Seasonal Christmas Candy Round Two

I was pleased to find a few non-peppermint Seasonal Christmas candies over the big shopping weekend.  A couple that did not make the purchasing cut include:  Sour Patch Kids in only green and red (very creative, they just omitted two flavors) and Swedish Fish in red and green (again, not too creative).

An exciting find came in the form of Mike and Ikes, their Holiday Medley includes two original flavors (cherry and lime) AND a new holiday punch flavor (in dark green).  The punch flavor has a bit of a raspberry thing going on, it isn't offensive but it certainly doesn't hold up in comparison to Starburst's tropical punch (against which I judge all punch flavoring, just thinking about them makes my mouth water).   Overall, I am happy with this new addition and I appreciate the introduction of the new flavor.

It's not often, if ever, that I crave a Sugar Baby but this holiday version caught my eye and I willingly made the purchase.  The colored candy coating is incredibly dull so the candy looks like it could have been sitting around in the back of a Benjamin Franklin store since 1980 something.  Considering the size of a Sugar Baby the colored coating is also fairly thick which is distracting.  It almost adds a crunch to the expected crystallized sugar chew.  Sugar Babies aren't the best candy on the market, dressing them up in different colors doesn't help their cause.

Seasonal Candy - Christmas style

If you are like most folks, when you think of Christmas candy you probably think of red and white stripped peppermint candy canes.  While you can now find candy canes in a vast array of flavors, it turns out that peppermint continues to be the go to flavoring for several variations of specialty Christmas candy.  Here are a few seasonal candy reviews, I hope to share more since it isn't even Thanksgiving yet!

I'm a fan of the 'Pop Drops' that Tootsie has created, the peppermint isn't my favorite however, it is tastier than a boring old peppermint.  It's what you would expect, a mint hard candy that tastes like a candy cane with a tiny tootsie roll inside.  They have been making candy cane tootsie pops for a while and these Pop Drops are a milder approach if you just want a bit of peppermint.

Junior Mints Peppermint Crunch are not a particularly appealing candy.  They used such a small amount of 'crunch' that it actually looks like sad misplaced sprinkles.  There is no benefit from having the 'crunchy' sprinkles, they don't really make them crunchy like a Nestle's Crunch and quite frankly, the original Junior Mints are far superior to these sad crunchlettes.

When I was younger I used to go to a near by gas station to purchase Royals, which were basically mint M&Ms in green and brown with little crowns printed on them.  Years after Royals were discontinued, I was thrilled to find mint M&Ms at Christmas, not quite the same as Royals but close enough.  For the past two years I have not been able to find these seasonal treats, so I was quite excited to see them again this year.  Unfortunately, it seems M&Ms has inflated these mint M&Ms to be the size of their limited edition 'Jumbo' M&Ms.  I am likely jaded by my desire for the original Royals, but these pumped up mint M&Ms are not as delicious as previous years.  The flavor is ok but it seems that in this case, size does matter. 

I have to give it to DOTS, they have been cranking out quite a few seasonal varieties lately including three Halloween inspired versions: blood orange, ghost (their original flavors all 'hiding' in the same greenish translucent color) and candy corn.  These Christmas DOTS are ok, I wouldn't pick them over the original version though.  The white vanilla tops take away from the cherry and lime too much and it is somewhat like eating a chewy cherry or lime flavored marshmallow.

Year two of Dove's Peppermint Bark pieces won me over.  Last year I couldn't bring myself to purchase them as they had Martha Stewart sayings in place of the traditional 'promises.'  They have one layer of dark chocolate and one layer of white chocolate with peppermint pieces.  The peppermint is not particularly strong and I think they would be far better without the white chocolate, but then again, I'm not really a fan of white 'chocolate.'

The humming bird goes shopping

Imagine Elmer Fudd has a cold and is speaking in super slow motion.  Now, make that voice come from a kid in a stoller who is in ‘name that item’ mode.  Finally, place him in the same antique store that I chose to wander on Sunday.  He and his dad were always sure to be no more than one booth away from me (this place wasn't crowded).  Young Elmer was particularly fond of fans and tractors.  Derrhhhhhhhhhhs a twaaaacktooooooorre (there’s a tractor).  Oh so entertaining, at times annoying – mostly when the dad decided he needed to push the kid in the stroller into the booth I was in that had no more than 3 feet to stand in.  But for the most part it was funny to hear him say words in his wacky gravely voice.

