Cherry Cordial m&m's and other balls

            What’s an iconic Christmas shape? One, that’s also very happy dangling from your Christmas tree,. That’s right I'm talking about spheres, or to most of us balls. Today’s review deals with all kinds balls, in three whole varieties.

            Okay so once again that opening is perhaps a bit more innuendo filled than I would have hoped. However I bet all those balls caught your attention. Wait; scratch that, although they do kind of stick out innuendos, that is. What does that say about the human mind, I wonder?

            So moving on the point is todays review concerns three sugar coated spheroids. Also as this is day four of my Christmas advent challenge so they are all festively themed too. We have Cherry Cordial m&m's, Reindeer noses and some white chocolate type sugar candy.

          

Wish I had a fetching pair of tights like those.

  So first up let’s look at Cherry Cordial m&m's. Yet another case of a favorite brand not releasing all available versions in the UK. I know it’s a small point but seriously it does bother me. Over here we only really have three types and even then we only got crispy in the last year or so. I had to order these from Ebay and a guy shipping isn’t cheap.

          

  Although I'm glad I did, as these are very nice. Unlike the Pumpkin spice ones these actually have a bit of a flavor to them. As soon as you reach the center you get an intense taste of cherry. Then again this does overpower the chocolate taste slightly, leaving the cocoa as more of an afterthought. If you give these a chance for this to melt in your mouth you do get the best of both worlds.

          

I think the crispiness is about all they had going for them!

  Next up the White chocolate drops that I found at a local market. They caught my eye quickly as you don't often get sugar coated white chocolate (unless your American and you can buy Candy Corn m&m's, Not bitter at all). The white chocolate itself tastes nice, almost like a Milky bar nicely sweet and milky. The shell itself adds well too, as if you erode the shell away the insides warmed to a point that melts perfectly.

        

    Lastly we have Reindeer noses; I've seen the usual 'hilarious' Reindeer droppings (chocolate covered raisins). But these are new to me, and perhaps that’s not a bad thing. The chocolate tastes very cheap and the sugar shell just adds to this. Not much I can say except these were disappointing.

          

Behind today's door was a melting snowman, how festive.

  Overall I enjoyed most of these, except the noses, although the idea was there. The worst thing here is the reminder of the m&m's I miss because I don't live in candy central.  

Score

White Chocolate drops - 6 out of 11

Reindeer Noses - 3 out of 11

Cherry Cordial m&m's - 8 out of 11

Found

Local market

Co-operative food store

and EBAY

Final Thought

 I really don't want to now have to try Reindeer droppings!

National Nut Day

Happy national nut day everyone! I bring you great and might I add nutty tidings for today. Hope your cashews remain crunchy and your hazelnuts hard. Whats that you have never heard of national nut day! Well actually neither have I, in fact I thought I had made it up as a exciting and engaging hook for todays post.

Howver as it turns out on the 22nd of October this very year (2013), the Uk celebrated not it's first but forth National Nut day. After a little research, (if I'm honest it was literally just reading the side bar on the official website.)  I found out that actually this is an American holiday brought over here recently to encourage healthy eating and environmental responsibility. Not sure how much of that actually applies to todays items, If I'm realistic the nuts here probably haven't even heard of sustainable!

Just how many m&m characters are there now?

Todays two nutty products are both m&m's and both clearly are on the nutty side of the fence. I have a bag of Almond m&m's which you don't find here in England. So when I saw a pack I knew immediately I wanted to compare them to the standard peanut m&m's. Surely I though they can't be that different to warrant two different sub products, please don't point out the fact that there are both a dark chocolate and milk chocolate m&m's. Nor the fact that there is actually a dark chocolate peanut m&m variant, can we just agree that perhaps that MARS are a bit m&m happy in their ideas department.

So bright and attractive and well nutty!

