Oreo Birthday Cake Cookie: Limited Edition

I have to thank Jim for his review of the Oreo Birthday Cake cookies, which sent me out on a multi-store hunt to find my own bag. I finally found them at CVS when picking up my prescriptions. Yeah, drugs and cookies...I feel like I should be watching an episode of Weeds. Once I finally had my cookies in hand, I had one other hurdle to jump: the fact that I am still unable to eat anything other than soft food. But I am a trouper! By golly, I was not about to let a little thing like a messed-up jaw keep me away from cake batter flavored Oreos.



OK, so I cheated a little. I don't like to phone in reviews, even if it is only a small portion -- but in this case I decided there was a loophole I could exploit. You see, it is only the creme of the cookie that is flavored with cake batter...and that's pretty soft, right? The actual wafer of the cookie is the classic chocolate Oreo we all know and love. Yes, the cookie is crispy, chocolaty and just like every other Oreo cookie you have ever eaten in your life. (Except that while one side has the classic Oreo design, the other has a birthday candle and the legend "OREO 100" on it.)



Once you have the bag open, out wafts the wonderful sweet scent of yellow cake batter. Even my cats wanted in that package after they smelled the cookies. (No, I didn't let them!) The inner creme, as mentioned, is the real star here. I opted to try it with both a dry and a milk-soaked run. For the dry run, I twisted the top cookie off and did the classic Oreo cookie lick.



When you twist off the top cookie, you are treated to the sight of the sprinkle dappled cream. I was worried that this was going to be one of those things that smelled better than it tastes -- but once again, Oreo delivered. I loved the slight crunch that the sprinkled added. The sweetness of the hint of vanilla tasted even better to me when I dunked the cookie. (I am one of those people who soak Oreos to soggy deliciousness.) So how was it, you ask?

Well, this is possibly the best Oreo ever! Don't take my word for it; this is a limited edition. Go out and get your own bag while it's still available! (Be sure also to check out reviews 0f these cookies at The Impulsive Buy and Foodette Reviews.)



PURCHASED FROM: CVS

Ben & Jerry's Hannah Teter's Maple Blondie Limited Edition (Round Three!!!)

Update -- December 15 2010:

Yes, it's true! Hannah Teter's Maple Blondie is back yet again, for an unprecedented third production run! (Normally Ben & Jerry's limited editions are made in one single batch, and once they're gone, they're gone forever.) And it's available on supermarket shelves right now, so be sure to get some -- trust me, it is well worth hunting for. In fact, I have even heard a rumor that if you leave some of this for Santa Claus, he'll give you an iPad.

Anyway, since Maple Blondie is back -- and since it's totally, absolutely fantastic (Jerry himself has said it's his favorite flavor) -- I decided to do something I very rarely do: I am reposting the review I did of it way back when. So if you missed it the first time around, or even the second, here it is:

Ice Spiders. It's not just a movie, man! The giant spiders are coming, I know it! (If you have not surrendered over two hours of life to see this movie yet, it is awesomely, transcendentally bad and you are missing out.) Hannah Teter, by the way, is a famous snowboarder and a Vermont native, who has never been attacked by ice spiders, as best I can tell. Hannah -- besides snowboarding -- also has a nonprofit charity called Hannah's Gold that sells Vermont maple syrup to help the children of Kirindon, Kenya.

Conveniently, this is a maple ice cream base with a maple caramel swirl. So you see, people, I am eating ice cream to save the children! I thought of the children! There are also blonde brownie chunks. I don't know how the children feel about them, but I tend to be a fan.



So is it worth risking death by ice spider for?

The scent is heavenly. It's a sweet maple, yet it doesn't send you looking for the pancakes.

The maple base tastes like a creamy version of the best maple syrup you can imagine. It's deep, there's a brown sugar/molasses quality, but it manages never to overwhelm. If you are basing your like -- or more to the point, dislike -- of maple on pancake syrups found on supermarket shelves that are no longer maple syrup but merely maple flavored syrup...cease and desist! This is what you should be looking for.

The maple/caramel swirl is addictive. It's mostly caramel, but it's just good. It adds a slightly sticky texture that I liked.



The brownie pieces are super, super soft and I found myself hunting for the chunks. It's like little brown sugar cubes of happiness. Really, the only thing bad about this ice cream is what it might do to my ass if I am allowed to consume it in the quantities I'd like to.

Be sure to check out Marvo's review, because my butt might be completing with his moobs over the last pint!