The best find at the antiques mall? Hands down, the glass serving plates in a category I’d never heard of, Garden Party.  Yes, that’s right, there was a time in life when there were plates specific to hosting a meal in your garden.  They were small, crystal rectangles with a partition for your food and for your coffee or tea cup.  But what really sealed this as the best find was the built in ashtray.  Yes, that’s right, this beautiful set of crystal garden party plates included a place to put your cigarette butt during a time when everyone smoked after a meal.  There is something I love about It, and something so incredibly wrong about it, that I can’t even imagine the world that these come from.

Of course my real reason for going to the antiques mall was to scout out candy dishes and cake plates.  I determined that for about $500 I could purchase a really good collection of display pieces for my store.  I also reminded myself that I have expensive and impeccable taste when I found myself drooling over an absolutely fabulous square cake stand from at least 15 feet away.  The price on this beauty? Oh you know, just $99.  I’m thinking that purchase will be made in celebration of making a profit.

It’s been two weeks since I last baked or stirred some sugar.  Thankfully, the first Barker Baking Fest is scheduled for this upcoming Saturday.  One of my two ‘new’ college friends, Amy Barker, is coming into town to bake with me.  We’re hoping to knock out some Christmas cookies that can be frozen, how’s that for planning?  The best part, I’m thinking with this kind of preparation I could actually make one or two gingerbread houses.  Ohhhhhh Snap!  I’m pretty certain that I have sugar in my veins.

Only 363 days until Halloween!

Ahhhh, Halloween.  You truly are the best.  A holiday dedicated to candy, what more can I ask for?  Yesterday I overheard several adults having conversations about candy, one talking about having spent $70 on candy and only having 10 pieces left, another talking about his love/hate relationship with Butterfingers. 

To celebrate this glorious holiday I invited several friends (and their families) over to treat themselves to a Halloween sweets bar.  Catering sweets tables is my first step toward opening a confectionery so the event was also a marketing scheme.  I made several sweets: black bottom pumpkin cupcakes with chocolate chip cheesecake filling, butter crunch toffee (plain, chocolate coated and chocolate/peanut coated), spicy oatmeal crisps, 'crack' mix (praline pecans and oat squares, dried apricots and chocolate chips), brownie bites drenched in dark chocolate ganache and of course, grey salt caramels.  Over 50 guests enjoyed selecting their favorites and filling up their treat bag over a cup of caramel apple cider.  The photos below give you a feel for the oh so sugary event.

An apple a day

There is something to be said for the retro tradition of a doctor providing young patients with a lollipop.  I am going to a new Dr. today who carries the weight of solving my hive mystery.  I've been 'juicing' (prednisone) for about two months now and have had a fantastic run of four weekends without hives.  The hope of course, is that once off of the juice, I will no longer have hives.  While that is certainly enticing, I find myself thinking like a young patient, I am more enthusiastic about getting to enjoy my favorite gummy candy which the hospital gift shop carries (one of only two places in town that I am aware of). 

You'd really think that with Halloween only days away and a house filled with candy for over 50 guests that I would have my fill.  Actually, if you really thought that, well, we haven't gotten to know each other well enough.

During the days when Saturday morning was the only time for cartoons I remember my excitement when there was a brand new Halloween special featuring Garfield.  The only thing I remember about the special was that lazy lasagna loving cat chanting my favorite and frequently used mantra 'Candy Candy Candy Candy Candy.' 

I'm off to wait for The Great Pumpkin and to think about candy for a few more days or weeks, or months, ok really - years.  Candy is indeed, dandy.

A ShoLo week, the closest I will ever come to a mullet

Last week was the longest short week of my life.  Here it is, represented in photos

I have been trying to resolve several issues with my hot tub. When I went to clean the tub I discovered that not only was I the proud parent of a bizillion wasps but I also had created a happy habitat for multiple frogs.

I had a fabulous adventure on Labor Day to Olbrich Gardens where the monarch butterflies were in full force.  I counted 14 lit on the same plant at the same time.

