Joy to the World

Let's go back to Harry and David (I'm just going to call them HD from here on out). It will be like Harley Davidson, we'll be cool. As you saw, I thought their truffles were good, but they really didn't rock my world. But their pumpkin spice malt balls - woowee!! Let's check out some of their other chocolates.

Okay, I can only eat so many in one sitting so we're just going to do a few of these. Let's start with their HD trademark pear. This one is a creme brulee chocolate pear described as "custard-like vanilla creme, inside our signature chocolate pear.

"

Okay this one was moving around on the autopsy table, so things got a little messy. This was a good confection, but it had a thick base. It would have been better with a thinner base and more filling. The milk chocolate overpowered the filling, but it is still a great tasting piece. And I like the fact that it mirrors their trademark pears. It would have been really cool if it had a pear flavored filling! YUM!

Above and to the right of the pear is classic caramel - described as "rich, buttery, kettle-cooked caramel, covered in fine milk chocolate":

I love HD caramel - it's the perfect degree of chewiness and softness and has a great flavor. The milk chocolate, however, is only okay. But it looks great (see the first pic? mouthwatering, right?) and the caramel is really delicious.

Right above the pear is cinnamon creme described as "sweet, spicy fondant inside a bittersweet chocolate shell."

See those layers of dark chocolate within the filling? Pretty fancy, huh? The cinnamon was subtle but good and its flavor developed as I ate the chocolate. Pretty good and interesting to eat. But, I'm just not loving their chocolate - I would like it to be a little smoother and creamier.

And last for this post is the piece at the top left (the blob, really). this is a coconut haystack - "moist, fluffy macaroon, drenched in pure dark chocolate."

Okay - this one I didn't like. The coconut wasn't moist enough - there are just too many better alternatives. Heck, I even like Almond Joy better!

So far the vote is mixed - more to come!!!

I can't tell you all how much fun I have checking out all these crazy chocolates and sharing the results with you! Everybody needs to have some fun hobby away from work - it can be something simple (like eating chocolate) or something complicated (like raising children).

We are so hard on ourselves and we work so much that sometimes we forget to have fun. The holidays are coming!! Make some time for fun - remember what Emerson said - we are always getting ready to live, and never living. Live this holiday season - spend time with the people you really love (not those you visit because you feel guilty), do the things you want to do (including eating some Christmas cookies rather than always dieting), and take the time to feel the joy.

And make it Almond Joy while you're at it.

Tradition! Nostalgia! Cracker Barrel!

I swear I have the greatest job in the world!! Today I got to give my "Motivation by Chocolate" seminar for a group of 35 employees of the Town of Holly Springs, NC. We had a great time! It's always a blast to speak for people who genuinely like each other and enjoy their jobs. And, hey, I got to talk about chocolate!! The session is fun because the attendees get to interact with each other, learn great ways to stay motivated AND do a chocolate tasting. Training just doesn't get any better than that.

My good friend (and loyal blog reader) Diane Fain-Worthen (she of the cool red scarf and chocolates from out in the Western part of NC) has struck again! This time she sent me the following pictures:

She took these pictures at a Cracker Barrel. Well, I just thought she had some random cool Cracker Barrel out in her part of the state, but heck, no, my Cracker Barrel had this stuff too! And I cleaned up! They have cute mugs and plates and t-shirts and candles and body treatment stuff - it was SWEET!!!! If you like chocolate enough to decorate your house with it and slather it all over your body, you have to get yourself to a Cracker Barrel! You'll notice in my updated blog photo I am holding the giant Hershey bar. What a great prop!

Cracker Barrel also has a pretty darn good candy selection, especially of that nostalgic, old timey candy you can't find anywhere else. I always find something new I want to try:

I'd never even heard of Walnettos (although I would have totally called them Walnuttos - I mean, come on!). These are caramel loaded with walnuts. If you like walnuts, you'll like these. They were good. Not great, but good. If you really like walnuts, they might move up to great. I actually think these might benefit from a chocolate coating.

