Wild Ophelia 44% Cacao Beef Jerky Milk Chocolate Bar

parent co.: Vosges/Wild Ophelia

net wt.: 2 oz.

quantity: 1 bar (4-.5 oz.sections)

country: united states

description: beef jerky, smoked paprika and deep milk chocolate deliver the power of the magical cacao bean

that's right, there is a beef jerky bar. and it is pretty much what you'd expect - salty, kind of beefy, overall weird but not at all bad. the chocolate is very smooth and creamy but the saltiness and the slightly salty, very beefy smell of the bar itself can be a little overpowering. it actually has a really pleasant aftertaste once the beefiness disappears. i think the hardest thing to get over is the initial smokiness; the package states that there is smoked paprika in there which probably lends to that smoky taste, but actual beef jerky is in the ingredients list (which has worcestershire sauce, soy sauce AND liquid smoke in it) so this is for reals. i do enjoy the salt-chocolate combo, and this chocolate actually has some caramel notes in it so it works, however i think it just takes some getting used to the beef aspect. i was actually very pleased to find this bar at the cost plus world market in town; this company, wild ophelia, makes wonderful and weird chocolate bars out of chicago. apparently it's an offshoot of vosges chocolate company who are well-known for their bacon chocolate bar, so i guess the jerky is the next step. wild ophelia has several other interesting flavors, one of which - southern hibiscus peach - will be the next review. so check it out, candy is back in style! also, found some swedish candy to intro the sweden scene - wait for it...

rating: 6

ingredients: milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, dry whole milk powder, soy lecithin, vanilla), beef jerky (beef, water, organic soy sauce [water, organic soybeans, salt, organic alcohol], worcestershire sauce [distilled vinegar, water, molasses, corn syrup, salt, flavorings], liquid smoke, flavorings), salt, smoked paprika

allergen information: contains milk, soy

Trader Joe's Bunny Gummy Tummies

parent co.: Trader Joe's

net wt.: 7 oz.

qty.: 30-35

country: united states

description: soft candy with natural strawberry, orange, lemon and blackberry flavors

b.paul brought these home from TJ's, much to my surprise and delight. it seems that they've decided to expand their Gummy Tummy line to incorporate all the major holidays. i've had the regular Gummy Tummies and the Lovey Gummy Tummies, as well as the Ghoulie Gummy Tummies but these Bunny Gummy Tummies are a new addition. the flavors included here are orange, strawberry, lemon and blackberry. the original gummies include strawberry and the halloween gummies have orange and blackberry, so the lemon is the only "new" flavor here. the first noticeable difference in these is the fact that they're opaque whereas the previous gummy tummies have all been translucent. i'd guess this is to give them a pastel look for easter. as far as taste goes, the actual gummies do seem to have a yogurty taste which is a very nice contrast to the tangy liquid filling. the blackberry is probably my favorite, it definitely has the most yogurt flavor - it seems that only the liquid is blackberry flavored as the gummi itself tastes like straight up yogurt. the strawberry also has a strong yogurt taste; the filling is identical to the original strawberry gummies - sweet and tangy with a berry aftertaste. i'd say that orange has the most zazz, it's very tangy, almost mouth-puckeringly so, and it has a slight bitterness to it reminiscent of orange peels. the lemon was surprisingly good, not overpowering, yet tart and sweet. i didn't get the furniture polish taste that so often accompanies lemon candies, and it was probably the least tart of the bunch. it was also the most prevalent flavor in the package, by far. these are definitely a step up from the Lovey Gummies as far as flavor and filling (the hearts have so little filling it's almost hard to tell it's there), and i also like them a bit better than the halloween version. i think the original might still be my favorite, but these are definitely giving them a run for their money. i'm quite fond of the creaminess and i can't wait to see what other holiday gummies Trader Joe's will come up with.

