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Could America Be Facing a Sugar Shortage?
If you've got a sweet tooth, you may be forced to reckon with a bitter truth. In a letter sent to US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, several of the country's largest food companies, including General Mills, Kraft, Hershey, and Mars, said the United States could "virtually run out of sugar" if the government doesn't let up on sugar import limits.
To keep prices within reason for domestic sugar farmers, the government only allows unlimited sugar imports from the Mexican market without paying tariffs.
Taste Test: Coconut M&Ms
After reading the comments on a recent M&M's quiz, I decided it was high time that I sample the new limited-edition Coconut M&M's from Mars.
Once a beloved snack of mine, I was around the candies so much in a former life that I ate myself sick of them. But these could be a different story.
Taste Test: Hershey's Extra Dark Chocolates
Despite the fact that Valentine's Day has passed, my brain is still in a chocolate state of mind. I've eaten a lot of chocolate lately, so when I received a pouch of assorted Hershey's Extra Dark Chocolates, I was eager to try them.
At 60 percent cacao, Hershey's Extra Dark falls somewhere in between the brand's iconic Special Dark, which is only 45 percent cacao, and its newer Cacao Reserve, which has 65 percent cacao.
Hershey's Closes Scharffen Berger, Joseph Schmidt Plants
Lovers of local artisan chocolate, be prepared for some bitter news: This week, Hershey announced plans to close the plant where Scharffen Berger chocolate is manufactured, as well as the factory where Joseph Schmidt chocolates are produced.
Although Hershey will continue production of the two brands, the chocolates will no longer be produced where they first became popular – in the Bay Area. The plants are not commenting, but a spokesperson from Hershey's headquarters said, "We will maintain the highest quality standard for all our artisan productions."Both brands, founded in San Francisco, were pioneers credited for increasing the popularity of high-end, premium chocolates.
Despite Other Rising Food Costs, Dairy Prices Have Fallen
From rising avocado prices to the McDonald's Dollar Menu falling on hard times, over the last year, every section of the food industry has paid the price of cost increases. One segment of the food world, however, seems to have taken an opposite turn.
Prices of dairy products have seen a downward trend, as the weakening global economy has caused demand to decrease for US exports like milk.
12 Days of Edible Gifts: Hazelnut Kiss Cookies
Every holiday season, I love indulging in those classic peanut butter cookies dimpled with a Hershey Kiss center. For our 12 Days of Edible Gifts, I experimented with this same concept to create a Ferrero Rocher-inspired treat. The combination of hazelnuts and chocolate is always divinely delicious and these crumbly hazelnut cookies with chocolate middles are no exception.
Candy-Off: Hershey's vs. Brach's Candy Corn
Happy National Candy Corn Day! This Halloween, grocery aisles have been stocked with two distinct types of my favorite seasonal candy: the traditional version made by Brach's, as well as a newer Hershey's rendition.
Last year, when I first tried the Hershey's candy corn, I thought it had a cloying aftertaste, and despite giving them a second chance, I still didn't care for them.
Yummy Links: From Food Photography to Budget Weddings
- Tips for taking the most beautiful food photos. — Vegan Yum Yum
- Learn how to participate in a hunger challenge. — Cooking With Amy
- Simple and delicious: Asian pear and gouda grilled cheese sandwich.
Taste Test: Crunch vs. Krackel
Last Friday after hearing the news that Hershey's had changed its chocolate formula, YumSugar and I decided to perform a taste test. Luckily we had the perfect place to host a chocolate taste test — CasaSugar's space at Park(ing) Day! For the taste test, we pitted Nestle's Crunch against Hershey's Krackel.
Hershey's Switching to Cheaper Ingredients
Hit by the worsening economy and the rising costs of raw materials, candy giant Hershey's has not only raised candy prices, but has also begun replacing cocoa butter, the ingredient that allegedly gives Hershey's candies their delicious flavor, with vegetable oil.
The formulas of candy products such as Whatchamacallit, Milk Duds, Mr. Goodbar, and Krackel, among other candies, have been changed. Since experts say that the change was meant to go unnoticed by consumers, why the copy edit?
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