M&M’s has been very good recently with releasing limited edition flavors for the holidays. There was the Candy corn M&M’s for Halloween, the Mint and Cinnamon M&M’s for the Holiday season, and now that Valentine’s Day is fast approaching we have Cherry M&M’s. This isn’t the first time that M&M’s has tried a cherry flavoring. Way back in 2008 when I was still writing for CandyAddict.com I reviewed the Wildly Cherry M&M’s when they first came on the market. Then they released the Cherry Cordial flavor for the holiday season. Still, this is the first plain “Cherry” flavor for M&M’s, so like anything new I have to try it. I know it’s an impossibility, but I do wish I had samples on hand from the older flavors so I could see how they compared to this new flavor.
In case you had any doubt in your mind, this package lets you know it’s for Valentine’s Day. We have the ladies man “Red” on the front, dressed in a tux and holding out a giant heart shaped box that reads “be Mine”. In his other had he holds two cherries, and the back ground is swirled with hearts. It’s pretty romantic. I am also very pleased that they managed to do a package design without any pink on it.
The M&M’s candies are all red or maroon colored, and vary in size by a little bit. Some are larger and some are smaller.
You can smell the cherry flavor on the M&Ms right away. It’s bright and metallic, with a strong juicy note that has a floral edge to it. It’s a cherry flavor I haven’t enountered much before. The aftertaste is a little medicinal, but by all mean it’s not unpleasant.
It’s funny how the cherry flavor diminishes each time you pop a new flavor in your mouth. I’ve paired these with coffee, and I’ve also shared them with my fiance. At first he seemed hesitant, since he isn’t big on cherry flavors. Soon he was eating them piece by piece exclaiming that they are “Pretty good”! If you’re a cherry lover, I do recommend giving these a try. Like other cherry flavors M&Ms has done in the past, these are tasty if you like red candies!
Rating: Might Eat Again
Links M&M’s Website
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 of the harder to find flavors from Lifesavers. I recall liking this flavor because ti tastes a bit different from the other butterscotch type hard candies out there. You certainly get a more intense “rum” flavor with these, and that’s why they stand out so. Yum!
I found this Tea Room Midnight Mocha along with the Pina Colada bar the other day in Cost Plus World Market. I’ll say again, I love that store! It’s a candy adventure every time I go in there. I was impressed to see that this is the first chocolate bar by the tea room to not have tea, but instead coffee, in it. Regardless, I was really excited to see a new flavor to try from them.
This bar is described to have 72% dark chocolate, yum! The wrapper is just gorgeous. It has rich tones of purple accented by bright pinks. Opening the bar it smells, deep, and earthy with a nice chocolate and coffee aroma.
The flavor is not acidic at all, which is a pleasant surprise. The flavpr starts off sweet and mild, with an excellent hint of chocolate. then the coffee flavor blooms with nice earthy tones kissed with cherries. It’s a wonderful mix. The texture is smooth and silky, thankfully not gritty as some coffee chocolates are. The flavor blends beautifully and is a wonderful pairing. I was worried the mixture of dark chocolate and coffee would be too acidic. The flavor comes of rich and delicious, with excellent notes of both the coffee and the chocolate.
Coffee and chocolate are a winning combination no matter how you cut it, and this bar is a beautiful example of how a coffee chocolate bar should be. The flavor isn’t acidic, the texture is silky (not gritty like some bars are) and the overall all balance of flavors is heavenly. One again The Tea Room hits another home run.
Rating: Will Buy Again
Links The Tea Room Website
I’m always excited when I find Tea Room Chocolates in stores. I love the flavors that they do, which is mixing all sorts of teas with different types of chocolate. So far my favorite of theirs is the White Chocolate Chamomile. This is why I was very happy to come across a few new bars of Tea Room’s in Cost Plus World Market. I immediately snatched it up, along with another new flavor, and eagerly took them home.
Today’s bar is 38% organic cacao “infused with a tropical fruit tea blend of pineapple, banana, mango and other island fruits”. Sounds yummy! The package is colorful and vibrant, which I think reflects the tropical fruits used in this bar. The chocolate is a nice medium brown color with a subtle sheen. The aroma is that of creamy milk chocolate with some hints of caramel. Sometimes I feel like I get a whiff of fruit, but it’s fleeting and quickly overpowered by the chocolate.
The flavor is immediately sweet and I get a slight hint of pineapple. then the rich chocolate flavor kicks in with notes of cream and caramel. At the end of the flavor I get some notes of coconut and “fruits”, hard to lay my finger on exactly what is it. Delicious, I’m really impressed. I admit I was a little worried that it’d taste like sun tan lotion but it totally doesn’t. It’s a subtle flavor that adds to the chocolate’s profile.
Out of all the Tea Room bars I’ve tasted to date, this one ranks pretty high up there. The flavors are all really well balanced and it makes for a very interesting and fun flavor. It comes across as exotic, and I think it’s a nice new twist on the more mundane flavors you see mixed with milk chocolate nowadays. I recommend it if you happen to come across it!
Rating: Will Buy Again
Links The Tea Room Website
