Sweet Treat of the Week: Oliver Kita!

This week's Sweet Treat of the Week is Oliver Kita, a chocolatier based in Rhinebeck, N.Y. (Why, oh why couldn't he have been around when I was little and we went to Rhinebeck every summer with my dad's model airplane club to the Aerodrome?)

Mr. Kita has serious credentials, and clearly he's passionate about chocolate. So let's have a chat with him, shall we?


You have a dream job. How did you get there?
I have always been a pastry chef and worked with chocolate. I have been creating pastry for a long time and this step just seemed like the next thing I wanted to do with my career. I feel excited about chocolate whenever I am working with it. Still do-- even today!

What are some of your favorites that you’ve created?
Palet d’Opium (blood orange, lapsang and spice) was inspired by Pearl S. Buck and her book "Imperial Woman," the story of the last empress of China before the Boxer Rebellion. I have always been influenced by Asian culture.

What do you think people are looking for in chocolate? Have tastes changed over the years?

People are looking for the most dark, dramatic, intense experience imaginable. They equate the percentage with the quality and we know that it’s not always true-- it’s just the amount of cacao content and sugar-- not the quality. One must rely upon the manufacturer of the chocolate. The American palate is improving – I see this as I tour with the chocolate to different festivals in Colorado, Miami and New York. We sample only dark Valrhona chocolate 70% from Venezuela at the shows. I used to be just beside myself with wondering, “Why is everyone asking is there milk in this chocolate- it’s dark French chocolate!” Turns out the American palate is used to Pennsylvania created chocolate that was inspired by Hershey's or Nestle and that always contains milk solids even in the dark chocolate. I finally figured it out after reading the Hershey label.

What’s your comfort chocolate? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Usually a praline or a marzipan enrobed. Sometimes, I love pistachio marzipan.

I like dark milks when I don’t feel well or am fatigued.

Are there any flavors that don’t go well with chocolate?

Well, what do you have in mind? These days they are trying everything possible.

I haven’t seen tofu or seaweed yet-- but just wait-- someone from Japan will try it out for the thrill.

They were dipping pickles at a festival I was attending last month. They sold OUT!

However, I haven’t tried beef jerky dipped in chocolate-- and probably won’t go there either.

I love your chocolate Buddhas. Why Buddha?

Mind Body Chocolate everyday. I try to help my clients learn to meditate with chocolate by staying present with the taste.

Do you have a favorite candy-related memory?

Bubble gum cards with trading images, Sour Heads, jaw breakers, and I loved “Spree” when I was in the 5th grade.

What advice do you have for chocolate-lovers?

Follow your dream and stay connected to the passion and it will take you where you need to be in this lifetime.

Where else can one say that they have to go to Paris to taste chocolate at the next salon festival and it’s considered work!

Indeed! I'd love to be able to say that!

Check out Oliver Kita's Valentine chocolates, tasting kits, Buddhas and more at www.oliverkita.com.

Little Boxes, Little Boxes

One of the things Marisa brought back for me from Japan was this long cello-wrapped package containing a bunch of little boxes of candies. It was so fun and cute that I hated to spoil it by opening it. Kind of like the fancy little soaps shaped like acorns that have been sitting in my bathroom for about three years except now the Sugar Baby has discovered them and has been carrying them around all day.
The first two I decided to try were Meiji "Marble" and "Choco Baby." The Marbles (if that's what they're called; it's the only English word on the label) tasted just like British Smarties. The Choco Babies looked like they had survived a rough night or two. (No doubt they did, traveling with Marisa.) These were little candy pellets that, well, I really don't know what to say about them. They were too small to really get a taste out of, but the Sugar Baby loved carrying the two boxes around and shaking them. He did make sure to tell me that each made a different sound. Apparently he's learning something in school or on Sesame Street.
Next up will be something pink. I'm very excited.

