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