Hershey Bliss- Milk Chocolate

Bliss seems to be Hershey's answer to the Dove collection. The pieces even look like Dove Promises.

But, the big question is do they taste like Dove Promises?

The answer is sadly, no. But as far as Hershey's chocolate go the Bliss pieces are pretty good. I was hoping this would be bite sized pieces of Symphony chocolate, but it is not that either. The Bliss is not nearly as milky as the Symphony but it does share the same creamy, even melt. The texture is rich and smooth (none of the sugary grit that Hershey is known for). The flavor is sweet, a little too sweet for me. The after taste however is good. A nice deep cocoa.

I would never choose this over just about any other premium chocolate you could name but it is one of the best products Hershey's is currently offering.

PURCHASED FROM:
Publix Supermarket

Stouffers Lean Cuisine Panini- Chicken, Mushroom & Spinach

Since I liked the Smoked Turkey Club so much my friend suggested I try this


The package blurb says the panini's contain:
Grilled white meat chicken strips with spinach,mushrooms,roasted red peppers, three cheeses and a cheese sauce on Italian bread

Just like with it's full calorie cousin the bread came out nice and toasty. The roasted red peppers are great! smokey and moist. The chicken is juicy and the cheese is melty. It is also not nearly as salty as the main line. These are so good they might even pass for freshly made rather then frozen.
I also never would have guessed this was a Lean Cuisine.

This one product alone has made me want to give the brand another shot.

Thanks Amy I loved it!!

PURCHASED FROM:
Kroger Supermarket (Ralph's depending on where you are)

Orville Redenbacher's Natural- Buttery Salt & Cracked Pepper

What ever happened to Orville Grandson Gary?- and why do I even remember him?

Well a Google search turned up that he is now a very respected attorney so good for him.
I picked up a box of the Buttery Salt & Cracked Pepper corn because I love anything that features pepper- yes, I know I could easily just sprinkle the pepper on myself but that takes away the fun of the review doesn't it?
So I got myself a box of the popcorn...

First thing I noticed is that the bags are Mini bags rather then full sized. I liked that. In my microwave anyway the mini bags pop much better and I never finish a large bag anyway so the smaller portion saved on waste.

I think I can safely say this is the best microwaved popcorn I have ever had. The popcorn it's self is plump and crisp. The butter actually manages to taste like butter- without being greasy or artificial. The salt is well balanced and if you like pepper (and I do) you will love this because the pepper is generous, there is no missing it or barely a hint. The pepper is the strongest flavor. I could see where people who aren't as big of a fan of pepper as I am may be overwhelmed but I loved it.

I will definitely be checking out the rest of the naturals line.

PURCHASED FROM:
Kroger (Ralph's depending on your location)

Special K Bliss Bar- Orange

Talk about truthiness in advertising!

I have been trying to give Special K a second shot. Somewhere along the line I decided that the cereal was a little on the bland side for me and I have avoided it for years. But I have been making a point of giving things a second chance.

I cheated and started out with these bars rather then the cereal.
The bars are the size of a Kudos bar and is made of Special K multi-grain cereal and small segments of dried mandarin orange. The bottom of the bars are enrobed in chocolate.

These bars are delicious! the texture is more like that of a Rice Crispy Treat then a cereal or granola bar (that is a HUGE selling point for me). The chocolate on the bottom is a respectable amount and it is a decent semi-sweet (reminded me a lot of Toll House Morsels actually). The star of the show hands down would be the oranges! they are sweet and tart and still retain some moistness (sort of like a dried apricot) I think orange is one of the most under used flavors at the moment and I hope that enough people flock to this bar to inspire more orange snacks.

OOOH! and before I forget each bar is only 90 calories! (no, that does not mean you can eat 3 of them in a row... not that I did that)
I LOVED these!!

PURCHASED FROM:
Kroger (Ralph's depending on your location)

A & W Float

Because actually scooping ice cream into root beer can just take too long some times!

I never really thought that actually making a root beer float was such a production that it merited a ready made version but someone some where did and now the world has this drink.

The smell of the drink is sort of like root beer and vanilla frosting, it's actually a rather pleasant smell.

