The Well-Traveled Tongue.

Oog, these photos are blurry. I blame Blogpress. I am in formatting hell.

One of my coworkers vacationed in London last week. Like a total doll, he brought us back a bag of Cadbury sweets from Duty Free in Heathrow Airport.

Have you had this experience? When a coworker shares assorted treats with the office, I have to reign in my gotta-catch-em-all mentality. I'm a collector of tastes, and I like to try EVERYTHING. I can't count the number of parties where that has been my goal at the buffet (forget small talk). I also like to flip through every channel on the television before choosing a show (which is why we don't have cable) and at least glance at every single shoe at DSW before I exit. But these candies were for the group, and there are a number of us, so I held back and just tried a few varieties. I didn't take a Twirl or an Eclair or a . . .


Maybe I should go back to see if there are still some that need to be eaten.


But enough about me.

 

Cadbury Dairy Milk Caramel: The chocolate didn't taste like anything particularly special, and the caramel was absolutely liquid and drippy, but there was a depth of flavor to the caramel that one doesn't always find in modern, mass-marketed chocolates.

Cadbury Fudge: The fudge filling neither looked nor tasted much like fudge. The filling was light brown and almost granular. When chewed, the consistency was that of a moist candy corn. It seemed too sweet to me (not that fudge isn't sweet), too, and nowhere near rich or chocolate-y enough. I thought this was kind of a dud.

Cadbury Creme Egg Twisted: Many have said it before me, but the fact that we (in the USA) cannot get Cadbury Creme Eggs year round should embarrass every citizen of this country. Show me the government agency hiding our eggs until Easter. I'll fight 'em! That stated, this small bite didn't really work for me. It was too flimsy for the goopy filling inside, gone too quickly, and though it coated the inside of my mouth it didn't really satisfy.

Calling this a "Travel Mix" is kind of funny. I can't imagine how ill even I would feel after sitting on an airplane for several hours eating my way through the entire package. It's no trail mix, that's for sure. But these three bites were a pretty good way to start my work day.


N.B. Hey! this was my 999th blog post on Snackreligious. Stay tuned for a super-epic 1,000th post in which I do something ill-advised and possibly gross!

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London Swall'wing: Part II

 

I heartily approve of the Toffee Crisp. I don't really taste toffee, but whatever. There's plenty of chocolate, caramel, and crisp rice cereal. The baby happens to be toddling over to bang on the keyboard, or I'd say more. It would all be positive, but would I compose an epic poem in its honor? Nah. It's no Jaffa Cake.

 

 Mr. Tom is peanut brittle, but easy on the glaze. The peanut flavor is allowed to come through without being drowned in sugar. Nor does it feel like it wants to break your teeth. I appreciate that in a brittle. Thank you, Germany  (Mr. Tom happened to come to London via Germany).

Hurry! Eat the candy!

(London Swall'wing: Part I)

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Chicago or not, here I come.

So, somebody tell me -- do Chicagoans really eat their cheese popcorn mixed with caramel corn (and vice versa)? I'd like to check into whether it's accurate to call this blend by G. H. Cretors a "Chicago Mix."

True or not, this might be my new favorite bagged popcorn. I bought it to go with the particularly nice BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avocado, and tomato) sandwich I ordered for lunch, but continued eating it long after the sandwich was gone. 



I probably don't need to tell you this, but the cheesiness of the cheddar popcorn goes really well with the sweetness of the caramel kernels. Moreover, both flavors on their own taste like quality corn.

Despite my effort to save some for another snacking occasion (and for Dan to try), I've almost finished the bag now, so it lasted about 6 hours. I guess you could say its life was short and sweet. And cheesy.

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Gasp!

Can it be? Too MUCH caramel? In one candy bar? I never thought I'd see the day.



Milky Way Simply Caramel has upset the balance of my sweet and salty cravings. Quick! Bring me potato chips!

This is one candy bar that would benefit from being packaged in two smaller bites (unlike Peanut Butter Snickers, which comes in two pieces but in a way that seems chintzy and unnecessary).

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From the Vaults: New favorites

I am a creature of habit when it comes to Ritter Sport bars. I tend to stick with Marzipan, Cornflake, and Peppermint. But I am rarely disappointed when I try a new flavor.  Weiss + Crisp is white chocolate and cornflakes. Karamell Nuss is caramel and hazelnut with crispy rice pieces. Both are divine.

