Wrigley Alert Energy Caffeine Gum Banned: I'm Chewing Some Now

Caffeine is being incorporated into all kinds of products. I'm a big fan of caffeine but tend to feel that a cup of coffee will suffice. I don't want to get fancy with a caffeine-infused toothbrush in the morning or eating caffeine-infused popcorn as a snack (did not make up either of those products). So it's not surprising that Wrigley hopped on the bandwagon and came out with a caffeine-infused gum called "Alert Energy." Gum and caffeine make some good sense as a combination for quick energy. The gum was released this month and has already been recalled, however. Click here to read a cnn blog article about the stop-production order. I understand why people worry that kids could o.d. on the stuff. It's easy to keep popping gum into your mouth, and the total caffeine content of a pack equals 4 cups of coffee. But as an innocent bystander who would certainly consider buying a pack of caffeine-infused gum, I thought the stuff was pretty great! (It's still for sale at my local bodega. I might stock up on a few packs...). It tastes like berry-infused aspirin. This is not delicious, and that seems proper (and like a good way to keep kids from consuming a ton of it). But the consistency is nice and I felt peppier and pretty great within minutes. It really works. Maybe it shouldn't be marketed in the candy aisle. If it were placed next to the No-Doz instead of the Juicy Fruit, I think the problem would largely disappear.

Score (effectiveness): 5
Score (would I buy more): 5
Score (questionable health factor): 1

Be Still My Heart: Loki m&m's!!!

 

I'm not sure that this unique m&m's product will hold the same mass appeal for others as it does for me. These m&m's, however, constitute the coolest candy ever. They are customized with two portraits of my magnificent dog Loki! He's right there, grinning on the face of the m&m's! Loki and candy rank way up there on my list of favorite things and so this combination is pretty unbelievable. My astute Mother spotted a Groupon where for $15 you receive $30 worth of personalized m&m's from mymms.com. I'm plotzing.

Score (visuals): off the charts (it's Loki after all)
Score (taste): 5 (classic m&m's)

Wish List: m&m's Chocolate Bar!

image courtesy of theimpulsivebuy

A new candy to add onto the wish list! Today's edition of The Impulsive Buy blog shows a new limited edition m&m's chocolate bar! No idea what's involved here, but I must try one. Any readers who find these for sale, please write in and let me know where!! Hooray for m&m's attempting an entirely new product line! (I am already dreaming of their Peanut Butter m&m chocolate bar! When will that exist?)

Minamoto Kitchoan, New York: Chocolate Mochi

Wow. Mochi is not ordinarily my favorite treat- too chewy in texture and lacking in flavor. However, my Mom recently brought a beautiful box of chocolate mochi from Minamoto Kitchen, a "Wagashi" shop offering fine Japanese sweets intended for pairing with tea, and my mind was blown. This mochi, called Syocoramochi has a for more delicate and light texture than any I've tasted before, and a chocolate cream burst from the center constitutes a perfect surprise- rich and flavorful. The mochi ball is rolled in a rich dusting of chocolate that adds a subtle bitter note to offset all of the sweet. I loved these. Thanks, Mom!

Score (Flavor): 5
Score (Mochi Epiphany Moment): 5

Godiva Chocolatier Dark Chocolate Pearls

After any meal, I need a little sweet. It can be just a tiny bite, but I deem it necessary for proper digestion. Some people think this is ridiculous and that digestion is not aided by sugar. However, a number of people I know agree with this theory that a little sweet after supper goes a long way. I was recently introduced to the ideal post-dinner treat, Godiva Dark Chocolate Pearls. They come in a small metal box that's easy to throw and tote around in one's bag. Each pearl is pure dark chocolate, a little larger than a tapioca pearl. The dark chocolate melts slowly in your mouth so that you can savor the experience without having to dive compulsively into the box for more and more. A few will do you just right! Thanks, Irene, for introducing me to these little gems of chocolate delight!

Japanese Sushi Candy

Frankly, I don't know who makes these sushi candies. My Mom picked them up at a one-day Japanese market in Grand Central Station in New York. The hard candies themselves are simple white pellets that taste of coconut and pineapple and maybe some other exotic tropical fruits. It's nothing to write home about. But the packaging! The packaging is fantastic! First, the cow box that unfolds and reads "Because I want to see your happy face" on the back. Then the assortment of candy wrappers, all classic sushi pieces. Simple and Brilliant!! Thanks, Mom!

Score (taste): 2
Score (packaging): 5

Epicurious Recreates HBO's Girls out of Peeps

Readers, Easter is over. Rivaled only by Halloween, Easter is our greatest candy and sweets holiday. In order to wave the sugar-infused holiday goodbye until next year, I cannot help but share a blog posting from Epicurious.com- Chicks, HBO's Girls re-enacted by Peeps. Amazing. Thrilling. So wrong.

CLICK HERE to see on Epicurious. 

Last Minute Easter Overview: Palmer Little Beauty Milk Chocolate Flavored Easter Bunny

Last Minute Easter Overview: Black Forest Juicy Oozers Gummy Cracked Eggs

I'm not normally the biggest fan of Black Forest gummy candies- they taste a little too "natural" or "healthy." However, I'm totally enraptured by the yellow lemon cream filling in these Black Forest Juicy Oozers Cracked Egg Gummy Candies- delicious!

Score: 3

Limited Edition Strawberry 3 Musketeers with Dark Chocolate

 

In the past, I've reviewed limited edition 3 Musketeers Cherry and Marshmallow minis (read reviews here) and I loved them. This latest foray into special edition flavors wasn't quite as enticing. Strawberry 3 Musketeers are cloyingly sweet and so artificial in flavor that I couldn't get past one or two bite-sized minis (as compared to my compulsive indulgence in the past limited edition flavors). I do like the dark chocolate to offset the strawberry but nothing could offset this strawberry enough. I would have given these a score of 2. However, I brought the bag of minis to work and some colleagues enjoyed the overly-sweet sweets. All noted that they prefer the original to the strawberry but the bag did disappear very quickly. I hope 3 Musketeers will keep producing new and enticing flavors- there are a lot of possible variations that would be so decadent and delicious.

Score: 3