The "ice cream" portion of the drink comes via skim milk and cream, it does create a somewhat dairy like taste but it more like the kind you get out of say a can of Slim Fast or Ensure. The mouth feel is creamy though with just the barest amount of carbonation possible to not be considered flat.

So what does it taste like?:
If a root beer hard candy and a Cream Saver had a baby it tastes like a liquid version of that. As a root beer drink it's not bad. Personally it is too sweet for my taste but I would drink one from time to time. It does have the chemical aftertaste from hell though. 15 minutes after the fact and it has not died down yet.

There is no comparing this to a real root beer float. All the best parts of the float experience are missing. There is none of that great 'crust' that forms between the root beer and the ice cream. No little islands of unmelted ice cream. None of the fun of licking off the foam from the top. No, great idea but I think I am going to stick to the old school version!

PURCHASED FROM:
Publix Supermarket

Stouffer's Smoked Turkey Club Panini

Melted cheese AND bacon?- sign me up!

I wasn't entirely sure I was going to like this. Heat and Eat products with poultry or meat can be scary. Sometimes the turkey can be plasticy and bacon can be turned into a fatty greasy mess.

I wanted something different so I tried it anyway. Have to say it wasn't half bad.
Thanks to the modern magic of foil lined boxes the sourdough toast that the panini is made with actually was toasty- even when made in the microwave!
The turkey was ok, no it is not like having freshly roasted turkey. But it was about as good as it can be for frozen turkey. The bacon is waaay to salty but it is pliable and reasonably lean. The Swiss cheese comes in the form of a sauce. It actually reminded me of really, really thick Alfredo sauce.

You "grill" the halves of the panini separately, it does cause everything to run together on the halves. I know that for a lot of people that would not be a selling point, but it works for me.

It's salty, it's overly processed and it's way to cheesy. But I still liked it. No it is not good for you. Yes, there are certainly tastier things you could and should have for dinner. But if like me you are getting off a 10 hour shift, it's after midnight and the thoughts of ordering dinner from a clowns mouth or actually cooking something (and YES that would no question be better by far) make you think a case of Ensure would be a viable option, this would not be the worst choice you could make.

PURCHASED FROM:
Kroger (Ralph's depending on your location)

Honey Bunches Of Oats- With Chocolate Clusters

I love Honey Bunches Of Oats- honestly it is one of the best cereals of all time



I wasn't sure I was going to like it. I love the thought of chocolate cereal but I never end up actually like it. It tends to be too fake, too sweet. HBoO's managed to avoid that. The cereal had the classic flakes you expect but some of them are coated in a deep cocoa like chocolate (rather then say the milk chocolate like flavor of Count Chocula) and the oat bunches are also covered in the chocolate. Just enough chocolate to give some depth (and some chocolaty milk!)

Not sure I could see this as a breakfast food but it made for a snack that was both filling and satisfied my sweet tooth.

PURCHASED FROM:
Publix Supermarket

Hillside Coffee- Mocha Latte

I don't think Starbucks has anything to worry about

Since the plain hot chocolate proved to be decent I decided to give one of Hillsides self heating coffee's a try.

I picked the Mocha Latte. I chose that because I find mocha lattes to be pretty forgiving, even if the coffee is bad the chocolate will at least mask it a little.

That was a really good theory. The reality however is that no amount of chocolate was going to help. Once again the self heating can took it's sweet time to heat but it did eventually get there. The coffee it's self reminds me lot of the sludge that comes out of those machines you used to see at hospitals. Yeah, it's coffee in the sense that it does contain coffee beans and water- but you don't know how old the beans were and how often they had been brewed. The Mocha tastes an awful lot like those powdered coffee drink mixes- only not as good. Keep all that in mind and just for fun toss in an aftertaste that is best described as gasoline.

If you guessed that I didn't like this very much you guessed right. Even the rankest of gas station mud is better then this.

PURCHASED FROM:
Kroger (Ralph's depending on your location)
But also seen at Wal*Mart

Klondike Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches

Maybe we shouldn't talk about what I would do for one of these Klondike bars!
I like to think I have a fairly decent sense of self control. I don't deny myself- but I also don't over indulge. There are however A few things out there that I really have to watch myself with because I WILL go through the entire package in an embarrassingly fast amount of time. These Oreo ice cream treats are at the top of that list.