Go ahead! Collect them all!

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Nuts for No Nuts

If, as you walk around the corner in an airport terminal, you have cause to exclaim, "Something smells GOOD, like caramel popcorn!" and then you see a stand selling (among other things) caramel popcorn, you should probably buy some of that caramel popcorn.

This was from "Nuts On Clark," specifically its location in Chicago O'Hare.  As it turned out, I wasn't in the mood for nuts, but the plain, old, caramel popcorn was excellent.



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Stackable Easter

We received a cute stack of snack-filled boxes in the mail.  Surprise!  It was an Easter gift from my parents, via Harry & David.

So, just what was inside?



Tiny box: 2 small, completely melted chocolate truffle balls.  I do mean completely melted.  I stuck this, the smallest box, inside the fridge for a day to let things harden back up.  Then we were able to eat the chocolate shells that remained. 




Little box: A bag of honey-roasted cashews and pecans.  I've never had honey-roasted cashews before.  Quite nice.  Lime would have been a good flavor, too.




Smaller-medium box: 2 bags of Debeukelaer piroulines, also called cigarettes Russes, yummy rolled chocolate and cookie straws.  They tasted just the tiniest bit flat, but I think these always look better than they taste.  I still quite like (and happily eat) them!




Larger-medium box: A small bag of individually-wrapped caramels and a large wad of tissue paper.  These were very nice -- soft and buttery and sweet.  You could have fit more in there, H&D!  (I kid, I kid.)




Large box: A good-sized bag of Dark Chocolate Moose Munch, which is a sort of snack mix with caramel popcorn and dark chocolate.  Almonds, cashews, pecans, and honey were also on the ingredient list.  I was excited about trying this.  Yum!  I love popcorn mixes. If the few moose I've seen in my lifetime (most in Rocky Mountain National Park) were actually eating this stuff, I'd be fighting them at the bushes.  Or . . . maybe not.  Have you seen a moose?  They're large.

Thanks, Mom and Dad!  It was my happiest Easter gift since the days of childhood Easter baskets!  And way better than jellybeans.

Alexander and...Caramels

I used another pass from my 2010 NYC Yoga Passbook to attend a second small-group class in The Alexander Technique.

Pass 4: One "First Class" in the Alexander Technique, Hope Martin Studio, Union Square.
Date(s): 2/25
Instructor(s): Hope Martin
Thoughts: The studio was a lovely place, designed by Hope and an architect who is also a meditation teacher, if I understood correctly. Hope was a calming and thoughtful instructor. She went more in depth into the foundations and language of the technique than the other teachers I've worked with so far. She even stayed an extra 30 minutes to teach us about "Active Rest."
I'm starting to "get" pieces of Alexander Technique practice the more I attempt it. I wish I could afford to have private or small class sessions more regularly. It really makes me feel good when my head balances correctly or my spine comes into alignment, however briefly I can sustain it. I welcome the alien moments now.
Walking home, I entered a sort of mild-blizzard winter wonderland trance, prompting me to feel extra alive and poetic and powerfully impotent. I wish I could have captured it on film -- the swirling snow underscored by my audible breaths, the light and white and dark and silence, the distant siren and the feeling running up and down my spine.
Failing your being able to witness that, I wish you could taste the caramels I ate once I went inside my apartment. Jen and Max and Rich gave them to me as a gift at the Cookie Party and told me I didn't have to share them. I promptly hid them on a shelf and forgot about them. But they're still here, and they're still good. They tasted buttery and warm, homemade and important.

The photo above captures none of this.

Post-Workout Comestibles: Three caramels.
Total/Goal: 5/40

My caramel hot tub.

I followed a chocolate brownie cake recipe I found online.

The blogger warned me that the cake might cave in as it cooled.




It did.

The recipe also said that, because I was supposed to fill the top of the cake with honey-roasted peanuts (I made them, too) and caramel sauce, this caving-in of the brownie cake wouldn't matter.




It didn't.


Never has something that looked so much like a hot tub tasted sooooo good.

No one came over for pudding, so I ate it all myself.

