Category Archives: Mints

Flavigny Violet Pastilles

Flavor of the day: Violet.  My first impression: this is just a ball of sweetened perfume!  These French don’t know how to make candy!  Second impression: wow, these are actually pretty good!  But first for a bit of background…  These small, white, pearl-like candies are imported from France exclusively by Dorval Trading Co., and according to their website, they date back to medieval Europe.  According to my (very) rough translation of the French Flavigny website, the roman traveler Flavien first discovered the anise seed in Syria around 52 A.D.  This is why each tiny candy contains an even tinier anise seed in the middle (I confirmed this myself by chopping up a few pastilles).  The candies are made by placing lots of individual seeds in large copper basins, and they are then rolled and covered in sugar and assorted flavors, including violet, orange, and rose among others.  Each tin contains about 40 to 50 pastilles. 

Though the violet-flavored pastilles may have a slight “perfume-y??? taste to them the first time you taste them, in my opinion they are an acquired taste.  By the third one, I couldn’t stop popping them in my mouth!  The mixture of sweet violet and anise is exclusively for the refined palate.   “It’s like a flower blooming in your mouth!??? claims a teenage candy lover.  Flavigny Pastilles have been around for over four hundred years, and with their unique flavors and sophisticated taste, they will surely continue to be enjoyed all over the world.

Mentos

‘Doo doo doo doo, doo-doo, do-Wah!’ It doesn’t matter what comes, fresh goes better in life, and Mentos is fresh and full of life. Nothing gets to you, staying fresh staying cool, with Mentos, fresh and full of life. Fresh goes better, Mentos freshness, fresh goes better with Mentos, fresh and full of life! Mentos, the freshmaker!

Unless you were hiding under a rock in the early 1990’s you KNOW that jingle. Yes candy kids, it is the ever popular but oh-so-annoying MENTO’S jingle. We all remember the campy commercials featuring a male or female protagonist who gets into some silly predicament. The guy who sat on a freshly painted park bench in his pristine black suit. Oh no! What could he do? Why not just pop a Mentos and see what happens? Holy cannolli! Lightening has just struck his brain and thanks to Mentos, a wonderful, glorious idea will now be played out before our very eyes. And we (the suckers) watch in awe and disbelief as said man in suit rolls around on the bench to produce what? Not a goopy, painted mess, but (you ready for it?) PINSTRIPES! He pinstriped his suit with the aid of the wet bench and of course, his magical little roll of Mentos! There were many more commercials like this, all revolving around one theme – Mentos helps you stay fresh and cool even through life’s toughest times.

I have a roll of Mentos in my hand right now and I am going to give this theory a shot. Mentos are little round candies that come in a foil and paper wrapped tube. They are either the signature mint or fruit flavor. I’ll be sampling the mint Mentos today. They feature a crisp, sugary shell that tastes like candy. They are easily broken and once inside, you come to a chewy, minty candy that is refreshing and surprisingly good. The candy cools your mouth and definitely masks the taste of the coffee I recently drank. One point for Mentos! Now, I have to be honest with you. While the candy is good, I don’t necessarily feel like my life is getting any easier. My troubles have not been washed away and the pile of paperwork on my desk that I have to get through has not magically disappeared. BUT, I do have a tube of Mentos to keep my mouth fresh all day, and you know what? That’s good enough!

Candy from the Future (4th Installment)

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.

And now we do the taste test-BUT-before we simply dive in like uncivilized cavemen, let’s take a look at the flavors we are about to experience. Tin #1 (as mentioned above) possesses Watermelon, Cherry Lemonade and Mandarin Lemonade.

Now we may indulge. But chronologically starting with Watermelon…alright kids off we go…pretty tasty…pretty sweet…don’t crunch into it, savor that sugar in your mouth…work it around…let all of your tongue have a chance to experience the flavor…almost done now…okay break off that last little bit…chew it up-WOW! I need some water to clean the palette…be right back…okay I’m back. So there you go. I give it a pretty good rating. It deserves a 6. Now we are about the try the Cherry Lemonade…much different…very limey…there’s the lemonade…where’s the cherry?…maybe it’s in the bite…okay crunch away…there’s the cherry! Hidden behind the lemonade. Don’t be afraid cherry you can come out and play. So there’s number two. I like it much better than the first.

