Monthly Archives: November 2006

Candy from the Future (3rd Installment)

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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.

Gimbal’s Raspberries & Blackberries

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You are on your way to Grandmother’s house whistling as you go, when all of a sudden you find yourself in a garden of berries. You begin strolling through the fresh berry patch and the question hits you, “Just how many can I take with me???? You need not worry about such a thought. Lance Gimbal of the Gimbal Candy family steps in and does the work for you. He goes out into his magical garden of beans and fruits, and hand picks for you the freshest berries this side of the Mississippi. And to your amazement you find that Gimbal’s has managed to share with you a moment of pure enjoyment since 1898!. The Gimbal’s family promise for four generations has been to create truly exceptional candies, bursting with flavor in each and every bite. You will be happy to know that they live up to that expectation.

These little raspberry and blackberry treats prove that mission statement like there is no tomorrow. They are made with real fruit preserves, but most importantly, love. The amazing thing about these berries is that they taste like real raspberries and blackberries! I’m not kidding folks, do the at home taste test for yourself and tell me if you can tell the difference. Okay don’t do that. I was just making a point that they are astounding in flavor. They are showered with tiny crunchy beads that cover the delectable berry. Once you are past those little guys, you are greeted with what tastes like a real berry. Inside the bag that Gimbal’s has kindly filled to the brim, you find that you have more than you might be able to eat. But the sunshine is on your shoulders, and the day is just beginning. And that’s what you get with a bag of Gimbal’s Raspberries & Blackberries.

Mallo Cup

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The Mallo Cup is another one of those candies in a nostalgic wrapper that is a constant reminder of what used to be on the candy shelves of yester-year. Created in the 1930’s, it has seen many eras and has stood the test of time when so many candy fads come and go. Made by the Boyer Brothers Candy Company in Altoona, Pennsylvania, they specialize in “cup candies??? and the Mallo Cup was the first of their confectionery creations and is still the most well-known with only the Peanut Butter Smoothie coming in at a close second. 

The Mallo Cup is simple and satisfying…no bones about it. Pairing two of the most beloved confections we know – chocolate and marshmallow. And that’s just what it is…a chocolate marshmallow cup. At first glance, they look like any old peanut butter cup, but when your teeth sink in and discover that creamy, white marshmallow, you know you’re in a whole new league. The milk chocolate is smooth with a hint of coconut on top and the marshmallow has a bit of sugary grit that dissolves on your tongue – it’s a perfect blend of tastes and textures – just slip it between two graham crackers and you’d have all the makings of a s’more! It’s nice to know that even in today’s busy, modern world you can still find some of the sights and tastes of a world long gone and who doesn’t like rich, creamy chocolate and gooey marshmallow? Pick up a Mallo Cup and you’ll soon see what I mean.

 

Air Heads

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When we are young, we seem to eat more “sugary??? candy, whereas we get older, our palates change and we tend to go for candies with a more mature flavor, such as dark chocolate and candied fruit. But even then, there are a few childhood candies that manage to slip past our adult taste buds and anchor themselves in our memory. Like Airheads. I LOVE Airheads. I’m not sure what it is about them that I love so much. Take the cherry Airhead, for example. When you remove the shiny, colorful wrapper, the candy is bright red and smooth, it is flexible when you bend it and it smells like children’s cough syrup…but in a good way. And then the taste! Chewy, sweet, tart and just sugary enough without being overpowering. It leaves little grains of sugar on your tongue after you chew it and depending on what flavor you chose to munch on, your tongue is painted a garish purple, red or green – which pleases both it’s young and not-so-young consumer. 

Airheads come in a variety of flavors – grape, blue raspberry, cherry, orange, white mystery, watermelon, green apple, and strawberry. All are a taffy-like candy and they are kind of a take on the old salt water taffy’s that used to be so popular, but these taffy’s are modern and (to use a word we so often see) “extreme???. The candy itself is harder than salt water taffy, but equally chewy. My favorites are cherry and “white mystery???, most likely because they are a bit tangy. White Mystery…. I have been working on that one for years and still have not discovered just what it tastes like! Some days it is pineapple, other days it’s an orange-mango infusion. I guess I’ll never unravel the “mystery???. But here’s one mystery solved by the Sheriff, Airheads are criminal suspect number one. Crime committed? Being delicious!

