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Just Born

Monday, September 12, 2016

Hot Tamales Licorice Bites

DSC_0713tbHot Tamales are a simple candy, they’re just cinnamon flavored jelly beans, in a long rod shape. Cinnamon candies aren’t always easy to find, so it’s nice that they’re pretty cheap, too.

The newest brand extension for Hot Tamales, made by Just Born (the company that also makes Peeps and Mike and Ike) are Hot Tamales Licorice Bites. The concept of cinnamon flavored licorice is not new, Twizzlers has had them on and off over the years, and smaller companies like Kenny’s Licorice have also sold cinnamon licorice twists. However, as far as I know, Hot Tamales Licorice Bites are the only cinnamon licorice in stores now.

Since they came out, I’ve picked up three bags. So, consider this your review spoiler that I like these.

DSC_0755rb

The format is very simple, they’re little licorice nibs, like stubby slices of thick licorice twists. There’s a little hole in the center.

The texture is very similar to Twizzlers. It’s’ rubbery and crumbly and not really like anything considered food.

The cinnamon flavor is pleasantly warm with a little sizzle to it at times, like a zap from a static charge. They do tend to stick my teeth ... and the smell of them will contaminate any other food stuffs nearby. But I found them rather addictive. They’re not terribly sweet (in fact there’s 100 mg of sodium in each serving) and since they’re made from wheat flour, they’re also a bit more satisfying than straight sugar candy like the regular Hot Tamales.

These are a nice addition to the Hot Tamales line, similarly easy to eat and share. I hope they stick around.

Related Candies

  1. Hot Tamales 3 Alarm
  2. Mentos Cinnamon
  3. Good & Fiery
  4. See’s Cinnamon (Hearts & Lollypops)
  5. Cinnamon Fire Twizzlers
  6. Chewy Lemonheads & Atomic Fireballs
  7. Hot Tamales and Hotter Tamales


Name: Hot Tamales Licorice Bites
    RATING:
  • SUPERB
  • YUMMY
  • TASTY
  • WORTH IT
  • TEMPTING
  • PLEASANT
  • BENIGN
  • UNAPPEALING
  • APPALLING
  • INEDIBLE
Brand: Just Born
Place Purchased: Target (Glendale)
Price: $1.89
Size: 8 ounces
Calories per ounce: 113
Categories: Candy, Just Born, Cinnamon, 8-Tasty, United States, Target

POSTED BY Cybele AT 2:21 pm     CandyReviewJust BornChewsCinnamon8-TastyUnited StatesTarget

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Delight Peeps (Raspberry and Lemon)

Raspberry Delight PeepsJust Born continues with their Peeps limited edition flavors. This season they’ve released three new Delight versions which are fruity flavors dipped in a white confection tinted and flavored to match.

I found two varieties and picked them up: Raspberry Delight and Lemon Delight Peeps.

The Raspberry Delight Peeps package shows both red and blackberries, though the description isn’t any more specific than simply raspberry.

DSC_0525rb

The face that the inside and the outside of the Peeps are color-coordinated is oddly unsettling. The sugar crust is sparkly and a rather vibrant purple, but the innards are oddly dead looking.

The texture is exactly what you expect with a Peep, a crusty sugar shell, a light flavor and bouncy marshmallow texture. I actually enjoy slightly stale Peeps, so I let these packages sit open for a week after taking the photos of them. (So I ate one in its fresh state and the others in their stale state.) The raspberry is very mild, floral and a little jammy. There are little sour crystals in the crust and maybe in the fudge. The fudge is sweet, but also lots more flavorful than the marshmallow. I can’t say that I liked it, but it did add a textural difference and a little creamy note to the whole thing.

In this instance I liked this better than the Candy Corn and Pumpkin Spice Peeps, but not by much.

DSC_0512rbLemon Delight Peeps are lemon flavored lightly yellow Peeps dipped in lemon fudge.