An Acupuncturist Walks into the Candy Store

My friend Marisa recently went to Japan with her acupuncture class to study with The Master and learn the ancient Chinese secrets of the Order of the Great Tiger. Well, I don't know if the Master part is true, but she did go there to hone her needling skills and, in the process, found some fun Japanese candy for me. I've been just kind of staring at these beauties for a few weeks now, gathering excitement of the fun that awaits.
The first thing I busted into was, of course, the Choco Banana Pocky. It had the classic Pocky crunchy stick, dipped in an incredibly artificial-tasting banana coating and drizzled with chocolate. They were delicious.
The other things I'll be trying over the next few weeks. Apparently Marisa was on a banana kick, because, as you can see in the bottom of the photo, there is a banana candy bar. XL no less. The middle thing is a bunch of little packages of different candies and I have no idea what the thing on the right is. Up top, there are some candy blox. Very cute. I will keep you posted on the mysterious candies. In the meantime, the flu has hit the house of Yum, so please be patient. There really is a lot to report!

The Great New York Candy Extravaganza, Part II: The Haul

It doesn't seem like so much now that it's all laid out, but I was trying to be pretty selective. So, from the back we have:

• two varieties of Pucca: regular shell with chocolate creme filling and chocolate shell with chocolate creme filling. I bought two boxes because these are made by Meiji, the same company that brought us the fantastic Chocorooms. The first thing I did after leaving the store was bust open the box of original flavor. They are little shapes that look like Goldfish and the ghosts from Pacman (or are they octopi?). I was disappointed. The shell is shinier and less crunchy than the Chocoroom stems, which were like a crunchy cookie. But for $1.79 a box, it seemed like a good deal.
• A can of Charms Sour Balls: I'm not particularly big on hard candy, and I seem to have quite a large stash of it right now, but these reminded me of my PopPop. He always had a can of these by his easy chair.
• British Double Decker: I couldn't remember if I had ever tried one of these. I don't think I have. Of course, I threw out the wrapper, so I can't tell you the proper description, but it was nougat and crisped rice in milk chocolate. I wasn't so sure about it at first; the nougat seemed a bit too "fake" to me, but in the end, I decided I really liked it. Here's what the Brits do right: their crisped rice is more sturdy and crunchier than ours.
• A box of Leone Candy Originals in Orange: I have no idea what these are, and at $2.99 for one ounce they were pricey, but the box is so beautiful. They're from Italy and the box says "Breath of Sicily."
• Cadbury Picnic: "Packed with Peanuts and Raisins." I haven't tried it yet.
• Fruitips Fruit Pastilles: These confused me because they have some sort of Asian writing on them. At first I thought they might be a Japanese candy, but I finally saw that it said, "Made in the United Kingdom." The wrapper says 4 times real fruit juices. Four times more than what? Rocks? The first one I sampled was on the Subway when PIC said she was afraid she was going to barf from not eating all day. I gave her one and it seemed to help her, while it did the opposite for me. The two that I've had both had a musky taste to them. Ick.
• Economy Candy's own brand of chocolate in Belgian Milk Chocolate Smores and Belgian Milk Chocolate with Roasted Almonds: First of all, I should've read the ingredients on the almond bar because it clearly says "roasted almond bits." This is my candy bar pet peeve. When you chop nuts up into miniscule pieces, they have an unappetizing texture and no flavor. These were very disappointing. The chocolate was not very good (on par with a stale Hershey bar) and the mix-ins were meager. I'd never know it was a Smores bar if you didn't tell me. I could find nary a marshmallow.
• Tropical Razzles: Again, I couldn't remember if I've already tried these so I figured I'd get them just in case. Haven't tried them yet, but the flavors are pineapple, strawberry-banana, tropical punch, tangerine and kiwi-lime.
• Chick-O-Stick: I bought this thinking it was a Coconut Longboy. Oops. It proudly sports a "Made in the USA" label.
• Adams Sour Cherry Gum: I remember this from when I was little. So far I've just sniffed it and it has that wonderful cherry Bubble Yum scent to it.
• Doscher's Famous Banana French Chew Taffy: If I had read the ingredients first, I probably wouldn't have bought this. Check it out: Corn syrup, sugar, partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils, egg albumen, soy albumen, corn starch, sodium bicarbonate, artificial flavor and artificial color. They should call it French Artery Clogger.
• And lastly, Ice Cubes, because I need them to do the "I" painting in my ABC series.

