Candy Critic

10 Second Kitchen - Ribfest Ottawa

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Slathering on some barbecue sauce and showing off their ribs at the Ottawa Ribfest in Canada.

Blue Orchid!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000

A teenage girl. A strange new world. Countless monsters standing in her way.

Blue Orchid is my manga-inspired comic series about a young South East Asian girl who must face incredible creatures, dangerous challenges, and the adventures that come with discovering her own path.

You can read every issue now at bewarethecheese.com/blueorchid/ or on Amazon.

What Is Mint?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000

This is not the first time I've ever mentioned this, but I have a real fascination with the difference between mint flavoured candies and real mint. It's probably one of the most perplexing of fake flavours because it's actually not that far off from the original. I would even bet that many fake mint flavoured treats contain some real mint. The main difference I find between fake and real mint is an earthy flavour, which makes sense since it's actually an herb. Are there any people out there who like fake mint over the real thing, or the other way around?

Check out my latest minty review that caused me to think about this problem again.

KD Ramen

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 22:00:00 +0000

This is a quick meal that at first glance seems like it might be weird or at the very least unique, but if you dig down a bit it's actually kind of logical. Don't get me wrong, that's not my review of this treat, I'll put that at the end, but don't expect super high praise.

KD (Kraft Dinner for Americans) is a brand that's well known for their macaroni and cheese. Most people know about it because of the sheer bright colour of the orange powder that you use to make this mac and cheese. It has a certain reputation as being for kids, or for people who don't eat healthy foods. I can't really say anything about that since I'm not a dietitian, or any kind of health expert. I can tell you that I do enjoy a boxed mac and cheese now and again, and I also enjoy the fact that there's been a trend over the last few years of making strange versions of this popular meal.

This is where the KD Ramen comes in. If you're to judge the social media and marketing around this product, one would assume that this is just a gimmick, a weird food for the sake of being a weird food (I'm looking at you cotton candy KD). My argument however is that this actually isn't that weird at all, in fact I would argue that it's not even original. A quick Google search lead me to at least 3 different Thai (I believe) brands of ramen that have cheese flavouring.

Also, if you think about it, ramen is a noodle based dish, so just adding cheese to different noodles isn't that strange... kind of. The difference here is that they didn't just add their classic KD cheese sauce to ramen noodles. Instead what you have is a cheese flavoured ramen soup with noodles. It even offers two flavour packets, one with classic ramen flavouring, and one with the bright orange cheese sauce. So this is a little different than just KD with ramen noodles.

The real question is, does it work. The answer is that it works well enough, but I don't think I have to try it again. The big problem is the lack of creamy texture or flavour. What you end up with is a watery soup that kind of tastes like cheese. The ramen flavour package could have also been a little more complimentary to the cheese sauce. It just felt like they repackage a ramen soup and added their cheese powder. It wasn't horrible, but my guess is it isn't going to turn into a staple either.

Quick List - Best Looking Gummy Treats

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Here's a quick list featuring the best looking gummy treats I've ever seen... or eaten.

Snack Facts!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Love treats? Love learning random facts?

Snack Facts combines both in a fun, illustrated adventure! Join Barbara and Sir Francis Sweetums as they explore the stories behind your favourite snacks and treats.

Available now at candycritic.org/snackfacts/ or on Amazon.

Tropical Fruit and Chocolate

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

There are a few tropical fruit and chocolate treats out there in the world, but not as many as you'd think. I feel like most fruit and chocolate combinations are about raisins, but maybe there are a few other berry and definitely cherry and chocolate treats out there too. The thing about tropical fruits might be the fact that they're often very sweet already. When you dry them out they get even sweeter, so adding some sweet milk chocolate might just be too much. It could also be that most places that grow tropical fruit are already warm, and chocolate doesn't last very long on a warm store shelf.

Check out my latest tropical fruit covered in chocolate review.

Junk Fud and You - What I look for in a Candy - Texture

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Ever wonder why I give a particular score to some candies? How does texture affect my reviews? I decided to break down my criteria for texture when I review treats.

Treats And Beasts!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Can you imagine an alphabet where every letter brings together a wild beast and a tasty treat?

That’s exactly what you’ll find in Treats and Beasts, a fun A–Z adventure full of animals, sweets, and silly surprises.

A perfect book for young readers, animal lovers, candy fans, and anyone who enjoys a creative twist on the alphabet.

