Gimbal's Sour Lovers

My candy stash has been woefully low for the past month, and my blogging has suffered as a result. Well, this review is just the thing to recharge my blogging spirit. Not long after posting a review of the highly disappointing Nobel Blueberry Sours, a PR representative for Gimbal's candy offered me samples of Sour Lovers gummies. In other words, the product in this review was provided by a PR company, but I promise that I treated it just like any other candy I review.

I had never seen Gimbal's products in stores and only vaguely remembered reading a review of earlier products on Candy Blog, but now that I've had Sour Lovers, I'm afraid I'm hooked. Sour gummies have been one of my favorite candy categories since I was a kid, and Gimbal's did an amazing job. There were 12 distinct flavors, and I liked every single one of them.


Meyer Lemon was tart and tangy, with just the right amount of sour - enough to make you pucker just a tad, but in a pleasant way. The flavor had a zesty, citrus feel without tasting at all like a cleaning product.

Georgia Peach had a distinct peach flavor, and while it was sour, it was a bit sweeter and fruitier than many of the other flavors.

Watermelon had that classic watermelon candy flavor (real watermelon never tastes that intense), charged up with a nice sourness. That's another great thing about these candies - they are sour throughout, not just in the outer sugar coating.

Bing Cherry fell somewhere between real cherries and cherry Kool-Aid. It had a nice, rich flavor and a great sour/sweet balance.

Mango was one of my favorites of the bunch. It reminded me so much of real mango that it almost seemed pulpy.

I'm not sure why Sour Blueberry was named as it was; all of the flavors are sour! But anyhow, this one was tart and just a bit bitter (but in a good way, like real berries). It was a good blueberry, but if I didn't know, my guess would have been raspberry.

Strawberry Daiquiri had a lovely sweet strawberry flavor, and it felt pretty authentic. It seemed to have some citrus as well, making it extra sour.

Fuji Apple tasted a lot like apple juice. It was sour and fruity, but if I had to pick a least favorite flavor, this would be it. I didn't have any trouble eating it, though.

Baja Margarita tasted just like margarita mixers from grocery stores. To give you an idea of the flavor authenticity, if you are nursing a hangover, you may want to skip this one until you feel better. It definitely packed more than just lime flavor!

Pomegranate had an earthy, juicy flavor that was richer than the cherry. It was the least sweet of the bag, but I'm afraid it's been so long since I've had pomegranate seeds that I can't comment on the flavor well.

Tangerine was extra sour and extra citrusy. It had that classic vitamin C-laden flavor I used to crave as a child and still enjoy. This was another top flavor.

Grapefruit was sweeter than the real thing. It was tart, but less so than Tangerine or Meyer Lemon. It had just enough grapefruit bitterness to give the right effect.

I'm so glad I got to try these. As a sour candy lover, I can say Sour Loves definitely got it right. The texture of the gummies was thick and sticky, a bit like a fruit gem. I found that about 6-8 gummies at a time hit the spot, so I took several days to review these properly. Every single time I tried them, I was impressed.

I should also mention that both Gimbal's Sour Lovers and the Gimbal's factory are free of just about every common food allergen (peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, gluten, soy, fish, and shell fish), and Sour Lovers are kosher pareve.

The only minor annoyance was that they got stuck in my teeth, making me want to brush. I can certainly forgive that - it's candy, after all. Everyone I shared these with (my husband, my father, my boss, and some coworkers) enjoyed them - though my husband wanted me to leave the bag open and let them get a little stale because he claims it improves the texture. Honestly, once the bag is open, I'm not sure I could make them last long enough to get stale!

A

Gimbal's Fine Candies website

Mars Starburst GummiBursts Flavor Duos

Yet another Mars review! It takes time for new candy to work its way into my local grocery stores, and it looks like all the Mars products hit at once. Again, it's a familiar product with new fusion flavors.

Starburst GummiBursts haven't been around as long as some other classic Mars fruit candies like Starburst fruit chews and Skittles, but they seem to be doing well. Flavor Duos is the third variety of GummiBursts (after regular and sour) I've seen, and there are probably more. There were four flavor combinations: Green Apple Strawberry, Cherry Fruit Punch, Strawberry Watermelon, and Lemon Cherry.


Green Apple Strawberry was dominated by the crisp, tart green apple flavor. It was good, but I could hardly taste the strawberry! The firm texture of the gummy part made for an enjoyable chew.

Cherry Fruit Punch had a yummy classic red fruit snack taste. It was both tart and sweet with a hint of a vitamin flavor. Also, the colors of this piece reminded me of a red blood cell.

