What looks like a ‘Mars‘ bar? And tastes like a ‘Mars‘ bar? And has red and black packaging like a ‘Mars‘ bar?…a ‘BAR•ONE’ chocolate bar from South Africa of course!
Essentially a copy of Mars’ classic self-titled chunky chocolate snack (1932), the ‘BAR•ONE’ has been produced by Nestlé since 1965, and can be found in the South African and Indian markets.
BAR•ONE by Nestlé, South Africa
It is described as a ‘thick milk chocolate [bar] with nougat and caramel centre’ – sounds pretty familiar doesn’t it? It even boasts that it is a hefty energy source, providing ‘energyfora25 hour day’.
Work – Rest – Play…BAR•ONE?
The whipped nougat is chewy and gives a good, long pull, as does the caramel. But I fail to find any malty tones in the filling. As advertised, the milk chocolate certainly is thick, but as with most Nestlé chocolate, is a little bland and undistinctive.
BAR•ONE – Energy For A 25 Hour Day
Considering temperatures have been averaging out around 32’c (89’F) here in Kansas, and I took these photographs outside, this chocolate bar holds up pretty well against the summer heat! A factor that went into its creation no doubt with destinations such as India and South Africa.
It would be interesting to eat these side by side a British ‘Mars‘ bar and do a VS. review…but, another time perhaps. The ‘BAR•ONE’ does provide a satisfying chocolatey mouthful, but if I ever find myself needing a ‘concentrated source of energy‘, I’ll probably still reach for the ‘Mars‘ bar over a ‘BAR•ONE’.
Do you know the story of the jilted lover who tried to kill her rival with poisoned chocolate creams?
Christiana Edmunds, better knows as the ‘Chocolate Cream Killer‘, laced delicious confections with the deadly poison strychnine in an attempt to kill the wife of her former lover.
In Victorian Britain, poisons such as strychnine, arsenic and cyanide were easily bought over the counter. They were often used for pest control, but were also used by some with malicious intent…
In 1869, forty year old spinster Christiana Edmunds began an affair with her doctor Charles Beard. Their emotional relationship endured in secret for a year until Dr. Beard ended their courtship. Christiana Edmunds took revenge by lacing store-bought chocolate creams and plum cake and gifting them to the wife of Dr. Beard, Emily.
Emily Beard, her husband and maids all suffered stomach pains and fell ill, but survived. One innocent little boy however, would not be so lucky…
Christiana turned her anger towards the community…she would ask neighbourhood errand boys to fetch her chocolate creams from shops, inject them with the deadly strychnine, and make the boys return them in a claim that she had ordered the wrong ones. These poisonous sweets then were distributed by the shop keepers, totally unaware of the deadly game of roulette Christiana had set into motion!
As a likely result of Christiana’s poisoning scheme, four year old Sydney Barker died after eating a sweet that contained strychnine in 1871. The merchant John Maynard (one that Christiana frequented) was not found responsible for his death.
Newspaper clipping reporting on Christiana’s crimes, Brighton & Hove museums
Christiana ‘chocolate cream killer‘ Edmunds was found guilty of her poisonous activities against the Beard household in 1872, and was declared ‘legally insane’. This spared her from receiving death by hanging, and instead she was sentenced to spend the rest of her life in the infamous Broadmoor Prison for the Criminally Insane. Christiana Edmunds died in 1907 after spending 35 years in Broadmoor. Today, she would likely be diagnosed as a ‘psychopath’.
Aren’t we all glad that we can no longer by strychnine over the counter at Boots!
Did you know that ‘Kinder Eggs‘ are illegal in the USA?
The ‘Kinder Surprise‘, also known as the ‘Kinder Egg’ was invented in 1974 by Michele Fererro – of the Italian dynasty that created the ‘Fererro Rocher‘ (1982) and ‘Nutella‘ chocolate-hazelnut spread (originally conceived in 1946).
The egg-shaped chocolate treat consists of a milk chocolate shell, which is lined with a creamy confection and contains a small toy kept safe in an orange yolk-type plastic capsule. Unfortunately, it is this novel idea that makes the European children’s favourite banned in the USA …
‘Kinder Surprise‘ vintage French advert (“Different surprises all fantastic and exciting”)
In 1938 the American Food and Drug Administration deemed any consumable that contained a ‘non-nutritive object embedded’ is not allowed. Although the ‘Kinder Surprise‘ is available in neighbouring countries Canada and Mexico, they will be confiscated if you are found smuggling these treats across the border!
