Categories: Candy, Candy Reviews, Foreign (non-US) Candy, Holiday Candy, Lollipops, Novelty Candy
It’s finally October, fellow Candy Addicts, and we all know what that means! Halloween, the best holiday ever, will soon be upon us. Halloween not only marks the opening of “candy season” here in the U.S. but it also allows the shelves of our favorite stores to be filled up with treats to tie us over in the meantime.
I went out in search of some of these early Halloween candies and rounded up a few to share with you here. Isn’t it nice of me to do all the foot work for you? I certainly plan on putting this knowledge to good use: making sure I greet Halloween properly with a sugar-induced coma!
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Categories: Candy, Candy Reviews, Foreign (non-US) Candy, Limited Edition Candy
Pocky, just like all the other candies in the market, is showing off it’s latest and greatest new flavor: “Tsubu Tsubu Strawberry”. The “Tsubu Tsubu” in the name is a Japanese onomatopoeia referencing the chunks of strawberry flesh in the flavored coating. There was a different “Tsubu Tsubu” Pocky last winter as well as a Kitkat. Each box contains 4 packets of 6 sticks, and opens on the side, which is a new design for Pocky’s boxes.
The coating is beautiful with bright pink and red flecks of strawberry flesh. I’d call this Pocky “normal” type because there’s not a lot of strawberry coating on the stick. What is on there, though, is very flavorful: of sweet and intense strawberry. I found the sticks dry because there’s not a lot of coating to balance out the biscuit. This is better than last year’s “tsubu tsubu” Pocky because last year’s strawberry pieces were so big it hurt your mouth when you ate it. It really scratched the roof of your mouth.
I find I miss the heavier Pocky coating of the mousse and Decorer lines. Yes, I am spoiled. Despite that, this is a really delicious flavor, so try it out before it disappears!
Buy Strawberry Pocky online:
Keywords: japan, japanese
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Categories: Candy, Chocolate Candy, Foreign (non-US) Candy
One thing that makes the long winter months a little more bearable is knowing that Pocky will release new flavors in its “Mousse” line. This year is no different, as they offer the standard chocolate, white, and green tea flavors with the newcomers being “bitter” chocolate and berry. Inside each box you’ll find 3 packets of 4 sticks each. The mousse coating is thick and “whipped” (according to the box) yet I find it’s not very mousse-like in texture at all. I think part of the reason is they’re trying to go for a larger coating-to-biscuit ratio with this series, smaller than Decorer, yet larger than the “regular” Pocky. The biscuit stick breaks easily, so you have to be careful eating it unless you don’t mind using two hands.
White: The texture is very smooth and a bit greasy. I’m not getting a white chocolate flavor at all, but more of sweetness with a dairy-like tang to it. The sweetness makes it tasty nevertheless. The box claims it’s made with German cream cheese and French milk, so that would explain the dairy taste. The biscuit is crunchy and has a subtle cracker-like flavor. Compared to the coating, it comes across a maybe a teeny bit salty. It provides a good contrast to the taste and texture of the “mousse” coating. Overall, this flavor is only so-so.
Berry: The color is a lovely medium pink/lavender color and has a light, very berry flavor. It’s a mix of raspberry and blueberry mostly. It reminds me of a light, refreshing sherbet. The coating is creamy and again, a little greasy in texture. The berry flavor really brings out a vanilla flavor in the biscuit stick. I really love this flavor, so fresh and sweet! Definitely pick this one up.
I find myself unable to refrain from immediately chewing the biscuit in the “Mousse” flavors, which results in bits getting stuck in your teeth. My favorite was to eat this kind of Pocky is to lick the coating away and then munch the stick. MMmmm, yummy!
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More candy articles about: candy, sweets, Pocky, mousse, Japan, Japanese, berry, chocolate
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Categories: Candy, Candy Reviews, Chocolate Candy, Foreign (non-US) Candy
I couldn’t help but notice this beautiful new box of Pocky on the shelf at my local asian mart. The shiny silver package with the thick cocoa dusted Pocky sticks and the large kanji reading “winter” called to me: “Hey! I’m yummy and I’m only around for a limited time this winter!” Not able to resist its charms, the Pocky found a home in my shopping cart.
Each packet of this Pocky contains 6 sticks. My first thoughts were how the sticks don’t really have the full cocoa coating as illustrated on the box, as it’s really more of a light dusting. I was lied to! The other thing I immediately notice is how thick the chocolate coating is layered on. It’s easily three times the amount of normal Pocky but not as much as Decorer. This Pocky smells of a dark, intense bitter chocolate. The kind that makes you want to immediately grab a glass of milk.