Oh, and I bought this tiny little candy dispenser (it was empty; I filled it with Jujyfruits). I figured the Sugar Baby would love it. I was right. It's now become the "special treat." When he does something good, he gets to take the little scoop and get one (yes ONE, Memaw) Jujyfruit.

Next update: candy from a freaky deaky Greeky store.

Sweet Treat of the Week: Courtney Phillips on Japanese Candy!

Hi Yumsters! Today’s “Sweet Treat of the Week” comes to us from Courtney Phillips, a Yumster who writes about grants for culinary school. Here she tells us all we need to know about Japanese candy! She welcomes your feedback at CourtneyPhillips80@gmail.com.

No Money for a Vacation? Take a Candy Taste-cation!
Log on to a website like http://www.asianfoodgrocer.com/ and search for candy and you won’t find any Kit-Kats or even a miniature Snickers bars among the choices, just sweet, sweet Japanese candy with crazy names like ‘Kasugai Puchirin Konpeito Sugar Candy’ and some even crazier flavors. A little Taste-cation can offer a new twist on whatever might be you old favorite.

Variety
Ever wander into a candy shop and look at all the aisles thinking, “Gee Whiz, I wish there were something radically different that I could try today.” Well, log on to a Japanese candy website and your prayers have quite radically been answered. How ‘bout some ‘Ramune candy’ flavored like a tasty tropical fruit? Or perhaps you really want to go out on a ledge and get a whole case of ‘E-ma grape mint’ candy which offers no further explanation? C’mon you only live once right?
Feeling timid and don’t want to wait on shipping? Try an old favorite domestic style.
It’s called ‘Pocky by Glico Chocolates’ and you can probably find it in almost any major grocery store or candy chain in your area. Many people have been munching on the snack since childhood, but for those who have never taken the strange step towards their first candy safari, you may not be all that surprised. ‘Pocky,’ like a lot of Japanese candy, is just a little twist on American style. Kit Kats come already covered in chocolate, but with Pocky you get to dip the sweetened bread sticks in liquid chocolate yourself. (There are other types of Pocky that come already dipped, too!)
There are even some Japanese characters on the label so you can ease your eminent switch to the Asian side! It may not be a distant departure from what you normally eat, consider it more a weekend day trip, but you gotta start somewhere right? Look for them nestled among the Asian noodles at your local grocer.

Every once in a while you get to enjoy wonders of mistranslation!
Spend a little time wandering down electronic Asian candy aisles and inevitably you will run into a potentially great product that just didn’t have the money to pay for a great translator, like ‘Flour Sack Taster’ or ‘Lotte Black Black gum.’ That’s just another great thing about what gets lost in translation – you really don’t know what you’re gonna get! Be a little adventurous, take a chance. C’mon, what’s the worst that could happen? Maybe a little tummy ache if you find something you really like!

Other places to buy strange yet tempting Japanese snacks
You’ve probably said it a million times, but ‘oh thank heaven for the internet.’ Just drop Japanese candy or even Asian candy into any search engine and you’ll be amazed at the flurry of results. Not surprisingly Ebay.com has a great selection too. Think of this as your opportunity to be a flavor ambassador in the next Taste-cation revolution!

Thanks for taking us on a candy staycation, Courtney! We'll have to bring back lots of candy souvenirs!

Would you like to be featured as a Candy Yum Yum Sweet Treat of the Week? Contact me at candyyumyummail.@yahoo.com.

Do You Have to Show ID for Men's Pocky?

Friday night we went out to dinner with Sue MKAFFGGF and the Golden Nose. Let me repeat that: we went out to dinner. As in, a real dinner. No pizza, no burritos, no Sugar Baby. A real dinner, as in four courses, booze a-flowin', conversations bubbling... it was awesome. We went to Nini's Bistro, which, if you're ever in New Haven, Connecticut, you really need to go to. It's small, it's funky and it's delicious.