In order to satiate the cravings for a child-friendly treat and toy combo, in 2018 Fererro released the ‘Kinder Joy‘ into the American market. Although it is also egg shaped and contains a miniature toy, the ‘Kinder Joy’ greatly differs from its Italian cousin the ‘Kinder Surprise’.
The packaging is made of two halves stuck together that have to be peeled back to reveal the goodies inside: one half contains the toy, the other contains a scoopable chocolate and creme spread with two cocoa wafer balls.
The differences between ‘Kinder Surprise’ and ‘Kinder Joy’ eggs
Similar…but not quite the same.
‘Kinder Surprise‘ toys in the past have ranged from farm yard animals, dinosaurs, cars and trains, Disney princesses, space aliens, Transformers, cowboys and ancient warriors. Some of the earlier toys were even hand painted!
‘Kinder Suprise‘ is not just for Easter either, these ovoid treats are enjoyed by children all year around…just not American children!
Did you know that in 2013 British chocolate giants Cadbury stopped making chocolate coins?
A Christmas staple: netted bags of foil-wrapped chocolate coins have been produced since the 1920’s. However, a year after they pulled the plug, Birmingham-based chocolatiers Cadbury quietly announced that they would be discontinuing their own production of chocolate coins.
“They simply weren’t popular” quoted one Cadbury source, while another sites that wrapping the foil around the chocolate coins was too “fiddly” to continue working with. The generic packaging of the product – gold and silver foil in a netted bag – also meant that the lack of Cadbury Purple Pantone 2685C created a lack of identity and saw them lose out to cheaper competition on the shelves.
End of an era: Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate coins
#ChocCoinGate certainly left British shoppers shaken, especially since the 2014 announcement came just a few months prior to Christmas, but “that’s the business” apparently. You can still buy Cadbury chocolate tree decorations, limited edition chocolate bars and Puds to name a few holiday-themed treats, but the classic stocking stuffer is no longer made with coveted Dairy Milk chocolate.
The act of giving a bag of chocolate coins is said to originate from Saint Nicholas – a kindly 4th century cannonised bishop from what is now Turkey (who would later become the foundation of the Father Christmas/Santa Claus character). The apocryphal story goes that he once paid for the dowries of three poor women by magically placing coins in their drying stockings.
Bags of chocolate ‘gelt‘ (Yiddish for ‘money‘) are also popular gifts during Hanukkah. The origin of gelt-giving is also centuries old – beginning as a way of showing gratitude to workers, and teachers. Like the origin of St. Nicholas’ coin giving, over the years these traditions have changed, evolved and developed into the practice of gift giving to young children.
I have four…count ’em…four wonderfully varied and flavoured Cadbury chocolate bars up for review today! Featuring Tazmanian-made ‘Snack‘ from Australia, and ‘Cashew & Coconut‘, ‘Top Deck Mint‘ and ‘Rum & Raisin‘ from South Africa. Now, let’s dig in!
Treats from abroad! Australian and South African Cadbury bars
In 1922 the combined British chocolate companies Cadbury and J.S Fry merged once again with Australia’s Pascall in order to open the first Cadbury factory in the land down under. Exports to the country began as early as 1881 and the Aussie Cadbury products have continued to grow and develop their own unique flavours.
‘Snack‘ is an indulgent, chunky tablet bar with six featured fillings. One-up from the previous ‘Snack 5‘, and reminiscent of the long lost Fry’s ‘Five Centres‘ this current form of Cadbury ‘Snack‘ contains orange, coconut ice, Turkish delight, pineapple, caramel and strawberry.
Each filling has its own decorative stamp on the chocolate, and on the back of the wrapper there is a handy decipher to help you munch your way through. If you’re a selective eater then this is most helpful. If you like to live life on the edge and just dive right in, then I’m sure you’ll find this bar a lot of fun, especially when snacking with friends and family.
‘Snack’ chunks with their identifying markers
Pineapple is by far my favourite of the six fillings. Bright yellow, acidic, sweet and an unmistakable flavour – it’s very exotic compared to the standard fruit fillings of most British chocolates and it’s so refreshing.