It was crazy windy on Tuesday, here's a flag that had been flying for about an hour.

What screams fun?  I know - how about another round of face hives?!  This time I got to go the the emergency room at 9:30pm.  I was sent home at 2am after seeing at least 7 people who all basically said the same thing - we can't do anything for you unless you stop breathing.  I opted to continue breathing.

I was in the middle of making my first peach pie when the ER called so this pie took over 24 hours to make.  I call it 'Emergency peach pie.'







I finished the week with two very long work days trying to make up for lost time.  Fortunately I had a healthy weekend full of fun instead of itching, scratching and swelling.  I guess I'm glad that Memorial day is several months away, I'm not sure that I am ready for another 'short' week.

Falling into Zen

When I was about 5 I came into the house after playing in our backyard, my mom asked if I had been eating raspberries. I responded with an adamant 'no,' my mom pressed on, saying it was ok if I had been. I continued to deny any association with our raspberry patch, not knowing that my face was entirely covered with evidence of my recent raspberry excursion. I knew at a young age that raspberries were sacred, that they were coveted and worthy of being secretive about. Unfortunately, my lack of stealth in indulgence meant that my mom would forever know what I looked like when I was flat out lying.

On Sunday morning I pulled out of my driveway and headed to Sutter's Ridge to pick raspberries.  I laughed as I changed the radio from Garrison Keillor to The BackSpin with Spindarella.  It can't be too often that the old timey Garrison is juxtaposed with The Humpty Dance. 

As I drove to one of my favorite destinations in the world, I began to observe the anxiety inducing signs of the end of summer.  I absolutely love autumn, but I do not do well with the transition from summer to fall.  Some of it is directly related to my depression, and some of it is preferring hot weather over cold. With the onset of fall each year I start to get nervous, it's like the impending doom of winter is right around the corner and I have to muster up the strength to get through another soul zapping winter. 

Pushing these emotions aside and choosing to focus on the moment, I admired the beautiful waves of grasses blowing on the side of the road, navigated around the road bikers, and quickly arrived at my destination.  The farm provides me with a beautiful zen experience each season.  Standing in the sun, picking and eating beautiful raspberries, inhaling sweet raspberry air, listening to the constant drone of busy bees and feeling the gentle mosquito inhibiting breeze on my skin.  Not sure it gets much better.

I've been picking up some of the newer candy that has hit the market over the past few months and it's time for a few reviews.

Not so new to the shelves anymore are Pretzel M&Ms.  They officially became part of the line early this summer after a limited edition run earlier in the year.  General sentiment - they aren't perfect but they don't suck.  I'd like to try a version with a smaller pretzel and/or a thicker layer of chocolate.  I think that mixing pretzels and M&Ms as separate items is still a better flavor combination, you get more salt and will feel less likely to hurt a tooth.  They are worth trying and I'm happy they exist.

Following my allergy tests (see previous posts) I stumbled into the hospital gift shop.  Random stores always have at least one candy that I haven't found elsewhere and my find was Extreme Sour Patch Kids.  Claiming 'two super sour flavors in one' these have a slightly different texture (less sticky, more chewy) than their original counterparts.  The flavors are: Watermelon/Grape, Orange/Blue Raspberry, Sour Apple Strawberry.  They are NOT extreme.  With sour candies on the market that can make a person cry, naming an already sour candy 'extreme' indicates that tears and puckering are likely.  While I like the texture of the extreme kids better than the original the flavors are trendy and lame and the lack of sour in a sour patch kid just doesn't make sense.  After visiting their website I learned about some products that I have not seen or tested yet, let me know if you find these!  Sour Patch Cherry and Sour Patch Peach (there's also a blue raspberry but I'm not interested).

Twix has been reinventing and creating for quite a while.  I have heard that a favorite variation, Espresso caramel, is going to become a standard but I haven't seen it on the market since it appeared as a limited edition.  It rocks so I hope these aren't just candy rumors.  An ok limited version that you may still be able to find is Triple Chocolate.  It has a chocolate cookie, chocolate caramel and of course if coated in chocolate.  It's nothing to write home about but it isn't bad.