The sandwiches are made up of Oreo cookie ice cream capped off my two Oreo wafers. If you are lucky the wafers are just slightly soft and the ice cream just a little melty- that combination of texture and flavors is sinfully good. Don't get me wrong they are still good if both the wafers or the ice creamer is firmer- I just happen to have a thing for when the wafer gets soft and almost crumbly.

To be honest I am not sure what makes these sandwiches so good. The ice cream is not the best, it's overly aerated and it is not the rich ice cream ever. The wafers if peeled off and eaten on they're own (um, not that I have done that or anything) have an almost oily taste- more like store brand Oreo's then "real" Oreo'. But somehow when you put the wafers and the ice cream together they are just addictive!


PURCHASED FROM:
Publix Supermarket

Hershey's Kisses- Vanilla Creme

Another day another kiss...
So these kisses are filled with vanilla creme (gee, bet you couldn't guess that) honestly the creme doesn't have much of a flavor beyond "sugar"- it's kinda like someone at Hershey's decided that what they really needed was a kiss with a pure sugar center.

If you love insanely sweet chocolate this is the kiss for you. I had been looking forward to the chocolate and vanilla combo but I just didn't taste the vanilla at all.

PURCHASED FROM:
Walgreens

Hershey's Kisses- New York Cheesecake Limited Edition

How many flavors or kisses are there now?
It seems like there are about a million types of kisses now(and just like Pokemon I gotta get them all)

The New York Cheesecake kisses are an "extra creamy" milk chocolate kiss with a cheesecake type filling.

The chocolate is pretty good. It tastes like they used the same milk chocolate they use for the Symphony bar. I have long said the Symphony bar's are the best thing Hershey makes so this was a huge selling point for me.

The cheesecake portion, well it certainly does taste like cheesecake. To be specific it taste like the non-dairy Parve cheesecakes one can find in Kosher deli's. It's not bad, but it's not super rich (or even Sara Lee)
Texture-wise it reminded me of all the other fondant creme kisses. Sort of dry and almost crumbly but smooth in a grainy sort of way.

All in all these kisses are just sort eh, I could eat them if I really wanted a chocolate fix but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy them again.

PURCHASED FROM:
Walgreens
Also seen at: Target and CVS

Hillside Hot Cocoa- Rich Chocolate

MMMM self-heating take 2!
So I made it back to Kroger to get the plain hot chocolate version (remember the marshmallow was pretty vile).

Let me tell you the plain hot chocolate version is much, much, better then the marshmallow. To be honest it is no better or no worse then then instant cocoa package made with water rather then milk ever is. It's on the sweet side but not as overwhelmingly as the marshmallow version.

The real highlight here is the self heating can (this can worked perfectly and heated in under 10 minutes) it was nice to have a decent can of hot cocoa waiting for me with no more effort then popping a top and turning over a can. There is also no clean up other then tossing the can.

No, this is no substitute for a good cup of homemade cocoa (or a Starbucks Brevy Hot Chocolate) but if you are looking for something fast and easy or to take on outdoor excursions this is a fantastic option.

I am going to have to give the coffee's a try!

PURCHASED FROM:
Kroger (Ralph's depending on your location)
Also seen at: Wal*Mart

Vosages Chocolat Truffles- Funk & Disco

'Naner Pudding in a truffle?- Hook me up!
Funk & Disco is a milk chocolate truffle with flavors of banana and vanilla.

So I have a MAJOR banana pudding addiction. If it is on a menu, I promise you I WILL order it. There was no way I could let trying this truffle pass me by.

The top of the truffle is dusted with vanilla. Biting into the truffle the first thing you taste and smell is the banana. Bonus points to Vosages right off the bat because the banana smells and taste like a real banana. The next notes that hit you are the vanilla- again it is very natural. None of the chemical flavoring that you might expect.

The texture is a smooth and melty center covered by a crisp chocolate dome.

Once again I find myself wishing I had gotten more because these are some wonderful truffles.

PURCHASED FROM:
Vosages boutique NYC SoHo location

Lays- Loaded Potato Skins Chips- Special Edition

Bet you I can eat just one!