That's a lie. I haven't eaten it all yet. I still have 4 ramekins in the fridge. This recipe for butterscotch budino (Italian for "pudding") was too much work, and very worth it. Assembled, from bottom to top, one ends up with butterscotch pudding, caramel sauce, Maldon sea salt, and cream whipped with crème fraiche.




p.s. I only have 4 ramekins, so I put the rest of the pudding in tea cups.


recipe from Great Gatherings by the Macy's Culinary Council, via Ruth Reichl.

The search begins. Again.

Last year, when I was visiting my in-laws for Thanksgiving, I learned that Pepperidge Farm had dropped a limited edition supply of Australia's famous Tim Tams into Target stores across the US. Though I had never eaten Tim Tams, I was convinced by the internet buzz that they would change my life. I ran out and bought several packages (the only variety I saw was caramel), shared a few, tasted my life changing, and then hoarded the remainder.

I ate them sparingly in the following months, usually as part of a Tim Tam Slam with hot tea or cocoa, and treasured every bite, knowing that they were no longer on the shelves at Target and that Pepperidge Farm had not committed to producing any more Tim Tams in the US. I wanted to introduce more friends to the glory of Tim Tams, but I couldn't spare the cookies. I needed them to last. I'm sorry, friends.

Nearly a year later, I have eaten my final Tim Tam from that batch. Last night, I "Slammed" two with some vanilla jasmine tea and then ate the last one dry. Slowly, sadly, the world of Tim Tam slipped away from me. There are but poor substitutes.

But I live in New York City. Surely, in this beautiful land of expats and foreign markets, there is a supplier of real, Australian, Arnott's (for they should not have been Pepperidge Farm's at all) Tim Tams. I want to try the double coat! I want to have a party and force my friends to slam!

According to Wikipedia (and this was news to me, as I researched while writing this post), P.F.'s US Tim Tams will be released roughly October through March each year. They should be in Targets again now, but I doubt the supply is sufficient. Has anyone seen them? I don't live very near a Target store, but I will attempt to get to one this month to check on their availability. They are supposed to be in "other supermarkets," too. Where are you, Tim Tams?

I know I seem obsessed, but if you've had them you should understand. This "Tim Tam season" scheme is evil. Pepperidge Farm, this will not do. Don't be stingy; flood the market, sirs and madams in charge! I need these cookies in my life every month.

Bottom line: Let me know if you see seasonal Tim Tams out and about (at Target or elsewhere). And if you know of a year-round Tim Tam purveyor or Australian grocery in NYC, please leave a comment. In return, I will let you know if I find any, though I will be ever so tempted to keep their location to myself.

Land of 10,000 Snacks

When we were in the Twin Cities, one of my favorite brother-sister duos (Matt and Laura, which is not to say that their sibling, Claire, is not also delightful, just that she wasn't in town) made generous gifts to me of assorted local snack foods. I must apologize for the delay in getting up a responsive blog post. But, at last, I have tried them all!

If only I didn't like these snacks so much; I could have called this blog post, "Minne-so-so," which seems pretty clever to me right now (I wouldn't say I'm blogging drunk, but I also wouldn't say I'm coming from a place of total sobriety). But how could I not enjoy the following?!

1. Pearson's Salted Nut Roll. I am so into salt with chocolate. Nothing tastes better after two white Russians and a big glass of water. This is like if peanuts that had only ever been to the zoo went to the CIRCUS!




2. Old Dutch Ketchup Potato Chips. Sweet. That's a description, not an interjection. Sweet and slightly tangy, the bag announces they are "Delivered fresh from the heart of the Upper Midwest." These are perfect for early evenings when you're just home from work and not looking forward to making dinner. The flavor isn't complex enough, so you're required to chase them with real food, but they're interesting enough to tide you over those minutes you need to sit on the couch and just recharge.

3. B.T. McElrath Chile Limon Chocolate Bar. Light on the limon, the chocolate has a rich, cocoa flavor and the spice builds with each bite. The citrus peeks through after a few. It can't make me Mayan, but it can make me miss Mexico.



*sigh*

4. Pearson's Milk Chocolate Bun with Caramel and Roasted Peanuts. Sticky in a delightful way, the Bun grabs hold and doesn't let go. Want to chew something over? Try one of these. Thick with caramel, it's a fistful of yum without being totally tooth-threatening.

