Sunday, August 31, 2008

Kandy Kritique -- Sun-Maid Milk Chocolate Raisins

I know I already reviewed Raisinets, and these are similar, but not all chocolate-dipped raisins are created equal.
In the Sun-Maid candies, the fruitiness of the raisins dominates the chocolate a little, and the chocolate, while not as waxy as Raisinets, is a bit bland.
Still, very yummy indeed and garners a rating of QT

This candy has been rated QT (Quite Tasty)

Friday, August 29, 2008

Kandy Kritique -- Three Musketeers Mint

These little goodies are reminiscent of the fancy confections you might get in a Valentine's assortment -- but umpteen times better!
Unlike the original 3 musketeers, the mint is two small bars in one wrapper, which is supposed to be a serving, but it is more conducive to sharing than the one-large-bar format.
The dark chocolate is satiny, not waxy, with a creamy melt and no bitter notes, and is quite yummy, but it's the filling that's the standout here.
The filling is a cross between a frosting and a dessert mousse, fluffy yet rich, melting to a delicious creaminess on the tongue, with just the right spark of mint, and it is the perfect partner to the chocolate. This is an addictively craveable candy that surpasses even the Peppermint Patty.
I think you can guess where I'm going here in rating this jewel of the confectioner's art.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Kandy Kritique -- Twix

Oh, yes, another classic. This confection is a strip of multilayered yumminess. A thick, crisp, delicately flavored butter cookie base surmounted by a sheet of soft yet stretchy caramel blanketed in a smooth rich coat of milk chocolate.
The cookie is buttery and rich tasting, the caramel is mellow and milky, and the chocolate melts in the mouth without a hint of waxiness. There's a reason this bar is a classic.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Kandy Kritique -- Kit Kat White

Some candyfans like milk chocolate best, others favor dark, others prefer white. I enjoy all three equally, but white chocolate reminds me of being a young teen in the early 80s and buying -- and savoring -- chunks of white chocolate from the candy kiosk in my local mall.
And I always loved thin wafer cookies. They remind me of early childhood. So why would I not love a candy that combines those delectable elements and the memories they impart?
Unfortunately, the coating on a Kit Kat White is a "white confection" or "white fudge," rather than the true white ("ivoire") chocolate of my teenhood, since it contains no cocoa butter, substituting other plant-based fats. BUT, it's very buttery and melty and has an almost frosting-in-a-can quality to it, which I love, and the wafer is crisp and delicate, with a mild, nutty taste. The "frosting" gets top billing, but the wafer base does prevent the bar from being too sickeningly, throat-searingly, tooth-tingling sweet.
This is a very satisfying piece, and as far as mass-market candy goes, it's absolutely delectable. I have no other option but to give it my UMPTEENTH D-rating.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Kandy Kritique -- Ferrara Pan Milk Chocolate Almonds

Think of these candies as a classied-up version of Goobers.
Instead of a peanut, there is a crisp, toasty whole almond blanketed in a thick jacket of sweet, creamy milk chocolate. This chocolate cleaves off easily between the teeth, is rich-tasting with subtle coconut and vanilla notes, and it melts in the mouth and is not "waxy" like the chocolate coatings of similar candies.
An enjoyable, addictive, craveable confection that rates a solid D.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Rudy's Chocolate-Filled Mints

I love mint, and I love gooey, rich frosting-esque candies, so I thought these seemed interesting. Here is how they checked out.
The shell is sweet with a cool minty spark, but the filling -- what there is of it -- is solid, not gooey, and not frostinglike in the least.
These were pretty good, but certainly nothing that would rate a D. I still liked them, but they weren't a standout in the candy world. A richer, more frosting-type filling, however, would bump up their ratings. As it is, they rate a T.

