One of the treats I got from the All Candy Expo was this pack of VE2 energy gum. It’s candy with a conscience - the packaging is very minimalist and it says, “To save trees & make less trash this package avoids using a paper sleeve wrap.” I love the idea that a medium which traditionally relies on packaging for impact can be promoted in a environmentally friendly way.

Developed over a period of 2 years by an ER doc, one packet of VE2 is equal to five cups of coffee. The press about VE2 claims that you can absorb caffeine through your oral membranes faster than via digestion - so in theory VE2 gives you a quicker energy hit than your usual energy drinks. I’m one of those people who can drink a can of coke or a espresso before bed and still fall asleep with no problem, so I viewed this gum review as a bit of an experiment.

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In Part 1 of our Great Chocolate Experiment, we conducted a series of scientific tests in an attempt to determine which foods go well with chocolate. (You may wish to reacquaint yourself with our original hypothesis and research methodology, as well as the results of the first experiment.)

Based on the results of the first test, this researcher and her trusted Research Assistant came to the conclusion that some foods taste good coated in chocolate, while others do not. But the results were largely inconclusive – we knew that there were still many foods in the world that could prove to be chocolate’s undiscovered perfect partner. Clearly, more tests were required. So, we carefully hand-selected a new batch of quality ingredients, gathered our materials, and forged ahead into the great unknown wilds of candy making.

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I fondly recall candy cigarettes, both the gum and the chocolate versions, but I now wonder if it was some sort of ploy by the cigarette manufacturers to attract future users. Well, no matter! That was then, and this is now, and NOW there are wacky bubble gum cigarettes in interesting flavors from Archie McPhee.

I received four packs to review: Roller Derby (cherry-flavored bubble gum cigarettes), Captain Black’s Pirate (citrus-flavored bubble gum cigarettes), Hobo (campfire coffee bubble gum cigarettes), and El Diablo (cinnamon-flavored bubble gum cigarillos). Each box contains 12 pieces. The boxes, as you can see, sport appealing and quirky designs.

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The purist in me always tended to shy away from fruit-flavored gums, preferring the breath-freshening qualities of mint and cinnamon. But with my previously-held flavorism so completely obliterated by Orbit Citrusmint and then Stride Mandarin, I have found myself in a much more open place regarding gum selection. And it is with this spirit that I agreed to sample and review Trident’s new Passionberry Twist (with Xylitol).

Passion fruit is not one of those flavors I’m all that familiar with: kids didn’t just whip passion fruits out of their lunch boxes when I was growing up (at least not at my grade school) and, if memory serves, it’s one of those heavily seeded, hard-skinned beasts in the produce section that doesn’t exactly seduce neophytes. I have, however, sampled it on a few occasions (in the rain forests of Brazil, or Costa Rica, or Vietnam - I can’t quite remember) and in none of those places have I vomited, so I figured it must have been benign enough. Plus, I love berries, so it seemed like a winning - if mysterious - combo worthy of nothing less than a minute-by-minute review.

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All right, just finished lunch – a little Mexican (food, not person) - and I could use a little oral refreshing, if you know what I mean. I’m salivating for my all-time favorite and everyday afternoon go-to, Orbit Citrusmint gum. I’ll admit, I was skeptical of this flavor combo at first, fearing it might go the way of post-teeth-brushing orange juice, but how unfounded those fears were. Oh how I love its delicate balance, its burst of refreshing powers sans dental cleaning aftertaste. (I’m also a fan of orange-flavored toothpaste and Listerine, it should be noted, as means for washing away my sugary sins.) Yes, salsa be damned, I need some immediately! But wait… oh, that’s right, I have a box of Stride Always Mandarin waiting to be chewed and reviewed. Orbit will have to take a backseat for now… it’s Stride time. (And, as their somewhat perplexing name indicates, it’s always mandarin time.)

Okay, off the bat, the box flips down rather stealthily to expose two rows of gum and what appears to be some sort of word game, presumably to give you something to “do while you chew,” which could be a long time, apparently, as their tagline is “Ridiculously long lasting gum” and their website promises flavor that lasts “…for like… ever.” Really goin’ for that teen demo there, huh? Well time will tell, Stride, time will tell.

