You’ve heard of popping caffeine pills for energy or gulping down a Red Bull. But caffeinated mints? Mojo for Energy is the first caffeinated mint I’ve ever heard of, and I’ve decided to give it a whirl. Each minty tablet is said to equal one cup of coffee or one energy drink, providing 22 milligrams of caffeine. How do they get caffeine into a little tablet in the first place? The mint’s number two ingredient is guarana extract—and guarana fruit contains three times the caffeine of a coffee bean the same size! Ingenious. Ginseng, taurine and vitamin B12 round out the formula. Another benefit of this tablet? It only has five calories, which is a vast improvement over calorie-laden soft drinks and specialty coffees and the empty calories consumed there, just for the sake of staying alert. Each packet contains 12 mint tablets that you can stash in your pocket or purse for convenience.

Each mint is about the circumference of a nickel and has a cool taste. The actual flavor is called Tri-mint, which tastes a lot like chalky peppermint to me. The tablet must be savored like a lozenge, because it is too hard to chew right through. But that means you have more time to let the mint freshen your whole mouth while the ingredients kick in to give you a boost of alertness for that long road trip or snore-worthy business meeting. I have personally been scared straight from trying these kinds of supplements since I witnessed Jessie (Elizabeth Berkley) from Saved By the Bell fall into a dangerous rendezvous with caffeine pills in order to stay awake and study. But, used responsibly, caffeine is a part of life for so many people—and, for that reason, this seems like an ingenious product that could really catch on.

Mojo for Energy is brought to us by Sweet Stuff Innovative Products. Product creator Jill Pyles wanted to create an alternative to coffee and soft drinks for a quick boost of energy. The name “Mojo” was decided upon because it represented the first initials of people in her family—and the final “o” was added to signify the others who would try the product.

Tags: energy mint, breath mints, sugar free candy, chewable candy, sweets

 
“5 is the new black.” Thought you won’t see the manufacturer’s name anywhere on the package, Wrigley’s is the company behind “5”, the newest product to hit candy shelves. The name sticks, as each sugar-free piece of chewing gum has only five calories. Some people think there’s a greater significance to the name. Does 5 ignite the five senses when  chewed? It has been five years since Wrigley’s introduced Orbit gum in 2002. Could that be the reason for the mysterious, numeric product name?

Once you get past the perplexing title, you can instantly appreciate 5 for its sleek, black packaging. In fact, the company is targeting teens with this product with the slogan “5 is the new black.” I was familiar with this gum before I tried it, since I’d seen one of the company’s advertisements playing on the big screen in a pre-movie commercial. I was intrigued by the image of the gum before I even tasted it—talk about effective advertising.

When I picked up the box, I thought it looked strikingly similar to a pack of cigarettes. The gum sticks even stand upright in the pack and slide out the top like cigarettes would. The gum definitely has a bad-boy image to it, as much it is possible for a chewing gum to seem rebellious. Available in three flavors—Cobalt (Peppermint), Flare (Cinnamon), and Rain (Spearmint)—each pack contains 15 pieces of gum covered in bright, color-coordinated foil of red, blue, or green. Rain tastes a lot like other spearmint gums on the market—nothing new there. Flare is a bit tamer than Big Red, with more of a bubble gum flavor to it than the hot and spicy cinnamon you would expect. And Cobalt is refreshing like a candy cane, but again, not as intense as you would expect from the packaging. I must say that the flavor, though not as intense as some other gums bring, lasts and lasts. It’s doubtful that chewing a certain type of gum can give you an image boost. But if any gum could make you cool, it would be 5.

