CandyFavorites

Chocolate pretzels. How I have missed them! On my trip to the warehouse last week, they were one of the items I picked up. When I think about chocolate pretzels, I am immediately brought back to my years in middle school. Those awkward years where most of us had braces and hadn’t yet grown into our bodies, were made better by chocolate pretzels. After a long day of school, I would always go straight to the vending machine for a bag of chocolate pretzels. It was my little reward for making it through the day. And of course the small bag would have to hold me over until my after school activities were done. I was always one of those kids who was staying after school for sports or choir practice, so I never got home before 5pm.

So for three years chocolate pretzels were my after school snack. And when I moved up to high school, I guess I moved on from my chocolate pretzels at the same time. Probably because the vending machines at the high school didn’t have chocolate pretzels (to my recollection anyway). Either way, I hadn’t had them in years until last week. Now my roommate and I have gone through at least 3 bags. I had forgotten how great they taste. The pretzel part is like the snack, and then the chocolate is like a dessert. It’s the perfect combination. So I can guarentee that I will not go another few years without eating chocolate pretzels!

Until next time, this is Kandy K…..stay sweet!

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Yes candy lovers, that’s right! I got to visit the warehouse where all the wonderful candy is received, stored, packaged, and then sent out into the world. It all started Monday morning. Since I didn’t have any classes to attend, it was a good day to go. When I first walked in, I met all of the very lovely women who work there answering phones and putting data into the computers. Then we went into the first room. On the right were tables filled with packages ready to be sent out. To the left was the first of many larges rooms filled to the brim with candy. It was like walking into my favorite dream. Candy all around me! M&M’s, gummy worms, Reese’s, and boxes of every candy imaginable surrounded me!

Next I went to the basement where there were boxes of Jelly Beans on every shelf! It was incredible. There were enough Jelly Beans to last a lifetime, and then some! Next we went to the next warehouse just a few steps down the street. Again I was greeted by the sight of thousands of boxes of candy! There was just so much of it! At this point I was given a box to fill with any candy I wanted. Talk about the best dream EVER! I picked out some favorites, as well as some things I have never tried. So in the coming weeks I will of course be reviewing a ton of candy. I’ve already eaten my way through a bag of Hershey Kisses, which I don’t think I need to review. So I’m still deciding what to tackle next, but as soon as I know, you’ll know. So all in all it was probably one of the greatest days ever. You can’t ask for much more than being surrounded by candy!

Until next time, this is Kandy K……stay sweet!!

I just finished trying an interesting snack, I took a look at the package and it said contains real and artificial ingredients. Now I’ve talked about this about 100 times on Candy Critic, for the most part I don’t mind the idea of artificial flavors in candy. In fact I’m a big fan of some of the artificial flavors out in the world. I’m able to make the distinction in my mind that when a package says cherry flavored it might not really taste like cherries.
The part that gets me thought is those treats that say they have both. It confuses me completely, why not pick one and go with it. I figure it’s one of several possibilities:
1) They use real flavors and artificial flavors combined to make this flavor. I can see this in the case of a fruit punch because of the mix.
2) In the case where you have more than one flavor of treat, like Skittles. Some real flavors may not be powerful enough to compete with each other so an artificial flavor can boost it up.
3) People in the candy business might be mental; they may dilute the real flavor with an artificial flavor to save a few bucks.
In the case of number 3 I say this because if you’re going to put that both types of flavors are going to be used you might as well just go cheap all the way.
I wish I knew more about this, if you do please comment here or write me an e-mail explaining why.
Chris Stewart
Candy Critic
www.candycritic.org

This one is for all the college students out there. Well actually, anyone who has a lot of studying or reading to get through. So you’ve decided to tackle a few chapters of Organic Chemistry today, or perhaps some Shakespeare for your English Lit class. Whatever the case, you have a daunting task ahead of you. So you ask yourself, is there any way to make this more bearable?? Well sure, there is the popular solution of reading two pages and then giving up. But that really doesn’t help you does it? Well I have found a solution!

I’ve tried everything, from lots of coffee to slapping myself to stay awake(seriously, ask my roommate!). Nothing was working. So my roommate and I formulated a new plan. As some of you may know, my roommate and I have a habit of buying a package of candy every time we go grocery shopping. So we decided to use the Reward System with candy. Basically we set a reasonable goal, and then rewarded ourselves with a piece of candy when we achieved this goal. So we would read one section (about 5-10 pages) of Organic Chemistry, and then have a piece of candy. It worked out pretty well. It seemed easier to get through the reading knowing that there was more candy waiting for me!

Out of all of the different things I have tried, the Reward System definitely works the best. So give it a try the next time you have a lot of reading to do. You might find it makes it just a little bit easier! And remember to set a reasonable goal for yourself, otherwise you may find it hard to reach your goal. So good luck to you candy lovers!!

Until next time, this is Kandy K…..stay sweet!!

I always loved Candy Buttons as a kid. The pink, yellow, and blue little drops of sugar on paper. They tasted great and always gave you energy! Plus they were small, so you could get away with eating a lot of them. But as time passed I was introduced to new and exciting candy, and I forgot about the Candy Buttons. They were old-fashioned.

This Christmas my three year old cousin came to visit. Among her gifts of Disney Princesses and videos, my mom put in a package of Candy Buttons. My cousin was so excited! She had some before dinner, during dinner, and after dinner! We even used them to bribe her to take her medicine! But it was so much fun to see the joy on her face. She ran around the house chasing our dogs and giggling while on her sugar high. Of course she slept very well on the ride home.

Sometimes you forget how much fun some things can be. I mean now there are millions of videogames that kids can play, but do you remember how much fun it was to play Monopoly? And of course now we have e-mail, but isn’t is great when you receive a letter? Candy is the same way! Sure the chocolate bar with 5 different things in it tastes great, but Candy Buttons taste just as good and remind you of a simpler time. A time of Monopoly, letters, and little colored drops on paper.

So pass on the good times to your family and friends. Invite everyone over for a board game, or write a letter to a friend. And of course, always pass on the joy that is Candy Buttons.

Until next time, this is Kandy K…..stay sweet!

In need of some Candy Buttons? Click Here!

One of the things people assume is that the Candy Critic knows all. Well maybe not all but they assume I know of every candy ever made and that’s just not possible. Most people don’t really get the chance to live in many places, or even shop in that many places. When you travel often you stay in resorts or tourist areas that cater to the idea that people like snacks from their own country. Rarely do people take the time to look into a local grocery store for snacks, nor do I blame them either. I mean if I’m in Paris I’m going to check out the Eiffel Tower or if I’m in Africa I’m thinking Elephants on Safari are the thing for me.

So what I’m saying is that people often only get exposed to a small amount of the candy treats that are available in the world, and often they figure that these are the same treats everybody knows. I can tell you right now that’s very untrue. You can even go from State to State and find very different treats, and this idea is what drives me and drives me nuts. Just recently I was asked if I knew about two particular treats Name Droppers, and Martha Washingtons. This is not the first time I’ve been asked about treats that I don’t have a clue about. Fortunately the people that e-mailed me also included some information about the treat that can make looking a little easier.

Although with all the information I was still stumped. I’ll keep an eye open for them, and if I find them, you know I’ll try them. I always tell people that e-mail me that I’ll keep an eye open for them, and I’m not lying, I will, but I’m keeping an eye open for just about anything new.

Chris Stewart
Candy Critic