Dark Chocolate Pear & Almond - video review

I've got another bonus review for you today, care of a generous donation from reader Elvin, this is the Whole Foods Dark Chocolate Pear & Almond bar.



I hope you enjoy it. If you're interested in sending something in for review or even just suggesting something drop me an email at walkingthecandyaisle@gmail.com

Feel free to check out the written review, or watch all of our reviews on the Reviews Page.

Dark Chocolate Pear & Almond review

Welcome all to another fabulous bonus review! Today we've got a treat, provided by reader Elvin from San Francisco, we're looking at Whole Foods Dark Chocolate Pear & Almond bar.

This is one of those larger sized, premium bars for people who like to enjoy a nice refined piece of chocolate after dinner. And like most things at Whole Foods its got a classiness to it that's apparent right off the bat in the packaging. The  text boasts "Premium Belgian Chocolate" which is already promising, and I like the tasteful muted earth colors, It definitely fits in with what I think of as a Whole Foods look. On the back we've got a little story about what you can expect in the bar and that always makes me happy. It may be marketing, but it helps me contextualize what the chocolate makers were going for at least.

I love a good story...

Oh and as one side note to the packaging design there's this little pull away Open Here tab on the back of the box that makes opening really easy, I know there aren't too many chocolates that come in full hard cardboard boxes like this one but I really appreciate the addition and thoughtfulness in that design work.

Ok, lets get into it now, opening the box, you'll find a nicely foiled bar. Again I have to note the attention to design here. This isn't just a folded over foil wrapper, this actually has some unique sealing to it. Look at these foil edges. I don't think anything was used to stick the foil edges  together, but it feels more secure than the standard wrapped bar. I've never seen foil edged like that on a chocolate before.

Getting the chocolate out there are a few things to note. This is no Hershey bar, these are big squares, and a size I think might be more reasonable to eat just one of after a dinner. The smell is great, definitely a strong dark cocoa aroma. In case you, like me, were wondering what the cocoa percentage was on this bar; it unfortunately doesn't seem to say anywhere on the packaging. Still it smells like real dark chocolate.

Biting into the bar is good, it breaks away cleanly without crumble. There's an immediate tang to the taste, which must be the pear flavor, but then you get the chocolate wave. This can't be too high a percentage dark chocolate, but its still strong for my tastes since I'm so used to eating milk chocolate. Like I said, there's a chocolate flavor accented with tart pear, in a nice mix. The when you get into the mouthful there's a really nice crispy crunch to the bar.

The almonds have been thinly sliced and dispersed throughout the bar. Its nice that they're sliced and not in chunks, somehow it feels more refined. Also because they're so thin there's a quick crisp quality to them that's very satisfying. I'm an almond fan and this texture and subtle flavoring is a great addition to the bar. As for the pear, as the back of the packaging suggests it is a bit tart. And although ti may be my personal sensibilities reacting to the dark chocolate that tartness just edges onto the stronger cocoa flavor.


Overall the mixture is good, even though my tastes don't usually favor dark chocolate. I'll give it top marks for texture, and very good marks on taste. If you like dark chocolate and this kind of bar appeals to your sensibilities you won't be going wrong with the Pear & Almond bar.

The Whole Foods Dark Chocolate Pear & Almond bar rates: 4 / 5

This review was thanks to a generous chocolate donation from a fan. If you'd like to suggest something for review please contact us at walkingthecandyaisle@gmail.com

This chocolate is a product of Whole Foods Market, find more from them at http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/

Kinda Weird

Why are they selling chocolate gold coins for Easter? And is that a maple leaf?! Is that a Canadian gold coin here in America?!

I know this is Lindt so I'm sure its good, but for some reason it just seems odd to see carrots at Easter. Usually its just eggs, and bunnies. But I guess the chocolate bunnies have to eat too...

Finally for your viewing pleasure.

Yup.

Raisinets - video review

Happy National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day, and welcome to yet another bonus review. Enjoy this look at Raisinets.


Have a great weekend and keep your eyes peeled here, especially through Easter, I've got a bunch more bonus reviews planned.

