Hey candy kids! It’s the Sheriff, here, ready to review a brand-spankin’ new candy…Reese’s Peanut Butter CARAMEL cups. Yep, those crazy folks over at Hershey decided to throw a curve ball at us and add caramel to the already perfected Reese’s peanut butter cup. I, for one, am skeptical at this flavor combination. Will it be too sweet? Will it be as good as the original? Better? Well, there’s only one way to find out… *Munch, munch, munch. Chew, swallow, gulp*

 

These gourmet jelly beans are nothing short of amazing!  With over 40 flavors that explode in your mouth when you munch into them, you truly understand the craze of these magical beans. The greatest thing though, in my opinion, is that you can mix and match to create a smorgasbord of fantastical flavors. Here’s a tasty example for you to fantasize about: for a Mocha Latte you mix the following ingredients: (1) French Vanilla, (1) Chocolate and (2) Java beans and you have yourself a Mocha Latte on the go.  Just to keep you on your toes here’s the master creation of them all, the almighty Banana Split. You mix the following ingredients: (1) Banana, (1) Pineapple, (1) French Vanilla, (1) Chocolate and (1) Wild Cherry and SHA-ZAM! Banana Split! Jelly Bean style! And don’t think for a second you can tell the difference, because you can’t!

The Gimbal’s company has been around since 1898 so they know how to make candy better than most other companies out there. The Gimbal’s Jelly Bean is the main rival to the Jelly Belly jelly bean and make no mistake that there is something special going on.  Gimbal’s is leading the jelly bean revolution with new imagination to the benefit of your taste buds. With an astounding array of flavors and recipes, you are sure to get your Jelly Bean fill with these gourmet jelly beans. And when you find yourself lazing around, try to come up with your own creations. Spread the word. Maybe you will be the next jelly bean innovating guru. You want one of my very own creations? You know you do. Check this out! Mix these flavors: (1) Strawberry Cheesecake, (1) French Vanilla, (2) Chocolate and Bam! Hot dog! You’ve got the Cheesecake Blitz!
 

 

One day a boy named Mike got on his bike, and went to see his best friend Ike. When Mike arrived, Ike told Mike “Mike I like your bike” Mike said to Ike, “Thanks but why are you talking in rhyme?” Ike looked puzzled, didn’t know what to say, so he said “What the hey, let’s go and play”. On the monkey bars Mike looked at Ike and said “I have an idea that will blow your mind, It’s a chewy flavored treat jam packed to the brim, and it’s better than cereal with milk skim”. “All the girls will love it, and the boys will too, we’ll name it after me and you”.  Ike said “Yes but what’s the treat? Is it good is it bad? Does it taste like feet?”.  Mike said “No, it tastes like fruit, but this one doesn’t make you toot”.  “It’s exotic treats from far away lands, you could fit twenty in the palm of your hand”.  Ike said “Mike this sounds to good to be true, I’m sold as long as one of them is blue”.  Mike said to Ike “Give me your money for lunch, and we’ll call it Caribbean Punch”.Ike was sold, now their candy tycoons, making riches off Tropical Typhoon.

So that’s not how it happened, but that was funny. The name Mike and Ike is asking for a rhyming blog, and what better way to honor that idea than to make up one of my own. Mike and Ike have, and will always be a child at heart, and always bring back the days of my childhood whenever I eat them. Although they have been around since the 40’s, history has not always been nice to the Mike and Ike. In fact in the 1980’s consumer demand for flavors changed, they replaced Root-T-Toot, Jack and Jill, and Cool Kids, with Strawbana (strawberry and banana), Lem and Mel (lemon and watermelon), and Cherri and Bubb (cherry and bubble gum). The transformation saved the lifespan of the Mike and Ike we have come to enjoy today. So pop a few of these guys and let Mike and Ike take you to their island of tropical paradise.    

