One of the reasons I got so! excited! about this See’s order is that I chose one or two pieces each of a bunch of kinds that were pretty adventurous considering the price per pound. If I’m just considering a box of regular chocolates, I keep converting it into “bags of peanut M&Ms I could have for the same price.” But if I’m SAMPLING ODD FLAVORS—well! That’s valuable scientific experimentation right there!
I was very curious about the Almond Truffle, in part because I think it LOOKS so yummy. One of the reasons I don’t usually choose truffles is that I don’t like how they’re so dense and rich AND covered in chocolate: it’s like taking a piece of fudge and dipping it in chocolate (okay, that sounds a little good). The Almond Truffle is like a piece of fudge rolled in crushed almonds. Upper tier for me.
Almond Truffle
(image from Sees.com)
I chose the Walnut Square mostly because it was so neat-looking: why only dipped on the bottom half? And it’s a very satisfying piece to pick out of the box and hold: heavy and largish. The caramel has a noticeable butter flavor and is a nice “chewy but I won’t have to keep prying it off my teeth” consistency, and I like the nuts in it. I’d want one of these in an assortment (for beauty as well as for variety), but I don’t think I’d specifically order it again: I would prefer it with more chocolate, I think.
Walnut Square
(image from Sees.com)
The Scotchmallow intrigued me: “Honey marshmallow” and caramel. I can’t tell you if I liked it or not. The contrast of very-thick caramel and very-light-and-fluffy marshmallow (I didn’t notice any honey flavor, but I also forgot I meant to take a nibble of it separately to check) was odd, and I didn’t like the way the chocolate was breaking off with each bite. But…I think I like it anyway, and it’s definitely distinctive in an “I wouldn’t/couldn’t make this myself” kind of way. I would put it in the middle tier so far, with more testing required while I get used to the oddness.
Scotchmallow
(image from Sees.com)
In my top three favorites from a box of Russell Stover chocolates is the Roman Nougat. I would buy a whole box of just those. (And in fact, in looking on their website to make sure I got the name right, I found that I CAN buy a whole box of just those, as soon as they’re back in stock. This is a happy, happy day.) ANYWAY, when I saw See’s Rum Nougat, it looked very similar to the Roman Nougat and I wondered if it WAS similar. And it IS! The See’s version has a more intense rum flavor, and it has raisins as well as cherries and walnuts. I lovvvvvve it, but it’s one of those WEIRDISH candies where if someone else said “AAAAAAAAAAAA how can you EAT those, I SPIT THEM OUT patooie-patooie!!” I would said, “Dude, I TOTALLY see what you mean, and also can I pick them out of your assortment box?”
Rum Nougat
(image from Sees.com)
I don’t usually like coffee-flavored things unless they are coffee, but the Kona Mocha looked so yummy I tried it anyway. But I was right: I don’t really like coffee-flavored things. I would like a variation with chocolate buttercream covered in white chocolate and toasted coconut but without the coffee flavor. Still, really fun to try.
Kona Mocha
(image from Sees.com)
I ordered the Pineapple Truffle out of astonishment: PINEAPPLE? with CHOCOLATE? But I really liked it: intense pineapple flavor, with teensy barely-noticeable bitlits of pineapple in the filling. Upper tier for me: A+++ would order again. Not a whole box, but definitely would get some in any custom mix.
Pineapple Truffle
(image from Sees.com)
The Divinity Puff looked a little WHITE: divinity, white chocolate, walnuts, coconut. I wanted to try it because I wasn’t sure I’d like it but I thought I MIGHT. And it is kind of yummy! I’d put it in my middle tier, maybe lower-middle. I’d want one in an assortment but probably wouldn’t specifically order it.
Divinity Puff
(image from Sees.com)
A Mayfair is like if you liked the taste of chocolate-covered cherries (which I do), but you didn’t like the way they sploosh if you don’t bite into them carefully (indeed I don’t), and so you chopped the cherries and filling into a buttercream instead and then added walnuts. YUM. Upper tier for me.
Mayfair
(image from Sees.com)
Cherry sploosh – heehee! Such a perfect description of what happens.
I find that reading these posts is *almost* as good as eating chocolates. I actually get that sugary I-just-ate-too-many-chocolates taste in my mouth looking at these photos. Calorie-free fun!
On this side of the world pineapple and choc go together all the time! We have pineapple lumps (this is fake pineapple flavoured, very popular with kids), pineapple filled cadbury chocolate (again, fake) and if there is choc fondue there is always fresh pineapple as an option!
If you want me to send you some pineapple lumps, just yell out. I’m fairly sure I could post them internationally.
The rum nougats are the biggest candy in the ‘Nuts and Chews’ box. So, growing up we always chose it and were ALWAYS disappointed that we chose the freakin’ rum nougat. We’re a family full of ‘HOW CAN YOU LIKE THOSE VILE, VILE THINGS’.
Also-the scotchmallow has a very specific way it needs to be eaten, IMO. First, you take a small bite, exposing the line between the marshmallow and caramel. Then, you peel off the marshmallow, try to eat it one bite (but also try NOT to choke) then you have a delicious, delicious disk of pure caramel and dark chocolate.
Oh See’s candies…how I love you.
Also? I am WITH you on Truffles. They are just chocolate overload to me.
