Right now you’re probably wondering why Candy Addict would be reviewing something called Hobo Beans in the first place. Well, if you’ve been reading us for any amount of time you’ll recognize the name Archie McPhee and a light bulb will go off above your head (not literally, but you get the idea). From bacon mints to gummi haggis, they bring the “weird” to “weird candy.”

Hobo Beans are actually nothing more or less than maple flavored jelly beans. Now, I love jelly beans. I also love maple candy. A combination of the two would have to be delightful, right?

Well, not quite. Mind you, I’m not saying these are horrible, they just aren’t… you know… good. Oh, sure, they smell like maple when you first rip off the plastic wrap, but when it comes to taste they fall far short. The closest they come to maple flavor is a vague sense of almost maple-ness - which isn’t surprising considering the source of the flavor, according to the ingredient list: “artificial maple flavor.” Yeah, no kidding! Instead of sporting any one specific flavor, these have more of a general sweetness followed by a strange tartness that comes through after chewing and right before swallowing.

I can’t say I’ll be rushing out to buy these any time soon, but I do have to admit that the mini can they come in is pretty cute. If you’re a tin/can fan, then by all means grab one for your collection… but forgo the beans themselves. Of course, I’m sure your friendly neighborhood Hobo would probably appreciate them greatly!

• Hobo Beans at Archie McPhee

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(picture courtesy of niftycandy.com)

In 1976, “Candyman” David Klein came up with the idea of a gourmet jelly bean that featured a then-unique fruit flavored jelly interior. He approached the Goelitz Candy Company and together they created one of the finest manifestations of sugar in the history of the universe, Jelly Belly jellybeans. Considering that Jelly Bellys have figured prominently in my young Addict life (in my youth, they brightened many a dreary Cleveland Sunday and they literally accompanied me to every single one of my Intro to Philosophy classes in college), I was thrilled (and a little star struck) when recently granted the opportunity to ask 10 (or so) questions of their creator.

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Nestle/Wonka doesn’t have a lot on the way for us in 2008, but what they do have packs a punch:

• Wonka Giant Chewy Nerds - we reviewed Giant Chewy Nerds already and they are fan-freakin-tastic. In stores now for $0.69-$0.89.
• Wonka Tinglerz - Remember Nestle Buncha Crunch? They were small, bite-sized pieces (globs) of Nestle chocolate and crisped rice. Imagine those but now add in popping candy and you have Wonka Tinglerz. We tried them at the All Candy Expo and they were quite good. Look for a full review from us soon (we have pre-release bags of them in hand) and look for them in stores around the end of September, 2008 at a price of $0.69-$0.89 fro a 1.8 oz bag.
• Nestle Chunky Dark Giant - A 4.5 oz dark chocolate bar with peanuts and raisins and scored into four pieces. “Great to share.” Available end of September, 2008 for a retail price of about $1.29.

• Wonka at Candy Addict
• Nestle at Candy Addict
• nestle.com
• wonka.com

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(idea blatantly stolen from Manoverse’s Manly Beans)
How could we not? Thanks to a little help from the Candy Addict staff, we are now able to offer the women of the world equal opportunity indulging. Because we’re more sensitive, some of our flavors might be a little more abstract than their manly jelly bean counterparts but, hey, that’s what works for us.

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Superman. Superglue. Supersize. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. When you throw the word “super” onto the front end of an otherwise unassuming word you’re really setting a high standard for whatever follows. It goes without saying that had better be an exceptional male, unparalleled adhesive, mammoth girth, and phenomenal califragilisticexpiali – well, you get my drift. So, understandably, I had some pretty high expectations for the descriptively named Emily’s Super Sour No Belly Sugar Free Jelly Beans.

Now, I’m not an insanely crazy sour fanatic. I’m more of a middle-of-the-road sour fan. I like red and orange Sour Patch Kids, for example, but not really green, and definitely not yellow. So when my sour-dusted shipment of No Belly Jelly Beans arrived directly from Can You Imagine That! Confections/The Sandy Candy Factory I was fearful that these self-proclaimed Super Sours might even be too much for my tender palate. I was mightily surprised then, when I opened the bag and was not greeted by an overwhelming sour aroma. Not even a hint of that citric Sour Patch scent that induces uncontrollable face-puckering and Pavlovian salivating.

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Bertie Bott and Beanboozled have nothing on these beans.

