I saw this Reese’s Pieces car on the road today and managed to snap a picture while driving.

Strolling down Wooster Street in search of the Jellio Pop-Up Shop, I was suddenly captivated by a large, inviting sugar skull portrait made entirely of candy. A closer look revealed a unique piece of art whose myriad of colors and diverse candies came together to form something that was truly breathtaking. It was certainly enough to pique my interest and get me excited about the candy-inspired furniture inside.

A kind doorman welcomed me to the pop-up’s opening reception with a pack of Haribo Gold-Bears, and then I stepped into a vibrant, colorfully decorated room that would excite any Candy Addict.

Again, I walked right into another piece of candy arta rose portrait that appeared to be made of a variety of candies bordered by different milk and dark chocolates. There were also large, bright portraits made of gummy bears. Turns out, the candies are actually hand-cast in homemade molds by artist/sculptor/innovator Kevin Champeny. With a background in sculpting and prototypes, Kevin works with Jellio to design a range of pieces that include GummiLights and the Candelier, made from hand-strung acrylic gummi bears. Speaking with Kevin, I could see his deep level of passion for what he does for Jellio. He even shared with me his portfoliothat reaches far beyond candy creations.

Candy art aside, Jellio showcases a range of home decor products that will brighten up any room. Jellio is the brainchild of Mario Marsicano. An avid toy collector with a background in advertising, Mario got his start by simply creating storage spaces for his toys. He began storing them in clear cubes that could be used as tables, and his friends started asking him how they could get their hands on one. And he’s come a long way since toy storage.

Jellio’s signature item is the GummiLight. The battery-powered lights come in a variety of colors and are made of rubber, so you don’t have to worry about them breaking if they get knocked over. The GummiLight has recently been redesigned to be brighter, more lightweight and offered at a lower price point than its predecessor.

Another gummy-inspired piece is the GummiToy. Similar to a rubber duck, the bear-shaped toys are sold in packs of five, and are a must-have for any gummy-lover. Gummy-lovers will also appreciate the GummiKing, a 4-foot-tall bear that can bring happiness to any room.

If you prefer furniture inspired by ice cream and cupcakes, Jellio has that, too. Made from a polyurethane shell, topped with a molded rubber cushion, the Cupcake Seat is the perfect seat, ottoman and conversation piece. If you’re more partial to ice cream, Jellio also offers Ice Cream Cone Barstools.

The pop-up shop also spotlights GummiWear, a new line of apparel that includes t-shirts, hats and hoodies.

Whether you’re looking to add some spunk to a kid’s room or just bring out the kid in you, Jellio products are worth checking out. Anyone in the New York City area can check out the pop-up shop at 14 Wooster Street on Friday, May 18, 20012 until 5 pm and Saturday, May 19, 2012 from 10 am to 5 pm.

• Jellio Website
• Jellio at Candy Addict

Here we go again another artisan-style caramel product made with high falootin, responsibly-cultivated ingredients. Youre probably thinking, “Wake me up when this review is over!”, right? Sounds likes a good idea. While you go ahead and take a snooze, Ill just pop a few more of these squishy-delish, dairy delicacies in my mouth.

If given the choice between eight perfectly blissful, uninterrupted hours of sleep or a Happy Goat Caramel graze-for-all, I think its pretty obvious which option Id choose. Sure, Im a sucker for sweets in their various incarnations, but in light of the sheer volume of confections currently in the marketplace, a product truly has to have that certain je ne sais quoi for me to become a repeat consumer.

Happy Goat fits the bill, but not because Im easily swayed by hipster-approved ingredients. As nice as certified organic, ethically-produced edibles are, the proof is in the actual pudding, which in this case Id be more than happy to slather directly on my tongue in copious amounts.

