Hershey's Raspberry HUGS

I'm happy to announce my return to blogging after a 7-month hiatus.  In addition to the usual school and work distractions (although I'm happy to report I'm done with classes and will finally be receiving my bachelor's degree in English in May!) I've endured several car incidents, a second job, oh and the most difficult breakup of my life at the beginning of June.  It's been a crazy rollercoaster the last half year or so, but I'm ready to get back to two of the things I love most: eating junk food and writing!

I'm welcoming myself back to the productive world with a handful of what is pretty much the only new Valentine's candy we received at CVS this year: Raspberry Hugs.  The bag describes them as "Kisses* Milk Chocolate Hugged by Raspberry Flavored White Creme."  Raspberry isn't one of my favorite flavors (although as far as berries go it beats blueberry for sure) and though I don't condemn it entirely I'm also not a big fan of fruit and chocolate together. But I was interested in what Hershey would do with the combining of the raspberry and white "creme" flavors and knew as soon as I opened the case that I was going to have to try them.  It is also worth noting that the packaging was part of what drew me in; the bag is a delightful lavender shade and the wrappers are pink.  However I do have a bone to pick with the way Kisses are wrapped, which I will address at the end as it has no actual bearing on the taste experience of the product.

 

After my initial tasting, it took  me two days to figure out what the raspberry white creme reminds me of.  The raspberry flavor is obvious but also rather subtle; it's definitely one of those things you taste more through your nose, if you know what I mean.  I'd dare to say someone with any degree of nasal congestion would be unable to detect the raspberry flavor at all.  It's like when you're breathing in you taste mostly the white creme, then when you're exhaling you taste the raspberry flavor.  But to remark on the raspberiness of the creme I'd actually give it more of a tutti-frutti-berry title than raspberry.  It was this revelation that led me directly to my two-day-awaited epiphany: it tastes like Fruity Pebbles!  Not exactly, but definitely reminiscent.  Ah, nothing like the Eureka! moment.

So we have this subtle-but-evident fruity flavor which is more pleasant than I expected and, I find, pretty addictive in its inability to be precisely named.  Fruity Pebbles is the closest comparison I can come up with, but it still doesn't hit the mark exactly.

Now that we've addressed flavor, we should discuss Hug consumption techniques.  If you like to savor your creme in anticipation of the milk chocolate center, you'll taste mostly the milk chocolate once you reach it.  But if you bite right into it and just chew the whole thing together, the two layers blend very nicely.  Have you ever had something with two or multiple layers, and found that consuming more than one layer at once was actually unpleasant?  I can't really think of anything off the top of my head that does this aside from Gobstoppers (grape into orange is pretty awkward even if you don't hate citrus, which I do)  But anyway, not important because this is definitely not the situation here; these Kisses are delicious no matter how you eat them.

Some people may not enjoy the fruity flavor, but as far as how it combines with the traditional Hershey's milk chocolate I say the blend is pretty flawless.  If you're a chocolate lover and these are the only chocolate in the room, I promise you'll have no trouble popping one after another after another, even if you're not nuts about the raspberry creme.  They're still Hershey Kisses, though I'll warn you that if you strongly dislike the fruitiness you will NOT enjoy the aftertaste as this is when the creme flavor really seems to dominate the most. 4.5 Stars, minus half a star only because while they are still delicious, they'd be my last choice in a pile of different Kisses. 

Now for the aformentioned packaging complaint: Hershey really needs to address the Kiss wrappers.  It could be as simple as adding an extra fraction of a square inch to the wrappers; I imagine it would be difficult and not particularly cost-effective to seal each individual kiss.  But I've been noticing many of Hershey's other products making this change and would like to see it brought both to the Kiss and the Cadbury Egg(for those who are unaware, Cadbury is now manufactured and distributed by Hershey in the US.)  Both are wrapped in such a minimalist fashion and with such thin foil that parts of the candy itself become exposed, and while I'm not exactly a germophobe I do find this to be disconcerting and am always sure to root through the Cadbury Eggs for one that is still fully foiled.  Pretty much everything else seems to have been switched over to a secure plastic wrapper, which is a huge relief to me as I've always abhored the traditional foil wrapped with the annoyingly loose paper wraparound label.  Annoying to stock, easy to damage, and hardly moisture-protecting or weatherproof.  Plastic is not invincible, but it sure stands a better chance than delicate foil and flimsy paper.  I'd purchase a Cadbury bar now before a Cadbury Egg simply because the bar's wrapper guarantees its freshness while the egg's doesn't.  At least Kisses come in a bag that keeps them fresh, and I suppose as long as no one's rubbing their hands all up in your candy dish an exposed Kiss or two won't do anyone any harm.  But as a candy that is frequently used as a "Help Yourself" kind of candy, I do think some attention should be paid to ensuring fewer breaches in the armor.