Cherry Mash

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The Cherry Mash candy is one that I have forever seen but never tried. It sits on the shelves at my local drugstore and I have occasionally spotted it in a random convenience store. But aside from the fact that it must have something to do with cherries, the red and white wrapper reveals no secrets of the candy, other than the fact that it was made by the Chase Candy Company in 1918. I have always been curious, but reluctant to try it. The wrapper also features a whimsical little cartoon police officer on the wrapper, fondly known as the “Chase Candy Cop???. Well officer, step to the side, ‘cause the Sheriff is here to review your sweet treat!  

After opening the wrapper, I am faced with a small, lumpy mound of what looks to be chocolate and peanuts. At least, I hope its chocolate and peanuts. Am I brave enough to taste the mystery mound? Well, seeing as how I’m the Sheriff of Candytown, you betcha! Mmmmm…it is chocolate and peanuts. But where is the “cherry??? part of the Cherry Mash? Oh there it is, lurking in the center. After breaking the candy mound in half, I came face to face with a dazzlingly bright-pink center that tastes like mashed up maraschino cherries and nougat mixed together. Upon further inspection, I realize that that is exactly what the center is made up of – chopped maraschinos, nougat and perhaps some coconut.  It’s really very sweet, it even smells sweet and it tastes sugary and old-fashioned. I imagine my Grandfather would have liked this candy. He had a sweet tooth that put mine to shame. I think that the Cherry Mash candy is an acquired taste and while it may not be my favorite, I can see why it has stood the test of time. Quality ingredients and a lot of them for your buck…just like in the good ol’ days.  

Nestle Crunch White (Blanco)

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It looks like the folks over at Nestle have done it again! They have taken an original and beloved candy bar (Crunch Bar) and given it a new coat of paint. But this time, that paint is in the tasty form of white chocolate. Nestle has taken the original bar that made them famous in 1938 – the yummy bar made of milk chocolate and crisped rice and traded that milk for white chocolate. What most people don’t know is that white chocolate is not really chocolate at all. It is actually a confection made up of cocoa butter and cocoa solids. To be considered true chocolate, a candy must contain chocolate liquor, which white chocolate does not…and that completes our candy lesson for the day. Don’t you all feel just a little bit smarter? 

Now, chocolate or not, this “blanco??? bar packs a crispy punch since the good people at Nestle decided to add their signature crisped rice to a delicious and velvety-smooth mix of white chocolate, making for a candy bar that is both textured and delicious. It is fragrant, crunchy, sweet and creamy – and meets all the criteria of a classic candy bar that will be known for years to come. It still has that distinctive Nestle “crunch??? when you eat it that is just as pleasing to your mouth as it is to your ears, yet it has the new and unexpected taste of white chocolate, which in this bar, I love – and I am not even a huge white chocolate fan. All in all, it gets the Sheriff’s seal of approval, so you know it’s gotta be good!

Charms Candy Roll

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These fruity little candies burst onto the scene in the 1950’s. They still bear the original wrapper which is both whimsical and nostalgic. They are retro, without even knowing it. The Charms Company was bought by Tootsie Roll Industries in 1983, but they still make the Charms Candy Roll the same way they did so many years ago and I for one, am glad of that.  

I remember buying these when I was a kid. They were like a more exotic version of LifeSavers (they look British) and were appealing because each candy was not only square, but individually wrapped…and when you are a kid, unwrapping things is half the fun. There are seven flavors in a pack: cherry, strawberry, lemon, lime, orange, raspberry and grape and you get a mix of twelve candy squares total. Each one is a little jewel of fruit flavor that you can joyously suck on for as long as it holds out – they are crunchy when and if you decide to chew them and the flavor is not obnoxiously sweet – some even have tartness to them. Plus, you can share them with your friends, which always made them a hit in the school yard.