Butterfinger Snackers are crispy wafer like squares filled with butterfinger and coated with chocolate.  If you're looking for your butterfinger fix this isn't going to do it.  They seem like they belong in the 100 calorie pack craze - a product with a similar name that lures you in but doesn't deliver what you were craving. 

I'll leave you with a favorite (also scored at the hospital gift shop) Haribo Roulettes.  I first found these when I was vacationing with my Aunt and Uncle in Texas, I was 12.  I'm a Haribo gummy fan and this is my all time favorite from their product line.  First, when you buy them you can pick the roll that has the most of your favorite and least of your least favorite flavors.  Second, they have a better chew than other gummies.  Could be because of their size but whatever the reason, these deliver.  They are available in a bigger roll, the pieces are even bigger in diameter.  They are pretty spendy for gummy candy and they aren't available in many places.  You can usually find them at Cost Plus and I've spotted them at several coffee shops. 

Future reviews will include Milky Way's all caramel bar, Three Musketeer truffle crisp and Reese's crispy crunch.

Food Adventures of a Hive Free Gal

When I woke up on Sunday morning I wasn’t sure if it was Sunday or Monday. It had been seven weeks since I had two days in a row off from work without hives. I celebrated my hive free weekend by spending tons of time outside and making great food. A few food highlights are below.

On Saturday morning I went to the market and picked up ingredients for mom’s birthday lunch. BLTs with Jordandal Farms bacon, beautiful lettuce, a new to me green called Purslane (turns out it's a weed to most), brandy wine tomato, sweet basil pesto from Renaissance Farm on lightly toasted wheat Madison Sourdough. I served it with seedless yellow watermelon (one nephew thought it was really good, the other wasn’t into this ‘wrong color’ watermelon), muskmelon and a cucumber and carrot salad. The adults had mini rootbeer floats with lunch. For dessert everyone had an individual molten chocolate cake with blueberries and raspberries.

Late Saturday night I decided to make blueberry muffins. It was my first time substituting seaberry juice for citrus. The muffins were great but I don't know that the seaberry juice had any real impact. It's a bit difficult to say because it was a small amount of juice being used to flavor the sugar that went on top of the muffins. Not a big part of the overall muffine experience but a great local substitute for citrus. Carandale Farm has been doing some cool research on non traditional crops including seaberries, hooray for our local Farmers!

Dinner on Sunday was yellow watermelon and a kitchen sink salad with bacon bits, tomato warmed with garlic and basil, cucumbers and carrots.
If this is making you Madison area folks hungry consider signing up for the Eat Local Challenge being held by the Willy Street Coop. It’s free to sign up and you score a bunch of great coupons for local items that don’t typically offer deals, plus recipes, a shirt and a food journal. This is the first year of the challenge and they were already close to 500 participants on Thursday last week. There are different levels so you can find the right fit for you and your eating habits.

Hiveberry Popsicles

Outdoor temperature: 79
Indoor temperature: 80

Yup, I'm pretty sure that my air conditioning has stopped working. I'm sorry, but what. the. hell. I never use my air. I was running it because I have hives. Hives that have attacked my face and kept me from fun things. Hives that were most likely caused because I ate Strawberries *gasp!* Are you for real? A berry that I have consumed as many of as I could, since the moment we met? And now, when I have just begun to have some hope that I will return to a non hive moment the freaking air conditioning stops working? Filter changed. Batteries replaced. Reprogrammed. Still not working.

I keep looking for a different way to look at this experience and am always looking for the humor in the moment. While poofy faced, I discovered I could make extra funny faces, that was fun-ish. I considered making a video of myself saying 'just put your lips together and blow' and trying to whistle (which I can't do when my lips aren't inflated, but that's besides the point), also entertaining. But I'm loosing steam. I'm hardly in a place to have to fight for physical health. I've been fighting uphill against a serious depressive episode for almost two years and I am tired. I could really use a break and face hives house arrest hardly seemed like a trip to the spa.

