Candy Review
PERUGINA BACI


I first heard about Baci chocolates many, many years ago. I'm pretty sure it was in the pages of Chocolatier where I first heard about this Italian chocolate, or at least it was the most likely place. I'm trying to remember when I finally tried one for the first time, but I'm drawing a blank. I know it was several years ago, but I can't recall specifics.

More recently (as in a few months ago), I was in World Market, and in the candy section, I saw Baci on one of the shelves. Obviously, I picked up a couple of boxes to enjoy, and to use for review purposes.

There is just one slight problem with what was available. The only packages are boxes that contain only two chocolates. Now, this might not be a problem if all you want is just a little taste. If you're going to be writing a review, however, a bag of the chocolates would be much better. But, I have to work with what I have.

The center of a Baci chocolate is a dark chocolate ganache blended with chopped hazelnuts. A ball of this ganache is topped with a whole hazelnut, and everything is covered in dark chocolate.

The Baci are wrapped in silver foil decorated with blue stars. Wrapped inside each chocolate is a love note, with the same message written in several languages. The only one I can read is English, but I'm pretty certain that at least one of the others is Italian. A couple of the others look like Spanish and French, and I have seen Greek on at least one note.

The dark chocolate of the outer shell seems to be the most dominant flavor. It's more intense than that of the ganache. The ganache contains a hint of hazelnut flavor, but a stronger taste of hazelnut comes from the whole nut topping the chocolate. And both the whole nut and the chopped nuts in the ganache give a slight crunchy texture to the chocolate.

I could easily go through an entire bag of Baci, if they were available. Since they are an import, I'm kind of limited to what stores like World Market are able to obtain. I would be interested in learning if Perugina makes other variations of Baci chocolates. I think I will be picking up the occasional package, even if I only get two chocolates. I want to see more of the love notes hidden inside.


-jc-

Candy Bar Review
LAKE CHAMPLAIN HAZELNUT PRALINE DARK CHOCOLATE


Recently, my friend Angel asked for my help in identifying a candy bar whose name she could not recall. Unfortunately, her description left me drawing a blank, so I proceeded to conduct my own search for this Chocolate Q (Q for questionmark). And yes, satisfying my own curiosity was part of the motivation for this little quest.

As I have previously mentioned, I found a bar that was a possible match for Angel's mystery bar. It was the Hazelnut Praline Dark Chocolate bar from Lake Champlain Chocolates. I purchased one, and a day or so later, I asked Angel, "Is this the bar?"

Angel was a little disappointed. No, it was not the bar she was trying to find again. She did tell me that she might have to give it a try, though. And she thanked me for my attempt to solve the mystery for her. (I am going to keep looking; my own curiosity needs to be satisfied now.)

The filling of the Hazelnut Praline bar is Gianduja -- hazelnut paste whipped with dark chocolate. This center is covered with dark chocolate. A dark chocolate that, according to the wrapper, is 54% cocoa solids. And according to Lake Champlain's website, it is pure Belgian chocolate. I'm not sure what significance that might have, but they emphasize that fact in describing their chocolate products.

The first thing I noticed when I took my first bite of the Hazelnut Praline bar is that the dark chocolate is intense -- and I mean intense. This is a chocolate that coats your tongue with a rich, velvety blanket of dark chocolate sensation.

And therein lies a slight problem. The dark chocolate is so rich, so intense that it all but overwhelms the flavor of the gianduja filling. I get the occasional flash of some other flavor, but it isn't strong enough to distinguish itself against the dark chocolate. I think the bar might have been better had the gianduja been covered in milk chocolate rather than dark chocolate. (But keep the gianduja a blend of hazelnut paste and dark chocolate, though -- the better to distinguish the flavors.)

I've seen a variety of Lake Champlain's products at Whole Foods, and it appears that Whole Foods (or at least my local Whole Foods store) carries only a fraction of their product line. I'm now curious to learn how some of their other flavor combinations taste.

And of course, I'm still looking for that mystery bar of Angel's. My curiosity there still hasn't been satisfied.

Or as Sherlock Holmes might have put it, "Watson, the game is still afoot!"


-jc-

Candy Review
DOVE BLACKBERRY CARAMEL PROMISES


I think Dove produced this version of their Promises chocolates just for Valentine's Day. Well, I saw it in the selection of Valentine's Day candy, and it was discounted starting yesterday. So as the saying goes, if you hear hoofbeats, don't think ducks. (Yeah, I know I'm mixing metaphors. It sounds more interesting that way.)

Dove Promises are individually wrapped bite-size chocolates. Make that bite-size for most people. I tend to make them two-bite chocolates, because it's much easier to analyze them that way. I find it especially easier to analyze the varieties that have a filling in them if I can take a look at the filling.

The outside of the Blackberry Caramel Promises is a shell of dark chocolate. This shell surrounds a blackberry flavored caramel. (You were expecting maybe a vanilla flavored cream filling? Or an almond flavored toffee?)

Dove makes their chocolate to be just a little richer than most of the chocolate you find on the store shelves. The dark chocolate is rich, decadently dark, and velvety smooth. It has just the right amount of sweetness; the chocolate isn't bitter, nor is it overly sweet.

The caramel was soft, but firm enough that it wasn't flowing or oozing as soon as I bit into one of the chocolates. I did find the flavor almost a little disappointing, though. I could detect a hint of blackberry flavor in the caramel, but it was almost too faint. A stronger blackberry flavor would have made for a stronger contrast in flavors between the chocolate and the caramel. As it is, the chocolate is by far the dominant flavor in this particular candy. Nothing particularly wrong with that, but I enjoy a candy better if all of the flavors have a chance to share equal footing on my tastebuds.

Dove Promises are individually wrapped, and on the inside of the wrapper is printed a message. To some degree, they remind me of the fortunes in a fortune cookie. Of the messages I have seen so far, I think my favorite may be this one:

"Chocolate. Always your Valentine."

There are a number of other Promises varieties available, in both milk and dark chocolate. I will be sampling more of them.

The Blackberry Caramel Promises may have been a seasonal selection, so it may already be gone until next Valentine's Day. In other words, the usual holiday disclaimer may apply.


-jc-

Candy Review
RUSSELL STOVER DARK CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW PUMPKIN


I think this may be a new Halloween offering from Russell Stover. At least, I don't remember seeing it on the shelves before, and I'm pretty certain that I would remember something with dark chocolate.

As is the case with Russell Stover's other chocolate pumpkins, this is only vaguely pumpkin shaped. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose, but I think it would look a lot more impressive if looked like a molded jack o'lantern. The outer shell is dark chocolate, which contains a marshmallow filling.

When I've reviewed Russell Stover's milk chocolate selections, I've frequently mentioned that their milk chocolate has a richer flavor than that of, for instance, Hershey. The same holds true for Russell Stover's dark chocolate. It has a darker brown color than Hershey's or Nestle's dark chocolate, and it also has a deeper, richer flavor. Perhaps you might even call it a mellower flavor. My initial thought is that the Russell Stover chocolate has a higher cacao content than either of those other companies' dark chocolate, but it could also be something in their manufacturing process.

The marshmallow is the same as the marshmallow I've found in other Russell Stover candies. Very light, very spongy, very sticky. Mild flavor, with a hint of vanilla.

Biting into one of the Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Pumpkins is pretty much the same as biting into any of the other marshmallow pumpkins that Russell Stover has produced. The marshmallow provides a slight springy resistance as you chew, but it also almost melts like cotton candy after just a few seconds on the tongue.

As you might expect, the dark chocolate is the dominant flavor. It isn't overwhelming, though; the vanilla flavor of the marshmallow is just strong enough to make itself known at all times. Together, the two provide a harmonious contrast of flavors.

Okay, this is a Halloween candy, so the usual holiday disclaimer applies here. You should easily see this on the shelves through Halloween. Starting November 1, though, it will be shoved off to one side as the stores start putting out the Christmas candy. This might be the first year that I've seen the Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Pumpkin, but the odds are that we'll be seeing it again for Halloween 2009.


-jc-

Candy Review
YORK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE MINT PATTIE


I know I wrote a review of the York Chocolate Truffle Mint Pattie when I first saw it a few years ago. A quick search through the archives of A Chocoholic UnAnonymous shows that the review isn't here. Trust me, with all the tags I put on these entries, I would be able to find it. All of which means that I probably wrote it for Alexiad before I started this site. Well, I still have a few of the York Chocolate Truffle Mint Patties around, so I thought it might be nice to take another look at this particular candy. A stroll down one of Candy Land's memory lanes, as it were.

As I recall, this was the first real variation on the York Peppermint Pattie that I remember Hershey producing. Oh, at Halloween they bring out the "York Peppermint Battie," but that is just the same peppermint patty you see year-round, just molded into a bat shape. (Feel free to add your own Adam West/Burt Ward pun here.) The Chocolate Truffle Mint Pattie was the first time where they altered the standard just a little bit.

The outside is the same dark chocolate you find on the original York Peppermint Pattie. But on the inside, instead of the usual peppermint fondant filling, there is a chocolate peppermint truffle filling.

The truffle center has a chewy, almost fudgy texture to it. Unless I am terribly mistaken, I am fairly certain that this is the same truffle filling that Hershey has used in the Special Dark Mint Truffle Nuggets that they have produced for the past two or three Christmases. The peppermint has the same strength as it does in the fondant in the regular peppermint patty. One bite will be enough to invite the same frosty comparisons that were made in the "Get the sensation!" commercials from several years ago.

As with the regular York Peppermint Pattie, the dark chocolate on the outside is a good choice. The mint flavor is strong enough that it would completely overwhelm a milk chocolate coating. But the flavor of the dark chocolate complements the mint; meets it on an equal footing. The two flavors are co-dominant, neither one standing out over the other.

Hershey has released this limited edition at least twice. The first was during the summer, and at the moment, I'm not completely certain which year. (And at the moment, Hershey's website isn't providing any useful information. I think it was 2004, but don't hold me to that.) The second time was a year later, during the Christmas season. During the second release, it was available in both the regular size patty, and in bags of miniature patties. I don't remember seeing the York Chocolate Truffle Mint Pattie the year Hershey released the York Vanilla Mint Pattie, and I don't think I saw either this past Christmas season. I'm hoping that Hershey will have a release of both at some point. It might not be something that they can produce year-round, but revisiting the York Chocolate Truffle Mint Pattie on an annual basis would be a sensation worth anticipating.

And I can always stock up when it does come out, to prolong the sensation.


-jc-

Candy Bar Review
SNICKERS ROCKING NUT ROAD


I saw this Saturday at Walgreens. As best as I can tell, they had just received a shipment of this candy bar, and I think I may have been the first to buy one. (Or more than one. You really can't do proper research for these reviews with just a single sample.)

With this review, I think I'll cut right to the chase. This is quite possibly the best Snickers variation that Mars has produced.

My one complaint is with the name. Why "Rocking Nut Road"? Why not just call it "Snickers Rocky Road"? That's obviously the idea that Mars is trying to convey, so why go with the longer and (in my opinion) more awkward name?

As for the bar itself, I'll let the text on the wrapper do the talking. (Somebody obviously spent a good deal of time getting those words just right; why not show some appreciation for their hard work?) The wrapper describes the Rocking Nut Road bar as "almonds, caramel, and marshmallow-flavored nougat wrapped in dark chocolate."

First, major points to Mars for enrobing the Rocking Nut Road bar in dark chocolate. When it comes to candy bars where you have chocolate as the outer covering for other confectionary delights, the overwhelming majority are covered in milk chocolate. Don't get me wrong; I like milk chocolate. But there are many, many times when I will be enjoying a candy bar, and I will think, "You know, this would have been even better if they had used dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate."

The marshmallow nougat appears to be a little softer than the nougats Mars uses in any of the other Snickers bars (or in the Milky Way bars, for that matter). It is clearly a marshmallow nougat, though; there is none of the sponginess you normally associate with marshmallow. Instead, it has more of a chewier feel to it.

