View from the Cheap Seats is an extension of the newsroom, which is frequently a site of heated debate on topics ranging from the extremely serious to the utterly ridiculous. This web edition features the views of print edition columnists Thom Barker (Wednesday) and Calvin Daniels (Friday), as well as web exclusive content by Devin Wilger (Thursday).
This week: What are your three favourite chocolate bars?
Mmmmmmmm, nougat
When I was a child growing up in the 1970s, there was nothing, confectionary-wise, I wanted more than Three Musketeers bars. While watching cartoons on TV Saturday mornings, the commercials would come on touting the fluffy, whipped nougat filling covered in milk chocolate and I became Pavlov’s dog.
Alas, they were not available in Canada and it wasn’t until much later, probably when I was either in my late teens or early 20s that I actually got to try one. They did not quite live up to my childhood fantasies, but it was darn good and depending on my mood, would probably still crack the top three.
And there is the rub. The appeal of certain confections changes so regularly that
Nougat is a theme, though. When it comes to box chocolates, give me assorted nougats and a carton of milk and I am a happy man.
As bars go, over the long-term, I would probably have to pick Snickers as my favourite all-time. Come on, how do you beat nougat, caramel, peanuts and chocolate (insert Homer Simpson sounds here). Snickers is still the first thing I reach for in a basket of Halloween candy, unless there are Crispy M&Ms—which have been discontinued for some time, but are now making a comeback. In Yorkton, they are currently available again in bulk at the Bulk Barn. Right now, they are my favourite treat, although not technically a bar. Also not technically a bar, but way up there, are Glosette Raisins.
I go through phases, though. A couple of years ago, my favourite was Kit Kat. For years, it was Crispy Crunch (and Crispy Crunch Blizzards from Dairy Queen especially, don’t get me started on ice cream). Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Eat More and Coffee Crisp have also held the top spot at various times.
In any event, setting aside the non-bars and averaging out over time, I’m going to go with: 1. Snickers; 2. Crispy Crunch; and 3. Three Musketeers.
-Thom Barker
Caramel and… tea?
Coming up with three candy bars was actually a surprisingly challenging process. I mean, I eat them, but when it came to bars I actually love I couldn’t think of much that would qualify. Twix was the undisputed champion, having a combination of crunch and caramel that makes a born winner, a superior combination that gives you everything you want from a candy bar. I’m also a fan of the flawed Wunderbar, which has enough texture and caramel to get around the fact that I’m not sure the chocolate itself is all that good, working as a forgettable case for the delicious filling. Turns out I really like caramel.
But then what else is there? I’m not a fan of the waxy, “chocolatey” flavor that has become the standard as candy bar manufacturers are desperate to cut costs and cocoa content. I’m not a fan of dark chocolate, which is the hops-laden IPA of the chocolate world - too bitter for my taste. As a result I couldn’t think of much else that I’d be willing to say was among the top bars.
This weekend when I discovered the bar that would hit my third place spot. Found at a local convenience store, there is a type of Kit Kat that’s common in Japan – where Kit Kats are incredibly popular and come in approximately a million flavors – that I had not experienced before. It’s green tea flavored, not chocolate. It’s a taste sensation that you otherwise don’t get here, and as a result it’s in my top three because it’s different. It’s refreshing and unique, something that nobody else is really doing with a candy bar in Canada. It might not have been my choice if green tea candy was common – it’s still a Kit Kat, which is rarely exciting – but I’ll give it third place just for being something different that I would like to see more.
-Devin Wilger
How do they do it?
Halloween is a favoured season largely because after the last trick or treater has come and gone, you get to eat the last of the mini chocolate bars you didn’t hand out.
And you can always buy some extra bags full too, often at reduced price in November.
Of course the big challenge at this point is picking out the best bar choices before someone else.
In my case the list of favoured bars tends to be rather short.
At number three is the Kit Kat the chocolate-covered wafer biscuit bar confection created by Rowntree’s of York, England created way back in the 1920s. A lighter bar option, and with four fingers, in the full bar, it’s ideal for sharing, not that I would readily do that.
The simple Aero bar, itself dating back to 1935, slots into number two. That airy milk chocolate is just ideal when you crave a chocolate fix.
And, at number one is the Caramilk, a Canadian creation launched in 1968. Yes, it is a mind-bending conundrum how they get the gooey centre inside the pieces, so you might end up pondering the mystery for a while, but the bar is just too good to ignore, even if it makes you think.
-Calvin Daniels