Strawberry Watermelon was the star of the bunch. The watermelon center was sour and fantastic, and it went well with the fairly authentic flavor of the strawberry gummy.

Lemon Cherry had the same zesty lemon flavor as a regular lemon Starburst, but the cherry center tasted a bit medicinal to me. Still, this one was enjoyable, it just wasn't my favorite (and lemon flavors are usually a sure bet for me).

All in all, these GummiBursts were sweet but not cloying, tart but not sour, and the slightly firm, bouncy texture of the gummies was just right. The flavor combinations weren't all that new or exciting, but the Strawberry Melon and Cherry Fruit punch were particularly well done.

B

Starburst website

Mars Skittles Blenders

Did anyone else use M&Ms or Smarties in their elementary school math classes? I think it was third grade when my teacher presented every student in the class with their own bag of M&Ms to illustrate simple lessons in percentages and probability. I'm not sure if it was effective, but it was a lot of fun. I still remember that most of the M&Ms in my bag were light brown (I'm dating myself here - this was before the blue M&M).

There are five new flavors in this mix: Melon Berry Burst, Strawberry Lime Blast, Watermelon Green Apple Freeze, Cherry Tropicolada, and Mango Lemonade Freeze. I'm sure it's no accident that those names sound like they came straight off a Sonic Drive-in menu. Now, I mention M&M math because I applied some of the same principles when I sampled this bag of Skittles Blenders. It was immediately apparent that my bag did not contain an even flavor distribution (Mango Lemonade Freeze in particular was underrepresented). Here's a chart to illustrate my point.



Strawberry Lime Blast was similar to a normal red Skittle with a hint of sour lime. It was fruity, tart, and tasty, but it wasn't terribly exciting or special.

Cherry Tropicolada reminded me of cough syrup. The pineapple and coconut flavors were present along with the strong cherry, but it really rubbed me the wrong way.


witness the distinct lack of mango
Watermelon Green Apple Freeze worked well. The initial flavor was an artificial but tasty watermelon, followed by a green apple tartness. I'm not usually a fan of these flavors, but I liked them both here.

Melon Berry Burst reminded me of grape Nerds, but with more of a blueberry flavor. I didn't get much of a sense of melon flavor from this one, and it seemed to just be a rehash of a flavor from Wild Berry Skittles.

Mango Lemonade Freeze reminded me of my favorite smoothie (I've mentioned it before), so it was a bit nostalgic (especially since I just found out that shop is closed). The lemon flavor was sour and almost hit some floor cleaner notes, but it was saved by a good, distinct mango taste. Of all the flavors, this was the most unexpected.

Overall, Skittles Blenders is a decent mix, but it didn't really offer anything new or exciting. Still, it's worth a taste for fans of Skittles and fruity candy in general. Also, it seems like every time I review Skittles, their website just gets more and more cumbersome to navigate. I guess I'm not the target demographic.

B-

Skittles Website

Pure Green Apple Gummies

What more can I say about Pure gummies that I haven't already said? Instead, I think I'll blog about my childhood penchant for apple juice. It was my beverage of choice every time I flew on a plane or rode in a train, from age 7 to 17.

Really, I didn't fly that often, but the memory just stuck. As a result, I've always associated apple juice with the excitement of traveling. I haven't drank apple juice in years, but even things that smell like it give me the urge to travel.


The open bag smelled like apple juice, and yes, I felt the urge to take a train to Montreal or fly to Disneyworld. The gummies were sour, and they had a nice, tart apple flavor.

As with all Pure gummies, the flavor was very authentic. Apple fans would probably really love these. See, even though I like apple juice and apples, apple candy has never really been my thing. Still, these were very tasty, but not my favorite Pure flavor.

B+

Pure Website

Mentos Fuji Apple

These days, it seems like Mentos are more known for their reaction with Diet Coke, but I can't help but remember the goofy ads from the early 90s (or the parody music video by the Foo Fighters) where ordinary citizens solved their problems with breath mints.

This Korean flavor of Mentos was provided by Tsunami.hk. The English slogan for Mentos is The FreshMaker, but the Korean website included a few others, like That's so Mentos and Be fresh with world best seller Mentos. If freshness is your goal, a fruity flavor like Fuji Apple probably isn't the best choice, but it's an orange Tic Tac situation: these are candies, not breath mints.


The candies had an intensely powerful and realistic apple juice flavor, but the strength did hurt the authenticity just a bit. Still, the Mentos were very juicy and tart, and it was easy to knock back several in one sitting.