PURCHASED FROM:
Vons Supermarket

PRICE:
$3.49

CALORIES:
240 calories per 1/2 cup

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
benjerry.com

Hershey's Kisses: Caramel Apple

I'm excited about this review for two reasons:

1. It's the first "Halloween" candy review of the season! And anyone who knows me knows how much I love Halloween. Yes, I am one of those pathetic adults who will try to trick or treat...and given my height, with a good costume choice and a mask, I can totally pull it off. (Yes, I could just go buy my own candy, but that is slightly less fun.)

-And-

2. I have been trying to hunt this flavor of kiss down since way back in 2008 when Cybele reviewed it on Candy Blog (read her review here). Kinda sad that it took two years to finally get my hands on them, but better late than never.



When you open the bag, the fragrance wafts out immediately. Smelling the inside of the bag is sort of like taking a big whiff of apple-filled cereal bars that have been tinged with chocolate. Not a bad way to start things off.



I should admit I'm more a fan of the idea of caramel apples than I am of actually eating caramel apples. I don't know why. I like caramel, I like apples, I like dipping slices of apples into caramel sauce -- but you will never catch me gnawing on a whole caramel covered apple. And that said, I also love the thought of a caramel apple flavored kiss.

The kiss itself is the larger, molded and filled style kiss rather than the smaller traditional extruded kiss. Which makes sense, because of course these are filled kisses.



The caramel that fills the center is quite fluid and readily spills out. Don't expect a thicker, more solid, chewy type of caramel -- this is more like what you'd use as a dessert topping. The caramel itself has a nice sweet flavor. I have to agree with Cybele in that I didn't pick up any of the burnt sugar or buttery flavors one expects from caramel either, but it has enough of a caramel-type taste that you get the idea.

It's the apple flavor that I really liked. I won't say it's the most natural apple flavor out there, but it's good. It's not too sweet and at the same time it isn't bitter. It reminded me a lot of the apple flavoring used in oatmeals.

The apple combined with the caramel actually makes it easy to down several of these kisses at a time. The only thing that keeps you from snarfing the entire bag too quickly is the chocolate. Granted, it's not bad chocolate -- it's just the boring, standard issue Hershey's milk chocolate. It's cool on the tongue, a little grainy, and a little too sweet. Still, all in all, this is one of the best of the special edition kisses.

Also back in stores (or at least Target) for fall are the Pumpkin Spice and Candy Corn kisses.



PURCHASED FROM:
Target

PRICE:
$2.69

CALORIES:
190 calorie per 9 pieces.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
hersheys.com

Mountain Dew: DEWmocracy 2: Distortion

I think that since writing my review of another of the three new DEWmocracy flavors (White Out) I have discovered I live in what must be the most lamest, furthest-flung corner of the DEWverse.

When I picked up the White Out a couple weeks ago, it was the only one of the three new flavors to be found anywhere near me. I even contemplated visiting my local 7-11 -- which is not the best, safest location to go into, but they do tend to have a pretty current and diverse selection of items. Luckily for me, at that point the good folks at Mountain Dew stepped up and offered to send me samples of Distortion and Typhoon to keep my physical safety intact. (And also to let me get my sugar rush/caffeine high on.) They also let me know that there is indeed a diet version of Code Red out there! It's not available near me, but just knowing that it exists makes the world seem a bit warmier and fuzzier. So, a shout out of thanks to the Obi-Wan Kenobi-like folks at Mountain Dew!

Anyway...there is a soda review somewhere in here.

Distortion is billed on the bottle as a "lime blasted DEW." To echo what has already been said in reviews before this one -- isn't regular Mountain Dew already lime flavored? Sort of, at least? Regardless, this one is not about to let you forget that it's lime flavored. From the bright ectoplasm green color to the strong lime scent, it's more than clear where the flavor is aimed to go.



So how does it taste?

Well, honestly, it tastes like regular Mountain Dew -- but with the lime kicked up several Emeril-worthy notches. It's almost like key lime pie soda. (And yes, I am well aware that there is a very good key lime soda out there.) I give Mountain Dew big points for avoiding that floor cleaner-like taste that strong lime flavoring can pick up.



Like the other Mountain Dews, it's lightly carbonated and very sweet -- although, points again to the mysterious dewmeisters, as the powerful lime flavoring covers the HFCS taste pretty well. I definitely liked this flavor more than the White Out. So far, this is the one I am casting my vote for.