I do not like ‘Turkish delight’ that is runny, gooey, or in any form outside of the original powdered rahat lakum so I didn’t enjoy the pinky slime featured in this bar. But the caramel, orange and strawberry fondant are very similar to flavours we Brits can find in our selection of Cadbury ‘Roses‘.
As for the coconut ice, I found it sadly lacking in any real flavour or texture. I love coconut, and coconut ice. I grew up by the seaside and big bricks of coconut ice were always easily accessible to me. But the centre inside the ‘Snack‘ doesn’t have any of that sweet and creamy taste or bitty texture that I associate with the fruit.
All in all this is a really entertaining and pretty tasty bar of chocolate. I’m sure it’ll stir up fond memories of those who treasured the Fry’s ‘Five Centres‘ (1934-1992).
Some of the fillings included in the Australian ‘Snack’
Cadbury has been present in South Africa since 1903, but it wasn’t until the 1930’s that the company built a factory in Port Elizabeth, and began to produce their own chocolate in the country.
The texture of these South African chocolate bars is similar to that of the Australian – it’s a little thicker, a little more dense and claggy than the original Birmingham blend. This is probably down to the product being adapted to cope better in the extreme heat that both countries face. However these Dairy Milk adaptations lack this strange, smokey after taste I always get after eating Australian Dairy Milk…and I prefer that!
(left to right) Snack, Rum & Raisin, Top Deck Mint and Cashew & Coconut
The ‘Cashew & Coconut‘ is full of rough, shredded coconut pieces and little nuggets of cashews and is dangerously addictive! I personally love milk chocolate-coated cashews and I will always defend the ‘Bounty‘ bar even though it has so many haters…so this combination is definitely my favourite ‘foreign’ bar of Cadbury I’ve ever tried to date.
‘Top Deck Mint‘; Dairy Milk chocolate topped with ‘milky mounds‘ (white chocolate) and flavoured with mint. It has a very refreshing and scrumptious smell, although the chocolate itself is a little chalky. Tasty enough, but not as moreish or strong as other minty chocolates on the market.
And finally! ‘Rum & Raisin‘ is a classic, but this adaptation is a little underwhelming. The chew of the fruit is pleasant enough, but the taste of rum is lacking.
What a big bunch of bars that was! What’s your favourite Dairy Milk bar? Are you a traditionalist? Do you like real fruits and nuts thrown in? Or do you prefer another country’s Dairy Milk recipe entirely?
Did you know that the town of Hershey, Pennsylvania was originally going to be called ‘Hersheykoko‘?
Built as a factory town around the developing Hershey chocolate company, the town of Hershey was established in 1903 in an area near Derry Church – which was the founder’s (Milton Snavely Hershey) American hometown.
Hershey (the man) had been inspired by what the Cadbury brothers Richard and George had created at their Bournville Village site, a few miles outside of Birmingham, England, some twenty years prior. The new chocolate-producing Bournville factory had gained the title ‘factory in a garden‘, and the area around it had developed into a bright, green and clean village for the Cadbury workers, designed and built by the Cadbury family.
Bournville postcard
In 1904, the Hershey chocolate company held a competition to name the new town they had built (under Milton’s careful gaze). Suggestions from the workers and residents included; ‘Ideal‘, ‘Majestic‘, ‘Oasis‘, ‘Zenith’ and ‘St. Milton’s’.
The ‘Chocolate Town’ with its creator and namesake, Milton Hershey
The winner was submitted by a Mrs. TK Doyle, who had proposed the name ‘Hersheykoko‘.
However, the winning name was also much disliked, including by Milton Hershey’s wife Kitty. And it was eventually rejected by the Post Office for sounding ‘too commercial’.
The name of ‘Hershey‘ was by far the most popular submission and was accepted by the federal government.
Commemorative plaque in Hershey, Pennsylvania (note the Hershey Kisses’ shaped lamppost in the background)
The first US mail addressed to the town of ‘Hershey‘, Pennsylvania, arrived on 7th February 1906.
Did you know that Fry’s cocoa and chocolate were part of the ration packs that were taken with Captain Scott on his fatal trip to the South Pole?