Oh man, the Scotchmallow is my all-time favorite. I have been known to turn up my nose at the rest of an ENTIRE box if the Scotchmallow has already been eaten. Which happens a lot, because I usually only see See’s at work.
Scotchmallow>Bordeaux>Carmels (no nuts)>eh, not worth it!
Is it weird how much I’m enjoying these posts? I want to go buy a box of chocolate for myself immediately, but on the other hand, I am getting a very vivid vicarious pleasure out of seeing and reading about these chocolates of yours. It’s almost enough.
Also, I had never even HEARD of See’s candy until I started blogging. Must be one of the (many many) things the Midwest lacks.
Can I tell you how much I love these posts? I LOVE them. I can’t even explain why. Also, there is a See’s store in the mall five minutes away and I have NEVER BEEN INSIDE in the eleven years I’ve lived here. I am going to rectify that mistake very, very soon.
The truffle types sound YUM but I DO NOT STAND for fruit with my chocolate, so those would definitely not be in my upper tier.
The Scotchmallow one sounds similar to my all-time favourite chocolate bar, the Buttermallow from Laura Secord, which was a perfect blend of creamy marshmallow, buttery caramel, wrapped in dark chocolate.
I think maybe Laura Secord (the candy, not the woman) is just a Canadian thing, so I would feel bad about recommending this chocolate, except for the fact that they discontinued it a few years ago in spite of my vigorous objection, so now no one can enjoy it. *sob*
Heehee, I think we should buy boxes of mixed chocolates and then split them, because our tastes are completely flip flopped! ;) I didn’t know that candy was called a rum nougat, but I really thought it was one of those things that nobody ever ACTUALLY ate – it was just included in the box as a joke or something ;) So I’ll take the coffee flavors and the truffles, and you can have the rest!
I’m supposed to be eating healthy and working out, Swistle! Posting up close drool-worthy photos of treats isn’t helping! haha
Dammit, Swistle. I now have to order some custom chocolates.
P.S. Thanks for the email. I will write back as soon as I can. I really, really appreciate your input!
Many years ago when I was in grad school I had a room mate with a very nice boyfriend who used to give her two pounds of assorted See’s chocolates every Valentine’s Day. It always worked out well because I love only nuts and chews and she loves only fruity fillings. Man do I miss the days of 2 lbs of See’s (and also burning off the calories from same by not really doing much of anything . . . sigh).
i just had to comment to let you know how much i love, and how hilarious, these chocolate posts are. ALSO, i used to have a see’s WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM MY DESK, where i am RIGHT NOW. but they closed, thank god. there is no way i could make it through the rest of the afternoon without some.
My very favorite See’s candies are the pineapple ones – and I thought the same thing when I first heard of them – pineapple and chocolate? Really? But now… I save them ’til last. There are two in every box of See’s soft centers!
And thankgoodness I randomly picked up a box yesterday while I was at the mall. Otherwise? I might just have had to run out to get one after reading this post!
Gosh, I LOVE rum nougats. I am mildly allergic to walnuts (they make the inside of my mouth kind of itchy) and rum nougats are still worth it. I was so happy when I moved from the Midwest to Spokane, where there is a See’s!
I’m having fun reading these, but I have serious texture issues, so none of today’s choices sound as good to me as some of yesterday’s… But still, it is oddly entertaining to read your descriptions of the chocolates!
Totally loving your See’s chocolates updates. I love See’s chocolates. In face, Swistle, I am, right now as I write, eating a box I bought at the Oakland airport waiting for my flight to LA which is delayed 2 hours, and it only takes 1 hour to fly to LA! Thank you See’s candy for helping me pass the time.
To try from the truffles–I promise not too rich or heavy: apple pie and key lime. Both are white chocolate. They are very different. Unexpected.
Thanks for your perspectives. More chocolate!
I love the descriptions of each candy that you are trying. Makes me want to go to the Sees website & purchase my own box of chocolates. (I think of Forrest Gump every. time.) But, I must say, we would never fight over the candies in the box if we had to share. I am more of a truffle girl. I detest, with a passion that can not be restrained, nuts in my food.
I have to say that the candy reviews are some of your best posts ever. If I send you candy periodically, will you review it for my personal entertainment? Will that require some weird disclosure statement? I hope not… :)
I am seething as my box of sees has been stuck at our UPS place for 3 days and now will not get here until MONDAY.
GAH.
Reading the post made me super happy for two reasons:
1, Sees on the way
and 2, I also adore Russel Stover’s roman nougat. And have often bought Valentine’s day heart assortments after valentine’s day just to extract 1 roman nougat. So now I am looking forward to the sees rum nougat.
Thanks for the review! I used to love See’s almond squres we lived in CA 15 years ago and that was all I always bought whenever we visited CA. Now that we’re back and a new See’s store opened closeby, I have to go and check out the other candies you talked about; specically the pineapple and Mayfair and maybe the Scotchmallow. I love chocolate covered marshmallows so the See’s ones might be just the thing I’ve been waiting for! Did you know they also give out samples at the store? Or that you can ask for a piece to see if you like it first before you buy more? Or at least they did last time I was there.
Ooops…sorry about all the typos. Darn sticky keyboard keys!
Actually, @Lillowen
Laura Secord still has the buttermallow bars for sale.
The chocolates look delicious, I would die to try the pineapple!! I love pineapples ;P