These would probably please anyone with a favorable opinion of apples, and though I can't say for sure that they taste like the Fuji variety, I was impressed that these tasted like apple without tasting like cider. Still, I can't imagine a worse breath mint, so you may want to pop some regular Mentos afterward, just in case.

B+

Mentos website

Mars Starburst Sour/Sweet

Since I usually pay for gas with my card at the pump, I don't often go in gas station convenience stores around town. However, they tend to be treasure troves of new and old candy, and an easy place to find regional items when travelling.

These Starburst don't fall into the "new" category. I'm not sure if they are still in production, but they were purchased in a gas station, and there were only a couple of packages left. It was a risky move, but I went for it.


Sour Green Apple was so sour that it prickled my throat. The apple flavor was very fake, but recognizable.

Sweet Blue Raspberry had a nice sweet (albeit fake) raspberry taste with hints of the tart zing of the fruit, and it was probably my favorite.

Sour Watermelon had an impressive sour punch, but I didn't think it tasted at all like watermelon. It's such a mild fruit that adding sour really makes it unrecognizable.

Sweet Strawberry reminded me of ChupaChups suckers, with a fake but familiar strawberry flavor. It did seem sweeter than the normal strawberry Starburst, and it wasn't as good.

This variety was nothing special, although the sour ones were quite sour. Maybe it's just bad execution, but this variety of Starburst didn't add anything to the brand. I'll stick with the original.

Have a look at Candy Blog for another review.

C+

Starburst website

Tirol Premium Apple Pie

Pie as I know it is one of those things that is hard to come by in Japan. I'm sure it's available, but commercial "pie" snacks in Japan are often extremely dry, flaky, and don't suit my tastes at all. For example, Lotte's Pie no Mi is a Japanese snack I just don't enjoy, no matter how many chances I give it.

Still, this Apple Pie Tirol came so highly recommended that I had to try it. Both Japanese Snack Reviews and NapaJapan (where I purchased them) gave glowing reviews. I should mention that I'm not huge on apple-flavored things (though I love apples), so add a letter grade if you love apple sweets. Bonus points if you manage to find the ones with Toy Story 3 wrappers (scroll to the bottom)!


There was a very strong apple smell with just a hint of spices. The first bit was at first a bit fake, but the apple flavor got better as I chewed. The crispy/crunchy bits (which seemed like puffed rice) brought out the cinnamon taste, and the white chocolate did a fine job of holding it all together (almost like pie a la mode).

It seemed like there was some chewy sort of apple pulp within the square, which was a nice touch. I was worried that the pie element would be like other Japanese pies, but it was a nice, crunchy and non-flaky texture. I was reminded of Apple Cinnamon Cheerios or some other apple cereal more than pie, but found these to be a pleasant surprise from Tirol!

B+

Tirol website

Maynards Juicy Squirts Sours

Before one of my Flickr contacts pointed it out, the thought hadn't occurred to me that "Juicy Squirts" is a funny name. It does sound a bit like something you come across online and can't unsee, but luckily, it's candy. Still, it's not something I want to search for on Google.

Maynards is part of the Cadbury family of brands, but it originated as a small family company in the United Kingdom. I have never seen the Maynards brand in the US, but over the border in Canada, they sell many kinds of gummies. For example, Sour Patch Kids are now part of the Maynards brand in Canada, but they are released by Cadbury Adams in the US (without much mention of that on the package).


Right away, I had a bit of an issue: half of the bag was cherry. There were four flavors included, but I only got 1 purple, 2 raspberry, and 3 apple. The remaining 6 or 7 gummies were all cherry. Unequal flavor distribution aside, the gummies were pretty large - about the size of my thumb. Each gummy was full of a different color (and flavor) juice, and it reminded me of the Gushers fruit snacks I loved as a kid.

Green was a slightly floral green apple, but I'm not sure what the red inner juice was supposed to taste like. Maybe some sort of red berry? In any case, the flavors went well together.

Purple was either grape or blackcurrant, but honestly, I'm not sure. It did taste a lot like fake grape, and was my favorite of the bunch. Maybe I'm just saying that because there was only purple in my bag.

Red (cherry-shaped) had a standard red, medicinal cherry flavor. My husband figures that the ingredients must be the cheapest, and that was why there were so many in this bag.

Red (raspberry-shaped) had a nice, mild raspberry flavor with a slightly sour bite to it. Again, I'm not sure what flavor the center juices were, but I enjoyed the piece.

Overall, I liked the firm, chewy texture of the gummies. My husband thought they were sour enough, but I hardly found them sour at all. Combined with the bad assortment, Juicy Squirts Sours just left me feeling disappointed.

