Sugar Savvy

I Want One Now, Daddy!

Patti Woods — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 06:00:43 +0000

It turns out all Veruca Salt had to do for a golden goose egg was go to Brook’s Pharmacy. That’s where I found the Wonka Golden Creme Eggs. They come in a package of four and are described as “Chocolate creme and caramel with graham-flavored cookie pieces in a milk chocolate shell.”

I’m not so sure I’d call it chocolate creme. There’s nothing really creamy about it. It’s more like a truffley filling with the little pieces of crunchy cookies. The caramel is what makes this. It’s the soft, flowing kind and there’s just enough to give it interest without being too much.

I really wish the Wonka products lived up to my fantasies about all the candies in the movie, but they always seem to disappoint. I think it’s because I would expect “Wonka” chocolates to be really, really extraordinary, when in fact, they’re just Nestle candies.

Mint Madness

Patti Woods — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 08:20:59 +0000

I hit the after-Christmas sales and bought two limited editions: York Vanilla Mint Patties and Kit Kat Mint Dark Chocolate.

I wasn’t sure what to expect of the York patties. I mean, how different could they possibly be from the original? The answer is, subtly different, but enough to tell. When you bite into it, you expect that burst of peppermint flavor, but instead it’s a gentler mint with the creaminess of vanilla. They’re quite good, but I don’t know that I’d prefer them over the basic peppermint version.

As for the Kit Kats, I keep getting fooled. Every time I buy a Limited Edition Kit Kat, I think it’s the filling that’s going to be different, when in fact, it’s always the chocolate part. I thought these would have a layer of white mint filling, but the inside is the same as a regular Kit Kat. It’s the dark chocolate that’s flavored with mint. Still, I liked these a lot. The mint isn’t overpowering and goes well with the dark chocolate.

Photo credits: sugarhog

The Nose Knows Christmas

Patti Woods — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 08:25:38 +0000

They say that smell is one of the best triggers of memory. Around the holidays, there are so many aromas that are unique to the season: roasting turkey, pine trees, candy canes, and of course all those good baking scents. But for me, the one smell that takes me back to my childhood is the whiff of a Lifesaver’s Story Book. There was always one in my stocking and it was so exciting to open the cardboard book and see the rolls of cherry, assorted and spearmint Lifesavers. The smell was a combination of mint, fruit and unnameable Lifesaver sweetness. I started buying them for my nephews last year and I’m hoping the tradition carries on with them.

Check out these puppies!

Patti Woods — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 08:20:14 +0000

Black licorice is one of those things you either love or hate. Growing up, I used to fight my brothers and sisters for their black jellybeans at Easter. I didn’t like any other flavor, but the black ones were picked out and savored. So when I saw the Licorice Scotties at Trader Joe’s, I knew I had to get them. First of all, they’re so cute. Second, they have a good, strong licorice flavor. They’re not for those with expensive dental work, though. They’re pretty chewy, which is the way licorice should be. And I think there’s something festive about them, too. I’m not really sure what, since Scottie dogs aren’t particularly Christmas-y, but I plan on putting a bowl of them out for Santa this year.

Photo from licorice.org.

As Homer would say, “Mmmm, macamadamia nuts!”

Patti Woods — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 08:20:23 +0000

I have a love/hate relationship with all the limited edition candy bars out there. I love them because it’s so exciting to see something new. I hate them because, more often than not, I find they pale in comparison to the originals. But when I saw the Hershey’s Kisses in dark chocolate with macadamia nuts, I had to get them. They’re pretty good, I must admit. I’m glad they are dark chocolate; milk would have been too sweet. There’s nothing that can compare to a plain old Hershey Kiss, but these are great for something a little different.

More than Just Peppermint

Patti Woods — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 08:20:26 +0000

Except for wintergreen Life Savers, I don’t usually consider mints candy. They’re more of a breath-freshening, health-and-beauty aid. That is, until I discovered VerMints. First of all, full disclosure: I love Vermont. I love anything that is made in or has to do with Vermont. To me, it’s paradise on earth. So I knew I’d love these mints from the get-go. They come in tins similar to Altoids, but the difference is, these little gems are organic and contain ingredients like Vermont maple syrup, Fair Trade Coffee and Vermont spring water. But here’s the best part: the flavors. Yes, they make traditional peppermint, but they also make WinterMint, CinnaMint, Cafe Express (a coffee flavor), GingerMint, and my favorite, Chai. They’re only five calories per piece (gotta love that!) and they’re satisfying enough to be called a candy. Yum! Because they’re all-natural, you can get them at your local health food store.

Good-for-you gummies

Patti Woods — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 09:20:40 +0000

I explicitly remember my very first gummi bear. I was in fourth grade and my friend Jennifer and I had been given permission to walk downtown– my first real taste of freedom. We went to the library, had slices of pizza and then stopped at the new chocolate shop in town. I thought it was fancy because everything was sold by the pound and they had exotic things like truffles and dark chocolate. They also had a big jar of gummi bears which I had heard about but had never tasted. Jen and I pooled our money together and bought a quarter pound. I bit into the first one expecting it to be soft like a gum drop, and was surprised at its chewy toughness. I also expected there to be in-your-face flavor like a jelly bean, but instead it was lighter, more citrusy. I hated them. I was so disappointed. It wasn’t until years later that I tried them again and came to develop a particular love for the green and clear ones.

Now that I’m older, I have to look for any redeeming quality possible in my candy choices. Hence, I pick dark chocolate for its antioxidants, and bars with nuts for the added protein boost. (Oh, who am I kidding? I just love all candy.) But I was intrigued by a bag of SunRidge Farms Organic Sunny Bears that I got this week. They’re shaped like the traditional gummi bear, but covered in sugar, like Sour Patch Kids. There are only four colors: red, pink, orange and yellow and they’re much softer than a traditional gummi bear. The flavor is different, too. More juicy and tart. And being organic, well, they’re a healthier treat than the usual corn syrup and artificially flavored bears.