Chocolate and Jam

Our Halloween adventure continues! And marshmallow seems to be big this year - check out these Halloween Mallows by Cadbury:

I love the packaging and these would be fabulous if not for the blackcurrant jam center:

The chocolate coating and the cookie base are great (just what you'd expect from Cadbury) but the jam had a bitter taste that took away from the Mallow. Maybe strawberry jam would have been better. BUT I think this is a matter of personal taste and those who like blackcurrant jam would really like these. Maybe it's a UK thing.

One of the things I'm finding as I try more chocolate offerings from other countries is that there are definitely some different taste preferences. That makes sense of course - think of the differences in southern cooking and what you might eat in say, California. My parents are from New Jersey and I still don't like sweet tea or grits. We drank crazy stuff like water and soda and ate cereal at my house. We tend to like best what we grew up with.

Now, of course, that doesn't mean our tastes can't change over time. As we try new things and learn about different flavor combinations we broaden our horizons. For success, just realize how those early experiences impact ALL aspects of your life - the people you are comfortable with, your values, your beliefs, other likes and dislikes. Try to keep an open mind and try new things - you might find something you like even better than your usual. (Maybe even blackcurrant jam.)

Marshmallow Show Down

Marshmallows are not all bad - they are great in hot chocolate, in cereal (who didn't like Lucky Charms as a kid?), and roasted over a campfire. They're also low in fat and calories. But not all marshmallows are created equal.

Kraft, creator of the infamous Swirlmallow (which also comes in strawberry - yikes!), has this Halloween entry:

These are supposed to be ghosts. All taste the same - vanilla. I'm not sure the brown color really adds anything to the mix, but it is fall-like. (Think dead leaves.)

Now look at these from our friends at Just Born:

and my favorite - chocolate mousse flavored cats:

Here's what they look like outside their packages:

Aren't they cute? The ghosts and the pumpkins taste the same - they are filled with white marshmallow. But the cats really taste like chocolate (well, as much as marshmallow CAN taste like chocolate). The Peeps really taste a lot better than the Kraft GhostMallows (good grief - I think Kraft needs to fire their creative team) - they are coasted with granular sugar crystals whereas the Kraft ghosts have that dusty powdery sugar coating. And the Peep marshmallow is fluffier, has more give. And there is just no comparing the artistry:

I really think Kraft needs to work on that brown color. It's just not good.

The GhostMallows still have the choking warning (although I can't imagine needing to cut one into bite-sized pieces - they are tiny. Come on, Kraft, lighten up!). No warning on the wild and crazy Peeps. I guess you'll just have to take your chances. Oh, and Peeps have a Halloween costume:

If a kid came to my door in that adorable costume, I would give them ALL my candy.