The caramel is the same caramel Mars uses in all of its bars. Not too firm, but not too soft, either. (I suppose Goldilocks would say that it is "just right.") In the regular Snickers bar, the caramel and nougat have about the same degree of firmness. With the Rocking Nut Road Snickers, though, the caramel is quite a bit firmer than the nougat, so it takes the role of being the backbone of the bar. The almonds are imbedded in the caramel, and they provide reinforcement to the caramel, as well as adding a firm crunch to the bar.

The nougat and caramel combine to give the bar a chewy, almost fudgy feel to it. And when you add the chocolate and the almonds to the mix, the overall impression is that you are eating a piece of rocky road fudge. The flavors of the chocolate, caramel, and nougat blend together well. There isn’t one flavor that dominates your tastebuds; instead, all three flavors swirl over your tongue harmoniously, as first one flavor, then another, and yet another becomes the most noticeable on your tastebuds. As is usually the case with candy bars containing nuts, the flavor of the almonds isn’t as noticeable. Instead, they provide a firm and satisfying crunch that acts as a counterpoint to the chewiness of the caramel and the nougat.

Now, for the bad news. This is a limited edition bar. I sincerely hope that this is release is not a one-time thing. Even if Mars doesn't make it a regular part of its product line, the Rocking Nut Road Snickers deserves to be brought back on a regular basis.

Just give it a better name with the next release, please?

-jc-

Candy Review
MINT CRISP M&MS


For M&M/Mars, the licensing tie-ins with Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull didn't stop with the Snickers Adventure Bar. They also produced a special variation of M&Ms for the movie's release -- Mint Crisp M&Ms.

The Mint Crisp M&Ms are a variation on the theme of the Crispy M&Ms, which seem to have disappeared from the shelves. Well, they disappeared from the shelves in my area about a year ago, at least. Now, the Crispy M&Ms started with a nugget of crisped rice at the core. This nugget was covered in milk chocolate, which in turn was covered by the signature M&M sugar shell.

For the Mint Crisp M&Ms, the rice nugget was covered in mint-flavored dark chocolate. The shell for this edition was given different colors than the regular M&Ms. The shells of the Mint Crisp M&Ms are white, green, and light green. (I suppose you might even call the last color a mint green.)

Mars also played around with the signature "M" imprint on some of the candies. One design depicts the M wearing Indy's fedora, and another has Dr. Jones's bullwhip coiled up and resting on top of the M. There are a couple of other designs that incorporate the M into what appear to be Mayan or Aztec designs, which more than likely reflect parts of the movie's plot.

The Mint Crisp M&Ms have an irregular shape, even more so than the Peanut or Almond varieties. The rice nuggets at the core are irregularly shaped, and even have what could be called a wide variation in size. This is just speculation on my part, but I'm guessing that it would cost too much to make the rice nuggets a uniform shape and size. It would probably also take away some of the crispness as well. But whatever the reason, this lack of uniformity gives the Mint Crisp M&Ms a bumpy, pebbly appearance.

Biting into a Mint Crisp M&M is an interesting blend of textures. There is both the sharp crunch of the sugar shell, and the slightly softer crispness of the crisped rice core. Both of these are contrasted by the smoothness of the chocolate.

The mint is clearly the dominant flavor in the Mint Crisp M&Ms. I didn't even realize that this M&Ms version used dark chocolate until I read the ingredients panel on the back of the wrapper. The chocolate flavor is there, but it is almost overwhelmed by the mint that it is difficult to distinguish that it is dark chocolate. (At first, I thought that the Mint Crisp M&Ms used milk chocolate. Okay, I assumed that it was milk chocolate, because most of the time, Mars probably would have used milk chocolate. This time, they managed to surprise me.)

The overwhelming flavor of the mint also drowns out the flavor of the crisped rice. If Mars had added just a little less mint flavor to the chocolate, we would also be able to clearly detect the slightly malty taste of the rice nuggets. It can be detected on occasion, but just barely. If not for the difference in textures between the shell and the rice (particularly as you crunch one of these M&Ms between your teeth), you might not even know that the crisped rice was there -- unless you looked at a cross-section of one.

Like the Snickers Adventure Bar, the wrappers of the Mint Crisp M&Ms come with "Indiana Jones Arti-FACTS." But while there were eight different Snickers Arti-FACTS, there are 16 Arti-FACTS for the Mint Crisp M&Ms. Each one contains a little bit of trivia about the Indiana Jones movies, and something about M&Ms. In this case, though, some of the M&Ms trivia is a little less than completely serious.

The Mint Crisp M&Ms hit the shelves a few weeks ago, at the same time as the Snickers Adventure Bar. They are available in both individual-size bags and party-size bags. And while I am sure that they will be around for at least a few more weeks, I suspect that once the Mint Crisp M&Ms are gone, they will be gone for good.

I wouldn't mind seeing Mars doing another edition of the Mint Crisp M&Ms, or even just a Mint M&Ms without any other embellishment. I would hope that, if Mars does try again, they would make the mint just a little more subtle -- and give the chocolate a chance to make its presence known on the tastebuds.


-jc-

Candy Review
WILDLY CHERRY M&MS


I'm guessing that Mars produced this limited edition for Valentine's Day. It does seem to be appropriate for the day, in any case. There is just one little thing, though. I don't think I saw this in the stores until a few days after Valentine's Day.

When I first saw the Wildly Cherry M&Ms, I assumed that this would be a twist on the standard milk chocolate M&Ms. I looked at the ingredients list on the back of the package, and quickly discovered that I was wrong. It's not a variation on the milk chocolate M&Ms.

It's a variation on the milk chocolate and dark chocolate M&Ms.

The Wildly Cherry M&Ms are disks of milk chocolate and dark chocolate that have been infused with a cherry flavor. Like the Razzberry M&Ms from a few months ago, these M&Ms are slightly larger than the standard M&Ms.

Of course, like all M&Ms candies, the chocolate is coated with the distinctive sugar shell so that it . . . well, you know the slogan. For this limited edition, the shells come in two colors instead of the various rainbow hues. The milk chocolate M&Ms in this mix have a bright red shell, while their dark chocolate counterparts have a darker red, almost maroon shell. Obviously, Mars is trying to suggest the idea of two different varieties of cherries with these shells.

The cherry flavor is noticeable but not overwhelming. It strongly hints at the idea of a chocolate-covered cherry, but still manages to retain a degree of subtlety. And the cherry flavor seems to be stronger in the milk chocolate M&Ms. I rather suspect that the same amount of flavor has been added to both the milk and dark chocolate, but the stronger flavor of the dark chocolate provides more competition on the tastebuds.

As I said, I would have thought the Wildly Cherry M&Ms would be a perfect choice for Valentine's Day. Maybe they were, and for some reason, they were shipped out later than originally planned. But since I started seeing them right after Valentine's Day, it also means that I have no clear idea of how long they will be staying on the shelves.


-jc-

Candy Bar Review
100 GRAND DARK


It seems that every time I write about a 100 Grand bar, I keep coming back to Steve Almond, and his quite vociferous dislike of the bar. Or at least, his assertions that the 100 Grand is a vastly inferior candy bar when compared to the late lamented Caravelle. But there is something else that brings me back to Mr. Almond this time, and that is his rhapsodizing over the Dark Chocolate KitKat bar. After reading his description of that bar in Candyfreak, I am fairly certain that he absolutely loves dark chocolate. And I suspect that when Nestle brought out this limited edition several months ago, he would have been at least curious enough to try one.

The 100 Grand Dark bar takes the same basic structure as the original: A core of caramel is covered in chocolate, and the top of the chocolate has crisped rice imbedded in it. The obvious change, of course, is that in this version, the caramel is covered in dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate.

The dark chocolate seems to be a better choice for the outer shell of the 100 Grand. When I look at the cross-section created when I bite into the bar, the dark chocolate shell is the same thickness as the original's milk chocolate shell. But it appears that the dark chocolate has more structural integrity than the milk chocolate. It doesn't crumble the way the milk chocolate does -- one of the main reasons Almond feels that the 100 Grand is far inferior to the Caravelle, even all these years after the latter was taken out of production.

If it weren't for the fact that you can see the crisped rice on the bar, you might find yourself wondering if it was even there. In Candyfreak, Almond described the crisped rice in the original 100 Grand as being "deflated." I tend to agree with his assessment, and his description holds true for the 100 Grand Dark as well. There is a little crunch at the beginning, but it quickly disappears. And the malty flavor you normally find in the crisped rice just isn't there. Or if it is there, it has been completely overwhelmed by the flavor of the dark chocolate.

The dark chocolate also seems to have an effect on the caramel core of the bar. The caramel doesn't seem to be quite as rubbery as it is in the original (yet another of Almond's complaints). The caramel is still firm and chewy, but it doesn't give you the feeling that it takes forever to chew.

When you bite into the 100 Grand Dark, the dark chocolate is the first flavor that hits your tastebuds, and it is the dominant flavor. but as you chew, the flavor of the caramel gradually becomes stronger, and it is the last flavor to leave your tongue. And as I mentioned earlier, the crisped rice unfortunately doesn't add the flavor accent here that it does in the original 100 Grand bar. That may be the only drawback to the bar, because overall, there is a good blending of flavors.

Unfortunately, this was a limited edition, and it came out several months ago. Maybe even last year; time does have a tendency to fly much faster than you think. It has disappeared from the shelves, and I have no idea if Nestle will ever bring it back. It would be nice to see it again, even if only on an occasional basis.


-jc-

Candy Bar Review
3 MUSKETEERS MINT


I was a little surprised when I first saw this new candy bar a few weeks ago. Surprised because I would have expected Mars to announce it with at least some advertising fanfare. But as of yet, I have not seen any print or TV advertising for the 3 Musketeers Mint bar.

As the name so readily implies, this is a variation on the 3 Musketeers bar. Inside, the nougat is a peppermint flavor. And surrounding that mint nougat is dark chocolate.

Now, anything with mint and dark chocolate is probably going to be compared to the York Peppermint Pattie. It might be unfair to the other product, but let's face it, it is something of a classic. You could even call it a standard for judging similar candies. Which is what I am doing, come to think of it.

The mint nougat is as fluffy as the chocolate nougat of the original 3 Musketeers bar. And the peppermint is definitely the dominant flavor in this candy bar. It isn't as strong as the peppermint Altoids, but I would have to say that it is probably stronger than the peppermint fondant inside a York Peppermint Pattie. It leaves an aftertaste that lingers for several minutes after you have consumed the bar. It's not unpleasant, but it is definitely there.

Covering the bar in dark chocolate was definitely a good call. The flavor of milk chocolate would definitely have been overwhelmed by the mint. As it is, the dark chocolate is almost overwhelmed, but manages to hold its own on your tastebuds. And while the mint leaves an aftertaste on the palate, the aftertaste begins before the dark chocolate's flavor has left your mouth.

The only complaint I have about the 3 Musketeers Mint is the size. For some unknown reason, Mars decided to produce it about half the size of the original 3 Musketeers bar, and with two dainty little pieces instead of one big bar. I found that a little irritating, because personally, I would prefer one really good-sized chunk of chocolate and mint. In addition to the full-size bar (and I use the term advisedly), the 3 Musketeers Mint also comes in bags of Minis.

When I reviewed the special version of Snickers that was released in conjunction with Shrek The Third, I mentioned that tinting the nougat of the Milky Way Midnight bar green would be an interesting idea for St. Patrick's Day. I think tinting the nougat of the 3 Musketeers Mint bar green would an equally interesting marketing idea for St. Patrick's Day.


-jc-

Candy Review
DARK CHOCOLATE PEANUT M&MS


The first time I saw this new M&Ms variation on the shelves, I was not all that surprised. If anything, once I determined that it was indeed a new product, my first thought probably was something like, "Oh . . . I wonder took Mars so long?" Personally, I think the Dark Chocolate Peanut M&Ms were probably inevitable after Mars made the Dark Chocolate M&Ms part of their regular product line.