 

Oh my God…I am in Heaven. I am flying high above the clouds and don’t have a care in the world. All my troubles have suddenly disappeared and I am eating the ambrosia of the God’s and it is divinely sweet. Oh wait, none of this is true. I am here on earth and at my desk and all of my troubles are waiting for me…but I am eating two delicious and delectable Dove Milk and Dark Chocolate bars. So, at least one thing in the world is right. That’s right people, I am double fisting. I have two squares of chocolate before me and I don’t know where to begin. Has the Sheriff met her candy match? No way, Jose! But I am about to review two of my favorite chocolate bars.

So here is a little known fact about Dove bars. Dove chocolate was first introduced in 1956. A Greek immigrant named Leo Stefanos created the Dove milk chocolate ice cream bar in his kitchen as a direct result of his son’s clamoring for ice cream from the ice cream truck. Dove (now bought by the Mars candy company) makes a variety of sweet treats ranging from ice cream to cookies and of course, their delicious Dove chocolate bars.

Both the Dove Milk and Dark Chocolate bars are smooth, creamy and satisfying. The Milk is the sweeter of the two, while the Dark has more of a sophisticated taste. Both melt in your mouth and are a pleasure to eat. They are not your typical chocolate bar, more of a European style bar. Flavorful from start to finish, they are a real treat to eat. They come in six tablet-like pieces per package – each piece is maybe the size of a quarter and half an inch thick. This is an adult candy bar, as kids tend to go for a sweeter, filled bar. These bars are pure chocolate…no two ways about it. Now that Dark chocolate has been touted “healthy� by doctors worldwide, I see no reason why you shouldn’t include it in your diet. Two squares of dark chocolate per day, along with a healthy diet and exercise are said to help your blood vessel functions and prevent clogged arteries. Happy healthful eating!

It’s a cloudy, cold day. I have finished my lunch a while ago and I really want a treat. My sweet tooth cries out for something chocolate-y, peanut-buttery, caramel-y and dare I say…pretzel-y? Yes, I said it! And I am not speaking in tongues either. Have no fear, candy kids, The Sheriff has not gone crazy, but I am over the moon about one of my favorite new sweet treats…the TAKE FIVE bar.

You’ve all tried this delectable bar, right? RIGHT? Well, for those unfortunate few that have not, let me let you in on a little secret…you ready? Hershey has outdone themselves this time. Take Five bars consist of a salty pretzel square that has been topped with smooth, creamy peanut butter which has been layered with sweet, chewy caramel and the whole thing is drenched in delicious milk chocolate. Every bite is a perfect mix of chewy, sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy goodness. It’s taste and textures in your mouth has your tongue sitting up and begging for more just like your little pet dog, “Fido�. Most candy bars would not dare give you sweet and salty in one bite, but not Hershey…oh no! Not America’s favorite candy company. Hershey dared to go where no other candy manufacturer has gone before, giving us a candy bar sensation that says, “please take a moment out of your day and enjoy our treat� – or as they say on movie sets, “take five!�. And believe me, one taste of the Take Five candy bar, and you’ll want to take twenty!

Hey Kids! As many of you know, I LOVE sour candies. Something about them just makes my mouth water and from time to time, I simply crave them. And this is one of those times. I am sitting at my desk, with a package of Dubble Bubble Crybaby EXTRA sour bubble gum. Now, I’ve never had this particular sour treat, but something tells me I am going to love it. There are 9 ball-shaped pieces of gum in the package, all of varying colors: Red, blue, green, yellow and orange. Now, as a sour candy expert, I know that blue candy tends to be the most sour, so that will be my first pick, and since I have mustered up the courage to brave this sour gum, away we go!