C

These have also been reviewed at Candy Addict

Cadbury website

Apple and Squash Risotto

A local chef ranted on their blog about not liking to accommodate special requests, but will do so...with some bitching. Oh, boy, did this chef bitch. About vegans, in particular.

What really got me was the example the chef used as an absurd vegan request — risotto.Sure, risotto tastes great made with butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese (probably tastes great with sausage, too), but when did risotto become a dish about dairy products? Not all risottos are made with cheese and cream; most seafood risottos aren't. And, not all risottos are made with butter; olive oil is often used.

Risotto is a dish with arborio rice, an Italian short grain rice, as it's star, not dairy. Creaminess comes, first and foremost, from slowly cooking the rice in small amounts of water or broth so as to coax out the rice's own starch.

Not sure why the chef got all frothy at the mouth about vegan risotto. It's quite simple to make, and make tasty.Apple and Squash Risotto
serves 4-6

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion
2 cups arborio rice
apples, peeled, cored and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
butternut squash, peeled and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup white wine (vegan wine if this matters to you, or skip if you don't do wine and just add more broth)
4 cups vegetable broth, warmed
salt and pepper, to taste

• Add olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, and cook for 4 minutes until translucent.
  
• Add the rice, stirring well, and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add apples, butternut squash, and curry powder to rice. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring often.
• Add wine to the rice, stirring often, and cook until the wine has been completely absorbed by the rice.
• Add 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth, stirring often, until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Repeat this process, adding 1/2 cup of the broth at a time until all of the broth has been used. Add salt and pepper to taste during the cooking process. This process will last for about 20-30 minutes, or until the rice is tender, but al dente. The important thing here is to stay with the rice stirring the entire time.
  
• Risotto is best served immediately after cooking.
  

Kanro Ramune and Cola Candy

I've never been big on hard candy, with the exception of two kinds: sour candy and fizzy candy. Both is even better. But actually, the first thing that drew me to these candies was the "cute bottle shape" advertised on the front of the bag. The fizz just sealed the deal.

There were four flavors in the pack (Ramune, cola, pineapple, and green apple), based on soda and Ramune flavors. The pineapple seemed especially exciting, because I was reminded of the pineapple Fanta I used to drink before it disappeared from the shelves of Target.


I was disappointed that the colors of the candy were so muted. The photo below is pretty accurate, and I had been expecting something a little more vivid. Still, as promised, the bottle shapes were very cute. Here is the rundown of the flavors.


Cola (brown) was first on my list, because I hadn't had any cola flavored candy in a long time.I'm surprised there isn't more cola candy in the USA, because Coke and Pepsi are so popular. Anyhow, the flavor was very typical for cola candy, like a super-sweet sip of cola. It was fruity and tart, and the fizzy texture mixed in with the hard candy was really fun, especially because the fizz foamed in my mouth. My only complaint is that the hole in the center (presumably for the fizzy stuff) made the candy get a little sharp (as in cut the roof of my mouth) as I ate it.

Pineapple (yellow) was such a disappointment. It tasted like a white gummy bear or a cheap sucker, in that the pineapple flavor was dull and hardly tart at all. It was not a true pineapple flavor at all, with maybe too much pina colada influence. The fizz was still fun, but this one lacked the little bit of sour bite that the cola had.

When I bought these, I didn't really look at the flavors hard, and just assumed the pale green was melon (common in Japanese candy). Unfortunately, it was actually green apple. The favor was a decent fake apple, though my experience with apple soda is limited.

Ramune (blue) was last, and for those not familiar, Ramune is a popular Japanese soda with a lemony flavor. The candy was like the soda - fizzy and sour. I tasted lemon and lime, and was really pleased with the tartness.

The cola and Ramune flavors really stood out for me, even though the other two weren't bad. I would probably buy these again, but I have had better soda fizzy candy overall (such as the Kasugai Jiwa Jiwa soda candies).

B, but cola and ramune alone would get an A-.

Nestle Vegetable Juice KitKat

I have been hanging onto this KitKat for a while, a little afraid to try it. My husband has already eaten one, and despite his lack of any strong feelings on it either way, I've been wary. To give a quick bit of background, Ito En is a beverage company, and this KitKat is based on their Jujitsu Yasai (vegetables galore) line of veggie/fruit juices. Based on the ingredients in the picture, the particular juice recreated here is probably similar to American V8 Splash, though I've never had Ito En juice, myself.

This KitKat has already been reviewed on several blogs (Japanese Snack Reviews, Jen's KitKat Blog, KitKat Addict, pretty pretty yum yum...) but sometimes I feel like having candy and not reviewing it is a waste. So, I worked up the courage to eat the KitKat that had been taunting me from storage for just over a month.