The lemon flavor is mostly sweet and has a “cleaning product” sort of vibe, with the light citrus scent but very little nuance. The flavor also has a few hints of salt and sour, which does give a little respite from the sugary notes. Overall, they’re perfectly edible, but the fudge element is grainy and sweet and waxy.

The Lemon didn’t work as well as the Raspberry, but still came off as a decent piece of candy. I find these little dipped Peeps to be ridiculously expensive for the type of candy they are. I buy them because they’re novelties and there weren’t many other new Easter candies this year. In the future, I’d prefer to just find a good small confectioner that makes their marshmallow in house and uses high quality, high cacao chocolate.

Related Candies

  1. Peeps for Halloween: Caramel Apple, Pumpkin Spice and Candy Corn
  2. Russell Stover Lemon Cake Egg
  3. Peeps Minis Vanilla Creme
  4. Peeps Sweet Lemonade Chicks
  5. Bubble Gum Flavored Peeps
  6. Tootsie Roll Raspberry Cremes
  7. Peeps inside a Milk Chocolate Egg
  8. 3 Musketeers Cherry & Raspberry


Name: Raspberry and Lemon Delight Peeps
    RATING:
  • SUPERB
  • YUMMY
  • TASTY
  • WORTH IT
  • TEMPTING
  • PLEASANT
  • BENIGN
  • UNAPPEALING
  • APPALLING
  • INEDIBLE
Brand: Just Born
Place Purchased: Target (Eagle Rock)
Price: $1.99
Size: 1.5 ounces
Calories per ounce: 107
Categories: Candy, Easter, Just Born, Marshmallow, Mockolate, 5-Pleasant, United States, Target

POSTED BY Cybele AT 12:26 pm     CandyReviewEasterJust BornMarshmallowMockolate5-PleasantUnited StatesTarget

Monday, June 1, 2015

Mike and Ike Root Beer Float

DSC_9310rbMike and Ike come in a dozen flavor mixes, but every once in a while they put out a variety that is just a single flavor in a box. The new Mike and Ike Root Beer Float is a re-issue of an old flavor that comes back from time to time. Mike and Ike are simple, they’re cheap, they’re a reliable but probably underrated candy.

The box is quaint, though I’m not keen on the “pre-faded” look of packaging meant for food. I want my food to look fresh, at least by design. The other complaint about the box is that there’s a little perforated tab you can push to create a dispensing hole on the side of the box. That hole is on the bottom of the box, right under that Made in the USA logo you see in the lower left corner. There’s no way to close it once you open it. Not a big deal, because Mike and Ike don’t need to be sealed up, unless your environment is particularly humid. However, you can’t stand the box back up like it’s shown here without dumping the candy.

DSC_9317rb

The first thing I noticed is that these are not mousy brown jelly rods. No, these are designed to look like the foamy head on an icy cold Root Beer Float. Well done, Just Born, well done.

The look made me think that these would be more vanilla than root beer, which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, but not quite as appealing. Rest assured, these are Root Beer.

DSC_9320rb

There’s a little tangy note at the top, not quite sour but a little bite. The root beer flavor is pretty good, it has a nice nutmeg note with a little wintergreen and vanilla. The vanilla isn’t strong enough to give me an ice cream vibe, but a mix of both vanilla bean and root beer Mike and Ike might have been a fun idea to play with too.

I liked that the colorings were minimal and didn’t influence the flavors in the slightest. The medicinal note of the root beer did get a little odd after eating what was probably more than a single portion ... it does tend to taste pretty much like wintergreen after a while.

I enjoyed them fully. I like root beer, often soda flavored candies are mixed together and I have to pick through the cherry cola and Dr. Pepper flavors to get to the root beer. So it’s nice to have a box that is exactly the flavor I wanted. Since they make Hot Tamales as a single flavor, I don’t see why they can’t just keep these as a permanent item.