Tags: Wrigley, chewing gum, breath freshener, long lasting gum, sweets

If you are a gum chewing fan, like me, than you must take a second to check out the new Lemon-Lime flavor by Orbit Gum. It is a flavor known to many as a simple, yet satisfying, and forever present in our rainbow assortment of candy flavors. This new flavor gives the Orbit fan another wonderful selection in their growing domination of the chewing gum world. Orbit has managed to do something other chewing gums don’t do. They have tried to give us something that is sugar-free yet it tastes better than the sugar packed pieces out there today. Not only do they succeed in giving us a sugar-free gum that tastes better, but they take it a step further and actually look out for the well being of your teeth. By infusing hundreds of small dentists in every piece of gum, when you begin chewing you can actually feel them brushing and cleaning your teeth. Not only are they cleaning your teeth, they are making your breath mint fresh while in turn taking the worry off your shoulders when the time comes to get your check up with you real dentist.

The new Orbit Lemon-Lime falls nothing short of the expectation I had of it before popping a piece in my mouth. The Lemon-Lime Orbit gum is one that stands among the new flavors with just as much if not more flavor than all the others Orbit has recently been putting out. 2007 marks a new year for the Orbit company. Launching a series of new flavors such as Mint Mojito, Raspberry Mint and the new Lemon-Lime, you know that Orbit is hard at work to bring you, the gum chewer, new and improved flavors to keep you satisfied and coming back for more. With the release of these new flavors and more on the way, it only reassures me, a loyal gum chewer to the Orbit empire, that they have yet again and will continue to produce chewing gum rich in flavor and something that leaves your mouth with a clean feeling, without the dentist, no matter what.

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.

Hey Candy Kids! Looks like Bubble Yum and Hershey’s have teamed up to bring you new Bubble Yum Hershey’s Gum. I am skeptical on how chocolate flavored gum will taste, but I like to walk on the wild side now and again, so I’ll give it a shot. 

It looks like normal Bubble Yum gum, but a dark brown color instead of the usual day-glow screaming neon colors they throw at us. It smells like chocolate, so let’s see about the taste…Hmmmm…Interesting, very interesting. It tastes great! It tastes like chewy Hershey’s chocolate and the flavor stays for quite some time. I have been chewing on this piece for nearly twenty minutes and the flavor just keeps on coming. The gum is really giving me a run for my money. I am really surprised, candy kids, this stuff is awesome! The gum is nothing short of what you’d expect from Bubble Yum. It’s chewy, makes great chewing gum bubbles and isn’t too hard. The chocolate flavor adds an almost sophisticated taste to it. This is, by far, the best gum I have chewed in a while. And again, I can’t tell you how great the flavor is, so long lasting! I give this the Sheriff badge of approval, so you better try it. Thanks to Bubble Yum, they have given chocolate and gum lovers the world over a new taste sensation. All hail Bubble Yum Hershey’s Gum!

Candy of the Month: Life Savers Fruit Tarts

Flavors:

Tin #1 (Watermelon, Cherry Lemonade, Mandarin Lemonade)

Tin #2 (Grape Berry, Strawberry Watermelon, Green Apple)

Welcome back to the “Candy of the Future�? segment, inviting you to check out something new from our friends Life Savors. They have this new candy called “Fruit Tarts�?. Peep this, they come in this fancy-shmancy little shiny tin container. First of all, the container is about the same size as a hockey puck, but the way you open it is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. What you do to open this thing is push on the center of the top of the tin and SHA-ZAM! You’ve opened the alien spaceship. Inside are little Fruit Tarts. A little smaller than the original but the same idea.

Candy of the Month: Hubba Bubba Sour Gummi Tape

Flavors: Roll #1 (Raging Blue Raspberry)

Roll #2 (Shocking Strawberry)

Welcome back to another installment of “Candy of the Future�?. This month we’ve got something special for all you fun loving sour tongues out there. Hubba Bubba, the famous creators of the Bubble Tape, bring you something exciting in the next evolution of Bubble Tape. Now I’m a fact man, and if someone tells me they are giving me 6 feet of bubble gum, dog gone it I want to make sure I’m getting my monies worth. If you’ve ever actually taken out the bubble tape, and measured from start to finish, you will indeed find that they don’t lie when they give you 6 feet of gum wrapped up in a pseudo measuring tape type canister. When you unroll the glory of 6 feet, you will unfortunately find that the 6 feet of measured tape needs to be rolled back up. Not fun for those that have fell to the same fate as I. But don’t feel stupid, we’ve all done it one time or another.

