Sweet Time Candy Canes With Gel Candy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It's What Now?

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.