I’ve always appreciated the aggressive nature of Altoids. They simply aren’t a wallflower candy. Instead, they are more like the uncle who has one too many at family gatherings and inevitably ends up dancing with his shirt off or passed out under a porch. These are mints you eat with anticipation. You know that there will be flavor, oh yes, and sometimes it may slightly overwhelm you with potency. But, like the expectation of a wacky uncle’s trademark bad behavior, there is something comforting about the flavor and effectiveness of Altoids. After all, they consistently freshen even the most critically vile breath.

The new Crème de Menthe and Dark Chocolate Dipped Crème de Menthe are no exception. And I’ll say it right now: they are delicious.

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Looking to sweeten up your summer wardrobe? Why not add a little sugar with some candy-inspired jewelry! I’ve scoured the internet for fun, colorful and playful items that, when worn, may cause you to chase after ice cream trucks, build a tree fort, or play in a sprinkler. Yes, they are that inspiring and adorable.

This Summer Gum Fancy Necklace from Candyware truly is simple and sweet. I love the bright colors of the gum pendants, and frankly, this necklace seems conservative enough to even be worn during office hours. Personally, I would buy all three colors and wear them like medals of candy honor. And I’ll be checking back at the site for the jewelry in development - the glass gumdrop looks so tantalizing!

I’m also enamored with the Three Jelly Bean Necklace from Molly Brown. I’ve been into charms lately and this necklace gives me the opportunity to choose my own beans. Interestingly, the “ice cream” colored bean looks similar to the delightful Jelly Belly Buttered Popcorn bean. I’m thinking that’s a good place to start color coordinating. Then I’ll get raspberry, and then orange and then… I will practice a little bit of restraint.

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If you are one of many consumers concerned about your candy’s nutritional information, you’ll be pleased to note the above chocolate concept, the “Rompibollo” from the Italian design group Adieffe. Their chocolate bar not only provides perforated, easy-to-separate sections, but each individual piece also displays its caloric content.

This is a huge bonus for anyone working at portion control or trying to learn how to improve eating habits. After all, it’s quite easy to ignore the tiny box of nutritional information printed on a Butterfinger wrapper. When faced with actually having knowledge of what you eat as you eat, people may make better choices - perhaps a tiny piece of this bar supplemented with a big glass of water and some sliced up fruit?

Personally, I would like to see this design concept go into production. Much like the zillions of 100-calorie pre-packaged snacks that have invaded the stores in the past several years, this chocolate bar fits right into the growing portion-controlled market. I hope this concept serves as an inspiration to the candy makers of the world. I know I will never stop eating candy (apologies to my dentist and waistline) and this chocolate bar could definitely be an asset to people attempting to fit candy consumption into a healthier lifestyle.

• Portioned Chocolate Bar [via Elmanco]

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I have a crush. I can’t stop thinking about it. I’ll be driving my car or typing away at work or sweating in the middle of a Pilates class when suddenly, wham! I’ll picture the object of my affection and my eyes will glaze over a bit. I smile just enough that one would assume I’m daydreaming about Clive Owen again. But sorry, Clive. You’ve got some competition and the name is Damla.

Damla, a Turkish import, is a taffy-like fruit flavored candy with a delicate gel center. Each piece comes individually wrapped and the flavors - apple, cherry, orange, peach and strawberry - are clearly labeled with darling little illustrations on their wrappers. The candy has a bit of a chew, but nothing that will destroy a filling. Actually, it takes on a lovely melty consistency after a bit of chomping.

And oh, the health benefits! The candy touts its fat-free status and at less than 20 calories per piece, I can easily justify eating five at a time for my daily empty calorie snack.

Is it worth it, you ask? Am I blinded by candy lust? Here’s the flavor breakdown:

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Occasionally when I’m skulking around the candy section of a convenience store, a particular package will catch my eye. Often, what draws me is the flash of a brightly colored wrapper. Sometimes, it is because the candy is brand new to the familiar landscape of the aisle (like my newest obsession - the Indiana Jones’ Mint Chocolate Crisp M&Ms). But occasionally, I attribute my attraction to what can only be referred to as The Profound Gravitational Pull of Candy. This is how I discovered the Rip Roll.

Here’s the thing about The Profound Gravitational Pull of Candy. It doesn’t always mean true love. Am I pledging myself eternally to the Rip Roll? Certainly not. Do I understand why whatever higher power (or sugar craving) created and marketed this candy? Absolutely.