This candy has been rated T (Tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- Baskin Robbins soft candy

I remember when I was a tiny little youngster, there used to be a chewing gum flavored like ice cream. I was entranced with this sweet, offbeat delight and used to wish actual candy was flavored in this manner. Now, the time has come.
These individually wrapped morsels deliver ice-cream taste without the "melt" factor. Very yummy indeed.
VERY BERRY STRAWBERRY -- A strawberries and cream taste, mellow and rich with a zing of fruitiness
MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP -- A wave of chocolate accented with a fresh spark of mint.
These are rich-tasting, satisfying candies, but there is a slight graininess to the chew that prevents them from warranting a rating of D or IST. They are quite tasty though, so, they rate a QT

This candy has been rated QT (Quite Tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- Dots

Another classic, these are pretty candies. Translucent colored domes, like gumdrops minus the sugar sanding.
They're yummy too. Soft, chewy, and flavorful.
ORANGE -- Zesty, not tart.
LEMON -- Tangy, zingy
LIME -- Pungent, zippy, does not remind me of cleanser, as many people state with lime flavored candies.
CHERRY -- Flavorful and intense. A fave of mine.
STRAWBERRY -- Fruity and a bit floral. This and cherry tie for my faves

There is a lack of dimensionality in the texture and taste that a sanding of sugar crystals would have provided. This precludes a rating of D or even IST, but they are tasty enough to earn a rating of QT

This candy has been rated QT (quite tasty)

Monday, August 25, 2008

Kandy Kritique -- Werther's Original Caramels

Part of the enjoyment factor for these candies is the fact that they are chewy like gum but can be swallowed and don't lose their taste -- and what a taste it is.
These sticky little candy cubes boast a rich, mellow flavor with milky, buttery and burnt-sugar notes.
They lacked a little spark of salt to balance out all that sweetness, which is what keeps them from being rated a D, but they certainly are yummy and rate an IST.

This candy has been rated IST (Insanely Tasty)

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Kandy Kritique -- Dillon's Pecan Divinity

This is a candy of my childhood fantasies. Since I was a little girl, I always loved sweet gooey, fluffy frosting on cakes, and usually only ate cake because it was a socially acceptable way of consuming frosting. Now, imagine a candy that's a brick of slightly solidified cake frosting. Add some pecan pieces, and you have Dillon's Pecan Divinity, which lives up to its name. It is absolutely divine, Deliciously, delectably, decadently divine.
Bite into the soft, cream-colored square of supreme tastiness, and the whole frosting experience hits your mouth. The sweetness, the creaminess, the whole melt-in-your-mouth factor going on. It's frosting-in-a-can without the can.
The sweetness is tempered by the mellow, roasty taste and pleasing crunchy snap of the nut bits, which add maple notes to this piece. This is a craveable candy. I have seen it in individual squares, but this time, it only came in three-serving "rolls" or "bars." That's really going to test the ol' willpower. This candy is so yummy it should be outlawed.
I guess you can now figure out the ratings for this confection. This would be the first non-chocolate candy on this blog to get such a rating.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Doublemint Twins Mints

You may have noticed that every candy I have reviewed here so far has been a chocolate-based one. Well, I am about to change all that. Candy is about more than chocolate, and so is this blog. So, okay, here goes. My first review of a non-chocolate candy item. Doublemint Twins Mints.
Now, you may be saying, Mints? Mints, Sparkina? Oh, for crying in Manhattan! Chocolate mints are candy, but plain mints are what you take when you had onions for lunch.
Well, these sweet, fresh-tasting pellets (Wintercreme flavor) certainly tasted like candy to this candy blogger. Smooth and sweet, with vanilla notes, kind of like cream soda. Then, the almost toothpaste-like minty spark wakes up the taste buds, then the candy pellet crumbles to a sugary, minty powder between the teeth and dissolves on the tongue.
Not a gourmet mint, but a pleasant way to keep your taste buds occupied.
I rate these a T. They're certainly tasty.

This candy has been rated T (Tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- Milk Duds

Another classic, these are little chocolate-enrobed caramel pellets with a BIG taste. The chocolate has a nice snap and a creamy melt, and the caramel is soft and buttery with a good salty spark to it.
I have no other option but to make this the umpteenth D-rated candy on this blog.


This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Kandy Kritique -- Raisinets

Another classic. In theory, grapes (which is what a raisin is a dried version of) and chocolate ought not to mix -- but mix they do, and very well, in these bite-size morsels which are a staple at the concession stands of movie parlors across the nation.
The slightly tart fruity spark of the raisin is a perfect foil for the sweet richness of the chocolate, making for a complex and thoroughly enjoyable flavor blend. The chocolate is a bit waxy, though, without much "melt," and that is the only thing that prevents me from rating it a D.
It does, however, garner a rating of IST, because these little pellets of yumminess ARE insanely tasty.