But what's really interesting is the history of the rather bizarre Walnetto (from the company website):

Walnettos were introduced to the United States in 1919 by the J. N. Collins Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Walnettos were a big hit from the very beginning! They became one of the top candies purchased at movie theaters throughout the United States. People from that era associated the rich, distinctive, walnut caramel taste of Walnettos with classic movies such as “Our Gang Comedies” and the Saturday Matinee Serials featuring Charlie Chaplin and The Three Stooges. Walnettos are back and better than ever. The candies were recently voted the favorite candy by US Soldiers!

(Holy cow - that is reaching back in time!)

Walnettos was one of the top ten best selling candies in the United States through World War II. After which, the company was bought by Peter Paul Inc., the makers of Mounds (trademark) and Almond Joy (trademark). During this time, Walnettos was featured regularly on the hit, comedy program, “Laugh-In”. Arte Johnson’s character used Walnettos to try to pick up Ruth Buzzi’s character on the park bench with the line, “Want a Walnetto?”. This further increased the fame and success of an already popular item.

(OMG - I am totally old - I can remember my parents watching Laugh-In! But we didn't have any Walnettos. I think I was abused as a child.)

In the 1960’s Walnettos was purchased by Cadbury USA. Cadbury, a company dealing with primarily chocolate confections, retired the line in order to focus solely on their chocolate business. It remained dormant until 1984, when an experienced candy marketer and budding entrepreneur, Sandy Licht, decided to bring back this nostalgic favorite.
Now Walnettos are back and better than ever!

Hee, hee - you gotta laugh at the Walnettos company telling us that Cadbury is a company dealing with primarily chocolate confections. Like Walnettos are the big dogs.

Hmmmm......the soldier thing seems to be true - at least according to the website. And somehow when compared with Twizzlers and Junior Mints, I can't imagine eating Walnettos at the movies. But it is a pretty cool history and you know how I want all these little candy makers to hang on!! I think the history of our candy is the history of our nation, and I don't want to lose it!! (Can you hear "God Bless America" playing in the background?)

I do have one piece of advice for the Walnetto people. Get a less lame mascot. I mean, come ON! You blew Walnutto, at least get a better mascot. Uh - maybe a squirrel? Maybe even a walnut? But just a square of the candy with some seriously bad shoes? Sandy, Sandy - you can do better.

Here's another little treat I found:

I had heard from several sources that chocolate covered gummies were good. I saw this adorable box and threw it on my Cracker Barrel pile. (Hey, if you all aren't going to start spending and help me I'm going to have to lead the economic recovery alone! Did you at least buy some on sale Valentine's candy?)

Well, low and behold, the Sweet Candy Company is another small US Candy Company. Check this out:

In 1892 Leon Sweet started the Sweet Candy Company in Portland, Oregon. In the beginning, Sweet’s manufactured just a few varieties of candy. However, the candy that Leon offered for sale had two distinguishing characteristics: the candy was mostly made by hand, and folks loved it. They loved it because of the quality.

In 1900 Leon moved the operation from Portland to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he merged several small specialty stores into one general line manufacturing company. Over the years, Sweet’s has become more innovative and more automated. The company has increased the number of products it makes and has expanded its total marketing area. Today, there are more than 250 Sweet’s Quality Candy items distributed internationally in bulk, bags and boxes. Sweet’s is perhaps still best known for its classic favorites: Chocolate Orange Sticks, Salt Water Taffy and Cinnamon Bears.

Well, I'll be. (Hang out in Cracker Barrel long enough and you'll start talking like this.)

The Chocolate Cinnamon Bears were interesting. I have to say I like the cute box more than the candy. The bears were chewy and fresh, but there was something about the cinnamon that WAY over powered the chocolate. I didn't like these much at all - way too cinnamony.

I also have to say that neither of these was cheap. 13 bears were $4.99 22 Walnettos also $4.99. I guess nostalgia is expensive. Probably Cracker Barrel is just making a killing selling candy to all those captive hungry people. I say - "You go, Cracker Barrel! Shake that money maker! Work it!!"

I need to go sit down in one of those rocking chairs for a while. The sugar rush is making me a little wild.