I thought I'd share this experience with mint from last weekend.
When we got to Vermont and stopped for gas at the local grocery store, Mr. Goodbar wanted a bottle of water. Having only .26 cents on me, I had to use my credit card, which meant candy aisle, here I come!
So this is what I got. A Divine Mint Dark Chocolate bar and a Haviland Chocolate Covered Wintergreen Patty, which had a tag in front of it that said "Item Being Discontinued."
First, the Divine. Obviously, if I found this in a backwoods grocery store in Vermont, you know it's Fair Trade, non-GMO and over $3.00. The aroma is driving me crazy; I can't place what it compares to except to say that its fresh mint.* The chocolate is just the perfect percentage. The package doesn't say what it is, but it's right on that fine line between bittersweet and just plain bitter. The mint part is actually a mint crunch-- little bits of hard, crunchy candy cane-like nibblets. This is good chocolate, perfect for a special treat with a glass of Malbec. (Oh wait, here's one right here!)
And then there's the wintergreen patty. I bought one of these during one of the summer trips to Vermont, but I put it in my pocket and it melted into an irretrievable mess. This time I made sure that I tried it before it had a chance to melt (although there was hardly a chance of that considering we had 2 feet of snow). Let me say for the record, I had high hopes for this, considering 1) I really liked the Haviland Orange Thin Mints and 2) I really like wintergreen. But my goodness. Gracious.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a contender for next year's Worst of 2010.
I'm actually going to try this again right now, so I can give you a live report. The patty looks just like a York, maybe a little thinner. The scent is medicinal. The inside cream is smoother than a York and it is BRIGHT PINK (my camera couldn't do it justice). Here goes the nibble: OMG. Seriously, this brings me back to high school when I'd chomp on Pepto-Bismol tablets for my stomach aches. Vile. I need to know: who eats these things? Have you ever had one? Is there anyone, ANYONE out there who likes these? Probably not, considering they're being discontinued. But if you're out there, send me a note. We need to talk.
*It just came to me. The aroma is that of peppermint tea.
5 comments:
I love those wintergreen patties
Do you really? Talk to me! Tell me why. They don't taste like Pepto Bismol to you?
I ADORE dark chocolate covered wintergreen patties! Discontinued? How come they still are available to buy online? (vintage patties?) I used to live near the Haviland factory in Cambridge MA where they were made. The original NECCO factory was near there too. There is a small & wonderful candy store in Ogunquit, ME that sells dark choc. covered wintergreen patties. I make an annual pilgrimage there. Don't know about any similarity to Pepto Bismol; never had the stuff.
I love Haviland Wintergreen Patties! I'm not sure if they are the same brand but I ate them as a kid in the '60s. I re-discovered them again in the '80s, although they were no longer pink inside. A year or so ago, I moved back to the small town in PA where I grew up and found them again - this time back to pink inside! To the best of my knowledge--and from dozens of sites still selling them-- they are still being produced by NECCO. Do you know if they did actually discontinue them and decided to bring them back again?
I think that particular store discontinued them, because they're still available on line. Lucky you!
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