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Taste Test: "New" Candy

partysugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:00:08 -0700

Updating an image or spinning off of a product is nothing new, but lately it seems like this concept has taken over the candy industry. I recently received a box full of new products that were featured at the National Candy Expo a month ago in Chicago. The majority of items weren't exactly new, but rather re-creations of old products. I selected four - Pop Rocks Chocolate bars, Nerds Giant Chews, Chocolate Pez, and Baskin Robbins Soft Candy - and decided to perform a taste test. Sadly none of the new variations lived up to their established counterparts. To see what I thought of each product, read more.

Pop Rocks Chocolate bars: This oversized bar is described as "real milk chocolate with a kick." At first the chocolate bar tastes like any normal krispy-style chocolate bar. However, the krispies explode in your mouth like pop rocks. The chocolate is mediocore and the sensation interesting, but I wasn't hungry for more.

Nerds Giant Chews: These giant nerds (they're the size of peanut M&Ms) have a bumpy, crunchy shell and soft chewy center. They taste exactly like the miniature version. Eating one is the equivalent of tossing an entire handful of Nerds into your mouth.

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Chocolate Pez: Why Pez felt they needed to expand into artificial chocolate-flavored candies is beyond me. These are chalky and leave a sour aftertaste in the mouth.

Baskin Robbins Soft Candy: With their sweet-minty scent, I was certain these chewy candies were going to be the best of the bunch. However they were disappointing and tasted fake. The best thing about them was the smell.

So has anyone else tasted any of these new candy formulas? What did you think of them?

Let's Dish: What's Your Favorite Halloween Candy?

partysugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:50:18 -0700

Half the fun of trick-or-treating is the bartering that takes place after you've gone door to door. I remember sitting on the kitchen floor with my siblings or friends and saying, "I'll trade you my Snickers for your Milky Ways." Besides Milky Way, I was especially fond of Nerds, Junior Mints, and Airheads. Now that I'm too old for trick-or-treating, I like to stock my Halloween candy bowl with my all-time favorite, Reese's Pieces. How about you? What Halloween candy did you enjoy as a child and what do you prefer now?

Taste Test : "New" Pop Rocks, Nerds, Pez, and Baskin Robbins Candies

partysugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:35:21 -0700

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The Lagito Cabin Gingerbread House

partysugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 08:30:00 -0800

After twelve hours, five emergency trips to the grocery store, three batches of royal frosting, and two house threatening crises, my log gingerbread snow cabin with frozen lake was completed and ready to enter the challenge. Let's hope it wins the the SugarHQ best gingerbread house contest!

It was a tough, time consuming project, but the final result - an amazingly cute gingerbread house - was well worth the effort. I couldn't have done it without the expertise of an incredibly creative friend, the support of very loving parents, and the candy from a recently opened old-school candy shop. To check out a gallery of images of The Lagito Cabin and learn more about the house making process - along with my tips for future builders - read more

Use a recipe that produces a large quantity of dough. I used Martha Stewart's dark molasses gingerbread cookie recipe. I made the dough the night before, allowing enough time to chill.
From start to finish it takes a lot of time to make a stylish yet classic gingerbread house so if you are entering our challenge keep this in mind.

Stock up on supplies before you begin to make the house. Parchment paper and powdered sugar are a few of the items that had to be picked up at the grocery store in the middle of the project.

Problem solve! My dog Lacey ate a chunk of the roof so we had to patch up the hole with a chocolate graham cracker and frosting.
Get creative. My design consultant made a separate trip to the candy store for inspiration. It was easy to shop for the candy once we knew what we were doing.
Go to a candy store where you can purchase candy in bulk. We needed only one Nerd for the doorknob. Instead of buying an entire box of Nerds we bought one.
Have fun! It was an all day event so we made sure to have delicious Irish blue cheese and crackers, crab salad on crostini, and gambas al ajillo for snacking. We also had cocktails, red wine, and tons of Christmas music to get us in the mood.

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Come Party With Me: Halloween Bash - Menu (Sweet)

partysugar — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:15:45 -0700

No Halloween party can be declared a success without an excessive amount of candy. I'll be strategically placing bowls filled with my favorite candies - Reese's Pieces, Nerds, and peanut M&Ms - around the two rooms that will house the party. The cupcake tier my sister gave to me for my birthday will make its debut at the party, since I'll be baking one batch of Halloween cupcakes to fill the stand. A few lucky guests can indulge in these homemade treats. For the recipe, read more

Halloween Cupcakes
From Kraft Foods

1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix
1/4 cup Kool-Aid orange flavor sugar-sweetened soft drink mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
4-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp. Kool-Aid lemonade flavor sugar-sweetened soft drink mix

Prepare and bake cake mix as directed on package for cupcakes, adding dry orange drink mix before beating all ingredients together.
Make frosting by beating the butter, powdered sugar, milk, and lemonade kool aid mix. with electric mixer on low speed until well blended.
Frost cooled cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles or candies or sprinkle with additional soft drink mix, if desired.

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Wine Bug: Love It Or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 01:18:31 -0700

I'm not a fan of bugs in any way, shape, or form, and even less so when it involves wine. I despise this single-bottle, bug-shaped wine rack. It's ugly, scary and completely geeky. Yet, as much as I hate it, I have to admit that I admire the design. Lift the bug's tail and the wine pours itself. Now that you know my opinion, I want to know yours. Do you love or hate the Wine Bug?

Source: Nerd Approved