Along with my love for America, comes American food – snacks, candy, chocolate, the lot! The only problem is, buying it over here can be very expensive, even if you order through an English site. For years I have always bought the odd few bits and bats when money allows, and I really love getting the parcel and trying new items or items I fell in love with when I was holidaying over there. Just after Christmas, my Dad and I went for a day in York, did a bit of sale shopping, had lunch at my favourite place Jamie Oiver’s Italian and then stumbled across Candy Hero. It was so bright and colourful I walked straight in, not knowing what I was walking into. Shelves upon shelves of American food were presented before me, Twinkies, Fruit Loops, Jolly Ranchers, Airheads, Hershey bars, Swedish Fish and lots lots more. I was reaching out everywhere grabbing it all whilst shouting back to my Dad to please pass me a basket. I came away with a variety of treats that barely lasted my two days Oink Oink. Therefore I thought I would see if they had an online store – BINGO – they did! I was able to browse the whole range whilst sitting in the comfort of my own home and Minnie Mouse pyjamas – perfect!
Recently, Candy Hero sent us a selection of treats, not just from America, but from other countries too. Here’s what we thought of them…
Arnott’s Tim Tam
These beauties hail from Australia, and are chocolate covered biscuits, with a chocolate fondant middle, very much like our Penguin biscuits over here. I had never tried these before, and even though they were enjoyable, to me it was just like eating Penguins, which I can get at a quarter of the price. You get about 8-10 biscuits in the pack and per pack it costs £4.50, they also come in Double Dipped and Caramel. It was nice to try something from Oz but I’m not sure I would purchase these again.
Hostess Twinkie
Twinkie’s are one of America’s most long-standing traditions and have been around FOREVER. They recently decided to stop producing Twinkies, but there was such an uproar that they immediately re-released them. I’ve been to America 12 times and for some unknown reason I have never actually eaten a Twinkie. So basically a Twinkie is a golden sponge cake plumped full with a creamy vanilla filling. It is something that sounds so plain and does honestly look rather plain but they taste absolutely delectable and the filling is beyond dreamy. I will definitely be munching my way through a box of these when I go over to Florida in March. You can buy these from Candy Hero at £1.20 each or you can get a box of 10 for £9.95.
Grape Fanta
I’m not a huge fan of British Orange Fanta, but I absolute adore anything with a grape flavouring from America and so I was super excited to try this. With all American grape flavoured products, they do have a ‘fake’ kind of grape taste but it is honestly so good, and along with their watermelon flavoured items, grape is one of the best. This Grape Fanta did not disappoint. I literally drank the whole thing in about 15 minutes I simply could not put it down. A bit pricier than a can of Coca-Cola, but not my much these days, you can grab a can of Grape Fanta for £1.20.
Hershey Cookies’n’Creme
The first time I went to America, was in 1999 and I really wasn’t fussed about going. My Mum and Dad had booked us two weeks away in Florida and it turned out to be one of the best holidays of my life. We met a lovely family from Stevenage who we still keep in touch with now and unfortunately it turned out to be my Mum’s last big holiday as she died in 2001, but I am so glad we got the chance to go as she had such an amazing time there, as we all did. I fell in love with Florida. I loved the people, the never ending sky, the sunshine, the theme parks, the shopping, the restaurants. Everything seems so much bigger over there, I know a lot of people find Americans rude and brash, but I have rarely come across this. At 15, the age I was when we went there I was a super fussy eater (shame I’m not now as I might not have put so much weight on!), and trying new things was a big deal for me, we went to the little hotel shop one afternoon and Mum picked me out a Hershey Cookies’n’Creme bar. I put a little rectangle of it in my mouth and mmmmm it was scrumptious! I felt like Charlie Bucket from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! It was so creamy but with yummy like cookie pieces. This since has been one of my favourite pieces of American candy and is one my most repeated purchases, they even sell them in Topshop now! So yes I had this bar last night as I was feeling under the weather and a little bit fed up with daily life and this instantly cheered me up! Still as creamy and smooth as ever! You can purchase these bars for £1.20 or if you’re feeling extra daring (haha), be sure to try the Cookies’n’Cremes drops. I have had them before, and theyre shaped like minstrels but don’t have a crunchy shell, and are shiny yummy pebbles of gorgeousness and are £1.90 for a King Size bag!
The Kats Paws 