To distract myself from my super exciting weekend indoors, I took my sorry self to the kitchen and made popsicles. Yes, you read that correctly, this crazy girl has been pushed to the brink, she's making Popsicles because she can't bake right now. Screw you heat, I'll put a frosty spell on you! Always a bargain hunter, I managed to score a fancy Williams-Sonoma Popsicle mold for a crazy deal over 5 years ago. This was the first time I used the mold, it gets a huge thumbs up. It was easy to use and has a nice metal cover that holds the sticks in place. I basically made up a smoothie with yogurt, blueberries and orange juice and froze it in pop shape, nothing fancy yet. I also made an orange juice and berry (sans hiveberry) version. Both show great promise.

I think I'll add fun, seasonal freezer treats to my menu. You know you'd stop in for one, an ice pop would be a perfect accompaniment to a stroll on a summer evening. Here are some ice pop flavors that will be available: blueberries and cream, blackberry cantaloupe, cucumber mint, raspberry puree with a hint of jalapeno, lavender honey, and Concorde grape.

Hives, the mother of invention.

House arrest

The Saturday market was beautiful, the summer fruits are plentiful and it really feels like summer.

A few moments after basking in the glory of the last bite of my last pain au chocolat from Cafe Soleil, I got a wicked headache. Could it have been my body responding to the final chapter of the Cafe? I mean, I've just learned what my body thinks about over consumption of strawberries. Caused by faux drama or not, things began to go downhill quickly. It was the kind of headache that plants the fear of an on boarding migraine. I made it home, threw back naproxen, watered and salted myself. No improvement, I added orange juice. This couldn't happen today! I had a beautiful day ahead of me celebrating the love of two friends, their new baby and more wonderful recent life changing moments.

Flashback.

Enter "Novocaine lip," unfortunately, I remembered this feeling. I was getting face hives again. Convinced that I could conquer this and still go to the party I took more of the prescribed meds, a cool shower and covered my body in sunscreen. My face kept inflating and I began to look like a mole with super thick lips. I was thinking through my entrance at the party and how helpful a burka could have been. I was coming up with funny games we could play trying to contort my face in different ways. But over the next 10 minutes my throat began to feel an uncomfortable pressure, I had a few yawns, coughs and general panic inducing moments. I spoke with a friend, called urgent care, packed my bag with reading materials and went to the clinic. I found the most secluded seat in the waiting room which happened to be facing a receptionist. I overheard half of several phone calls: a rash, a migraine, broken ankle, a potential suicide and someone trying to schedule a massage appointment.

Thankfully, the drama pretty much ended when I arrived. I was seen way sooner than expected (by 2 hours), the doc gave me an inhaler and an express line pass to see an allergy specialist. So I went home, missing the party and reluctantly turned on my air conditioning. Sealing up my house in the summer seems like a sin.

Today my summer fun Sunday was to entail a visit to Jordandal farm with friends. I had also been invited to two wonderful brunches which I was already sad to be missing. Instead I am a puffy, splotchy, itchy mess. Windows closed and a chill in the air I am pretending that it is actually a miserably cold winter day. Snow cone anyone?

P.S. I've been told by multiple insiders that I need not fear and that Graze will take care of my pastry needs. I know they won't let me down.

A Madison Yankee

08.14.10 Grand opening celebration of
the new Madison Children's Museum

Last week my family was honored with a presentation about the history of Madison’s Block 99. This triangle of land is the location of the much anticipated new Madison Children’s Museum as well as the location of my Great Great Grandparents’ home and the location of the first Jackson Clinic.
As I learn about the generations that walked on the same Madison streets I walk today, I have been wondering what those family members would think about my life in Madison today. I truly celebrate this Independence Day. I am grateful to be a single, property owning, childless, petless, career woman free from so many obstacles that were faced by those before me.
I have been thinking a lot about sense of place and what home means to me. In a treasured account of the Jackson family’s time on Block 99, two of my Great Aunts wrote about holiday celebrations and shared the insight below. The father that is reference is my Great Great Grandfather.
“On the Fourth of July the father, pretending to be still an Englishman, always grumbled loudly that it was an insult for a Britisher to have to hand out hard-earned cash to buy fireworks for Yankees to celebrate their independence; and forthwith distributed nickels, dimes, and quarters. Though a loyal American citizen, he never lost his love for the land of his birth, and the least unfavorable criticism of England quickly brought him to her defense.”
This Yankee purchased her sparklers and snap pops without a grumble, rather with gratitude for those that came before me and afforded me the opportunities and freedom that I have today.

