Warning: gummy bears may have side effects

Thanks to Cousin Renee for sharing this hysterical link about sugar-free gummy bears. Click here and read the reviews about the "hell bears" that bring on "colonic hurricanes."

Spice season

You've got to be cautious when you combine chocolate with fall flavors. I love the traditional brown spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger. When they're blended together, they create a magical taste. But when you add chocolate, things can go south very quickly. With that thinking in mind, I was hesitant to try the new Pumpkin Spice m&m's that are out on the shelves now. I figured if I didn't like them, I could always stick them in a candy dish at work. I'm happy to report, however, that they were a big hit with the Sugar Baby. These are milk chocolate m&m's with pumpkin spices. The flavors are subtle enough so that they don't scream "SPICE!" They're more like milk chocolate m&m's with a little pizzazz. Were these my favorite? No, but I wouldn't turn them away, either.

A less successful example of chocolate and spice can be tasted in the new Starbucks Chocolate Chai Tea Latte. I thought, "Yum! I love chai, and I love chocolate!" Yeah, well, turns out they aren't exactly a match made in heaven. The spices are too off balance here. If I had to guess, I'd say the nutmeg and the chocolate are fighting against each other. I'll stick to the regular chai next time.