The very first Valentine’s Day candy I got this year were these delicious samples from See’s Candies. They are very festive, with a large, heart shaped Milk Bordeaux and a Sweetheart box. They use lots of red and pink, plus the heart shaped which make them perfect for Valentines Day. I was super excited to receive these samples, as See’s candies are favorites of mine, and I adore trying their seasonal fare.

If you’ve never had a See’s Bordeaux, well, let me just say it’s a little slice of heaven. It’s a mix of brown sugar and butter cream, so it’s rich and smooth, which being a little grainy and sweet. So, terribly addictive. This one for Valentines Day comes in a little box, but don’t let it fool you. It’s still a large Bordeaux even if it’s not a whole pound of them from their chocolates counter.

It’s very sweet looking, in the shape of a heart, with two frosted hearts in the center: one red and one white.

The way this candy melts in your mouth is an absolute pleasure. You get waves of sweetness that are buttery and have a richness that is hard to explain. The texture is smooth and thick, as if a square of fudge just melted on your tongue. It doesn’t dissipate too quickly and it leaves you moth feeling clean. No greasy aftertaste or grit. It’s pure bliss.

Everyone I’ve shared pieces of this Bordeaux with, cause for it was was that big, absolutely loved it. My fiance posture relaxed as he looked at me and said “Wow, that is really good”. The Bordeaux is one of my favorite See’s, and it will firmly remain there.

The Sweetheart Box is a lovely collection of some of See’s best truffles. This box, though, is the oly boxed assortment that has their Peanut Butter Pattie and P-Nut Crunch (tm) in it. Both are perfect for any lover of peanut butter, so this assortment is a good bet if your Valentine loves that flavor. There’s a nice assortment of other chocolate, nougats and nut-brittle in here, so your taste buds certainly won’t get bored. To add to its festive feeling, not only is the box beautifully decorated, there’s solid red foil wrapped heart candies in here that complete the feeling.

I am smitten with these chocolates and especially that Milk Bordeaux heart. I’d have a constant stash of those in my kitchen in an ideal world. If your sweetheart is into rich chocolates and sweet fillings, See’s is a great option for your Valentines Day gift giving.

Rating: Hoard

Links See’s Candies Website

One thing I love about See’s Candies and what I very much look forward to with the passing seasons is their releases of limited edition flavors of their popular lollypops. They have root beer in the summers, pumpkin in the fall, and this past Easter they had orange cream which I sadly missed out on. Next year! I was super excited to find some of their new Christmas Mint lollypops in my box of samples which included the Victoria Toffee that I reviewed the other day. These lollypops were a surprise because they have a limited edition Cinnamon flavor they release this time of year, and I had no idea they planned to do another. So without further delay, the Christmas Mint Lollypop!

The lollypops are beautiful. The have a bright pine green metallic wrapper, with white and red lettering. The pops are all a nice, uniform size with a rectangular shape. Removing the green wrapper to my surprise, the lollypop is white. For some reason I imagine it green or brown, as my mind concluded that it possibly be mixed with chocolate. But, no. They’re a beautiful white, much like Christmas snow.

It smells sweet and not at all minty. I’m more reminded of vanilla and white chocolate.

My first lick produces at first a sweet flavor, then the growing familiar and delightful taste of mint. It’s mind and sweet, and not at all overpowering like most gum and toothpaste is. Instead this is subtle, elegant, minty flavor that has a slight peppermint sharpness to it. It’s extremely enjoyable and I much rather have this as an after meal dessert.

I really loved this lollypop. Not only is it beautiful but its flavor is amazing. Not too minty and not too sweet, just a harmonious middle ground. I also have to give props to See’s for using the word “Christmas” in this candy’s name, as many prefer to use the more PC “Holiday”. There’s nothing wrong with calling something “Christmas” and I’m glad See’s did so. It’s a great lollypop and I can easily see these as a tasty stocking stuffer.

Rating: Will Buy Again

Links See’s Candies Website

‘Tis the holiday season! That brings to mind many things about this special time of year. For many it means dinners, parties, gifts, overspending, travel, etc. One thing it means for me is sweets, specifically the ones my Mom makes. She has so many cookies, cakes, and pies she cooks for when the family all gets together. One of these special sweets she makes is homemade toffee, and let me tell you, it’s really wonderful stuff. So imagine my excitement when See’s sent me some Holiday samples in the mail and I saw this beautiful red box of their Victoria Toffee. It was as if Christmas came early!

The box weighs in at a pound and is decorated in a beautifully festive red box. Red is such a gorgeous, vibrant color, and I think it looks its best at Christmas. One the front you see a beautiful image of the toffee, a hint as to what’s inside. A nice presentation of the confection, bravo See’s.

