This is a poorly timed post, as we are trying our best to cut down on sweets in the New Year. I have a few English treats that we sampled last year, but I never reviewed. The pictures have been sitting on my desk top, mocking me. I guess I will have to just eat this apple and live vicariously through my 2012 food memories.
Back in October, Dan's Brother-In-Law spent the weekend with us and he brought along early Christmas presents. Thank You Higgins Family! I still have some of the treats waiting to be tasted on our "British Yummies Shelf", which is a high shelf in our kitchen, that hopefully puts things out of view, so that it lasts longer. Out of sight, out of mind?
This present from the Higgins, was gobbled up within a week.
The chocolate bar was huge and I have no idea how he got it over here in one piece. 2.2 pounds of Cadbury Milk chocolate. This present rocks. First, Cadbury chocolate is delicious. I've now come to appreciate the English version, which unlike the American version of Cadbury, doesn't have added components to keep it from melting. It's creamier. Second, it's giant. Giant novelty candy is smile inducing.
We have another chocolate treat from Dan's parents, Maltesers.
Maltesers are delicious. I think that they taste remarkably similar to their their American counterpart, Whoppers. Dan insists that they are nothing alike and I respectfully disagree. They are similar, both small balls of malt covered in chocolate. Whoppers are malt and Malterers have a malt/honeycomb combo center. Maltesers were first sold in 1937 and Whoppers was originally sold as product called Giants and was sold in 1939. Apparently, the thirties was a hot time for malt candy.
I discovered a fun fact, that Maltesers were originally advertised as a diet food! It was created by Forrest Mars Sr. and heavily marketed towards women, labeling as slimming and claiming them to be "Balls of Energy". I read this and immediately tried to justify working it into our 2013 diet plan. If you don't look too deep, anything can be diet food. The Malteser company said that it was healthy, must be, right? I like the sound of "Balls of Energy". Ok, back to this Granny Smith. Crunch.
I think on our trip to England, I will have to pick up a bag and bring it home for a Malteser/Whopper side by side comparison, so that I can appreciate the difference.