In 1910 expedition leader, and Royal Navy Captain, Robert Falcon Scott took part in a race to the Antarctic to discover the South Pole and declare victory for the British Empire. Originally a scientific exploration, the trip became a dash to the pole after another expedition team from Norway changed from their initial course from the arctic in order to become the first team to ever reach the southern pole.
Commemorative cards of the expedition, created by Fry’s
Facing excruciating, freezing temperatures of -22’c (-7.6F), whipping high winds and an enduring trek across ice and snow, it was vital that Scott’s team had plenty of nutritious and high calorie provisions in order to fuel their 4,500 average daily calorie intake.
J.S Fry & Sons of Bristol (founded in 1761) were one of many British and commonwealth companies to provide provisions for the expedition. Fry’s donated £1000 to Scott’s fundraising efforts (close to £80,000 in today’s money) and were selected by the Captain to provide them with their pure and malted cocoa powders, as well as their milk chocolate and Vinello and Caracas lines of chocolate “in preference to all others“.
Not only was this viewed as a patriotic act, but it was also good for business. Fry’s produced postcards, collectible cards and posters advertising their generous gifts and documenting the perilous adventure.
“With Captain Scott at the South Pole” – 1911 promotional ad by Fry’s
During the journey the ‘world renowned explorer’ wrote that…
“Messrs J.S Fry & Sons supplied our cocoa, sledging and fancy chocolate…crunching those elaborate chocolates brought one nearer to civilisation than anything we experienced sledging…”.
Unfortunately by the time Scott and his team reached the South Pole in January 1912, they saw that they had been bested by the Norwegian explorers, lead by Roald Admunsen, by over a month.
The five members of the team to reach the South Pole; (l-r) Oates, Bowers, Scott, Wilson and Evans
The remaining team members, including Scott, perished during the return journey back to camp.
It’s my birthday next week, so I thought I’d get the party started with this birthday-themed sleeve by Love Cocoa!
A relatively new company, Love Cocoa was created in 2016 by James Cadbury: the great-great-great grandson of John Cadbury, who in turn, was the founder and patriarch of the Birmingham-based chocolatiers.
The Cadbury family are no longer involved with the running of their well-known name sake, but James Cadbury has developed Love Cocoa in respect to the founding principles that built the Cadbury business, with a focus on ethics and sustainability.
Love Cocoa, Birthday edition
Some of you might even remember when James Cadbury appeared on ‘Dragon’s Den’ in 2018!
Anyhoo, I received this as an addition to a bunch of birthday flowers that was sent to me via post, so, initially I was skeptical about the quality despite how stylish and contemporary the cardboard sleeve looked (with its embossed lettering and gold foil back shadow)…but, it was real tasty!
Tasty chocolate with a rich heritage, quality wrappers and a conscious to boot – Happy Birthday to me!
I bought this German box of ‘Katzenzungen‘ chocolates recently simply for its tacky, kitsch and ridiculously enjoyable portrait of five young kittens. I am personally drawn to confectionery tins, boxes and posters with animal subject matter and certainly anything a little bit daft.
The box contains two rows of thinly molded ‘cats tongues’ confections, marbled with creamy white and milk chocolate. The shape of the chocolates are inspired by their namesakes – the tongues of cats – and have also been adapted into finely sweet, lightly baked French biscuits of the same name ‘langues de chat’.
Thin, marbled ‘cats tongues’ chocolates from Germany
But personal aesthetic affection aside, I also looked into the history of the brand Sarotti and discovered something unexpectedly divisive about the life of its mascot, the ‘Mohr‘ (see top left of the box).
Berlin-based Sarotti confectionery was founded in 1852 by father and son Heinrich and Louis Neumann who offered a range of sweet treats such as marzipans and liquors in their oriental-themed decadent shop. Twenty years later ‘Felix & Sarotti’ was bought by fellow confectioner Hugo Hoffman who began to sell his own lines under the name ‘Sarotti‘. During Hoffmann’s ownership the shop relocated to Mohrenstrasse in central Berlin.
Translated to ‘Street of the Moors‘, the place name originates from the term ‘moor‘ or ‘mohr‘ – an archaic word used to refer to black men and women in a derogatory sense, since the term was also used to describe a ‘dumb’ and ‘simple’ person. Mohrenstrasse became the German place name for an area in Berlin that housed North African and Caribbean slaves first brought to the country in the 17th century.
