has a foretaste. Before you taste it, you know you shouldn't be eating it.

A dignified nibble—who am I kidding—treats you to a mouth full of something as organic as a Lady Gaga lettuce dress. It's far worse if you also get a bite of gummy whatever. The sickening smell comes more from the gummy fixin's than the thick marshmallow slices. There's a combination of plastic, perfume, and possibly rubber flavoring at play. The pickle, lettuce piece might have been green apple and a peck at the worm maggot wasn't as indigestible as the rest.

Better used as a threat, weapon, or a prop, you'd be better off with real maggots and spiders and hard pressed to tell the difference. Was that last part too much?

Goo Goo Gone Wild

2011-10-28T19:10:00.000-05:00

Pleasant View Candy Shop Goo Goo Bars, eight ounces of Amish candy from Soldier's Grove by way of The Shoe Box, is one of those chewy, gooey, mawkish messes that gets inside your head until you take it in your jaws like a werewolf tearing through flesh even though you had no intention of ever touching it because it was for your parents who treat Amish candy like Kosher wine at seder.

Wait, "Ma, I'm not Jewish."

The Amish Goo Goo Bar is built with piles of mini marshmallows, junk chocolate, and globs of caramel. I believe the slab capable of moving across the desktop and running amuck. I fully expect it to pop out of my stomach Alien-style later.

A quick whiff could put ten pounds on your arse and send the plastic container into reactive hypoglycemia. Okay, I'm done now.

I thought it was turtle candy at first, then thought it something you have to shove in your mouth without thought or warning damn the consequences. It's the thick caramel seductively sliding off the marshmallows that get you.

This brick needs nuts or a cookie to counter the onslaught of sugar. Less than half—which is still a lot—makes you want low sodium soup, or multi grain bread, or spinach or grass or grits or something.

I do like how the caramel lingers, but the last thing this hunk of calories needs is a foundation of lousy chocolate. If ever a dessert screamed for crunch and salt, it's the Pleasant View Candy Shop Goo Goo Bar.

It was surprisingly less than appalling with diet Mtn Dew.

Crunchy Bones

2011-10-25T13:37:00.000-05:00

In other words, these Skeleton Bones are crunchy Cheetos with white cheddar. Although none of the skeleton bones are detailed to look like either skeletons or bones, the color is a sickly white and would look good in a ghoulish serving dish.

The white cheddar adds a lighter and less savory twist which gives you more crunch than flavor, making them seem stale.

Yet there's a consistency to the airiness of the corn snacks, making me wonder if they're supposed to be heavier on crunch than taste. There should be more complexity to the lackluster cheese flavor, but since the bones are a one-time holiday snack, it might not really matter. They're more addictive than they should be and could be fun at parties.

They're also short on crumbs and don't stain your fingers. I'm not sure if the packaging is simple or bold, but I'd want to leave the package around or label the dish to let people know they're skeleton bones, not stale white Cheetos.

World Market's Skeleton Bones aren't the worst thing I've washed down with beer, but much of their charm depends upon knowing they're skeletal remains. Okay for the season, I'd look elsewhere to satisfy my corn curl Jones.

Twix A Box and a Hard Place

2011-10-20T22:52:00.002-05:00

An enthusiastic I'm assuming young man named Brad sent me a grocery store sized box of crunchy caramel-dripping candy bars on behalf of Twix. I ate one and felt the need to drive around town until the other 35 were gone and out of reach. I didn't have to drive far.

I hilariously attacked the box after a manicure when I'd gotten enough open with a dull scissors to see what was inside. I then turned into a far less co-ordinated version of Edward Scissorhands, snipping at every possible angle while holding my nails aloft. Long story short, manicure ruined, Twix consumed in inhuman manner in a parking lot while two women watched from a car in what was either shock or admiration.

That hit of sugar sent me straight to a computer to rave about the first candy bar I've had in I don't know how long. The devilish milk chocolate draped over the crunchiest bit of heaven to hold up a pillow of caramel—my cell phone vibrates—it's my dad, he locked his keys in his car. He gives me only a name of a road and hangs up. This particular road is long enough to connect to another town.

When I called back, he to be told that he was on a hill, then, by a bank (which bank and for that matter what kind of bank, the place where I have no money or an upward slope? ). After circling the parking lot of a savings and loan he used in the seventies, I found him strolling out the front door, cup of coffee in hand. He had no problem posing for the photo as all Dempsey-Olsons are trained to do at birth.

My mother, being a Farino, came out when she heard the words "candy bar" and grabbed a handful for the "girls at the dentist's office." I didn't ask, but questioned the sedition of bringing two handfuls of candy bars into a dentist's office. Yet I knew that's what she was going to do, those candy bars right there. Love the expression on my dad's face.

As long as I was in the old neighborhood I thought of of Jackie and Bob.

Since I haven't given one of our best taste testers (in the blue slippers) much to do since last summer I decided to drop by her kitchen, which smelled of garlic, oregano, and the caliber of artichoke you'd crawl over your starving sister to eat with your bare hands. I got rid of another handful in the Clementi kitchen, but after I left I realized some pretty serious sweet tooths—teeth?—would be up for a birthday party, I should have left more. The party is for my Uncle Phil, whose real age no one seems to know. I'm going with 100. Ish.

Off to Aunt Em's who called to say she had the perfect birthday card for Uncle Phil. Read it, it really is. And the inside says "To hell with the cake...Bring on the girls!" which, if you know Uncle Phil, and chances are you do, is spot on.

I finally returned to the computer which was doing something spastic when I got back, and am glad to say there's nothing left to tempt me but a lone Twix wrapper (which I'll lick in private later).

Taken with three different cameras, two of them emergency point and shoots.

Kitty Litter

2011-10-11T00:19:00.000-05:00

This Poopin' black cat candy dispenser is a hateful thing that yowls, howls, and meowls at every bump or whenever I throw it across the room. It sat in the back of the car and my bag long enough for its mrrow mrroww mahhrrr mrrow mrroww mahhrrr to work its way into my skull like an ice pick.

Another Galerie product (which has come to mean colorful candy with fruity overtones), the cat looks utterly stoned. They're calling the SweeTarty Smarties type litter "Candy Balls." The balls are the size they had in every princess wand and dime store toy before choking hazard was common parlance, so beware. It's for ages 3 and up, but I don't like the size of those balls.

The kitty litter balls are lively lovely shades of Halloween green, violet, and orange. They're tasty and give way between your teeth without a fight, which is good because they aren't for savoring or sucking.

The pooping mechanism never worked, but it was fun to rip the thing's head off and put the candy in the litter box/Trick Or Treat bag. It does beg the question, "What's up with all the pooping candy dispensers?"

Despite could do with out this one, or any one of the endless line of evacuating plastic characters, although I'm considering some poopin' turkeys to spice up the table this Thanksgiving.

Spooky Little Ghoul Like You

2011-10-07T18:24:00.000-05:00

Lifesavers Spooky Shapes Gummies are more box than candy. And this box has unnecessarily sharp corners which is fitting for Halloween but not great for someone whose neuroses spike around the holidays. The graphic looks good against a spooky booger green, but you have to pull out the silver pouch to get to the candy and there's no easy way to leave it in the box while snacking. I did like how the slanted end fastened tightly when at rest.

Getting to the Candy
The gummy shapes aren't easy to distinguish and I had to guess the flavors before tracking them down. A few were better than I remembered Gummies 5 Flavors being, and the rest are the reason I don't like them.

Cherry (my guess was Wild Cherry) - The cherry reminded me of the Wild Cherry hard candy roll, one of two Lifesavers I'd buy for myself. A close approximation to the hard candy.
Green Apple (my guess was Green Apple) - It's a pretty objectionable taste and doesn't do the shapes any favors. It reminded me of the days when green Jujyfruits got tossed at the bad parts of a bad movie. I guess that would be most of the movie, but the point is, the masses didn't care for mint Jujyfruits and the bitter Green Apple is ripe for the tossing.
Watermelon (my guess, Some Kind of Citrus or Possibly Passion Fruit) - Any kind of watermelon candy is more hit and miss than usual, but it's also easier to make stand out. This gummy was pretty middle of the road, much like Lifesavers Gummies.
Strawberry (What, One of These Is Supposed to be Stawberry?) - Where, which one, huh?
Blackberry (I guessed Blueberry) - It could have been blueberry, blackberry, maybe boysenberry or mulberry, but an appetizing berry flavor that added variety and dash.

My favorite Lifesavers delivery system is the classic roll and unless they come up with a kickass sucker or a better candy cane, I don't see that changing. And as much as I appreciate the pineapple and orange from the updated (2003) 5 Flavor roll, I don't think you can beat Wild Cherry or Butter Rum. So I'm a traditionalist and despite knowing you need to make new products to make new money, don't see the sense in forcing a classic hard candy into a gummy.

Here's a new take on an old classic that's more fun with fewer calories.

Autumn Corn Nuggets

2011-10-03T16:11:00.000-05:00

Corn Nuggets, yes I see it now. Cornholio jokes aside, Kimmie Candy Company's chocolaty Kettle Corn Nuggets are the unholy offspring of kettle corn and an M&M kind of coating. Then there's a Sugar Pops aftertaste to put an accent on the hearty corn snap.

There's a strong corn nut flavor running through each well proportioned piece. Their website has two more flavors, multicolored and—eek—Habanero. The Sweet & Hot Habanero are all red nuggets, more for the Flamin' Hot Cheetos crowd. The spicy cinnamon wasn't unbearably hot, but I thought it at odds with the sweet crunch and chocolate. I preferred the Autumn mix which let you taste the candy without the distracting heat.

First you taste the hard candy shell, the light chocolate, then an almost honeycomb crush followed by corn pieces which linger on the tongue. The candy is attractively colored and packaged in a rectangular tube which is easy to open and keeps the candy in one place, most likely your mouth.

There's a slight stale taste compensated by passable chocolate and sugary corn. Autumn Kettle Corn Nuggets are something different and fun to eat with a click-tight container you can work with one hand.

Butterfingers Pumpkin

2011-09-28T23:49:00.000-05:00

Buying individual Halloween candy from the fancy shelves can be pricey, but don 't let Butterfingers pieces in milk chocolate Butterfingers Pumpkins tempt you.

There's more detail in the carved Jack-o'-lantern than usual and the curve of the pumpkin lends itself to being crammed with pieces of candy while resting flat on top of your beer bottle.

Unfortunately the pumpkin is more cheap too sweet chocolate than Butterfingers and ultimately fails because of it. There are a few small embedded chunks which only serve to make you want a Butterfingers candy bar.

You're better off with a 21 or 10 gram snack sized Butterfingers if you like the fun size. (The link to the official Butterfingers site gives you pop up windows over each Butterfingers product which I thought was cool.) The 34g Pumpkin left me with all of the guilt and none of the gratification.

Sugar Legs

2011-09-25T20:48:00.000-05:00

I knew it was time to start reviewing, or at least eating, Halloween candy when I saw this giant spider guarding piles of Hershey's Kisses and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups at Copps.

Hot Tamales Cotton Candy

2011-06-24T20:22:00.000-05:00

Hot Tamales Cinnamon Flavored Cotton Candy is a great idea that twirls one of my favorite childhood candies into spicy spun sugar. Despite an initial burst of something too strong, it's perfectly sweet and peppery.

The flavors perk up when the tufts melt in your mouth and turn into a melty crunch. I love how the familiar cinnamon sting follows the sugar residue.

The pink clouds of spiced cinnamon are addictive with 37 sugars in half a bag if you're counting. It's a pretty close Hot Tamales approximation and should please the red hot, red dollar, and atomic fire ball crowd.

Bonus: My almost twenty something cousin and Dish taste tester said "i wish I could like this multiple times" when I posted the photo on Facebook.

Chewable Liquid Taffy

2011-06-20T20:16:00.000-05:00

If you like eating toothpaste or snuck baby aspirin as a kid, you probably still won't like liquid Chewbies. The tube of orange glop may be a fun looking liquid sugar delivery system, but it puts the "desp" in desperate, the" err" in emerrgency candy.

Maybe it's a popular playground food, if you're pivy to this information please let me know. And speaking of privy...never mind. The only thing extreme about this Extreme Creations taffy is that it would make an extremely sticky super adhesive.

It's more tacky than taffy, and hard to dispense without creating an insect frenzied mess. You wouldn't believe the state of the photo site, especially after I tried cleaning up with paper towels.

Milk Chocolate Coated Licorice Bites

2011-06-17T16:39:00.000-05:00

That's right, chocolate coated black licorice. Before you say "blech" and switch channels, it's not what I expected and might not be what you think. Or maybe it is.

I grabbed these Walgreens Candy Classics in an adventurously munched out moment without knowing the esteemed Kookaburra makes a similar product.

One cautious bite into a juicy piece of chocolate revealed soft Aussie black licorice smothered in thick milk chocolate. The smell of the bag was deceiving, wafting solely of cocoa, and the smooth chocolate made a happy match for the bite of black licorice. The two distinct tastes complimented each other in texture and flavor. There's a soft crunch to the milk chocolate and the anise flavor lingers on your tongue.

Walgreen's Candy Classic Milk Choc Coated Licorice Bites, are more than bite-sized and more than the concoction of a munchies craving gone wrong. Intense and mild, sharp and smooth, soft black licorice and milk chocolate coating were an unexpected nosh.

Mike and Ike Fruit Twists

2011-06-13T03:39:00.000-05:00

Mike and Ikes are one of those brands that scream "don't mess with a good thing" yet last I checked there were nine flavors. The really good thing in my sugar coated book is the imitable grape Jolly Joes so I don't really care what they do with strawberry or green apple.