Here we have the newest release of what bubble tape will soon become. Now don’t get me wrong, you will still be able to find your original 6 feet of fun, but the release of the new Sour Gummi Tape is sure to rock your socks off! First we are given Raging Blue Raspberry and Shocking Strawberry. It’s coated with extreme sour crystals, much like the ones found in the glaciers of the Himalayas (it was on a candy expedition through the mountain range in search of the lost chocolate city, I will blog about that later).

This is not like the usual bubble tape gum that you can smack on for hours at a time. This is more of a soft Gummi substance that is easy to chew and goes down smooth. I was expecting some sort of flavored bubble gum, but I guess I should have read the cover, sour GUMMI tape, not sour bubble tape. Hence the gummi surprise. But it’s a great treat that takes the sour level to new heights. It packs a full sour punch with a nice gummi after effect. My recommendation is to savor the coating and let the gummi dissolve away in your mouth. Heck, you have 6 feet of it, try it however you want. But if you want the real effect, take your time. This guy isn’t going anywhere, as I say before, you have 6 feet of it.

Hubba Bubba has made that trademark “6 feet of fun�? a staple on the Generation-X lifestyle for quite sometime now. And with the release of these guys, which are set to hit shelfs in February 2007 they are going to make an even bigger impression in a big way. 2007 might just be the year of Wrigley. They have been releasing new items since the Dark Chocolate Altoids in November 2006. To the new Orbit gum Mint Mojito and Raspberry Mint, Life Savors Fruit Tarts and now the Sour Gummi Tape. And by the looks of their calendar, they have many more surprises up their sleeve that are sure to make your head spin.

Candy of the Month: Orbit Gum

Flavors:

Box #1 (Mint Mojito)

Box#2 (Raspberry Mint)

In Stores: December 2006

Welcome back to the next installment of the “Candy of the Future�? segment. It’s a brand new day in the land of chewing gum. Now as you know, Orbit first hit the scene in 2001 with that cute British bird we would all come to love. But the great thing is, they take it a step farther and introduce yet more amazing flavors. For the sophisticated gum chewer we have Mint Mojito. Now, if you’ve ever had a Mojito (legally) you know it’s quite a minty drink to begin with. Very refreshing and goes down like water, yet somehow Orbit has magically transformed that drink into a chewing gum (legally) leaving the mouth feeling minty fresh with all the pizazz to a Mojito beverage.

Now the other flavor we have is Raspberry Mint. You know as glorious as it smells, it seemingly falls short where Mint Mojito thrived. I was expecting an onslaught of raspberry juices, but the payoff just wasn’t as big as I thought it was going to be. Here is Raspberry Mints saving grace, it’s not a sprint, its a marathon. I’ve been smacking on this piece of raspberry mint for about half an hour and the taste and texture haven’t left. Usually your jaw gets tired, the texture begins to deteriorate, the flavor is gone but for some reason you keep chewing. Why do we do that to ourselves? Do yourself a favor, drop whatever gum you’re chewing or like to chew and go get a pack of this new stuff. There’s no way around it, Orbit will soon thrive as America’s #1 gum chewed sooner than you think.

The amazing thing about Orbit is, they haven’t been around long. In fact they are the youngest kid on the gum chewing block. But age ain’t nothing but a number. Orbit Gum stands its ground among the leading gum contenders. Orbit does more than satisfy your chewing gum needs, it is actually helping to clean your teeth while you chew it. And though it is a proven fact that chewing gum relieves tension and steps in as a nice snack between meals, Orbit is leading the way in the chewing gum world. I would tell you to “brush your teeth!�?, but Orbit does it for you. Fabulous!

Candy of the Month: Altoids “Dark Chocolate Dipped Mints�?