By: Sara Wong, Arts & Culture Editor
When I think of Halloween, my mind immediately goes to candy — specifically, the Nestlé chocolates I used to get in my trick-or-treat bag. But this year I wanted to try something new. After a couple trips to some international grocers (Bosa Foods and T&T Supermarket), I had my latest sugar fix. Here are the five candies I picked up, and my thoughts on how sweet they really were.
Choco Boy — Korea
Rating: 4/5
Having tried the Japanese version of this mushroom-shaped treat, Kinoko No Yama, I was curious to see how Choco Boy compared. Aside from its lopsided appearance, the Korean counterpart lived up to the original. I felt a wave of nostalgia as I bit into the crunchy mini chocolate biscuit. The chocolate had the same level of sweetness as any North American candy bar, but the cookie component kept it from becoming cloying.
Jaffa cakes — UK
Rating: 4.5/5
This wasn’t really a candy, but I’d still be happy if I got this on Halloween! The Jaffa cake consisted of a sponge cake base, a layer of apricot jelly, and a thin chocolate coating. At first, I liked that the chocolate was only on top of the cake — less messy that way — but after taking a bite, I wished there was more. Without the chocolate, the cake was a bit dry. But the apricot jelly was delicious. I loved the contrast it provided, both in taste and texture.
Koala’s March — Japan
Rating: 3/5
I had high hopes when I opened the package and smelt sweet, tropical fruit. Sadly, this treat ended up being a let down. The artificial mango filling overwhelmed my senses. It reminded me of the Bath & Body Works hand sanitizers I was obsessed with as a tween, which are nice to smell, but not something I want to be tasting. However, the cookie part was delicious and the various koala designs on the exterior were cute.
Kopiko — Indonesia
Rating: 4/5
Love coffee, but can’t commit to drinking a vat of it like Lorelai Gilmore? Then Kopiko is for you! The hard candy seriously delivers on rich coffee flavour, and has just the right amount of sweetness (though, if you’re used to black coffee, you’ll probably find Kopiko too sweet). I loved the two-tone look of the cappuccino one and thought the candy was just the right size. That being said, I’d rather have an actual cappuccino.
Ouzo candy — Greece
Rating: 4/5
Ouzo is a type of anise liqueur popular in Greece. I haven’t tried ouzo yet, but after eating this hard candy, I want to. The treat was small, but packed a strong, tangy punch. This mellowed out after a few seconds, leaving behind a subtle, yet lasting, licorice note, which I enjoyed. If you want a less sugary candy, this is the way to go.
