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Lately I’ve been going through a toffee phase. Not sure about you all, but my life seems to swing through phases of all sorts: obscure black and white films, rollerblading (who didn’t, right?), learning Spanish (a phase I seem to go through every few years), and, lately, toffee. While the rest of Los Angeles is busy waddling through a cupcake phase, I guess I’m opting for something slightly less, er, filling.
If we’re talking about the biggies, there is, of course, my favorite: the Heath Bar – (as in Ben & Jerry’s Heath Bar Crunch), which was actually made by hand from the late 1920s until 1942! Most of you probably also know Hershey’s Skor, which, by my way of thinking, always paled by comparison. I guess Hershey thought so, too, because they went and acquired the original Heath Bar company even though the Skor is still available at most candy counters.
I also like the Planters Peanut Bar, which is toffee-esque and the hard-to-find, Walnettos, which actually pre-dates the Heath Bar, going all the way back to 1919.
If we’re talking about hand-made toffee, lately I’ve been getting all mine from this site called Love, Oma. It’s an almond-centric toffee, perhaps even better than the Heath Bar.
What’s your favorite candy bar? Any unusual ones we need to know about?
My personal favorite isn’t so much a candy bar, but it’s the Trader Joe’s Pistaschio and Dark Chocolate Toffee. It’s actually a bit better for you than Heath and Skor, and is a very different and delicious taste. Mmmmm…
posted by Morgan on 6-13-2007 at 7:21 am
If you’re talking toffee, you’ve got to include Mrs. Sees.
posted by Alice on 6-13-2007 at 7:23 am
My favorite hard-to-find candy is Sixlets. More spherical and sweeter than M&Ms. The colored candy-coating actually has different flavors. They come in a long tube wrapper, so you can eat them like Mentos.
I believe the mascot is a caterpillar.
posted by Jonathan on 6-13-2007 at 7:32 am
I always freeze the Skor bar and eat it that way–DELICIOUS!!
posted by Kate on 6-13-2007 at 7:40 am
It’s not a candy bar that does it for me. It’s candy corn. Brach’s pales compared to Farley’s. But I can never find Farley’s candy corn in any month that doesn’t start with “Octo”.
posted by rob on 6-13-2007 at 8:30 am
Toffee?
I’m about to let you in on one of the best kept secrets (one taste and you’ll know why).
Do yourself the biggest favor in your life. Go to the farmers market (by CBS) and find the booth for “Little Johns” toffee.
They give samples, so try one. I guarentee that you will leave with not only a box for yourself, but a few more boxes for good friends. It has become a staple Christmas gift for us.
Let me know what you think.
posted by Robert on 6-13-2007 at 9:48 am
I’m a huge fan of Thortons. With hazelnuts.
posted by Alison on 6-13-2007 at 2:57 pm
Jonathan, I LOVE Sixlets. They seemed to have disappeared for awhile, but I have been able to find them more often recently. Definitely better than M&Ms.
I am also a big fan of the Zero bar.
posted by Molly on 6-13-2007 at 3:09 pm
Dewar’s Chews. They call to me…
posted by Jason! on 6-13-2007 at 3:41 pm
My favorite is Milkyway midnight! But I can only get them in mini versions around Halloween! Last year I gave my friend $5 for all her Milkyways!!
posted by Rachel on 6-14-2007 at 3:08 pm
I am a white chocolate (I know–a misnomer) fan, so, natch, my favorite candy bar is ZERO. White chocolate, caramel, nougat, nuts–there is no milk chocolate counterpart–all delicious.
A bit hard to find, usually, but the mini-market inside my local gas station stocks them. Lucky me!
posted by max on 6-18-2007 at 8:41 am