I Like Candy: Chocolate-Coated Altoids

I Like Candy: Chocolate-Coated Altoids

I had seen chocolate-coated Altoids at gas stations and convenience stores, but wasn’t tempted to try them until I ran into this lady at the Pioneer Tap in Forest Park. She turned out to be brand manager for Wrigley, and she was going on and on about these incredible candies: “great chocolate,” she said, “big sellers,” so I bit.

Turns out, I eat them constantly, but I don’t know why.

The chocolate is not wonderful, though it is not bad. The confection is disconcertingly low-effort (it’s just frickin' standard issue 'toids dipped in chocolate), but there’s something very satisfying about the crunch and punch of the powdery peppermint through the waxy chocolate.




David “Getting easier and easer to please” Hammond

I'm a big mint & chocolate fan but I've been reluctant to grab these because I don't want a whole big tin of them. I've been looking around for someone who had a tin that I could taste one from.

I was hoping that they would have come up with a softer type of Altoid for these, akin to those softer, chalky mints that restaurants have in little bowls on your way out. I've never liked chewing Altoids.

Best,
Michael

eatchicago wrote:I'm a big mint & chocolate fan but I've been reluctant to grab these because I don't want a whole big tin of them. I've been looking around for someone who had a tin that I could taste one from.

I think David Hammond has found a new vehicle to make himself quite the center of attention! I'd like to try some of those chocolate covered altoids myself!

Maybe this could be a sidelight for a future get-together. Everyone brings a food someone else wanted to try before investing time and effort.

Regards,

eatchicago wrote:I'm a big mint & chocolate fan but I've been reluctant to grab these because I don't want a whole big tin of them.

You realize the picture I included in the post is larger-than-life, right?

I actually consumed an entire tin on the way home from Rolling Meadows to Oak Park yesterday. I'm telling you...it's starting to be a problem.

David Hammond wrote:I actually consumed an entire tin on the way home from Rolling Meadows to Oak Park yesterday. I'm telling you...it's starting to be a problem.

I've already put my dentists kids through college. I don't want to add graduate school to that.

Cathy2 wrote:I think David Hammond has found a new vehicle to make himself quite the center of attention!

'Twas ever my goal.

David Hammond wrote:

eatchicago wrote:I'm a big mint & chocolate fan but I've been reluctant to grab these because I don't want a whole big tin of them.

You realize the picture I included in the post is larger-than-life, right?

I actually consumed an entire tin on the way home from Rolling Meadows to Oak Park yesterday. I'm telling you...it's starting to be a problem.

While some of us will drive anywhere and spend whatever money to have a great meal. There are moments of surprising frugality. Why buy a whole box only to discover you don't like it. Especially when I have a friend to snip a piece from.

You are my friend, right?


Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:You are my friend, right?

Of course (:wink: ), and I especially like your suggestion that "Everyone brings a food someone else wanted to try before investing time and effort. "

Just so you know, I've always wanted to try white truffle but didn't want to buy the whole fungus.

Ok everybody let the moths fly outta yer wallets-it should be crystal clear to even the most casual reader that someone ain't sharin' his chocotoids!

I'm an Altoid fan (especially the cinnamon and the ginger but also the mint) and a huge chocolate mint fan. But I have to say, these Altoid concoctions didn't do it for me. The chocolate is soft on the outside, and the crunch of the Altoid in the middle... wrong combo for me, texture-wise.

I have been wondering where all the really delicious chocolate mints are, and buying whatever I see... I could easily be addicted to Lindt chocolate mint truffles, and After Eights, but neither of them is the uber-mint-chocolate I am searching for... Any recommendations for your very favorite mint chocolate combo would be happily received (Breyer's ice cream, it goes without saying, doesn't it, is near the top of the list).

Judy H wrote:Any recommendations for your very favorite mint chocolate combo would be happily received (Breyer's ice cream, it goes without saying, doesn't it, is near the top of the list).

The mint meltaways I bought at Northern Chocolate in Milwaukee were about the best choco-mint combo I've had in years. I bought the dark chocolate version, but he also had milk chocolate, though I don't see why anyone would buy those because the rich dark chocolate went so well with the full mint flavor. Thanks for jogging my memory about this because I have a Milwaukee post that I have been meaning to make for a while and you reminded me to get off my ass and work on the post.

Judy H wrote:Any recommendations for your very favorite mint chocolate combo would be happily received (Breyer's ice cream, it goes without saying, doesn't it, is near the top of the list).

My favorites:

During the past holiday season, my wife made peppermint patties from scratch as gifts for people. It was surprisingly easy and they were very tasty.

Baskin-Robbin's Mint Chocolate Chip changed its formula somewhere in the range of 8-10 years ago. The color changed, the chip density changed drastically, and the flavor changed. The old formula was one of my all time favorite desserts.

Beyond that, nothing beats a box of Junior Mints for me.

Best,
Michael

Devil's food cupcakes with red and white peppermint buttercream are one of our favorites around the holidays. Nice combination.

Andes Mints! The classic flavor and the ones that are light green on the outside with a chocolate stripe in the middle!

There also used to be this really great flavor of President's Choice ice cream at Jewel called Peppermint crackle. It was peppermint ice cream with these long skinny sticks of chocolate.

Girl Scout Thin Mints! preferably frozen.

and how could I forget, Fannie Mae mint meltaways. These should be eaten exactly as the name describes, and not chewed up.

HI,

I was buying gas on Thursday when I noticed boxes of chocolate covered Altoids. Remembering the admonishment to release a few "moths from your wallet," I bought some. These are pretty good in a cheap candy Junior Mints type experience.

I originally was going to share them at the Ghanaian dinner, but I forgot. The closest I came to sharing was giving the last three pieces to Josephine on the way to Indiana. I had originally planned to give her more, but I ate them. It is really quite a struggle not to simply eat them all by yourself and not share a piece. Josephine can count herself lucky she got even three pieces!

Hammond, I don't know if I really should thank you or curse you!

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hammond, I don't know if I really should thank you or curse you!

I've thought that about Hammond more than once myself.

Stopped for gas yesterday and picked up a tin of York's contender in the battle of conveniently-packaged-mint-chocolate-combination-candies-you-can-keep-in-your-glovebox; each bonbon has a center of soft mint paste, surrounded by a thin layer of chocolate, surrounded by a wafer-thin mint shell. The tin is nicer than the Altoids' tin (both go for a retro almost antique look), but the candy is not as minty nor as satisfying. I ate one, then two together, then three together to get that blast of mint I longed for, and, failing that, lost interest.

Altoids remains in the lead in this category.

Thank you for taking one for the team!

Regards,