Popsicles: Yosicle Duos!

So I'll start this one off with a couple of excuses--

I haven't blogged in a while because I've been busy,
 and I know I promised to keep the lowfat wannabe healthy snacks to a minimum...but these things just caught my eye today and I couldn't say no.  I truly had no intention of buying anything even remotely nutritious from the ice cream aisle, but may the confectionary gods forgive me, I ended up with these.  It was an accident, but (forgive me again) they really aren't too bad.

I've never really been a huge popsicle or ice cream cone person.  Not that there aren't delicious options available for each; I just prefer my frozen treats scoopable.  But I've always been a sucker for those carnival flavored popsicles that come with the watermelon and cotton candy flavors, and that's probably why this arrangement was so attractive to me.  And come on, there's CALCIUM in there!  I think it's great how they play up nutrients that have always been present in frozen yogurt and wave their arms about it as if it's something new.  And it totally works on the average consumer...it's adorable really.  But I digress.

What pleases me the most about these is the way you can separate the two elements if you want to.  The popsicle part isn't so firmly attached to the yogurt that you can't bite the sides off first.  This is one of those weird eating habits I've always had and performed no matter how potentially messy it may become: save the filling for last if possible.  I found it delightfully easy to do with these, and the flavors weren't too bad either.  I wouldn't say the cotton candy is spectacular, although I do like it better than other cotton candy flavored things I've had.  I expected to like the cotton candy better than the watermelon as artificial watermelon is something I like but am never intensely excited about.  There's a possibility that I liked it more because I ate it directly after the cotton candy one, which I found to be a bit lacking in intensity.  It seems it's hard to make something that tastes strongly of cotton candy without ending up having a sunblock-y aftertaste, and I think they were trying to play it safe here.  So my flavor summary is: watermelon about as good as it gets, cotton candy could've been better.

Since I can't say great things about either of the actual popsicle flavors, there has to be further explanation for why I just finished 2 of these and am already contemplating having another one later. (Did I mention there's only 110 calories in two of them?  Not to be a stickler in a place where it's unwelcome but that really is pretty awesome...) Maybe it's just the slight tartness and moisture that goes along so well with the flavor and texture of the yogurt which makes these so pleasing to me.  I think a cherry vanilla or blue raspberry vanilla would make for better combinations, but for now these flavors will do!

By the way, why do basketball players wear bibs?

Because they dribble.

Classic.

Overall score: 4 stars  (I thought about subtracting one for the stupid riddles on the popsicle sticks, but I guess it wouldn't be a Popsicle without that!)

Birthday Cake Oreos

Yeah, that's right.  Oreos with cake-flavored cream.  YES.  I ran into a big display of these when I was at Market Basket last week with Viki and we both flipped out and practically jumped up and down with excitement.  I've always been a big Oreo fan and this new flavor has only strengthened that bond.

 The first thing I noticed when I opened the bag is that the smell was WAY stronger than I was anticipating, even having already caught a whiff of the birthday cake aroma through the front end of the bag before it was even open.  Nabisco is not joking around with its 100th Birthday celebration; clearly they mean business.  And lucky for me their business relies mostly on SUGAR!

Upon initiating consumption of the first sample I was tempted to immediately log on and write simply "BUY THESE COOKIES THEY ARE AMAZING THAT IS ALL GOODNIGHT".  I was THAT blown away.  But I allowed myself some time to consider, and eat a few more.  I've had one or two every day for the last week and now I feel I'm more qualified to discuss them coherently.  They still get a pretty good score, though. 

The only thing I would ever think of changing about these cookies is the flavor of the wafer.  I think it would be a little more faithful to the traditional cake-flavor theme if it were made with Golden Oreo wafers, but I'm not condemning the good old chocolate wafer.  Actually, I think they may have done right by using the chocolate in terms of balancing out the intense sweetness of the cream.  The vanilla wafer from the Golden Oreo would have been a closer fit in taste, but the original has a sort of bittersweet chocolate flavor that really begs for the cream accompaniment.  This makes it a better match for the super-saccharine flavor of the birthday cake filling.