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(image from CandyDirect)

This guest review comes from John Klassa…

I first encountered Cry Baby gum after coming in second place in a contest I entered with my young son. First prize was a huge bag of Cry Baby gum. Second prize was, well, nothing at all. Fortunately for us, the first-place winners were kind enough to share a big ol’ handful with us. They came in sleeves of five or six, and I liked them so much that I wound up chewing whole sleeves at a time.

The taste that “had me at hello” was back in spades in the review samples I received recently. This time, though, I got the regular round variety, and some samples of a “Double Bubble” variety.

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As a kid, gumballs were a staple of my candy diet. But they weren’t just any gumballs, like those generic ones you got out of candy machines for a quarter. They were Rain-Blo gumballs.

They came in that little cellophane tube, perfect for squeezing out one at a time into your mouth. Then, as now, they came in mini, regular and “Jum-Blo” sizes, and were available in several flavor varieties, including a fruit mix in which the gumballs were actually shaped like little fruits. This wasn’t as cool as it sounds, as most of the flavors had just been given a pebbled surface, with the exception of the green watermelon’s stylish stripes. There was also an uber-sour variety called Eye Poppers, upon which I blame my adult addiction to everything ridiculously sour.

Rain-Blo also makes jawbreakers with, naturally, a gum center. I guess when you have a spherical candy as your main product, the natural next step is to pan a few layers of hard candy around the outside of it and make a jawbreaker. I remember that no matter what the original color, they always ended up tasting like wintergreen, and every fifth one or so had a weird harsh chemical taste, but somehow I couldn’t get enough of them anyway. (Hey, I like wintergreen - so sue me!)

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Today’s guest review comes from a true gumball lover blogging at Maison de Gumball….

For sugar lovers everywhere, the search for sugar nirvana has come to a sudden and crunchy close. Yes, that’s right – I’ve found the answer to the age long question of how much sugar can be crammed into a single piece of candy. The answer: too much.

Allow me to introduce you to the Nerds Filled Gumballs. This seizure-inducing treat has a number of unique characteristics previously unknown to the extended chew industry. The sheer quantity of sugar was once believed to be impossible, yet some deranged candy maker has produced the Nerds Filled Gumball. Personally, I enjoy nothing more than settling into a lasting and fulfilling chew of a gumball. Nothing satisfies the molars like the pleasurable elasticity of that sugar coated orb known as the gumball.

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When I opened a package addressed to me at Candy Addict, I expected the usual assortment of sugary treats sent by most candy manufacturers. Instead, a bright blue box with the words “Cavity-Free Kit” shone up at me. I wondered if the delivery was my dentist’s idea of a joke. Don’t get me wrong - I don’t want rotten teeth, and have only had one cavity in my entire life (in a baby tooth!) - but as a lover of sugar, I was hoping for a box of sweet stuff.

Curiosity was definitely beginning to overtake disappointment, so I opened the box to find out exactly what a Cavity-Free Kit really is. Inside, I found boxes of gum and mints, a tube of toothpaste, and a bottle of mouthwash. Directions were included with the kit, and after poking through all the boxes to check out the gum and mint flavors, I read about Epic’s ideas for a healthy mouth. Apparently, the sweetener xylitol is key.

Problem number one that I have with Epic is that the directions for obtaining a healthy mouth include using Epic products six times per day. Yes, six. The manufacturer stresses that you can choose the combination of products to add up to six, but I don’t like requirements on my gum and candy. I do, however, love sugar-free gum, especially in pellet form, and was quite excited to give the four flavors a try.

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Hershey’s has some great candy hitting stores during the rest of 2008. We’ve already reviewed some of them and thanks to Hershey and the All Candy Expo, we have samples of many of these so look for reviews of these soon. Here is some quick info on the upcoming candy from Hershey.