Neither filled twists are in the same league as the Original Fruits or the mouth watering grape Joes, but they do what we've all been thinking or trying to do on our own, combine sour powder and sweet licorice. I enjoyed the crunch of the sugar filling. Although these try to mimic the classic Mike and Ike taste, the twists are more tart while maintaining the sweetness of the crunchy jelly capsule.

The Strawberry Filled Twists have an almost overwhelming smell and are so slick and slippery I couldn't clamp down when I tried to nosh and type. This could be an any berry flavor although they seemed oddly thicker and more rectangular than the other two. Is it just me? Probably.

Green Apple and Watermelon are paired together in a King Size 3.3 oz bag with the Green Apple having a weird, oily after taste and the Watermelon twist having the same with the most artificial taste of the three. Because green apple Jolly Ranchers set the standard for this flavor, the green apple Twists were comparatively sub par.

You can't suck the filling out or hold on to it too well, so munch down on a solid idea with a shaky aftertaste.

Dots Peach Sour Slices

2011-06-09T19:53:00.120-05:00

At some point I started putting Dots in my movie popcorn instead of Jujyfruits. I was no longer a child but had no intention of putting away childish things. Along with my cousin, I'd chuck green Jujyfruits at the screen when the movie got as bad as the gag inducing mint flavor. Yes, back then they were mint. Horrid little things. I mean the green Jujyfruits, not us, but either way.
The rest of the box was great, one of my favorite candies to this day, but at some point during the movie frenzied 70s and 80s we decided to broaden our movie candy horizons and try Dots. Not an ugly mint drop in the box.
According to the Tootsie website, Dots flavors hadn't changed from 1945 to 2003 when Tropical Dots were introduced. I remember having fun with Dots Elements in 2008, although I only found three of the flavors and have yet to taste Earth. Tasting Earth, that would make a great name for a band. I'm pretty sure I saw them at Shopko recently, will take a look.
Everyone loved the Yogurt Dots we tried at a La Crosse game that same year and both brands took a lovely photo.
This will be my first taste of actual candy in almost three weeks, so be gentle.
The first bite of Dots Sour Peach Slices was sour indeed, and immediately followed by an infusion of peach that reminded me of fruit pie. The sour sugar coating stayed on my lips and made me want more.
The second bite wasn't as good as the first, with a little artificial flavor coming through and the last taste on your tongue and lips a bit too sour. Since I'm only allowing myself the one Dot, my impression might be different if I ate more, but I suspect the Sour Slices are too sour and only become more so the deeper you dig.
Nice try, good fruit flavor choice, but I'd like to see a nice juicy peach Dot without the sour coating. They also come in Watermelon and Grapefruit, but I don't know why either would taste better.

At The Lake Mills Farmers Market

2011-06-02T17:01:00.120-05:00

There's nothing quite like a Farmers' Market to make you want to fill your plate with fresh vegetables.

Kettle corn is a vegetable, right?
I wanted to go for a bike ride and was feeling feisty enough to deal with the miserable geese who chase and snap at bikers on the Glacial Drumlin Trail (though not up for the rash of bike muggings around town).
After navigating around trucks and pipe—both the bike trail in Lake Mills and the South Stacks at Memorial Library are under construction along with pretty much the entire city of Madison—I happened upon the Lake Mills Farmer's Market in one of the most charming parks in the state.

This place is gorgeous and small town without that creepy Stephen King overtone. Although I'm not so sure about the guy on the bike (follow the white hand and finger). He inspired me to start a folder of background dirty looks.
And as much as these homemade cookies and God help me free samples tempted, I did not cave. Maybe it was the guy on the bike judging me. I do know the little girl's mom was making mmm yummy sounds.

I love this kid's expression though. I'll have to ask about the egg crate of what looks like farm fresh eggs. You know, it's really hard to take photos in the kind of sunlight we had yesterday, but no complaints, a frabjous day!
Right, Tara? Tara the Wheaten Terrier sparked a little bit of debate on the Dish Curtain Facebook page.
Number of Eyes: More than one, less than three.

The Lake Mills Farmers' Market goes from May through October every Wednesday from 2 pm to Dusk, although I know Dorothy (left) has been there first thing furnishing pastry to those with an early morning sweet tooth.

Commons Park
200 Water Street
Lake Mills, WI

From their Facebook Page:

To become a vendor stop by on market day and visit the Main Street Tent next to the picnic shelter. Here you can meet the manager and pick up an application. Same day set up is allowed if there is space! Only $5 per day or $75 for the season. You can also see the rules and application online at www.lakemillsfarmersmarket.com.

Going 'round In Circles All The Time or No Sugar For You!

2011-05-28T11:45:00.104-05:00

The last candy I ate before I started overreading was a Grape Juicy Twist. Overreading is like overeating, but done online and potentially more dangerous.
I've been reading about Vertigo because "I'm so dizzy, my head is spinning" and there may be connections to almost everything good to eat or drink and the intrusive condition.
Until I get that coveted ENT appointment (guess I'll have to sit and spin until August), the Dish will be reducing it's sugar intake. Ironic, ain't it.

Meanwhile, I've turned to fruit. It's a healthier source of sugar in which I immediately overindulged.
When I looked at the nutritionist with sad velvet painting puppy dog eyes I talked about a candy blog I can't seem to quit, and she said, "Okay, don't worry about fruit for now."
No one has ever said that to me before.
I'm not quite ready to revise the name of the blog, but here are some possibilities:

* The Wisconsin Fruit Dish
* The Wisconsin Randy Dish—Feeling Amorous In The Dairy State From Eating All That Fruit
* The Wisconsin Sandy Fish (I have photos for that)
* The Wisconsin Candy Wish
* The Madison Blues (already taken, but that doesn't seem to stop people)
* No More Sugar Makes Jeanna Something Something

I'll work on it.
Expect more novelty candy, random fruit smoothies, lower sugar snacks, and photos using all but the one bit of candy I'll eat with a hearty let's see what happens attitude.
Let's see what happens.

Grape Juicy Twists

2011-05-22T10:46:00.041-05:00

I had a green licorice Jones as a kid and was thrilled to see flavored licorices popping up years ago. But back when All Day Suckers dared you to finish them in less than 24 hours, green licorice was mint. Today they're Green Apple with flavors like Rootbeer and Cinnamon spicing up a zany selection.

But where's the mint? Not at Shopko.

Shopko, which is slowly making a run for post worthy candy, had a few Juicy Twists flavors— if you want to see them all look on the Kenny's Candy website.

I've had the Green Apple and that kind of fruity tartness along with the softer chew wasn't for me. Green Apple is one of those flavors that can easily go awry, but even the most artificial grape something can be passable.

I found the Grape Twists passable, but dull. They smell more tempting than they taste, and a bite or two of the Twists not sacrificed for a photo shoot didn't make me long for more.

Nutty Package Disappoints

2011-05-18T18:32:00.183-05:00

It was nice to hear from the makers of the Twin Bing, one of the first nostalgic candies I talked to Deb of Debbie's Sweets 'n Treats about while she still had the store in Oak Creek. (You can order from their booming online business.)
A candy enthusiast can get excited when talking about a nostalgic favorite like the Twin Bing, so it was disappointing to sample the Palmer's Candies sent via what looked like an organ donor box. The photos were more fun to take than the candy to eat.
I'll start with the good news: The large Styrofoam box was stuffed with air pillows and did well through all the early spring hots and colds, chills and spills.
The Kiddie Chow was okay, pretty much the Puppy Chow I make each Christmas, so much easier than the elaborate cut outs the boys used to want—truly a Christmas miracle when they started asking for Puppy Chow instead of Christmas cookies.

Palmer's chow tasted like a Kit Kat and could pass for a crowd pleasing snack, nice and crunchy with the right amount of peanut butter in the center. Keep in mind I'm not one for peanut butter candy except for peanut brittle and the ridges and very top of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and this was a peanut butter themed sampler.

The Peanut Butter Crispy Yums weren't. Maybe it's because I've been dealing with a stubborn bout of veritgo (sugar makes things worse), that I'm comparing the value of Sugars to taste—there is not 19g worth of yum to every 40g of Crispy Yum.
I can't recommend the chocolate and would be surprised if anyone else could. The peanut butter was extra sweet in the Crispy Yum which was too rich and sweet all around.

The Chocolate Peanuts had the same unpleasant taste. They didn't hold up well when placed in a plastic sandwich bag and exposed to who knows what in the back of my car for who knows how long, and maybe that's a good thing. This is a generic tasting chocolate lacking any kind of complexity.
My taste testers didn't have much to say except "To be honest, it wasn't the best. The chocolate tasted more like wax than chocolate." Jackie added, "The puppy chow was ok."
The peanuts were crunchy and I didn't get a bad nut, so there you go, ending on a positive note.

Flipflops & Ice Cream Cones: Galerie Lollipops

2011-05-14T11:45:00.037-05:00

Succumbing to a novelty lollipop makes you wonder about their history and who really invented them. A Brit may have coined the name, but we'll look to 1908 Racine for the invention of a lollipop machine. Score another one for Wisconsin.
It's hard not to think of what should have been the Seinfeld series finale—called The Betrayal, it took you backward through the story as you watched Kramer's lollipop get bigger—when thinking giant sucker. Every kid's dream, one of the easiest candies to draw, and the coolest Oz accessory besides the witch's broom.
These two Galerie lollipops screamed "summer" and although made in China and all that may infer, were fruity, tasty, fun, and more than I could handle. Watch out for sharp edges.
The orange sherbet flip flop was fun to slurp, but the hard sugar flower was initially rough on the tongue and sharper than it looks. But that didn't last too long and eventually the sucker cracked nicely, making it easy to consume despite final sharp corners. About one third flip flop was enough for me in one sitting.

I was impressed by how distinctive the cone and ice cream flavors were in the pink cone pop. The ice cream tasted and even smelled like bubble gum. The cone seemed like an artificial though not unpleasant butterscotch with a hint of peppermint. The two flavors went together nicely and the more you worked the lollipop, the more peppermint flavor came from behind the bubble gum. This sucker also cracked nicely and more quickly at the top of the cone. I thought the bubble gum after taste was a final smile.
They're a good size, just thick enough, and conducive to waving about by the sturdy plastic stick.

Summer Lovin': The Marshmallow Cone

2011-05-11T18:49:00.006-05:00

With Babcock only a few traffic snarls away, it's always time for ice cream. And when the weather goes from snowing to 84 in a week, a marshmallow cone is a nice compromise.
I understand the nostalgic appeal of the mallow cone. If you were a frugal penny candy buyer as a child, mini cones were a colorful high ticket item that only made their way into your paper bag if you were splurging.
This is a much larger and ponderous version of the retro mini marshmallow cone that I found at Shopko.
There were a few other tempting summer themed treats along side the striped patio glasses and orange beach towels at Shopko, but the marshmallow ice cream cone is only 170 calories and contains no fat. So why not.
But then again would you care about nutrition facts if you're willing to chow down on an ounce plus of garnished marshmallow.
The marshmallow ice cream is thick and rubbery and not as much fun as the classic mini marshmallow cone. It does come with a real wafer cone which has its own wrapper, and there's a cool sugar swirl and fake jimmies on the fake ice cream.
The Galerie Marshmallow Cone is neither Peep nor classic mini, but I suspect many will be given to kids who are going to toss them after a few bites anyway.
Not quite emergency candy, better to look at than to eat, this marshmallow cone is still amusing and a sure sign that summer will jump over spring like it usually does and bring all sorts of weird and wonderful sugar along with it.

Easter Bunny Leftover

2011-04-26T17:08:00.099-05:00

A chocolate bunny is often the center piece of an Easter table or basket. But despite being center stage it can keep watch over aging Peeps if it's the kind with nasty, dyed, hard frosting and insanely sweet waxy chocolate product.
Not the case with the Madeline milk chocolate bunny I found at Shopko, which has been giving Tarjet a run for it's money in the candy aisles.

The 4 oz. chocolate wrapped in "Italian Foil" (I don't know what that is, I only found sites about fencing) smells milder than the too sweet commercial chocolate and from the first bite you can tell it's different. Smooth with a bite, pleasant aftertaste.

This bunny wafted a promising blend of chocolate my way even as I untangled it from its gold foil. There was a well balanced sweetness which offered good texture in a solid bite. It was easy to break apart, pleasant to chomp into, and had the slightly sharp overtone I crave in milk chocolate.

Wrap It Up

2011-04-19T16:27:00.011-05:00

I love these Russell Stover 2 oz. assorted chocolate four packs. You can throw the festively wrapped boxes in any give Easter basket with no fuss and very little muss.
Calling these "Fine Assorted Chocolates" is the perfect description. The Kansas City, Mo chocolates are exactly that, fine.

These aren't Candina's chocolates, nor should they be unless you're making a very expensive gourmet basket, but the assorted chocolates are a step up from much of the more fun than refined mainstream mold chocolates.

There's a toasty coconut milk chocolate, a rich chocolate cream dark chocolate, the mandatory milk chocolate caramel, and what tastes like maple cream in dark chocolate. All are a welcome break from some of the more pedestrian Easter fare.

Junior Mints Pastels Pale

2011-04-13T15:42:00.001-05:00

Taking a break from jelly beans, I tried several Limited Edition Junior Mints Pastels. Limited Edition, like it's a box of Star Wars collectibles.