So let's look at these and make a decision, Do we need both? I'm going to throw a wild guess out there and say no. Lets not be too hasty ,however, after all perhaps they taste completely different (doubtful). Ok so firstly in mascot we have two guys here in the peanut corner we have classic Yellow guy (voiced by J.K Simmons, think we have a clear winner already!) and in the Almond alley Blue guy. Yellow wins he's one of the first thing that springs to mind when you think m&m, other than good old red. Next in size, which believe me matters people, well in candy at least it does. Yeah the Almond wins this round rather although remember no more chocolate is on offer it is just because almond is the bigger nut.

The important part now taste!the peanut has a great peanut taste that mixes with the chocolate in the best kind of way to give a nice sweet and nutty taste. Almost like nutella but much more subtly chocolatey, it's very nice and very more-ish. The shell adds slight sweetness and extra crunch. It's not quite as smooth as peanut butter but it's close and thats never a bad thing.

Remember folks size doesn't always matter!

Next the almond, as I've mentioned almonds are the bigger nut. Yet they don't usually have such a good and intense taste as peanuts do, after all who would buy almond butter over peanut butter (nutters thats who HAHAHA... sorry). I was right, barely any discernable nut taste but I was also wrong turns out there is more chocolate here. This just ends up tasting like a blander than average m&m with an odd texture inside. Not unpleasant but definately not enough of a nut hit for any fan.

Overall it's a clear winner in the Yellow corner, but than again what did I expect it's peanut after all!

Score
Peanut - 8 out of 11
Almond - 5 out of 11


Found
Peanut ones can be found pretty much anywhere, literally these are more availeable than the normal ones. The Almond ones I bought from an import store.


Final Thoughts
Hope non of you guys have a nut allergy and suffer as a result of my post

Problems with Pumpkins

Hey folks well as promised I'm here today to review what I consider  traditional American Autmnsweets. By this I mean stuff I've found that has a vague connection to this time of year as far as I know from over this side of the pond. In reality you guys probably won't agree but when I think of Americans pre-hibernation I think pumpkin and Turkey. I'm a sweet blog (not to mention sweet in general *wink, wink*) so this means I've gathered some products with added pumpkin.

The image of what would happen if sweets incorporated turkey flavouring. I think we can all give thanks that the candy companies haven't quite got to that stage. Although by the standards of recent Wonka bars that could well be round the corner. Today I have an example of pumpkinny goodnes (and therefore one of my five a day) in the form of poptarts Pumpkin limited edition. I also have some pumpkin m&m's which I recently received through my mailbox.

Love how they try to convince them as a healthy, a whole 6 vitamins!

Lets start, however, with something all Americans apparently consuming by the boat load this time of year Candy Corn. It seems weird to me that these are so popular because half the time I hear people complaining how dull they are. I have some of the traditional corn today but there will soon be a Candy Corn post as I have got my mits on a few specimens. I have tried candy corn m&m's and have been looking forward to seeing how authentic they are. The answer... not very, whilst the m&m's were very sickly sweet (though not in a bad way) these have very little flavour to them. With a slightly waxy texture they arn't bad, just bland. I can see why people complain these things can be dull. After all I still have a whole bag to chomp through.

After two or three, or you know ten more of these I started to get a bit of a scratchy feeling in my throat and a sugary upset in my tummy. Clearly this bag will last a while and I too felt the burden you guys must get every year. I think I definately prefer the m&m version although clearly a pittyfull representation of the genuine article.This leads me nicely onto the pumpkin spice m&m's and a reoccuring problem; lack of flavour. (It's like I plan these posts!)

Ohhhh Autumnal? Not really

Pumpkin is a troublesome flavour in general, it has a rather lack of it on its own and the spices that we put with it tend to overpower it. On the other side is the fact that the flavour it has when its going solo is rather earthy and unpleasant. Case in point with these m&m's They are pretty much all spice (literally) and no pumpkin. They just taste of all spice and chocolate really which is still really nice just not pumpkin as described.

