Chewy, Not Gummi

My husband picked these up somewhere (Wal-Mart?) and mentioned that I might like them.  I'll admit I was skeptical.  I don't like gummy candy as much as he does, and we don't usually gravitate strongly to the same candy.  Still, I decided to try a piece and was pleasantly surprised. 

The key is that these candies are chews-- not gummis.  The texture is much less gelatinous than, say, a gummi bear, and they have a light dusting of "sour sugar" that supplies a nice tang.  They remind me slightly-- but favorably-- of Haribo's Fruity Pasta candy, though Awesome Twosome Chews are significantly softer and less tart than Fruity Pasta. 

The gimmick with this candy is that each (approximately half-inch square) piece is comprised of two flavors.  Each center is of one flavor and is wrapped in a layer of a second flavor.  In this bag, we had two flavor combinations-- watermelon wrapped around green apple and cherry wrapped around orange.  As far as I know, these are the only flavor combinations currently available, which seems a little limited.  Most bags of candy chews these days seem to come in assortments of at least three different flavors.  At least both of these flavor combos are good.  I didn't find myself avoiding a particular color, as sometimes happens in bags of assorted flavors. 

Once you get past the slight tanginess of the powdered coating, the candy itself is sweet and quite tasty, with a pleasant chewiness that doesn't devolve into a gooey, tooth-sticking mess, as some soft, chewy candies do.  I can definitely taste both flavors in each candy, though sometimes one seems to dominate the other.  The citrus flavor in the cherry/orange is quite strong and mouth-watering, while the watermelon/green apple has a slightly sour, puckering effect.  The two flavor combinations pair well. 

I ate my last few Awesome Twosome Chews while writing this review, and I'm left wishing I had more.  That's the sign of a pretty decent little candy. 

With their burnt sienna (aka brown) packaging, Brach's Maple Nut Goodies seem targeted for a more adult audience than is usual for candy.   (Alright, the color choice likely has more to do with the fact that these candies are maple-flavored than as child-proof camouflage , but let's face it--  young'uns don't usually think of brown as a cool, fun color.)

I must confess, I rarely pay much attention to the "old folks" portion of the candy aisle, but for some reason, these jumped out at me on a recent shopping trip.  Perhaps it was the "maple" part of the name that caught my eye.    Maple seems a fairly unusual candy flavoring, these days.  (Or in other words:  "Maple?  Consider my interest piqued!")

They're described as "Artificially Flavored Maple Nut Goodies... Peanuts in crunchy toffee with maple coating".  

Pausing briefly to note that the "peek hole" on the front of the bag is in the shape of a smile, let's tear into the package and pour out a few "goodies".  Each is roughly teardrop-shaped and approximately an inch long and half an inch tall.  They are an unassuming light brown with a matte finish. 

There's a very sweet, maple aroma to these candies that I find appealing.  A maple afficionado might sniff derisively, but it smells pretty good to me.  (Also, maple syrup is at least listed in the ingredients-- in the fifth spot, behind sugar, peanuts, corn syrup, and palm oil.)

Take a bite-- and it's just as advertised.  There's the dry, crumbly, maple-flavored coating and the gently sweet, relatively soft toffee and peanut interior.  My only quibble is that I'd say it's more chewy than crunchy, beyond the natural crunch of the peanut.  (However, some pieces are a bit harder than others.)

There's something homey about this candy, and I find them extremely munchable, possibly in part because they feel milder than many candies.  They are mellow-- more like a homemade candy than much of what you find in the candy aisle. 

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by Maple Nut Goodies and would definitely be happy to purchase them again. 

Christmas just isn't complete without these soft, chewy bits of pepperminty heaven!

This is another of those candies I remember fondly from my childhood, though back then I never knew them as "Peppermint Christmas Nougats".  (If I had, I might not have liked them so well.  The word "nougat" isn't quite appealing to most children, and honestly, I'm still not crazy about it, though nougat itself is a delightful thing.)  Instead, they were "chewy peppermints", which is at least as fitting as "Christmas Nougat". 

This candy has an even stronger glow of nostalgia than most candies from my childhood, because they are a seasonal treat.  (Ask any child.  Rabbit-shaped chocolate is more fun than a plain candy bar.)

So, by now you've probably figured out that this will be a glowing review, but we won't let that stop us from going through the entire process. 

The Packaging:

The bag is bright and cheerful in the appropriately seasonal red and green, with nice punches of lime green, purple, and violet.  The candy is advertised as "Quality HANDMADE Nougats", which is surprising (not the "quality" part, but the bit about "handmade", I mean).  A good two-thirds of the bag front is clear, so you can see exactly what you're getting (in case yours was a sad childhood devoid of Christmas nougats, leaving you ignorant of their appearance). 

Because these are fairly sticky, soft candies, they are individually wrapped in cellophane with red and green trim.  Removed from the bright outer bag, they look a little old-fashioned-- or maybe "timeless" is a better word. 

The Nougats:

 Each nougat is roughly a 1" x 1.25" oval. 
(I think they're meant to be circles, but they tend to get a bit squoosed.)  A maroon striped edging and a simple Christmas tree shape in dark green and brown go all the way through the candy, which is otherwise white.