CandyFavorites

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

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

So I’ve been at this whole “Candy Critic” thing for a few years now and I’ve put a whole lot into it. I’ve traveled around, harassed people that travel to buy me candy and eaten things I don’t even want to talk about. One of my travels took me to the National Candy Expo in Chicago, don’t even try and go because you have to be invited. But it does exist, a convention completelly dedicated to the love of candy, or so thought.

You see the candy industry is a billion dollar machine; these fun little snacks we eat are big money to people. Now I don’t want to start by putting down all those in the candy industry, but I have to say that most of them are dull or even mean. To make it public I don’t get paid for doing Candy Critic, sure I’m interested and I have some plans in the works, but I started this site because I love candy, not because I thought I’d be rich. So I’m not really a member of this great machine, well not yet.

What I came across at the National Candy Expo was a bunch of suits that wanted to know how giving me a sample would help their sales. Now I can’t say I didn’t expect people to not think about the bottom line in a trade show, but it’s candy. Relax a little and remember that your bottom line is about how fun life can be, and maybe you should focus on fun a little more. Maybe I just want to believe in the world that Willy Wonka projected, or maybe I just like candy more than business.

Either way I welcome all candy companies to contact me and let me know what you’re up to. Send me samples and I’ll review them, tell me cool stories and I’ll read them and maybe put them up on the site. I just can’t promise that a review will increase your sales quota for the next quarter.

Chris Stewart
www.candycritic.org
chris@candycritic.org

One of the biggest complaints I get about candy critic is people calling something that I review not candy. Chips are the biggest complaint, people tell me all the time that I shouldn’t review chips or salty snacks. I don’t know about that, I think chips are candy; the national confectioners association has chips at their All Candy Expo. I say chips are candy, just because it’s not sweet doesn’t make it not candy. People have to open their minds a little and realize that just because it’s not a lollypop or a mint, it’s still candy.

If you where to go by the definition that chips are not candy, we would probably have to eliminate chocolate as well, because really it’s a bean based product and although it is sweet it really isn’t the same as basic candy. Really if we’re to limit ourselves to the purest form of candy all we can have is flavored melted sugar, and where’s the fun in that.

My definition of candy is simple, if it’s not a pastry, and it’s fun to eat, it’s probably candy. If you get a toy with it and it’s not cereal, it’s probably candy. If you look at it and say “this candy is great” it’s candy!

Don’t be in denial, if it’s candy and it’s fun.

Chris Stewart
Candy Critic
www.candycritic.org

What’s new?

People always ask me what my favorite candy is. It makes sense, having tried hundreds of different treats from all over the world and written about them I can understand why that’s the most common question. The thing that isn’t common is my answer.

Sure I’ve got a top ten list on Candy Critic number one being Kit Kat, but is that really my favorite treat? No, what I crave is something different, something I’ve never tried before, it doesn’t even have to taste that great, I just need a change. That’s kind of how Candy Critic started; it was a search for interesting candy and a look at it. To be honest the only reason I even review the common treats is to either appease e-mailers or to give people a reference to basis my tastes off of.

So this is my problem, candy companies are just not that creative. The
amount of money that this industry invests and makes is astounding, in the billions of dollars. Yet for no particular reason all they can give us is the same chocolate bar with an orange flavor. Why can’t we see a little more creativity out of the major candy companies?

The last “new” bar to surface out of the candy world was the Max 5, sure it wasn’t bad and it was a little different but it really wasn’t that revolutionary. Basically they took a bunch of ingredients that work in a common chocolate bar and put them all together. I give credit where it’s due and I’ll say it’s a step in the right direction but with so much money invested in this industry I would expect much more.

So there you are, craving something that you haven’t eaten a thousand times
before, what do I suggest? Well look to other nations for that unique taste
experience. Also look at smaller candy companies, the mom and pop manufactures you’d be amazed what’s made in your own backyard that you haven’t tried. And what’s my word to all those big companies making the same treat over and over again? Invest in the little guys now and again, and if you’re going to pay someone millions to come up with a new treat it better not be the same old treat covered in white chocolate or with “new” orange flavor.

Chris Stewart
Candy Critic
www.candycritic.org

Are you bored of candy? Are you saying to yourself “man, I wish I could try something new?” Well you my friend are just not looking hard enough. Since starting candycritic.org I’ve learned something very valuable. There are more kinds of candy in this world than any one person could ever try. Trust me, that’s pretty much the point of Candy Critic, and I look at candy shelves, and the e-mails I receive and realize that I’ve only cracked the top of this iceberg.

So you want to try something new do you? I suggest starting in your neighborhood, look around for small grocery stores from far off places.
People like treats and when they open a store carrying foods from other lands often candy is included. If you have no such stores in your town, the Internet is a great resource too.

The next step is to be a little brave, can’t read the package, go for it anyways. I always figure that there are a bunch of kids somewhere in the world enjoying what ever might be in that package with the little squiggles on it so it’s got to be good enough for me. I’ll tell you now, you’ll eat a few things that might not sit well with you, but when you bite into a new treat that taste great you’ll thank me.

Complain to candy companies. Yes I said it, if you find that candy companies aren’t living up to their creative possibilities call, write, or e-mail. Tell them you want something new, don’t worry either, it’s not up to you to figure out what they should make, people make good money trying to find the next big treat. If you’re going to complain also be sure to compliment when appropriate. If you try something new that blows your mind tell them. Often treats are put out as a test market but if people really like them then they’ll stick around, but if they don’t think they’re doing well they’ll pull it and I’ve lost many a great treat because of this.

I guess what I’m saying is don’t just eat something sweet for the sugar go for the adventure too.

Who is the Candy Critic? Well I’m a guy that decided on a little web page called Beware the Cheese, to indulge my sweet tooth and write little reviews all about strange candies I find all around me. It started out simple enough and I figured why not. Then as that section of the page became more and more elaborate people started to take notice. I figured hey why not make it something on it’s own, by this time I had already started writing little articles and collections about candy as well as the reviews.

Some years went by and I decided, Candy Critic should go out on it’s own.
Since then the site has just continued to get bigger and bigger. My only fear is how big it might get, so my daily struggle is to make sure that the basics principles of the this site are always maintained, and they are simple. Enjoy candy for what it is, fun.

To visit candycritic.org, please click here