The best part about these cookies is that the cream actually has real sprinkles in it!  When you eat the cream by itself you can feel them in there as a separate entity as opposed to just little colored dots that look festive but have no real affect on your eating experience. 

All in all these things are just fabulously delicious, and though they are definitely a little "much" I think that is to be expected with anything cake batter flavored.  It's kind of understood that it's something to be taken in small (or at least reasonable) doses, but since that's really how all cookies should be eaten anyway I'm going to go ahead and still count that as a plus.  5 Stars.

Easter Candy: Marshmallow 3 Musketeers

I've designated the month of February as Marshmallow Month! :-)  The Easter candy is starting to come out and there are a lot of new marshmallow and marshmallow-filled items showing up. 

First up is the marshmallow 3 Musketeers. 

I've been eyeing these for three years, and blogging has finally given me a reason to try them.  Every year when I go to set Easter I'm tempted, but I've never given in because I pretty much knew what they were going to taste like--and I was exactly right. 

There's really not too much to report on here.  But that's not necessarily a bad thing.  I'm a fan of 3 Musketeers and guessed the Marshmallow variety would taste very similar to the original.  Marshmallow tends not to have much of a flavor; they do have their own taste and aroma, but I think most will agree it's really more about the texture.  And texture is really the only difference between this version and the original.  Mars uses its usual chocolate which supplies most of the flavor.  In the original version the nougat gives it its trademark "whipped-up" fluffiness without too much effect on the taste of the bar as a whole.  The same is true here so the two bars tase very similar, but there is a slight difference in the consistency of the filling.  The marshmallow is lighter and airier than the nougat, and though the original nougat filling does have a tint of chocolate flavor to it that is not present in the marshmallow version. 

If you're not thinking about what you're eating (the American way) it's pretty much the same experience as eating regular 3 Musketeers miniatures.  But sometimes the art is in the details. 

5 Stars.  But this time I'll make it 5 marhsmallows.  They're just cuter. 

                                    

Cocktails: T.G.I. Friday's Pink Punk Cosmo

I actually happened upon this drink many months ago, but it just occured to me when Alex and I ate there a couple of weeks ago that this drink (and most of the cocktails I tend to enjoy) absolutely qualifies as a confection. 

As a kid I always loved cotton candy.  For almost 25 years I have been upholding my personal project of eating a batch without my fingers getting sticky.  I've tried every way I can think of to keep my fingers dry while eating it, including wiping my hands between each bite and delicately dropping each piece in so that not an iota of my own saliva can touch my fingers.  But somehow my own epidermus always manages to foil me, and perhaps that is one of the source's of cotton candy's allure.  At least for me.  I don't know if anyone else is obsessive enough to have battled this problem so epically.  But I digress.

The Pink Punk Cosmo is basically a Cosmopolitan poured over a fluff of cotton candy.   I myself always make sure to grab a piece for nibbling and garnishing purposes before the server pours the drink over it and it melts into a pile of pink sugary perfection in the bottom of the glass.  It was difficult to get a good photo of this drink in all its glory a) because of the lighting in the restaurant and b) because I really wanted to have the piece of cotton candy on the side of the glass, but as soon as any of it touches the smallest bit of liquid it starts to melt.  As fascinating as it is to watch the fluffy pink cloud in my hand be instantly eaten away by the moisture right before my eyes, this was not conducive to the project at hand.  However, after taking a huge gulp and meticulous wiping of the side of the glass with the corner of my napkin, I was able to get it done before the cotton candy was somehow reached once again by some bit of moisture and was pretty much disintegrated within two seconds after the photo was taken.  Magical, huh? 

This picture makes it look way more orange than it really is.  It looks like its name suggests: Pink.  Friday's menu lists the ingredients as Skyy Vodka, cranberry juice, pineapple juice and fresh squeezed lime.  This list excited me immediately because it does NOT contain orange liquer, a trademark of the traditional Cosmo.  There is some lime juice involved, but it's not distinctly noticeable as "citrus-ey", and anyone who knows me well understands that "citrus-ey" is a label of condemnation as far as I'm concerned.  Instead of the orange flavor the Pink Punk uses pineapple juice, whose tart sweetness balances out perfectly with the slight bitterness of the cranberry juice.  Most would probably find this alone a satisfying cocktail, and I'd agree.  But the addition of the cotton candy, which non sugar-enthusiasts would likely find unnecessary, is exactly what gives this cocktail its stand-alone kick.  The process of watching the candy disappear into your drink adds fun and perhaps even childlike glee to the experience--after all, when was the last time you ate cotton candy? 