They don't live up to their Christmas cousin, Junior Mints Peppermint Crunch, but are saved by the traditional gooey mint filling. There is plenty of that, being a Junior Mint, but the thick mint ooze stuffed inside each bite isn't enough to recommend this version.
These were another out of a bag of beaten up and forgotten Easter candy in better shape than they should be. Sure, a few of the round bites stuck to the inside of the box and some smacked of cardboard, but they were surprisingly edible.
Like Sweetarts Jelly Beans, they were quickly addictive without being a top shelf seasonal candy choice.
The downfall to the Pastels was the smooth shell. It had an artificial white chocolate taste which was like eating cake decorations or stale Smooth & Melty Mints. They did melt in your mouth, but I didn't want them to. In all fairness the stale taste was most likely due to my general mistreatment of Easter sugar.
The familiar chilly filling made them disappear from the aging box, but still no sticky thumbs up. The unappealing smooth shell had pretty robin's egg blue and chick yellow colors, perfect for the season, but ultimately tanked the candy.
I'd seek out their Peppermint Crunch or stick to the original.

Sweetarts Jelly Beans

2011-04-08T13:14:00.000-05:00

Sweetarts Jelly Beans taste enough like Sweetarts to earn the name. The candy shell is easily separated from the spongy middle by a light crunch. The candy coating flakes off nicely on the tongue and this Easter jelly bean entry doesn't disappoint.

The cherry Sweetarts Jelly Bean is a tart pink spark, and the orange hints of citrus. There's as Easter purple which is a recognizable sour grape, green tastes like a green apple gum ball, and yellow is a bright lemon pinch. I found the Blue Punch (blue) an indistinguishable mishmash.
Let there be no mistake, this candy is addictive and seems to get better the more you eat it. They beg to be sampled one at a time, not because the flavors are strong or to be savored, but because the tart is just right and eating them that way tastes better.
I didn't find any of the happy spring colors on my hands or clothes, and Sweetarts Jelly Beans, like much of the Easter candy I had stashed in my car long before Easter, held up remarkably well in cold and warmish weather.
They'd be great in little baggies or see through eggs because the hues are attractive and seasonal.

Dip Me In Chocolate And Call It Easter

2011-04-04T14:27:00.112-05:00

I started out my candy quest for this post fighting the tangle of roadwork on the way to a place in West Allis intriguingly called Half Nuts. Unfortunately I tossed out Google Maps for directions from the source which led me in the circle of closed ramps which is Milwaukee. Makes you wish Miller Park were even further west, say Lake Mills.
So I'm reviewing these, Jelly Belly's Jelly Bean Chocolate Dips, the bean you want waiting for you and they end of Lent if you've given up candy. Or, if you're going to break your promise to God, the jelly bean you want to do it with. Break your promise I mean. Never mind.
The bags are incredibly easy to open, the chocolate is better than mosts. The bean itself is powerful, and the candy shell is replaced by creamy, rich chocolate with a kick.
There's a big difference going from flavor to flavor that's almost jolting. I found the cherry the most delicious and hard to put down, thinking it might be better mixed in the bag with just the gel, no chocolate.

Coconut
Overall they scream Almond Joy or Mounds bars, both of which I love. This would be a nice summer party candy or snack. There's less of a difference going from coconut to orange, but from cherry to coconut, wow, it's as if you're eating on a
whole
other
level.
Very Cherry
They're flavored with black currant and does best what Jelly Belly does so well–it tastes the way you want a cherry to taste.
This flavor was so inspiring I started to look for factory tours in Pleasant Prairie after eating a handful.
Very Cherry reminded me of Pate de Fruits and was the jelly bean with which I first found the chocolate coating to be overwhelming.
How do they get all that chocolate on one tiny bean?
Orange
Orange Dips tastes like smooth chocolate wrapped around a chewy orange rind—and maybe by next year Jelly Belly will have Christmas beans and this could be a flagship flavor.

In the case of Very Cherry, the Jelly Bean Chocolate Dips could do without the dip. However, if you're a slave to the bean, you might have found your next favorite Easter candy or at least your new favorite jelly bean.

Must There Be All These Colors Without Names: Hawaiian Punch Jelly Beans

2011-03-29T19:32:00.275-05:00

Jelly beans are a year round thing now (thank you Jelly Belly). Bags of beans start to fill the shelves like candy canes at Christmas when Easter candy comes out on Valentine's Day.
And like candy canes, there are brand name hits and misses to tempt the overwhelmed basket stuffer.
Life Savers Jellybeans are a miss—made in Mexico, distributed by Wrigley, the Cubs still suck—but I've sampled more brand name hits. Sour Patch and Hawaiian Punch Jelly Beans are a hit.
I'm not surprised that Sour Patch Jelly Beans spin a charming blend of sugary coated tang. They're sparkly and hold up well if hidden away for later. The candy shell is a little thick, but I love the coating and overall look. They compliment their gummi namesake well.
As enamored as I am with the Sour Patch beans, Hawaiian Punch Jelly Beans are a sprightly rival.
The Fruit Juicy Reds tasted like both a tall cup of Hawaiian Punch then something less juicy, so I went through the bag to make sure I had the colors right. I'd confused Fruit Juicy Red with Lemon Berry Squeeze (see Color Key). These beans would benefit from a more distinctive color palette and a little more zip in a few of their flavors. Brach's needs a better color key than the blurry one on the back of the package.

A BETTER COLOR KEY

Red - Fruit Juicy Red
Lime Green with Dark Green & Yellow Speckles - Green Berry Rush
Blue with Darker Blue Speckles - Berry Blue Typhoon

Red with Yellow-Orange Speckles - Lemon Berry Squeeze

Yellow-Orange with Red Speckles - Mango Passionfruit Squeeze

Orange with Lighter Orange Speckles - Orange Ocean

I found myself looking for the pleasant bite of the Green Berry Rush and the Lemon Berry Squeeze most often. The Lemon Berry especially gives you the classic Hawaiian Punch taste of childhood while suggesting flavored lemonade.The fresh citrus overtones of the Orange Ocean reminds me of a tangerine more than an orange—it has everything but seeds and pulp.
The Berry Blue Typhoon smacks of sweet sour bubble gum without being overwhelming, not my favorite, but the color stands out. The Mango Passionfruit Squeeze tastes a little odd. You can tell it's mango, but it stops short of the refreshing Orange Ocean, tipping over into the land of bland.
There's 100% vitamin C (36g carbs) per serving in Hawaiian Punch Jelly Beans. They're in a two way tie with Sour Patch Jelly Beans in the Dish Easter Bean ranking right now. However, the threat of Coconut, Orange, and Very Cherry Jelly Belly Chocolate Dips loom.

Just A Spoonful of Chocolate

2011-03-23T01:32:00.281-05:00

The NCA's Chocolate Council sent photos and a link to The Story of Chocolate in honor of American Chocolate Week, March 20-March 26.
Shouldn't every week be chocolate week? How about every other week alternating with Gummi Week. There's a National Chocolate Council? Do they sip chocolate drinks out of edible tea cups?

The National Confectioner's Association offers information such as how many minutes of biking it takes to work off a 1.5 oz candy bar (30), and The Story of Chocolate tells you it takes two to four days to make a chocolate bar. After a few minutes on the Council's website you will no longer be interested in how long it takes to work off a 1.5 oz candy bar.

It will also tell you that the cacao tree is "delicate" and needs taller trees to shade it in order to survive. The cacao leaves themselves can move 90 degrees to protect more tender leaves from sunlight.

Cacao trees produce these pods which can be more than a foot long, growing directly from the trunk or branches sans stem. They take up to six months to ripen, The Story of Chocolate goes on to tell you. The outside of the pod varies in texture and the inside contains juice, pulp, and many seeds.
I could spoon feed you chocolate facts all day, but will leave you with the reason the pods, trees, and tree yield varieties are so Spocking fascinating.

Photos courtesy of the National Confectioners Association

Time Out With Magic Milk Straws

2011-03-20T01:57:00.060-05:00

I love milk, I love the product, the promotional campaign, and that Annie Leibovitz photo of Whoopi Goldberg (who did a got milk? ad as well as the tub shot). I don't need a straw full of cocoa powder or vanilla flavor to enjoy my favorite drink, but it was time to stick a straw in a glass of milk and see what happened.
The got milk? product has toy overtones—watching the flavor beads zip up and down the clear straw giggles, "Happy Fun Snack Time." And you can see the flavor get stronger toward the end of the glass when the straw finally colors the milk and drips its last drop.
Not only are Magic Milk Straws a break from massive amounts of sugar in bright and pastel colors, they're suck-ready.
I had to cut the plastic open after a short battle with the five and six packs of straws, but once in, you just stick the straw in a frosty glass of the white stuff and decide if using the straw upside down works better than right side up (it does).

I found the mellow Vanilla a good opportunity to float in bananas to boost the mild flavor with a fresh fruit taste. The bananas were even better at the end of the drink and gave the already healthy snack an even healthier kick. I'm snacking on a frozen four straw Vanilla with banana slushy right now.
The Chocolate straw was oddly sweet in the way many products aimed at kids are, yet aromatic and enjoyable in a guilty pleasure kind of way. I went nuts and used two straws in a pint glass fresh from the freezer for the Chocolate Magic Straw and loved every playful sip.
Magic Milk Straws come in Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, and Cookies & Cream. The nutritional value comes from the milk, though the Magic Milk Straw website lists the straws as all natural, gluten free, low in sugar with no fat or cholesterol.
It also says "Lactose Free." I guess it's not as funny if you drink Lactaid or soy milk.

Ice Cream Flavored Eggs

2011-03-13T15:32:00.119-05:00

Knowing that PAAS Splashed Assorted Malted Milk Eggs are ice cream flavored makes them more palatable.They're attractive enough and look good nestled in Easter grass or a candy dish. But aside from sprinkling in a few of the less offensive flavors in an Easter basket, I'd avoid them completely.
Taste better Splashed Assorted Malted Milk Eggs.
Although the lively eggs contain cocoa powder, only the white outer, chocolate inner, tastes of the bean. Their waxy outer shell dooms even the least offensive egg (white shell, chocolate malted inside).
The malt eggs are different colors and flavors, purple with orange malted being the strongest and most unpleasant because of the overpowering orange taste. The yellow outside, cookie dough malted inside is a little milder, but not much, and the pink with strawberry inside might do for artificial strawberry lovers.
If I got stuck with these as the only candy in the house—not likely—I'd try to scrape off or strategically bite around the white egg to enjoy the crunchy chocolate malt.
Worst malted milk balls ever.

Reese's Peanut Butter Egg Hot Chocolate

2011-03-07T18:08:00.426-06:00

The weeks leading up to Easter can be unseasonably warm or smack you upside the head with the kind of cold it's hard to ignore and not for lack of trying.
Some of us jump the gun after a few nice days in February and pack away our winter things making us think twice about leaving the car within blocks of a lake—and some of us are always within blocks of a lake. This city is really an island that gave up and opened a few falafel stands.

so I came down with what my father calls "the crud" for lack of a better and more off putting word. This particular crud was due in no small part to two flat tires in a day that ended up a lot colder and more populated with frozen puddles than it started.
I spent a good deal of it waiting around for the insurance company's roadside assistance (i.e. college kid in beater with tools) because I didn't renew my AAA and the portion of the Beltline you'd take to get to me was shut down due to flying ice. I was taking old people to UW Health between trips to Firestone Tires and it turned into the scene in Goodfellas where the doctor wanted to admit Ray Liotta even though he was there to pick up his brother.

I had the kind of day which makes the underrated Scorsese classic After Hours look like a spa weekend with free booze and Oompa Loompas. All this two days after I went a little nuts and turned a 6 oz Reese's Peanut Butter Egg into hot chocolate.
When my fever got down to a level less than that of an exploding cartoon thermometer I found these photos in the camera and it all came back to me.

I like peanut butter. I like it on an apple, a spoon, or hilariously placed on a dog's nose. I've eaten peanut butter kisses long past decency. I know Reese's Peanut Butter Cup fanatics. A healthy dollop of peanut butter all but bursts through a teasing top layer of chocolate surrounded by accordion shaped Hershey's milk chocolate in a 1.5 oz cup.
The thickness and shape of the chocolate do matter.
This beast was so overpowering on both the pedestrian Hershey's chocolate and peanut butter fluff front that my only choice was to scrape out some of the peanut butter, break the egg (not so easy), and toss the whole thing into a pan with milk.
And it was delicious. Make it like any other candy bar hot chocolate. Here's a video that uses Dove, it's similar to that.
So no to the ponderous and insanely difficult to break 6 oz peanut butter egg and yes to the sweet, smooth, and slightly salty Reese's Peanut Butter Egg Hot Chocolate.

2011-02-28T21:45:00.129-06:00

It's hard to go wrong with a gummi (that's a very interesting link).

These Trolli Gummi Bunnies, out long before Easter, are cute and tasty enough while losing some detail because of size, shape, and color. Let's face it, not many of us are going to be checking, but kids are into color and there's enough of a rabbit and pretty colors for almost anyone. I like the white ones best.

Trolli Classic Bears are some of my favs, and I know a few aficionados who foam at the mouth for Peachie Os, yet these gummy rabbits are heavy on the fruit flavor and taste a little powdery.

Even so, they're fine and fun and will go over well in a large basket, individually in a plastic egg, or as a single Easter treat.

Looking over Trolli's website, I realize I've never tried their Sour Cherry Bombers, about five years late on that one, but why does the package say "New?"

I'm grabbing stuff off the shelves early this year and revisiting staples suck as Reese's Peanut Butter Easter Eggs, although not a big cup fan. I'm trying to build a virtual Easter basket which will include crowd pleasers and things that go well in a plastic egg.

Stay tuned and for heaven's sake brush your teeth.