The bar smelled strongly of apple juice or cider, and reminded me of the Apple Vinegar KitKat from earlier this year. This was encouraging. At first, the KitKat tasted like apples, too, tart with creamy and decently balanced white chocolate mid-notes.

Then, something happened towards the end and aftertaste, and I suspect it was the vegetables kicking in. It got just a tiny bit bitter and very suddenly, the sweetness reminded me of overcooked carrots and overripe bananas. Still, I had no trouble finishing the bar, and I have to admit, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I can safely say that I would not choose this flavor again.

C

KitKat website

Godiva Halloween Truffles

What a belated review. Halloween has come and gone but the decent into cold weather indulgence has just begun. It starts with candy at Halloween and seems to end with candy at Easter. In an attempt to pace myself, I started tasting these on Halloween and finished them a few days ago.

I'm no chocolate connoisseur, but it seems like Godiva is overrated. In the US and in Japan (probably other countries, too), Godiva has the reputation with many people of being just about the best chocolate there is. It's tasty, for sure, but not usually worth the money. However, these truffles were so cute that I couldn't resist ($11). The four flavors were Caramel Apple Tombstone, Candy Corn Ghost, Blood Orange Bat, and Death by Chocolate Skull.


The white chocolate smell was strong, and it was full of runny caramel. The textures were great, but the caramel almost tasted spiked, as if the apple flavor had made it ferment. It was quite tart and fruity, though not specifically apple.


The ghost was super cute. The filling was buttery and had a good, thick texture. It tasted more like a buttercream frosting than candy corn, but the white chocolate was very well balanced, and I felt it was some of the best white chocolate I've had.


The bat was kind of cute, except for the hole on it's nose. The flavor was the same kind of orange flavor as a fruit gem. The filling was tasty, if a bit too sweet and greasy. I liked how I could taste the orange zest, and my husband liked this one the best.


Death By Chocolate Skull was by far my favorite to look at--it's gorgeous--but not to eat. It was good, but tasted almost exactly like a Lindt dark chocolate truffle to me, and therefore not really worth the price. Click here to see the inside.

Overall, the set gets a B-.

Here's another take on the set.

Trident Layers Green Apple + Golden Pineapple

While grocery shopping, this gum called out to me in the checkout, as new things often do. I've had some bad luck with non-Orbit fruity gum, but the idea of layered gum was too intriguing and gimmicky to resist.

If you take a look at the picture below and compare it with the picture above, you might notice that the actual gum is not green-yellow-green like the cover, but yellow-green-yellow. I'm not sure if the layers are actually flavored differently, or if it's just for show, like an Andes mint. The discrepancy wasn't really upsetting, just an odd marketing choice. In fact, I hoped it meant that the gum would be heavier on the pineapple side. I was completely wrong.


The green band in the middle of the gum made it look neat, but it was very sticky and soft, making the gum a little messy to take out of the wrapper. As for the flavor, the pineapple was completely undetectable unless I used my imagination, and I never would have thought it was there if the package didn't say so.

The gum was a little on the soft side for chewing, and although it was very juicy, it was a basic sour green apple gum that reminded me of children's bubble gum. After a while (maybe 10 minutes), the flavor became stale, and wasn't doing my breath any favors. This gum was disappointing, since it tasted like fake apple and nothing else, but I can't say I hated it. I won't buy this flavor again, but I'd be willing to try others.

For more reviews, check out Gigi-Reviews, The Impulsive Buy, and Gum Alert.

C-

Trident website

Cheddar Apple Pie

Even though I'm not an apple pie fanatic (funny, because there's already an apple pie recipe on this site), the internets and the glossies told me to make a Cheddar apple pie. First, I bookmarked a recipe for cheese straws, a staple Southern party snack, where a commenter mentioned using cheese straw dough as pie crust, which I thought was quite clever. Then, the September issue of Gourmet featured a recipe for essentially the same idea, an apple pie with a cheddar crust.

And, so, I listened to the hints and made an apple pie with Cheddar crust.
Wanna know how to make a pie off-the-charts fattening? Add a block of cheese! (I plugged the recipe into a calculator, and you don't even want to know.)

Gourmet's recipe calls for white Cheddar, but I went with orange because I wanted the eater (that would be me!) to really know that Cheddar was in the crust. While baking, the crust heats up and cheesy goodness wafts through the kitchen, so I was prepared for a cheese assault, but, really, with a forkful of apple and crust together, apple overpowers the crust. But nibble on the crust alone, and it tastes like a cheese cracker.

