I can think of 100 reasons to eat this candy bar, but will only list five: 1) Those great crisped rice “crunchies.� 2) Chewy caramel. 3) Every pack comes with two, like Reese’s cups. 4) They used to be called $100,000 bars. 5) The taste is worth every penny. If you disagree, talk to Nestle, makers of the candy bar since 1966. I love these chocolate candy bars, mostly for the fact that when you’ve eaten one, you can save the other for later. Or, you can indulge in a second bar without guilt, since they are half the size of a normal candy bar and come two in a pack. The 100 Grand is so much more than a Nestle Crunch bar. In fact, it’s like a Crunch bar wrapped around a delicious caramel center, chopped in two, and packaged in a little red wrapped that screams “buy me.�

According to many sources, pranksters nationwide delight in the 100 Grand bar and its name, which has gotten people into all kinds of trouble. Picture yourself as a radio station contest winner. You scream, drop the phone, and start to dance and sway in some strange version of an NFL victory dance. You prize package is a hundred grand. You’ve already made a spastic fool of yourself on the air, and in front of loved ones, colleagues, and strangers. Some time later, you find out that your prize is nothing more than a candy bar. It’s risky enough to pull this trick on a child, but try it on an adult, and you’re likely to get a law suit slapped on you. Yes, this really happened when a radio contest winner sued a Kentucky DJ in 2005 for leading her to believe she would win her reward in cash, not candy. It was all in the name of fun and chocolate.

The addition of roasted almonds to the already satisfying Snickers bar is (surprise!) divine intervention. Milk chocolate cuddles a log of nougat, peanuts and silky caramel, now with sliced almonds in every bite. Snickers Almond is just one more star in the Mars, Incorporated family, which also produces out-of-this-world chocolate like M&M’S, Mars, Milky Way and Twix, and the fruity companions, Skittles and Starburst. If candy had an “in crowd,â€? these would be the cool kids. These guys play varsity sports. They get good grades. And they’re the class clowns that really know how to have a good time. And in this class, Snickers in any form would always be voted Homecoming King. With nuts as the bar’s built-in protein, it actually makes sense that the original Snickers sold in the UK under the name “Marathon.â€?

But back to Snickers Almond. Was this bar simply meant to replace the Mars bar? Mars was the company’s premier chocolate bar featuring almonds, but now there’s this new guy in town. I’m of the opinion that there’s room for more than one almond bar, and packaging under the Snickers label is a smart move for the company because of this little-known fact: Snickers earns the most sales of any candy bar in the world, selling $2 billion worth around the globe each year! I am proud to have purchased my share of this delightful little bar that could. I’m in love with Snickers, would likely change my last name to Snickers, and am of the particular opinion that they can’t go wrong. With or without almonds, there’s no question that Snickers SATISFIES an intense hunger, like the company’s recent marketing campaign boasts.

The first chewing gum made in stick form was introduced in 1884.  The name of the gum was Black Jack Gum introduced by Thomas Adams who lived in Staten Island, New York.  The gum was flavored with licorice making it the first gum in America with flavor.  Too firsts were the result of Thomas Adams creativity: flavored and stick form gum.  When you bite into the futuristic Orbit or Trident Splash Gum remember good old Thomas Adams.  Without this man you might still be chewing flavorless gum made from rough gum substances.  Black Jack Gum was discontinued in the 1970s as sales slowed disappointing the licorice gum chewers of the day.  John Trivolta, disco, and Freshen-up gum was happening while licorice gum was a fading.  The Adams Company then merged with the American Chicle Company which then became a part of the Warner-Lambert Company.  Warner-Lambert had the insight to start selling Black Jack Gum again in limited runs bringing back Black Jack Gum, Clove Gum, and Beemans Gum every few years.  Guess what?  Warner-Lambert merged with Pfizer and they continued the limited roll outs.  Guess what?  Pfizer sold the Adams gums to Cadbury.  Guess what?  Cadbury still owns the brand!  You thought I was going to mention another company didn’t you?  That’s it for the history of the brand.  The good news is Cadbury continues to sell the brand every few years.  No new runs for 2007 though so lets hope the tradition continues. 