 They fit neatly in your pocket and were as easy to conceal then as they are now. I used to slip them in the front pocket of my shorts and pass out the coveted candy squares to my fellow playmates. We’d slide onto the swings and suck on our little hard candies while complaining about the lessons of the day. And today is no different. I sit at my desk, arranging and re-arranging all of the flavors from most to least liked, contemplating life’s great mysteries as I suck…should I get ahead on my work, or continue to dawdle? Why is the sky blue? Is global warming really happening? Did Britney Spears have plastic surgery? While some of life’s great mysteries may never be answered, this much is true – Charms Candy Roll will forever be a sweet treat that will have a special, fruity place in my grown-up heart.

Chuckles

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Just saying the name of this candy makes me smile. Chuckles have been around since the early 1900’s, pleasing kids and adults alike with their chewy, jelly-like candy. Each candy piece is coated with a dusting of sugar that adds a pleasing crunch to this fruity favorite. Five domino-shaped pieces grace each package…lemon, cherry, lime, orange (my personal favorite) and licorice.

These delightful candies are reminiscent of days gone by. A simpler, mellower day. Days of fishing off the pier and old men playing checkers in front of a general store. I remember visiting an old town like this when I was young. We drove through Texas and stopped for a drink at a general store. I was only knee high to a grasshopper back then and when we walked in all the goodies were at my eye level. Old wooden barrels full of peppermint and butterscotch disks, root-beer candies and of course, Chuckles. They were so colorful, so appealing to my child-like mind that I had to have them. I incessantly nagged my mom until the package was in my hand and moments later the first of the fruity candies safely tucked in my mouth. And you know what? They taste as good now as they did then.

Pearson’s Salted Nut Roll

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Don’t let the silly name fool you; the Salted Nut Roll is a real treat. It’s a simple candy with a flavor you won’t soon forget. Ooey, gooey caramel surrounds creamy, dreamy nougat and the whole thing is rolled in salty Virginia peanuts. Pearson’s first came out with the Salted Nut Roll in the 1930’s and have yet to change their recipe. And I, for one, am glad to see they have not. They are one of a few candy companies that produced a non-chocolate candy bar in the early 1900’s and they will probably be one of the last.

This will be a great treat for you anti-chocolate people out there in Candytown. The combination of sweet caramel, nougat and salty peanut might seem strange, but let me assure you, strange it is not. The salty flavor really adds something to the sweet and makes this classic candy stand out above the rest. So the next time you want to take a trip down memory lane, choose a Salted Nut Roll. I know your taste buds will thank me.

Sour Punch Straws Blue Raspberry

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Sour candies hit the market in a big way in the early 1990’s. I was a mere smidgen of a girl back then and I too, fell for the sour craze with the zeal that only a kid can have. But I’d be lying if I said that I did not appreciate sour candies now. I do! I love them! I have no idea what the appeal is, but man, do I love to punish my tongue. And the candy I chose to whip it into shape with today is the Sour Punch Straw. The package shows a silly, smiley-faced character with lightening bolts coming out of his mouth. Hmmm…now I don’t know if lightening bolts will shoot out of my mouth when I eat this, but for safety’s sake, let’s say they do. I have cleared my desk of all papers, flammable material, put my phone in a safe place and have a large bottle of water present. Here goes nothing…

I bite, I chew and ladies and gentlemen…no lightening bolts! Huzzah! But what I do get is a sour, fruity treat. A chewy “straw of sour goodness. It tastes just like a blue raspberry should. Wait a minute…aren’t raspberries red? Magenta? Pinkish? Either way, they taste great. Now, being sour candy connoisseurs, we all know that the sour power lies in the sugary coating while the sweet side lies in the gummy candy beneath and Sour Punch Straws are no exception. I happily licked the sour goodness from the straw and chewed the gummy sweetness that was much needed. My tongue is stained a glorious blue, my eyes are tearing up just a little from that tart flavor and now is the time to take advantage of that water bottle. Excuse me, please…