Related Candies

  1. Mike and Ike Cotton Candy
  2. Haribo Happy Cola Gefullt
  3. Pennsylvania Dutch Candies - Root Beer Puffs
  4. David’s Signature Beans Jelly Bean Sampler
  5. Tootsie Frooties - Root Beer
  6. See’s Pumpkin Spice & Root Beer Lollypops


Name: Mike and Ike Root Beer Float
    RATING:
  • SUPERB
  • YUMMY
  • TASTY
  • WORTH IT
  • TEMPTING
  • PLEASANT
  • BENIGN
  • UNAPPEALING
  • APPALLING
  • INEDIBLE
Brand: Just Born
Place Purchased: Dollar Tree (Pasadena)
Price: $1.00
Size: 5 ounces
Calories per ounce: 99
Categories: Candy, Just Born, Jelly Candy, 8-Tasty, United States, Dollar Tree

POSTED BY Cybele AT 1:22 pm     CandyReviewJust BornJelly Candy8-TastyUnited StatesDollar Tree

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Mike and Ike Cotton Candy

Mike and Ike Cotton CandyJust Born, which makes the class Peeps marshmallows and Hot Tamales also make Mike and Ike. Since these are classic candies, recently they’ve been marketing them in nostalgic packaging, sold especially at places like Cracker Barrel and in decade themed gift baskets. Every once in a while they revive a classic flavor mix, as well.

This year Just Born announced the return of their Mike and Ike Cotton Candy, which was discontinued in 2002, and Mike and Ike Root Beer Float.

I’ve been looking for these since they were announced and finally found them at a Dollar Tree in Pennsylvania (but not at two I checked in California). I’m always curious how Mike and Ike does these limited mixes, especially since I know that cotton candy isn’t much of a flavor.

There are two colors in the mix, pink and blue, but it’s unclear if they’re intended to be different flavors of cotton candy.

DSC_9168rb

The box smells like the box, no fruity or floral aromas, nothing that reminded me of the county fair. Cotton Candy isn’t much of a flavor to begin with. Originally cotton candy was just spun sugar, so the flavor is toasted but otherwise just sweet. But somewhere along the way cotton candy was colored (a great choice, in my opinion) and given different flavors. The flavoring of cotton candy is usually subtle, often strawberry or blueberry.

The blue and pink jelly rods tasted the same to me. They’re sweet, with that burnt sugar note and a the lightest hint of strawberries. There’s no tartness, no zest, not much else ... these could be sold without any color at all as minimalist Mike and Ike.

I found the flavor pleasant and clean. The texture as good, they felt fresh, kind of like that feeling I have about 10 minutes after a nice cup of jasmine tea.

I don’t know if I would buy these specifically for the flavor, but because of the extra mild flavor and the pastel colors, they’d be great for a party favor or decorating baked goods.

Related Candies

  1. Mike and Ike Strawberry Reunion
  2. Elmer Cotton Candy Marshmallow Eggs
  3. Cupcake Bites
  4. Festival HiCHEW: Candied Apple & Cotton Candy
  5. Disneyland for Candy Bloggers
  6. Skittles Carnival Flavors
  7. Regennas Clear Toys


Name: Mike and Ike Cotton Candy
    RATING:
  • SUPERB
  • YUMMY
  • TASTY
  • WORTH IT
  • TEMPTING
  • PLEASANT
  • BENIGN
  • UNAPPEALING
  • APPALLING
  • INEDIBLE
Brand: Just Born
Place Purchased: Dollar Tree (Harrisburg, PA)
Price: $1.00
Size: 5 ounces
Calories per ounce: 99
Categories: Candy, Just Born, Jelly Candy, 7-Worth It, United States, Dollar Tree

POSTED BY Cybele AT 2:22 pm     CandyReviewJust BornJelly Candy7-Worth ItUnited StatesDollar Tree

Friday, March 13, 2015

Just Born Teenee Beanee

DSC_8783rbJust Born is best known for their Peeps line of marshmallow candies. Easter is high season for Peeps, which now come in all known colors visible to the human eye. So all that’s left is the extension of the brand into other areas. Target had a nice display of the Peeps brand line, including some Peeps lollipops in various colors and two different shapes. (They came in a Peep shape, which was a little less attractive than the bunny one.) The candies were on sale, your choice of two for $3. I thought $1.50 was a bit steep for a lollipop, but the Just Born website lists them for $2.50 each.