5. Pearson's Nut Goodie (Original flavor). The Nut Goodie is a lot like the Bun, with chocolate and peanuts encasing flavor, but somehow the chocolate in the Goodie tastes like it is of a higher quality. The tan filling must be maple, which I don't always enjoy in sweets (beyond syrup), but it isn't bad. I can see why this would be a classic -- especially for maple fans.

6. Pearson's Milk Chocolate Bun with Vanilla and Roasted Peanuts. I don't know why, but I was suspicious of this one. I expected it to be heavy-handed on the vanilla. I also didn't see how it could compare to the caramel variety. But it is pleasing, filled with a subtle, though sweet, vanilla mash.

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Mmmmmminnesota! Thanks, Matt (and Jessica) and Laura! I hope you don't mind if I come visit again sooner, rather than later. The Twin Cities taste sweet to me.

Elsy's gift

Elsy is a lovely woman who cleans the office at work. She recently took some time off to be with family overseas. When she returned, the basket pictured above appeared on the counter in the kitchen. I don't like coffee particularly, but these coffee-flavored caramels from Colombia were sweet and rich. I ate at least my fair share, if not more.

Thanks, Elsy!

Junior Cousin

I'm familiar with Junior Mints, but I'd never had or seen Junior Caramels before. They're reminiscent of Rollos, but drier. It's not right that the picture on the box made them look like the caramel in the middle would be gooey and melty. I ate these on an 80-something degree (F) day, but did not find the insides liquid at all.

Don't get it twisted. I liked them, and I ate the whole box (hardly sharing at all) but I don't think I'll ever crave them.

Color me Junior Mints, y'all! Now that's a box of somethin' else. I don't believe that Junior Mints should be reserved for the movies. They're for every day. A box in your bag is a good idea (as long as it's not too hot out). Like a York Peppermint Pattie, Junior Mints are refreshing. They're a candy that tastes like brushing your teeth (with chocolate).

Q: What is WAY better than a Tootsie Roll?

(photo by Dan)

A: A chocolate Cow Tale.

The all day sucker (c'est moi)

The Sugar Daddy (sent by Tia) is a "Milk Caramel Pop" that used to be called the "Papa." It's a big guy, too. Looking at it, I thought it might be the only thing I get done all day.

I put the thing in my mouth at 11:26 am.

11:26 a.m. -- It's quite sticky when moistened, so I am trying to keep my teeth off of it. I have some more dental work in my future and I don't want to get into trouble. Chewing it is unpleasant because it worries me.

11:41 a.m. -- The top is melting and distorted, but I don't feel like it's getting smaller. I have to take a shower. I've got stuff to do!

12:02 p.m. -- Seriously. I have to catch a train. My mouth will never taste anything but caramel ever again.

12:07 p.m. -- I can finally fit the whole thing in my mouth relatively comfortably. I am very distracted by this sucker. When will it end?!

12:18 p.m. -- Guess I have to take it with me. It's still bigger than my thumb. I thought my tongue might be brown, but I looked in the mirror and it's still pink/red.

12:23 p.m. -- Finally smaller than my thumb.

12:27 p.m. -- One hour and one minute after unwrapping this baby, I have - at last - sucked the last sliver off the stick and scraped the last bit off the back of my teeth. Need a one-hour, 200 calorie snack? I've got an idea for you.

In conclusion: It tasted classic, if the experience was a bit epic. I enjoyed the milky, caramel flavor, and I appreciate how caramel melts slowly in the mouth, but the Sugar Daddy is far too big for a lolly. I think I would go for the junior size pop (or Sugar Babies) in the future.

Ooh, and they should make a version with sea salt. I'm so in love with salted caramels right now.

From Japan, via Jersey, via Jeremy

These Meiji Horn Chocolates were each other's opposites. In the gold wrapper, there was a snack made of chocolate biscuit on the outside and a sort of white chocolate inside. The red wrapper contained a blond biscuit with milk chocolate filling. Both had their two ends dipped in chocolate. I found the crunch-to-filling ratio quite satisfactory and the biscuit had a shortbread flavor. I think the red-wrappered version was my favorite, but they were both good.