Unfortunately stick gum is becoming a gum of the past as pellet form gum becomes more popular.  Opening a clean crisp blue pack of black jack gum is an incredible experience.  The graphic is simple and a lovely color of blue.  Taking the paper off the gum to reveal the foil surrounding the gum makes my taste buds start to flow.  I take the foil off to reveal the actual gum and it smells wonderful!  I take the gum and break it up in my mouth and the texture is soft and firm.  I start chewing and the licorice flavor is absolutely amazing.  I wish they would make the licorice taste last forever but in two minutes the gum starts to become flavorless.  No problem!  I’ll just get another stick.  I love this gum because I love the taste of licorice.  The flavor is unique and full of history thanks to my new friend Thomas Adams.

You’ve all seen and by now I’m sure tasted the soft drink that is sweeping the nation. They come in some of the most delicious flavors I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. I’m talking about Jones Soda. They outwit, outplay and outlast all other soft drinks out there today. There is something about them that keeps you coming back for more. Is it their tantalizing effect on the senses? Could it be the fun little pictures on the side of the bottle? Or might it just be something else entirely? Jones Soda has long since been a favorite of mine and over the years been more easy to find in local coffee shops to gas stations which makes me happy for the home team coming up in the corporate soda market of today. You can’t help but pick one up out of sheer excitement of the soda you’ve come to rely on when it comes to beverage diversity.

Jones Soda has upon the height of their stardom given their fans something else to chew on. Jones Soda Carbonated Candy. It does what it says folks, no questions about it. It’s little carbonated candies that taste like soda. You pop one in and let fizz away in your mouth. With flavors like Fufu Berry, Berry Lemonade & Green Apple, you can’t go wrong when it comes to something like this. Also, here’s a fun fact about these little guys. You can drop them into your water to add a little Jones flavor, to add a little excitement, to add that special something that keeps you coming back for more. You heard it here first folks, you can take a Jones soda with you just about anywhere you go, even if you don’t buy a Jones soda. Just twist open your water bottle and drop a few of these guys in and watch the magic unfold before your very eyes. Jones Soda, what will they think of next.

Ok, outside of peanut butter and chocolate, hazelnut and chocolate is my favorite confectionery combination. There is something about the rich, nutty flavor of the hazelnut that pairs so well with milk or dark chocolate. The taste of the hazelnut almost helps cut the sweetness of the chocolate. At times, the nut can be buttery, with a hint of a bitter aftertaste, but this helps to enhance the flavor of the chocolate. Whatever it is, the combination of hazelnut and chocolate is truly decadent.

My favorite chocolate and hazelnut combo comes in a jar, believe it or not. I am a HUGE fan of Nutella, having spent time in Europe. But this Valor bar from Spain is really growing on me. For one, it is enormous. You get 8.75 ounces of milk chocolate and hazelnut-y goodness. Two, there are WHOLE roasted hazelnuts in this bar. That’s right, WHOLE roasted hazelnuts. Few candy makers give you such a treat. Usually, hazelnuts are chopped and added to the chocolate mix, but the people at Valor confectioneries are so much more generous than the masses. There are at least six whole hazelnuts per each fifty-cent-piece-sized square. That, my friends, is a lot of hazelnut for your buck. The chocolate that said hazelnuts rest in is pure, Spanish chocolate. It is rich, creamy and delicious. It is not too sweet that it overpowers the taste of the hazelnuts; rather it compliments it and showcases them for all they are worth. Combined, this decadent chocolate and these fresh, roasted hazelnuts make for a sweetly satisfying bar. If you are a fan of this flavor combination, I would definitely recommend this bar to you. I give it the Sheriff’s international badge of approval.

Runts (also known as Fruit Runts) are candies sold by Nestlé under their Willy Wonka Candy Company brand. First seen on the market in 1982, they are fruit flavored and shaped candies and are very much like large Nerds. Original Runts have a hard candy shell with a somewhat powdery center.

