Another guest review from our friend Laura Kaspick.

Like fellow Candy Addicts Caitlin, Robbie, and Laurie, I recently had the pleasure of attending the All Candy Expo. One of the products I was most excited to get my hands on was the Limited Edition Coconut M&M’s. As soon as the show floor opened, I eagerly made my way to the Mars booth to get myself a sample. Imagine my disappointment when I was told they wouldn’t be available at the Expo! Although I did recover (it’s pretty tough to be in a bad mood when surrounded by free candy), I was still thinking about my loss when I attended a Mars press conference later that day.

Midway through the presentation, Mars president Todd Lachman turned his focus to upcoming product releases, including the Coconut M&M’s. I half tuned him out as I wasn’t interested in hearing about Coconut M&M’s, I was interested in eating Coconut M&M’s! But I quickly snapped to attention when I heard “…and actually, here in my pocket, I happen to have a sample…” and then which lucky member of the audience do you think he threw them to??? ME!!!! I couldn’t believe my good fortune, and now I am going to share my good fortune with you by telling you what you have to look forward to when they come out this summer.

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Though a new limited edition flavor of M&M’s is nothing out of the ordinary, I was surprised by Mars’ latest release of Strawberried Peanut Butter M&M’s, an upcoming promotion for the newest Transformers film.

When I think of limited edition M&M’s, I immediately think of variations on either the original or peanut variety. In fact, I was so expecting this to be the peanut sort that it wasn’t until after I tasted them that I asked myself “Where’s the peanut?”

You rarely see Mars play with the almond or peanut butter M&M’s flavors, leaving all their marketing and sales to the more popular varieties. I mean, I can’t even remember the last time I saw a commercial for peanut butter M&M’s. So when I discovered it was one of their less-advertised flavors that was being given a limited edition makeover, I was pleasantly surprised.

I picked up a complimentary bag of these at the All Candy Expo, but I have also seen them in drugstores, so they’re readily available for purchase.

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This trip is a first for many things for me. It’s my first time in Chicago, the first time at an expo, the first time I met Caitlin and Laurie in person (both so awesome), and the first time I have ever wondered if there is such a thing as too much candy.

I mean there is just a ridiculous amount here. After weighing my haul from yesterday, I came back with 38 pounds. 38! That’s like a small dog. And it’s only day one!

There’s a lot to talk about, but only so much I can write in brief, so here are a few highlights:

• M&M’s coconut will be debuting as a limited release this summer
• Snickers Fudge will be out in August
• Newest flavor craze could be cherimoya/guabana
• Smaller packaging is in

Those were the big things I think you should know before anything else, and when I get home this weekend, I’ll write something in length and mention the noteworthy products I sampled and what else to look forward to. For now, it’s back to the floor and even more candy!

One of the all-time favorite Easter candies is also one of the simplest: a solid chocolate egg, coated, M&M’s-style, in a crisp candy coating. And, as is so often the case, it’s that deceptive simplicity that makes the Mini Egg so hard to duplicate: the subtle, yet unique flavors of the chocolate and shell are so integral to the Mini Egg experience that no other brand can quite capture it. Not that that’s stopped them from trying, though. In addition to Hershey’s Eggies and various no-name brands, Mini Eggs now have yet another imitator: M&M’s Speck-tacular Eggs.

In addition to that not-so “speck-tacular” pun in the name, there’s definitely something ironic about M&M’s competing with a product that is, in a roundabout way, a rip-off of M&M’s. It’s like when The Simpsons got more raunchy in order to compete with Family Guy, which itself started as a rip-off of The Simpsons… anyhoo, moving along….

The bag design is a little odd, with its tiny M&M’s logo and the name of the product printed even smaller than that. The yellow banner advertising M&M’s “Join the Hunt” contest is bigger and more eye-catching than the logo. What’s more important here? And I had to look at Red and Yellow there for a few minutes before I realized that they were coming out of an Easter bunny suit, and Yellow wasn’t just randomly carrying around a severed Easter bunny head. At least the eggs on the bag are printed nice and big, so there’s no doubt about the package contents.

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Candy: good. Ice cream: good. Combining the two: freaking awesome! For the third year, Baskin-Robbins has created a line of limited edition candy bar-inspired flavors and creations to add to their already substantial lineup.

Through May 3, 2009 you can enjoy two of your favorite candies, Snickers and M&M’s, combined with ice cream at Baskin-Robbins. From sundaes to shakes and cakes, you’re bound to find a combo that tickles your sweet tooth. Check out the website for some of their creations, and be sure to pop down to your local Baskin-Robbins to enjoy the sweet treats!

• Candy Bar Madness at Baskin-Robbins