Back To (Easter Candy) Basics: Cadbury Mini Eggs

2011-02-23T03:58:00.004-06:00

I was surprised at the response I got to this quick pic I took at the State Street Walgreen's on Saturday (friend the Dish on Facebook to see comments from February 20).

It seems that people like Easter candy.
I've got great memories of baskets and until recently made some pretty elaborate ones.
First up and ahead of schedule are my favorites from the Basic Basket Building category: Cadbury mini eggs.

That ugly salmonella business in the UK aside, Cadbury is one of my go to chocolates. Although not a chocolate snob, and admittedly less skilled in the subtleties of the bean, I heart cocoa.
The Mini Egg shell seems a little thick but easily wears down. If you suck it will it not melt?
The disintegration of the candy shell is a very pleasant experience. The color stays while the shell thins and breaks apart allowing you to crunch the candy and savor the chocolate.
There's an almost sharp taste which muscles Cadbury chocolate. The kind of sharp which makes sharp cheddar better than mild, the kind of sharp which says I'm a little richer than normal, but not overwhelming. It says I might be milk chocolate, but I have personality too.
Another reason I like these eggs is because you can put them in Easter grass or use them to fill colorful plastic eggs. They don't melt easily in nature, and can be man handled by adults and children without dire consequences. They're a crowd pleaser and like jelly beans and the Peep, building blocks for any Easter basket.

Chocolate Cream Hearts

2011-02-14T17:40:00.003-06:00

I love the idea of a Valentine's Day cookie. It's not as messy as chocolate and you can do a lot more with decoration. They work well in February heat waves (it's 42° right now) and this kind of swelter could shock a box of Wisconsin chocolates.
The Chocolate Cream Hearts were next to the Mini Marzipan Jewels, but can't compare.
This is a heavy creme filled monster that is best eaten like an Oreo. It's difficult to take a civilized bite out of the thing en masse, but is still fun to eat and boasts a fluffy cocoa filling.

It doesn't, however, compare to the blend and balance of the Marzipan Jewel. This didn't taste like a fresh or well preserved cookie, the icing was just all right, and the candy heart on top was a horrible bit of stale sugar and food coloring.
But it would be fine dunked in pieces and the chocolate creme center was a bulls eye.
It won't stop me from buying bakery at Clasen's, which not only has great samples (the blueberry coffee cake they had out is still on my mind), but boasts more hits than misses.
Wonder if they'll be making King Cake this year.

Pastry Is Sugar Too

2011-02-10T22:12:00.017-06:00

Today's search for interesting and delectable Valentine's Day candy took me to a bakery. And not just any bakery, Clasen's Bakery.
There I found these.

These gems are Clasen's Mini Marzipan Jewels. They're double stacked and sport a sticky sweet glaze and a generous fruit center. I don't know if the red violet fruit is raspberry or plum, but I do know it's the perfect amount of something.
These heavenly hearts taste distinctly European, and the possibly plum jam compliments the sticky almond marzipan crunch to perfection. They're light in appearance and substantial in taste.
Clasen's Mini Marzipan Jewels have changed my mind about marzipan for ever.

Why Not Ju Ju Hearts

2011-02-08T20:49:00.012-06:00

Don't make me drag out the Gummi Pyramid.

It was nice to find candy outside a heart shaped box in the Walgreens holiday aisle today. Who knows what's lurking in those boxes and how long they've been lurking. If it were the kind of chocolate you'd want to spend money and calories on, I don't think it'd be wrapped in cardboard and plastic. Would it?

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

But be still my faded gummi heart, I found a container of Ferrara Pan pink and red Ju Ju Hearts on the top shelf begging to be photographed in 5 degree weather. You know the name, it not only represents some of the best anytime candy—Grapeheads, Cherryheads, Lemonheads, Red Hots, Jaw Busters, the sassy Atomic Fireball, but keeps reminding me that you come across some of the best candy at gas stations and hardware stores.

I'd put these Ju Ju Hearts (3 for $4.00 at Walgreens) up there with Uncle Oinker's Gummy Bacon and Haribo Sour S'ghetti, they're that good.

They look cold. Cold, but delicious. I'm going to have one right now.

It's a satisfying chew without jaw dislocation. The red hearts have just the right amount of something vaguely cherry and the pink could easily be strawberry.

Some of them even sport tiny little swirls of the opposite color. Bonus.

I love these gummi ju ju hearts, move aside chocolate (unless it's the really good kind).

My Funny Valentine

2011-01-26T14:43:00.011-06:00

Valentine's Day might not be the number one candy day in the U.S., but it's in the top three so where is all the fun and delicious candy?
I think a lot of it has migrated to the Interweb, but you can't get a schmear online (although I hear Steve Jobs is working on an Oompa Loompa app).

You can always find something if you go a hunting down the stores, and I found this set of bars to contain an inoffensive, passable milk chocolate. It smells too sweet out of the wrapper, yet bites easily with a soft crunch.
Also from Tarjét, these are prettier than the Man Bars. They also taste better than you'd expect with a smooth and mildly interesting flavor. They only sell in gift packages of four.
This chocolate may not be afraid of commitment, but you might fear the 270 calories per bar, 150 of which are Fat Calories.

Note: I've been spending some time on Evelyn's Corner, the blog I started for my 85-year-old mother, so hop over there if you've had a sugar overload. I see some canned tomato recipes in the near future.

Man Candy

2011-01-19T19:08:00.185-06:00

I thought the Valentine's candy season would be a good time to reacquaint The Dish with our friend, the cocoa bean. But there was no help at my favorite seasonal one stop sweets and sundry shop, Walgreens, so I went to Targét.
But even in its usually fecund rows, mediocrity and apathy had taken root.

What finally caught my eye were three unassuming selections classified as Man Bars, this being the most interesting and the other two a few steps away from a brown paper bag and some string.

Although this is not what I think of when I hear the words "Man Candy," Target's Dude milk chocolate pushes the boundaries of sweetness, yet is surprisingly smooth and palatable.
I was also impressed by a Sell By date of November 2011 (while being fairly certain this is not a good thing).
I had a few Micky D's fries left in the bottom of the bag (I'm not proud of this) and was surprised by how well the two went together. Yes, like a fine lager, The Dude hints at diverse pairings.
There were little bits of broken chocolate which make the bar look like it's got a case of white bloom, but this bar didn't have anything like degraded cocoa crystals or crystallized sugar, bloom traits.
Note to Target Brands, Inc., would it have killed you to get the rights to Jeff Bridges image?

Good Enough To Eat

2010-12-19T00:13:00.017-06:00

That's a weird and possibly disfunctional little saying when you think about it.
If you can't eat it, it's not good enough?
Well, maybe, take that fine art, monster truck rallies, and the second Golden Age of Television.
It's a saying I grew up with, but never thought much about until my cousin Jackie, craft master and Dish Taste Tester, reminisced about the Candy Christmas Trees she used to make while her grandkids were growing up.

"It looks good enough to eat."

--Several Members of My Family

I needed a project for a video class I was taking in a van down by the river, and Jackie seemed happy to resurrect the ritual while taking an assist with the tree.
We never got to Final Cut Pro voice overs in this class (or lighting or tripods or stabilzers or uploading video or how to use the software or figuring out who was in or teaching the class) so I threw it against the wall to see what stuck--now I'm hungry for pasta--and here it is.
Enjoy.

Making A Candy Christmas Tree

with Jackie, Phil2, Bob & Jeanna

Another One Bites The Dust

2010-11-01T15:38:00.013-05:00

All the Jack-o-lanterns have been washed down the river (except the ones at my house which have a tendency to rot)

All the scarecrow ghosts have taken their vows (looks like a shot gun wedding)

All the mechanical pink dinosaurs have eaten their fill (I think this one's bulimic)

The witches have haggled their last Farmer's Market eye of newt and the birds are flying south (they're actually flying north, stupid birds)

What are you looking at, toss out the pumpkins and bring on the turkeys (live ones work best)

One final brrraaa hhaaa haaaa until next year.

A Post Script for Mary R. and John I. who's thinking of 50 Ways To Leave Halloween.
⚈Throw Jack in the falls, Paul
⚈Marry the dead, Fred
⚈Eat all the gourds, George
⚈Cast your last spell, Mel
⚈Fly the right way, Jay
⚈No evil eye, Guy
Just listen to me.

Favorite Costume

2010-10-30T13:48:00.009-05:00

Although I've been taking Halloween photos on State Stree for a few years now, this costume might be my favorite. It was pretty touching for a college kid ensemble. Do you know what it is? (The file name doesn't tell the whole tale. Pun.)

Favorite Halloween Gross Out Candy

2010-10-28T15:39:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite gross out candies this year was a tray of Sushi Eyeballs with green apple dipping sauce.
I was surprised how popular they were in a crowd that turned noses up at a severed foot wrapped up like a steak (A Butcher's Choice Tender Cuts Chuck's Foot to be exact).
The green eyeball sauce was a little sour and a little bland adding nothing to the taste, but I loved the presentation.

The eyeballs were palatable enough for larger gummi candy, and I remember thinking I could watch a movie quite happily with a few Sushi Eyeballs and a bowl of popcorn.
Good for you product sold at Walgreens and made in China.

And thanks to Dish taste testers Karen and Bug for trying them. No complaints from either who munched away during a college football game, despite what you might gather from this photo. Check out the lady and the kid in the background.
The sauce was very sticky, so have some wipes handy and a place to toss the whole mess when you're finished.

Ritter Halloween e-Card and Candy Raffle

2010-10-25T10:19:00.004-05:00

Although the Off Color Things My Italian Family Said Contest on the Dish Facebook page is over, there's still plenty of Halloween fun left.
Because the ad agency rep sent me this link on a Monday morning when I'm procrastinating and the sun is trying to peek back out after a weekend of rain (and I'm still verklempt from great Packer and Steelers games and a Farvrah beat down), I will play their little game and share this Halloween e-card thingy you can use with your webcam or digital photo with you.
Good timing, Vincenzo The Viral Factory Seeding Manager. Seeding Manager, love it.

Have fun and look for some of my favorite photos from Freakfests Past this week.
If you want to see the contests results and be there for the next one, sign up for the Candy Dish Curtain Facebook page, "We Friend Everyone."

Brilliant! Blood Slide Candy

2010-10-08T19:12:00.026-05:00

When I followed the link from Sweet Obsessed to Waylou to forkable I found the brilliant mind and steady hand behind these Dexter inspired candy blood slides. Naturally I asked to do a shout out. Funny story, these were originally inspired by Martha Stewart lollipops.

Shout—you are the goddess of creepy candy Andrea Newberry—Out. You know, I find the edible serial killer trophies more elegant than creepy. Andrea made them last year and is a bloody treasure trove of macabre treats. She told me today that she's working on a "rotten and bloody lasagna" recipe for this Halloween.

In a Nutshell (or slide box):
This recipe calls for sugar, corn syrup, red food dye, parchment paper or a baking mat, and a toothpick or skewer to paint on the "blood." You're making candy, spreading it thin, and cutting it with a hot knife. Then you cool it and decorate with red dye.
Andrea had trouble finding a fancy wooden slide box like Dexter Morgan's, but I think this slide kit container works well. She suggests serving with tweezers or latex gloves.
Oh man.
For the step by step on this sweet bio hazard click here.

Andrea also has a Halloween Bootcamp at the Forkable Kitchen in Chicago on October 16 from noon - 3 pm. The Halloween Treats Baking Class includes Crunchy Eyeball Bars, Witches Finger Cookies, Ghosts on a Stick, and the inimitable Blood Slides. The class might be full by the time you read this, but why not check it out here anyway.

More Temptations From forkable
⚉ Bloody Cracked Brain Cake
⚈ Eye Deal Cannibal Cookies
⚉ Marshmallow Ghosts
⚈ Mexican Aniseed Shortbread Finger Cookies
⚉ Frightening flickr set

The photos, idea, and Blood Slide Sucker recipe belong to and are courtesy of Andrea Newberry and forkable.

James J. Moves to Midvale

2010-10-06T15:35:00.013-05:00

One of my favorite candy stores, James J. Chocolate Shop, moved to their new location at 1310 S. Midlvale Blvd. last week (Monday was Day 5). They were putting up Halloween garland and other finishing touches when I stopped by to see if they and their peerless gourmet caramel apples were there and accounted for. They were.
You could be standing in front of the new shop and miss it. Or at least I could, but then again I've stood directly in front of a place while asking passersby for directions.
Where Is It?
It's around the corner from Dorn Hardware and Le Tigre, down from the Chinese restaurant.
Look for Yen Ching restaurant at the end of Midvale Blvd at the top of Nakoma Rd., it's before you turn the corner toward the hardware store. There's also a small sign on Midvale, also hard to miss in all the traffic on that corner by the Beltline.

Be Still My (Gummy) Heart

2010-10-04T21:45:00.026-05:00

So you thought I wouldn't eat it, did you? I tried to pass off this Monster Lab Gummy Heart With Candy Fluid on more than one occasion. I think it was a little too Temple of Doom for some of the Dish taste testers—wusses. I bet the Duck Creek Kids would have eaten it.
Bob here was pretty interested.

The first bite was the hardest. It tasted like sour cherry, evil syrup, and plastic. The heart juice, blood sauce, whatever it was, dripped heartily (hardee har har) inside the bag and and stuck to my fingers like an all day sucker. It didn't help the taste that I'd just brushed my teeth.
I was surprised that this was a big ol' solid gummy, thick and daunting, especially after the promise of candy fluid. There was enough detail to give this Halloween treat an A for disgusting believability.