This candy has been rated IST (Insanely tasty)

Monday, August 18, 2008

Kandy Kritique -- York Peppermint Pattie

A classic candy is classic for a reason, as this delectable disk illustrates. The York Peppermint Pattie is all the sweet, fun, yummy tastes you loved as a child wrapped into one dreamy confection. Think chocolate. Think candy canes at holiday time. Think frosting in a can, eaten straight up, off a spoon, no pesky cake getting in the way. Now, think of all three of these flavor phenomena rolled up into one scrumptious mix. That is the York Peppermint Pattie. The inside is a stiff, thick "icing" sparked with mint to keep it from being cloyingly sweet, and the outside is a smooth, rich jacket of dark chocolate that has just the right amount of snap between the teeth and then melts in the mouth and mingles with the "icing" to become an amazingly delicious paste of yumminess. This is a truly CRAVEABLE candy and it rates -- you guessed it. I especially like them frozen.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Kandy Kritique -- Skittles Chocolate Mix

Always wanting to try new flavors in candy, I picked this one up, lured by tantalizing flavor names such as S'mores and Chocolate Pudding and Brownie Batter. Sounds scrumptious, right?
Well, even in the world of candy, things aren't always what they seem. The yummy-sounding names were only names. Each candy -- or should I say, each flavorless little tablet --tasted like -- NOTHING. Lightly sweetened nothing. I finished the bag thinking maybe they'd improve. Nope. They still tasted like nothing mixed with a few grains of sugar. It was like eating sweetened wax. Where was Quality Control when these insipid little circles were being produced?
This pathetic excuse for a candy earns the first NFC rating since I started this blog.

This candy has been rated NFC (Not Fit for Consumption)

Kandy Kritique -- Ferrero Rocher

This is a candy with universal appeal. It's an elegant treat that a classy sophisticated adult would put out in a candy bowl when having company, an indulgent delight that a romantic soul would give his or her sweetheart, and an enjoyable confection a loving parent would present to his or her young child. It's a candy that can appeal to everyone.
The secret of the Rocher is the many strata of yumminess it possesses. A layer of crunchy, subtle hazelnuts, then a layer of rich, smooth milk chocolate, then a crisp, airy, pastry-like wafer, and then, finally, a silky chocolate paste delicately tinged with hazelnut. This is a candy that's equally at home at a swanky soiree or a kiddie birthday bash. Yep, it's a D-rating (my third since I started this blog)


This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Kandy Kritique -- Reese's Pieces

Oh, yes. A candy classic, around since I was a young teen. The Pieces were made a classic in part by their role in the movie E.T., and in part by sheer yumminess.
Often put down as M&M's imitators, these glossy, colorful little disks are in a whole other class by themselves. As the crisp shell gives way to the satiny-smooth peanut butter creme center, there is an enjoyable interplay of texture and taste sensations on the tongue, causing the tastebuds to have a PAR-TAY! Seriously. These are awesome. I thought they were awesome when I was a young teen, and I think they're awesome now.

I rate these a solid D.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Friday, August 15, 2008

Kandy Kritique -- Reese's Whipps

In the novel "Feed," by M.T. Anderson, which is set in a near future in which everyone has an Internet linkage implanted in their brains from birth, there's a scene where the main character snacks on chocolate mousse from a tube. Sounds interesting, doesn't it? Well, for the time being, dessert mousses in a tube are only fantasy, but the Reese's Whipps bar, which is very real -- and very yummy -- is a close approximation of the mousse-in-a-tube experience.
The peanut-butter nougat is like a solid block of peanut-butter mousse -- fluffy, sweet, and delectable! The peanut butter lends richness to the airy "mousse," and there's a slight spark of salt that balances the sweetness very nicely.
The chocolate is a little waxy and slightly bland, not really adding much to this bar, not a lot of interplay between the chocolate and the peanut butter "mousse." It's like the bar is all about the peanut-butter taste and the chocolate is just there as a carrying case for the filling. That is the one thing that keeps me from rating it D.
As it is, though, this confection is worthy of a rating of IST.