This would be a great pie for lovers of melted Cheddar on top of apple pie. But I would still melt a slice of Cheddar on top for ultimate cheesiness. And to meet your daily requirement for fat in one go.
Cheddar Apple Pie
adapted from Gourmet
serves 6-8

I found the dough was prone to cracking when rolling it out, so had to do lots of pinching to mend it back together. I blame the cheese. I also added more salt to the crust to make it more cracker-like.

Crust
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated
1 stick cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening
6-8 tablespoons ice water

Filling
6-8 large apples (mixture of sweet and tart, although I like all tart), peeled, cored, and sliced
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter, cut into bits

• Stir together flour, salt, and cheese in a large bowl, or pulse in a food processor. Add butter and shortening and blend with your fingers, or food processor, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour 6 tablespoons over mixture and stir or pulse until incorporated. Squeeze a handful of dough to see if it holds together. If not, add more water.
• Divide dough in half, then form each half into flat 5-inch disks. Individually wrap the dough disks, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• Toss apples with sugar, flour, lemon juice and salt until evenly coated.
• Roll out one piece of dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch pie pan. Repeat with the other piece of dough.
• Line a pie pan with one of the dough rounds, then fill the shell with the apple filling. Dot with pieces of butter, then cover with the remaining pie dough. Trim edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then press edges to seal and fold under. Cut vents in top of pie.
  
• Bake on a hot baking sheet in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 375 degrees and bake until crust is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool to room temperature before serving.
  

Nestle Apple Vinegar KitKat

I had been scared of this KitKat when I had seen pictures on Flickr. Not only is vinegar in a bit scary in candy, apple KitKats don't have a history of being good. Actually, the apple was more worrying than the vinegar.

Fruit KitKats don't have a good history with me, but I'm always willing to try a new flavor. I had already read a few reviews online (like in Japanese Snack Reviews and Jen's KitKat Blog), so I knew what to expect, but I had to try this one for myself.


The smell of the KitKat was mostly apple, with a hint of something sour, probably supposed to be vinegar. I tasted the apple right away, again with a hint of sour, and it tasted a bit like cider. The sourness wasn't much like vinegar, though, more like a tart apple.

The apple flavor seemed to be coming from the cream between the wafers, because the tartness wore off quickly, and then all I could taste was white chocolate. The KitKat was much better than I thought it would. It was an appropriate sweetness, and the flavor was pretty good!

B

KitKat Website

Mike and Ike Tangy Twister

After the last review of Mike and Ike I did, I was hesitant to try another kind, but temptation got the best of me. On a run to the drug store (I needed a can opener in a pinch), I picked up a box of Tangy Twister.

My expectations were fairly low, but they were cheap. When I opened the inner bag, I was pleasantly surprised by a fruity smell. Maybe it's because my expectations were so low, but I was almost blown away with how good these were (okay, they weren't THAT good, but you get the idea). I'll do a run down flavor by flavor.


Apple was pale green, and tasted like the Zours green apple flavor. It was pretty good! Very sour, with hints of Granny Smith apple, but it definitely wasn't a natural taste.

Raspberry, the dark red, was much better than the raspberry flavor in the Berry Blast variety. It was tangy with a raspberry-esque zing that reminded me of more expensive candy (Jelly Belly jelly beans).

Cherry was the lighter red, and it was also a lot like the Jelly Belly Very Cherry bean. It wasn't my favorite, but it definitely wasn't a bad cherry flavor. Once again, tangier than it was sweet.

Pineapple, in yellow, was pretty cool. It tasted like punch, the kind with lemon-lime soda and pineapple juice! Very sour, and delicious. It wasn't exclusively pineapple, but I really liked this one.

Citrus Punch, the orange, was so delicious. The taste was made up of a little orange, a little lemon, and thankfully, no floor cleaner. It was super sour and tangy, and just as good as the Pineapple.

Although the citrus punch, pineapple, and green apple flavors stood out most to me, I can honestly say that there wasn't a flavor that I didn't like. They were all sour and tangy, and that's how I like my fruity candy. These really made up for how much I disliked the berry flavors!

A

Just Born website

Jolly Rancher Fruit Chews

I struggled mightily with the loss of the lemon Jolly Rancher. Never was there a better flavor. In any case, I just haven't been able to enjoy them as much since then. I'm not a huge fan of hard candy since it makes my teeth feel gross, so you'd think these fruit chews would be a good solution. I'll break down each flavor.

I'd like to mention first of all that the box my friend bought didn't have any Cherry in it, so I can't review that flavor. Way to go, packaging machine.