They also had matching tubes of the Just Born Teenee Beanee Jelly Beans to go with the pops. The packaging was spare but appealing and the flavor for this set: Indian River Orange sounded very appealing.

The Lollipop was interesting in that it was not only shaped like a Peeps Bunny, but it also had a sugar crust on one side. The texture of the candy was fantastic, it’s more of a barley sugar candy, which usually has few voids and a milder sweetness. Think of it like a less intense Jolly Rancher, the texture is a very light dissolve that becomes pliable when the piece is small.

The orange flavor was delicate, no tart bite, just the orange zest note. I loved the dissolve, but I admit I didn’t care for the grainy textured side of the pop, which meant that the pieces were rough when I bit them off. The size was good at 1.2 ounces, quite a bit of candy, but not so much that I could finish it in an afternoon at my desk. There was a fresh, citrus aftertaste that lasted quite a while.

DSC_8793rb

Though it’s tempting to think that these were just cheaper Jelly Belly, but they’re not. Teenee Beanee are pectin beans, which means that they use both starch and fruit pectin to get the jelly center just right. They’re just a little bigger than Jelly Belly but not nearly as large as traditional jelly beans. The color is a little inconsistent, as some were more translucent than others, but I found this variation very attractive.

The orange flavor is vibrant and mostly zest-based. There was only a light hint of juicy tartness around the margin of the shell, but not at all like a Jelly Belly.

The tube holds 5 ounces and for $1.50 I thought that was a pretty good deal for a more premium bean. I liked them quite a bit, but part of it was that I just like orange jelly beans and the fact that I didn’t have to pick them out of a mix was good. The tube is easy to open and stays closed, and is pretty minimal overall. It also featured a real cloth ribbon bow, which is a nice touch if you’re going to put these into an Easter basket or make it part of a hostess gift.

The jelly beans were made in a facility that also processes peanuts, tree nuts, milk, wheat and soy. They use a confectioners glaze so are not considered vegan. Teenee Beanee tubes also come in La Jolla Lemon, Napa Grape, Chesapeake Cherry, Savannah Strawberry and Laredo Lime tubes with matching lollipops.

Related Candies

  1. David’s Signature Beans Jelly Bean Sampler
  2. Gimbal’s Sour Gourmet Jelly Beans
  3. Ferrara Pan White Hot Red Hots Jelly Beans
  4. Peeps Peepsters (Milk & Dark Chocolate)
  5. Russell Stover Pectin Jelly Beans
  6. Hot Tamales Spice Jelly Beans
  7. Peeps Chick & Bunny Candy
  8. Lifesavers Jellybeans


Name: Indian River Orange Teenee Beanee
    RATING:
  • SUPERB
  • YUMMY
  • TASTY
  • WORTH IT
  • TEMPTING
  • PLEASANT
  • BENIGN
  • UNAPPEALING
  • APPALLING
  • INEDIBLE
Brand: Just Born
Place Purchased: Target (Eagle Rock)
Price: $1.50
Size: 5 ounces
Calories per ounce: 99
Categories: Candy, Easter, Just Born, Jelly Candy, 7-Worth It, United States, Target

POSTED BY Cybele AT 12:09 pm     CandyReviewEasterJust BornJelly Candy7-Worth ItUnited StatesTarget

Monday, November 24, 2014

Red Velvet Peeps

Red Velvet PeepsPeeps are now available in dozens of varieties throughout the year. Just Born’s newest limited edition version is Red Velvet Peeps.

They’re described on the front as Red Velvet Flavored Marshmallow Dipped in Cream Flavored Fudge. The package is white and features a big window on front to see the three individually dipped Peeps nested in their tray.