Please click here for more Raisinets goodness in the written review, or check out all the reviews on the Reviews Page.

Raisinets review

Happy National Chocolate-Covered Raisin day!!!

Wait, you ask yourself; that's a thing?! YES it is!

And to celebrate here at Walking the Candy Aisle, we've got another bonus review for you. It's time to look at Raisinets.

Wow, chocolate-covered raisins have actually always been a favorite of mine. They are one of the most popular theater candy, and although in Canada growing up we had Glosette instead of the Raisinets brand I have a real affinity for the concept of chocolate and raisins together.

Let's look at this packaging, because it is seriously busy. Lots of reading involved here. It's "Nestlé classic Milk Chocolate" and "California Raisins" which we all know are the best, not just because they can sing and dance. Although Raisinets seem to be made from green grapes not purple ones. Also, Nestlé seems to want us to know how healthy these are for us. "30% less fat than leading chocolate brands", and "Natural Source of Fruit Antioxidants" I know antioxidants are good from all that time watching Alton Brown so these chocolate covered raisins MUST be healthy right???

Two can play at that game though... Raisinets are 190 calories per serving (there are 2 servings per box), They have 8g of fat, 5 of which are saturated, and as expected the leading ingredient is milk chocolate (ie sugar). Lets not kid ourselves here, chocolate covered raisins aren't the worst kind of candy for you, but its not like they're actually good for you. See the full list of nutrition facts here.


Finally on the packaging though, I have to say I really like the shot of raisins jumping and diving into the pool of chocolate. That's got some real personality. What I don't like is how theater candy always seems to be only two-thirds full. I feel like I'm definitely getting ripped off somewhere.




Also this box has a perforated push to open tab thing on one side that I honestly could not get to work. I started to crush the box pressing trying to get the perforation to open and instead decided to just open the box like a normal human being instead. Advice to Nestlé: perforation doesn't work if the box is too strong.




The raisins themselves look great, lots of big raisins coated and pocked with milk chocolate. There were a few pieces of crumbling chocolate in my box that had either fallen off raisins or managed to get in the box alone sans raisin, but that's not a huge deal, Some chocolates provide for tasty clean up after you've finished the real candy and that's good.

Biting into the Raisinets you'll find some pretty plump juicy raisins inside. They've got good flavor and are packed with juice and raw fruit sweetness. I like how the chocolate kind of falls off the raisin as you bite down, and the flavors mesh well in your mouth. That said, the raisins do leave a skin that can get easily caught in your teeth. Raisins are want to do that though and I see that as the bargain you strike when getting into this kind of a treat. Overall I'm happy with Raisinets, they've got some real sweetness that's not overpoweringly chocolate, and a nice chewy texture.

Probably not something for everyday, but on National Chocolate-Covered Raisin day this is one treat you should indulge in.

Nestlé Raisinets rate: 4 / 5

Raisinets are a Nestlé product, for more on them check out http://www.raisinets.com/

Cadbury Mini Eggs - video review

With Easter coming soon I couldn't help but put up a review for Cadbury Mini Eggs. Enjoy.



I did a little messing about with the video after shooting to try to get rid of the shaky camera, but ultimately decided to post it as is. I know these videos can be a bit shaky. I'm working on a plan for a set up where the camera will be mounted, but I've got to get some new equipment first. Thanks for the patience and understanding.

Keep your eyes peeled here for a number of bonus reviews in the coming weeks. Please click here for more in the written review or check out all the reviews on the Reviews Page.

Cabury Mini Eggs review

Can you feel it yet? It's coming... Easter is in the air, and today I've got a review for the egg and bunny lover in all of us, it's time to look at Cadbury Mini Eggs!

When it comes to tiny chocolate eggs, these have been a staple of the Easter season for years. I know Cadbury has a sorted history in the States, but I grew up in Canada and had much more access to these as a child. They were always some of my favorites, so the question now is of course, do they hold up?