What does this have to do with candy, you say? Well, the "theme" in the restaurant was all holiday-ish: the water carafe was topped with a shiny Christmas ball, the hot crusty, chewy bread was served in a gift bag and then... the check at the end came with a pile of candy! Twizzlers and Hershey's Miniatures. So cool.

When we left the restaurant, good and sauced and so full we could barely move, we spied an Asian market across the street with a big Pocky sign in the window, so we went in. They had a GIANT box of Pocky for $12-- would be a great grab bag gift. I, however, couldn't resist this box of "Men's Pocky." Haha! It's dark chocolate, because we all know that only men like dark chocolate. And then I found some Hi-Chews which I was totally psyched about, because I've never had them. I was hoping they'd have grapefruit, but they didn't. I settled for the lemon. What a fantastic night. It just doesn't get any better than that!

Watermelon Kit Kat?! Those Wacky Japanese!

I'm back from the Haus von Schokolat and I have lots and lots to report, but in the meantime, check out this gem from Kyoto Foodie: watermelon salt Kit Kat! Apparently the package says to "serve chilled."

I'm a Graceful Lady

Despite my on-going battle with the mailman, he kindly left me a fun package the other day from none other than Sue MKAFFGGF. Weee! A surprise! Inside were two packages of Japanese candy-- one with a big Hello Kitty on it (and no English description anywhere) and the other, a bag of Muscat Gummies with this fabulous description:

Its translucent color so alluring and taste and aroma so gentle and mellow offer admiring feelings of a graceful lady. Enjoy soft and juicy Kasugai Muscat Gummy.

Nice, right?! I cut open the package and reached in, expecting to feel a lump of gummy goodness. But oh no, these truly are special. Each gummy is individually wrapped in a little package that says, "Muscat Gummy. Super Juicy."

I wondered to myself, what would they be shaped like? Grapes? Or maybe just a simple shape like a circle or square? No, no! They're hearts, silly!

Now here's where I'd give my typical description of "Yummy!" (being the wordsmithy that I am) but let's go back to the description on the package.

Alluring translucent color? Check!

Gentle and mellow taste and aroma? Check!

Offering admiring feelings of a graceful lady? Hmmm. I'll get back to you on that one.

These are definitely juicy, though, and very grapey-- like real grape, not like artificial purple grape.

As for the Hello Kitty ones, these too were individually wrapped with fun little Kitty White illustrations and a picture of the fruit flavor that it is. These are hard candies, shaped like flowers. I just had a grapefruit one and it was fantastic. I must say, no one does fruit flavors like the Japanese.

Because Mixing Vegetables and Candy is Such a Good Idea

See now, finding something like this would really make my day. It's "Corn Flavor Creamy Candy." Those wacky Japanese.

Okay, I'm coming in late on this one ...

...but I've finally tried Pocky! And oh, what a fantabulous find!

My grocery store just started carrying milk chocolate and hazelnut Pocky, so I splurged and bought the milk chocolate. What are Pocky? They're these thin little sticks (the nutritional info refers to them as biscuits; 13 in a serving!) that are dipped on one end in chocolate. Doesn't sound too exciting, right? But let me tell you, they are YUMMY!

Sue, my kick-ass-firefighter-garden-guru friend (SMKAFGGF) came over last night to introduce me to the world of Belgian beers. We had dinner and for dessert, Ben & Jerry's Vermonty Python (coffee liqueur ice cream with chocolate crunchies and chocolate cows) with Pocky. I know, I know. How am I supposed to kick the Baron's butt in our weight-loss contest when I'm eating like this? Well I just did a long aerobic workout in this sweltering, nasty, humid weather. That's gotta count for something.

ANYHOW! Pocky is a Japanese treat and it comes in all sorts of flavors. You can check it out at different websites, including www.asiafoods.com. I particularly love this "Men's" Pocky. Apparently women are too genteel to appreciate bitter chocolate. HA! If you can find some Pocky, I'd definitely suggest trying it.