I'll tell you one thing, I have virtually no information about Monster Lab candy except that I can't imagine even the most munched out among us finishing this particular item. I don't believe it's affiliated with Palmer Monster Lab Body Parts. Anyone?
Guess I'll have to forge ahead and try everything in the Monster Lab line being carried by Walgreen's for Halloween. I will literally keep you posted.
A weird note, Gummy Body Parts have gotten difficult to find unless you want to place a 5 ton order with mainland China. When I reviewed them, I got one of the funniest comments. ever. I'll guess this sort of complaint along with its rubbery air freshener taste and the lead and melamine scare is why they're not readily available.
Thanks to Jackie (who downright refused to take a single bite out of the gummy heart) for the use of her camera [top photo] and taking the last photo of me holding the nasty thing.

Bitten Heart photo on bottom by Jackie Clementi

Beer Truffles and Chocoloate Beef Sticks and Such

2010-10-03T23:03:00.010-05:00

Fall is football food and chocolate making weather. Who would have thought you could combine them. Maybe I should have expected this after my first chocolate covered potato chip.
When I heard Ralph was making beer truffles I turned it into an assignment for a class I'm taking in digital video. I was thrilled beyond all that's reasonable when I discovered he'd not only made tantalizing batches of beer and wine truffles, but had enrobed succulent beef sticks in amazing chocolate.
No, I haven't forgotten the thick and almost juicy slabs of bacon dipped in milk chocolate.
As you can see I have a lot to learn about video and even more about what can, has been, or should be slathered in chocolate.
All I can say of the thick and meaty beef sticks is at least I tried it and Jodi from Will Work For Noodles may have an early Christmas present as the cooler weather allows for mailing chocolate.
This is also on The Candy Dish Curtain's Facebook page if the video is misbehaving on Blogger.

What Have We Here?

2010-09-28T16:53:00.007-05:00

Ralph Pierce of Gem City Candy told me he was making beer truffles last Wednesday so I took a short road trip to Boo on a lovely fall day. I needed a quick video for class and he was very generous with his time, and as always, sweet samples.

I loved, loved, loved the beer truffles. More on that later.
Do you know what's pictured above?
The item on top has become all the rage, but I've never seen it so completely covered in luscious chocolate. The unique treat pictured on the bottom is most likely new to you, even if you do live in Wisconsin.
Stay tuned for my attempts at digital video and iMovie at Gem City.

NOTE: Erika from Tummy Treasure got it on the first try. Leave it to a ched to recognize the ever popular chocolate covered bacon (why?) and the more elusive beef stick dipped in chocolate.

Halloween Is Coming

2010-09-21T16:40:00.004-05:00

Yeah!
Signs of Halloween have been in the stores for some time now and it might be the only holiday I don't mind rearing its severed head in July.
Please do not hesitate to send me your photos and you just might get something grossly edible in the mail from the Dish.

Today's photo is from one of our best taste testers, Jackie. She didn't seem too interested in this yummy gummy heart with candy fluid. I don't see why. Maybe it didn't go with her Cobb salad (but the week is still young).

Jackie used to decorate her Christmas tree with all kinds of fanciful and delicious candy and I'm not going to stop bugging her until she starts again. Not just a cherry Nibs here or there, but needle to needle sugar. Notice we have some of my fav treats, Nerds, Dum Dums, and what looks like Laffy Taffy in this lovely cobweb boot.

This is one of the aforementioned grossly edible items I was talking about. No takers yet, but it's been tempting me lately. If you would like to try one or more of the many Monster Lab items I'll be featuring, please let me know.

Qué Lástima

2010-09-14T12:13:00.054-05:00

I was excited when my cousin told me about a new candy shop on the west side. We took it as a good omen that the new store shared its name with her mom and my godmother. Unfortunately Dulceria Lucy is one more upside down question mark at the end of the sentence, "What happened to all the good candy stores?"
I'd rather have a bag of Sour Patch Kids than something made with tamarind, unless it's fresh from a talented candy maker's kitchen. Let's face it, most, if not all of this type of candy (small store with shabby shelves of unfamiliar candy) is imported, and much of it is old and unsold for a reason. Something hard or chewy and vaguely stale and spicy is much worse than an old Aero bar.

After a quick tour through the odd little dulceria, I don't think it's time for an education on why I should love hard candy rolled in chili or ignore articles about lead poisoning and Mexican candy.

We have many area chocolate makers such as James J (moving near Dorn Hardware on Midvale in October), Candinas (which sadly did not fly on the Square), the Chocolate Caper, and Gail Ambrosius.

But no more Badger Candy Kitchen, Twee & Luliloo (they didn't cut it with their name, location, selection or unused space), Ben Franklin's isn't what it used to be, and there's nothing but iffy offerings at grocery stores (some gas stations and the Cracker Barrel have to fill that gap).
Where are the magical rows of Chum Gum, wax bottles, wax harmonicas, hot dog gum, sugary blue bubble gum—oh the sparkling playful gumballs—candy lipsticks, free floating candy button strips, jars of giant pretzel rods, Jolly Ranchers, or Turkish Taffy and their siren's call from the slanted shelves of the mom and pop grocers of the sixties.
That's not to say you can't find some great candy, although pricey, in town. But I can only think of one place that has more than chocolate which I'd call a good candy store, and that's James J Chocolate Shop. Their gourmet apples are expensive, but worth it, and should be available by the time they move in October—but it's really their hard candy I love. Their Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pillows are to die for.
So my trip to Dulceria Lucy's was a bust, but I'm finally going to the Daisy Cafe & Cupcakery tomorrow and cupcakes being all the rage, have renewed expectations.

Slapping The Taste Out Your Mouth

2010-09-09T15:39:00.017-05:00

I went to the Taste of Madison Sunday and my suspicions were confirmed: People aren't fighting traffic for the food, but for the music. They certainly aren't braving the abominable parking for Caramel Apple Nachos.
Is the Taste of Madison becoming Irish Fest?
No, and the parking is a lot worse. But there's been a marked shift in the quality of music vs the quality of food since I flung black bottom pie for the Memorial Union in the eighties.
Sure, there will be calories, but sound beat smell. And with four free music stages, the line up, crowd size, and diversity has become impressive. I also like the free Pepsi samples.

This group of country western fans spread out from the New Q stage on Wisconsin Avenue to perching like pigeons along the Capitol steps and railings. If anything is going to jam my radar, it's "new" country, but the local band, Madison County, was not without their charm and have a rabid fan base. I'd see them again on purpose rather than just on the way back to the car because it was raining.
I was surprised that most of my photos will go on the Curtain rather than here considering the Taste of Madison colorfully maps out 92 food booths, but no. Let's look at some of the food anyway, shall we?

From the first booth as you come up State, these Gotham Bagel sandwiches seemed made to travel in the crowd and mild rain, but weren't tempting or unique enough to try.

This is the Athens Gryros stand which means I could have hopped on my bike and gotten the same thing at the Shell station down the street. Not to say I'm not a fan, look at their menu. The Shell station, seriously. The spanakopita is good, if not a little bland. My favorite is the combo gyro platter with fries, souvlaki, and extra pita—good for three plus meals. They literally shove as much food as they can into a large take out container which barely closes.

I should call this photo from the Daisy Cafe booth "Late to the Party" since the Daisy Cafe & Cupcakery opened in May of 2009. But then again, I never did trust good buzz. They are on the top of my list of things on which to dish.

If you're going to eat fries why not add gravy?

But not much of the food really caught my eye or olfactory system, although I thought if they did a kind of Kanook fries with gravy thing, and did it well, that would be the most popular booth on the square. I believe a Capital Brewery stand near North Hamilton was the most crowded, not to say that a few of the food booths didn't have healthy lines.

"Yo, where's das Brat und Brau?"

Although the pet ban has kicked in, at least one of our well intentioned pals got through on a technicality. I only saw one non-working dog, a nervous little Chihuahua (is there any other kind) looking for a Teddywedger as I made my only food purchase of the day, six bags of popcorn at Clary's.

You have to give it to Clary's for their staying power on upper State, especially being such a tiny shop.
These bags got eaten up quickly by family members and a homeless guy who likes the white corn with a little salt and half butter in the middle.
I don't care for Clary's cheese corn, but knowing that the RR1 outlet in Montfort has some of the best cheese popcorn around and that I'm due to fill up some empty buckets, didn't really care. Especially since the Clary's caramel corn was delicious without being sugary and balances crunch and chew quite well. The Badger corn managed to be distinctively cherry and vanilla without being either too sweet or overwhelming.
In sum, go for the promise of food, stay for the free Pepsi samples and music, leave with several bags of Clary's popcorn.

More Stuff I Found At The Gas Station

2010-09-05T13:55:00.009-05:00

Gas stations and hardware stores can be a treasure trove of found candy, especially of the hard to find or novelty kind. One of the best "foodie" gas stations in the area is the Shell Trader Gus, known by the locals as Where The Guy Who Makes The Best Gyros From the Parthanon Downtown Is Now.
It's a long, grammatically questionable, but accurate title.
Their regular candy rows are pretty standard with the occasional kind of interesting point of purchase selection below the check-out counter. But there are several pockets of Greek sweets, and I thought it time to try something besides baklava.

I'm guessing from the looks—certainly not the taste—it's supposed to be Turkish Delight. (I'd link that, but so many people who write and sell candy think that taking photos with the wrapper on is the way to go: Here's a link to some nice Google Search Images of the gooey stuff.)
And here's someone who knows better and has an excellent archived post about Turkish Delight.
I'd only tasted the Cadbury made Fry's Turkish Delight, like it very much, but know it's not the real deal. Still I sometimes pull an Edmund and crave the stuff.
The hard plastic tub I got at Trader Gus is called "KOYΛOY" and I can't find any information on it. Everything but the numbers on the thin tear away label is in Greek and the candy tastes like hard lumps of old powdered sugar.
All the flavors have the same taste, stale, and it's fairly nasty stuff that if I were a little less mature would say tastes like ass. But I won't.
Someone tweeted me with a suggestion about where to get the good stuff, and I'll look into that later.
Right now it's time to check out the Taste of Madison and see how many people listened to the new "No Dogs Allowed At Madison Festivals" ordinance.
Burn down the mission and throw in this tub of KOYΛOY's Turkish Delight.

Blood Pops Revisited

2010-08-30T16:15:00.026-05:00

A post on candy.com's Facebook page today prompted me to dig out these photos of Dish taste testers. I know there are gums and such which promise lots of bloody good fun, but my favorite is the Harry Potter Blood Pop.

Guest blogger Lisa took some great Blood Pop photos last year.
I'll be looking over Halloween candy soon and the grosser the better.
If you're a linkaphobe like me, these are some of the more interesting items the links below turned up:
Googly Eyes, Bubble Gum Camel Balls, Gummy Maggots, Lick Your Wounds (almost got those last year), Zit Poppers, Gummy Flesh Fries, Spermies, Scab-a-roni, Crime Scene Candy Kit, Larvets, Garlic Mints (Vampire Repelling), Candy Blood Bags, Organ Harvest, Werewolf Hair, Spider Sacks, Barf Bags (gag candy, get it?), and Eyes of Terror Bubble Gum.

Good Gross Candy Links
Blair Candy
Holy Taco
Houston Press
Off Beat Treats
Oriental Trading Company
Suite101.com Article

Penny Candy That Costs A Dime

2010-08-27T14:04:00.025-05:00

Here's where exhaustion and hunger can lead: Ten for a dollar Caramel Apple Pops at the Kelly's Market on Highway M. There's a new kid behind the counter who gave me a well delivered "Candy blog, you say?" as we danced together in the neon glow of the Mobil gas station delighting in Tootsie's price points.

They might look (and open) like profalactics on a stick, but they taste a lot better. Of course I bought ten—I almost dragged the cardboard display to the counter and dumped out the lot of them. I hadn't eaten and both the Middleton Copps and Gyro place were closed, which is why I was shopping for dinner at the gas station. I might still buy them all and get the kid's name and photo.

They come in the classic Green Apple flavor along with Red Macintosh and Golden Delicious. Watch out, they stick to everything, not just thoughtlessly placed napkins, but Corelle plates even before you've gotten them wet, uh, started to eat them, um, sucked on them—can't win here, giving up.

You can't taste the various apples until you've worked off the outer candy a bit, at which point setting it down anywhere acts like an adhesive tantamount to super glue.

Kiss This

2010-08-26T14:48:00.015-05:00

Not one to do a lot of toadying, I like the idea of chocolate hanging off my body instead of permanently glued to my arse, so I'm going to post a little something about Hershey's Kiss Jewelry.

I like the looks of it and think it would make a good gift for someone's Sweet Sixteen. See the Hershey's website linked above for more info.

We used to draw up posters and cover them with candy for a girl's sixteenth birthday in high school. Then we'd put them (the posters, not our friends) on their locker for people to sign. There wasn't much more than a Smarties or two left at the end of the day. I'm not sure what the guys did besides eat our candy. There's no subtext in that. I'm sure it involved Old Milwaukee and Mad Dog 20/20.

Thanks to the Now and Zen Group for the pendant image

Like Butter

2010-08-24T14:08:00.019-05:00

I tend to buzz around sugar more often than something fried and phallic dipped in butter, but being one of the many questionable "Irish" food offerings at this year's Irish Fest, take a look at this:

Fried Bread Steeped in Butter

The Twists (Brit slang for "girl" which I find ironic), were available in Cinnamon, Lemon, Plain and Salt by the time we got there. I'm willing to bet there were some stuffed with cheese that sold out.
Why not, the Big Kitchen Banger Platter was served with nine, yes nine sausages, the beef was glazed with Guinness, and there was ale in the pancakes.
All six of us had Koepsell's popcorn, my nephew Joey had a questionably Irish corned beef on marble rye, and I had a veggie egg roll.
Not only was Mader's boldly flying faded Irish colors in the Cultural Village, but the sign that screamed "Irish Egg Rolls" boasted that they were made with corned beef cabbage and, drum roll...cheese.
If you've ever been to or considered the idea of Irish Fest, you'll know it's not about the food, but the endless rhapsody of lovely Irish music. More about this and Milwaukee's Irish Fest on Behind The Cheddar Curtain this week.
Follow The Dish on Facebook for an early look.