This candy has been rated IST (Insanely Tasty)

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Kandy Kritique -- Taste of Nature Original Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

I saw these candies at a variety store and I thought they sounded interesting. Cookie dough dipped in chocolate -- what a delicious-sounding concept. But, of course, you can't eat a concept, so how did the actual candies taste? Only one way to find out.
I opened the box, and in it were several small, glossy brown pellets on the order of Raisinets. But instead of raisins, these were filled with a sugary mixture intended to approximate unbaked cookie mix, but without the dangerous raw eggs present in the real deal. I popped one of the tidbits into my mouth and chewed as slowly as possible.
The "dough" was grainy -- but in a good way. And it really did taste like unbaked cookie dough, except lighter on the vanilla. The chocolate was a bit intense, almost bitter, and that played off the sweet dough very nicely, adding complexity, making a very tasty contrast.
Now, Godiva or Ferrero, these are not, and the chocolate was a bit waxy, not as creamy and "melty" as I would have liked, and that prevented my rating these candies D, and the weakness of the vanilla flavor prevented me from rating them IST, but still, they are rather yummy.

This candy has been rated QT (Quite Tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- Hershey's Marshmallow Creme Kisses

OK, here goes. My first candy review on this blog.
A friend told me of the existence of these little beauties in Walgreens. So when I went to the Big W, I decided to try them for myself, and my taste buds were disco dancing!
These are filled Kisses, and the inside isn't really marshmallow, but a delectable soft "frosting" with a mellow toasted-marshmallow taste. The chocolate around the "frosting" is soft, buttery, satiny, and gives literal meaning to the phrase "melt in your mouth." This M-I-Y-M chocolate shell, mingled with the "frosting," makes the most heavenly candy combo your taste buds will ever have the pleasure of knowing, and due to the soft richness of these little delights, the best way to enjoy them is to "smoosh" the piece in your mouth, rather than chewing it.
I only have two peeves about these kisses. One, they're limited edition, and I think a candy this delicious should be a permanent addition to the line. Two, they don't come in individual servings, just the standard bags, and having a bag of these bite-sized confectionary masterpieces in my house is a real test of my willpower.
As far as ratings, it's a done deal. I have no choice.

This Candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kommentary -- A Sweet Start

Hi. Sparkina here. Obviously, that's not my legal name, but a nickname, because I like all things sweet and sparkly, and I decided to do a blog about something that just sparkles with sweetness.
This is a blog about just about everyone's favorite food -- CANDY!
Yes, ordinary food -- nutritious food, such as vegetables, fruits, dairy foods, starch, protein -- can be quite tasty. All right, it can be very tasty. Insanely tasty, even. But let's face it. candy has an-- I don't know, an appeal about it, a charm about it, a charisma, let's say -- that "food" food -- you know, the stuff with all the nutrients -- just doesn't have and never will.
Candy can evoke feelings and emotions and memories in people -- young, old, and everywhere in between -- in a way that Just Plain Food simply cannot. A Clark Bar or a Hershey's Kiss can make just about any Tom, Dick, or Carlos feel like a Tommy, Dickie, or Carlito again in a way that one just cannot get from something, like, say, a bean taco.
Here's how this thing works. The name of this blog is Kandy Kritique -- cutesy spelling and all. So, if you guessed that this blog is devoted to candy reviews, you win a gold star --no, wait, let's make that a Brach's chocolate star.
I know lots of people have candy review blogs, but I'm going to do something that no other candy blogger that I know of does. Instead of a scale of one to ten or a simple description, I am going to rate the candies I review in a similar manner as movies are rated (This is gonna be SO FUN!)
Here are the ratings, with a simple explanation, from lowest to highest.

NFC -- Not Fit for Consumption. The lowest rating a candy can get and still be called a candy -- or even a food product. The bottom of the barrel. Eating laundry lint would be more of a treat.
NFC-10 -- Not Fit For Consumption by Those Over Age 10 -- May be delicious if you're five years old and don't know any better, but would taste like dirt to anyone with even slightly mature taste buds.
ENO -- Edible but not outstanding. OK, so maybe it DOES taste better than laundry lint, but not the food of the gods by a long shot.
The next ratings are pretty self-explanatory:
T -- Tasty.
QT -- Quite tasty.
IST -- Insanely Tasty
And last but not least:
Wait for it. Wait for it.
D -- Divine. D is the highest rating I can give a candy. A D-rated confection is more than a candy. It is a sweet delicacy. A gem of the sweetmaker's art. A gourmet delight in the confectionary world. A sweet, tasty party for the mouth. A D-rated candy is one that sets one's tastebuds absolutely aglow and makes one's eyes sparkle like -- well, like sugar crystals!

And there you have it, all in a nutshell. Or perhaps a crispy, sweet candy shell, a la M&Ms.

Let the Kandy Kritiquing begin!