At first glance, the Dark Chocolate Peanut M&Ms are lumpy, irregular shapes, rather than the regular, even disc shape of both the Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate M&Ms. (Or what used to be called "Plain" M&Ms, until some marketing genius decided to get into the act.) That, of course, is because peanuts are irregular and lumpy, and do not come in even, regular shapes.

The Dark Chocolate Peanut M&Ms start with whole roasted peanuts. (At least, I'm assuming that they are roasted.) The peanuts are coated in dark chocolate, and finished with a sugar shell that makes sure that the chocolate "melts in your mouth, not in your hand." (Does M&M/Mars still use that slogan?) And of course, the sugar shells come in a rainbow of colors (just not purple, damn it!)

Peanuts and dark chocolate are a flavor combination that I have always thought worked well together, and to me, the Dark Chocolate M&Ms are a good example of how good a combination they are. Neither flavor dominates your tastebuds; instead, the two blend together harmoniously. The rich sweetness of the dark chocolate provides a contrast to the slight saltiness of the peanuts. As I said, neither flavor overpowers the other -- they compliment each other. The sugar shell doesn't contribute anything in the way of flavor; rather, it adds an interesting crunch that provides a minor contrast to the texture of the peanuts.

Like the Dark Chocolate M&Ms, the Dark Chocolate Peanut M&Ms come in a purple bag. The peanut variety is distinguished by a bright yellow stripe across the bag, and that stripe was what originally brought this new product to my attention. Best of all, it does not appear to be a limited edition, so this is something that should be around for a long time to come.


-jc-

When I reviewed the Snickers Dark a few months ago, I lamented over the fact that it was a limited edition. I even called M&M/Mars, and told them that I thought it should become a part of their permanent product line.

I can only assume that a lot of other people called Mars and told them more or less the same thing that I did, because it looks like the Snickers Dark is now a permanent part of the candy shelves. My first indication came not too long ago. I was in Walgreens, and while glancing over the candy shelves, I noticed a carton of Snickers Dark bars. Right below the carton was a sign that proclaimed, "New Product!" And I took a look at one of the bars. The wrapper was the same as before, with one very important difference. The words "Limited Edition" were nowhere to be seen on the wrapper.

A further indication came over the weekend. As I was looking through USA Weekend, one ad jumped out at me. Not quite a full-page ad, it had a black background, and featured a Snickers Dark bar that had been cut to display a cross-section. The text was simple. In brown letters that looked as if they were just fading into view, it said, "It's like peanuts, nougat, and caramel were kidnapped and thrown into a dark chocolate limo." At the bottom of the ad was a very small Snickers logo which was part of the phrase "New Snickers Dark." Below that, in even smaller letters, it said "Snickers on the inside, dark chocolate on the outside."

I was happy when I saw the store display. When I saw the ad, I let out a squeal of joy. (Fortunately, I was at home, and by myself, so I didn't attract any unusual stares.) It's one thing to see a Snickers Dark bar without the "limited edition" tag. It's quite another to see a print ad for the product. If Mars is going to be spending money on advertising for the bar, that means that they are thinking of it as a long-term product.

As I said in my review, I think the Snickers is one of the best new candy bars I've tried in a long time. I am elated that it will be sticking around for a long time.

You made a good call, Mars!

-jc-

Candy Review
NESTLE DARK CHOCOLATE TURTLES


I think I saw these at Kroger for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I didn't buy them right away; if memory serves correctly, I was looking for something else at the time. But I made a note of the candy for later purchase. It didn't say "limited edition" anywhere on the packaging, so I figured I was safe in waiting.

The Dark Chocolate Turtle (or maybe that should be Turtles®) are caramel with cashews and pecans, all covered in dark chocolate. In other words, just the same as the original Turtles, only dark chocolate is used instead of milk chocolate.

As I have noted before, the caramel used in Turtles is very firm. Solid enough to support the rest of the candy, yet yielding and chewy once you bite into one. The chopped cashews and pecans give the candy texture, althought I have previously mentioned that they may be chopped a little too fine. Some larger pieces of the nuts would possibly enable the consumer to identify the two different nuts used.

But it is the dark chocolate that is the dominant flavor here. The packaging does not list the cocoa content of the chocolate, but I have the feeling that it is probably higher than the minimum amount required to be classified as dark chocolate. It is rich, velvety smooth, and completely overwhelms the flavor of the caramel until the very end, when only the slightest bit of caramel remains on your tongue. It is then that the faintest hint of vanilla in the caramel becomes noticeable.

My only real complaint about the Dark Chocolate Turtles is that they are about half the size of the White Fudge Turtles that I have previously reviewed. That is barely two decently sized bites. I suspect that the diminutive size is because the Dark Chocolate Truffles that I have seen so far are sold in boxes, with a dozen or so individually-wrapped Turtles in each box. If they were sold as singles, as was the case with the White Fudge Turtles, they might be made in a similar size.

Okay, Nestle. You've tempted me with these little bitty baby Dark Chocolate Turtles. I want something bigger now.


-jc-

Candy Review
YORK PEPPERMINT PATTIE HEART


When Halloween rolls around, Hershey brings out the York Peppermint Battie -- a bat-shaped version of the York Peppermint Pattie. For Valentine's Day, it's a heart-shaped Peppermint Pattie.

The idea is cute. There is just one thing -- Hershey doesn't do enough with it.

Other than the shape, there is nothing sensationally different with the York Heart. Outside, it's dark chocolate. Inside, it's the same cool, refreshing peppermint fondant.

That's what disappoints me. I would love to see Hershey do a little something extra for Valentine's Day. At the very least, they should have added a little food color to the fondant to make it a nice shade of pink. Something -- anything -- to give it more of a festive look. Instead, the inside is the same white that it is the rest of the year.

I have to admit that there is one other variation on the York Peppermint Pattie that I would love to see. I wish that Hershey would try a Cinnamon Pattie. I have a feeling that a cinnamon-flavored fondant, or even a peppermint fondant that had just a touch of cinnamon added (call it a Cinnamint Pattie) would be, well, sensational for Valentine's Day. Now, if only someone at Hershey would think the same thing . . .


-jc-

Candy Review
SNICKERS DARK MINIS MIX

I first saw this limited edition bag of Minis several days before I saw the full size Snickers Dark bar. When I first saw it, my initial thought was, "Dark Snickers, oooooooh!" and I am quite certain that my eyes lit up with delight. That was quickly followed by, "Why couldn't Mars have released this as a full-size bar?" Of course, a few days later, I did see my first display of the full-size Snickers Dark bars, and I knew it had to be reviewed first.

Like last year's Twix and 3 Musketeers Minis Mix limited editions, the Snickers Dark Minis Mix has three different variations on the Snickers bar. The name is a slight misnomer, though, because it would suggest that all of them are dark chocolate, and that is not the case. The first selection in the bag is a Mini of the original Snickers bar, covered in milk chocolate. The second is a Mini of the Snickers Dark bar, which I have previously reviewed.

The third selection -- that's the one that, so far, I have encountered only in the Mini size. That third selection is the Snickers Almond Dark. As the name would suggest, this is a dark chocolate version of the Snickers Almond bar. Inside, it does have the vanilla nougat of the regular Snickers Almond bar, and the almond-studded caramel. Outside, the bar is enrobed with dark chocolate.

I described biting into the Snickers Dark bar as being pure bliss. I don't know if I would apply the same words to biting into the Snickers Almond Dark, but it comes pretty close. There is one definite similarity between the two. The flavor of the dark chocolate gently dominates the other flavors, but gradually gives way to the flavors of the caramel and nougat. The flavor of the almonds is present to some degree, but the almonds make their presence known more by their texture than by their flavor.

There is one big problem with the Mini size, of course. They are just too small. They are intended to be only a single bite, but I manage to get two very small bites out of one Mini. Even then, I had to go through most of the Snickers Almond Dark Minis in a bag just to get a decent impression of the bar. (Which I was really glad when I saw the full size Snickers Dark bars; full-size bars are much easier to review.) I'm really hoping that somewhere down the line, Mars decides to release a full size version of the Snickers Almond Dark bar, just so I can get a better impression of it. Barring that, I would love to see this Minis Mix show up on the shelves from time to time, and not have their appearance be just a one-time thing.


-jc-

Candy Bar Review
SNICKERS DARK


I have been waiting for Mars to do this candy bar for a long time. Probably as far back as 1989, when they introduced the Milky Way Dark bar (now called Milky Way Midnight). I've definitely been waiting since 2005, when they released the limited edition Twix Dark chocolate bar. However long I was waiting, the wait is over, because Mars (finally!) introduced a dark chocolate of the Snickers bar.

Inside, the Snickers Dark is the same as the original Snickers. It's the same peanut butter nougat; the same peanut-studded caramel. Outside, though -- that's where it's different. Instead of milk chocolate, this Snickers bar is enrobed in a rich dark chocolate.

Biting into a Snickers Dark is pure bliss. The dark chocolate blends well with the peanuts and peanut butter nougat, as I had imagined it would. The flavor of the dark chocolate gently dominates the other flavors in the bar, but doesn’t overwhelm them. The peanut and caramel flavors harmonize with the chocolate, providing both sweet and salty undertones to the symphony of flavor. The peanuts also provide a firm crunch that blends well with the chewiness of the caramel.

When I was learning how to cook, the first thing I ever made was a recipe called "Candy Bar Cookies." This had a topping of peanut butter and chocolate chips that was spread over the oatmeal cookie base when it was taken out of the oven. As you spread the topping over the cookie, the chocolate chips melted and blended together with the peanut butter. Biting into a Snickers Dark brought back memories of those cookies. It was the memory of those cookies and how they tasted that made me know a long time ago that a dark chocolate version of the Snickers bar would be wonderful. (It also made me realize that it has been way too long since I made those cookies. I know I still have the recipe; I'm just going to have to dig it out of its hiding place.)

The only downside to the Snickers Dark is that it's a limited edition. I sincerely hope that Mars realizes that they have a hit on their hands with the Snickers Dark. This is just way too good to be available for only a limited time.

-jc-

Candy Bar Review
HERSHEY SPECIAL DARK WITH ALMONDS
HERSHEY SPECIAL DARK WITH MAUNA LOA MACADAMIA PIECES


"First red wine. Now dark chocolate. Yes, life is good." That's the tagline on the store display accompanying these two limited editions, referring to how rich a source of antioxidants both red wine and dark chocolate are. Indeed, Hershey is using this information to their best advantage, mentioning in advertising for all of their dark chocolate products that dark chocolate is high in antioxidants.

(They also include the disclaimer -- probably at the insistence of some killjoy in their legal department -- that chocolate should be enjoyed in moderation. Okay, that might be necessary for Rosemary, my 4-year-old niece, but I am a mature, responsible [allegedly] adult. I find these disclaimers patronizing and an insult to my intelligence. But that's a topic for another entry . . . )

I was a little disappointed when I saw these two bars. Since they do have nuts added, I would have expected Hershey to produce these bars using the molds used for the Hershey Bar With Almonds. Instead, they used the molds used for the original Hershey Bar. It's disappointing, because using the flat molds of the original Hershey Bar restricts the size of the nut pieces in the bars. If they had used the more dome-shaped molds of the Hershey Almond Bar, Hershey would have been able to use larger pieces of macadamia nuts, and even possibly the occasional whole almond.

Now, while I may have been disappointed by the shape of the bar, I was not disappointed by the true test of a candy bar -- the taste. Hershey has previously released other products that combined almonds with dark chocolate, so I had a fairly good idea of what to expect. As usual, the dark chocolate becomes a dark, velvety coat on the tastebuds as it melts in your mouth. The chocolate's flavor is quite dominant, and the almond pieces make their presence known more by their crunch than by flavor, although there is a brief glimmer of almond flavor here and there. Usually, this happens when the chocolate is gone, and almond pieces are all that remain in the mouth; just before you take another bite of the bar.