Root Beer and Ice Cream Stands

2010-08-19T20:49:00.048-05:00

I recently came back from Wausau, Wis., where curling is a PE elective. (I laugh, but I'd be out there sweeping the ice if I were more coordinated, plus the Wiscsonsin State Curling Association is here in Madison.)

What we don't have are the inordinate amount of soft serve ice cream shacks which dot the Wausau landscape. We don't even have an A&W here anymore, and considering it was our high school hangout in the seventies and our neighborhood hangout in the sixties—yes, I'm that old—it's a shame.

My wild eyed cousin put salt in my chocolate shake long before I developed a taste for sweet and sour at our neighborhood A&W. It had a Bookmobile parked on the corner and fittingly became the place for seniors before it retired and became a rib joint.

I was so inspired by the rash of ice cream shacks in Wausau and the charm of the A&W in Portage (taking the long way to Wausau), that I decided to have a last summer fling and seek out the best drive-in, drive-through, sit-down, take-out ice cream snack shack near or far. I'm hoping there's some lovely Guinness flavored ice cream at Irish Fest this weekend.

"There's an A&W in Port Orchard [Wash.] my kid wants to take me to because it's one of the originals. They make everything there, including their root beer. He says it's like drinking fizzy silk and the head is incredible." --Jodi

I'd long since given up on shout if from the rooftops soft serve (with the exception of the ice cream in the UW Hospital cafeteria - I leave no stone unturned) until I discovered a Wausau Briq's.

Young Bug here is holding a Hot Fudge Brownie Briq Mountain (3.45/3.39). The fudge was so hot it toasted our fingers through the cup.

Bug is holding a Banana Cream Pie Graham Cracker Pie Crust Sundae (3.45/3.95) in this photo. I got a small Zebra soft cone (1.60), a good size, delicious, and 96% fat free. Leave me alone, I'm trying to eat healthier. No feedback on the Brownie Sundae yet, but Bug swears by the Banana Cream. They also have a 1 lb. cone, a variety of Sundaes, Smoothies, Flurries, Slushes, Floats, Whips, Shakes, Malts, Banana Splits, and six packs of Cookie Coolers and Lattes.

"My vote is for CHESTER'S in Plymouth...Best hamburgers and grilled breast of chicken around! Not to mention deep fried cheese curds..." --Sandy

A few people have mentioned the A&W in Edgerton, which one of my cousins (the one who put salt in my milkshake when I was four) thinks is the first one in Wisconsin. I don't have proof either way, so it might be time to dust off some archives at the State Historical Society (or the State Hysterical Society if you've ever heard the pigeons—what an exciting life I lead).

One of the most interesting things about the A&W website is their timeline. It lets you arrow through the first A&W root beer stand in 1919 to 2002 when they were taken over by Yum! Brands, Inc. ("Root beer stand" as in "Why should I give you a nickel for the root beer stand when you throw away milkshakes?" What were we, made of salted chocolate milkshakes.)

"...edgerton still has the drive up stalls and the staff bring the food on trays that attach to your window. are there many of those left yet?" --Kandy

This is why you see the Yum! Brand A&W fast food pairings. Somehow the combination of tacos and root beer floats isn't the same as a Flinstone tray on your car window. But I'm always thrilled into taking snapshots like a tourist when I come across an old tyme root beer or ice cream stand. I don't think I've seen an ice cream hut outside of a beach or the Merimac Ferry and applaud Wausau for their many ice cream stands, and every town, medium, small or large for their classic drive-ins and root beer stands.

Time In

2010-08-05T13:44:00.020-05:00

I'm so sick of Brent

What's Been Going On

• I've taken some computer classes to catch my stride in the PC world
• Got my first laptop
• Started a blog for my mother called Evelyn's Corner
• Am updating my website and adding dog photos
• Am not crazy about the new AP spelling of "Web site" (website)
• My favorite neighbor moved away and many new ones moved in

My Favorite Neighbor

• Speaking of cankles, I started eating better and working out the very day I finished summer school. I lost almost six pounds in the last six days, and believe me, the way I've been hunched over a computer, Mickey D's and Cheese Nips, it's progress
• The YMCA gave me an offer I couldn't refuse to help counter all the new products I'll be trying
• I got both my parents (85) and Unky Ray (87) to go to the Belleville Olson Fourth of July and Birthday Food, Fun, and Beer Fest this year

Unky Ray up to no good in Belleville

• I had my first snowball fight in July

Brian, Wanda, and a very pregnant Vicki

• It's Bart, Brent, Buck, I mean Brett déjà vu all over again. ESPN radio is saying "he transcends sports" as I type. Not being one to say "I told you so," I'll just show you this photo I took at my only visit to Lambeau

From my cousin's seats on the 50-yard line

• I got a new scanner yesterday so expect some new old photos

• And, there's a new candy store in town called "Lucy's" that I can't wait to try

Q.bel and SoCo

2010-01-28T16:33:00.050-06:00

like to say, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in," but I won't.

Q.bel sent me two of every kind of their tasty chocolate rolls and wafers which never made it to Dish testers because, um, it's so very cold and I had to eat them before it dropped into the mouths of nearby canines.
You never know. The neighbor dog dropped by after becoming bored with laughing at playoff footage of Bart Ferve and has planted herself inches away from my desk chair and the empty box of wrappers.

It won't be a surprise to you who read this blog (and no surprise that no one reads this blog) that I'm not a fan of ze dark chocolat—the $7.50 in postage tipped the scale toward the (Something, Something, Something) Dark Side.
"Hello, is this thing on, 1 2 3?"
Coincidentally I'm also OCD now. (1 2 3).
My favorite Q.bell wafers were the milk chocolate Crispy Rice Wafer Bars and the Crunch Crispy Wafer Rolls. The tantalizing blend of milk chocolate and crispy rice was especially phenomenal in the wafer bar.
It's not often that—

Lost my train of thought when this one gave me the look. Wrong dog, that's my cousin Jackie's stuffed, I mean Teddy Bear Dog, Bob.
I meant SoCo, who has briefly stopped guarding the empty box of chocolate wrappers and is sending me guilt vibes from the couch. I did not put on that gentle leader and leash. Shudder.

Perhaps she's wondering how long it takes exposed flesh to freeze at 5°. I forgot, bitching about the weather is not allowed when above zero in January in Wisconsin.
Let's see, orgy of chocolate, diet failing miserably, karmic payback for laughing at fat people as a skinny child.
My two favorite Q.bels were the milk chocolate sans peanut butter which I prefer when baked in a cookie or right out the jar when baked.
And then there was the Dark Chocolate Mint. Lovely. I can smell the impudent mint from one of the wrappers as yet unmolested by the dog who's now busy chewing napkins and hiding plush chotskies around the apartment.

I can't say anything bad about Q.bel dark chocolate bars. If you like dark chocolate or think it's going to make you healthier, go for it.

What impressed me the most were the Crispy Rice Milk Chocolate Wafer Bars. OMG (yes, ran out of adjectives before I started and it's late and the dog wants to watch Fringe).
The Crispy Rice does taste "decadent but light" as advertised (11g of Fat kind of light). Each 1.1 oz two-bar pack has 180 calories (did you know there's 720 calories in a movie sized box of Jujy Fruits) and is worth every one.
The milk chocolate Crispy Rice has the smoothly sweet, subtle but rich chocolate that reminds me of Hachez or Scharffenberger with the deceptively light touch of crisp.
Bonus: There are no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, hydrogenated oils, or high fructose corn syrup in Q.bel Chocolate Candy Bars.

Sweet Time Candy Canes With Gel Candy

2009-12-11T11:31:00.023-06:00

is going to be a quick review because I didn't eat any of the 2 ounce Sweet Time candy canes, they're too large and decorative.
The thing I like best about these Candy Canes with Gel Candy is their usefulness. They work as a candy cane then hold their own as an ornament, not too heavy to pull down the branches of a small spruce.

They come three to a pack, two with Christmas gummis and one plain, and can be found among the other canes and decorations at Walgreen's.
The Snowman and Santa canes will end up on top of two kids presents along with some kind of RC rodent and Twihard gear.
Hang them, gift them, eat them. If you do the latter let me know what they taste like—I think it's time to call on some guest bloggers anyway.

Speaking of other people writing about candy, I stumbled across On Motivation and Chocolate, tagline: In a World Where There's Chocolate, We Should Never Feel Dispair. If you're looking for prolific holiday candy reviews, this is the blog for you (as opposed to this one). It's authored by a motivational speaker, which explains the enthusiasm.
Safety Tip: Do not hang your candy canes too close to the center of the fireplace.

The beaded glob part was burnt and sour (formerly a Sour Patch Kids Candy Cane). Now that I think of it, the wrapper was still intact—how did that glob get on the hearth rug, what did I just eat? The cane shaped part was hollowed out and crunchy-chewy. I recommend pre-melted, that way you know you're not eating ornaments.

Snow Day Candy Cane Review: Sour Patch Kids

2009-12-09T13:16:00.054-06:00

year I'm on the look out for tree worthy candy canes and every year the mass market disappoints. I thought it was back to classic peppermint, Heshey's Chocolate Mint, or hand dipped canes (all fine choices), until I discovered that Sour Patch Kids had thrown their gummis into the ring.
The Frankford Candy & Chocolate Company could have easily produced another too sweet, generically bland cane vaguely reminiscent of it's original brand flavor, but no.

Sour Patch Kids Candy Canes are as close to the original flavor as you can get in a cane, just the right amount of sweet, tart, and chew. They're aromatic, have four distinct flavors—Redberry, Lime, Lemon, Orange—and sparkle with sour powder. I think the glistening substance helps make them chewy (if you masticate it like someone with good dental insurance).

I was surprised to see they're out of stock on some Web sites (don't worry, you can look here among other places), but Walgreens has them. Walgreens has everything, don't they?

Looking for a candy cane good enough to tie to a present or serve with a plate of cookies (if that sounds like overkill you're reading the wrong blog) has always been a challenge, especially when you love black licorice and eschew the artificial cherry flavoring imposed upon so many canes. That makes the Sour Patch Kids cane especially sweet.

Some Canes That Didn't Make The Cut: Dum Dum, Sour Punch (although I haven't tried all the Spangler brands and am intrigued by their Cinnabon cane) and Life Savers; anything cherry flavored.
The candy cane photo above is from last week, here's what it looks like today.
Annoyingly High Pitched Note: It's not that I'm ignoring you, or that you can prove that I am, but my other blog is less fattening and I've had to play catch up. So now that I'm caught up, relax, let it snow. Does anyone know if they make a McGillicuddy's candy cane?
Final Note: I don't recommend Sour Patch Kids Candy Canes and Dr. McGillicuddy's, although a classic hot cocoa and schnapps can still tolerate a peppermint cane.

I Guess That Wasn't The Final Note Note: Did anyone notice that Barbara Walters was welcomed into the White House with open and well toned arms, but couldn't get an interview with Brett Favre for her 10 Most Fascinating People?

Halls Refresh

2009-11-23T18:11:00.032-06:00

Mrs. Hunter, do you want a Hall's Refresh?
There were Halls Refresh samples floating about last September, but no computer and no apartment make Homer something something and I got a sample pack last week.

I was lucky enough to have them on hand on a recent Christmas shopping spree, and made my cousin, sister, and her neighbor try them. (Winter Silks, btw, has some great deals and lovely shopping bags with purchase.)

The tantalizing scent of Juicy Strawberry filled the store when in moderate proximity of an open mouth. Did I mention I was with my sister and cousin? Enough said.

Halls Refresh are called "candy drops" and start out tasting like candy with a Mentho-Lyptus cough drop finish. They're cute, covered with a few dark speckles and come in three flavors: Tropical Wave, Juicy Strawberry, and Refreshing Mint.

I didn't see a Refreshing Mint, but all three of "the girls" (sue me Elizabeth Cady Stanton, oh, you can't) liked both the Tropical Wave (my preference) and Juicy Strawberry.

Here's what they look like.

The bottom line: If you want medicated candy drops, nothing beats Smith Brothers for taste, but Halls Refresh smell great, are sugar free, and nice for sharing.

Earth Worms and Gummy Bears

2009-11-12T17:44:00.044-06:00

Yummy Earth sent me some nice snackin' candy—bears and worms of the gummy kind. The thing that stood out about their package (stop, James), was the welcome absence of promotional material. Don't get me wrong, I used to write the stuff and would again if someone (anyone) would pay me, but I like to get right to the candy without the guilt of not reading testimonials.

"I consume this here product every day and my teeths is still good."

A wife of one of the dads who co-founded Yummy Earth (got that) reminds us that their candy is made with fruit extracts and planet friendly ingredients (well, the neighborhood dogs contribute daily to the planet and it's all very friendly). But it is worth noting that no Red 40 was used in the making of this candy (Jodi, Red 40 Girl).

Forget the fact that I've put on four pounds since my new workout regimen, but blind as a bat, I'm still a label reader.