When you're ready to vote, be sure to visit the official DEWmocracy site. (Warning: Flash Player 10+ required.) Until then, you can read both Marvo's Distortion review here, and BevReviews' review here.



PURCHASED FROM:
Sample from company

CALORIES:
290 calories per 20 ounce bottle.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Kosher.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
mountaindew.com

Ben & Jerry's Bonnaroo Buzz Ice Cream

I don't normally review the handful of Scoop Shop-only flavors that Ben & Jerry's produces. The main reason is that until relatively recently, we didn't have a Scoop Shop close enough to me -- and the one that we have now is still not all that close.

So, Gigi, you ask, what made you go out of your way for this one? One word: whiskey. Gigi happens to really like whiskey flavored items.

Bonnaroo Buzz gets its name in honor of the yearly Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival going on in Manchester, Tennessee, from June 10th-13th. (Check out the official website for more information than I am going to provide.) Basically, it is sort of like a Woodstock or Coachella thing, only deep fried and set in the South. If you're anywhere near the 700 acre farm it takes place on, you can see such big acts as Norah Jones, Tori Amos, Dave Matthews, Conan O'Brian, and Steve Martin, playing with his banjo band. I would love to go, but there are two big things preventing me:

1. It's in Tennessee and I am more than half a continent away, and

2. They recommend you bring your own TP.

Now guys, I am really not all that fussy. I don't need four star accommodations and huge, down-filled king sized beds to be happy (although that seriously helps). I can even deal with lack of internet access without getting too twitchy (but only if my phone can still get service...I love you, my sweet little Crackberry). I even might be able to deal with the funk that is thousands of hippies drawn to one place. No, people -- what kills it for me is bathroom facilities that I am suggested to bring my own "accessories" to.



So, while you won't find me personally at Bonnaroo, I will be enjoying the mellow, good vibes that I hope to find wafting off my scoop of ice cream.

Bonnaroo Buzz is a coffee and malt flavored base ice cream with English toffee pieces, and a whiskey-caramel swirl.



So, was it good enough to make me consider hitting the road with a twelve-pack of Charmin?



Yeah, you know what? It was!

I know that the two ice cream flavors were blended, because I could see the two different flavors swirled together. But in terms of taste, what really shone through was the coffee. It was indeed a very light and sweet coffee. As if you drank your lattes the way I do, with a lot of milk and roughly a pound of Splenda (OK, that might be a slight exaggeration).

The toffee chunks aren't mere...well, chunks. No, they're more than that. Even by Ben & Jerry's generous standards, they are slabs! Seriously. Just take a look at this thing:



It's the buttery, rich toffee you expect from Ben & Jerry's. There are also little pieces of fudge. By the time the pictures were taken and I actually got to eat my ice cream, it was pretty melty -- so I honestly can't tell you if the fudge pieces fell off of the toffee, or if they were separately mixed into the ice cream. The store was far too busy to go back and ask anyone about that, so perhaps someone who got a better look at the ice cream (or someone from Ben & Jerry's) will chime in with the answer to that question?

In any event, we all know how I feel about the fudge. It's not bad...but it's not chocolate.



What really makes this flavor is the swirl (although the toffee and the ice cream itself are pretty darn good). The swirl is a whiskey-caramel swirl. My swirl was nice and fluid by the time I ate my cone. It tasted mostly of the caramel, but there was definitely that woodsy, smokey, slightly vanilla flavor of whiskey. I really wish there had been more of the swirl. A lot more, come to think of it. In fact, I kinda want a vat of it.

I only have one real complaint with this flavor: it really should have been a pint flavor. It is just too good to be Scoop Shop only.

This is a super limited flavor -- it'll only be around for a brief time, and it's only available in the Scoop Shops. But track it down, anyway. It's well worth it!



PURCHASED FROM:
Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop

PRICE:
Free!

CALORIES:
I'm pretty sure that since it was cost free, it should also be calorie free. (OK, probably not.)

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
benjerry.com

Mountain Dew White Out: DEWmocracy 2010

Mountain Dew, if nothing else, really likes to pump out the special edition flavors. And they are also really big on fan feed back.

The first DEWmocracy was in 2008, and had three flavor choices that fans voted on. Those flavors were: Voltage, Revolution, and Super Nova. The winner was Voltage, and it was added to the Mountain Dew line (and is still available today).

