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.
Â
I am afraid of a bunch of silly things. The dark, spiders, sharks, giant whales and now, Push Pops. That’s right, I have one more thing to add to my list of silly-scary things. You can now officially file spring-loaded Push Pops under “Candy I Fear.” I just got this new “Twisted Berry Blast” Push Pop and while the outside is similar to what I remember the original Push Pops looking like, inside the cylinder the hard candy sits on is a small, tightly coiled spring. When I uncapped the contraption, a blue and red striped wand shot a couple of inches out of the package and it threw me off a little. With my luck, that thing could have taken my eye out! There is just something unsettling about the whole situation – buy one and you’ll understand.
Aside from that, it tastes great. It’s been years since I have had a Push Pop and while I don’t eat lollipops that often, this one will surely rank at the top. Even though the original appeal of the Push Pop (you no longer push this pop – it’s more of a spring pop) is gone, this is still a fun candy. The cylinder of candy has been divided into four equal “twisted” parts. Two flavors of pop-py goodness have been twisted and together have formed a super pop of sorts. Berry blast tastes like raspberry and maybe strawberry (?) combined. It’s sweet in the way that you hope a lollipop will be. And the best part is, you don’t have to get your fingers all sticky – I really hate that. These would be great for kids – you can throw them in your purse or bag and hand them out during car trips, a day at Disneyland or just an at-home treat. When the kids get tired of the candy they can just re-cap it and save it for later. The cap even has a little hook that they can clip to their shirt, pants or shorts. Heck, these would even hold onto a pair of Batman pajamas (if your kid is that cool). All in all, it’s a fun to eat candy that brought me back to my childhood – even if it did scare me a little.
Usually I am not a huge fan of hard candies. I am more of a chocolate or gummy girl, but I make an exception for these Baskin Robbins Smooth and Creamy candies. They are superb! Each individually wrapped candy is like eating a mini dish of ice cream, minus the brain freeze, of course! These little vanilla hard candies are smooth, creamy and made with real butter and milk. They are about the size of a quarter and are great for when you are on the go. Pop a few into your pocket or purse and you can enjoy them wherever you are. The flavor of this candy is not too sweet. A lot of the time, hard candy seems to be too sugary and I am not able to finish it, but that is not the case with these Baskin Robbins candies.
I am a big fan of vanilla ice cream versus chocolate, so I was happy to see that Baskin Robbins offered a pure vanilla hard candy. As much of a chocoholic as I am, for some strange reason, I like vanilla over chocolate – but only when it comes to ice cream choices! Outside of that, I am a chocolate fan all the way. If you like hard candies, I would definitely recommend these little guys. They are the perfect way to treat yourself to the delightful taste of ice cream, without all the calories and mess! There are only 60 calories in three pieces of candy – not too shabby! Baskin Robbins also offers a sugar free version of this hard candy that is made with Splenda. It’s a perfect treat to have when you are watching what you eat, or if you are not allowed sugar. The best part is, they taste just as good as the regular ones! Creamy, dreamy and delicious!
Â
Life Savers candy was first created in 1912 by Clarence Crane, a Cleveland chocolatier. At the time, he was looking for a new “summer candy” to supplement his chocolate business, which slumped in hot weather. Crane developed a line of hard mints, but didn’t have the space or machinery to make them. He contracted with a pill manufacturer to press the mints into shape. The pill manufacturer, whose machinery was malfunctioning, found that the pressing process worked much better when the mints were stamped with a hole in the middle. Crane called the new candy “Crane’s Peppermint Life Savers,” because they looked like miniature throwable life preservers. The ring-shaped devices were just beginning to come into use after the Titanic disaster.
In 1913, Crane sold the formula for his Life Savers candy to Edward Noble for only $2,900. Noble started his own candy company and began producing and selling the mints known as Pep-O-Mint Life Savers. He also began to package the mints into rolls wrapped in tinfoil to prevent them from going stale. This process was done by hand until 1919 when machinery was developed. In 1925, the tinfoil was replaced with the signature aluminum foil we all know today. Noble soon began to create and sell many other flavors including the popular fruit “five flavor� rolls. Today, Life Savers holds the market for rolled, hard candies. And it’s easy to see why.
Life Savers have always held a special place in my heart. My grandfather, who had as big of a sweet tooth as I do, was a huge fan of Pepp-O-Mint and Five Flavor Life Savers. He always kept a roll on him and was more than happy to share with me and my cousins. My grandmother bought them in bulk, so there were always spare rolls at their house. He would hand us kids each a $5 bill when we came to visit and a roll of Life Savers. We would trade our flavors with one another and use the candy pieces as checkers, sun visors for our pinkies, or pencil toppers. Having grown up eating Life Savers, it’s always exciting to try a new flavor. This new Sweet Mint variety is especially good. The mint flavor is not too overpowering, but instead it is refreshing. The candy has a sugary taste to it – it reminds me of a mint-y icing. Very flavorful, but understated at the same time. The mints leave your mouth feeling very cool and refreshed. I think this is a great new addition to the Life Saver family. Hopefully it will be around for a long time.
 
Â
Tootsie Rolls are, quite literally, a national institution. For over 100 years, the Tootsie Roll has charmed the young and old alike – all over the world. In 1896, Austrian immigrant Leo Hirshfield brought his recipe for Tootsie Rolls to the U.S. He began selling them in a small confectionery store in New York City. He named the candy “Tootsie� rolls after his 5 year old daughter who was graced with the nickname “Tootsie�. Hirshfield’s success continued to grow over the years, and so did the Tootsie Roll name. The recipe for Tootsie rolls has never changed over the years, nor has their signature wrapping/packaging – making Tootsie Rolls one of the most recognizable candies of yester-year.
I adore nostalgic candy and have been eating Tootsie Rolls since I was a kid. I mean, who doesn’t love Tootsie Rolls? They are chocolaty, chewy little morsels of goodness. They are a low fat candy and they are simply irresistible. There is something so pleasant about biting into a soft, sweet nugget of Tootsie Roll. Whether you get the original size, mini-midgees, midgees, snack size or even the granddaddy of all Tootsie Rolls – the GIANT roll, you can’t go wrong! Tootsie rolls are a chocolate flavored candy that will never go out of style. No other candy has ever come close to matching that unbeatable taste, freshness and likeability that the Tootsie Roll has. Today, Tootsie Rolls are produced using the same basic recipe that Hirshfield used over a century ago. About 62 million Tootsie Rolls are produced every day and they never stay on the shelves long! My grandmother used to keep a jar of Tootsie Rolls in her kitchen. Even after my Grandfather lost his teeth and began wearing dentures he still insisted on eating the sweet little candies. He claimed that he ate them as a child and would continue to eat them in spite of the “trouble� they caused. He’d sneak a few, hand off some to me and we’d sit on the porch savoring the flavor of the little “rolls�. I’ll never forget that. Tootsie Rolls definitely get the Sheriff’s badge of approval for being one sweet, tasty and classic candy.
Chocolate Bars | The Sheriff January 12, 2007 | 
Comments (0)