This is far from the first Peeps variety flavored like a baked good, so far we’ve had: Birthday Cake Peeps, Gingerbread Peeps and Sugar Cookie Peeps,

Red Velvet Peeps

I have to say that as odd as this Peep looks, it’s an impressive accomplishment. It really looks velvety. The deep red sugar crust also has a bit of shimmer to it, with little gold flecks. The base of the Peep is dipped in a white fudge to simulate the cream cheese frosting usually associated with Red Velvet Cake.

Red Velvet Peeps

I’m not a fan of Red Velvet Cake, but I’ll go on record to say that this is one of the best candies to evoke the Red Velvet experience I’ve had. I’m not sure that’s a compliment, but that’s why I gave this a 6 out of 10 and not a 4 out of 10.

The marshmallow inside is a cocoa flavor. It smells like cake batter, which isn’t a bad thing either. The red sugar crust taste like red food dye. The white dip on the base of the Peep tastes like sugary wax. So, we have all the components of a red velvet cake: a cake that is neither vanilla nor chocolate, some extra red food coloring to give it an off flavor, and a solidified palm kernel oil coating.

The marshmallow is fine, it is lightly sweet but the cocoa helps to cut it. The cream base could have a little more salt in it, to evoke the cream cheese frosting a bit better. But overall, it’s just an entirely weird Peep. And at least it’s different from the regular Peeps.

Related Candies

  1. Peeps Minis Chocolate Creme
  2. Candy Made to Taste Like Cake
  3. M&Ms Milk Chocolate Red Velvet
  4. Bubble Gum Flavored Peeps
  5. Russell Stover Red Velvet Santa
  6. Peeps Gingerbread Men
  7. Peeps Chocolate Dipped Sugar Cookie & Candy Cane
  8. Godiva Cake Truffles


Name: Red Velvet Peeps
    RATING:
  • SUPERB
  • YUMMY
  • TASTY
  • WORTH IT
  • TEMPTING
  • PLEASANT
  • BENIGN
  • UNAPPEALING
  • APPALLING
  • INEDIBLE
Brand: Just Born
Place Purchased: Target (Glendale)
Price: $1.49
Size: 1.5 ounces
Calories per ounce: 100
Categories: Candy, Peeps, Christmas, Just Born, Marshmallow, Mockolate, 6-Tempting, United States, Target

POSTED BY Cybele AT 2:20 pm     CandyPeepsReviewChristmasJust BornMarshmallowMockolate6-TemptingUnited StatesTarget

Friday, October 17, 2014

Mike and Ike Minion Mix

Minions Mix Mike and IkeIf you liked the Despicable Me movies, and more specifically, the Minions, might I interest you some Mike and Ike: Minion Mix?

The box is quite cute. Both the front and back feature Minion characters. (The back is formatted to stand on its end instead of the long side, and has a Minion holding up a banana.)

The mix is not very mixy, it’s just two flavors: Banana and Blueberry. The yellow and blue colors go thematically with the colors of the Minion worker overalls and their skin (?) color.

Minions Mix Mike and Ike

The blue Blueberry Mike and Ikes are blue. Very blue. The blueberry flavor is, well, a flavor. It doesn’t taste like blueberries, but it’s pleasant enough. It’s tangy and sweet.

The yellow Banana Mike and Ike are great. I don’t know if they’ve done a straight banana before (plenty of banana blends), so this was a pleasure since it’s such an uncommon flavor. It’s sweet with no weird acetone burn to it. It’s just, well sweet banana with a little toffee note like it’s very ripe.

This particular mix hit 100% for me, as I liked both flavors and didn’t need to do any picking. They combined nicely, but were good on their own. I can’t think of anything to improve it. It’s a quality movie tie in, instead of just throwing some movie logos on an existing product, they made something that had a fun little flair that goes with the show. (Kind of like the Jelly Belly mixes that have been coming out lately.)