You get 96 Calories (21g Carbs, 12g Sugar), 0 Fat, Cholesterol, and Sodium for your seven Worms or 11 Bears (28g).
For 12 more grams of candy represented by the pack of Strikin' Strawberry Sour Punch Straws I hold in my hand (the Blue Raspberry has ten fewer calories) you get, I don't know, it's math, but it doesn't look that unreasonable (except the 34g carbs—just way too much and of course corn syrup and Red 40) for the weightier and far more filling straws. They also have 1g of Fiber.
More boring stuff for those of you who just don't care:
The box of Chocolate Lucky Charms I got today has 110 Calories, 24g Carbs, 1g Fat, 0 Cholesterol and 160mg Sodium for every 28 grams (not as bad as you'd think).
And now for the "Hey-quit-looking-at-my big butt."
But both Yummy Earth products are without artificial dyes, corn syrup, gluten, soy, peanuts, tree-nuts, dairy, GMO (not to be confused with JMO), and MSG.

You'll see ingredients such as organic rice syrup, organic aronia juice, organic black currant juice, and organic sunflower oil in the Yummy Earth products. So they've got that going for them.

The Gummy Bears have the same Nutrition Facts, which includes 100% Vitamin C, and they taste pretty good. The Bear flavors are Pomegranate Pucker, Strawberry Smash, and Sour Apple Tart, the Worms replace the Strawberry with Tangy Tangerine and are more flavorful than the Bears. I like the fact that the worms look like slugs.
Both are a good size, competitive in the gummy flavor arena, and kids and adults could do a lot worse than Yummy Earth.

Top photo courtesy of Yummy Earth

Trident Layers

2009-11-07T11:29:00.019-06:00

There's not a lot I can say about Trident Layers—nice package (ha), appealing idea gum-wise, but I don't chew a lot of gum and when I do I want to blow a bubble. You can't do that with Trident, generally.
There is Trident White Cool Bubble, better name, indicative of bubble type gum, haven't tried it. It's got to be better than either the Green Apple + Golden Pineapple or the Wild Strawberry + Tangy Citrus. Both mouthfuls, and not the fun, suggestive, or instantly gratifying kind.

I was going to say something about toothpaste and vomit, but I didn't. And it's not that bad, just unexpectedly bitter when you shove five pieces of shoot gum in your mouth (why does everything I type today sound like keywords for a porn site).

Let me try one piece at a time...much better, but still a little sour, then a little too sweet, then the unmistakable flavor of toothpaste. Why? That's nasty.
The Wild Strawberry etc. (too long to type when it's sixty bloody seven degrees outside) tastes like strawberry etc., then straight into I'llneverbuythisbrandoftoothpaste again.
The tridents of taste here are sour fruit, artificial sweetener, and toothpaste. I'll take that *Halls Refresh now.

*They sent me Trident Layers instead of Halls Refresh I was expecting

Tracking

2009-11-04T12:37:00.011-06:00

What am I up to? The less you know the better.

But I will be putting up Halloween photos on my Web site and posting on Spark People today. I'll also be publishing some of those posts that have been stewing behind the Curtain later this week—yes, I do it all (except get paid).
But speaking of in lieu of payment, I met a slightly cranky UPS guy at the door this morning (understandably so because the door buzzer still doesn't work) bearing Trident Layers.

I was surprised because the product rep contacted me just yesterday and I was expecting Halls Refresh. Rolling with it, I'll be doing a quick review of Green Apple + Golden Pineapple and Wild Strawberry + Tangy Citrus in a few days.
I do have a scratchy throat, but also feel my jaws have atrophied, so go gum.

Evil, Evil Sugar

2009-11-02T21:31:00.027-06:00

No. 1, Found Candy

The gluttonous bags of Snickers and Milk Duds you've been "saving" for trick-or-treaters don't count. I know, I buy gluttonous bags of candy throughout the month (and often way before), and I haven't had a trick-or-treater for years.
This year I took the matter into my own hands and started passing it out on State Street. I said passing it out, not passing out.
Been there, done that.

Homeless people, event security, college kids under all kinds of influences got candy from a black bucket decorated with skeleton parts.
My found candy was found while taking photos at the UFO Day parade in Belleville.

I was getting pelted with candy during the parade, and hours later I was getting pelted with cans of beer thrown at me by college kids on Lake Street. I'm still not sure if they were spoiled (can you imagine wasting a beer like that), destructive, obnoxious, or genuinely trying to toss me a beer.

They almost hit Cha Cha, and let me tell you, I'd be blogging from Tacheedah if they had. I think the guy on the right is throwing the beer in this shot.

Wishing someone would throw a beer their way

So, found candy.

There's always some unusual candy and toys in the batch, and my favorites this year were an alien sticker, Dubble Bubble gumballs, something called Tutti-Frutti Big Blow (sounds like the porch dude douchebags), an Extra Sour Cry Baby (like the PDD the morning after), a Benjamin Franklin Super Ball, and a no name sucker that was vaguely shaped like the bottom of a piece of candy corn.

Uh oh, DUCK.

Number Two

2009-11-01T21:12:00.012-06:00

No. 2 (get it?), The Dog Ate My Wax Harmonica

I posted this photo for YoJim—don't these UFO Day dogs look like Redneck hippie haters?
"Why, Bouregard, I do believe I smell dirty *Yankees."

A coveted discontinued item for years, the wax harmonica or a version of it, may or may not be available from Concord Confections (a subsidiary of Tootsie Roll).
Called the Wowee Fun Gum Whistle, this looks a lot like what I remember.

The beloved orange (or black) wax harmonica isn't number one because outside of calling up this Canadian company or making them from a mold yourself...somehow...you can't get them.
If I find out how or where, you'll be the first to know.

*I'm with you Bouregard, sic balls.
Special thanks to I Remember JFK

Space Cookies

2009-10-31T21:52:00.009-05:00

No. 3, Alien Bakery

Happy Halloween and UFO Day!
Must. Keep. Eating. Candy. And. Watching. Baseball.
Take Me To Your:
Jeter (I always thought he was an alien)
Couch
Fridge

Tubes (No, not The Tubes)

2009-10-30T18:19:00.011-05:00

No. 4, Colorful Candy
...In tubes or sleeves or individual wrappers that sink to the middle of your trick-or-treat bag.

This hard and chewy category includes sleeves of Rain-Blo Gum, Jawbreakers, Wax Syrup Stix, Bubbegum Cigars (I prefer Pink Owl), Sixlets, candy lipstick—anything in a tube, sleeve or wrapper.
Green or ridiculously elaborate, if you can see through the wrapper, it's colorful, and you're fairly certain you can stick it in your mouth, dump the bowl in my bag, baby.

White Punks On Dope

Fartwood Manor

2009-10-30T16:39:00.010-05:00

One of my blogger buds, displaced ched pals, and fantasy football rivals, Mary Ruth, goes all out on Halloween. She sent in a few shots from her front lawn, aka, Fartwood Manor.
She's got her cemetery, pumpkin totem, and a podcast from last year on her blog.
They get about 300 trick-or-treaters, I might buy something for a neighbor's kid or dog.
They use a fogger for their pre-Halloween party, I go to Parent's Night on State Street if I can find parking close enough.

The thing about moving from Wisconsin to Cali, pumpkins don't last and leaves have to be pilfered from around the neighborhood.
Thanks, Robot Monster!

Too Too Tootsie

2009-10-29T20:19:00.014-05:00

No. 5, All Things Tootsie (no, this dog is not stoned, although I've had my suspicions)

My bloated stomach looks like Kuato (the resistance leader growing out of that guy's gut in Total Recall) and is threatening to drop down to my knees and do a corn syrup Happy Dance. I owe my current state of distress to a 47 oz Child's Play Tootsie Value Pack.
Why, Tootsie Roll Industries, why?

(Go Phils)

The pack I'm currently deflowering contains Tootsie Roll Pops, DOTS, Tootsie Fruit Rolls, and three sizes of Tootsie Rolls. I'm looking for a large satchel to dump them into so I can hand them out to the "kids" on State Street tomorrow ("Parent's Night").
Tonight I'm hoping to stay out of the ER—where's that giant bag of candy?

Born Again

2009-10-28T20:31:00.010-05:00

Coming in at No. 6, Stuff From Just Born

This, my dangerously high blood sugared friends, includes Hot Tamales (love them, need them, have them often, eat them with popcorn and apples, want to bear their children—Lola Heatherton laugh), Peeps (what can you say about Peeps—squeeze them, melt them, torture them, stuff 12 in your mouth), Jolly Joes (which have resurfaced in places like the Dollar Store), and the I'mnotquitesureaboutthisbutI'vealreadyeatenallmyfavoritecandyandit'sbig, pleasant surprise in the middle of your trick-or-treat bag, hits-the-spot (the spot that probably doesn't exist if you eat Halloween candy the way I did...do) Peanut Chews.

You go Just Born, a tip of the pancreas to you.

Balls

2009-10-27T21:53:00.008-05:00

No. 7, Novelty Gum

Another All Candy Expo photo (the gift that keeps on giving), these balls were begging to be chewed. Although the idea of biting into a tennis ball makes my teeth scream, the goo spilling out them makes these Fini sport balls a must-have.
I'm also a sucker (pun intended) for watermelon bubble gum.

Flavor of the Month

2009-10-26T18:36:00.011-05:00

No. 8, Pumpkin Flavored Anything and Hot Cocoa

Love those seasonal snacks—apples, cinnamon, and especially pumpkin. Pumpkin muffins, donuts, cookies, ice cream, bread, candy, and yes, pretzels, why not—fahget aboud it.

Hoorah~It's Cold Enough For Hot Cocoa

Nothing says warmth and sugar like hot cocoa. Nothing says warmth, sugar, excess, and celebrity worship like Elvis Cocoa. Why not wash down your pumpkin snack with a special cup of Elvis Banana Peanut Butter Sandwich or Melted Knees Cocoa?

Scary Canadians

2009-10-25T23:14:00.005-05:00

Some lovely er photos (Ab Fab reference #687) from the lovely C., John, and Little One.

Wish the beetles that have invaded my apartment were this cute.
A Halloween card is coming your way, C.

Number Nine

2009-10-25T21:06:00.023-05:00

No. 9 (etcetera) Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, literally a Trick or Treat candy

Nothing like a mouth full of Pencil Shavings instead of a Top Banana, Moldy Cheese when you wanted Carmel Corn. The gamy Jelly Belly promotion, Bean Boozled, mixes up the tasty and the nasty, which look exactly alike (due out as a spinner board game this fall).

I got to play at the Expo last spring and became quite enamored with the Baby Wipes (which look like the Coconut beans and taste like baby wipes). I also carried aroung a baggie of Dog Food all summer.

My online spin gave me Rotten Egg instead of its counterpart, Carmel Corn, and one Sweepstakes Entry.
They're out of the 10 flavor gift boxes at Candy Warehouse (and the two-fer boxes at Candy Crate), so maybe other candy givers have the same idea.
What could be a more perfect gift for your Halloween party guests or host.

Snowbat

2009-10-24T21:43:00.002-05:00

Thanks, Heidi, you win a Halloween card.
Excellent, excellent photo, btw. Look at those little cheeks.

It's What Now?

2009-10-24T12:43:00.026-05:00

Blah.

In sum: apartment flooded, ten years worth of stuff juggled, shuffled, tossed, and given away.
For legal reasons suffice it to say that the nightmare of looking for a place to rest my weary (and wet) head, going back to face landlords and their employees every. day. (from August 15 up to Labor Day) and losing many of the things I took for granted (like sanity) is now the least of my worries.
The stuff I've yet to find is stuff I don't really know is missing—wrap your sugar filled brains around that one.
And finally, I found a computer desk.

Isn't she cute? Yes, I'm now anthropomorphizing furniture as well as computers, cars, and dogs.
This lovely Legaré desk is sometimes called the puzzle desk because it comes in a few wooden pieces that look like puzzles. Unfortunately I was one of those smash it in with your fist types and had a few pieces left over where the hard drive now sits.

Speaking of left over, how many of you have been Halloween candy shopping since July and which batch are you on now? Not having a place to live or something on which to write may have slowed me down, but it doesn't mean I wasn't watching. And waiting, brrrraaaahahaha.
I'm going to be posting a lot of old and new photos through Halloween and want to send a Halloween card (pictured in the desk photo) to whoever sends me a great Halloween photo.
I think I already have a winner, which is something, considering I haven't posted this yet.

More importantly, I'll also be listing my top ten Halloween Treats—knowing that although my math is unforgivably bad, this will take us beyond Halloween.
Here's Number 10.

The James J. Awesome Gourmet Chocolate Caramel Apple w/Pecans, $6.95

James J. makes them every Wednesday in Lake Mills and brings them to the Madison shop on Monroe, next to Mallatt's.
They go quickly. You may think $6.95 for a caramel apple is pricey (it is), but these are truly the best I've had. And I've had, believe me, I have had.
If you want to place an order for several (no limit suggested), you should have them within a week.
I reviewed them here, they're seasonal and life altering and I suggest at least one a year.

Lisa Returns For More

2009-08-12T19:59:00.011-05:00

tried Nestlé Cranberry Raisinets for the first time. I was a little unsure of this cran-raisin thing, but chocolate makes everything good, right?
To be honest, I do not like raisins covered in chocolate and I expected these would be the same, or nearly. I was very surprised that they were good.
The cranberry offered a nice little tang into the creamy chocolate and it was easy to gobble up the entire package. But at 100 calories, it’s a healthy snack, right?

The Gummy Earthworms had me puzzled momentarily. I wondered why there was only one to each package—then I decided it must be to keep them from breeding and exploding all over the place.

