Essential Candies List – 1-55

To kick off 2010, Cybele from Candy Blog posted an exhausted list of the 110 Essential Candies for Candivores. She suggested that we repost it with what we’ve had checked off and add our thoughts. Great idea! But so much work…

I’d been putting off doing so because Cybele’s list was so intimidatingly thorough, but I’m ready now! 1-55 will post today, while 56-110 will post next Friday. Yes, it was so much work that it warrants two days’ of posts for me, and on review days, no less.

After the jump, I’ve bolded the ones I’ve had, added random thoughts throughout, and sprinkled in some pictures.

1??? 70%+ Cacao Chocolate

2??? Aerated Chocolate – strange why it’s not more common/popular in the US, as it’s quite enjoyable and convenient for making diet claims.

3??? Altoids – takes me back to middle school, where the “in” thing was to carry these around and share them after lunch.

4??? American-Style Hard Toffee

5??? Anis de Flavigny – still stuck in “I hate licorice/anise” land.

6??? Any Lolllipop Bigger than your Head – when I was… 9? my parents took me to California. They bought me a ginormous unicorn lollipop that I slowly ate throughout the trip, and I accidentally left the bulk of it behind in the rental car (I’d kept it stashed up against the roof, tucked into the clotheshook). I still mourn the loss of them to this day.

7??? Atomic Fireballs – used to hate them. Now I enjoy them in measured doses. Maybe there’s hope for me and licorice yet.

8??? Black Sugar Candy

9??? British Toffee – I’m seriously obsessed with Walkers Toffee. I’ve got a few slabs left over from two summers ago that I’d been saving. Hmm. I should really eat those – they must be far past their best buy date by now.

Yup; they are…

10??? C.Howard Violet Gum/Mints or Parma Violets – still own a pack. Tried one, spit it out, haven’t yet dared try it again.

11??? Cadbury Creme Egg – I must have had one of these before, as I now have a strong aversion to them. I am convinced that they will be too sweet for me to tolerate, yet I have no memory of what they taste like.

12??? Candy Buttons on Paper – my friend Mike used to keep these stashed under his sock drawer. I never saw the appeal.

13??? Candy Corn / Mellocremes – dangerously addictive.

14??? Carob – I think I had some when my vegetarian roommate was making a chocolatey mousse dessert for a vegan friend. If it was carob chips that she was using, these taste far better melted and mixed into chocolatey mousse than they do alone.

15??? Cherry & Coconut – oooh I did not like the Cherry Mash!


16??? Chocolate Coins

17??? Chocolate Covered Cacao Nibsdelicious, but expensive.

18??? Chocolate Covered Cherry Cordial

19??? Chocolate Covered Dried Fruit (Raisins, Orange Peel, Apricot, Ginger, Fig)

20??? Chocolate Covered Espresso Bean – a must-have driving snack when your significant other lives 6 hours away. Trader Joe’s Espresso Pillows are better but pricier.

21??? Chocolate Covered Insects – I’ve probably eaten some unintentionally, but never on purpose. Yet?

22??? Chocolate from at least 5 different countries – U.S., U.K., Japan, New Zealand, Australia, China, Korea, Russia, France, Spain, Israel, Brazil, Mexico, Egypt, Turkey – check, and then some! And hooray for thoughtful, globe-trotting friends!

23??? Chocolate Fudge – I’m not a fudge fan, as I find it overly sweet, but I’ll take the occassional nibble

24??? Chocolate Truffle – fun, if messy, to make at home. My go-to recipe is from Chow.com.

25??? Chupa Chups – I went through a Chupa Chups phase years ago. I miss them now that I’m thinking about them.

26??? Circus Peanuts – haven’t tried them yet!

27??? Clear Sugar Hard Candy

28??? Coconut Bar – I’ve recently discovered the deliciousness that is Mounds and Almond Joy. And to think, I used to dislike coconut!

29??? Coffee Crispdid NOT like!

30??? Coffee Hard Caramel

31??? Cotton Candy

32??? Crisped Rice in Milk Chocolate – Nestle Crunch bars were my mom’s favorite when I was a kid.

33??? Dragon’s Beard Candy

34??? Dulce de Leche – David Lebovitz has a drool-worthy photo and a straightforward recipe for it.

35??? Dulces de Calabasas – according to Cybele, “Similar to candied ginger or orange peel, squash or pumpkin chunks are slowly simmered with sugar and water until innundated. As it cools it crystalizes like fudge.” Going on my list of things to try.

36??? Durian Taffy or Hard Candy

37??? Gianduia (Gianduja) – I discovered Nutella in middle school French class. I’ve never looked back.

38??? Ginger Chews – too spicy to appeal to me.

39??? Goetze’s Caramel Creams (Bullseyes) – I’ll pick up one or two from a bulk bin on occassion.

40??? Green Tea Candy – does matcha chocolate count?

41??? Gummi Bears – a bulk bin favorite, especially the Albanese ones.

42??? Halvah

43??? Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Kisses – a classic. I don’t like Hershey’s chocolate, but I will eat these.

44??? Hot Tamales

45??? Idaho Spud – major did NOT like!

46??? Jelly Babies

47??? Jelly Beans

48??? Jolly Rancher Hard Candies

49??? Jordan Almonds

50??? Kinder Surprise or Kinder Egg – I first had one as a kid when my dad brought one back from a business trip. And I’ve got one stashed away in the fridge, courtesy of my roommate’s summer trip to… Paris?

51??? Kit Kats from at least 3 countries – U.S., Egypt, Japan. Hooray! And Cybele gives me bonus points for having tried a limited edition one (sweet potato and sesame, below).

52??? Lemonheads

53??? Licorice Allsorts

54??? Licorice Pastels

55??? LifeSavers