Alright that opening line wasn't really fair.
Loaded Potato Skin is supposed to taste like- loaded potato skins (crazy I know) I was expecting bacon, sour cream, chives and cheese (well that's what the label had pictured!) and Pringles had managed to make it work with they're loaded baked potato flavor. What I was hoping for versus what I got was pretty far apart. The best way to describe the chips would be to tell you imagine that a bag of Sour Cream & Onion Lays met a bag of Bar-B-Q Lays they fell in love had a baby, that would be these chips... oh yeah, and toss in what tastes like twice the normal salt.

These aren't bad chips. I ate way more then I thought I would for the sake of this review. They are just forgettable. I could see Frat boys and kids loving them. For my "loaded" cravings I will stick to the Pringles.

PURCHASED FROM:
Publix Supermarket

Vosages Balsamico Truffle

MMMMM Vinegar....

This truffle is made with dark chocolate, 12 year old aged balsamic vinegar and is capped in roasted Hazelnuts.

I wasn't sure that I was going to like this- but I did! So much so that I wished I had had more then one.
The balsamic vinegar rounds out the flavor of the chocolate so well. It's sweet, it's salty and there is a slight bitter edge.
Yum!
The hazelnuts were also about the freshest, crunchest I have ever had in a candy.

PURCHASED FROM:
Vogsages boutique NYC SoHo location

Pocky- Winter

If the weather outside is frightful then these Pocky make it delightful

I know I seem to say this every time I try a new Pocky but these are my favorite!

Winter Pocky is a seasonal edition and features a rich deep milk chocolate then that is in turn given a coating of powdery cocoa.

The contrast between the salty biscuit stick, the sweetness of the chocolate and the bitter edge of the cocoa powder make this one of the greatest multi-craving statisfying candies EVER!

Get yourself some of these before they are going until next year!

PURCHASED FROM:
Kam Man Market NYC

Hershey's Kisses- Trio

A new version of the Kiss just in time for Valentines Day!


I am not going to lie. I did not have high hopes for these kisses. Much like the somewhat obligatory good bye kiss at the end of a bad date I expected it to be awkward and ultimately undesirable.

Luckily like a Bourdain re-run on the Food Network it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

The kisses are a blend of milk, dark and white chocolate. Honestly, I have never been a fan of the Hugs Kisses which is the main reason I didn't think I would like them. In this case I wouldn't mind a few more hugs!

The base of the kisses are milk chocolate, the next layer is dark chocolate- I could be wrong but judging by the taste it seems as though they are using the "Special" chocolate (which I have always loved) and then there is a drizzle of the white chocolate.
Personally, I couldn't even tell the white chocolate was there (which is a plus to me) the dark chocolate nicely blended with the milk to give a well balanced, rich cocoa flavor. The dark chocolate also made the texture smoother

Definitely give these a try!

PURCHASED FROM:
CVS

Hillside Hot Cocoa- Hot Chocolate w/ Marshmallows

Self heating hot chocolate in a can!

When I saw this on the local Mega-Mart shelf I was a combination of horrified and intrigued.
When I saw this on the local Mega-Mart shelf I was a combination of horrified and intrigued. I love hot chocolate- and let's face it, I am a sucker for anything with marshmallows. We all know I could not resist the opportunity for a review.

The hot chocolate self heats by pushing in a button on the bottom of the can. That button breaks a water seal and the water mixes with quicklime and like magic 5-8 minutes later you have warm hot chocolate (and the all important marshmallows).

I gotta tell you the self heating thing did not impress me. Why?- 10 minutes after breaking the magic seal I still had a room temp can. I tried shaking the hell out of the can (because shaking things always makes them work better right?)After 20 minutes the thing still hadn't heated. Since I found a few other reviews online (One I especially liked can be read at What The deuce and they all had success with the self heating so maybe I just got a bad can- it finally heated after half an hour!
When it did heat up it was indeed pretty hot.

So after all that work was does it taste like?
Sweet- very, very, very sweet. It's like drinking warm, vaguely chocolatey simple syrup. Since there are not in fact any delicious marshmallows floating in the cocoa I can only guess that part of the sweetness is from not so delicious marshmallow "flavor".