This is by far the most delicious Pocky I have ever tasted. I am in love! It’s like eating fudge on a stick, I kid you not! The chocolate, as the smell suggested, is bittersweet and the light cocoa dusting compliments it so very well. The chocolate is really thick and it coats your tongue when you lick it. This makes each stick very time-intensive to eat (unless you like to bite and chew your Pocky).
I inhaled my box of these so fast. I hope my Asian mart has more so I can stock up on them so I have a stash until the return next winter. They are seasonal after all.
Buy Pocky online:
More candy articles about: candy, sweets, Pocky, Japan, Japanese, cocoa, chocolate
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Categories: Awesomely Addictive Candy, Candy, Candy Reviews, Chocolate Candy, Foreign (non-US) Candy, Limited Edition Candy
Is it just me, or does this limited edition KitKat from Japan sound like an iPod accessory? Thankfully it’s not, as it would be both expensive and not a tasty candy bar.
The iStick KitKat was a summer release and unlike the other varieties, was found in the freezer section of stores. It is meant to be eaten cold. No rules apply though, you can eat an iStick at room temperature if you’d like. I didn’t eat my first one cold and I quickly found out why. The chocolate is so rich that it melts rather quickly in your hands, making one big delicious mess. Other than temperature preferences, the iStick is very different from all the other Kitkats.
The size is perfect, the in-between of a BigKat (or what they now call the KitKat Chunky) and a normal KitKat. Each finger 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide and one package comes with two fingers in it rather than one or four. The rest of the makeup of the iStick is identical to a regular KitKat, except for the top of the bar where the wafers have been removed and a layer of fudge replaces it. Yeah, you heard me. A KitKat with a fudge layer in it. I am officially in heaven.
The taste? Wow, just wow! It is incredibly chocolatey, I could hardly believe it. It’s like eating brownie batter! The fudge layer is a lot larger than the box illustration lets on. It can take up to 1/2 of the inside of this KitKat, and boy can you really taste it! The fudge and wafers balance perfect texture-wise, and the smooth chocolate coating just adds another level of bliss. The size is perfect for eating too: not to big, not too small. It’s Ddefinitely one of my favorite KitKat bars EVER! I wish they’d make something like this in the U.S., I think it’d be really popular. I give it the Candy Addict Awesomely Addictive Candy Award!
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Categories: Candy, Candy Reviews, Chocolate Candy, Foreign (non-US) Candy
Happy White Day everyone! Whether you know it or not, today is a day when men who were given chocolate by women on Valentines Day return the favor. So of course Glico has released a set of Decorer Pocky especially for these two love oriented days. Now getting a gift for your special someone is just a convenience store away. How could you resist this classic and convenient treat with it’s pretty box decorated with hearts, to show your affection?
We’re all familiar with Decorer Pocky and these two newcomers are no different in format but are very different in flavor:
Chocolate: The chocolate is flavorful, but not overly so. I was expecting an overload of chocolate because the coating looks so rich and thick. How misleading! Aside from that, it’s a good mild chocolate which is very thick and creamy and melts well in your mouth.
Peach: Tastes of “white peach” that you often find in juice and fruit gummi. It’s very fresh and not artificial tasting at all. The flavor is light, fruity and sweet with floral notes to it. It’s amazing how different the flavor is from the US versions. Very tasty.
I recommend picking these up if you see them, regardless if you’re buying them for yourself, that special someone, or are lucky enough to receive “in thanks” as I did.
Buy Decorer Pocky online:
More candy articles about: candy, sweets, Japan, Japanese, foreign, Pocky, chocolate, peach
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Categories: Candy, Chocolate Candy, Foreign (non-US) Candy
Spring is approaching (well, for some of us anyways) and no one understands this better than the Japanese. The cherry blossoms (sakura) will be in bloom followed by the intense and dreaded college entrance exams that many Japanese students study so hard for.
Parents of these students express their support buy buying them chocolate in the form of Kitkats! They do this because the the name of Kitkat in Japan “Kitto Katsu” translates to “you shall surely win/be victorious”. The Japanese love plays on words and puns, so of course they see KitKat as a very auspicious chocolate bar. Nestle (who makes KitKats in Japan, not Hershey) noticed the increased demand for the candy and has happily complied. They even released a limited edition Sakura Kitkat last year especially for the occasion.
More candy articles about: candy, sweets, kitkat, kitkats, Kit Kat, Kit Kats, Japan, Japanese, good luck, chocolate
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Categories: Candy, Candy Games, Foreign (non-US) Candy
You Are Green Tea Pocky
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Your attitude: natural and zen
Peaceful yet full of life. Deep and thoughtful.