Related Candies

  1. Chocolate Covered Banana Gummi Bears
  2. Mike and Ike Strawberry Reunion
  3. Bonomo & Doscher Banana Taffy
  4. Mike and Ike Autumn Medley
  5. Mike and Ike Berry Blast
  6. Mike and Ike Italian Ice
  7. Banana n Cream & Red Orange Mentos
  8. Mike and Ike Alex’s Lemonade Stand


Name: Mike and Ike Minion Mix
    RATING:
  • SUPERB
  • YUMMY
  • TASTY
  • WORTH IT
  • TEMPTING
  • PLEASANT
  • BENIGN
  • UNAPPEALING
  • APPALLING
  • INEDIBLE
Brand: Just Born
Place Purchased: Walgreen's (Echo Park)
Price: $1.79 (overcharged - should have been $1.49)
Size: 5 ounces
Calories per ounce: 99
Categories: Candy, Just Born, Jelly Candy, 7-Worth It, United States, Walgreen's

POSTED BY Cybele AT 2:19 pm     CandyReviewJust BornJelly CandyLimited Edition7-Worth ItUnited StatesWalgreen's

Monday, August 25, 2014

Peeps Minis Chocolate Creme

DSC_6385rbJust Born is attempting to make Marshmallow Peeps a year-round treat. I’ve already tried the Vanilla Creme version, so today I’ll review the new Peeps Minis Chocolate Creme.

There are a few ways to approach it. They could just continue making different shapes and colors like they do for the holidays. Perhaps a tech themed array like the Facebook like button, the Twitter bird and the loading animation you get when trying to stream videos most of the time. Or perhaps transportation, like cars, boats and airplanes. Some pets, like cats and rabbits and birds (wait, those are already shapes they make). Maybe happy faces or embrace emoji and go with an array of different symbols.

Instead, Peeps have gone a different way with their marketing plans. They’ve taken Peeps out of the tray, made them smaller and singular. Well, not completely singular. They’re still called Peeps even though they’re no longer conjoined. They’re sold in a stand up bag that reseals with a zip. There are 24 in the bag, even though it only holds 3.4 ounces. (A similar sized bag of chocolate candy holds about 6-8 ounces.)

DSC_6389rb

They don’t look chocolatey, and they don’t look marshmallow. They’re slumped little fellows, they look a little tired and deflated. I understand that they haven’t been coddled inside a tray with a sunroof like most other Peeps, so I’ll have to consider that these Peeps aren’t supposed to be admired for their good looks ... you must buy them for their other qualities.

The bag smells like a cake mix, a little like cocoa, and fake vanilla, and sugar of course. There’s a lot of sugar. It seems like there’s more sugar coating, more grainy sugar in proportion to the marshmallow than a regular tray Peep. I didn’t care for the heavy dose of sweetness here, especially since the marshmallow part was so lacking cocoa. It was like weak chocolate milk.

They’re far too sweet for me, even when combined with other treats as a sort of condiment for nuts or very dark chocolate.

Peeps are gluten free but may contain milk, even though here’s none in the ingredients. They’re made in the USA.

Related Candies

  1. Peeps Minis Vanilla Creme
  2. 3 Musketeers Hot Cocoa Marshmallow Minis
  3. Peeps Gingerbread Men
  4. Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows + Vanilla, Cinnamon Bun, Strawberry, Chocolate Royale, Gingerbread
  5. Meiji Creamy Marshmallow Chocolate
  6. Peeps Peepsters (Milk & Dark Chocolate)
  7. Peeps Chocolate Mousse (Bears & Bunnies)
  8. Peeps Spooky Cats & Cocoa Bunnies


Name: Peeps Minis Chocolate Creme
    RATING:
  • SUPERB
  • YUMMY
  • TASTY
  • WORTH IT
  • TEMPTING
  • PLEASANT
  • BENIGN
  • UNAPPEALING
  • APPALLING
  • INEDIBLE
Brand: Just Born
Place Purchased: Target (West Hollywood)
Price: $2.79
Size: 3.4 ounces
Calories per ounce: 99
Categories: Candy, Morselization, Peeps, Just Born, Marshmallow, 5-Pleasant, United States, Target

POSTED BY Cybele AT 2:33 pm     CandyMorselizationPeepsReviewJust BornMarshmallow5-PleasantUnited StatesTarget

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