I tried to feed it to my new found friend. But the little guy wasn’t fooled one bit. So I pretended to be a bird and chewed it up myself — my son would not pretend to be a baby bird. Oh well, although it may be a little weird to be eating a worm, it tasted like most gummy candies, pure chewy sugar. Maybe I should pick up a few for the next time I feel like telling someone to leave me alone and go eat a worm.

I’m a big fan of strawberry flavored hard candy so I eagerly ripped into the Harry Potter Blood Pops. Since there’s five in the package I shared one with Haden and my grandson, Tristan.

Tristan’s parents were actually out seeing the newest Harry Potter while we were enjoying our treat. When I saw all the red on his face I got a little concerned, I feared his parents were going to be angry.

But, the greatest thing happened, as soon as he played in the sprinkler a little, the red vanished. No soap needed, it easily washed away and by the time they returned there was no evidence. Now, if I could just get it off my keyboard—jk!

Adrianna felt a little left out since we didn’t share anything with her. She wonders if any baby candy exists, lol.

Chrissy's Canadian Corner: Cranberry Raisinets

2009-08-12T17:35:00.032-05:00

from Wisconsin, it's four different flavours of Pixy Stix, Harry Potter Drooble's Best Blowing Gum (turns your mouth blue), and *Craisinets.
When Jeanna asked who would like to review Cranberry Raisinets, I jumped at the opportunity. Who am I to refuse chocolate?

I almost didn't get my hands on them since Little One's pudgy little baby hands went straight for the package of milk chocolate covered cranberries.
Ooh, I had to rescue the lovely drool soaked packet.
First of all, I LOVE cranberries. I love Craisins®. I love chocolate as long as it's not too sweet and not too much. Cranberries + Chocolate = a match made in heaven, right?

Well the Raisinets sort of survived the trip across the border. They were pretty much in tact, but looked like bunny droppings by the time they arrived at my house.

Here's a close up for your viewing enjoyment.
See, they really do look like bunny poop. Hubby claims they look like deer droppings. Either way, don't let their appearance fool you.

Brought to you by the famous Nestlé company are these tiny bundles of goodness.
I remember as a kid we'd get Nestlé Raisinets as a treat once in a while. I think my grandparents and mom would trick us into thinking we were having the real thing. I think most of the time they just got chocolate covered raisins from the Bulk Barn.
Anyway, chocolate or yogurt covered raisins were always a favourite of mine.
While I generally like Nestlé products, these weren't on the top of my list. The chocolate was good, but not stellar, and the cranberries were just okay.
Perhaps I've been a bit spoiled by having our local chocolatier, The Manitoulin Chocolate Works, so close by.
I have a confession, I am a chocolate snob. The Cranberry Raisinets get 3 out of 5 stars for me. Am I being too harsh?
Can't wait to test out the Harry Potter Drooble's gum, it's cotton candy bubble gum. The package claims that it turns your mouth blue.

*The Dish understands that Craisins® are trademarked by Ocean Spray. You'll have to forgive Chrissy, she's Canadian.

They're Called What Now?

2009-08-12T14:13:00.032-05:00

might not know you're eating Cranberry Raisinets if you didn't see the package, but if you like the originals, you'll like these. If you're discerning about your bean, remember you're still eating Nestlé milk chocolate, and it seems extra thick wrapped around these cranberries.

I crave original Raisinets from time to time, and the press release says they've been around for over 80 years. I'm guessing they'll be around for plenty more, but I can't say the same for Cranberry Raisinets. That could be because I ate them out of the fridge and prefer this kind of snack room temp or melty.

I should have eaten them after taking this photo, and the whole thing makes me rethink my original reaction to the suggestion of mixing them with popcorn, which was "Blech."

The beauty of hot buttered popcorn mixed with candy is not only the combination of sugar and salt, but the way the hot corn melts whatever its being blended with. This is a major reason to just say "Yes!" to Milk Duds and popcorn, although the reaction does nothing for Jujy Fruits, Dots, or Sour Patch Kids.

In defense of the Cranberry Raisinets, everyone who grabbed some at the last Duck Creek taste testing loved them. My Aunt Em raved about them and the few kids who got a taste liked them too. (Surprisingly they do not like everything.)

The larger pieces are better because you get more cranberry and there's that pleasant cranberry skin consistency under all the chocolate.

I'd like to see larger, thinly coated cranberries.
Cranberry Raisinets were available nationwide in July and come in 5.5 oz and 23 g 100 Calorie Packs (pictured).

We Have A Winner

2009-08-03T14:15:00.028-05:00

Actually we have three winners, and photos from one.

wanted everyone to know she followed the Eat Candy Win Stuff (and go out and play) contest rules, and only used things she found in her kitchen to make the following recipe:

Chopped Onions, Tomatoes, and Cheese with Nestlé Crunch candy bars. Can be eaten together or separately on a plate. Yum.

Although chocolate cheese is not so uncommon around here, Diamond's recipe does sound like something from the Rachel cooks episode of Friends.

To make her the perfect winner, Diamond is very active and loves to play. Although Barbies is her favorite, playing with her little brother, swimming, and building elaborate sand structures with the Duck Creek kids are high on her list of things to do.

Brooke and Aunt Em scarfed up most of the Cranberry Raisinets

Thanks to Nestlé for the Cause for Play toy sets.

Up next: More Madtown Munchies, Nestlé Cranberry Raisinetes, and a Duck Creek candy panel.
Everyone fought over the new Raisinets and those who got some, mostly Aunt Em and Brooke, loved them. They're good, yes they are.

On The Menu: Madtown Munchies

2009-07-25T15:35:00.014-05:00

Sivan and Jeremy, UW History Majors and owners of Madtown Munchies

I talked to these two entrepreneurial college grads about their UW-Madison campus business, Madtown Munchies, and will post their story next week. Good looking, aren't they?
Sivan reminds me of Bianca from AMC (All My Children), you know, Eden Riegel, Imaginary Bitches.
Jeremy started the business in his Madison apartment. Today Madtown Munchies has an office on University Avenue and a warehouse with six freezers. They deliver snacks all night and way past bar time by bicycle, in Wisconsin weather.
Do you know what it's like to ride a bike full of groceries in five feet of snow? I do. Here's a reminder.

Okay, this guy was bike skiing at Elver Park, but you get the idea.

Their slogan: "Like A Booty Call For Food"

Oi, Taste Testers (how lazy can I get)

2009-07-22T16:35:00.006-05:00

Anyone interested in taste testing some lovely milk chocolate Cranberry Raisinets?

Your input will be part of a group post unless someone wants to review the product separately.
I'm liking this More Fun, Less Work thing.

So Far: Chrissy, Lisa, and me. Maybe I'll turn this thing into a Wiki...The Wisconsin Wikidish.

Wiener Lab

2009-07-20T01:26:00.017-05:00

is it a Labrawiener? I'd never seen one before, but it acted like a lab (note the happy tongue).
Can I get a "Sweeet babi?"
The Wiener Lab was one of my favorite things at the art fair last week and would be a great name for a hot dog stand.

Lisa's most excellent post ended The Dish as you knew it.
My new motto: Less effort, more fun.

A BIG thank you to all who posted, let me know if you ever want to do it again.

Postcard winners so far: Andi, Mary Ruth, Bon Bon, Lisa, Heidi
Play Bucket winners: Diamond, Snowflake, Cyndie's second graders
✾ Winners please send me your address if I don't already have it.

What Famous Wisconsinite Are You?

2009-07-18T11:00:00.012-05:00

I find this result somewhat troubling

Thanks to my cousin for a weekend spent thinking about the qualities I share with one of the nation's most notorious serial killers.
Take the test on Facebook and find out What Famous Wisconsinite you are.
Excuse me, got some furniture to make.

✃ First three people to take the test get free postcards courtesy of the Ched Curtain.

Guest Blogger Lisa: Is A Trouper

2009-07-16T11:53:00.040-05:00

I hear the word "candy" I come running. I was thrilled to find so many goodies in my mailbox.

I started with the Creatable—it was a lot of fun to get to play with my food before eating it. I made a cool bracelet then tried not to bite my own arm while eating it. LOL. They reminded me a lot of strawberry licorice in taste—not bad. The package said that there were several flavors inside, but I really thought they all tasted the same.

Fear Factor Frog Legs with crunchy candy bones and gooey sugar sauce had me going. I would never eat a bug, this is about as close as I would get. The blood tasted like liquid sucker—very sweet. And it seemed the leg could be chewed forever.

Haden tore into that frog leg. "Super Gross" is right. But if you like a sugar high, I think you’d like these.

While I absolutely loved looking at the ant farm and find it so creative, I did not want to actually eat an ant—remember I’m a no-bugs kinda gal. My son crunched right through it as well, tasted like hard sugar candy and you really didn’t notice the ants at all.

were great, similar to the little candies that are like Tootsie Rolls but come in other flavors. Chewing them took me back to my childhood of raiding grandma’s candy dish. As you chewed, the cherry flavoring got a little over the top for me, I wouldn’t mind if they toned it down a bit.

The Box of Boogers had me grossed out just looking at the box. When I opened it to find them all different colors I thought the makers were a little out there. But as I looked at the candy, I thought of all the 10-year-old boys who would love to gross people out by eating the boogers. So I recommend a box for every boy’s Christmas stocking this year.

I convinced myself that they didn’t look too bad, just the name was gross. So I popped one into my mouth to take for a whirl. I took them at their word that they look and feel like the real thing. The more you chew, the gooey, the slimier, and wetter they get—just plain disgusting. My son loved them though.

My older son Mikal thoroughly enjoyed the Snickers. He thought, and I agree, that it tasted like a regular Snickers. It seems the young 20-somethings enjoy the thought they’re getting overdosed on caffeine and revved up to the max. Very tasty chocolate, my favorite kinda candy.

sucker? Count me in. I snagged this one before anyone else could. Mine, it’s all mine. Delicious, much better than a Dum Dum, lots of flavor, and the thing’s so huge it will last me the rest of the year. Apparently you can get different lips if you don’t like these. But I think it’s an improvement, don’t you?

Thanks Jeanna for letting me step out of my diet and sample some of the good stuff. I’m always happy to be of service.

➦ Follow Lisa's blog. Buy Lisa's photography.

Eat Candy Win Stuff

2009-07-14T12:54:00.047-05:00

must be months or even weeks since I've given away candy. Thanks to Nestlé Crunch, it's time once again to see how far small bars of chocolate travel in warm weather.
Giveaway wise, Nestlé is giving away a residential playground set and play buckets like the one pictured below.
They're trying to redirect all that sugar energy into an effort called Cause for Play which includes a playbook for kids working with limited space. It reminds you how to play Red Rover, use colored chalk, and turn a Rock Garden into a Pet Rock Garden. I like that last one.
Backintheday, it was out the door in all weather, be there for lunch, and back outside until dark. The neighborhood was our playground.

The Prize

To win big, grab Fun Bags (I know some of you are good at that), enter codes, and try to win a playground set and money. Nestlé dontates .25 to KaBoom! for each code you enter. If you win their contest you get a playground set, $3,500, and help choose who receives a community playground worth 30 grand.
If you win my contest you get a plastic bucket. No, really, look at all the stuff you get in there, those kids from the campground will be all over this.
Runners up get a post card promoting the new blog on which I can't get comments to work oh how I hate computers.

➳ Come up with an original Nestlé Crunch candy bar recipe using food items you'd find around your house

Ex. S'More Leftovers
-Take one Nestlé Crunch candy bar softened in glove compartment

-Scrape from wrapper with leftover fortune cookies from Chiang Jiang
-Place on uneven graham cracker chunks
-Sprinkle with colored mini marshmallows you never used last Christmas
-Melt in microwave or toaster oven, add crumbled fortune cookies

➳ Submit your best kid game or playground story
Mine involves peeing on JoAnn Muldowney.

Winners will be announced in the next few weeks. Contest closes as soon as I get some good recipes or stories.

Play bucket photo and Cause for Play logo courtesy of Nestlé. The Nestlé playground contest is limited to U.S. residents.

Hanging Out In New Glarus

2009-07-10T10:07:00.017-05:00

I love New Glarus, you can walk around buildings that look like this without fear of mug or thuggery. There are no more mosquitoes in New Glarus than anywhere else in Wisconsin, but they have been on a tear of late and will be devouring me alive within the hour. There's one on the computer right now.

This is one disgruntled bovine standing in front of Roberts, a great little Swiss gift shop. You have to put up with her dirty looks before stepping inside to peruse cow bells and fondue kits.

There's also a comprehensive collection of Swiss army knives and yodeling cds inside, and the owners' daughter speaks three languages (English, Swiss German, and German).
She can't wait to get the hell out of New Glarus and was last seen waiting on customers barefoot. She has a very impressive knowledge of knives for a maybe not even yet twenty something.
Our last guest blogger is mixing up a batch of sugar in the candy kitchen, so unless anyone else would care to contribute to The Dish before it either goes silent or publishes far less often, we'll just hang out here, James, Mr. Maybe I'll Upload A Video This Month If I Feel Like Posting At All who after six days gets on my ash.

I wasn't even supposed to be writing anything here come July; take a look at the month of "May" why don't you?
Besides, my host says the alias domain won't leave pending status and is slaving on my real domain name so I should remember to use the root folder before I upload a theme which won't work for either another hour or 24.
Do you see why I hate computers?

But I love this building and the sky was really that blue that day. The pool and park are across the street and harbor events such as Greater Swiss Mountain Dog cart pulling parades. I will tell you right now, I am in love with the GSMD.
Flying insects are calling for my ash at the pool, so have a Spotted Cow while waiting for our next and possibly last Guest Blogger, Lisa.