From The Vaults: Last Year's Sweets

Two of the best imported candy bars I've ever had are the popular Toffee Crisp and Coffee Crisp combinations. Both are made by Nestle, and they're hard to find in American stores. They are often imported from Canada, yet they're still rarities on our shelves.

Toffee Crisp
I found this at Acme for $1.00. For such a delicious and unusual bar, it's well worth the price. The bar is thicker than any typical American candy bar that I eat. The outside has a thick layer of chocolate and the inside does have that 'crispy crunch' and that 'chewy munch' as promised on the package. Its great texture might appeal to fans of Twix or Snickers, even. It has a chewy (but not too chewy) layer of caramel and there are crispy rice or cereal pieces that give it a nice healthy crunch. That was the highlight for me. I think there might be.. not quite a wafer or a biscuit, but some other crispy, but not too thick base, that all the other layers rest upon. I don't know. I bite into it, I can't stop eating, and then it's gone! I've gone through many Toffee Crisps already! (Five Stars!)

Coffee Crisp
I like Coffee Crisp even better. I'm a huge fan of coffee flavoring, and, if you're a coffee fan with a sweet tooth, you'll love this sweet alternative to your steaming cup of morning brew. Like the Toffee Crisp, the bar seems thicker than the standard American bar, so it feels much more satisfying. The heavily-layered wafer thin has a generous layer of coffee flavored cream. The flavor and texture of the cream doesn't disappoint. I think it tastes even better than actual coffee or coffee ice cream! The candy bar seems slightly sweeter than any other candy bar I normally eat (including the Toffee Crisp), but the sweetness complements the strong coffee flavor. Plus, it does have a nice crunch. All in all, this is one of my favorite candy bars. $1.09 at Genuardi's (Safeway).





Cafe Bistro's Milk Chocolate Covered Gingerbread Hearts
I purchased Cafe Bistro's Milk Chocolate Covered Gingerbread Hearts, a German import, as part of my Mom's Christmas present. They were a big hit! This is one of my earliest Aldi's purchases (before I became a convert) when I was still a little hesistant about the store. I cannot remember the price, but it was definitely under $5.00 (I'm thinking it might have been $3.49) for a large size (10.58 oz) bag of cookies. My Mom loves gingerbread, and I chose these because the apricot fruit filling sounded like an intriguing pairing. I never really expected these to be that impressive! They ended up being so unique and a special touch for the holiday. I thought the gingerbread cookies would be fairly bite-size, but they were actually much bigger than I expected. The gingerbread had a robust spiciness that was meant for savoring. Each cookie had a robe of milk chocolate that seemed like a dubious pairing in print but paired well with the spiciness of the gingerbread. The texture of the gingerbread was perfect. It was dense enough that it was satisfying but not too thick or stale. Just perfect! The burst of apricot fruit filling was the best part. It made a special treat extra-special. These cookies were neither overfilled nor were they stingy with the apricot preserves. They had just the right burst of moist sweetness at their core, and the apricot was an ideal flavor accompaniment for the gingerbread. I never would have thought they'd go together so well! These are great with a cup of steaming cocoa or by themselves as a light dessert. Look for them (or other Cafe Bistro gingerbreads) around Thanksgiving and Christmas next year. They'd make a great addition to your holiday table. They also make impressive presents for your discerning sweet tooth, and, while you're at it, buy a bag for each holiday party you might be attending. I think you can easily pass these off as more expensive store brand gingerbread! Once again, Aldi's has you covered! You won't see anything like this on typical American store shelves, and certainly anything you do find will come at a premium price.

From The Vaults: Dannon Activia - Prune Flavor

[Note: I originally penned this review last year and never returned to this blog to post it. I have a few never published reviews that I'm going to post here today, and hopefully over the coming days, before I start posting anything new. Clearing out the vaults, so to speak. Many of these older posts might have special 2010 notes at the end indicating any additional comments I would like to make on the product.]

I've been on a yogurt kick recently. I've tried every multipack that begins with a 'yo,' as well as the always satisfying Breyer's and Yoplait single cups. But, when I read about the existence of prune flavored yogurt, I knew I needed to track it down.

I've always been saddened by prune's bad reputation. Prunes are rarely mentioned without a snicker or a knowing look. Sunsweet has tried to reinvent the prune's image many times, to the extent that it is often referred to as a 'dried plum' to distance itself from the stigma of its laxative reputation. Many seem to forget the rich, sweet flavor of the fruit and its moist and luxurious softness. To me, prunes have always been the candy of the fruit world. It's more satisfying and sweet than a similarly-sized piece of chocolate. I've loved everything about prunes since I was a child and have never been deterred by its reputation. Although, it is true: anyone with the slighted bit of digestive problems should be thrilled by the marriage of the Dannon Activia line with the utilitarian prune flavor.

And what a flavor! Dannon Activia Prune is unlike any yogurt I have ever had, and, after just one cup, I wondered why prune isn't used more prominently in the yogurt aisle (or any aisle, for that matter). The yogurt was thick and creamy with just the right amount of prune flavoring. It was a natural prune flavor; no cloying sweetness in this cup! The yogurt was also generously filled with tiny diced prunes which added a little more substance to the already thick texture. Overall, the yogurt was unusual and delicious. If prune were more widely available, it would easily replace lemon as my favorite yogurt flavor. I will definitely be buying Dannon Activia Prune again, and I highly recommend giving it a try!

What I Should Have Bought: Another 4 pack to go along with the first one!

(Originally written in 2009)

Update 2010: I still buy Dannon Activia Prune when I can find it. Dannon has expanded their Activia product line with the newer Fiber and Dessert varieties. All my local markets sell Activia, but only one sells prune. I often can't find it when I'm craving it, and I really thought that it had been discontinued. I managed to find it recently at Giant, and I bought several 4 packs to tide me over. I'm not interested in the other flavors or the newer varieties. I recently tried a blueberry flavor in the Activia Dessert line, but I didn't care for the flavor. It would be a shame if Dannon would discontinue the Activia Prune and keep these inferior flavors! Please don't stop making this, Dannon!!