Strawberry botox recovery room

It all started last Saturday, I made my weekly farmers market trip then took a bike ride around lake Monona. It was a beautiful day. On my way home I stopped at my friend Jess’ house to say hello and showed off my creepy bug bite complete with swollen hematoma looking bump. Upon waking up earlier that morning to find my body lightly coated in fresh bug bites, I immediately washed all of my bedding and assumed that would do the trick. I woke up to more bites the next morning and determined that I should sleep downstairs that night. The change of venue didn’t add bites that night but they didn’t seem to be disappearing either. I continued to sleep downstairs for the rest of the week and coped with itchy body parts. That is, until Friday.

I was leaving the Jackson family after a fantastic family history lesson at the new children’s museum (more on that later) and suddenly felt like I had just had a shot of Novocain in my mouth. My lower lip was buzzing and starting to feel numb, this was happening on the heals of a daylong mega headache that had just started to disappear. I looked in the mirror and realized that my lower lip was swelling up, I was starting to look like I had been in some sort of bar brawl. When I arrived home I called urgent care and while on hold I noticed that my right eye was feeling funny too, which is when I realized that my eye was swelling up and I officially began to freak out. I was able to get in to see a doctor at urgent care and learned that I had hives. Although hives aren’t the kind of thing I might otherwise get excited about having, I was slightly relieved to learn that I wasn’t being eaten alive by some creepy bugs at night. While we can’t be certain at this point, I feel it is very safe to assume that the gluttonous days of strawberry consumption over the past two weeks created my splotchy berry bumps. Armed with Loratadine, Prednisone and Wal-dryl I began my Friday evening knowing that my face was going to keep swelling for a bit. Photos were necessary. Not that this was my Cover Girl moment (god let’s hope this isn’t me at my best) but I needed proof and a reminder. It wasn’t until I brushed my teeth that I even contemplated smiling in this condition. Once I smiled I couldn’t stop laughing. My puffy strawberry smile was hilarious! I looked sort of like a cabbage patch doll version of me.

A week ago I was living the good life, I had just finished processing or eating all of the strawberries I brought home after the Jackson day laborer adventure at Carandale Farm (about 20 pounds). That was on Saturday. I was already Jonesing for more so I asked mom to pick up berries on the way to my house for Father’s Day breakfast. Despite the low supply of pre-picked berries due to the recent rain, my mom’s connections earned me two quarts of lovely berries even without a phone call reservation for said berries. I finished the last of the two quarts in five days.

So, now I'm in strawberry detox. I realized this on Saturday morning when I almost cried because I couldn't buy strawberries at the farmers market. I mean, I could have bought them but I couldn't consume them in good health. And while I enjoy making treats for you, the idea of making a fabulous strawberry concoction and not being able to partake is just too much for me to handle.

The thing is, I already know I'm not strong enough to make it through next year's strawberry season. I was editing some photos this morning and realized just how bad my addiction is, pictures of all of the strawberry glory that had been in my life over the past two weeks. Frozen whole, mixed with sugar then frozen, freeze dried, juiced, fresh bowls with raspberries and blueberries, fresh with whipped cream and a toasted cake donut, lemon shortbread cupcakes with fresh strawberry and whipped cream frosting, I didn't even get to make sorbet! Two weeks, in just TWO weeks I managed to consume so many strawberries that my body actually revolted. Yet even while sporting my berry botox recovery room look I still almost bought strawberries at the market. Not just once, not twice, but THREE times! Three times I had my money pouch in hand and seriously contemplated a purchase of the very berries that are making my skin crawl right now. I'm telling you, the berries from Door County are gigantic and I'm talking about beautiful, non-hormone injected, non-sprayed berries. I didn't quite reach welled up tears stage, but that was probably because my tear glands were swollen in strawberry rage.

So what did I do in response to this new reality? Bought blueberries, raspberries and cherries at the market of course. Turns out you can have too much of a good thing so I'm pacing myself. I've only eaten one pint of raspberries, a half pint of blueberries and half a quart of cherries so far this weekend. Make sure to tune in during the upcoming weeks when we learn if blueberry hives are blue…

*I hope to figure out how to post photos on this blog so you can enjoy my strawberry puffy smile too.