When in Canada, try the Nanaimo bar

by Martha Edwards on

Something occurred to me the other day when I was visiting with friends who had just moved here from the states: When someone from another country visits my family and I in Canada, our first step isn’t to take them to the local sites or order them a double double or sit them down with the a copy of Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw. No, the first thing we do is hand them a plate … of freshly baked Nanaimo Bars. Nana-what, you ask?

Nanaimo Bars are a sweet treat that originated in Nanaimo, a gorgeous city on the west coast of Canada on Vancouver Island. According to folklore, they got their start as a pick-me-up; they were baked with love and sent to weary miners from family members as a way to brighten their day. Now, hundreds of years later, these three-layer treats are still brightening days across the country–maybe even across North America–but especially here in the west.

I don’t know how to describe them except for this: It’s a fudge brownie topped off with white creamy custardy icing topped off with a layer of thick chocolate. They’re a little rich, but divinely delicious. You can make them yourself, but I recommend trying them on a visit up north (or down south for you Alaskans.)

Sweet! The top 10 candy desinations in the US

by Martha Edwards on

Know what the best part about Halloween is? The candy. The sweet, sweet candy. Whether you’ve long outgrown trick-or-treating or not, being surrounded by sugary goodness is some sort of gluttonous version of heaven. Or at least to me it is.

Still, candy doesn’t have to be confined to Halloween; If you’re looking for a place to satisfy your sweet tooth, here’s a list of the Sweetest cities in the US, according to the National Confectioners Association:

  1. Hershey, PA. Well, duh. I think the name says it all. Head to the Hershey plant on Halloween and you’ll be treated to lots of free samples.
  2. New York, NY. With attractions like M&M’s World and a 16-story Hershey’s store in Time Square, it’s easy to see why New York is known for more than just apples.
  3. Orlando, FL. Disney world is a sweet-lovers haven, with sweet shops and a replica of Ghirardelli Square.
  4. San Francisco, CA. If Ghirardelli Square and the Scharffen Berger chocolate factory aren’t enough, San Francisco also boasts the world’s largest Pez dispenser.
  5. Chicago, Il. With a stadium named after gum, you know sweets are big here.
  6. Los Angeles, CA. Like Orlando, Disneyland is the place to be in LA for sweets.
  7. Boston, MA. Boston was crowned the Trick-or-Treat Capital in 2006 for its abundance of sweet stuff.
  8. New Orleans, LA. Classic sweet shops like Laura’s Candy Shop and Aunt Sally’s Praline Shop make this city a hit with sweet tooths (or is it sweet teeth … ?)
  9. Las Vegas, NV. This Halloween, Vegas trick-or-treaters will be treated to chocolate poker chips. Umm … not a good idea for chocoholics …
  10. Kansas City, MO. When in Kansas City, be sure to enjoy a tour of the Russel Stover headquarters.

Gallery: Candy From Around the World

by Justin Glow on

Candy is another one of those items you come across while traveling that is uniquely different than what you’re used to at home. I’ll often pop into a grocery or convenience store wherever I may be to check out the strange candies. Like I said about police cars, they “seem so familiar yet remain absolutely different and strangely interesting.” They make great gifts, too — they’re cheap, and small enough to pack plenty for your friends back home. Here’s a collection of different candies found from every corner of the globe: from Mexico (above — thanks Cybele!) to South Korea and beyond. Check it out!


Turkey (the country, not the bird)


Guess where this one is from?


These are from Iceland!


Spain


South Korea


Sorry ladies


Israel


Vegan gummies from Germany, Vampire-themed!


From Finland

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Thorntons’ Wall of Chocolate: The World’s First Edible Billboard

by Willy Volk on

In anticipation of Easter — and to the delight of chocoholics everywhere! — UK candy retailer Thorntons invited visitors to London’s Covent Garden to pick away at the giant wall of chocolate it erected. Decorated with 10 hand-crafted chocolate bunnies and 72 eggs, the 860-pound chocolate wall included 128 individual panels.

It took Thorntons’ master chocolatier Barry Colenso — and his 10-person team — three months to plan the wall and 300 hours to build it. Thorntons expected the wall would last for a week. Guess how long it took nibbling passers-by to devour the wall?

According to the BBC, hungry passersby finished off the candy in three hours.

If I’d been there, it would’ve taken just under 2!

[Thanks, Marilyn!]

Last Minute Valentine’s Idea: Go To Japan, Bathe In Chocolate

by Jonathon Morgan on

If you’re in love with a chocoholic, this may be your ticket never-ending bliss. Just in time for Valetine’s Day, one Japanese spa has created a new service: chocolate baths.

Revelers hop into water mixed with cacao and fragrant bath powders, to which staff add creamy chocolate — pouring it onto the bathers, who then…well…use it accordingly.

With recent research indicating that chocolate helps release “feel good” hormones — creating sensations commonly attributed to being in love, a dip in the chocolate bath might be just what you need to convince that reluctant partner to take the next step.

Or just use it as an aphrodisiac. The choice is yours.