I love the idea, I just didn't love the drink.


PURCHASED FROM:
Kroger (Ralph's depending on your location)
Also seen at: Wal*Mart

Snapple- Goji Punch

Goji wasn't that the name of that dinosaur thing in Super Mario Brothers?
OK, so I know that it wasn't (it's name was Yoshi) I just felt like being a nerd (and knowing the real answer makes me an even bigger nerd)

This is another one of Snapples juices that are supposed to be really good for you. I will take they're word for it.

I loved the taste! It's like Hawaiian Punch for grown ups. It's not as sweet or as thick as HP but that is still the best way to describe it.

This one is addicting!

PURCHASED FROM:
Bodega (Convenience store) NYC

Snapple- Peach Mangosteen Juice

What the hecks a Mangosteen?
It seems like it is everywhere all of a sudden but beyond knowing that it's a fruit I really had no idea what to expect. Lucky for me there is actually a Mangosteen.com
After wading through more mangosteen related info then I ever really wanted to know the readers digest version is that it is a tropical fruit and has a sweet and sour taste.

Snapple has paired the "Queen of Fruits" with peach. I have to say I liked the combo. I will be honest it reminded me a lot of Haagen Daaz peach sorbet- but that's a good thing. It's not overly sweet (I would guess from the Mangosteen and the use of carrot juice that the drink also contains) It's refreshing. And maybe I say this too much but once again I think this juice would make a great cocktail mixer.

PURCHASED FROM:
Bodega (Convenience store) NYC

Snapple- Kiwi Pear

This is supposed to boost metabolism!

Although I have no idea how or why- the label was pretty vague about that.
It's also a weird color- sort of like what happens after eating too much asparagus (was that TMI?)

It does smell good though! the Kiwi portion is by far the most dominate aspect over all. That's not a bad thing. The combo of the kiwi and pear works well because the dryness of the pear helps to keep the kiwi from being too sweet.

The flavor is not bad but it is forgettable. What I do think this juice would be good as would be a mixer.

PURCHASED FROM:
Bodega (Convenience store) NYC

Vosges Chocolat- Mo's Bacon Bar

The things I will go through for the sake of a review!


Let me tell you I have had to work to get this review. I have known about this bar since it debuted but had not come across one in my searches (yes, I could have easily ordered it online, but that takes away the thrill of the hunt). As there are two Vosages boutiques here in New York City I decided it was high time to make a trip to one. I choose the one in SoHo as it was also adjacent to another shop that I wanted to do a Pocky run to (I think I need Dr. Phil's help at this point)
Two trains, 1 cab, several crappy sets of directions and a walk through an area at night that is both shockingly expensive and frightening at the same time I finally made it to the shop!.

It's an adorable little shop. The sales girls were quiet knowledgeable and helpful and though I had a great time and ended up spending a lot more then I had planned I left disappointed (well, it's hard to be disappointed around great chocolate more like saddened) the shop was sold out of the bacon bars which were my main reason for going. I tried to console myself. After all I DID get other bars and truffles, I had finally made it to one of the stores which I had been meaning to do for a few years now. So I didn't get exactly what I was looking for, there was always next time.

And that is where the story would have left off had I not needed butter.
I am preparing salmon with a wasabi compound butter tonight and my butter of choice is Plugra and locally the easiest place to get it is Zabars- well to be honest any reason to go to Zabars is a good reason. After getting my butter and browsing a bit I get online and lo and behold what would you guess is before me stacked on an end cap? Yep, you caught on fast it was the elusive Vosages Bacon bar!
After all that work there it was! of course I got it (what you thought I went through this whole story for nothing?)and that brings us up to the most important point.

How does it taste?
The bar is supposed to be applewood smoked bacon, Alder wood smoked salt in a deep milk chocolate (41% cacao).
The smell is somewhat disappointingly just like plain chocolate. I think I was expecting a big whiff of bacon.