Each individual, cellophane-wrapped, pliable to the touch piece possesses an amber radiance punctuated with flecks of Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean. Homemade in appearance, the small-batch caramel treasure, upon being unwrapped, tastes just as good as it looks thanks to a hormone and antibiotic-free goat milk caramel base bolstered with goat milk butter, corn syrup, and organic sugar. The gingerbread-like warmth of this particular variety is achieved through the addition of a harmonious marriage of cloves, Ceylon cinnamon, ginger and allspice.

Its worth noting that goats milk is naturally lower in fat than cows milk, so adding it to a caramel recipe will automatically yield a final product that, while still delicious, will seem far less “buttery” than other artisan-style caramels. This doesnt render it any less enjoyable than bovine versions, however. Its simply just a different type of adult caramel – one that both intrepid foodies and lactose-intolerant individuals with an appreciation for sophisticated spice blends will happily embrace.

If you make a conscious effort to consume foods that are free of genetically modified ingredients and agricultural chemicals, then youll be encouraged to learn that Happy Goat earns a natural foodie stamp of approval for their commitment to grazing their goat herd on 100% vegetarian, totally unadulterated, ruminant-friendly munchies such as alfalfa, clover and hay. Lazing about the rolling hills and dales of the countryside, the San Francisco based confectioners bearded brood is free to roam where they like and that general contentment translates into a fresh, light, and yes – truly tasty – goat milk-based product.

Easily chewable, a Happy Goat caramel will quickly dissolve in your teeth without posing a threat to dental work. If it didnt clearly state on the package that goats milk was a main ingredient, you really wouldnt be able to tell the difference it just tastes creamy-good, and with just 3.5 grams of fat per three piece 95 calorie serving, youll feel pretty cheerful about eating it, too.

Boy, what a mouthful. Right out of the gate, a flood of divinely rich and surprisingly unsweetened dark chocolate will envelop your taste buds. The cacao works particularly well, offering a sobering balance to the innate sweetness of the corn syrup and organic sugar-enriched caramel base described above. As with its winter spice-laden compadre, this flavor variety rapidly dissolves into nothing more than a fond memory, with random salt and sugar crystals desperately clinging onto tooth enamel, ultimately in vain.

Hmmmm… sea salt is listed as the final of seven total ingredients and while it continues to be the hip and trendy thing for candy companies to include in their sweets, theres only the slightest suggestion of its presence. Frankly, this caramel is pretty darn delicious as-is, and even if it contained a heavier dash of salt (or, conversely, nothing more than a single grain of it), Id still be more than enthusiastic about revisiting my package several times throughout the day. Sea salt junkies may experience a wee bit of a letdown, but that will soon pass once they realize that theyve finally stumbled upon a worthwhile caramel that offers all of the pleasure with none of the hypertension pain.

Whether you lean toward the spicy side of things or you like your sweets chocolatey delicious, the ten dollar investment for Happy Goats four ounce package of caramels is money well spent. I know that probably sounds kind of insane (helloooo, were in a recession!) but goats with a pep in their step clearly crank out some seriously sultry caramely goodness.

• Happy Goat Website

When slathering food with hot sauce or freshly ground chiles no longer delivers a sustained stream of endorphins to fire breathing humanoids like myself, additional sources of that highly addictive, recreational burn are frequently sought out.

Pepper and cinnamon infused beverages can occasionally deliver a spicy albeit fleeting distraction, as can certain trendy snack foods, but for a reliably complementary yin to ones chile laden mealtime yang, look no further than certain salivation-triggering candies.

Ah yes, ever-enduring Hot Tamales certainly fit the bill. Though Americans may have a torrid, love-hate relationship with the chewy cinnamon candy, it has nonetheless continued dazzling daring palates for the better part of 62 years.

To this day, Just Borns classic cinnamon triumph remains the top selling candy of its kind in the U.S., but the Lehigh Valley manufacturer is hardly resting on its laurels. From limited edition cinnamon jelly beans and Easter-themed spice versions to gum and the latest entry in their tongue-tingling empire, Hot Tamales 3 Alarm, your taste buds are going to kick into salivary overdrive.