First just a note on the packaging. I love it! This is such a festive Easter scene, with decorated eggs piled high in a grassy meadow. Spring flowers abound with tulips about to open, you can tell the Easter bunny has just dashed away from his stack of eggs for a few minutes as he prepares to go hopping around the world hiding eggs. And even though the purple backdrop is a standard Cadbury color, here it makes me feel like I'm looking in on the delicious chocolate egg pile under an evening sky... ok, maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I really like the graphics here.

The packaging says to expect "solid milk chocolate with a crisp sugar shell" and even boasts a picture of an egg opened up. Not something you'll see on every chocolate, that's for sure. One final note on the packaging though. On the back it says "Mfd. by The Hershey Company, under license from Cadbury UK ltd.". umm... what? Has this always been the case?! Are these the same chocolate eggs I would've had as a child in the wilds of Canada, or am I being duped into buying new-fangled American chocolate eggs? Will I be able to tell?

Well let's dive in and find out. When you get the eggs themselves out of the packaging you'll clearly see that there is some nice speckling design work on the outside of each shell. They look like tiny robin's eggs. They come in four pastel colors: Blue, Pink, Yellow, and White. For the record, these colors all taste the same. But they certainly are decorative.

Biting into the egg you'll find exactly as promised a crispy, candy shell covering an egg full of milk chocolate. The shell must've been created around the chocolate because there is no space between the solid milk chocolate egg, and its shell. The egg tastes pretty good overall, the chocolate seems mid range quality wise, and the candy coating is something that you'll have to actually chomp through since it shatters like an actual egg shell might and you don't want to get poked by sharp shell corners. But the overall impression is a pretty good one. The shell has a nice crunch, and the milk chocolate really is a good solid size. So for me at least a very few of these would be enough to satisfy my chocolate egg craving (yes I have those kind of cravings). But this is definitely a case of good, not great.

The question of does it hold up to what I remember as a kid? Well, that's a bit more convoluted, and honestly I don't know if this is the same chocolate I would have had inside my mini-eggs as a child. I don't really think it's as delicious as I remember though. Whether that because the chocolate may be of a different quality than it used to be, or because I'm not six waking up excitedly to find a chocolate bunny and basketful of eggs on the foot of my bed though is a question I don't think I can answer.

For the here and now though, this is a treat I enjoy, but not something I think I'd seek out.

Cadbury Mini Eggs rates: 3 / 5

For more on Cadbury and their miniaturized eggs, please visit http://www.cadburyeaster.com/

Peeping

Peeps are so popular here and I just don't get it. Ok, small admission here, but while I live in San Francisco, I grew up in Toronto, Canada. As far as I remember I didn't see a peep until I was at least a teenager, and they never really made any headway into my candy consumption. Perhaps it's just because I didn't grow up with them, but I do not understand the obsession some people have.

I get that they look cool and have some great colors. But people just go nuts over peeps!

 
There is a Peep fan-club, there are Peep artists, there is even Peep porn (for reals...)

I always felt like the odd combination of cheap marshmallow and sugar was kind of... meh. But its not about me. Do you love Peeps? If so tell me why in the comments!

Official Site - http://www.marshmallowpeeps.com/
The Peeps Show  (peep art) - http://www.peepsshow.com/
Power of the Peep (documentary) - http://www.powerofthepeep.com/teaser.html

A Good Cause

Lindt is running a great promotion this Easter. They're getting into the giving spirit and donating money from the sale of their gold bunnies to Autism Speaks.

Autism Speaks is a great charity and helps millions of kids. Apparently this is Lindt's 4th year partnering with them on this and I really think its a great cause. It looks from their site like they've got a couple of different ways they're donating including an auction and some sort of tie in with Pinterest, check out more details at http://lindtgoldbunny.com/our-partnership/index.php

For my money I'm going with the chocolate bunny. They're giving 10 cents from every sale to the charity, this is a delicious way to help out.

http://www.autismspeaks.org/

Hershey's Milk Chcoolate - video review

Happy American Chocolate Week! Here is the Hershey's Milk Chocolate bar video review.


Enjoy it everyone. Please click here for more in the written review or check out all the reviews on the Reviews Page.