In 2009 there was another version of DEWmocracy that was run slightly differently. Rather than merely picking which soda fans liked best, fans actually got to help design the sodas. For a lot more in-depth info on that, be sure to read Bev Review's post on DEWmocracy 2 -- they actually took part in the testing.

Edited 4/29/10:
My thanks to the good folks at both Bev Review and Mountain Dew PR for chiming into to correct some confusion on my part. I mistakenly thought that this campaign was DEWmocracy 3, when in fact it's still DEWmocracy 2. There are apparently several stages in the world of DEWmocracy, and this is stage 5 of DEWmocracy 2. I think I need Bill Maher to do a show explaining this to me.
At any rate, thanks for clearing that up, and I am sorry to anyone who I might have confused referring to this as DEWmocracy 3 (DOH!)

The three flavors are Distortion, Typhoon and White Out. Because my local Shell station is ghetto, they only had White Out. So we are going to review that one while I hunt down the other two. I realize my local 7-11 probably has it, but actually getting into that store pretty much involves being jumped into a gang. And I'm sorry, guys, but I am just not that dedicated...though I do look good in red...hmmm...



Anyway, White Out is described as being a "Smooth Citrus Dew." Isn't regular Dew citrus? The soda is indeed a cloudy shade of white, and it smells vaguely like regular Mountain Dew.

Tasting it, I was actually hoping I would agree with Marvo's take. In his review (read it here) he said it reminded him of Virgin Smirnoff Ice. Maybe I shouldn't admit this out loud, but I happen to really like Smirnoff Ice. (I know, I know, my head is semi-hung in shame.) Dammit, Marvo, you owe me a bottle of bitch beer!

I didn't get the sense of Smirnoff Ice at all. Instead, it reminded me of regular Dew mixed with potentially noxious amounts of lemon flavored jelly beans, with the sugar level -- well, the HFCS level -- turned up to 11.



Personally, this flavor is just way too sweet. There is also a funky fake lemon aftertaste. The carbonation level is perfect -- nice and bubbly but not too strong. And of course it's a Dew, so you know that there is more than enough of that sweet, sweet, caffeine to go around.

I won't be getting this flavor again, but I am going to look for the other two.

When you're ready to vote -- or if you just want more info -- check out the official DEWmocracy site here. (Warning: Flash Player 10+ required.)




PURCHASED FROM:
Local Shell gasoline station

PRICE:
$1.49

CALORIES:
280 calories per bottle.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
dewmocracy.com

Hershey's Kisses: Orange Crème

This is not a new Hershey's Kiss flavor. They were issued back in 2007 for the 100th anniversary of the Hershey's Kiss -- and I think they were also out around Halloween of 2005 as well. I am not sure if any of the previous incarnations were made with white chocolate, but I do know that this version is simply referred to as "Flavored Candy." And is it ever a good sign when a candy description is that vague? I admit that made me cautious.



The base of this Kiss is a white confection that is striped with layers of orange. If nothing else, they are pretty. I liked the scent; when you open the bag, it's like opening a can of orange soda. Yes, it's an exaggerated orange -- but it still smelled good.



The kiss is called Orange Crème, so of course it's not a shock that the flavor is meant to be like that of a Creamsicle. And the Kiss pulls off its mission pretty well. It does in fact have a flavor that is heavy on the vanilla side. Yeah, it's fake vanilla, and you won't be fooled into thinking it's real, but at least you get the general idea. When it comes to the orange, what's interesting is that you smell it more then you taste it. I think that probably is for the best, because it keeps the sweetness from the vanilla sort of in check. I actually liked the aftertaste more than eating the candy. The aftertaste is like the last sip of a really good Creamsicle soda.

The texture is cool on the tongue and it melts quickly. It's a little grainy, but it completely avoids the waxy feeling some of the special edition Kisses have had. They are extremely sweet...so sweet that by the fourth Kiss my throat was burning.



No, they're not really special. But I have to admit they weren't bad at all. Even though it's not an actual chocolate Kiss, and even though it's not exactly a natural flavor, I just liked the combination.



PURCHASED FROM:
Target

PRICE:
$2.69

CALORIES:
220 calories per 9 pieces

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Kosher. Contains dairy.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
hersheys.com

McDonald's Shamrock Shake

Once a year, McDonald's bestows upon us what a much younger Gigi thought was just the single coolest shake ever: The Shamrock Shake, in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

The Shamrock shake is a shade of bright green that reminds one of freshly rendered Leprechauns -- and, as you can probably guess, it is mint flavored. Until today, I don't think I have had one since roughly 2003.