There are six different flavors of Runts in each package. Orange, cherry, banana, strawberry, lime and now, blue raspberry and watermelon. Back in the day, you could only get orange, cherry, banana, strawberry and lime. But since everything now is “new� and “extreme� I guess it was time for some new flavors to be added to the mix. Runts are crunchy, hard candies that basically turn to dust when you start eating them. They are fruity and have a slightly sour side to them, but not nearly as intense other sour candies. I guess you could say that these are both sweet and tart. My favorites in this bunch are, hands down, cherry and blue raspberry. While lime and banana are voted “least likely to be eaten� in the candy box beauty contest.

Runts are not a candy I eat very often. In fact, it has been a good 10 years since I have had any. But for you, candy kids, for you I will report the highs and lows of Wonka’s Runts. High points for the candy: there is a nice assortment of flavors, there is a good “crunch� factor to the candies, and since they come in boxes with multiple candies, they are easy to share. Kids love Runts. Low points for the candy: there are banana runts lurking in the box and I detest banana flavored things – especially banana flavored candies. I like real bananas, as in the fruit, but banana flavored things gross me out. So there ya go, outside of scary banana shaped candies, Runts are pretty cool.

Milk Duds have been around since 1928. The candy got the silly name because the original idea was to have perfectly round milk chocolate covered caramel pieces. Soon realizing that this was impossible, the confectionery company began calling the project a “dud�. The little caramel candies were soon eaten by employees, relatives and friends and jokingly they would say that these were the best “duds� they’d ever had. It caught on and before they knew it, “Milk Duds� were flying off the candy store shelves. They are also called “milk� duds due to the large amount of milk used to make both the caramel and chocolate portions of the candy.

Duds or not, these little babies are tasty! I love the combination of caramel and chocolate and the makers of Milk Duds have perfected it. They still use a similar version of the original recipe, too, which calls for lots of fresh milk, sugar and the best milk chocolate. This is another nostalgic candy that will probably outlive me and outside of new recipes for improving freshness and shelf-life, I’m happy that they have not altered the recipe I have come to know and love since childhood. Milk Duds are a chewy, creamy, chocolaty treat that are fun to suck on and chew. They were said to pull out fillings if you are not careful, but personally, I think that is an old wives’ tale. Plus, I don’t have any fillings, so I’m not concerned! Milk Duds are a simple, classic candy that will never go out of style – combining two great flavors, the sweetness of the chocolate mixed with the smooth, creamy caramel, make for a taste sensation. I’ll eat these little “duds� anyday!

Did you know that the Baby Ruth bar was not named for the famous baseball player, Babe Ruth? Well, that’s what the Curtiss Candy Company claimed. They never negotiated an endorsement with the famed ball player and worried about lawsuits, quickly covered up what many to be the original origin of the candy bar by claiming that it was named for President Grover Cleveland’s daughter Ruth – despite the fact that President Cleveland had been out of the White House for years and his daughter had died 16 years earlier. Many think that this was just the way that the Curtiss Candy Company avoided royalty fees. Aside from that, the marketing of the candy was superb. An illuminated advertising sign was installed on the roof of the apartment building near where Babe Ruth’s home run ball landed. This sign stood the test of time for nearly four decades before being torn down. They also hired planes to fly over the city of Pittsburgh the day the candy was introduced to the U.S. Thousands of Baby Ruth bars were dropped from the planes, each bearing a tiny parachute to help them make their descent to earth.

In spite of the mystifying name and clever marketing strategies, baby Ruth bars spoke for themselves. They are a candy bar that is made up of a fudgy nougat like center that is topped with fresh roasted peanuts and sweet milk chocolate. The bar was one of the larger and denser candy bars on the market in 1923 and to this day is known for its quality, freshness and large size. This candy bar is like a mini meal in itself! The flavor combination of the salty peanuts, sweet, nougat and rich milk chocolate make for a tasty treat. This candy bar has stood the test of time, much like the sign once used to advertise for it. It is a classic, nostalgic candy that both young and old alike have come to know and love. The taste and quality has never faltered and it is a favorite among candy lovers.