Blue Raspberry: There's nothing quite like that chemically enhanced raspberry taste. It reminds me of the Blue Raspberry Blow Pops I used to love as a child, nice and tart. However, and I'll have the same complaint for all of these, it was so grainy! Just like Air Heads taffy. I prefer a smoother chew, and the grainy, crumbly kind just isn't for me.

Green Apple: This one was sweeter than I was expecting, and it's a pretty good match for granny smith apples, but I wish it was more sour. Again, these things are too grainy!

Watermelon: This was my favorite of the three. Just like the watermelon Jolly Rancher, it was tart, juicy, and sour. I just couldn't get over the grainy texture!

I liked the small size of these, because with Laffy Taffy, I felt like there was just too much taffy in my mouth, but I wish these had a more Laffy Taffy-like smooth texture. I know a lot of people like Air Heads, so I'd recommend it to those people. In the meantime, I prefer the hard candy, but only once in a great while.

I'm still mad there was no cherry. And bring back lemon Jolly Ranchers.

C-

Jolly Rancher Website

Laffy Taffy

Back when I was younger, I had braces. Taffy tops the list of things you can't eat when you have braces; one of my freinds broke a bracket eating Tangy Taffy once. Whatever happened to Tangy Taffy? Anyhow, there was a time in my life when I couldn't eat taffy, so perhaps that makes me want to eat it more now.

The packaging feels like it's aimed at the 10 year old me, growing up in the 1990s. Bright colors and "cool" fruit. Just check out the sour apple guy in this picture. He looks like a beat poet! The goatee and shades are pretty cool.

Oh, and the jokes. You buy Laffy Taffy for the jokes, right? Most of them are recycled, but then credited to (presumably) a child, as if they thought it up themself. For example: Why can't a nose be 12 inches long? Because then it would be a foot. I don't think Jennifer B. in Ft. Lauderdale, FL really came up with that herself.

I still haven't gotten to the actual Taffy. As far as I know, it tastes the same as it did when I was a kid.

Sour Apple: It's an electric green color (again with the 90s marketing) and starts out tasting almost like apple, but about halfway through, there was a weird, chemical taste that I didn't enjoy. Still, the taffy was pretty juicy.

Strawberry: A bright pink color, I can't really say it tastes like straberry, but it's somewhere in the ballpark. It's a nice, sweet, berry flavor, and they managed to mask the chemical taste much better.

Grape: Considering how most artificially flavored grape candy tastes like cough syrup, these aren't too bad. They are a pale purple, and they remind me of good grape popsicles. The ones that didn't taste like Robutussin.

Banana: I've never been a fan of banana flavored things. I love actual bananas, but banana candy is its own taste. My husband loves it and I just can't stand it. These are the epitome of banana-flavored candy, and I couldn't finish it. It just reminded me of the smell of rotten bananas.

Overall, I think the pieces are too big, and it kind of felt like chewing a balloon at times. All the flavors are artificial, and it shows, but they're all right. I doubt I'd buy them again, but I mostly bought them for nostalgia anyhow.

B-

Wonka Website

Raw Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Apple

I won Jamie Oliver’s cookbook, Cook with Jamie, from Serious Eats, and it arrived a few weeks ago! (Yes! Won! I can't believe it! This calls for one more exclamation point!)

This cook book, a couple of concert tickets, and a bouquet of Tootsie Pops are the extent of what I’ve won in my life from entering contests and playing bingo. I’m not the luckiest person, so I won’t be buying a lottery ticket anytime soon, and this recent winning guarantees that I won't be winning anything for the next three years – at least!

I think Serious Eats is, hands down, one of the best food sites out there, but I’m a little concerned about the state of their office space (my cookbook was covered in thick dust when I pulled it out of the padded shipping envelope), and wonder if a janitor made it into this year’s budget . No matter the filth, can’t beat free!

I’ve never watched Jamie’s cooking show, but I’ve caught him a few times on The Today Show before heading off to work, and he seems to be a very likable, chill dude that doesn't have a whisk up his ass. Cook with Jamie is a cookbook that covers the basics of cooking, and sticks to simple, fresh dishes. As Jamie states in the introduction, he thinks this cookbook should have been his first.Sliced beets before getting matchsticked.

My first dish from Cook with Jamie is the raw beet salad. Can you believe that I had never eaten a non-pickled beet until six years ago? It turns out I adore cooked beets, and eat them every chance I get. Now, can you believe I’ve never eaten raw beets until I tried this recipe? Turns out, I love raw beets, too.

This raw beet salad is very similar to coleslaw, which is up there at the top of the list of my favorite comfort foods. If you like the tang and crunch of coleslaw, but want to wow the crowd with color, I’d pull this recipe out.