I was slightly surprised by the Special Dark With Macadamia Pieces bar. The pieces of Mauna Loa macadamia nuts weren't the only addition to this bar. The dark chocolate was also raspberry flavored, similar to the Special Dark Raspberry Kisses Hershey released not too long ago. I have no idea why Hershey made this particular combination, but it is an interesting one. The raspberry flavor adds a sweet undertone to the dark chocolate. As is the case with the Special Dark Almond bar, the macadamia pieces add more crunch than flavor, especially since the nuts are competing with both the chocolate and raspberry flavors. This is perhaps compounded by the fact that macadamias have a milder flavor than almonds. Still, there is the occasional brief glimmer of the macadamia’s mild sweetness.

Yes, life is good when you have wonderfully imaginative people in Hershey's R&D department playing around with variations like these. Unfortunately, we don't know how long this particular round of goodness will last. Sooner or later, both the Special Dark Almond and Special Dark Macadamia bars will disappear from the shelves. Of course, when they disappear, they will make way for some new limited edition; something equally interesting. Something else to make you say, "Yes, life is good."

-jc-

Candy Review
JUNIOR MINTS INSIDE OUTS


I can't recall if I had ever tried Junior Mints before I saw the Inside Out limited edition. Before I could write a thorough review of the Inside Out mints, though, I realized I needed to sample the original for proper comparison.

I found that the original Junior Mints remind me of miniature versions of the York Peppermint Pattie. (And I am sure that this will probably make the people at Tootsie Roll happy. They are the ones who make Junior Mints, and I'm sure they will enjoy having their product compared to another company's product.)

The original Junior Mints are small disks, flat on the bottom, and dome-shaped on the top. Outside is a dark chocolate shell, which I believe has been given additional rigidity with a glaze, because there is a certain extra resistance when you bite into one of these mints. Inside is a soft mint filling -- the package refers to it as "flowing," but it's not that soft.

The mint filling is slightly overpowering. It doesn't have the intensity of an Altoids peppermint (then again, I don't think there is any other mint that does), but it does overwhelm the flavor of the dark chocolate. At times, it is almost impossible to detect the flavor of the chocolate, because it gets lost in the mint.

As you might guess from the name, the Inside Out Junior Mints switch things around. The outer shell is a white candy. Not white chocolate -- the shell is a pure white color, and white chocolate is actually more of an ivory color. Inside, the filling is a chocolate mint flavor.

Now, let me make something perfectly clear. The filling is chocolate flavored. Not chocolate -- chocolate flavored. I checked the ingredients list, and the Inside Out Junior Mints contain absolutely nothing from the cacao tree in them. (By contrast, the shell of the original Junior Mints is real chocolate.)

The lack of anything resembling real chocolate in the Inside Outs is noticeable. There is something that resembles the flavor of chocolate, but it's obvious that it isn't really chocolate. The mint flavor isn't as intense with the Inside Outs as it is with the original Junior Mints, which again is a disappointment. A mint flavor that would overwhelm the artificial chocolate flavor might be a distinct improvement here.

For once, I'm glad that this was a limited edition. If Tootsie Roll made some improvements -- such as actually using some product of the cacao tree in the candy -- I wouldn't mind seeing a return of the Junior Mints Inside Outs. As it is, though, I hope this is one limited edition that doesn’t make a return engagement.

-jc-

Candy Review
TWIX MINIS MIX


This is another Minis limited edition that Mars brought out during the summer. As I think I may have mentioned once or twice in previous reviews, I think that either the back to school shopping season or Halloween would have been better choices for putting them on the shelves. But, Mars didn't bother consulting with me.

Like the 3 Musketeers Minis Mix, the Twix Minis bag contained three different versions of the Twix bar. The first of these is the Original Twix -- caramel on a vanilla cookie, covered in milk chocolate. The second is the Dark Chocolate Twix that Mars released a limited edition last year, and which I have previously reviewed.

The third version is the Triple Chocolate Twix. This variation is something that, as far as I can tell, Mars created just for this limited edition. Like the original Twix bar, the Triple Chocolate Twix is covered in milk chocolate. Instead of a vanilla cookie, though, the cookie base is also chocolate. I'm guessing that the caramel in the Triple Chocolate bar is a chocolate caramel. That is the only thing that would make any sense out of the "Triple Chocolate" name. It does appear to be a darker color than the caramel in either of the other Twix bars in the bag.

This is where the Mini size becomes a problem in reviewing. The Minis are really too small to make a careful and thorough analysis of how the different components blend together. I almost have to go through the entire bag to form even something of an opinion.

I did find myself wishing for two things while sampling the Twix Minis Mix. First, I really would love to see the Dark Chocolate Twix back on the shelves permanently. Second, I wish Mars had released the Triple Chocolate Twix as a full size bar.


-jc-

Candy Review
HERSHEY SPECIAL DARK ESPRESSO KISSES
HERSHEY CARAMEL CREME KISSES


Shakespeare once wrote, "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." That came to mind last weekend, as I was discussing candy with a lady in Walgreens.

We were talking about the Special Dark Coffee Kisses that Hershey had brought out around Halloween, and how it appeared that they had not sold as well as some of Hershey's other limited edition Kisses. We were looking at the bags of Special Dark Espresso Kisses that had just been put on display, and I said that they were probably the same as the Coffee Kisses, just in a slightly different bag. After all, I had not noticed any difference between the Coffee Kisses and the Special Dark Espresso bar that Hershey had released a few months earlier. And the brown and silver checked foil wrapping the Espresso Kisses was the same as the foil on the Coffee Kisses.

I bought a bag of the Espresso Kisses, and my suppositions were correct. They are the same as the Coffee Kisses. It's the same blend of dark chocolate with a strong coffee flavor. I have no idea why Hershey decided to change the name, but my best guess is that they thought it would sell better if they called it "Espresso."

Right next to the Espresso Kisses was another limited edition, the Caramel Creme Kisses. I told the lady that it looked like this was another repackaging. In this case, I thought it was a repackaging and renaming of the Dulce De Leche Kisses, which seemed to have vanished from the shelves. (The Dulce De Leche Kisses were part of a line that Hershey created in a marketing deal with a Latina actress, and I have noticed that all of the products that were part of that line have disappeared. Either the deal reached its end, or the line didn't sell as well as Hershey hoped.)

This time, however, I was incorrect in my assessment. At first glance, the Caramel Creme Kiss appears to be the same as the Dulce De Leche Kiss. Both are white chocolate with caramel colored stripes on the outside. But the Dulce De Leche Kiss was a white chocolate shell surrounding a center of semi-liquid caramel. The Caramel Creme Kiss, on the other hand, is solid. Solid white chocolate with a caramel flavor, to be precise.

As I was originally expecting the Caramel Creme Kiss to be a filled Kiss, I was just a little surprised when I popped the first one in my mouth. I let it soften in my mouth for a few seconds, then pressed it against the roof of my mouth with my tongue, expecting it to collapse and release the caramel filling. It didn't collapse. Instead, a mild blend of white chocolate and caramel blanketed my mouth. And with the second one I tried, I bit into it to confirm that yes, this was indeed a solid Kiss.

The blend of the white chocolate and caramel flavors is nicely balanced here. If they had tried adding the caramel flavor to either milk chocolate or dark chocolate, the caramel flavor would have been overwhelmed. Instead, you have a combination where the flavors are distinct and complement each other, neither one overpowering the other.

Both of these Kisses are limited editions. Since neither the Espresso nor the Caramel Creme Kisses have a particular holiday theme to them, I have no idea how long Hershey plans to keep these on the shelves. As with all limited editions, my best advice is to enjoy them while you can.


-jc-

Candy Review
HERSHEY SPECIAL DARK RASPBERRY KISSES


When I saw the Special Dark Orange and Strawberry Kisses a couple of months ago, I was just a little disappointed. I was really hoping that Hershey would make a Kiss that combined chocolate (either dark or milk) with raspberry. As it turned out, Hershey was saving the raspberries for Valentine's Day.

As is the case with the other two Kisses I just mentioned, Hershey has infused its Special Dark chocolate with fruit flavor -- in this case, raspberry. And the Raspberry Kisses share one other characteristic with all of the other Kisses that have had flavor added to them. When you first open the bag, there is this wonderful mingling of chocolate and raspberry aromas that greets your nose, teasing you with just a hint of the flavor to come.

The aroma of the raspberry is stronger than the actual flavor. This isn't too surprising; this has been the case with the other flavored Kisses as well. The raspberry flavor is not subtle, though; it stays with you as long as the Kiss is on your tongue.

And letting the Raspberry Kiss stay on the tongue as long as possible is the best way to enjoy it. As I have learned with other Kisses, it seems that the best way to fully enjoy this Kiss is let slowly melt on your tongue. As it melts, it coats your tongue with a velvety blanket of chocolate, and in my opinion, lets as much chocolate reach your tastebuds as possible.

When I reviewed the Orange and Strawberry Kisses, I mentioned that the words "Limited Edition" did not appear on the bags. In spite of that, it appears that they were limited editions, because they have slowly disappeared from the shelves. The Raspberry Kisses are clearly marked as a limited edition, and I am guessing that they will be on the shelves through Valentine's Day. After that, I have no idea.


-jc-

Candy Review
HERSHEY CACAO RESERVE TRUFFLES


I had known that these would be the second release for Hershey's Cacao Reserve line for quite a while. As I recall, they had been featured in the "Coming Soon" area of the Cacao Reserve website since it first went online. Well, they aren't in the coming soon area any longer. Now, they are here.

The Cacao Reserve Truffles come packaged in a tin the same size as an Altoids tin. Inside that tin are eight truffles, covered in either a premium milk chocolate with 35% cacao content, or a premium dark chocolate with 65% cacao content. With either variety, the center is generously covered in the chocolate, and in both cases, the chocolate is the same chocolate that was used in initial four Cacao Reserve releases.

Based on a side-by-side visual comparison, the ganache at the center of the truffles is the same for both varieties. Based on the taste, it seems to be the same ganache that Hershey has used in some of its other candies, such as the Chocolate Truffle Kisses.

Biting into one of these truffles is a similar experience, whether it is a milk chocolate or a dark chocolate truffle. In either case, the chocolate outer shell is thick enough that it provides a certain initial resistance. Once you teeth break through the chocolate, they slowly sink into the decadent creaminess of the ganache.

With the Premium Milk Chocolate Truffles, the rich creamy flavor of the milk chocolate almost overwhelms the ganache's flavor. Based on my own samplings, it seems to me that the chocolate and ganache are similar enough in flavor that it's difficult to distinguish between the two. The main way that I have been able to tell the two apart is by the difference in texture. I think that perhaps a ganache that used a darker chocolate would have worked better.

What I found surprising about the Premium Dark Chocolate Truffles is that the dark chocolate doesn't overwhelm the ganache nearly as much as the milk chocolate does. As I mentioned in my review of the first Cacao Reserve products, there is a slight bitterness to the dark chocolate. I think it might be that bitterness that helps distinguish the flavors of the chocolate and the ganache.

With both truffles, the chocolate has the dominant role. This is a little unusual, because with most truffles I have tried, it is more often than not the center that takes the starring role. (This is especially true for those truffles where the center is simply rolled in cocoa powder or something similar as a finishing touch.) But given that the product line does highlight the chocolate, I suppose it shouldn't be too surprising that the chocolate used on the outside takes center stage.

I suppose that if I had any real complaint about the Cacao Reserve Truffles, it would be that they are a little on the small side. As they are packaged, these are single-bite truffles. That is, of course, unless you are trying to take a look at a cross-section, as I did when writing this review. Then, you get two very small (and less than satisfying) bites. Part of it, of course, is dictated by the size of the tins in which they are packaged. I like the tins (much the same way I like the Altoids tins), but the single-bite size of the truffles give only a brief pleasure. Sometimes, that may be all that I want, but other times, I want more -- much more.