In 1918, Sarotti’s former trademark of a bear and bees was replaced by three black-faced ‘mohrs‘, dressed in Arabian-style turbans and slippers carrying trays in order to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary.
86 years later, now owned by the Stollwerk brand (after several decades under the Swiss-based Nestlé) the black Soretti Mohren are transformed into a gold-toned Magier – a magician or mage – and it is this version which you can see on my contemporary box of Katzenzungen juggling the stars.
Before and After – the Sarotti Mohrs and Sarotti Magier
The Sarotti Mohr, despite being a well-recognized mascot of a well-loved German chocolatier, is a prime example of how the image of black Africans was often romanticized and mixed with fantastical imagery of what was thought to be exotic and mystic. Despite the allure of these foreign colonial subjects, North and West Africans were also depicted as subservient (in this case carrying a tray, suggesting the work of a servant), and primitive compared to the white 19th and 20th century colonizers.
Sarotti were [are] not the only companies to fantasize the imagery and reality of African nations under empiric rule; religious Quaker British brands Cadbury, Fry and Rowntree also used similar portrayals of fictionalized and white-washed versions of African life in promoting their own chocolate products.
Images such as these attempted to publicly strengthen the links between the colonies and the motherland, suggesting cooperation, unity and strength within the greater empires of European nations such as Germany and Britain. However, despite ‘good’ intentions (in terms of a colonial world view), depictions of black Africans were screwed with derogation and racist imagery.
How the Sarotti Mohr and Magier have been represented in t.v commercials
In more recent years, companies have been making efforts to readdress sensitive imagery used in their brands. In 2020 ‘Uncle Ben’ disappeared from Mars’ packet rice (founded in 1943) and is now rebranded as ‘Ben’s Original’.
Quaker Oats’ American pancake brand ‘Aunt Jemima’ made bolder changes – removing all trace of slavery connotations by rebranding as ‘Pearl Milling Company’ (a former name of the company that later developed into the ‘Aunt Jemima’ brand). In both instances the companies made these adaptions in order to ‘make progress towards racial equality’.
Brands that have listened, and changed in light of public demand for racial equality
This is not to say whoever has enjoyed Sarotti chocolate, Uncle Ben’s rice or Aunt Jemima pancakes also inhibits racist views. Nor do I want to belittle the social and emotional impact long-lasting brands such as these have on communities and individuals growing up. But times change, and depictions such as the black-faced, dwarf-sized serving Sarotti Mohrs have no relevant place – rebranding has come late to these brands, but it is welcome.
Do you think the subtle change of skin tone of the chocolate-bearing Mohr goes far enough in addressing the changes in contemporary society however? At risk of removing the association of the mascot completely from the confectioner’s history, and consumer memory, should the exotic-looking ‘Magier‘ be redeveloped further?
I certainly did not expect to discover the controversial history of a chocolatier’s mascot when this tasty box of German chocolates first caught my eye. I enjoyed every bite. But it just goes to show how elements of a colonial, slavery-inclusive past can slip past our daily observations. Some connotations of racism have been long intertwined in the products we have experienced for generations, and marketing changes or social commentary can disrupt the fond memories and relationships we have to certain products. It’s ok to enjoy these sentimental attachments, but we must understand the context in which some brands were developed, and recognise that for some they do not accurately or fairly represent society as they should.
You’ve eaten the cereal, and you’ve drunk the milkshake…now try the chocolate bar! Nesquik chocolate from Spain, by Swiss giants Nestlé.
Originally launched in 1948 in the USA, Nestlé Quik was a powdered milk flavouring designed to encourage children to drink more milk and to ensure a healthy intake of calcium and vitamins during childhood development (plus copious amounts of sugar). During the 1950’s the product was rebranded as Nesquik and appeared on UK shelves in 1957.
Vintage Nestlé Quik
The range has since branched out producing a variety of powder flavours (banana, chocolate, strawberry, raspberry, honey, caramel), milkshake straws, syrups and cereal. And in 1973 (after a previous pink incarnation in the 50’s) Quiky the Nesquik bunny appeared as the brand mascot…now for the chocolate…
The design of this bar is so fun and illustrative; each long segment is imprinted with images of Quiky taking part in a variety of activities such as skateboarding, playing basketball and generally looking ‘cool’. It’s almost like a chocolate comic strip!