Get your copy here:bewarethecheese.com/treatsnbeasts/

Or on Amazon.

So Weird, But In A Good Way

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

There are two kinds of unique candy out there. There's candy that's weird by design, constructed to make you wonder what's going on. Then there's candy that's unique because it's culturally different than what you might expect. I like both, but I find that few candy makers can construct weird or unique candies well. It takes years to perfect a candy, and trying to make it very different and good takes a lot of time. Unique because I'm not familiar with it culturally is different because it's very possible that it's been around for longer than I (or even my grandparents) have been alive. This means that it'll be new to me, but perfected over time.

Check out my latest unique candy review.

When a Cookie is a Candy Bar

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 15:30:00 +0000

I think I might have found the missing link. The cookie/candy bar that’s both a cookie and a candy bar at the same time. The candy world has had a great debate for many years now, it’s even become a legal matter in a few places. It’s a question that gets put to me many times, sometimes aggressively. It’s all about trying to define candy and treats. In this case it’s a look at what’s a cookie and what’s a candy bar with a cookie in it. Legally this question is asked when countries are trying to define what should or shouldn’t be sold in the candy isle. A Twix bar is a great example of this kind of treat, most people would call it a chocolate or candy bar, but in reality it’s actually mostly cookie. Even a Kit Kat bar is debatable in this context.

The reason I bring all of this up is this “cookie” I recently discovered in a store in France. It’s called the Petit Ecolier and it really balances the line perfectly between being a cookie and being a candy bar. It’s not even subtle about it either. A Twix and a Kit Kat bar hide the fact that there’s a lot of cookie in them by covering everything in chocolate. This bar on the other hand keeps the cookie and the chocolate entirely visible. There are a few cookies out there that are stuffed with all kinds of things you might find in a candy bar too. This treat does not do that, the chocolate bar is totally visible on top of the cookie.

I can’t tell if the makers of this treat are lazy, or are trying to troll people. They really just took a cookie and smushed it together with a chocolate bar. There’s nothing really creative, but the fact that no one has done this before kind of makes it creative. The ratio of chocolate to cookie is almost perfectly split as well. I’ve never been so perplexed with a treat in my life. People often get mad at me if I review cookies or cakes on this site (claiming they’re not “candy”), but I’m tempted to give this a try just to see if anyone would react.

The only thing that gives this treat a category for me is the fact that I bought it in the cookie section of a grocery store. This brand also makes other cookie treat, but I’ve never seen any candy from them. It’s truly the treat that balances the line, it’s both a cookie and a candy bar.

P.S. I just wanted to note that these Petit Ecolier taste great too.

Chris, Why Would You Eat That?!! - Têtes Brûlées

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 15:30:00 +0000

In today's episode of Chris Why Would You Eat That?!! I taste one of the most popular candies in France, Têtes Brûlées. I thought it might extreme, but...

Blue Orchid

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Did you know I’m currently writing and drawing my own comic series?

Blue Orchid is a fun adventure about a teenage South East Asian girl who battles incredible monsters and faces the challenges of a world unlike anything she has ever known.

You can pick up every issue now at bewarethecheese.com/blueorchid/ or Amazon.

Is Yogurt Underrated?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

While I've tasted a few yogurt flavoured treats in my day, it's not a flavour that you really see everywhere. I think it's mostly found in the Asian candy world, with maybe a few European treats participating as well. The thing about yogurt flavoured candy is, it's hard to simulate yogurt and be super sweet at the same time. While yogurt can have some sweetness in it to cut down the sour, the sour itself is really what makes yogurt great. Too much sweet just turns it into a sweet cream. This is exactly what happened here, but that doesn't mean I don't want to see more candy companies attempting this unique flavour.

Check out my latest yogurt themed candy review.

10 Second Kitchen - BeaverTails Ottawa

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

A little interruption as I watch them make a tasty deep fried treat.

Discover the Sweet History Behind Your Favourite Snacks

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Have you ever stopped to wonder where your favourite snacks came from? From classic candies to beloved treats, many of the foods we enjoy every day have fascinating stories behind them.

That's exactly what Snack Facts is all about.

Join Barbara and Sir Francis Sweetums as they travel through the history of some of the world's most popular snacks, uncovering surprising facts, unexpected origins, and plenty of sweet discoveries along the way. Presented as a fun and easy-to-read comic, Snack Facts is perfect for curious readers of all ages—whether you're a lifelong candy lover or just enjoy learning something new.