The shake smells a bit like a breath mint..and actually it kinda tastes like one too. It reminds me a lot of those Starbright mints (the classic red and white swirled disk mints found often when leaving doctor's offices or restaurants). It's a brisk peppermint that is mixed with vanilla. It's good, but it's such a strong mint that it almost comes off as medicinal. Drinking this shake "straight" reminds me of why in the past I always preferred to have the Shamrock base mixed 50/50 with the chocolate shake. (I would have ordered it that way this time, but I considered that cheating on the review). Personally, I think the mint tastes much better mixed in with something else than it does on its own.



The texture is good. It's very thick, but still easy to get through the straw. It's a really aerated base, so it's almost fluffy at the same time.

I admit, Older Gigi is not nearly as fond of this shake as Younger Gigi was. (Although the addition of chocolate would have helped.) It's not bad, but kinda like an overly eager date -- it just comes off as trying too hard. If it were just a little more subtle, that would make a huge difference.



PURCHASED FROM:
McDonald's

PRICE:
$1.99 small size (12 oz)

CALORIES:
420 calories per 12 oz shake.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
mcdonalds.com

Dreyer's/Edy's Slow Churned Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream: Limited edition

Seeing this carton of ice cream, the combination of a white ice cream and strawberry swirl made me think of those little "sundae" cups that were really popular when I was younger. In those cases, the white ice cream was vanilla flavored (not cheesecake as in this version), and I remember loving them -- even if I knew there was definitely better ice cream to be had out in the big wide world. But I still liked what I had at the time.

So here I am today with this bowl of Slow Churned Strawberry Cheesecake in front of me. As much as I may bag on Dreyer's/Edy's for the Fun Flavors line, I genuinely like the Slow Churned line. The flavors are interesting and taste good, and for a lower fat, lower calorie ice cream I think they are often excellent.

Childhood nostalgia aside, there have been a couple of other cheesecake flavored ice creams that I have loved in the past -- and this just sounded like a good flavor. The base ice cream is cheesecake flavored, and there are strawberry and graham cracker swirls. (I'll admit it -- they had me at graham cracker swirl!) But in the end it really comes down to how it tastes.



So how did it taste?

First, let's talk about the smell. I know it's supposed to be a cheesecake base -- and it does in fact smell like cheese. Old cheese. It's not an overly strong smell, but it's there, and it is not a selling point.

Fortunately the taste is better than the smell. It's sort of like a bland cream cheese rather than a proper cheesecake. Even at that, the flavor seems to get entirely lost within the first few bites.



The strawberry swirl is just strange. I mean, you can see it -- you can see a lot of it. The problem is you can't taste it. There is a really faint, vague strawberry taste; and weirder still is the fact that it tastes more "red" than actually strawberry. What's the deal, Dreyer's? It's not like a passingly good fake strawberry is all that difficult to engineer.

The Graham cracker swirl is nice. It retains a little crunch and isn't too crumby or too soft. It had a nice light honey flavor. Easily the best part of this otherwise horribly lame ice cream.

As always, the texture is smooth. While I wouldn't call it "creamy," it is pretty good for a light ice cream. Don't expect that wonderful film that super premium ice creams leave in your mouth, but it is better then most low end "real" ice creams.

One of the poorest of the Slow Churned offerings. Skip it.



PURCHASED FROM:
Albertsons Supermarket

PRICE:
$2.99

CALORIES:
140 per half cup serving.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Made on on shared equipment with peanuts. Kosher

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
dreyers.slowchurned.com

Pepsi Max Cease Fire

This new Pepsi Max flavor completely flew under my radar until I saw it today while on a review hunt at Target. (I told you guys I look for stuff everywhere and always!) It might also be because I tend to be more on the lookout for new Coke products. I have to give Pepsi their due, however: as much as I may prefer Coke Zero over all else, when it comes to flavored colas (vanilla, lime, lemon etc) I have to hand it to Pepsi. In those cases I think they do the job far better job than the other guys. (I still love you, Coke Zero.)

Pepsi Max Cease Fire is a calorie free, lime flavored cola. (Pepsi in fact already makes a lime flavored version of the regular Diet Pepsi that is quite good.) The hook to this product is that not only is it the first of the flavored entry in the Max line, but if the Pepsi website and the package blurb are to be believed, it is supposed to be able to extinguish even the hottest of spices that can be eaten along with it.

Uh-huh! I will be the judge of that one.