What I would like to see in addition to the single-bite truffle is a slightly larger version of the same truffles. A version that would provide at least two satisfying bites. I'm thinking that it would be nice to see these slightly larger truffles in a gift box, perhaps one that contains both dark and milk chocolate truffles. A heart-shaped box of these would make a nice gift for Valentine's Day, or a regular box would nice for the rest of the year.


-jc-

Candy Review
YORK MINTS


I encountered these over the weekend, both on the drive to Murray, and and on the drive back to Louisville. It was the same place on both trips; a convenience store off the WK Parkway where I was making a much-needed pit stop. According to the display, the York Mints are new. I can believe that; I'm just a little surprised that my first encounter with them was some place out of the way, and not somewhere in Louisville.

The package describes the York Mints as "indulgent mints dipped in dark chocolate with a mint shell." The mints are roughly spherical, and around 5 mm in diameter.

The center of these mints seems to be the same mint-flavored fondant found in the York Peppermint Pattie. These centers are given a thin coating of dark chocolate, and then a thinner, mint-flavored candy shell. (Think of the candy shell on M&Ms, but with a mint flavoring; that should give you a good idea of the shell on the York Mints.) About two dozen of these mints are packed into a round tin that's roughly the size of a York Peppermint Pattie.

Overall, I would have to describe the York Mints as both refreshing and pleasing. They don't have the overwhelmingly strong peppermint flavor that peppermint Altoids do. What they do have is the pleasantly cool sensation that the York Peppermint Pattie has, only to a smaller degree. The dark chocolate flavor lurks in the background for the most part, just strong enough to make its presence known. (I think the mints would be improved with just a little bit more chocolate, but that could just be my own personal preference.)

I will have to assume that the York Mints will soon be appearing on the shelves here in Louisville. They probably won't be a regular purchase for me, but I think I might enjoy a tin every now and then.


-jc-

Candy Review
DARK CHOCOLATE DIPPED ALTOIDS


Altoids, those curiously strong mints, just got a little curiouser with the release of Dark Chocolate Dipped Altoids. These aren't exactly a completely new product. The people at Callard & Bowser took three of the flavors of Altoids mints -- Peppermint, Cinnamon, and Ginger -- and dipped them in dark chocolate. Or a line from the packaging puts it, the mints are "carefully dipped in a most indulgent, rich, premium dark chocolate."

(Personally, I'm glad that C&B chose only those three Altoids for chocolate dipping. I do have my limits, and there is no way I would have tried even one chocolate-dipped licorice Altoid.)

I have tried all three, and the best way to enjoy these Dark Chocolate Altoids is to place one on your tongue. Let the dark chocolate slowly melt on your tongue, and let it coat your tastebuds with a velvety dark chocolate blanket. Then, as the last of the chocolate flows away, it is replaced by the curiously strong and intense flavor of the inner mint.

My least favorite of the three is the Peppermint. As I have mentioned, peppermint is not a particularly favorite flavor of mine. The intense flavor of the peppermint completely overwhelms the chocolate that was on your tongue just a few seconds earlier. (Indeed, that holds true for all three varities.) And it leaves behind a cool, almost, icy, aftertaste in your mouth.

My favorite, on the other hand, is definitely the Cinnamon. To my way of thinking, there are way too few cinnamon-flavored confections, and this may be the only one that combines both cinnamon and chocolate. On the tongue, the Cinnamon gives a sensation that is somewhere between a sting and a tingle. Call it a stingle. And it leaves an aftertaste in your mouth as well, but where the Peppermint is ice, the Cinnamon is fire.

If there are very few cinnamon-flavored candies, the Ginger Altoids is probably the only ginger-flavored one. (At least, it's the only one that I have seen readily available.) Like the Cinnamon, the Ginger gives the tongue a stingly sensation, but the Ginger has more spice, more kick to it. And the aftertaste . . . I suppose I would have to call it eye-opening.

From what I can tell, C&B doesn't do limited editions, so I am going with the assumption that these are permanent additions to the Altoids product line. I just saw them for the first time yesterday, so if you don't see them where you normally find Altoids, you should be seeing them very soon.


-jc-

Candy Bar Review
KIT KAT MINT DARK CHOCOLATE
KIT KAT CHERRY


As I have mentioned more than once in my reviews, the one of the problems with the various limited edition candy bars is the capriciousness of when they appear, how long they are on the shelves, and if they will ever appear again once they disappear. Another is the size in which they are marketed. I've noted a few times when a candy bar was packaged only in a king size format, when it possibly might have sold better as a standard size bar.

These two variations of the Kit Kat have the opposite problem. Both of these were holiday editions, and they were marketed only in the miniature size.

Now, I had seen a Mint Kit Kat during the Christmas season for at least the past two or three years. That was a milk chocolate variation, though. This was the first year for Hershey to produce a Mint Dark Chocolate Kit Kat, and as is usually the case with something that is packaged only in the mini form, it left me irritated that Hershey didn’t make a full-size version of the bar.

Inside are the same crisp wafers (probably vanilla flavored) that you find in the regular Kit Kat bar. Outside, though, the bar is covered in a mint-flavored dark chocolate.

I say that the wafers are probably a vanilla flavor, because it's really hard to tell. The flavors of the mint and the dark chocolate form a tag team that overwhelms any other flavor. While it may be a combination that's potent enough to dominate any other flavor of the bar, it's not quite enough to distract you from the crispness of the wafers (although the mini size doesn’t have quite the satisfying crunch that a full size bar would have).

One of the first limited edition Kit Kats that Hershey brought out was the Dark Chocolate Kit Kat (no mint; just dark chocolate). After its initial run as a full size bar, it now only appears sporadically as bags of minis. This is probably much to the dismay of Steve Almond, who rhapsodized over the bar in the opening pages of Candyfreak. (He went so far as to locate and acquire 14 cartons of them. I did mention that I was but a mere padawan when compared to him, didn't I?) I can't be completely certain, but I have the feeling that if he has tried it, Almond probably loved the Mind Dark Chocolate Kit Kat just as much as he did the Dark Chocolate Kit Kat -- and I'm guessing that like me, he was probably less than pleased that it was available only in the mini form.

The Cherry Kit Kat is a Valentine's Day edition. It's still a little early, so I haven't seen whether or not it will be on the shelves for this Valentine's Day season. I'm guessing that I will see it once the Christmas candy makes its way to the clearance shelves.

As with the Mint Dark Chocolate version, the Cherry Kit Kat has the same wafers inside as the regular Kit Kat does. (This seems to be the case for most of the Kit Kat limited editions, come to think of it.) On the outside, it is covered in a cherry-flavored white chocolate. Strictly speaking, it’s not a white chocolate. Besides the cherry flavor, the chocolate has also been given just enough red food coloring to make it an appropriately seasonal pink color.

With the Mint Dark Chocolate version, the mint and dark chocolate flavors balanced each other. With the Cherry Kit Kat, though, the cherry flavor is clearly dominant over the white chocolate flavor. This seems to be something inherent whenever white chocolate is used in candy bars. The flavor is so mild that the flavor of most ingredients combined with the white chocolate tend to dominate, even overwhelm the white chocolate's flavor. This is not necessarily a good thing nor a bad thing; it's just something that has to be taken into account.

With both of these Kit Kat variations, the mini size gives a taste that is so tantalizingly brief that you really want a full size bar to properly enjoy the taste experience. I can always hope that Hershey sees the wisdom of making both of these full-size bars the next time their holiday seasons roll around. The Mint Milk Chocolate Kit Kat spent two or three years as bags of minis before finally being released as a full size bar last year. (And it is noticeably absent from the shelves this year -- perhaps Hershey is producing the Mint Dark Chocolate in its place?) Maybe it won't take as long for Hershey to see the wisdom of producing the Mint Dark Chocolate Kit Kat as a full size bar. And perhaps they will finally see the wisdom of producing a full size Cherry Kit Kat bar as well.


-jc-

Candy Review
SEE'S KRISPYS


I have become well-acquainted with this product from See's Candies over the past three years. They are among the products sold at See's seasonal kiosks, and they are also the main product being offered as samples by the sales staff. I am never one to turn away free chocolate, and I have sampled more than a few Krispys.

The Krispys are flat, wafer-like squares of a crunch candy (the See's website describes it as "honeycomb") covered with chocolate. They come in three differnt varieties.

The first of these varities is Mint. This has an intense peppermint flavor, strong enough to qualify as a breath mint. After eating one of the Mint Krispys, I have a tingling sensation in my mouth asif I had just consumed half a tin of Altoids (but without the slight sting that usually accompanies the tingle). The Mint Krispy is covered in dark chocolate, but the chocolate almost goes unnoticed. The flavor of the chocolate is almost overwhelmed by the peppermint of the center.

Next, we have Cafe Latte. The center of this Krispy comes close to tasting like a toffee -- a coffee flavored toffee, if you will. Just imagine coffee flavor being added to the toffee in a Heath bar, and you have a farily good idea of the flavor. The Cafe Latte Krispy is covered in milk chocolate, and with this pairing, there is a more balanced blend of the flavors. Once you bite into one, the coffee flavor is dominant, but it doesn't overwhelm the chocolate flavor.

The last of the Krispys is Orange, and unfortunately, I have not yet been able to try it yet. For some unknown reason, See's has not made the Orange available at the Mall St. Matthews kiosk. Yes, I suppose I could order some through the mail, but that is one of those things that I keep meaning to do. Maybe that's what I need to do this year as a Christmas present to myself.


-jc-

Candy Review
HERSHEY'S MINIATURES CHOCOLATE MINT COLLECTION


As I have mentioned once or twice before, I am puzzled as to why some candy manufacturers automatically associate a peppermint candy with Christmas. (But after giving it some thought, it occurs that the candy cane might have something to do with the association.) Whatever the reason, the connection does exist, and it seems that Hershey likes to bring out mint varieties of their chocolate during the Christmas season.

One variety that has been a Christmas release for a couple of years now is the Miniatures Chocolate Mint Collection. Right around Halloween (give or take a few days, depending on the individual store), the collection began trickling back on to the shelves for its annual appearance.

There are three different Hershey's Miniatures in the Chocolate Mint Collection: Mint Dark Chocolate, Mint Milk Chocolate, and Mint White Chocolate With Candy Bits. All three bars have one common factor -- you can smell the peppermint as you unwrap each Miniature. Come to think of it, the aroma of peppermint begins wafting out of the bag as soon as you open it.

The peppermint flavor is probably strongest in the Mint Dark Chocolate bar. Not too surprising, since a stronger mint flavor would be needed to balance the bold presence of the dark chocolate.

The Mint Milk Chocolate is the same as the Chocolate Mint Kiss, which I have already reviewed. Same mint-infused milk chocolate; just molded into a different shape. The mint seems to be less intense here than in the dark chocolate, again to offer a balance with the less bold flavor of the milk chocolate.

The most colorful of the trio is the Mint White Chocolate With Candy Bits. In addition to the mint flavor, red and green nonpareils are added to the white chocolate. The candy bits add a distinct crunch that is absent from the other two. The mint is the least intense in this member of the collection, although I have noticed that all three leave a tingly mint aftertaste in the mouth for quite some time after the Miniatures have been fully consumed.

As was the case in previous years, the Chocolate Mint Collection is a limited edition, and will be leaving the shelves not long after Santa Claus has made his annual delivery run. If you like your chocolate combined with peppermint, I would suggest stocking up on several bags now, while you have the chance.


-jc-

Candy Bar Review
SEE'S AWESOME WALNUT SQUARE BAR


I first saw this in the See's catalog last year. Much to my displeasure, though, the See's kiosk in Mall St. Matthews did not carry it during last year's Christmas season. This year, however, during my first visit to the kiosk, I saw the Awesome Walnut Square bars on display.

