Blob, Cluster, Turtle - Chocolate Evolution

I have a confession to make. I didn't really know there was a difference between a "cluster" and a "turtle." I thought they were all blobs of goo (marshmallow, caramel, peanut butter, whatever) and nuts covered with chocolate.



So little I know, so much I have to learn.

According to About.com in their candy section - "Turtle Candies get their name from their whimsical turtle shape. The combination of toasted pecans, soft caramel and smooth chocolate is impossible to resist. Some people make their turtles with 3 pecans: 1 for the head, and 2 for the front legs. I prefer to use 4 (for all 4 legs-I guess my turtles don't have heads) but you can modify to suit your tastes."

Hmmmm........I really didn't know. Heads, legs, - complicated. I've had turtles before. They're good. But then I had Mama Laura's turtles:

Mama Laura's turtles are so good, there is no reason to ever eat any other turtles ever again. Her turtles made me want to know just what turtles were. Her turtles are indeed Saint worthy. Her place in chocolate heaven is completely locked in now!

These are make your eyes roll back in your head good. The turtle shell is a mountain of delicious, gooey caramel that blows all that other lame turtle caramel away. The chocolate is fabulous, the pecans fresh. These turtles are life changing. Mama Laura is amazing!! Thus, our first Church of Chocolate Saint. I have to say that eating these are definitely a religious experience.

Now these are clusters, which apparently are blobs of goo (caramel, marshmallow, peanut butter, etc.) and nuts covered with chocolate. I have three GooGoo Clusters and one (yes, I keep giving them a chance) Russell Stover Almond Delight (cluster).

GooGoo Clusters (http://www.googoo.com/) come in three flavors. We'll cover each one. First let's look at all of these naked:

We don't have anything against nudity in the Church of Chocolate, by the way.

We'll start with the upper left - the GooGoo Supreme. This one has milk chocolate, pecans, caramel and marshmallow. Next to it on the right is the GooGoo Cluster. It's the same but with peanuts instead of pecans. Bottom left is Almond Delight with milk chocolate, caramel and almonds. And finally, GooGoo Peanut Butter, with milk chocolate, peanuts and peanut butter.

Let's just say that Russell Stover continues to be lame. As you can see from the nude shots, there is way more chocolate than nuts. It's applied in a too thick layer and overpowers the caramel and the nuts. You can barely even taste the almonds. The caramel and the chocolate are sub par. This should be called Almond Plight - I feel sorry that almonds gave their lives for this.

I also am proud to announce that GooGoo Clusters ROCK! Made since 1912 in Nashville, TN by the Standard Candy Company. You know how I love these independent candy companies!!! If you haven't tried a GooGoo Cluster - you should! They have them in those nostalgia candy places (Cracker Barrel) and I see them in convenience stores from time to time. The next time you see one - try it!

Back to the clusters - Supreme has the pecans, but I prefer the peanuts in the standard cluster. The pecans seem a little too sweet, I prefer the saltier peanut. But I was impressed by how many nuts were packed in these - the way it should be if you ask me!! And the marshmallow is balanced perfectly with the caramel and the chocolate - you will love these. I kid you not.

But my favorite, a true work of candy art - was the GooGoo Peanut Butter. No caramel and marshmallow here - just packed with peanut butter and peanuts and coated with chocolate - fantastic!!

I even liked the GooGoo Peanut Butter better than Koeze's Cream Nut Peanut Butter Clusters. Remember them? (I reviewed them and Reese's Clusters around Christmas). GooGoo is the best.

And you know what? When GooGoo Clusters first came out - all candy bars were rectangular. No one knew what to call these weird globs. They were hard to wrap. They didn't fit in. I like that - GooGoo Cluster have been rebels since 1912. They were making candy bars that weren't bars. At the Church of Chocolate, we let everybody in - especially nuts and rebels. Actually, we might not have any members if it weren't for nuts and rebels.

Have a nutty and rebellious week!

Giving Chocolate Thanks

Things are still going well on the dating front - I know this is so not as juicy as all my disaster stories! But have faith, dear readers, either one of two things will happen - things will work out well enough that I can tell funny stories about my relationship with this man (we just can't scare him off yet) or the whole thing will go up in flames and I'll be back out there. Oh God. Let's light a candle at the Church of Chocolate and hope that doesn't happen again. At least not for a while. Hell, while we're at it, let's munch on a communion wafer or two. Maybe start some holy fondue.

Let's examine the Seven Suggestions in a little more depth.

If you'll remember, Suggestion One is about gratitude.

One of the best things to do when you feel blue is be grateful for what you do have. Actually this is one of the best things you can do anytime, but it's especially effective as a pick-me-up (or a pick-you-up...you know what I mean!). Everybody has those days when they feel a little low. Usually what you do is obsesses over what you feel you're lacking - a job, love, a great body - whatever the heck is it that day. This does no good and just makes you feel worse. Then you progress to comparing yourself to everyone else who seems to have those things - and you are off to the pity party! This spiral takes you away from chocolate heaven and down to emotional hell.

So I hope you'll join me in expressing a little gratitude.


The awesome Diane Fain-Worthen (she of the gorgeous red scarf and the Vann's Chocolates) hooked me up again! Diane, I don't know how you knew I would need this, but you did! Diane sent a box with some delicious home made cookies (which I devoured before I even thought about taking a picture of them - cookies have that effect on me), and this cute magnet and the best smelling lip gloss EVER! The flavor is chocolate dipped strawberry. And it's sexy too! (Now that I have someone to share this with, I'm pretty excited!)

How sweet was that of Diane to think of me? Diane, you're the best!!!! (And there is SO a place in Chocolate Heaven for you!)

And last week I spoke for the Mid Day Professionals Chapter of the ABWA (American Business Women's Association). Now these women have been great fans and friends since I started FireStar and they have set me up with speaking engagements many, many times. I don't think I can ever thank them enough. Toby Page sent me those great Seattle Chocolates (blogged about earlier) and this time she brought me some Wilbur Buds:

Cool box! I've reviewed Wilbur Buds before, but how sweet is Toby?? She also is the cutest human alive.

At this same meeting, Gwen Taylor showed up with two boxes from Mama Laura's Chocolates. The website is http://www.mamalauras.com/.

I have three words for these chocolates - OH MY GOD! The caramel (upper left) was so smooth and creamy and gooey, it should be outlawed. The others are truffles and are filled with the smoothest, creamiest dark and milk chocolate ganache you can imagine. And the second box had turtles which I'll blog about next. (They are so good, they would be considered a sin in several religions, but not ours!!! I actually think our first Saint may indeed be St. Mama Laura).

I just want to give thanks for such great friends. None of them had to go out of their way to do these things. They just have hearts of gold. They didn't even know I was making myself a Priestess when they gave me these gifts, so they weren't trying to buy their way into Chocolate Heaven. But, hey, wait - three wise women bearing gifts.....OMG - it's our first chocolate miracle!!

May the chocolate be with you.