Each package contains a hearty assortment of oblong jelly bean like candies in three different flavors the orange is hot, while the remaining two red pigmented varieties are hotter and hottest.

My tasting panel and I unanimously agreed that Just Born zoned in on a great idea, especially in light of current spicy culinary trends and the fact that our culture embraces novelty just as much as diverse flavor choices. However, all of us had a bone to pick regarding the poorly chosen color palate of this particular product, which we though could have easily been more distinctive.

Sure, genuine cinnamon bark has far more of a bronze tone than it does red, but none of us thought that the orange-colored Hot Tamales in this flavor selection were properly indicative of the cinnamon nuances within. Similarly, the remaining red pigmented 3 Alarm candies were so close in tone that unless youre highly scrutinizing or you hold each one up to the light while comparing them to the color chart on the back of the package, you might inadvertently chow down on a hottest rather than a hotter Hot Tamale. Editor’s Note: I had no problem picking out the difference in color between hotter and hottest.

After chewing, chit-chatting, combining flavors, critiquing, and then chewing even more, this is what four adults with very different culinary backgrounds thought of each individual Hot Tamales 3 Alarm flavor…

True Hot Tamales aficionados may view this product as slightly more gimmicky than an absolute must have, but the “hottest” flavor in this spicy cinnamon assortment may still happily engage the daredevil within. Regardless of your particular spice tolerance, whip out a pack of these cinnamon treats among mixed company and watch the conversational juices start to flow.

• Hot Tamales 3 Alarm

Candy Addict received this product as a sample from the manufacturer. No payment was received for this review and all opinions represent an unbiased view of the product.

Sweet moogley googley – what a mouthful. Being able to rattle off the name of this treat to the product ordering manager of your neighborhood supermarket or favorite mom and pop shop without referencing a cheat sheet is highly unlikely, so be sure to tuck a tangible reminder somewhere safe. By the end of this review, youre going to need it. (Other sites refer to it as “Amy’s CRISPY Organic Candy Bar”).

Amys should ring a bell with fans of natural and organic convenience foods, snacks, and pantry staples due to their 25 year run as a wholesome eats purveyor. Right. That Amys. Now theyve extended their higher quality, minimally processed credo to the candy biz, which is a huge plus for lovers of sweet midday nibbles.

When I first got my hands on an Amys bar, I literally stumbled upon it among the here-today-gone-tomorrow offerings at a regional natural grocer, and if my futile online search for the very same bar is any indication, I better stock up in person while I can. Despite its health food pedigree, this particular candy isnt even remotely like the other good-for-you alternatives carried in the same aisle – tree bark covered in mockolate it is most definitely not!

Upon sampling this Dandy Candy Crispy candy bar for the first time, prepare yourself for a most enjoyable, chewy-crunchy-chocolatey sensation. Inside the trippy turquoise wrapper adorned with art nouveau lettering, youll find two individually dipped, 100% certified organic bars that in itself, a rather notable coup.

I followed the package recommendation to share my candy-coated wealth with a loved one and while it did make me feel warm and fuzzy for a few moments, I have a confession to make. If I hadnt sampled 5 other sugary treats prior to my Amys experience, I would have been more than happy to gobble up both bars which amount to 1.5 ounces total in one fell swoop.

I know – so selfish! – but lets face it good sugar is hard to find. For me, thats the mark of a really worthwhile candy experience – when that “Hell, yeah!” kicks in and you start plotting how and when youll be able to get your next fix. Believe me this is good stuff.

For a relatively modest 100 calories and 6 grams of fat per generous-sized, dark chocolate covered bar, you get a texturally appealing blend of brown rice crisps, roasted almond bits, and vanilla flavored caramel bound together with what my taste buds identified as a perfectly crowd-pleasing dark/milk chocolate blend. While I wasnt really able to pick caramel out of the lineup, I didnt really care because amid the powerhouse team of flavors that Amys employed, the result was simply just pure, jaw-exercising, uber-tasty candy satisfaction.