First, the soda on its own:

It smells pretty much like regular Pepsi Max, but with the tiniest bit of lime. It tastes pretty much like standard issue Pepsi Max, too. The lime is subdued and comes mostly as an aftertaste -- an effect that, in some cases, can work quite well. (For example, DRY Sodas -- see my reviews here, here, and here.) What wasn't working for me was that instead of having a sharp citrus zing or bite, the lime aftertaste reminded me of cheap lime flavored lollipops. It's not bad, but if I want a really good lime cola I'll stay with the regular Diet Pepsi with lime. I am not sure why they went with such a sweet, artificial-tasting version of lime over something a little more authentic. I can see where people who like a sweeter taste would prefer this version, though.

The carbonation is on the low side, even for a Pepsi product. It's not a deal breaker for me, but I do like my soda to either be completely flat or at least as bubbly as a normal Pepsi.

So let's talk about the claim that the soda can ease the burn of hot (spicy) foods...

I may just be -- depending on your point of view -- either the best person or the worst person on the planet to tackle this. As is well documented on this blog, I looooo-o-o-ove spicy hot food. I love hot sauce. I have yet to find anything that has been hot enough to make me cry for water. (And yes, I can even eat Dave's Insanity sauce by itself by the spoonful.)

Looking around my house, I tried to find something up to the challenge. To keep it in the Pepsi family, I decided on testing this on a packet of Taco Bell FIRE sauce (which, for the record, I personally do not find to be very hot, but I know a lot of people do). This may be why I am also the worst person to try this test -- I have a really high tolerance for what I consider spicy, so maybe read my results with that kept in mind.



I just squeezed the contents of the packet directly onto my tongue and held it there for about 20 seconds prior to swallowing the sauce. We did attempt photos of this event, but there was just no way to do it with out it looking like something from the world's most messed up porno, so you will just have to use your imaginations. (Y'know, that thing we played with before we had cool stuff to play with...?)

So did it cool my mouth? Honestly...since on my personal scale of hotness I consider Taco Bell FIRE sauce to be mild, no, I didn't notice a cooling effect. What I did notice is that the lime flavor seems to become more pronounced, and it did seem less sweet than it had before the hot sauce.

It's a neat idea and it's not a bad soda. I just don't think it was nearly as good as it could have been. The lime is just too sweet -- which I don't understand, because the lime in the Diet Pepsi is so good. It also just seems under-carbonated. If anyone with less of a tolerance for heat/spice tries this experiment, I would love to hear your comments.



PURCHASED FROM:
Target

PRICE:
$1.69

CALORIES:
0

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Phenylketonurics: Contains phenylalanine. Sugar free.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
pepsi.com

Hershey's Kisses: Buttercrème

It's been a long time since we've had a new limited edition Herhsey's Kiss. And just in time for the spring, we have this lovely bag of Buttercrème filled kisses. By the way -- is it just me, or does the package design not sort of make the candy look like little butter-laced volcanoes? It's like a Paula Deen wet dream. (OK, maybe technically there would also need to be some bacon involved. I don't know, and really don't want to think about it that much.)

These Kisses have about the same proportions as the standard issue Kisses. Personally, I like this. I have always found the larger Kisses (such as the New York Cheesecake Kisses) to be cute, but the larger Kisses' proportions tend to be heavier on the center filling and that throws me off.



These Kisses have something of a frosting smell once outside the wrapper. The outer shell is thick enough that you get a strong sense of the chocolate. The chocolate is the classic overly sweet, grainy, somewhat vanilla flavored Hershey's chocolate we all know and some love. The buttercrème filling brings out a saltiness I don't usually notice with Hershey's chocolate, and it was my favorite part. The buttercrème is smooth and the entire effect is cool on the tongue.



I tried to isolate the buttercrème itself to figure out the taste, and honestly the only things I could come up with were "fake vanilla" and "sweet." Throat-burningly sweet. It's as sweet as I try to convince potential employers that I really am (before lowering my Darth Vader-like boom). I ate a few too many to try and figure out the taste, and I ended up making myself quite hyper. After I was done running around my apartment in circles and screaming at the top of my lungs for no apparent reason, I crashed and took a good nap. That kinda sums this kiss up.



So, is there any good reason to buy these?

In a word, no.



PURCHASED FROM:
WalMart

PRICE:
$2.49

CALORIES:
210 calories per 9 pieces

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Made on equipment that processes peanuts. Kosher. Contains dairy.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE
hersheys.com