If you've ever wanted to know how your favourite treats became household names, this book is a fun way to satisfy your curiosity.

You can pick up your copy of Snack Facts today by visiting candycritic.org/snackfacts/ or on Amazon.

Unlikeliest Of Flavour Combinations

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that strawberry, chocolate and vanilla together is the most common flavour trio in the world. I can't think of many cultures that don't have at least one or two treats with this flavour combination. Oddly, I don't actually know where this flavour came from, other than possibly Italy (based on the name). I'm not sure if ice cream was the first time it was used. It's objectively an odd flavour combination, unless you break the flavours into pairs. Then you realize that in pairs these flavours are pretty common, but all together it just seems a little weird. The thing is, it works.

Check out my latest strawberry, chocolate and vanilla treat review.

Boxed Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 15:30:00 +0000

One thing I’ve discovered in grocery stores in Tunisia (where I’m staying right now) is that they truly love desserts that come out of boxes. There are full isles in the grocery stores dedicated to baking and dessert making that comes out of a box. While most of these desserts and baked goods are fairly similar to what you find in many countries, there is one thing that really stood out to me, boxed do it yourself ice cream. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen ice cream in a box before, and there’s no way I was gong to let it pass me by.

Have you ever had a boxed dessert that seemed to easy to be true? This can really happen for two reasons, either there is truly very few steps to follow in order to make your dessert, or it’s such a complicated dessert (often requiring specific machinery) that you can’t believe that it can be made out of a box. This chocolate ice cream is the rare occasion where it’s both of those. This ice cream requires no ice cream machine at all, and the only other ingredient needed is milk.

It’s also not that complicated to make, just mix in the powder with the milk for a few minutes. Honestly it’s so simple that it had me worried about what was going to come out.

After my few minutes of mixing I was ready to let my freezer do the rest of the work. The liquid in my container looked and felt a lot like some of the ice cream starters I’ve seen in the past, so that was positive. The thing that made me nervous was the fact that it wasn’t going to be stirred while, before or after freezing. The instructions did suggest letting your ice cream sit for a few minutes before serving, so maybe that’ll help?

The end product kind of resembled ice cream. It did have ice crystals throughout and also seemed to be darker on the bottom and lighter on the top. Other than that the everything seemed okay... ish. Honestly those two problems do make for unimpressive ice cream. The end result was a little softer than I expected, and tasted pretty good too. The ice crystals were the most annoying thing about this ice cream, but it wasn’t the worst. The two different layers tasted the same as far as I can tell, but the texture of the darker parts was a little gooier than the light stuff.

All in all it wasn’t the best ice cream I’ve ever had, but it was remarkable considering how little work I had to do to make it. I’m not sure I would suggest this as an all the time ice cream substitute, but as a science experiment it was kind of fun.

Quick List - Worst Candy By Continent

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

A quick list of the worst candies and treats in each and ever continent. Maybe some day I'll do each country, but that also seems a little complicated.

Discover the Wildly Sweet World of Treats and Beasts

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

If you love beasts and you love treats, then you’re going to love Treats and Beasts!

Treats and Beasts is a fun A–Z alphabet adventure where wild animals meet tasty treats in a world full of imagination, silly surprises, and colourful illustrations. Each letter introduces a new combination of creature and confection, creating an alphabet book that’s a little different from the usual ABC adventure.

While it’s perfect for little readers who are learning their letters, it’s also a book for anyone who enjoys playful artwork, animals, and a good dose of creativity. Even if you already know your ABCs, there’s still plenty of fun to discover!

From amazing animals to delicious treats, Treats and Beasts brings together two things that everyone loves — imagination and a little bit of sweetness.

Whether you’re looking for a fun bedtime read, a gift for a young reader, or simply a colourful book to enjoy together, Treats and Beasts is ready to take you on a tasty A–Z adventure.

Get Your Copy of Treats and Beasts

You can grab your copy here:

https://bewarethecheese.com/treatsnbeasts/

You can also find it on Amazon.

Fake Chocolate Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

One of the problems I have on candycritic.org is fake chocolate. More specifically I'm not really sure what the line is between fake and real chocolate. chocolate itself isn't technically an ingredient, it's a milk/sugar treat that's made with cocoa. The amount of cocoa can vary in chocolate creating different kinds of chocolate. Sometimes you take an entire portion of the cocoa bean out of the mix and it's still chocolate. By that definition, as long as there's some portion of a treat that contains even a small amount of cocoa, than it can be called chocolate. Now I know there are some countries where the amount of cocoa matters, but I would guess that most of the world does not have such regulations. Then we add to the mix the idea that some candies are chocolate flavoured, and may not contain any cocoa at all. It's all very complicated.