• Hershey’s Bliss™ – Hershey’s Bliss individually wrapped chocolates feature a smooth, creamy texture for an indulgent personal chocolate experience. Hershey’s Bliss is now available in Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate with a Meltaway Center. Hershey’s Bliss chocolate will welcome Raspberry with Meltaway Center to its line in December 2008.
  Candy Addict’s review of Hershey’s Bliss
• Starbucks Chocolate™ – When coffee dreams, it dreams of chocolate.™ Distinctive, artistic and handcrafted, Starbucks Chocolate combines the highest quality chocolate with Starbucks® coffee, tea and coffeehouse flavors. Product offerings include: truffles, tasting squares, signature bars, and chocolate-covered coffee beans. Now available where groceries are sold.
  Candy Addict’s review of Starbucks Chocolate
• Twizzlers® Pull-n-Peel® Cinnamon Fire Candy – New hot cinnamon flavored Twizzlers offer consumers a bigger, bolder licorice flavor. Now available.
  Candy Addict’s review of Twizzlers® Pull-n-Peel® Cinnamon Fire Candy
• Reese’s® Select Clusters – Reese’s Select Clusters wrap pecans, peanuts, peanut butter and caramel in milk chocolate. Individually wrapped, Reese’s Select Clusters will be available in August 2008.
• Hershey®’s All Natural Extra Dark Chocolate with Pomegranate and Infused with Raspberry Flavor Assortment – Hershey’s Extra Dark delivers velvety smooth, rich dark chocolate from a select blend of cacao beans for just the right balance of taste, aroma and sweetness. The line will add two new flavors including Pomegranate tasting squares in June 2008 and a Raspberry-infused flavor assortment in December 2008.
• Cacao Reserve by Hershey’s® Truffle Crunch – The latest addition to the Cacao Reserve by Hershey’s chocolate line, Truffle Crunch delivers a three-layer tasting experience that begins with an intense outer layer of rich chocolate surrounding a silky center of creamy chocolate and delicate cacao bits from the heart of the cacao bean. It’s a deliciously unexpected flavor adventure in 35 percent Milk Chocolate and 65 percent Dark Chocolate. Available August 2008.
• Jolly Rancher® Doubles – A new twist on Jolly Ranchers, Jolly Rancher Doubles combines two bold Jolly Rancher flavors. Combinations include: Cherry-Orange, Grape-Apple and Blue Raspberry-Watermelon. Now available.
• Good ‘N Fiery™ Candy – A new twist on an old favorite. The Good ‘N Plenty® and Good ‘N Fruity® family will welcome a new member with a hot cinnamon flavor – Good ‘N Fiery. Available December 2008.
• Hershey®’s S’mores Snacksters® – The Hershey’s Snacksters line expands with the addition of Hershey’s S’mores Snacksters – a delicious combination of graham cracker cereal squares, mini marshmallows and Hershey’s Milk Chocolate chips housed in 100 calorie packages. Available June 2008.
• Ice Breakers BURN™ Mints – A new mint variety will join the Ice Breakers wellness line delivering a combination of flavors and ingredients designed to enhance the mind, body and spirit. The Peach-Mango flavored Ice Breakers BURN Mints provide a unique, tasty way to add the B complex vitamins of Thiamin, Niacin, B5 and B6 to the day. Available June 2008.
• Ice Breakers® Chewy Sours – New Ice Breakers Chewy Sours deliver an intense sour flavor and exhilarating mouth experience. The soft, chewy fruit-crystal center is wrapped in a crunchy candy shell. Sugar-free Ice Breakers Chewy Sours will be available in two flavors: Strawberry and Pomegranate Lemonade. Available June 2008.
• Ice Breakers® Ice Cubes® White Chewing Gum – The power of whitening gum will bring an extra blast to the cool cube shape of Ice Breakers Ice Cubes Chewing Gum. Frosted with a proprietary process, the sugar-free gum is an extra-cold, refreshing alternative to stick and shell gums. The cool cube shape, reflective of an ice cube, reinforces its refreshing, ultra-cold and now teeth-whitening benefits. Ice Breakers Ice Cubes White Chewing Gum will be available in Wintergreen Splash and Mango Kiwi Cooler flavors. Available December 2008.
• Breath Savers® Strong Mint Menthol and Energy Mint Caffeine – The popular and powerful Breath Savers Mints adds two new varieties. Breath Savers Strong Mint Menthol takes breath freshening to a new level while Breath Savers Strong Energy Mint Caffeine offers a “boast of energy” with a touch of caffeine. Available December 2008.

Reading through this list of upcoming candy from Hershey makes my mouth water!

• Hershey’s coverage at Candy Addict
• Review of Hershey’s Bliss
• Review of Starbucks Chocolate
• Review of Fire Twizzlers
• Hershey’s website

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