In terms of gastric functioning I know sugar and booze isn't really the best combination, and overdoing it often ends in peptic upset.  But let's face it--most delicious things do come with some sort of price.  And once I start gathering some ingredients and churning these out at one of my house parties, someone should probably be prepared to peel me off the bathroom floor in the morning.  I try to be moderate with my drinking, but frankly, this sh*t is just that good.  5 PINK stars.

Desserts- Haagen Dazs Blueberry Crumble

I've noticed that not a whole lot of people are into the idea of blueberry ice cream.  Fruity ice cream? they ask.  Fruity sherbet, yes.  Sorbet? Obviously.  But ice cream?  Some may say no (although may I remind you about strawberry?) but I say YES!  When we're talking fruit and dairy, whoever decided should be all about strawberry ice cream was obviously not aware of the amazingess of blueberry. 

Having already tried and enjoyed several varieties of blueberry ice cream, I was excited to come across something new.  And you really can't go wrong with Haagen Dazs, so I couldn't get the freezer door open fast enough when I saw this. And my rush was well-rewarded.  Here's why:

The crumble part is true.  This ice cream really is full of crumbly goodness that carries a true streusel-top flavor.  And it didn't fall victim to a most offensive issue I have encountered in other pie-themed ice creams: Soggy Dough Syndome.  If you've been following this fabulous blog from its humble beginnings you know I had some complaints about the "pie pieces" in Turkey Hill's Coconut Cream Pie ice cream, which really seemed to be no more than globs of barely-cooked pie crust dough.  Not good. 

But I felt the last of my grief over that confectionary tragedy begin to melt away as the first bite of Blueberry Crumble melted in my mouth.  The blueberry flavor is full and satisfying and yet also has a delightful sort of lightness to it; it seems to come entirely from the blueberry bits that are mixed in as opposed to any overbearing artificial flavoring.  The ice cream itself had the remarkably cream texture that Haagen Dazs always does, and the streusel pieces and blueberries were evenly distributed.  This distribution allows Haagen Dazs to stay at least one small step above Ben & Jerry's whose flavors, while creative and usually largely successful, often contain a deposit of the ice cream's components, leaving other parts of the ice cream nearly bare. 

Overall another bullseye for Haagen Dazs.  5 Stars.

Snacks- Pepperidge Farm Milano Melts

I'm going to tell you right now that I immediately began salivating when I laid my eyes upon these glorious-looking cookies.  I mean, I know the chocolate is never really as creamy or the cookie as flawlessly textured as they are in the picture on the bag.  But sometimes in the throes of confectionary passion I forget just for a moment about the magic of advertising and believe that what I'm looking at really may be the door to an alternate dimension, containing only the most supernaturally delicious of foods for my enjoyment. 

Before you call mental health services to come take me away let me assure you that this is only a momentary imagining...but that moment was more than enough time for me to decide I needed these cookies. 

There are two other varieties of these, one with a chocolate cookie and one with regular chocolate creme as opposed to the classic dark chocolate.  I chose the one I assumed would taste just like the regular Milano so I'd be able to do a better comparison, although I will be giving the double chocolate ones a try in the future for sure.

They pretty much look and taste like a regular Milano; the cookie is the same texture which has always been a bit too for my taste.  There is definitely more chocolate presence and flavor in these. The fact that there's enough chocolate to be able to let it coat the front of my tongue and taste the bittersweet deliciousness is a huge plus for these cookies.  I was imagining that the creme wouldn't actually be bursting from the cookie when I broke it apart like it is on the front of the package, but as you can see minus the photoshopping used on the packaging the real thing looks remarkably similar. 

My only real complaint about these cookies involves my own very personal taste, but I'll throw it out there anyway.  While I'm crazy about the abundance of chocolate in melts, I found that I still longed for the slight crispiness you get from the hardened chocolate in the original Milano.  It's almost undetectable, but when I bite into a good old sandwich-style Milano, right before I start grumbling about the crumbling, I savor that satisfying little snap as the layer of chocolate breaks.  It's the chocolate the supports the feeble cookie, whereas the melts give more power to the cookie by forming it into a shelter for softer, more vulnerable chocolate. 

Overall I'm surprised to say that though these are delicious, I'm not positive whether I'd pick them over regular Milano's.  I guess it'll depend on which one I feel like seeing in charge. 

5 stars.