My first thought was "Oh my god why am I eating chocolate covered bacon?" the smokey bacon is the first thing that hits you- and YES there are indeed little baco-bit sized pieces of bacon in the bar (least you think it was merely bacon flavor) the sweetness of the chocolate immediately makes you question your own sanity as to why your eating it (or still eating it if you go back for more)

My hands down favorite part of the bar is the salt! there is no mistaking it and the salt and the chocolate together is just killer. If not for the bacon slowing me down that bar would have been gone in less time then it has taken me to write this.

While the bar does grow on you and I am sure die hard bacon fans would gobble the bar up it was just a combination I couldn't fall in love with. I'm glad I finally tracked it down though and I will have to start praying to the chocolate gods for an all chocolate/salt bar!

PURCHASED FROM:
Zabars
Also seen at: Vosges boutiques, Vosges.Com, Whole Foods

Pocky Mousse- Tiramisu

OK even I am starting to think I need a Pocky 12 step program!

Tiramisu when done right is one of my favorite desserts. It's coffee, it's creamy and there is chocolate. C'mon what's not to love?!

The Pocky version of Tiramisu that's what!
The smell was the first hint that things were not going to go well. Rather then a creme or a coffee smell it's vaguely coconutty. To be fair on it's own it is not unpleasant, if it were in fact coconut Pocky it would be pretty good. But it's not coconut Pocky and coconut is just not Tiramisu.

The coffee flavor comes through well, if this were a mocha Pocky it would really work. The chocolate is a light "mousse" milk chocolate that is just sweet enough to take the bitter edge off the coffee. What kills this Pocky is the creme potion of the flavor. There is no nice way to say it, it tastes more of sour milk then the creamy mascarpone taste you would be expecting- AND it leaves a rather nasty after taste.

There are MUCH, MUCH better Pocky's out there -and life is too short for bad Pocky (or Tiramisu)

PURCHASED FROM:
Sunrise Market NYC

Snapple- Noni Berry Juice

Hey is this supposed to be good for me?

In vogue a few years ago because they were supposed to be good for you. According to the Snapple bottle Noni is supposed to increase your energy. I did a Google search for more information but all I found were ad's or pages for miracle drinks and well I got exhusted trying to wade through them! (hm... maybe the energy part of the drink is overrated!)

Let's cut to the part we all care about. How did it taste?
Having never had Noni Berries before I unfortunately cannot tell you how the Snapple Noni taste compared to say the Tahitian Noni juice, but I can tell you what it tastes like to me. It reminded me of a really mellow strawberry. Since there are strawberries pictured on the juices label I assume it is supposed to.
It's a clean and simple strawberry, not overly sweet with the tiniest bit of a bitter edge. I would love to make a granita or even just a regular old Popsicle out of this juice because it would be delicious frozen. Even as is, straight from the cold bottle the best word to describe the juice is refreshing.

I can already tell this will be one of my summer staples!


PURCHASED FROM:
Bodega (Convenience store) NYC

Avon Heathly Remedy Detox Patches

Ok so this isn't a food review
But since I am on my feet all day long at work (like everyone else in the food service/beverage industry) my feet tend to swell to epic proportions and hurt like hell. There is pretty much nothing I wouldn't try to get even a little relief.

The idea behind the patches is that they contain an "Ancient Japanese Secret" formula of herbs, wood vinegars, minerals and pixie dust that supposedly after wearing over night on the souls of your feet will draw toxins out of your body. In the morning when you take the pads off you will notice that the clean, dry, white pad you put on the night before are now sticky and brown with "toxins" that have been pulled out.

Uh yeah... So even though I believed in the whole toxin thing about as much as I believe Brittany Spears is a good mother I ordered the pads anyway. Again, I would try just about anything if I thought it would help.

So after laughing at me for ordering the pad's my friend/Avon lady got me my pads.
Once I had them in my hot little hands it is amazing how bland they look. They look like what would happen if a Band-Aid and a Tea Bag had a baby. After a weekend of working almost 35 hours I slapped them on and settled in. I can't say that the patches actually made my feet feel any different. Minus the fact that I was not used to having anything on my feet once I am home (I am a foot nudist) it was basically uneventful.