My Milky candies were cute but didn't smell like much of anything. Again, I had a red wrapper and a yellowish wrapper (how thematic of you, Jeremy!). The candies were a litte hard, but chewy, with no discernable flavor. At the center of the red-packaged one was a harder button of candy that looked like it was made of the same ingredients but was much more difficult to chew. It might be my imagination, but the yellow-wrapper Milky seemed a little milkier. It was definitely easier to chew through once it softened up on the tongue.

What's up with these? I guess they're supposed to be caramels. Or toffees?

Found 'em!

I am so kindly indulged by family members (yeah, and friends. I didn't forget you guys)!

A few days ago, Jim drove me to Target to look for Tim Tams (named after the horse that won the Kentucky Derby in 1958?!) after I read on Georgina's Tumblr that they are now available there.

We found them! I only saw a caramel variety and they were branded Pepperidge Farm, but they're Tim Tams. On sale, even. I bought four packages (there are only 10 in a package, after all. What do you want from me?).

Once home, I brewed a cup of Chocolate Chai and did a Tim Tam Slam. Then I did it again. And then a third time.

You guys. They're pretty good. Actually, I would love for them to resist the beverage a little longer. They mush up so quickly. Only the caramel stayed firm in its layer. It would be nice to chew on something slightly firmer once I pop it into my mouth. According to Wikipedia, that's why the Double Coated Tim Tam was created. But I don't really feel like complaining. I feel like eating more Tim Tams (they're delicious without slamming, too).

For the scoop on the introduction of Tim Tams to the American (US) market, read this article.

Duds in the Dark

I am a fan of the classic combo of movie theater popcorn with artificial butter-flavored grease, but don't usually do "mix-ins." Several have been recommended to me over the years. I think it was Gina who recently said I had to try my popcorn mixed with a box of Milk Duds and reminded me of that particular marriage of snacks.

I vowed then to try it "soon" - and tonight I did. I felt it might be appropriate to take a culinary risk as part of my experience of the new Bond film, "Sciencey Measure of Comfort." So I did the 'corn and 'Duds thing.

Verdict: not bad. I get the sweet and salt allure. But to really optimize the flavors and textures of this marriage, the popcorn needs to be hotter and the Milk Duds smaller. I think a homemade version would be best.

And so, in conclusion,

Lesson 1: more expensive convenience snacking does not win the flavor race.

Lesson 2: not every director knows how to make action scenes make visual sense.




(Credit where credit is due. I once emailed another cartoonist to inform him [politely] that I felt he was ripping off B. Breathed's style. I thought he should know he wasn't getting away with it. And I thoroughly recommend a visit to Bloom County. Classics of Western Literature: Bloom Country 1985-1989 is a transcendent collection.)

I say kär'məl, you say potato.

(from Anastasia, who sent the UK Invasion Snack Sampler)

So do you prefer kăr'ə-məl, kăr'ə-mĕl', or kär'məl?

I prefer Tunnock's Real Milk Chocolate Caramel Wafer Biscuits, thankfully "Still Original Size." Great width. It's an old-timey carnival of thick, caramel flavor. The wafers are nicely integrated with the caramel, leading to an expensively chewy-crunchy-melty-smooshy texture. A Tunnock's Caramel Wafter Biscuit tastes down-to-earth and popular;* neither high-falutin' nor exclusive; not sweetly condescending at all; and friendly. I found it mood enhancing, and I've got another.

Eating this was better than wearing borrowed expensive jewelry (sumptuous, edible, and anxiety-free).

Have you ever made caramel? It's like magic. Tunnock's...Chocolate Caramel Wafer Biscuits are like somebody else did the magic and didn't get your pots dirty. They're like the close-up magician at a fundraiser who cheerfully sets his wallet on fire for your own private finale and walks away with a wink as you're still applauding quietly and smiling a real smile at him. You have fond memories of that magician. Magic is cool.

High marks.



Beverage: All Natural Sapat Fantasy Masala-Chai Flavoured Tea. This is my favorite Indian chai mix. I first tasted it in Pittsburgh, PA which is where I bought my supply. I drink most teas and infusions without milk or sugar, but this variety I like with both.

"The boy is based on no one."


*popular in the sense of "Suited to or within the means of ordinary people" (The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007.)