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rating: 9

ingredients: glucose syrup, sugar, water, animal gelatin, modified corn starch, citric acid, pectin, natural flavors (strawberry, orange, lemon, blackberry), glazing agent (vegetable oil [palm kernel, coconut], carnauba wax), fruit and vegetable color (aronia juice concentrate, elderberry juice concentrate, curcumin, paprika extract, anthocyanins), titanium dioxide (for color), wheat starch

allergy information: contains wheat

VD2010 Recap: Chocolate Covered Honeycomb

parent co.: maud borup; route 29

pkg. size: 2.6"x2.6"x8.5"

candy size: n/a

weight: 6 oz.

quantity: 10-15

country: united states

description: rich milk chocolate over a crisp caramelized candy center

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even though i purchased this at wal-mart, and even though the Chocolate Covered Potato Chips were gross, i had high hopes for these Chocolate Covered Honeycomb pieces. i've tried the Cadbury Crunchie, which i liked (even though mine was past date and a little funny tasting), so i was expecting to enjoy these as well. and i did. even more, in fact. the nice thing about these Maud Borup confections is that they're using real milk chocolate, not mockolate (which is gross). while i prefer dark chocolate, the ratio of chocolate to honeycomb is great, so the milk chocolate doesn't offend me at all really. i can tell these are fresh (fresher than my Crunchie, at least) because they lack the strange sour taste that the old stuff had. the "honeycomb" center is crunchy, almost flaky, with an intensely sweet honey taste. i would still be interested to try real honeycomb covered in chocolate, but these are quite tasty.

rating: 6

ingredients: milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, milk, chocolate liquor, soy lecithin - an emulsifier, vanilla, salt), sugar, corn syrup, honey, sodium bicarbonate, salt, soy lecithin

allergy information: contains milk and soy. may contain peanut, tree nuts and wheat

VD2010 Recap: Chocolate Covered Potato Chips

parent co.: maud borup; route 29

pkg. size: 2.6"x2.6"x8.5"

candy size: n/a

weight: 5 oz.

quantity: 10-15

country: united states

description: potato chips covered in premium milk chocolate

i've had chocolate covered chips on one other occasion and they were delicious. kind of like Pringles covered in chocolate. they were salty and sweet and delicious. based on that experience i was really excited for these. alas, they did not live up to my expectations. where the other chips i had reminded me of salty, delicious Pringles, these were more like greasy, non-salted Ruffles. if Ruffles were not salted they would be gross, kind of like these Chocolate Covered Potato Chips, which also happen to have a slightly dirty taste. another issue is the ratio of chocolate to chip - way too much chocolate for such a thin chip. although actually, the chips are rather thick, the chocolate is just so overloaded. all in all, not a good thing. i'll have to find those other chips i tried and see if they're as good as i remember.

rating: 3

ingredients: milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, milk, chocolate liquor, soy lecithin, vanilla salt), potatoes, vegetable oil (contains one or more of the following: corn, cottonseed, soybean), salt

allergy information: contains milk and soy. may contain peanuts, tree nuts and wheat

VD2010 Recap: Yum Dilly S'mores

parent co.: maud borup; route 29

pkg. size: 4"x4"(d.)

candy size: 1.25"x2" d.

weight: 5.5 oz.

quantity: 10-15

country: united states

description: nibble-sized grahams topped with a fluffy marshmallow and drenched in creamy milk chocolate

i love s'mores in real life. i love s'mores cupcakes (when i make them). i love the combination of chocolate and marshmallow, even without the graham cracker. and i must admit, i really like these little s'mores bites. the marshmallow and graham are wonderful, the marshmallow has a great chewy, nougat-y denseness and the graham has a nice soft crunch. not so much a crunch as a crumble. it's good, though. the only issue here is the mockolate coating. if this were covered in really good chocolate it would be phenomenal. but even with the fake chocolate i like it, and i ate the whole tub. and it was good.

rating: 7

ingredients: sugar, partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil, cocoa powder, nonfat dry milk solids, whole milk solids, reduced mineral whey powder, soy lecithin, salt, artificial flavor, corn syrup, dextrose, modified cornstarch, water, gelatin, artificial color (includes blue #1), natural and artificial flavor, tetrasodium pyrosphosphate, enriched wheat flour, graham flour, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, shortening, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, honey, sodium bicarbonate, salt, molasses, soy lecithin, malted cereal syrup, vanilla, artificial flavor

allergy information: contains milk, soy, wheat

VD2010 Recap: Palmer Double Crisp Hearts

parent co.: r.m. palmer co.