A trait unfortunately shared withe the pop tarts, although in this case there is a sugary sweet taste initially that fades into a bare hint of sweet pumpkin. They are nice just not flavourful. The frosting too only serves really to add a nice crunchy topping. When I tried the filling alone I did detect a sweet earthy tone but very vague. Interestingly when I froze one tart to try (for I have to try one cold: pastry too doughy, one heated: the main way and one frozen. To ensure they get the proper trial they deserve.) I found the pumpkin flavour to be more apparent.

Still rather proud of this

Overall these three were ok if a bit disappointing. I find it odd that we have become so attached to such a tricky flavoured vegetable. Then I remember how awesome they look!

Score
Candy Corn- 4 out of 11
Pumpkin Pop-Tarts- 5 out of 11
Pumpkin spice m&m's- 8 out of 11

Found
Various online places.

Final Thoughts
I think I've picked up on a serious topic of debate here, Pumpkins whats your views guys?

Pumpkin Patch Perils

So day three of my self-imposed challenge to only feature Halloween goodies. So far it’s been rather well let’s be honest, rather disappointing. We’ve had gingerbread man lacking in ginger and a round hairy lump that contained Lupin’s green rice balls. Not a great start but perhaps today is going to be different ad if not there’s only around eighteen more to go (sobs).

I picked up this item at the same time as the spider as both were on offer. That’s one good thing so far is that a lot of these items can be found really cheap just because the shops are trying to shift them before Halloweens gone. Shops have an odd relationship with this season I think, they set up an aisle or so two weeks before hand and then tear it down usually the day before. I guess unlike Christmas which pretty much runs for a whole month in advent terms at least, Halloween is literally one day and then it’s over. We’ve yet to welcome it like our American cousins, which is a shame as I happen to enjoy Halloween as much as Christmas.

I think the table cloths the most terrifying thing here

Today’s product is an example of a product rehash like I described in yesterday’s review. It’s a smarties pumpkin, basically a spooky themed Easter egg. It’s a nice idea I think really as at least you’re getting more than just a hollow pumpkin as these contain the tiny little smarties. Let’s not get too fooled however as I say it’s just a rehash of a previous line rushed out for this fleeting festival.

The foil designs nice not much you can say except at least they didn’t tack some cardboard legs on. Although I have to admit that with these cheap seasonal lines I find the foil packaging to be rather lacking. They don’t keep the chocolate fresh and as a result often these lines can taste stale, however it could just be the placebo effect. Just because it looks cheap and is cheap I expect that it should taste cheap too (what a world we live in). After unwrapping her (I use him too much I’ve decided) I was surprised to find that the design carried onto the chocolate itself. Better than yesterday’s review where the design changed slightly and it ended up looking rather scrotal.

She looks so cheerful shame what happens next.

My surprise increased when I cracked her open and found that the smaller smarties are in fact miniscule. Now I haven’t seen mini smarties in ages and I have grown (in size not mentality I fear) but I swear these are even smaller. Also I realise how clichéd that sounds but honestly there is barely anything too them. After trying one I found that they are now mostly sugar shell with not much chocolate inside. The problem with this is that because there is less chocolate all you can really taste it the sugar coat. I try to dissolve the coat first but again because it’s tiny I barely get a taste before it disappears. What I did get of it however tasted really well cheap. Tasting similar to the usual smarties chocolate, but sweeter and definitely less chocolaty.

Next I moved onto the pumpkin shell. The layer of chocolate here too is rather thin and stingy. Clearly Nestle are trying to save costs everywhere. I’ll give extra points to Cadburys Spiders now as they may have been cheap to use cardboard in the gimmick but at least they didn’t scrimp on the chocolate. The thinness of the chocolate again makes it difficult to get any real grasp on the taste. You kinda need to eat it all at once to build up a big enough picture. If you do this I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed in two ways, firstly you will have eaten all your chocolate at once never good. Secondly you’ll discover that it’s that cheap sweetened advent calendar like chocolate. Tasting more of sweetener than of chocolate.