Yes, I picked up a couple of the bars. Part of it, of course, was getting research material for this review, but another part was that the description in the catalog was just enticing enough to make me want to know if it was as good as the catalog said it was. In a word, I guess you could call it "awesome."

The best way I can describe it to to say that it's a very close relative of a turtle. Walnuts are added to a chewy caramel, and squares of this amalgam are enrobed in See's dark chocolate. Or as the catalog mentions several times, See's aged dark chocolate. I was a little curious, so I called See's 800 number, and I asked what the significance of the aging was. The operator who took my call told me that the aging process makes the chocolate smoother tasting. (I didn't press for further details, such as how long the chocolate is aged. I figured that I would be told that this was proprietary information. Besides, I had the information I needed.)

The caramel is chewy -- VERY chewy. Very firm, and very substantial. The dark chocolate is the first flavor you notice, but slowly, that flavor gives way to themild sweetness of the caramel. Occasional flashes of flavor from the walnuts appear, but it's by their crunch that the walnuts make their presence known.

If you have a See's Candy store near you, they should be available year-round. I don't, which means that I am going to have to stock up on them between now and December 26, which is the last day that the kiosk in Mall St. Matthews will be open. After that, I will have to ration my stock carefully until See's opens for Christmas season 2007.


-jc-

Candy Review
SPECIAL DARK MACADAMIA NUT KISSES


Recently, Hershey has been quite active in producing new products containing dark chocolate. I have no idea whether Hershey is jumping on the antioxidant bandwagon, or if consumers have made the company realize that people want more than just milk chocolate, or some other reason, but in the past two or three years, I have seen a noticible increase in the introduction of dark chocolate products, whether limited editions or additions to the regular product line. If I am not mistaken, this year alone I have seen at least four different new dark variations of the Hershey's Kiss.

Yesterday, I saw a fifth new dark chocolate Kiss. The new arrival is the Special Dark Macadamia Nut Kiss. This is Hershey's Special Dark chocolate surrounding a whole Mauna Loa macadamia nut. (I mention the specific brand name, because Hershey acquired Mauna Loa in 2004.) And yes, the bag does mention that Special Dark chocolate contains 45% cacao.

I was a little surprised when I tried my first Macadamia Dark Kiss. Usually, chocolate candies containing nuts have the chocolate completely overwhelming the flavor of the nuts, and their presence in known more by their texture. I thought this would be particularly true in this case with both the dark chocolate, and the macadamia's mild flavor. But that isn't quite the case here. Yes, the dark chocolate dominates the taste buds here, and perhaps milk chocolate might make a more suitable pairing for the macadamia. But the macadamia's mild flavor does shine as an undertone, particularly if you let the chocolate melt on your tongue just a little before crunching down on the Hawaiian treasure buried in the chocolate.

And if you really like the combination of macadamias and chocolate, the best news is that this is not a limited edition. I did a thorough search of the bag, and if the words "Limited Edition" appeared on the bag, they were done so steganographically. You'll be able to enjoy the Macadamia Dark Kiss year-round.


-jc-

Candy Review
HERSHEY CHOCOLATE MINT TRUFFLE NUGGETS


Halloween's over, which means that the Christmas candy is now on the shelves. And it was as I saw the various Christmas candies being lovingly placed on the shelves that I spotted the Chocolate Mint Truffle Nuggets.

This limited edition is a Christmas version of the Truffle Nuggest that Hershey introduced a few months ago. (Why a mint candy should automatically be classified with Christmas is a question for another essay . . . but I digress.) The outer shell of the Nugget is Hershey's Special Dark chocolate. Inside that shell is a chocolate truffle filling infused with peppermint flavor.

Usually, when Hershey introduces a mint/chocolate product, the peppermint flavor is on an equal footing with the chocolate. With the Chocolate Mint Truffle Nuggets, however, there is a more delicate peppermint flavor. I suspect that this is at least partially because the dark chocolate shell is not infused with any mint flavor. Only the truffle filling has the mint flavor, and that filling can be dominated at times by the dark chocolate of the shell.

This particular version of Hershey's Nuggets will be around during the holiday season, and if my guess is correct, will vanish soon after New Year's Day. (I'm guessing that the stores will take a few days to have the remainders discounted for clearance.) But as is the case with most of Hershey's holiday-themed candies, it will probably reappear on the shelves sometime after Halloween 2007.


-jc-

Candy Review
YORK VANILLA MINT PATTIE

This is just a guess on my part, but I think this limited edition is intended for the Christmas season. Which is why I was a little surprised to find it last week, nestled among the vast plethora of Halloween candy. I was also a little surprised, because I was expecting a return engagement of the York Chocolate Mint Truffle Pattie.

Okay, time for a quick rundown of the basics: As the name suggests, the York Vanilla Mint Pattie is a variation on the York Peppermint Pattie. But instead of the fondant center of the patty having a straight peppermint flavor, it's flavored with a blend of vanilla and peppermint.

The one thing that stays the same is the dark chocolate that covers the entire patty. The fondant center of the Vanilla Mint Pattie isn't the pure white color of the Peppermint Pattie's fondant. It's slightly off-white (at first, I thought it had more of a yellowish tint, but that was the tint in my glasses).

The vanilla and mint flavors of the filling blend together quite harmoniously. The mint is a little more subdued here than it is in the regular York Peppermint Pattie, which gives the vanilla a chance to stand out. The dark chocolate provides more of a supporting role here, allowing the flavors of the filling to shine.

So far, I have seen the Vanilla Mint Pattie only in bags of miniature patties. I am hoping that Hershey will be releasing a regular size version of the Vanilla Mint Pattie sometime before the Christmas season is over, because I am quite certain that after that, they will disappear until sometime around Halloween 2007.


-jc-

Candy Review
HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK KISSABLES


When it comes to knowing what the consumer wants, I think Hershey may be more on the ball than Mars. Why do I say that? Well, Mars first introduced the milk chocolate M&Ms in 1941. It took them until 2005 for Mars to finally introduce a dark chocolate M&Ms version, and that was only as a limited edition. It wasn't until this year that the Dark Chocolate M&Ms finally became a part of the regular Mars product line.

In contrast, Hershey introduced the Hershey's Kissables candies about this time last year. And just a few days ago, I saw bags of one of Hershey's newest products -- the Special Dark Kissables.

In terms of physical appearance, the Special Dark Kissables look almost exactly like their milk chocolate counterparts. They are slightly larger than chocolate chips, and for some strange reason, the base is slightly rounded. The dark chocolate is encased in a sugar shell.

As with the milk chocolate Kissables, the shell doesn't add much in the way of flavor. What they do add is a wonderful little crunch as you bite down. It also delays the initial burst of chocolate on the tongue for just the briefest fraction of a second. As Carly Simon once sang, "Anticipa-a-tion . . . " In this case, it makes that first taste of chocolate all the sweeter.

The candy shells of the Special Dark Kissables do not have the same colors as their milk chocolate counterparts. Where the milk chocolate Kissables have bright colors to their shells, the Special Dark Kissables have more subdued colors. And there are only four -- maroon, brown, lavender, and purple. (Yes! Two shades of purple!)

At the moment, I have seen the Special Dark Kissables only in the party size bags -- an eight-ounce bag, to be precise. But since this is a new addition to the Hershey product line, and not a limited edition, it should be only a matter of time before I see individual-size bags. And it isn't really too unusual; as I recall, the milk chocolate Kissables first appeared in the party size bags.


-jc-

Candy Review
HERSHEY CACAO RESERVE


Recently, a number of chocolate producers have been making what some would call high-end chocolates. That is, something that is a notch or two (or more) above the average candy bar that you find at your local grocery store. (They also cost quite a bit more than your average candy bar, but I suspect that's part of the snob appeal.) Hershey has now joined that trend with the introduction of their Cacao Reserve line of chocolates.

Hershey launched the Cacao Reserve line with four products -- two milk chocolate bars, and two dark chocolate bars. Oh, I should say premium milk chocolate and premium dark chocolate. Maybe even capitalize and italicize that. (Okay, maybe I'm being just a little sarcastic here, but I think you get the idea.)

Now, one thing most of these high-quality chocolates boast on their label is the percentage of cacao solids the bar contains. This should not be taken as the sole indication the quality of the chocolate. The processing methods of the different companies also come into play; a bar from one company that contains 45% cacao might have a better flavor than a 60% cacao bar from another company. It all depends on the quality of the cacao beans used, and the other ingredients in the chocolate. For that matter, personal taste also plays a big part as well.

Hershey does follow the trend of listing the cacao percentage on the wrappers of the Cacao Reserve bars. The two milk chocolate bars contain 35% cacao -- which, if I'm remembering the FDA's standards correctly, is enough to qualify this as a dark chocolate, if the milk solids were not part of the chocolate. The two dark chocolate bars contain 65% cacao.

All of the Cacao Reserve bars are slightly thicker than your regular Hershey bar. They also have a much firmer snap to them when you break a bar into sections.

The first bar I tried was the Premium Milk Chocolate bar. Just going from what I initially read about Cacao Reserve, I was expecting the chocolate to have a richer flavor than Hershey's regular milk chocolate. I was not disappointed by what I tasted. For lack of a better word, I will have to say that the chocolate has a bolder taste than Hershey's regular milk chocolate. If you were to taste samples of the regular milk chocolate and the Cacao Reserve side-by-side, you would definitely be able to determine which was which. It also has a creamier flavor than the regular milk chocolate; possibly even creamier than Hershey's Symphony chocolate. If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that the chocolate also contains a higher percentage of milk solids as well, but this is only a guess.

The other milk chocolate bar is Premium Milk Chocolate With Hazelnuts. I think that that description is pretty self-explanatory. As is usually the case with bars containing chocolate and nuts, the hazelnut pieces add more texture than anything else. Even more so than with the regular milk chocolate, the flavor of the Cacao Reserve chocolate overwhelms the flavor of the nuts. Every once in a while, though, you get the briefest glimmer of hazelnut flavor, but it's usually very brief.

Moving on to the dark chocolate selections, the first of these is the Extra Dark Chocolate bar. This is an intensely rich, velvety, dark chocolate. Again, a comparison between Cacao Reserve Dark and Hershey's Special Dark would leave no doubt as to which chocolate is which. This is a chocolate which grabs your tastebuds and demands to let itself melt slowly on your tongue. It does leave a slightly bitter aftertaste in your mouth, but that's the only negative thing I have found about any of the Cacao Reserve bars.

The final bar in the initial release of the Cacao Reserve line is Extra Dark Chocolate With Cacao Nibs. It's the same dark chocolate, with the additional kick of bits of cacao beans blended in it. In theory, I'm guessing this is supposed to provide just that little extra burst of chocolate intensity. I am still not quite sure how well it actually works. It does provide an interesting crunch to the bar, but any flavor burst is overwhelmed by the intensity of the dark chocolate. It's possible that the cacao nibs would have been a better pairing with the milk chocolate. If they were added to provide an additional flavor, they might be able to do so against the milder taste of the milk chocolate

In addition to the four chocolate bars, the launch of the Cacao Reserve includes two hot cocoa mixes. I haven't seen then just yet, so they will have to wait for another review. And the Cacao Reserve website mentions that there will be additions to the product line in coming months.


-jc-

Candy Review
HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK STRAWBERRY KISSES


I saw these in CVS at the same time I did the Special Dark Orange Kisses. And as was the case with the Orange Kisses, I initially thought these were a limited edition. (Also as was the case with the Orange Kisses, no, they aren't. At least, I don't think they are.)

Like Hershey's other Special Dark products, these are 45% chocolate liquor. These Kisses have also been infused with flavor, strawberry in this case. If I'm remembering correctly, last year Hershey released a limited edition version of their Nuggets that was infused with strawberry flavor. But that was milk chocolate, not dark chocolate.