Emulating the mouth feel of Hersheys Whatchamacallit bar without any of the genetically modified organisms, preservatives, or trans-fats, this healthier candy bar upgrade – sweetened with organic cane sugar and organic brown rice syrup – is chock full of delicious flavor and a slightly salty edge that balances out the sweetness just right.

At an easily justifiable $1.59 per package (on sale), Amys organic candy bar is admittedly higher in price than mainstream offerings but no doubt, you won’t regret coughing up the extra coinage. With a sizable list of real, recognizable ingredients – every single one of them organic – the quality is more than apparent and the taste yum to the max.

The moral of the story is that you’ll feel mighty pleased about consuming an Amy’s Organic Andy Dandy Candy Crispy – it’s sort of like a legitimately good tasting, genuine chocolate-dipped energy bar minus the pesky oats and/or throat-gagging protein isolate. Just don’t let that cheat sheet out of your sight. You don’t want this sweet delight to become nothing more than a perpetually unrequited love, do you?

• Amy’s Website

Decade after decade, household brands like Wonder Bread and Velveeta consistently satisfy the comfort food cravings of middle America, but when a sugar craving strikes, most know that one particular product line offers a semi-elitist fix without breaking the bank — Jelly Belly.

The 143 year old company has achieved the adoration of the masses, not for their gummy candies or candy corns, but for their ever-enduring collection of creatively flavored gourmet jelly beans.

As with the majority of their confectionery biz campadres, Jelly Belly wisely rolls out new products every now and again in an effort to successfully pique the interest of short attention spanned sugar junkies like myself.

Not surprisingly, I have gamely sampled everything from their super fruit-boosted, smoothie-inspired and citrusy, Sunkist-inspired assortments to their carbonated soda copycats and much maligned, taste bud taunting Bean Boozled jelly beans.

Compared to the pedestrian, sugar-coated jelly beans that I naively gobbled up in my youth – which were nothing more than glow-in-the-dark colored, highly refined cane globules – Jelly Belly makes consistently palate pleasing, flavorific beans that have become the reliable go-to fix for fans of chewy little nibbleys.

Chocolate Dips, are certainly a happy little addition to Jelly Bellys candy empire. Unlike their hard-shelled brethren, these particular beans are liberated from their tough exterior and instead plunged into a very thin coating of glossy, dark, confectioners glaze-laden chocolate which makes for a pretty nifty chewing experience.

While the company apparently sells a five-flavor assortment packaged in a 4.15 ounce box (which includes chocolate-dipped coconut, orange, raspberry, strawberry, and cherry jelly beans), Ive never seen it in person. Instead, I found an abbreviated selection of the chewy cocoa-covered wonders in 2.8 ounce peg bags (in coconut, orange, cherry, and mint) at a local candy haunt so I snapped up one of each.

Are you now wondering if you should bother seeking these babies out?

First of all, do yourself a solid and avoid Jelly Bellys Chocolate Dips in Mint that is, if youre not a fan of what comes off as being a medicine-like candy. Youd think that I was a card-carrying member of the mint-haters club but in addition to drinking several cups of peppermint tea after dinner, I make a habit of using a mint toothpaste and mouthwash combo twice a day, so what gives?

Quite simply, Jelly Bellys beanologists were so heavy-handed with the breath-freshening flavor that in spite of its glossy dark chocolate robe, their eensie weensie brown bean is flat-out unpleasant and dare I say far too earthy for something masquerading as candy. Imagine ripping a 6 inch piece of mint straight out of your garden (with soil still clinging to the roots), shoving the whole piece in your mouth, and masticating for five minutes. Yup thats sort of what happened in my mouth. A chlorophyll-dirt explosion. Bleccchhh!