Canada Wintergreen

This week I'm all about Canada Wintergreen Mints! Or "candy refreshers", I should say––that's how I think about all my candy after all. Today I'd like to plead the case for these overlooked and under-appreciated cute little mints. They seem to get a bad rap, and I can understand why... they look just like Tums! That plus a Pepto Bismol color and you've got one very unappealing candy on your hands. Although it seems to me that Necco has never worried about market appeal. There are just some Necco people who keep the brand afloat and then of course a spike in business around Valentine's Day.

I have to admit I'm one of those Necco people but I think everyone ought to give Canada Mints a try. The texture is just perfect and I don't think it would throw off even the most ardent candy heart hater––perfectly soft and melt-in-your-mouth-y despite its jawbreaker appearance. Wintergreen is my favorite minty flavor but I've just discovered that there are actually two more flavors of Canada Mints: spearmint and peppermint. I'm just dying to try them!

Word to the wise: These things color your tongue pink like crazy. You make the call if it's worth it!

This candy makes me think of: My future

Drugstore Candy Roundup

Call me a drugstore cowboy because today we're doing a ROUNDUP! That's right, because let's get real, how often do we really go to fancy candy shops to stock up?

No siree––a little personal research will show you that convenience shops and drugstores sometimes have all the classics you need. I've lived in the Northwest and the Midwest of the U.S. and so I've been exposed to the different "local" flavors of chain drugstores. Today I'm ranking three of those that I've experienced most.

#3: CVS

Coming in at last place is CVS Pharmacy, located throughout the Midwest and East Coast. CVS is a fine place to go for your run-of-the-mill candies like Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, and an assortment of candy bars, but not much more than that. I've found their candy selection to be predictable and terribly boring. They do sell Circus Peanuts though, so I guess I've got to give them credit for that.

#2: Walgreens

Walgreens takes second place in this drugstore roundup with an OK selection of candy and a few surprises here and there. While the Walgreen's candy selection is decidedly inferior to our 1st place drugstore, it does stock more than CVS and I've been pleased to see candies like Lemonheads (surprisingly hard to find nowadays!) in no short supply. Walgreens does a pretty good job with seasonal candy, but overall it's a bit pricier than other chain drugstores so in second place it will stay. 

#1 Bartell Drugs

Wow, I am just now noticing that red seems to be the en vogue color for drugstores these days! At any rate, Bartell Drugs comes in first, and would you expect any less from this Seattle original? As far as specialized drugstore candies go, this place is tops! The great Haribo selection is truly what pushes it over the edge. Can't beat those Fizzy Colas, Blackberries and Raspberries, and Fruity Pasta. See for yourself:

Trolli Sour Brite Eggs

It's come to my attention lately that the ensemble of my candy reviews aren't exactly indicative of my true tastes. Disregarding my most recent post about Nerds, you might even think of me as rather a gourmand. Let it be known that my candy tastes range far and wide, and that your run-of-the-mill convenience store Starbursts are as dear to me as English foam candy or whatever I happen to get my hands on these days.

As proof, let me sing the praises of Trolli Sour Brite Eggs. Because you know if it's got two or more descriptors in the name of the candy, it's got to be a winner. I honestly don't know how I only just tried these for the first time, but a good friend of mine sent them to me in a birthday package this year and I AM IN LOVE. Seriously, stop reading right now and go get some! SO good.

You know how you always overlook gummy worms because they're just gummy worms but then every once in a while you try them again and realize why they keep selling them? No? Just me? Well the Sour Brite Eggs have a similar flavor to sour gummy worms––simple yet perfect. They have just the right texture with a super thin candy shell that gives way to that chewy, gumminess you've come to expect from Trolli. I love the psychedelic colors too. I bought them again last week when I spotted them at Bartell's and let's just say... I ate the whole bag in one day. By myself.

This candy makes me think of: Disco time!

Candy Dreaming: Nerds

Today I'm dreaming of the world's largest box of Nerds. For my twelfth birthday mom made me a plain vanilla cake covered entirely in Nerds––not sure why I haven't done that since!

What are you dreaming of?

Dreams Come Chew

This summer Portland became home to a new candy shop! It's tiny, it's expensive, it's a little tricky to find, but my oh my do they make yummy candy! Quin is the latest project of the Portlanders behind Saint Cupcake and is located in a new mini commercial mall across from Powell's Books. Given the cutesy storefronts and pastel displays of Saint Cupcake, I was surprised to find myself in Quin's completely minimalist and industrial atmosphere, their packaging labeled only by stark yellow lettering on gray backgrounds. Now I'll always be partial to the magical dizziness of your classic packed-to-the-brim candy shop, but I also understand the power of a simple approach in showcasing homemade and deliciously pure candies.

After finding out that Quin's chews were the most popular seller at the store and trying a sample myself, I was easily persuaded to buy a package for myself. That may not sound like a big deal, but consider also a price of $10.00 for a 20 piece package.

The candy chews come in three flavors (although I think they may have added more since my purchase): tangerine, lemon and strawberry. My absolute favorite was lemon. I thought it tasted just like lemon meringue pie. As fate would have it, I got stuck in a big traffic jam on the way home from Quin on a hot summer's day and cursed my broken air condition for the loss of an entire package of heavenly chews. My luck changed quickly when I took a desperate bite of a sticky, warm lemon chew––even better when they're melt-y! All was not lost and I even managed to save some to share. Worth the price? Absolutely––for a lovely once in a while treat!

This candy makes me think of: Hall & Oates

Caramelle al' The

 

You really can't go wrong with candy recipes that have stood the test of time. Except maybe for horehounds, but more on that later. Cedrinca hasn't been around for quite as long as horehounds and maybe that's a good thing, but the recipes they use are the same ones they came up with in 1910 on the shores of Garda Lake. The Caramelle al' The are the first I've tried of this Italian candymaker and I have to say they caught my attention.

 

The translation on the package reads Tea Candies in Peach and Lemon flavours and as soon as you open the bag the fruity and herbal scent couldn't be more apparent. The candies are individually wrapped in delicate pastel wax paper and their pale colors reflect the absence of artificial dyes. I liked peach the best. I used to drink Celestial Seasonings Country Peach Passion back in the days when I thought tea was best when there was more sugar and cream than water (...yesterday?). The peach caramelle flavor tastes almost exactly like that tea and it reminds me of happy and cozy evenings in my parents' house. The tea candies are hard and a little gooey on the outside and stick all over your teeth if you chew too soon.

I bought mine at the little Italian store called DeLaurenti next to Pike Place Market, but I would guess you could find them in lots of specialty Italian grocery stores. Do you have any favorite Italian candies?

This candy makes me think of: Colorado Sight-Seeing

Candy Dreaming: À La Mère de Famille

Today I'm dreaming of visiting À La Mère de Famille. Are there scholarships out there for touring the world of candy?

What are you dreaming of?