A chocolate comic strip
The chocolate bar itself is creamy and melts in the mouth. A thin layer of smooth milk chocolate surrounds a milky, soft filling – the product isn’t too dissimilar to the small Kinder bars. It is sweet and indulgent and oddly moreish. Perhaps that is down to the chocolate segments being long, and thin, so it’s rather easy to eat several in a short amount of time.
Nesquik milk chocolate
I’m not really a fan of Nestlé chocolate as a whole. I feel for the most part it is cheap tasting and nondescript, but I was pleasantly surprised to really enjoy this Nesquik chocolate bar. A chocolaty/milky combination – it’s a very tasty of a re imagining of a much loved milk and cereal brand.
Cadbury Australia has a bit of a reputation for their inventive and creative products, including mash-ups. Once such Aussie colab up for review is the Cadbury Dairy Milk bar featuring Perky Nana.
The Perky Nana (say nah-na in my accent), also known as the ‘Mighty Perky Nana’, is a bar of light, almost foamy, banana chew coated thinly in Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate. Whether you’re a fan of banana and chocolate confectionery or not, this bar is a fun and popular candy in both Australia and New Zealand.
Dairy Milk ft. Perky Nana
This chocolate bar is a block of Tasmanian Dairy Milk interspersed with yellow chunks of banana flavoured marshmallow. These little golden nuggets are much firmer than the mallow in a regular Perky Nana and add great texture to the bar of silky chocolate.
As with most Dairy Milk products from Australia, I find that the chocolate has a slightly odd aftertaste – slightly earthy and not as rich. But Dairy Milk from different countries do vary in taste – this is simply due to different milk being being used. I suppose I am just accustomed to how UK Dairy Milk tastes!
Yellow nana nuggets
That’s not to say that this bar is disappointing – far from it! I love chocolate and banana, and there is a large scattering of nana mallows throughout the bar to ensure that there’s a good fruity chew in every bite.
The banana flavour (for me) is a nice distraction from the lingering aftertaste, and I quite happily ate this bar. I just wish that Cadbury UK was as inventive and creative with their chocolate bars – Australia wins for originality!
At the moment you can find a wide array of these big Aussie Cadbury bars in B&M, including, Dream, Rocky Road, Mint Creme, Birthday Cake, Perky Nana, Neapolitan, Top Deck, Picnic, Caramilk and Marble. So many to choose from!
Do you know what the first Western company was to sell candy in the [former] Soviet Union?
It was Mars!
A year before the collapse of the fifteen unified republics, Western imports slowly began to make their way into Russia.
On the 4th January 1990, Mars (the famous UK/US giant behind the Mars bar, Snickers and 3 Musketeers) opened their first commercial premises in Moscow. Sugar-starved and excited Muscovites queued for more than a quarter of a mile in order to be some of the first Russians to sample a Western chocolate bar.
Sales were limited to just four bars per person.
Can you remember the first time you ate a Mars product? For a generation this ended up being a symbol of consumer confectionery freedom.
Did you know that Milton Hershey tried to make an ice cream out of mashed potato?
The chocolate and caramel entrepreneur Milton Snavely Hershey (1857-1945), most famous for producing America’s first milk chocolate bar in 1900, was an avid inventor and spent much of his time experimenting with new flavours, chocolates and concepts throughout his confectionery career.
Known for his less than scientific approach, Milton’s method of confectionery experimentation often involved having a unique idea then dabbling with it by adding a bit of this and a dash of that, trying all sorts of production methods and materials. This ‘mad inventor’ style of working resulted in some rather interesting formulas…
Milton Hershey, and his adored wife Kitty
Mashed potato, sweet potato, oatmeal and cream of wheat were just some of the ingredients Milton thought would create a fabulous milk-free ice cream. During the 1940’s, he was concerned that the outbreak of war would result in food rationing, and so he endeavored to create his own solution before the problem arose.
The final product was named ‘Victory Whip’ and contained ingredients such as rice flour, peanut oil, sugar, salt and seaweed, and was sold in three flavours; chocolate, vanilla and raspberry.
Not only was it surprisingly tasty, it was also half the price of regular ice cream! But despite its local success, Hershey decided not to launch the product further as he did not want to risk aggravating the local dairy farmers – many of which supplied the Hershey factory directly.