*Makes pucker face* Okay, so this gum is pretty darn sour. It has a fruity, sugary taste to it once you break through that shell, but at first, it is a sour taste explosion. Those little balls of gum really pack a sour punch! I was knocked off my feet for a good thirty seconds of chewing, but now the sour flavor has worn off and I am left with a nice, sugary, gooey gum. This is definitely not a treat for the faint-hearted (or weak stomached), but I have a feeling that most kids will like it. For some reason, many adults do not like sour candies - present company excluded, of course. But if you feel like trying something a little out of the ordinary, I’d highly recommend this treat…and of course, it’d give me the opportunity to call you a “crybaby�.

 

Hey Kids! The Sheriff here, reviewing one of my favorite treats…Hot Tamales. These little jelly candies pack a fiery cinnamon kick in each and every bite. Some people are not brave enough to eat them, but not The Sheriff. I LOVE hot stuff! The hotter, the better and Hot Tamales are definitely muy caliente!

Hot Tamales first arrived in the candy scene in 1950. Created by the Just Born candy company, they were among the first “hot� candies to grace drugstore shelves. Along with cinnamon toothpicks and Red Hots, they have spanned not only time, but the globe! Hot Tamales have brought the heat to China, South Africa and Australia, to name a few.

With a jelly bean sort of consistency, the Hot Tamales make for a fun, chewy candy. Bright red, with a sugary, hard outer shell that dissolves when you chew it, making way for the “hot� cinnamon jelly candy beneath, they are sizzling little candies that definitely live up to their name. But these aren’t your ordinary, everyday candies; they are candies that have been “kicked up a notch�. They are great when you don’t want the same old thing, but be warned, these little suckers are H-O-T! A box of these will leave your mouth on fire, so it’s best to have a bottle of water (or a fire extinguisher!) nearby! Even the packaging screams hot, hot hot! A bright red box that features a searing fireball reflects the energy and heat of these tasty treats. But fear not candy-kids, Hot Tamales won’t bring tears to your eyes…unless your box is empty, like mine. Waaaaah!

Here fishy, fishy, fishy! Get in my belly! I love Swedish Fish - these little red guys can swim upstream to my mouth any day. They are one of the simplest candies on the market and I am crazy about them. In 1958, Malaco, a Swedish confectionery expanded their business and sent some of their treats to North America. The first to arrive were licorice ribbons and laces followed by the Swedish Fish and Swedish Berries in the late 1960’s. The candy was, of course, named Swedish Fish because it was created in Sweden.

Okay, history lesson over. Let me tell you why these little fish rule. They are like an upscale gummy bear. They are not too soft, nor are they too hard. They have just the right amount of chewy-ness and are not too sweet. I’d say that they are a cross between a cherry/strawberry gummy candy. These little fish are a perfect mix of chewy, red goodness and adults and children alike enjoy them all over the world on a daily basis. Today, they can be found in boxes and bags at movie theaters, drugstore shelves, local candy shops and even Ikea, but they will always remind me of my first trip to Europe. I had gone to visit family in Norway and while on the way to a snowboarding excursion with my cousins, stopped at a mini-mart to refuel and stock up on goodies. I was perusing all the cute, European candy and picking up as many packages as my arms could carry when I stumbled upon Swedish Fish. I had never had them before, but thought they looked so cute. I picked up a couple of packages and it was love at first bite. I bought a box of them to bring home, only to return to the States and find out that they had been sold here all along! Pleased with my discovery, I have enjoyed their gummy, fruity-ness ever since. If you’ve never tried Swedish Fish, you’re missing out. Pick some up today…and Happy Fishing!

On a day of gloom, clouds and rain, a modest treat will suffice the taste buds. I always find that in times of relaxation, the food must compliment the attitude. This is not a day for sour, hot, spicy or even gummi. This day calls for something else entirely new. This day will stand as the day the simple treat gets the attention it deserves. Brach’s is renowned for its old timey candy. Treats like candy corn, gummi bears, salt water taffy and so on. Here we have one of their more humble candies. The Maple Nut Goodies. Each piece is a unique combination of fresh oven roasted Georgia peanuts, and a buttery toffee center covered in real maple syrup coating.