I was greatly impressed when I opened the box, as the slab of toffee inside is just enormous. It’s one giant piece! I had to grab the block of it in my hand, using the protective plastic that keeps it nice and safe, and try to break a corner off it. This toffee is easily almost an inch thick, so that might sound easier than it was. I managed to get a small piece off to taste.

You can see big chunks of almonds in the toffee, which is very attractive. The toffee is buttery and sweet and crumbles beautifully when you chew it. The chocolate that covers it is very sweet and compliments the toffee with extremely rich, chocolately notes. The chopped almonds on the outside are fresh and crunchy, but at the same time makes it easy to chew when you take a bite. The flavors all together is a very rich and flavorful. The butteryness of the toffee mixed with the salty almonds and sweet chocolate is just a heavenly combination.

Overall I was very impressed with this toffee. I think if you don’t have time or know-how (when in fact it’s really easy) to make your own, this is an excellent substitute. A treat that will be appreciated by many!

Rating: Will Eat Again

Links See’s Candies Website

Today is the second day of See’s Thanksgiving Truffle collection. I have another part of their “Seasonal Pie Truffles” collection: the Pecan Pie truffle. I was partiuclarly interested in this truffle because, in regard to pies, my family is 100% all about pumpkin. We love it and have no desire to have any other pie with our Thanksgiving spread. I can only think of two times in my life where I have had pecan pie. Once was while I was over at a friend’s house after Thanksgiving, and the other was brought by a different friend when my family did a potluck Thanksgiving one year. So my experiences with this beloved and classic pie is extremely limited. Which brings me to my review today, since it’s Pecan Pie!

The truffle is gorgeous. It’s a mountain of pristine, white chocolate crowned with a pecan half. It smells sweet and has an extremely rich, nutty flavor of the roasted pecans. The flavor is absolutely amazing, I daresay it trumps a real pecan pie (from what I remember!). The texture is smooth, as the pecan is blended so finely into the butter cream center that no pieces are left to get stuck in your teeth. The flavor stars off sweet and buttery of the white chocolate coating, then it gradually melts away to the flavor of the center which is fully of the flavors of rich brown sugar, molasses and pecans. The pecans certainly take center stage as the main flavor, as they sound, and it makes for an intensely nutty, rich, and flavor truffle.

I was impressed with these! They are very flavorful and delicious. I found I love having them paired with coffee or tea, in true dessert style. This truffle is one of the few in the “Seasonal Pie Collection” that you can buy separately in its own box. I can easily see these as a thoughtful hostess gift for Thanksgiving or for a treat for yourself if you don’t have the time or energy to make a pie yourself. Yum!

Rating: Will Buy Again

Links See’s Candies Website

I am always super excited when limited edition flavors come out for the holiday season. It’s like a treasure hunt for me, to go around to all the different stores trying to find what is new and unique. The idea of items having a “season” is fun to me, especially since we humans used to eat foods in that way. We’d consume what fruit and vegetables were in season, so in a way these candies that come around only once a year reflect those times. Once I am lucky enough to locate them I then take my bounty home to photograph and taste it for the blog. For this year, See’s was kind enough to offer me samples of their special Thanksgiving flavors and saved me a trip to the store. The cranberry orange truffle is one of the two I have ready to review for you.

This truffle is included in a “Seasonal Pie Truffles” collection they offer each year at Thanksgiving. There’s a set of four flavors including Cranberry Orange, Pecan Pie, Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pie. The chocolates all sound really appealing, it must be hard to decided which to taste first. The cranberry orange is easy to pick out, it’s round and tall, decorated with lines of drizzled chocolate. It’s made with dark chocolate, so the color is very deep and inviting.

The truffle smells bright and zesty of oranges. You get a little sweetness form the chocolate, but it’s really the orange that steals the show here. The first bite is filled with orange, complimented by cranberry followed by the rich dark chocolate tones with an edge of cherry and cream. Taking a peek at the truffle’s interior, you can see the pale pink filling with actual bits of cranberry in it. No wonder if it’s so flavorful!  The chocolate is fruity too, so it’s bright red notes of cherries and currants compliments the filling beautifully. The orange notes are bright and zesty, as they’re extremely fresh. The cranberries and a fresh tartness to it, and in a way I’m reminded of a creamy cranberry sauce. It’s very flavorful and delicious.

I really liked this truffle, as the flavors were beautifully balanced with the chocolate, not to mention being yummy! It really makes me eager to buy the “Seasonal Pie Collection” and try the Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pie flavors it includes. The flavors are just so tempting! Especially since fall flavors are a big favorite of mine. If this truffle is any hint of what the overall collection is like, and knowing See’s I feel safe in assuming that it is, I’m sure it’s a extremely delicious treat which is worthy of replacing the pies it mimics.

Rating: Will Buy Again

Links See’s Candies Website