pkg. size: 7.5"x4.5"

candy size: 1.25" d.

weight: 5 oz.

quantity: 10-15

country: united states

description: crisp 'n crunchy chocolaty 'n smooth

another Palmer disaster. while these are undoubtedly better than the Cookies'n' Creme hearts, they still have the greasy texture of mockolate and the chewiness of stale crispies. i had actually expected them to be a bit worse, but compared to, say, Nestle Crunch hearts, these taste bland. i'll probably continue to try more Palmer candies, but so far i am not impressed.

rating: 3

ingredients: sugar, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (palm kernel and/or palm), whey, lactose, crisp rice (rice, sugar, salt, barley malt), cocoa, skim milk, soy lecithin (an emulsifier), vanillin (an artificial flavor), and may contain peanuts/tree nuts

VD2010 Recap: Palmer Cookies'n'Creme Hearts

parent co.: r.m.palmer co.

pkg. size: 7.5"x 4.5"

candy size: 1.25" d.

weight: 5 oz.

quantity: 10-15

country: united states

description: creamy candy with cookie bits

while i am not a fan of white chocolate, i often think that cookies will save everything. unfortunately that is just not true. cookies can save many things, but Palmer white chocolate is not one of them. i don't even like Hershey's cookies n' cream, which i think this is a knock-off of, so this didn't really stand a chance. as far as i'm concerned this candy is the equivalent of candle wax with bits of burnt wick in it. shaped like a heart.

rating: 1

ingredients: sugar, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (palm kernel and/or palm), cookies (made from bleached wheat flour, sugar, cocoa processed with alkali, palm oil, corn syrup, corn flour, soy lecithin, baking soda, salt and natural and artificial flavors), whole milk, skim milk, soy lecithin (an emulsifier), vanillin (an artificial flavor)

allergy information: manufactured on equipment which also processes wheat, peanut butter and tree nuts

Valentine's Day 2010 Recap: SweeTarts Hearts Gummies

parent co.: Wonka; Nestle

pkg. size: L-7.5" x H-6"

candy size: 1" diam.

weight: 11 oz.

quantity: 70-75

country: united states

description: tangy candy

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these are kind of gross. they are cloying and way too sticky in my teeth. perhaps the most disappointing thing is the fact that they have no specific flavor. just sweet and sour, which can be good in some cases, but not this one. after eating a few i felt the need to brush my teeth, and possibly get a good cleaning from the dentist. i've already made my appointment.

rating: 2

ingredients: glucose syrup, sugar, water, potato starch, gelatin, and less than 2% of tartaric acid, malic acid, sorbitol, fumaric acid, lactic acid, calcium lactate, sodium ascorbate, artificial flavors, citric acid, fruit and vegetable juice colors, color added, sulfiting agent (for color retention), wheat and corn starch

allergy information: made on equipment that also processes milk

Boyer Mallo Cup

parent company: boyer
net wt.: 3.2 oz.
quantity: 4 cups
country: united states
description: milk chocolate whipped creme center

i have to say that i find these Mallo Cups to be a little misleading. judging from the package i thought the inside would be marshmallow fluff, which is delicious, but it's really more like a gooey coconut marshmallow filling. the milk chocolate is pretty good, and the ratio of filling to chocolate is decent. i also really like the texture of the filling: smooth and gooey, slightly oozing but not runny. if i was more into coconut i would definitely love these, but being the coconut-hater that i am i'll just have to hold out for a plain marshmallow fluff cup.

rating: 5

ingredients: milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, milk chocolate, soya lecithin-an emulsifier, salt, vanillin-an artificial flavoring), corn syrup, sugar, coconut, dextrin, egg whites, salt, vegetable stabilizer, natural and artificial flavors, potassium sorbate (to preserve freshness) and lecithin (an emulsifier)

allergy information: manufactured in a facility that uses peanuts