Limited Edition Foods

Valomilk is an old school candy, the exact opposite of a limited edition food. Valomilks have fed candy lovers for generations, and it is only appropriate to end June with a nod to their dominance. June is both National Candy Month and National Dairy Month, so of course that means we must also have a picture of a milk chocolate cow.

Aquiring a Valomilk can be challenging, especially if you live outside of middle America. They are made with very high quality ingredients and do not travel well, but when you find one it is worth it. For a fascinating and detailed narrative review of the Valomilk, check out Cybele’s five part series on this national treasure over at Candyblog. For an extended ode to Valomilks and other old school candies, be sure to check out Steve Almond’s classic Candy Freak.

chocolate, marshmallow, Valomilk, candy, steve almond, candy freak, cow

You know a candy bar is good when it inspires its own YouTube video, and shows up in someone’s vacation blog as one of the highlights of the trip. The Hershey’s Special Dark with Macadamia Nuts and Raspberries sounds like a winner for dark chocolate lovers, but it has been out since early Spring so if you see one on the shelves grab it while you can.

Hershey, dark chocolate, chocolate, Macademia, youtube, candy

Lay’s has a limited edition Rosemary & Herb flavor on the shelves this summer. The new chip received a decent review from Taquitos.net. My personal review is that they were a bit overpowering, but in an era where chips compete for the most flavorful that probably will not dissuade the average snacker.

Lays, chips, limited edition

Rumors are rampant this week that 7-11 may be converting up to a dozen stores nationwide into “Kwik-E-Mart”s where Abu fans can buy Krusty O’s and other Simpsons themed merchandise in what may be one of the most ambitious move tie-ins of all time.

Time is limited for confirmation, because the Simpsons movie opens July 26. 7-11 is refusing to confirm the plan, but fans are hopeful. Personally I am hopeful that they remove that Jagged Metal O that Krusty promises before those boxes hit the shelves, whether they are sold at Kwik-E-Mart or not.

Simpsons, 7-11, Krusty, Abu, Kwik-E-Mart, movie

This limited edition version of Hershey’s Take 5 candy bar may no longer be available via retail, but you can still get it online from sites like CandyDirect.com or TheOnlineCandyShop.com.

Take 5, marshmallow, limited edition

This is the 100th Birthday for the Hershey’s Kiss, that small chocolate staple. As part of the celebration Hershey’s has introduced the Kiss Someone promotion (Grand Prize: $100 Million Dollars), and a chocolate truffle filled kiss that is darn tasty if you have not tried it out. There is also a Special Dark with Almonds version out there, and presumably more limited editions will come out later in the year.

Hershey, Hershey’s Kiss, birthday, truffle, chocolate, limited edition, candy

Pepsi has introduced a new limited edition soda flavor for the summer: Ice Cucumber. Unfortunately for curious and vegetable-loving folks in the U.S., it is only available in Japan.

After posting earlier about Edy’s ice cream limited favors I discovered that these also exist at Dryer’s. Dreyer’s is owned by the same company and even used the same packaging for its Root Beer & Baby Ruth limited edition runs.

The limited edition foods market has traditionally been dominated by candy, cereal and snack foods but that did not stop the California Pizza Kitchen from making its cajun pizza available as a limited edition pie in grocery stores.

I did not find much info on the web, but was fortunate to eat one and found that to be a pleasing experience. If you like your pizza spicy and with a thin crust, this is a good choice while it lasts.

California Pizza Kitchen, pizza, cajun, limited edition

Ice cream is one of the best things about summer, and this summer Edy’s has two limited edition ice creams on the market. One is the Baby Ruth, which follows Edy’s love for mixing candy bars with ice cream. The second is the intriguing Root Beer Float. Both items will be in stores May through August.

Edy’s, root beer, Baby Ruth, ice cream, limited edition

One of the most highly anticipated limited edition food products of the year is Reese’s Peanut Butter & Banana Creme Cup, a move designed to correspond with the 30th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death on July 7, 2007.

Reese’s, Peanut Butter, banana, Elvis