Sam Altshuler, a Russian immigrant founded Annabelle Candy Company, Incorporated, in 1950. Mr. Altshuler learned the art of candy making, and after struggling for years, finally achieved success with the Rocky Road candy bar. He named his business the “Annabelle Candy Company� after his daughter, and began manufacturing Rocky Road in San Francisco. The item quickly gained popularity throughout the western United States where it has its strongest hold today. In 1965, Annabelle Candy Company moved across the San Francisco bay to its present location in Hayward, California. Mr. Altshuler passed away in 1971, leaving control of the Company to his daughter, Annabelle Altshuler Block. Annabelle purchased two other candy companies after her father’s death, one of which produced the Abba Zaba bar. The candy company continued to grow and has remained a family business through the years. It is the largest independently owned candy bar manufacturer in the United States and the Abba Zaba bar remains one of its biggest sellers.

Whew! That was a mouthful. You know what else is a mouthful? If you guessed the Abba Zaba you are correct! Abba Zaba’s are chewy taffy-y goodness with an ooey, gooey peanut butter-y center. They are sticky, messy and a great treat. The kind folks over at the Annabelle Candy Company have come up with a brand new Abba Zaba flavor – the Apple Abba Zaba. And this, candy kids, is the candy blog du jour. The wrapper of this new and intriguing bar looks just like the old wrapper with one exception – it is bright green. Upon opening the candy, I come face to face with a green taffy candy. Shockingly green! Day-glow green! It looks like it is the same consistency of the old Abba Zaba and when I give it a little tug it has that same taffy-pull feel to it. It smells great, but then again, I am a sucker for sour apple flavored things. Ok, let me bite off a corner. Hmmm…it tastes like sour apple salt water taffy. But I didn’t quite make it to the famous peanut butter center. Let’s try that again. Oophnfg. Mymoufisrweallyfullnow. Hold on one second, please. Ok. Got some water…that’s better. So, it’s basically sour apple taffy with a sweet and salty peanut butter center. The taste is, well, to tell you the truth, it’s not my favorite candy so far. Maybe sweet apple taffy would have been better. Or even sour apple taffy with a caramel center. But the taste of peanut butter and sour apple taffy just isn’t doing it for me. The sweet-saltiness of the peanut butter and the sour, tangy green apple test just don’t blend well. But hey, what do I know? Give this candy a shot and let me know what you think. Maybe I’ll write a letter to the Annabelle candy company with our suggestions. Until then, au revoir candy kids…

A true chocolate lover knows no bounds. A true chocolate connoisseur knows the history and origin of their beloved confection. A true chocolate fiend will try chocolate of any variety - milk, dark, rich, light, white, bitter, sweet, bittersweet. From the usual, to the unusual, the known and the unknown. A true choco-holic will listen very closely to what I have to say.

Chocolate, any chocolate originates from the cacao bean - pronounced “ka-kow” not “co-co”. The scientific name for the cacao tree is “Theobrama cacao” which, when translated, means “food of the gods”. Many years ago, these precious, fragrant beans were so highly prized they were used as currency by the Aztecs - a rabbit sold for 10 cacao beans and a mule for 50 cacao beans. Back then, the beans were dried and left to ferment in the sun for several days. The fermented beans were then ground into a powder, water or milk was added along with cinnamon and chili peppers and the concoction was drunk. It was said to have great medicinal value and it was a rare and delicious treat.

Today, chocolate is a lost art form. Many people only appreciate the milk variety of chocolate, but we chocolate connoisseurs know that the beauty, grace and true delectable nature lies in that of dark chocolate. Hershey’s now makes a line of products known as “Cacao Reserve”. Delicious to the last bite, this tempting delicacy feature a 65% cacao strength. The higher the percentage, the more intense and flavorful the chocolate is. 65% is wonderful by any standard and this chocolate is no exception. It is bold, intense and fragrant. The chocolate stays on your tongue long after it has melted and is reminiscent of coffee. This particular bar features cacao “nibs” which are small coarse pieces of the actual cacao bean. They add a delightful crunch to the bar and make for an even more flavorful chocolate treat. This is not a bar you just “chomp”; rather it is a bar to savor. Very dark chocolate goes well with a fine dessert wine, or even a glass of milk. This chocolate can be used for baking or just as a way to treat yourself. This is truly one of the most delicious confections I have tasted in years.