Just like Jamie recommends in his book – substitutions, and a bit of this and a bit of that to suit your taste – I altered the recipe according to what I had on hand and my taste. It still turned out fabulous!

I used goat cheese instead of feta, green apple instead of pear, omitted the sprinkling of pine nuts, and changed the dressing to suit my love of tang and dislike of oil. (If you must know, the original dressing called for 3 ½ tablespoons lemon juice, 10 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste)

Raw Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Apple
Adapted from Cook with Jamie by Jamie Oliver
Serves 4

4 beets, different colors if possible, washed, peeled, and cut into matchsticks
2 green apples, peeled, cored, and cut into matchsticks
7 ounces goat cheese
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
small bunch of fresh mint

• In a small bowl, mix lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper to make the dressing
• In a large bowl, pour the dressing over the beet and apple matchsticks.
• Individually plate the salad, and crumble goat cheese on top, and sprinkle with mint leaves.

Apple-Cranberry Pie

I should have participated in that post-every-day-in-November-cause-I’m-a-badass-blogging-mofo NaBloPoMo, ‘cause I have posts out the wazoo to get around to. I’m trying really hard to stick to my normal regularity of posting, but the shit’s getting backed up. I’ve got about six restaurant reviews to get around to, and the unveiling of my winter project, but other posts keep popping up. I can’t decide…do I post that restaurant review, or get started on the winter project, or post that timely recipe? Timely recipe wins.

I made the apple-cranberry pie from Cook’s Illustrated for Thanksgiving. It’s the pie that came with the revolutionary foolproof vodka pie crust, but Smitten Kitchen beat me to the punch on the pie dough (she beats everyone, so no biggie).

Smitten Kitchen just reneged her recommendation of the pie crust due to its stickiness, but still declares it the flakiest yet. I experienced stickiness when mixing the dough, but after the dough slept in my fridge overnight bundled in plastic wrap (at least 45 minutes in the fridge is recommended, but I stretched the pie making over two days), the stickiness was no more. Rolled out perfectly. And the baked crust? Flakiest yet.

So, no more on the crust. Go get the recipe at Smitten Kitchen. The cranberry and apple filling, though! Yum! I’m not a die hard apple pie fan, and wondered why I was even making an apple pie – other than the fact that Cook’s Illustrated wills me to make their recipes through mind control.

The cranberry mash is layered on the bottom of the pie, and apple slices sit on top, guaranteeing cranberry and apple in every bite, but no mixing or polluting of the individual flavors. The scent of butter, apples and roses seduced me as I drove the 45 minutes to my friend’s house for Thanksgiving with the warm pie riding shotgun.

Sorry for no final pie-innards picture (it’s rude to run around with a camera at someone else’s Thanksgiving table). But, trust me; it was beautiful and tasty. Cranberries and apples work well at Christmas, too, ya know! Apple-Cranberry Pie
adapted from Cooks Illustrated

2 cups frozen or fresh cranberries
¼ cup orange juice
1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon for top of pie
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 ½ pounds sweet apples (6-7 medium), peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
1 recipe Foolproof Pie Dough
1 egg white, beaten lightly

• Bring cranberries, orange juice, ½ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally, while pressing the berries against the side of the pan with a spoon to assist in breaking the berries down. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the berries achieve a thick consistency (scrapping spoon across bottom of pan leaves a trail that does not fill in). Remove from heat, and stir in water. Cool to room temperature (30 minutes).
• Meanwhile, mix ½ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, and cornstarch in large microwave-safe bowl. Add apples and toss to coat. Microwave on high, stirring every 3 minutes, for 10-14 minutes or until the edges of the apples are slightly translucent and liquid has thickened. Cool to room temperature (30 minutes).
• Move oven rack to the bottom and place a baking sheet on the bottom rack. Preheat oven to 425°.
• Roll one disk of the refrigerated dough out to a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick on a generously floured surface. Place dough in pie pan, leaving a 1-inch dough overhang. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Spread the cranberry mixture evenly in the dough-lined pie pan. Top with apple mixture.
• Roll the second dough disk out to a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick on a generously floured surface. Place on top of the pie, leaving a 1-inch overhang.
• Cut both layers of the overhanging dough, leaving ½ inch overhang. Fold the dough under so it’s flush with the pie pan edge. Crimp pie edges. Brush top of pie with egg whites, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Cut slits in top of pie dough.
• Place pie on preheated baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°, rotate baking sheet, and continue to bake for 25-30 minutes, or crust is deep golden brown.
• Cool for at least 2 hours before serving.