Rip Rolls come individually wrapped and are available in four flavors: strawberry, green apple, watermelon and blue raspberry. When I pulled off the exterior wrapper of my first Rip Roll, which was strawberry flavored, I was greeted with a single Rip Roll resting in a small plastic tray. I assume the purpose of this piece of plastic is to uphold the shape and integrity of the roll. It works. I placed the Rip Roll in the palm of my hand and I felt as though I had been presented with the most exquisite piece of candy on the planet. It looked magical. Were I five years old and opening this candy, you would be hard-pressed to convince me that it wasn’t invented by a unicorn, dragon, or Rapunzel. The pink whorl positively sparkles with sugar coating and this sugar is not just on the outside of the roll. Instead, it meticulously covers every inch of the advertised “forty inches of fun.”

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One of the first things I do upon meeting someone new is to check out their shoes. Although this probably makes me shallow and superficial, you really can learn a lot of helpful shallow and superficial information about someone by glancing at their footwear. Obviously, I go through life assuming that people will likewise judge me by my shoes. And knowing this, you can imagine my delight when I stumbled upon this pair of adorable, candy-themed canvas flats.

Were I to meet someone while strolling about in these shoes, I’d hope that they’d deduce the following facts about me. First, they would see that I am the type of person who chooses footwear based on its ability to allow me to run from predators. They may then note the playful color scheme or the adorable Mary Jane styling of the shoe and then decide that I’m a girl who appreciates a cute, versatile pair of shoes. But most importantly, they would see the playful lollipops and wrapped candy and be certain to realize that I love the sweet stuff. This may cause them to produce from purse, pocket or fanny pack the appropriate sweets that would therefore buy my love or friendship. Genius plan, no?

You can find the Xhilaration® Suzi Mary Jane Skimmers online at Amazon.com and as of now, they’re already being offered at a discount. No excuses, candy-loving ladies (and gentlemen with dainty feet)!

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I like to think that I’m not the only person who has a long list of embarrassing moments. We’re all human, after all, and I know at least some of you have accidentally walked into a wall or two or ripped the seat of your pants at an inopportune moment. These things happen–possibly to me more than most. As a result of my undeniable knack of humiliating myself and my likewise undeniable love of all things candy, I’d like to share with you my Top Five Most Embarrassing Candy Moments.

5. The Chocolate in my Pocket. After an intense conversation about my future with The Boss at work one day, I made an emphatic gesture with my hand and then shoved it into the pocket of my pants. I immediately felt the undeniable squelch of a forgotten and completely melted piece of a formerly wrapped Dove milk chocolate. Apparently, I made a face. The Boss asked what was wrong and I was forced to admit what had happened.

4. The Sweatshirt of Shame. On my sixteenth birthday, my mother had the bright idea to take an oversized teal sweatshirt and safety pin wrapped pieces of candy all over it. My mother claimed this was the thing to do for a “sweet sixteen” and insisted that I wear the atrocity to school.

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As a child, I used to love to go to my grandmother’s house and raid her candy dish. From this translucent glass dish, which sat expectantly on the coffee table in her living room, I unwrapped my first root beer barrels and lemon drops. Later, these gave way to those mints that explode into powder as you bite them and the tiny Italian candies shaped like fruit that I can never seem to find anymore. Maybe I’m just feeling a little sentimental and missing my grandparents and my childhood, but I think I’m ready to bring back the candy dish.

Needless to say, it is time. My candy supply is overflowing from its dresser drawer. Yes, it is a large drawer. And that’s just what I have hoarded in my apartment. Rather than go the traditional crystal route to present my stash to visitors, I’m thinking about something a little modern like this Incline Bowl from Uncommon Goods. This small but stylish bowl practically begs to be filled with brightly colored gum drops or jelly beans. It’s also versatile enough that it can be placed anywhere in my home - like on my nightstand. You never know when you’ll have a craving, after all.

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Although I don’t consider myself to be a picky eater, I’ve been told that I tend to dissect my food. This is particularly true when said food was once alive and has the ability to surprise me with an unexpected texture or color. I hate to admit that this attention to food detail has in the past extended to candy. I am referring to my hesitance to try Cow Tales.

My early experiences with this candy involved seeing it displayed alongside bouquets of Slim Jims at convenience stores. This frightened me to my very core as a child. And as a teenager. And to this day. Does the close proximity to mechanically separated chicken parts mean that there could possibly be an actual cow’s tale in this unassuming white wrapper? What exactly is a Cow Tale? And is the spelling just a clever ruse to distract me from the fact that I may be about to consume an actual appendage?

Let’s just say I overreacted a little bit.

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