Milton Hershey enjoying a mashed potato 99 ice cream (not a real photo obviously)!
Legend has it that when the Pennsylvanian secretary of agriculture was sent to investigate this cheap, milk-less ice cream, he was so impressed with Victory Whip that he bought three gallons of it and served it at a party where no one guessed that it was a ‘fake’ product!
The sun is starting to shine on North West England, and what better way to get into the summer spirit than to indulge in not one…but five amazing chocolate bars from Australia. Introducing the Rocklea Road, Bondi, Fairy, Bear Hug and Halftime Orange chocolate blocks by Darrell Lea.
Darrell Lea chocolate blocks
Registered in 1934 after the youngest member of the Lea family, the company has earlier origins dating back to 1915, when father Harry (an English immigrant) and Esther Lea began to make toffees to sell in their fruit and veg shop. By the mid 1920’s the family began to concentrate on producing and selling their confectionery in their own milk bar and sweet shop in Sydney called the ‘King of Sweets’ (watch out John Mackintosh!*)
Not limited to chocolate, the company today also makes a wide variety of liquorice products, fruit pastilles and chocolate coated fruits.
To be honest, you can’t really go wrong with any of these bars! The chocolate, milk or dark, is wonderfully smooth and rich and every bar is jam-packed full of texture! Bondi, Rocklea Road and Halftime Orange are equally ample with crunchy, chewy, soft textures and are crammed full of flavour. The combination of salty and sweet in these bars is yet another reason why they ranked so highly for me.
Check out all that texture!
With every mouthful you taste a little something new, a little hint of coconut…a little piece of honeycomb you missed with the first bite…which makes these bars extremely moreish as the taste and texture slightly varies each time!
I personally don’t care for sprinkles or 100’s & 1000’s, and I don’t like the combination of gummies and chocolate (I have tried chocolate gummy bears in the past) and they’re just not for me. Regardless of this, the quality of the chocolate and the amount of ‘stuff’ you get in each bar is astounding.
The creativity of these chocolate bars makes them really stand out, both graphically and physically – they are so different to what we have on our UK shelves, and I so wish companies that produce and market over here would bring something similar to the market…or better yet, Darrell Lea please come to the UK!
I picked these up just before Christmas at B&M, and last time I checked (last week) a few of them were still there. So if you fancy a pick-me-up while we dream of better, sunnier days to come, I do recommend munching on a chunk of Darrell Lea chocolate blocks to help get you through!
*in reference to the self proclaimed ‘Toffee King’, John Mackintosh of Halifax, England. Check out his royal proclamation on a previous Fact Friday!
Did you know that the British chocolate bar ‘Yorkie’, is named after the city in which it was made…York?
Invented in 1976 by established confectionery firm Rowntree, the chunky milk chocolate ‘Yorkie’ was the company’s attempt to compete with Quaker-founded rivals Cadbury, and their long established Dairy Milk (created in 1905).
However, had it not been for the outbreak of World War II, the macho Yorkie could have been stuck with one of it’s original suggested names – ‘Rations’.
Concept design for ‘Rations’ milk chocolate bar
Creators Rowntree were aiming to create a substantial chocolate bar snack, primarily aimed at men. The name ‘Rations’ was a leading favourite as it was suggested that the thick, chocolate chunk bar would provide ample rations for fueling big, active and physically strong men whilst doing all their big, manly things. But the association with war-time austerity in the 1940’s and 1950’s caused the name to be re-considered – rationing didn’t end in Britain until 1954.
After the name ‘Rations’ was dismissed, and with names ‘Jones’, ‘Trek’ and ‘O’ Hara’ milk chocolate falling at the final hurdle, the decision was to name the bar after the company’s long heritage in their home city of York, eventually giving us the ‘Yorkie’.
Early designs for what would later become ‘Yorkie’ in 1976
Founded in Victorian Yorkshire in 1862, the firm took their name from Quaker businessman Henry Rowntree, who bought a cocoa-works in the city of York. But it wasn’t until he was joined by his brother Joseph Rowntree that the direction of the company expanded into confectionery, and the fortunes turned for the family-owned firm with the launch of ‘Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles’ almost twenty years later in 1881.
Then and Now – how the design of the final Yorkie has retained its original colour scheme to the present day
The British Candy Connoisseur 