She kept complaining of a splitting headache

 Overall I was disappointed again rather; I guess I shouldn’t complain too much after all I did get them on offer. Essentially this cost me fifty pence and contained quite a few smarties. Just a shame they tasted bad and I had to eat more of them.

Score

4 out of 11

Found

Superdrug (chemist)

Final Thoughts

I'm beginning to think perhaps this challenge is cursed.

Malts Marvelous Medicine

Well folks today I’m going to tantalise and tease you with a couple of products. Do you see what I did there? Clever aren’t I? What do you mean you don’t get it? Ah! I think I’ve made a whopping great mistake and got ahead of myself.

Ok so today I’m looking at Malteasers and Whoppers; See now that opening makes all the more sense. Now you can fully appreciate my wit and intelligent humour I’ll begin. I’ve never been a fan of Malteasers; in fact until recently I haven’t been near a bag for some years. Then I spied an interesting product that made me want to revisit those round malty mounds. The product in question was a box of Whoppers.  I had no prior knowledge of them but seeing the Reece’s brand I deemed them worth a try.

This wheat apparently has a lot of potential, not specifically this one obviously.

However upon returning home and fully reading the box I discovered that they were essentially peanut butter Malteasers. I was somewhat disappointed and relegated them to the limbo like state of the snack cupboard. This is because I don’t like malt nor truly understand what it is. I know it comes from wheat and is a very popular drink in America. A drink that has whole milkshake bars dedicated to it and saw prevalence during the fifties. However I also know it as the word that comes before vinegar on the bottles of well, Malt Vinegar. As you can understand the concept of malt is clearly a minefield one I dare not venture too far for fear of having a shake on my salty chips. Malteasers themselves have always seemed dull, chewy and stale with little chocolate and even less excitement. Hence the Whoppers treatment when I saw the full description.

To be fair there is very little description, all I saw was Reese's!

Then one day during my peanut butter obsessive phase I dug them out from the back of their Limbo like existence. I popped open the box and took a peek inside. It was a hot day and they had been left aside for some time so what I saw wasn’t exactly appetising. The weather had turned their coating somewhat gooey and many had gathered in clumps. Put off but clearly not enough to stop my curiosity I popped one in my mouth, and I must admit I was rather impressed. I found the peanut coating melted instantly on my tongue with a great smooth nutty taste and texture. Even more surprising was the malt centre which unlike my past experiences wasn’t stale and dull but creamy, crumbly and melted in a nice smooth taste. I finally had an answer in some way to what does malt taste like?

Soon after this I purchased a pack of Malteasers, to test if I had misjudged them for all these years. I opened them and wasn’t met with an unappetizing gooey clump (though clearly not always a bad thing.) so didn’t recoil in horror immediately. I threw one in my gob with gay abandon and was again quite impressed. The chocolate was nice and creamy and melted well despite not being pre-warmed as the whoppers had. The texture was just right quite fudgy and not too thin, though as always more would be nice. The malt centre failed to impress however, now as smooth and creamy as the Whoppers and worse seem to clump a bit. These seem better suited to crunching on once the choccys gone. On the whole I feel I may have misjudged Malteasers all these years.

This is where I kept them, in hindsight not a great idea.

There is a twist to this happy tale however; as you see I did not polish off the whole box of Whoppers in my first sitting. Somehow they had changed unfortunately, gone were those slightly unsettling gooey delights, Replaced by cold, solid chunks. This was probably due to my improper storage for which they shouldn’t really be punished. I ate a few anyway and found them to have turned rather stale and tasteless. Worse the outside coating tasted rather waxy when not gooey and left a weird residue behind. Be this a cautionary tale to you all to treat your Whoppers well.

Overall I did initially like the Whoppers and it was my fault for leaving them to go stale and cold. They also sparked a newfound love for Malteasers and eagerly await trying the White chocolate variety.

Score

Malteasers 6 out of 11

Whoppers 7 out of 11 initially, 4 out of 11 later

Found

Mr Simm's sweet shoppe

Final Thought

Look after your sweets and your sweets will look after you!!!