You’re halfway to tantric bliss!
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I’ve always enjoyed filling out the hundreds of online quizzes that exist on the internet. Luckily, I’ve finally found one that suited for all us Candy Addicts: The What Flavor of Pocky Are You Quiz! I’ve never thought about candy philosophically in terms of assigning personalities to it or visa versa. Maybe the idea spawned from a Pocky induced sugar rush?
In any case, this Pocky Quiz is so much fun! Are you Chocolate Pocky? Strawberry? Decorer? As you can tell from the image above, I am Green Tea Pocky. I don’t think that it completely sounds like me, but Green Tea Pocky is yummy, so who am I to argue?
More candy articles about: candy, sweets, pocky, quiz, fun, foreign, chocolate, Japan, Japanese
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Categories: Candy, Candy Reviews, Chocolate Candy, Foreign (non-US) Candy
Pocky, for those of you who are unfamiliar, is one of the most popular candies in Japan. It’s basically a long thin biscuit stick that has a flavored frosting coating covering one end. In the past decade it has been increasing in popularity in the US. Many varieties and flavors exist with chocolate being the standard. The name “Pocky” references the the “poc” sound the candy makes when you bite it. Pretty neat huh?
“Just like a decoration cake on a stick!” chirps the label on the packet. The Decorer Pocky is the biggest and thickest of all the Pocky, mainly due to two layers of frosted coating on the biscuit stick. The top layer is very artfully applied and it does look like cake frosting in a very removed way. Each packet inside the box contains 4 packets of only 3 sticks (unlike the other types of Pocky which give you 4 or more per packet) and is a little deceiving in terms of satisfaction. They’re more satisfying than they seem! I like the Decorer Pocky line simply because there’s “more” of an already good thing and it takes a long time to eat.
The Decorer I tried was the new fall 2006 flavors:
Mild Grape: The bottom layer is a mild chocolate while the “decor” layer is grape flavored. The stick itself is pretty, with the light lavender of the grape against the creamy brown chocolate. The taste is very good, which says a lot of since I’ve never especially been a fan of grape flavored candy. The closest thing I can relate it to is a grape flavored Tootsie Pop, just as you manage to get both the flavors of the coating with the chocolate chew. There’s also a very tangy aftertaste which I can’t quite put my finger on.
Apple: The bottom layer is a white-yellow colored white chocolate with a faint buttery apple flavor while the “decor” layer is light brown and flecked with cinnamon. The texture is creamy while the overall flavor is light and delicate. I was expecting more of a straight apple flavor and instead I got apple pie a la mode. The cinnamon is beautifully worked in. Lovely surprise!
Overall, these are very delicious and refreshing fruity flavors. I’d recommend the Decorer line to any Pocky fans out there, as well as those of us who love frosting and eat cake just for the icing.
Buy Decorer Pocky online:
More candy articles about: candy, sweets, Pocky, Japan, Japanese, fruit, grape, apple, chocolate
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Categories: Awesomely Addictive Candy, Candy, Candy Reviews, Chocolate Candy, Foreign (non-US) Candy
I finally picked up a box of Pocky for $1.00 at my local Asian Market yesterday. I have seen it many times and have always been curious what it was like. It comes in a bright red box labeled “Pocky,” and it has what looks like a bunch of sticks pictured on the front. There are many flavors (including some bizarre limited edition ones), but I picked up the basic “Chocolate Flavour.” It is by Thai Glico Co Ltd (the makers of Collon), and the package states that it is a “Super Snack.”
“Super Snack” is an excellent description of these delicious treats. As I got into my car after leaving the Asian Market, I opened up the box and the foil wrapper inside. I grabbed a Chocolate Pocky stick and crunched down on it. MMMMMmmm! DANG! It was GREAT! It was like a crunchy shortbread dipped in sweet chocolate.
The market is only 2 miles from my house but I downed half the box by that time. One Pocky after the other. Boom boom boom. They are so delicious and deserving of our Awesomely Addictive award! I somehow controlled myself until 1 minute before writing this article. I saved 2 out of the 20 or so sticks that were in the box, but they are now gone.
The ingredients list is very short: wheat flour, sugar, tapioca flour, palm oil, milk, salt, and artificial chocolate flavor - nothing weird or scary included. Even though the chocolate is “artificial” it tastes really good, especially when combined with the crunchy sticks. I can’t say a single negative thing about Pocky except maybe that they are too easy to eat.
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More candy articles about: candy, sweets, chocolate, Pocky, Asian, snack, snacks, Japan, Japanese
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