The next day when I took the patches off they were indeed brown and sticky. It did seem like my feet had perspired more then normal. Personally I think the color change is due to the combination of sweat and the vinegar and herbs in the pad. I still don't buy into the whole 'detox' part- BUT what the pad's did do an excellent job of was helping to ease the swelling in my feet. There was a noticeable difference in how rapidly the swelling went down versus not wearing the pad's. Again I am thinking this is due to the fact that the pad's do seem to cause excess sweating. bottom line I don't really care what in the pad's made it happen I am just glad it happened.

If you are on your feet long hours or have swollen feet I would say the pads are worth a try. If you choose to believe the detox claims that is all on you (again I still call shenanigans on it) but they did give me some relief from my swelling and it has worked each of the half dozen times I have used them.

PURCHASED FROM:
Avon

Dagoba- Lavender Organic Chocolate Bar

As you may have read I LOVED New Tree's Tranquility bar
And with that in mind the Dagoba bar had a lot to live up to.
The Dagoba bar is much smaller then the New Tree bar- 2 oz. Vs 2.80 oz. but the Dagoba bar is much smaller so the bar is thicker- which I liked. The Dagoba is 59% dark chocolate as opposed to the milk chocolate in the Dagoba bar. As good as New Tree's milk chocolate I love dark chocolate and always choose it over milk. Dagoba also features blueberries in they're bar.

The smell of the dark chocolate and the lavender is heavenly- really is there a more relaxing smell in the world?. I could easily fall asleep to dreams of eating chocolate off of Alton Brown with this bar next to me (did I say that out loud?)

Taste. Well, like most good fantasies the reality tends to be a little different (example, Alton Brown is married- and not to me) The chocolate is pretty good. Rich and slightly bitter and has a great snap to it. The dominant flavor by far however is the lavender. The subtle kiss of lavender from the New Tree bar is more like a a full on body press in the the Dagoba bar. Honestly it is too much. Rather then giving a fresh and floral note it ends up tasting medicinal and soapy. As for the blueberry the only hint that it is even there is that in some bites you will end up with small pieces of dried fruit and since lavender doesn't look like dried fruit I assumed it was the blueberry. Again there was no discernible taste and to tell the truth I did not like the rough dryness of the fruit messing with the smooth melt of the chocolate.

In the end the Dagoba bar can't hold a candle to the New Tree bar, But I do give them credit for the use of dark chocolate over milk and for the outstanding aroma.

PURCHASED FROM:
Zabars NYC

Pocky- Strawberry

Another day, another Pocky!

There are two main types of Strawberry Pocky, one type is just a coating of strawberry candy and the other has the strawberry candy with bits of dried strawberry embedded into it. That is the kind I have tried.

I will be honest I am not a huge strawberry fan. I like fresh strawberries as much as the next person, but strawberry flavored items never get too high up on my list. Actually I pretty much hate things like strawberry milk, strawberry gum and most strawberry candy... kinda makes you wonder why I even tried these doesn't it?

You guys know me I will try anything!
And unsurprisingly enough at first try I didn't like these either!
When you open the inner packet you get the strongest smell of artificial strawberry. It actually reminded me exactly of these Strawberry Shortcake Vitamins I took as a kid- they tasted awful but they came in these cool containers that looked like giant plastic strawberries! But anyway...
The Pocky has a base of strawberry cream and that is speckled with dried strawberries. The whole thing just tastes fake. Cloyingly fake at that. After working my way through about six of them they did start to grow on me. Despite the fakeness it started to make me think of white chocolate covered strawberries, and who doesn't like white chocolate covered strawberries?!

Strawberry Pocky will never be my favorite but if you like fake strawberry flavor you will love these.

PURCHASED FROM:
Kam Man Market NYC

Pocky- Marble Green Tea

It's Macchariffic!
I loved this Pocky!
The green tea flavor is a crisp, clean taste. Exactly like unsweetened green tea. The chocolate that is swirled lightly throughout isn't terribly noticeable to be honest. It looks cool but it doesn't bring a lot to the party. What I do taste a little of is a malted note- although as far as I can tell there is no malted milk in the mix.

What I also liked about the green tea Pocky is that the candy coating seems to be a little thicker on this one then it is on the regular chocolate ones.

I can see getting more of this in the future.

PURCHASED FROM:
Kam Man Market NYC