On a hot day in spring Derek and Rachel tried some products from Japan and the UK that have a history in most peoples’ lives.

Pocky is a chocolate covered bread stick made in Japan since 1966. In the years since its creation there have been dozens of new flavours created. Many of them only available in certain geographical locations. It’s very easy to eat a more than a dozen Pocky sticks in a single sitting.

Terry’s Chocolate Orange has decades more history; dating back to the 1920s. It was originally a ‘chocolate apple’, but the orange was introduced in the 1930s, and due to the apple’s declining popularity it was phased out in 1954. That said, there’s now many different flavours from Orange Mint to Orange Raspberry. Though, only the orange readily available around the world.

Informative links:

Terry’s Dark Chocolate Orange – Purchased from World Market in Fort Worth, Texas

• Terry’s Chocolate Orange product page at Kraft
• Terry’s Dark Chocolate Orange Ball (6-pack) on Amazon
• Terry’s Chocolate Orange on Wikipedia

Pocky – Purchased from World Market in Fort Worth, Texas

• Pocky Official Website (in Japanese)
• Pocky on Amazon (2.8 Oz Packs of 10 boxes)
• How to make your own Pocky
• Pocky on Wikipedia

Derek gives a look behind the scenes of the room he and Rachel are recording in. They only use a couple of lights and a reflector to get the even lighting.

In this episode, Derek and Rachel try two chocolate blocks from different parts of the world.

Vosges Creole Exotic Candy Bar is a bittersweet dark chocolate (70% cocoa) with a hint of chicory coffee, plus cocoa nibs. The chocolate is dry to the touch, but once rubbed between two fingers it begins to release its unique aroma that will have you tasting it seconds later.

Derek explains that Vosges‘ owner and chocolatier, Katrina Markoff, personally chooses every spice, flower and chocolate that is flown into Vosges’ kitchen in Chicago. That’s just the beginning of what an amazing company Vosges is.

Caffarel is an Italian company that has a much longer history than Vosges; it started in 1826. Derek and Rachel try their Gianduja chocolate block which melts quickly to the touch. The Gianduja chocolate contains hazelnuts and is very creamy. Try melting it in some milk and making a really delicious chocolate milk.

Informative links:

Vosges Chocolate Guides:
- Caring and Keeping Chocolate
- How to Eat Chocolate
- Pairing Wines with Chocolate – See more on WLTV #587
- Yoga and Chocolate

Vosges Creole Exotic Candy Bar – Purchased from World Market in Fort Worth, Texas

• Creole Exotic Candy Bar product page
• Vosges Creole Bar on Amazon

Caffarel Gianduja Chocolate Block – Purchased from World Market in Fort Worth, Texas

• Caffarel Gianduja product page
• Caffarel Gianduja, 3.5-Ounce Bars (8-pack) on Amazon
• Gianduja Chocolate on Wikipedia

Derek and Rachel perch themselves on a deck and compare Australian strawberry liquorice to American strawberry licorice. (They even spell it differently.)

Darrell Lea makes Australia’s #1 liquorice and exports it to many countries worldwide. Y&S Candies (formerly known as Young & Smylie) manufacturers Twizzlers, and since 1977 has been owned by The Hershey Company.

Technically, Twizzlers aren’t liquorice because they don’t contain the liquorice extract in traditional black liquorice. Darrell Lea’s soft eating liquorice contains this extract and makes it true liquorice.

Both Derek and Rachel find the Darrell Lea branded liquorice much chewier than the tough, plastic-like Twizzlers. Though, Twizzlers are good for getting out the soft Darrell Lea liquorice from between your teeth.

Twizzlers are kosher certified.
Both companies make a variety of liquorice flavours including traditional black liquorice.

Informative links:

Twizzlers – Y&S Candies, Inc, a subsidiary of The Hershey Company – Purchased from Walmart

• Twizzlers product page
• Twizzlers on Amazon
• Twizzlers Strawberry at Sugar Fix
• Twizzlers on Wikipedia

Darrell Lea Strawberry Soft Eating Liquorice – Purchased from World Market in Fort Worth, Texas

• Darrell Lea Strawberry Soft Eating Liquorice product page
• Darrell Lea USA home page
• Darrell Lea liquorice products on Amazon
• Darrell Lea on Wikipedia

Some of Derek’s American family join in for this episode about his grandma’s famous homemade cookies.

Suzie (Derek’s mom) wants to know why Phyllis’ (Derek’s grandma) cookies are so popular and discovers a secret ingredient in the Easter cookies that allows her to eat many without feeling sick. Sarge (Derek’s grandpa) makes a few silly appearances too!

Derek shows off an Australian icon — Arnott’s Tim Tams — while Rachel schools him on how to make hot cocoa.

Tim Tams are in the household of 1 in 2 Australians and have been exported overseas as Arnott’s Original. They are very similar to McVitie’s Penguin made in the United Kingdom, but Derek doesn’t think Penguins are as tasty.

Bellagio Sipping Chocolate by Caffe D’Amore is the perfect drink to go with Tim Tams. Many Australians use Tim Tams as a straw with their hot cocoa or coffee because the chocolate cream centre melts before the biscuit casing does. Derek tries this and manages to get it working. Both Derek and Rachel conclude that the mint sipping chocolate tastes like a piece of chewing gum was dropped in it, but the caramel is yummy.

Informative links:

Arnott’s Tim Tams – Purchased from World Market in Fort Worth, Texas

• Tim Tams – Official website
• Tim Tams – Wikipedia

Caffe D’Amore – Bellagio Sipping Chocolate – Purchased from Hubbell & Hudson in The Woodlands, Texas

• Bellagio Sipping Chocolate – Official store
• Bellagio Sipping Chocolate – Amazon store

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Derek and Rachel are back with the Easter edition of Sweet Adventures.

The two review America’s most popular Easter candy — Peeps. Of course, a Russell Stover chocolate bunny is also on the menu, along with Cadbury’s famous Creme Eggs.

Informative links:

Peeps

• MarshmallowPeeps.com
• Peeps – Wikipedia
• Peeps on Amazon

Russell Stover Chocolate Bunny

• RussellStover.com – Solid Chocolate Easter Bunny
• Russell Stover Candies – Wikipedia

Cadbury Creme Eggs

• Cadbury Creme Eggs website
• Cadbury by HERSHEY’S
• Cadbury Creme Egg – Wikipedia
• Cadbury Creme Eggs on Amazon

Derek Jay Steen introduces Sweet Adventures. He’s extremely excited about candy.

Sweet Adventures was dreamed up by Derek and Nicky Ainley in 2006 whilst working at Sugar Fix. Each week there will be information and tasting of sweets from around the world.

In the debut episode Derek and his guest Rachel review Warheads Extreme Sour and Haribo Happy Cola (cola bottles).

Informative links:

Warheads

• Warheads.com
• Warheads (candy) – Wikipedia
• Buy Warheads Extreme Sour on Amazon

Haribo Happy Cola

• Haribo.com
• Haribo – Wikipedia
• Buy Haribo Happy Cola on Amazon