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Is there anything sweeter in this universe to look at than George Clooney’s beautiful mug? (Ladies, am I right?) Well there is one thing, it turns out, thanks to the Jelly Belly Candy Company. The gourmet jelly bean manufacturer commissioned artist Roger Rocha to create a mosaic likeness of the Academy Award winning actor using 10,000 of their tasty little beans. And the two-time “Sexiest Man Alive” has never looked so delicious, featuring Cotton Candy cheeks, Buttered Popcorn highlights, Cantaloupe laugh lines, and Coconut teeth. Really gives unprecedented meaning to the notion of “eye candy,” huh?

The artwork - and generous gift to female Candy Addicts the world over - was on display at Jelly Belly’s gifting suite at the Luxe Hotel in Beverly Hills for the duration of Oscar week, where it was to remain until its donation to a charity of Clooney’s choosing. On an unrelated side note, all of my paperwork for nonprofit status has been filed.

A little research quickly revealed that Jelly Belly has a history of bean portraiture, much of which is displayed in their online gallery. From “Famous People” and “Icons & Other Cool Stuff” to “American Historical and Political Figures,” there’s a little something for everyone here, but none make me salivate in quite the same way as the former TV doctor.

• Jelly Belly Museum of Bean Art

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Eating is a very complicated pastime when you think about it. Depending on the situation it can be a very social thing: you could easily be sharing a dinner with friends, out for an afternoon coffee break with co-workers or hosting a potluck party with family. While it’s easy to make daily meals more social, I find that when we treat ourselves with chocolate or candy, it usually tends to be a very solitary activity. There’s lots of reasons for this; maybe your friends or special someone don’t love chocolate like you do, perhaps you don’t want anyone to see you secretly indulge your sweet tooth, or hey, maybe you’re like me and don’t want anyone to notice so you’d have to share. Regardless of the reason, candy consumption can be pretty lonely, and usually in a good way. This is why, when Jelly Belly released its new box of BeanBoozled jelly beans, I was excited to give them a try.

How does eating these BeanBoozled beans relate to social activity you ask? Well, when you look at it, BeanBoozled is more of a game than anything else really, because in essence it’s an edible version of Russian Roulette. Picture this: in the box there are 10 different colored beans with 20 different flavors. The flavor can be a tasty one like buttered popcorn, plum, juicy pear or cafe latte. On the other hand, the flavor could be not so enticing: vomit, skunk spray, pencil shavings or baby wipes (just to name a few). See where this is heading?

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Easter has come and gone, but in the sale aisle of your favorite store it is still alive and well. All Candy Addicts know this magical time of year: the Easter candy sales! I of course was armed and ready for the big day. I mean really, how can you resist an activity that allows you the thrill of the easter egg hunt, the control of the Easter Bunny, and the sweet reward of the Easter basket all in one go? Get thee to the sale aisle!

I went with a plan of action this year. Normally, I just scout for my favorites and get the stockpile ready in my secret candy bunker, but I decided to go with a different plan this year. I still felt the need for something new. I immediately zeroed in on the idea of jelly beans. Why? Well, when you think about it, how can you go wrong with jelly beans? So I decided to pick up a bag of any of the different types I could find.

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I know, I know, more jellybeans (I just reviewed the Starburst Sour Jellybeans), but can you blame me? When you find the right jellybean, it’s the perfect combination of crunch and chew and sugary goodness! So, when Candy Addict’s very own Brian professed that Nerds Bumpy Jellybeans are his favorite Easter candy this year, I knew I had to try them. First, if Brian says they are good, then the probability that this is true is extremely high. Second, I am a fan of Nerds, especially of Nerds rope, because you get that crunchy and chewy dual bang with the rope. Do you see where I am headed?

I won’t keep you in suspense - these Nerds Bumpy Jellybeans are keepers. They are kooky and bizarre and incredibly tasty! There are five flavors. The flavors aren’t listed on the packaging, but you can guess that they are the usual suspects: red (strawberry), yellow (lemon), orange (you guessed it, orange), green (watermelon), and purple (grape). As indicated by the descriptive title, these beans sport bumpy exteriors, which makes them a little odd looking and even a tad ugly, but who cares! They rock! The hard candy shell is crunchy but won’t break your teeth. The interior is chewy but smooth, and there’s a perfect balance between crunch and chew.

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