Check out my latest "chocolate" review.

Junk Fud and You - What I look for in a Candy - Taste

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Ever wonder why I give a particular score to some candies? How does taste affect my reviews? I decided to break down my criteria for taste when I review treats.

Blue Orchid Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Did you know that I'm writing and drawing a comic right now? It's called Blue Orchid and it's an awesome tale of a teenage South East Asian girl that fights lots of cool monsters.

You can pick each and every issue of Blue Orchid right now at bewarethecheese.com/blueorchid/ or on Amazon.

Not Your Average Grape Lollipop

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:00:00 +0000

This might be one of the most unique lollipops I've eaten recently. As far as I can remember, no one has mixed grape with a creamy flavour. The possible exception might be raisins, but I feel like grapes and raisins are worlds apart when it comes to flavour and texture. While this is a unique flavour (to me), I recently realized that I actually enjoy real grapes with a certain type of cream on a regular basis. Grapes are one of my favourite fruits to add to yogurt. There's something very satisfying about this combination, particularly the fact that the flavours don't actually blend together until you take a bite. While this grape cream lollipop was pretty good, I'm wondering if anyone in the candy world might be able to simulate the joy of eating grapes in yogurt.

Check out this unusual grape and cream lollipop review.

Prague Treats

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart) — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 15:30:00 +0000

I didn’t have any preconceived notions about Czechia when I visited it, food wise. I’ve never really thought about what was Czech food before. You don’t really hear about Czech cooking in the media or on the internet where I come from. The only ties to foods you hear about from Czechia are Soviet era foods, and many of them are kind of sad. The thing I’ve learned however is that Czech food is not sad at all, and even better is that it has influence from other parts of the world, but embraces it’s own style at the same time.

I think the two dishes I found most in my time in Prague was deep fried meats and stews. While both of these dishes are fairly common in this part of Europe, the Czech people do them really well. They also on occasion mixed things up a bit and give these classic European dishes their own twist. There’s a popular dish called svíčková which is beef with dumplings, cream sauce and uniquely cranberry jam. What I’m saying is that the food is both very European, but also Czech as well.

Dessert wise I feel like they have the same beautiful combination. I would probably say that when it comes to the sweets I found, they had a more traditionally European feel to them. While I did visit near the Christmas holidays, I found several places that offered gingerbread all year long, including one store that sold gingerbread exclusively all year long. When I went into bakeries it felt comfortable and safe. While I rarely saw anything that was totally new to me, I felt safe with just about everything. The quality of the sweet treats and desserts was also really high. It was rare to bite into something disappointing.

Probably the most popular Czech dessert is větrník, and it’s well worth giving a try. It may seem like a simple puff pastry with cream in the middle, but it’s so much more. More often than not the creamy centre just has some kind of rich flavour that I can’t explain. However, the crowning achievement is the caramel coating that you often find on these clouds of delight. While I’m all for eating healthy, I love it when a dessert doesn’t lie about being unhealthy, and větrník does just that. When you bite into this rich dessert you know that it’s only there to please you, and not make you skinny.

I also can’t talk about Czechia without mentioning Kofola. Kofola was first described to me as the cola for Czechs from before they had Coke or Pepsi. This is their classic carbonated drink, and it’s as unique as it comes. One might describe it as cola created by people who had only heard a description of cola but never tasted it. I would describe it as almost a cola, but with a more spice/tea flavour. While I’m not sure it’s for everybody, I feel like it’s something everyone should at least try once.

Fast food wise there’s a lot going on in Czechia. The standards are there, and for the most part they’re fairly similar to what you might find in most countries, however there’s always a little twist. A great example is that McDonald’s offers deep fried brie cheese that you can pair with cranberry sauce. It’s way too classy for McDonald’s if you ask me, but it was fun to try. As an additional note, their special pie was a blueberry cream pie, and it was fantastic.

On this trip, I can’t say that I had one bad meal. From fancy dining to fast food it was all great. On the surface it all looked fairly simple, old fashioned European, but dig a little deeper and you could really find some true Czech originality.