(Cleanse the palette)

And now number three, Mandarin Orange…very orange…this is sweet…hits you in the back of your jaw in that sweet spot-OH-use the front of your tongue and pin it up against the roof of your mouth and let the flavor flow…by far my favorite of the three…and crunch…okay, give it up for Mandarin Orange for that wonderful taste. So there you have it. Watermelon, Cherry Lemonade & Mandarin Orange all wrapped up in an orange-yellow hockey puck-alien ship-tin.

Alright kiddies, now for Tin #2. Here is a purple and pink tin containing the flavors Grape Berry, Strawberry Watermelon & Green Apple. And in that order we shall experience the flavorful that is the Savorier of life. Grape Berry…very grape…but no berry to be found, similar to cherry missing in lemonade…it’s good, very different from the last three…and crunch…and cleanse the palette…still got a little extra…cleanse and repeat if necessary to give these guys the fair attention they deserve, and don’t try another until you’ve rinsed your mouth free of the previous flavor.

Strawberry Watermelon…hot diggity! Two flavors at once for the first time! This is now my favorite beating out Mandarin Orange…and crunch…yeah this is my favorite…and cleanse. Last one kiddies. Lets do this…Green Apple…very sour…very apple…nothing new but pretty darn good overall.

So there you have it kids, the “Life Savors Fruit Tarts??? play-by-play, giving the Life Savors Fruit Tarts my seal of approval. These should be hitting shelfs January 2007, so look for those two little hockey puck tins of mouth watering enjoyment. And remember, brush your teeth!

 

 

 

 

 

JUNIOR MINTS

 

Tootsie Roll Industries acquired Junior Mints from the Warner-Lambert Company in 1993. The product was developed by James Welch and launched into the market in 1949. Welch named the candy specifically after his favorite Broadway stage performance, Junior Miss. Junior Mints with its chocolate covered, creamy mint, center, are a popular item in theaters and at home. Tootsie Roll Industries produces over 15 million Junior Mints a day.

I love candy that is older than me. There is a reason why certain classic treats have graced candy store shelves for over fifty years, and Junior Mint are no exception. The minty, chocolaty treat is both refreshing and just plain good. I am not even a huge fan of mint and chocolate combined, but for some reason Junior Mints have always been delicious. The minty center is smooth and creamy. The mint taste is not overpowering, but it leaves your mouth tasting cool and sweet. The dark chocolate coating is just thick enough and is smooth and rich. They always remind me of old movie houses. When I was young, most movie theatre candy came in boxes, not bags and Junior Mints were always present at the candy counter. I can still see the familiar logo today. Well, boxed or bag, this minty treat will probably outlive me!

YORK MINTS

 

I’m not a huge fan of mint and chocolate combined. I do, however, like Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies. But I digress. Today I am trying a new treat from York. York Mints.

They are little white balls that have a minty, sugary shell on the outside and the signature fluffy white mint confection and dark chocolate on the inside. They look like little snowballs. At first, I thought that they would be hard candies, given the look of them, but I was wrong…boy, was I wrong! They are soft and easily breakable when bitten. And they are taaaaaas-tyyyyyyy! These little guys are sure to be sold as after dinner mints, but my office mates and I have mowed through nearly the entire container and we haven’t even had lunch. They are minty and refreshing and the dark chocolate adds a rich, almost sinful touch to the whole affair. The tin that they come in is cute, too. It looks old fashioned and is reminiscent of the old mint tins that your grandparents may have carried in their pocket or purse. They are definitely a little treat without a lot of fat – three mints only have 10 calories and no fat or saturated fat. Now, I’m not one to calorie count, but with the holidays here, it helps to keep the calorie consumption down in order to make way for all those Christmas cookies and pies. York is of course famous for their peppermint patties and that is just what these little guys taste like. A mini peppermint pattie. I’ll think of them as peppermint snowballs, since we are approaching winter. These would make great stocking stuffers, so grab a few if you see them while you’re out shopping…and what the heck, go ahead and grab one or two for yourself!

ICE BREAKERS TROPICAL SOURS

Ice breakers are known for their extremely minty gum with flavor crystals. I like to call them “Barbie contacts??? because the flavor crystals look just like that. Ice Breakers also has a line of mints that feature the same flavor crystals that made them famous. All are sugar-free, which is a hit with both the young and older markets. They are packaged in a round “tin??? which makes the candy seem more festive. Upon opening said tin, I am greeted with a pleasing tropical scent. My nose detects hints of coconut, passion fruit and something else, something I can’t quite put my finger on.