The Special Dark Strawberry Kisses are similar to their Orange counterparts in several aspects. A wonderful strawberry aroma assaults your nostrils when you open the bag. The strawberry flavor isn't as pronounced once you pop one of the Strawberry Kisses in your mouth. And biting into the Kiss releases more of the strawberry flavor than simply letting it melt on your tongue.

Strawberries and chocolate -- a yummilicious combination.


-jc-

Candy Review
HERSHEY SPECIAL DARK ORANGE KISSES


When I saw these in CVS, my initial thought was, "Hmmm, looks like Hershey has another new limited edition for the holidays." Then I picked up a bag of the Special Dark Orange Kisses. I looked at it thoroughly. No sign of the words "limited edition." That's a good sign -- maybe.

This particular variation on the Hershey's Kiss uses Hershey's Special Dark chocolate, and like its other Special Dark products, it contains 45% chocolate liquor. (That was the second thing I checked.) This dark chocolate has been infused with an orange flavoring.

When I opened the bag, the orange aroma was overwhelmingly irresistible. As I let one of the Orange Kisses melt on my tongue, I noticed that the orange flavor was not as strong as the aroma would have led me to believe. Yes, the flavor of orange is there, but the dark chocolate is still the dominant flavor in the candy. It reminds me a little of the Orange Island Mounds from this summer, but without the coconut.

There was one other little thing I noticed. Biting into one of the Orange Kisses releases more of the orange flavor than simply letting it melt on your tongue. That takes some of the fun out of enjoying this.

I love the combination of orange and chocolate, so the fact that the Orange Kisses aren't a limited edition (I hope!) is a good thing. I actually have a couple of ideas on how to use them in my baking.


-jc-

Candy Review
HERSHEY SPECIAL DARK COFFEE KISSES


I saw these at Kroger Saturday, and I picked up a bag late yesterday. I'm not too surprised to see this limited edition hitting the shelves when it did. It can't be a coincidence that these appeared at the same time the regular size version of the Special Dark Espresso bar appeared on the shelves. I'm just a little surprised that Hershey didn't think of a store display that brought the two together.

The Special Dark Kisses are the same as the Special Dark Espresso bar -- dark chocolate infused with coffee flavor. Make that a STRONG coffee flavor; the coffee smell hits you as soon as you open the bag.

As I may have stated on more than one occasion, letting the Kiss melt on your tongue is the best way to enjoy it. The dark chocolate and coffee flavors swirl over your tastebuds, coating them in a velvety blanket of dark richness.

I know that all chocolate has caffeine in it. But as I mentioned when I reviewed the Special Dark Espresso bar, I think that Hershey added a little more caffeine when they added the coffee flavor. After eating several Special Dark Kisses, I find that I have a little bit of a caffeine buzz going -- one similar to what I have after my first cup of coffee.

Again, this is is a limited edition, and I have no idea how long the Special Dark Coffee Kiss will stay on the shelves. I suppose it depends on how long it takes to get the word out to people who love their coffee and chocolate the same way -- dark and sweet.


-jc-

Candy Bar Review
HERSHEY SPECIAL DARK ESPRESSO

I first saw this limited edition two or three months ago. In another one of those inexplicable marketing decisions, Hershey released this only as one of their big bars -- the five-ounce size; at least the size of four (and maybe even five) regular size bars. Today, I stopped by a convenience storewhile waiting for the bus, and I saw that Hershey had finally decided to release it as a regular-size bar.

The Special Dark Espresso bar is dark chocolate with a coffee flavor added to it. I'm not going to say that it's the same dark chocolate as the standard Special Dark bar -- at least not yet. As I mentioned in a previous entry, dark chocolate must contain at least 35% cacao solids (chocolate liquor). The wrapper for the Special Dark Espresso bar says that it contains 45% cacao solids, and at the moment I have no idea whether or not the regular Special Dark bar contains that much. [NOTE: I did a little research after I made this entry public, and yes, the regular Special Dark bar does contain 45% cacao solids.]

You can smell the coffee in this bar even before you open the wrapper, and it smells even more wonderful once the wrapper is opened. But as intense as the coffee aroma is, the coffee taste is not that overpowering. The bar tastes like a cup of really strong, dark coffee that has had an equal amount of melted dark chocolate poured into it, then stirred to blend the two.

The chocolate itself is dark, rich, and velvety smooth. The best way to eat this bar is to break off a section and slowly let it melt on your tongue. This allows the melted chocolate to coat your tastebuds with a blanket of combined coffee and chocolate flavors; a combination that provide simultaneous sweet and bitter sensations.

I also noticed one other thing. I think that Hershey also managed to put the coffee's caffeine in the chocolate as well. After eating a bar, I felt a little perked up, the way I do after a cup or two of coffee.

Last year, Hershey released a couple of limited editions that had milk chocolate with coffee flavoring. The milk chocolate was good, but the dark chocolate is better by several degrees. The stronger flavor of the dark chocolate means that a stronger coffee flavor can be added to the chocolate without overwhelming the chocolate, and it think that is what Hershey did here.

I had bought a couple of the big bars, but had not gotten around to trying the Special Dark Espresso until I saw the regular size bar. Now that I have tried it, I'm fairly certain that the big bars should not be eaten in a single sitting. It might be enough to cause a coffee/chocolate overload.


-jc-

Candy Review
HERSHEY TRUFFLE NUGGETS


I've been trying to think of the best way to describe Hershey's Nuggets. I suppose if I called it a "block-shaped Kiss," it might give you the best idea of what they are, but that isn't completely accurate. For one thing, they are larger than the Hershey's Kiss -- just under twice the size, if my calculations are correct.

The first Nuggets -- milk chocolate and milk chocolate with almonds -- were introduced in 1994. Other varieties have been introduced over the years, including several limited editions. Now, Hershey has introduced two versions of Truffle Nuggets, in extra creamy milk chocolate and in Special Dark.

Structurally, both varieties are the same. The block-like Nugget shape is a hollow shell for a chocolate truffle filling. From what I can tell, the truffle filling is the same for both versions. This is based on a completely non-scientific observation. I bit into one of each of the Nuggets, and made a visual side-by-side comparison.

The milk chocolate variety uses the same chocolate as Hershey's Symphony bars. As the name suggests, the chocolate has a creamier, smoother texture than the standard Hershey milk chocolate. The Special Dark variety uses the same dark chocolate that can be found in Hershey's Special Dark candy bars (among a few other candy bars), and in Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips.

In both varieties, the chocolate shell seems to overwhelm the flavor of the truffle filling. I would have expected that with the dark chocolate, but I was somewhat surprised when it occurred as well with the milk chocolate version. The truffle filling does make its presence known by its texture. The truffle filling has a slightly heavier density than the chocolate surrounding it. Both Nuggets are chewier than a plain block of either milk or dark chocolate would be. The truffle filling also adds a subtle flavor undertone to the candy. It seems to be strongest if you let the Nugget linger on your tongue, and not swallow immediately after chewing.

The Truffle Nuggets first appeared on the shelves about a month or two before the Truffle Kisses. Besides the shape, there are one or two other slight differences. The main one seems to be the filling in the Truffle Kiss. It seems to be a little softer than the filling in either of the Truffle Nuggets. The flavor of the filling in the Truffle Kiss also seems to come through a little more strongly.

I suppose what could be considered the best thing about these new Nuggets is the absence of two words from the bag -- limited edition. To the best of my knowledge, these are going to be on the shelves for quite a while. So there isn't a need for a mad rush to the store. A leisurely rush will suffice, as well as a thoughtful decision as to which version you want to try first.


-jc-

Candy Review
HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE KISSES


Most of my confectionary discoveries are purely serendipitous. Believe it or not, I don't walk into a store thinking, "What tantalizing morsel of chocolatey goodness will I find today?" Okay, maybe I should say that it's rarely an active thought. If I'm thinking about it at all, the thought may be floating around my subconscious mind.

Such was the case when I was in Meijer yesterday afternoon. I discovered this newest Hershey's Kiss simply by rounding a corner and noticing the display on an aisle's endcap. Once I noticed that the endcap was displaying a new product, I eagerly snapped up a bag -- purely for research purposes, you understand.

The Chocolate Truffle Kiss isn't just another variation on the Hershey's Kiss. The main difference is that it's dark chocolate, not milk chocolate. It's a shell of dark chocolate, and inside that shell is a chocolate truffle filling.

The dark chocolate shell is wonderfully rich; just as rich as the Dark Chocolate Kiss. The truffle filling is just as dark, perhaps even slightly darker. It has a velvety smooth texture that flows over your tongue as it oozes out of the shell.

As I have mentioned in other reviews, I think that possibly the best way to enjoy any of the filled Kisses is to place one on your tongue, and once the chocolate begins to soften, press it against the roof of your mouth to release the filling in a sudden rush. And I think that holds true for the Truffle Kiss. But now that I have given it some thought, that's probably the best way to enjoy any of the Hershey's Kisses. Placing the Kiss on your tongue and letting it melt, that is. If it's solid, like the original Hershey's Kiss, there isn't any filling to release. But letting the Kiss melt on your tongue lets the chocolate slowly diffuse over your taste buds, so that your enjoyment of the chocolate is maximized.

On the other hand, if you enjoy a chewy texture to your truffle, I might suggesting placing the Truffle Kisses in the refrigerator or freezer for a couple of hours. At room temperature, the truffle filling is soft -- very soft. It needs to be chilled to get a solid, more truffle feel to it.

And I'm saving the best part for last. The dreaded words "Limited Edition" do not appear on the bag. I am taking that to mean that the Truffle Kisses are a part of the regular Hershey product line. (Or to use the phrase a lady with Hershey's customer service department used, the everyday product line.) So you won't need to make a mad rush to search for these before they vanish from the shelves. I think the Truffle Kisses will be staying for a while.


-jc-

Candy Bar Review
ALMOND JOY TOASTED COCONUT
MOUNDS ISLAND ORANGE


In 2004, it was Pina Colada and Double Chocolate. Last year, it was Key Lime and Passion Fruit. This year, Almond Joy shows up in a Toasted Cocount limited edition bar. And for the first time, Mounds gets a limited edition variation with Island Orange Mounds.

The Toasted Coconut Almond Joy is probably the limited edition that comes the closest to the original. As the name suggests, the bed of coconut has been toasted, giving the coconut a slight brown tinge to it when you bite into the bar. It seems as though the coconut has only been toasted slightly, though, compared to other candy bars I've seen that feature toasted coconut. I suspect that toasting the coconut completely would remove most if not all of the moisture from the coconut, which would make it more difficult to form into the oval shape for the bar.

The toasting gives the coconut a slightly nuttier taste. It blends well with both the milk chocolate covering and the almonds. This is also one of the few bars with almonds where I was able to taste the almonds as well as feel their crunch.

In the Mounds Island Orange bar, the coconut has been given an orange flavoring. It also has been tinted a sunny orange color, which contrasts well with the dark chocolate covering.

While not completely overpowering, the orange flavor is quite strong. It's definitely stronger than the fruit flavor that was in some of the previous Almond Joy limited editions. It blends well with the coconut, and especially with the dark chocolate. Of course, I think a lot of fruits go well with dark chocolate, and I'm hoping that Hershey tries other combinations for their next Mounds special edition. Raspberry is the first that comes to mind. Blueberry quickly follows.

Of course, these are both limited editions, which means that both could very easily disappear from the shelves at any moment. I do hope that Hershey thinks about bringing either or both back. In particular, I feel that the Mounds Island Orange, with its dark brown and orange colors, would be an ideal bar to bring back every year for Halloween.


-jc-

Candy Bar Review
DARK CHOCOLATE CRUNCH WITH CARAMEL


I was a little surprised when Nestle introduced the Crunch With Caramel bar a few years ago. Surprised that no one had thought of trying that particular combination in a candy bar before. But when Nestle released its dark chocolate version of the Crunch bar last year, I figured it was only a matter of time before they tried a dark chocolate variation on the Crunch With Caramel bar.