The tin shows a host of fruits and lists four unique flavors: Tangerine Passion, Lime Coconut, Peach Dragonfruit, Mango Margarita. I’ll try Tangerine Passion first. I definitely taste the tangerine in it and the sour kick is evident from the beginning. I am assuming that the “Passion??? portion of the candy stands for “passion fruit??? which would account for the sweet undertones. When you bit into the candy, you get little bursts of flavor, both sweet and sour. Next up, Lime Coconut. The lime is really tangy and the coconut is sweet. The candy smells fantastic (I’m a fan of coconut – both in smell and taste). This one reminds me of a virgin pina colada. I LOVE pina coladas. Mango Margarita is next. The mango adds a great kick to the candy – sweet and tangy at the same time. The margarita portion of it tastes like lime and maybe a little salt? This particular candy has that salty-sour taste that so many people love, while the mango adds a tart, fruity sweetness. Ok, onto the Peach Dragonfruit. Let me state for the record that I have NO idea what a Dragonfruit is. I have never even heard of a Dragonfruit, and kids, the Sheriff is pretty wise when it comes to her fruits and fruit flavors. Will this candy taste like the big, fire-breathing dragons that we see in Harry Potter movies? God, I hope not! Will this candy taste like fruity dragon eggs? Again, I really hope not. Well, there’s only one way to find out. Hmmmm…I definitely taste the peach, and that is delicious. There is a tartness to the candy which I can only assume is the dragonfruit portion of it. And you know what, it’s good! It’s probably the best out of the four flavors featured in the tin. I like it!

So there you go, Ice Breakers Tropical Sours get the Sheriff’s badge of approval. Chew on that, candy kids!

Candy from the Future (Grand Opening)

Flavors:

Tin #1 (Peppermint)

Tin #2 (Cinnamon)

Tin #3 (Ginger)

In Stores: November 2006

We welcome you to the first installment of the “Candy of the Future segment. Today we will be talking about a new mint from the genius that is Altoids. Before we begin, let’s breakdown the history of Altoids. They have been around a lot longer than you think, and have grown by leaps and bounds to bring you what you’ve come to rely on for all your breath freshening needs.

Founded in 1783, the “Altoid was originally said to be the cure for stomach pains. It’s name derives from two backgrounds. The Latin word “alt (which means ‘to change’) and the Greek word “oids (which means ‘taking the form of). And with the new Dark Chocolate Dipped Mints, it does exactly that. Starting with the original mint and covering it with Dark Chocolate. We are entering uncharted waters.

Dark Chocolate Peppermint, Cinnamon and Ginger. So first of all let me tell you guys something, I’m not a big fan of dark chocolate. Something about it doesn’t go over well with me, it’s too rich for my blood. But surprisingly enough it’s a pretty stable balance. The right mix of dark and chocolate, with the mint poking through as if to say, “Here I come. And the mint came with it! Slapped its hand on the table and said “POCKET ACES! WHATCHA GONNA DO BOUT THAT! Leaving you hanging your head in shame to ever doubt such an empire that is Altoid.

Basically you’ve got all the minty freshness that Altoids gave you in the first place, but decided hey, we’ve been around for a really long time, let’s try something new. And boy have they produced. Be sure to visit your local snack stands in the month of November to catch the three new flavors jam packed with minty freshness and smothered in rich dark chocolate goodness. And remember, brush your teeth!

York Peppermint Pattie

Hershey Peppermint Pattie

Chocolate is one of the best candies ever, and when it is mixed with peppermint it makes it an even more perfect blend. York Peppermint Pattie is an example of this perfect combination. The chocolate patty is a wonderful, on the go candy that is not only delicious, but it is also healthier than most other candies. It is very low in fat, and contains no cholesterol. York Peppermint Pattie is extremely fluffy and light for a nice snack at school or in the middle of work.

“Its outer chocolate compliments the peppermint inside so excellent that it just makes it the best dessert after lunch,” said an elderly chocolate lover.

“The only thing bad about this candy is that it doesn’t come any bigger,” a young child of seven said after trying the candy. Many people, of all ages, can’t resist this candy, not only because it is good for you, but because it is one of the best chocolate snacks. On the cover of every York Pattie is their ever famous slogan “Get the Sensation,” and the sensation is one of the greatest ever. The candy is made by the ever popular Hershey, assuring that the outer chocolate layer will be some of the finest chocolate ever. Unlike many other candies that have changed over time, the York patty is made the same way it was sixty years ago. This old recipe has remained the same, and will hopefully always stay the same because it is truly a favored candy among all ages. York Peppermint Pattie is one of the best blends of superior chocolate, fluffy, yummy peppermint center, and will hopefully always stay that way.