It took almost a year, but Nestle finally unleashed the Dark Chocolate Crunch With Caramel on an unsuspecting public. (Well, maybe not a totally unsuspecting public.)

The Dark Crunch With Caramel bar follows the same basic structure as the original Crunch With Caramel. The bottom layer is dark chocolate with crisped rice. In the middle is a gooey, semi-liquid caramel, which is covered by a dome of plain dark chocolate. (Here, I use "plain" to indicate that the top layer is dark chocolate alone -- no crisped rice.)

As with last year's Dark Crunch bar, the dark chocolate tends to mute the malty flavor of the crisped rice. Its presence is more felt through the crunchy texture, rather than through any flavor it adds to the bar. The caramel is sweet and gooey -- much sweeter than the chocolate; the flavors of the two play off one another as you eat the bar.

As I mentioned, this is a limited edition production. Last year's Dark Crunch is supposed to becoming a permanent part of Nestle's product line, but I don't think this will happen with the Dark Crunch With Caramel. If it sells well enough, I do think it will make a return appearance to the shelves, quite possibly as an annual release. I wouldn't object to that.


-jc-

Candy Bar Review
AWESOME PEANUT BRITTLE BAR
AWESOME NUT & CHEW BAR


I have had more of a familiarity with California-based See's Candies than one would expect from someone living in Louisville. My grandmother's sister lived in California, and every year for Christmas, she would send my grandmother various selections of See's Candies. And more often than not, the grandkids would descend on the candy like a swarm of locusts. (And yes, I was probably the one leading the assault more often than not.)

Given my familiarity with the company, I was both surprised and pleased when See's opened a holiday kiosk in Mall St. Matthews for Christmas 2004, and again for Christmas 2005. (Unfortunately, both years they opened right after Halloween, and closed between Christmas and New Year's Day.)

It was during the past two Christmas seasons that I discovered some of the candy bars that See's makes. (Prior to that, my knowledge of the company's product line went as far as the assortments of chocolates that my grandmother received.)

The Awesome Peanut Brittle Bar is peanut brittle covered in milk chocolate. Or mabe I should use the text from the wrapper -- "crunchy peanut brittle drenched in milk chocolate." (That description has more of a flair to it, doesn't it?) The milk chocolate has a slightly richer flavor to it than what you would find in most candy bars. This is probably due to See's using only fresh ingredients, and never adding preservatives or other additives in any of their candies.

The peanut brittle has more peanuts in it than other peanut brittles I have eaten. If I were to hazard a guess, it has at least twice the peanuts of other peanut brittles, but it isn't to the point where there is only just enough brittle to hold the peanuts together. For lack of a better term, it also seems to be a little softer than other peanut brittles. When you bite into the bar (and presumably, the plain peanut brittle that See's also sells), it yields to less pressure from your teeth. I haven't encountered any of the jagged edges that you sometimes find in peanut brittle, either.

The wrapper for the Awesome Nut & Chew Bar describes it as "chewy nougat with almonds and honey covered in dark chocolate." The See's website describes it as "aged dark chocolate," although they don't give any details either on the aging process or how the aging improves the chocolate. Another page on the website states that their dark chocolate is laced with a hint of vanilla, again without any further explanation.

At first taste, I get the impression that the dark chocolate has a slight higher percentage of cocoa solids than your average dark chocolate bar. As with the milk chocolate in the Peanut Brittle Bar, this dark chocolate has a slightly righer flavor to it.

As advertised, the nougat is chewy, and is usually the last flavor remaining in your mouth. There is a slight flavor of honey in the nougat, and I find myself wishing that the honey had a stronger flavor presence than it does. The almonds are whole, and add a firm crunch to the bar.

The people at See's Candies are fanatical about the quality of their products. Most of the time, this is a good thing. But there are a few drawbacks. The primary drawback (in my opinion, of course) is that their products are sold ONLY in their stores. And from a quick check of their website, the nearest permanent retail location to Louisville is at the Cincinnati airport in Covington, KY. (And this store must have opened recently. A few months ago, the nearest store to me was in the Chicago area.) Since I'm not going to book a flight to anywhere through Cincinnati any time I want to indulge my tastes for See's Candies, I will just have to wait for the Christmas season to roll around again. That, and hope that sooner or later See's will open a year-round store here in Louisville.


-jc-

Candy Review
DARK CHOCOLATE M&MS


Last year, as part of a merchandising tie-in with Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith, M&M/Mars released Dark Chocolate M&Ms as a limited edition. In this case, the promotion was "Choose your side -- Jedi or Sith." The Jedi were represented by the standard milk chocolate M&Ms (albeit in different colored candy shells than you normally see), and the Sith by the dark chocolate. Sometime during the summer, though, the dark chocolate M&Ms disappeared, apparently unlikely to be seen again. (There was supposed to be a re-release in conjunction with the DVD release of ROTS, but if they did come back to the shelves, I never saw them.)

Well, I am guessing that M&M/Mars received a lot of consumer feedback along the lines of "We love the Dark Chocolate M&Ms, bring them back!" Last month, Dark Chocolate M&Ms made a return to the shelves -- this time as a permanent part of the product line.

From the outside, the dark chocolate M&Ms look just like their milk chocolate counterparts. The candy shells are the same colors, and the only giveaway is that some of them -- repeat, SOME of them -- have the word "dark" printed under the "m" on the shell. Bite into one, though, and you crunch through the shell into a rich, velvety-smooth dark chocolate.

There is just one drawback to both the candy shells and the size. You don't have the opportunity to savor the chocolate as it truly should be savored. That's by letting the chocolate melt on your tongue, and letting the dark sweetness suffuse your tastebuds. On the other hand, the small size does let you get your chocolate fix in small doses, if that happens to be how you get the most out of your chocolate enjoyment.

Dark Chocolate M&Ms come in both individual and party size bags, both in a distinctive purple color. (Now if M&M/Mars would only put the purple on the chocolate as well as the bags.)


-jc-

Candy Review
DARK RAISINETS


I like raisins, and as you probably already know, I love chocolate. I'm usually indifferent to the combination of the two, so Nestle's Raisinettes aren't something that I would usually purchase. But when I first saw Dark Raisinets appear on the shelves a few weeks ago, I decided to try something a little different (different for me, at least).

When I saw the bag, and that it trumpeted the fact that Raisinets are made with California raisins, I had a brief flashback to the California Raisins ad campaign of many, many years ago. I even had a brief music clip playing in my head:

"Oooooh, ooooh, I heard it through the grapevine,
Chocolate-covered California sunshine . . . "

Since I can't remember having ever eaten the original Raisinets, I picked up a bag of them as well as the Dark Raisinets. I needed something for comparison purposes, and I needed it fresh on my tongue, and in my mind.

I found one thing similar in both Raisinets varieties. As you bite into one, there is the initial flavor of the chocolate, quickly followed by the sweeter taste and chewier texture of the raisin. With the original Raisinets, the milder taste of the milk chocolate quickly fades into the background as the sweeter taste of the raisin dominates your taste buds. With the Dark Raisinets, however, it is the bolder taste of the dark chocolate which dominates.

There was one other thing I noticed on the bag for the Dark Raisinets. As a number of other chocolate companies have been doing recently, Nestle is making certain that the consumer knows that dark chocolate is a good source of antioxidants. As a matter of fact, they point out that both the dark chocolate AND the fruit are sources of antioxidants. Hey, people, this is candy that's good for you!

I have seen both varieties for sale not only in individual size bags, but also in party size bags (eight ounces or larger). If you're having a party, one idea for snacks would be to take one bag of each version of Raisinets, and mix them together in a bowl. Maybe add some nuts, or play around to suit your own tastes.

As far as I can tell, it seems to be Nestle's intent that the Dark Raisinets are a permanent part of their product line. I made a thorough inpection of the bag, and I failed to find the words "limited edition" anywhere. This is just a guess on my part, but I'm thinking that Nestle thinks that this will a big seller.


-jc-

Candy Bar Review
NESTLE CRUNCH DARK


I think when I saw this last year, this was the first time Nestle had released a limited edition candy bar. Not really a surprise; neither Nestle nor Mars has produced as many limited editions as Hershey has. (In fact, I think Hershey has produced more limited editions that Nestle and Mars combined, but I digress . . . )

At the risk of having someone (or multiple someones) say, "Well, DUH!", the Dark Crunch bar is a dark chocolate variation of the Nestle Crunch bar. When you open the wrapper, it's still the familiar slab with "CRUNCH" molded into it; it's just a little darker shade of brown than what you would normally find.

The bar is semi-sweet chocolate -- the same semi-sweet chocolate that you will find in every bag of Nestle's chocolate chips. Oops, that should be Nestle's Toll House Morsels. Crisped rice is molded into the bar along with the chocolate.

The dark chocolate is rich, sweet -- and for the most part, dominates the flavor of the bar. I wasn't completely sure of this until I went back and tried the regular Crunch bar. With the regular Crunch bar, the crisped rice has a malty flavor that blends in with the milk chocolate. I'm fairly certain that it's still there in the Dark Crunch bar; it just isn't as noticible against the dark chocolate.

While this was on the shelves, I called Nestle to let them know how much I liked it. The customer service rep told me that I wasn't the only one to have said that. In fact, she said that the response had been so positive that Nestle was going to make it a permanent part of the product line. So far, though, I haven't seen any of the regular size bars since they left the shelves. The Dark Crunch has , though, appeared in other forms. I have seen bags of miniature Dark Crunch bars at my local supermarket. During Valentine's Day, I saw Crunch Hearts in both milk chocolate and dark chocolate. I have even seen Dark Crunch in the large size (five-ounce) bars. I am eagerly awaiting a return of the Dark Crunch in the regular size bars, though.


-jc-

Candy Bar Review
TWIX DARK CHOCOLATE


The Twix candy bar first hit the shelves in 1979. Within a year or so, there were four versions on the market. In addition to the original Twix, there was Peanut Butter Twix, Cookies & Creme Twix, and Chocolate Fudge Twix. After only a couple of years (maybe even less), the original and peanut butter varieties were the only ones remaining. (Which was a shame, because as I remember, I liked the Chocolate Fudge Twix much better than I do the Peanut Butter Twix.)

Last year, Mars decided to add new versions of the Twix bar, if only on a limited basis. The first of these additions was the Dark Chocolate Twix. Structurally, the Dark Chocolate Twix is similar to the other versions of the bar. A long, slender vanilla cookie serves as the base for the bar. The cookie is topped with caramel, and the bar is enrobed in dark chocolate. Two such bars are in each package.

The dark chocolate used here is very dark, and has a velvety smooth texture. Mars seems to be using a darker chocolate than what Hershey uses, but that impression may be because I'm not doing a side by side comparison. It melts on the tongue, and on the fingers. Of course, the latter depends somewhat on the ambient room temperature.

As I already mentioned, the cookie is a vanilla cookie. You really can't detect any distinct flavor from it, because the flavors of the chocolate and caramel are so dominating. Besides serving as a base for the rest of the candy bar, the cookie provides a crunchy texture that contrasts with the chewiness of the caramel.

The caramel in this bar is quite substantial. It is thick, solid, chewy -- perhaps even as solid as caramel candies sold by themselves. You are made aware of its presence much more readily than the more fluid caramel used in other candy bars. While its flavor can be dominated by that of the dark chocolate, it is usually the last flavor lingering on your taste buds. The chewiness of the caramel means that it lasts in your mouth well beyond the chocolate and the cookie.

The Dark Chocolate Twix was a limited edition, and unfortunately has already disappeared from the shelves. It seems to have been popular enough; Mars included miniature Dark Chocolate Twix bars in a recent "Twix Mix" bag. Perhaps that is enough to look forward to a future re-release of the bar -- even if it is just another limited release.


-jc-