Re-cap

Ok, I just realized I didn't do a re-cap on my month of Chocolate Bars. Here are some interesting stats:

Number of bars eaten with no chocolate: 1 (wait a minute...)
Number of bars containing peanuts or peanut butter: 7
Number of bars with Nougat: 4 (it seems like a lot more)
Number of chocolate bars I want to eat in April: 0

Total calories consumed in chocolate: 6474 ~ BARF!

Number of days Erin needs to spend at the gym: 32!

Hockey Hall of Fame

So today is April Fool's Day. And the biggest piece of news that has got my attention (meaning I can't stop thinking about it) is this one: Women to Be Admitted to Hockey Hall of Fame.

Yes. I am well aware that perhaps I should focus a little more effort on important international news such as the G20 Summit in London right now, and all the riots that could have possibly ensued as a result.

Well, to be honest this Hockey Hall of Fame story surprised me more (strange that a mind like mine isn't jolted by the news of more potential violence in the news)! After having just visited the Hockey Hall of Fame with my mom and my little sister a couple of weeks ago, I came out liking what I saw. That is probably because they have a huge display on the Canadiens this year seeing as it is their 100th year. Besides the point. Not once did I see anything relating to females in this established Toronto's tourist attraction.

Now I am not sure what bothers me more, the fact that there were no women being recognized in the Hall of Fame, or the fact that I DID NOT even notice that there were no women! It saddens me a little.

But upon reading today's article in The Star, I was saddened even more. See the following points of the article:

• There have always been those who believed that comparing the stars of men's professional hockey to the greatest players in the women's game was too difficult, too unwieldy and simply pointless.
  
• So after dithering for a long time, probably too long, the Hockey Hall of Fame settled on a compromise.
• Starting next year, they'll still enshrine four men every year, but they'll also enshrine up to two women.

It's a 'museum', is the point not to showcase those who have had great achievements in the sport of hockey, instead of COMPARING to each other? I agree, it is near impossible to compare the accomplishments of a man and a women playing the same sport (sorry feminists, but it's a hard fact we face) due to the lack of opportunities women have, but the underlying concern is WHY do we need to be compared? In my opinion the point of the museum is to showcase great achievements by great athletes. It shouldn't matter that one is male and one is female.

So now the Hockey Hall of Fame has come up with a 'compromise'. Yes that's right 'compromise'. They will induct 4 men and UP TO 2 women each year starting in 2010. Well good for us. I can actually understand the 4 to 2 ratio, considering there is far less recognition for women's hockey leagues then there are men's hockey leagues in the world.

I think perhaps the PR around this has been spun in the wrong direction. Instead of saying they will compromise (as if it was something that they didn't want to do), they should have been marketing this as the next step in professional sports instead of something they are doing in order to avoid all those angry bra burning femmes. Hopefully the new additions (without Y chromosomes) will help to create a little more awareness of women's professional sports and will help to gain the recognition we so rightly deserve.

It is nice to see the Hockey Hall of Fame making efforts after over 100 years of hockey in this country. Imagine if it took us this long to be able to vote!

Day Thirty: Galaxy

This one was recommended to me by a friend. She said it was the BEST chocolate I will ever taste. Oh and this month only has 30 days my friends...
Galaxy
Make the most of your special moment...just add Galaxy

Did you know:

• Galaxy is the UK version of Dove chocolate (also sold in the Middle East)
• The Galaxy and Dove brands also market a wide range of products including ready-to-drink chocolate milk, hot chocolate powder, chocolate cakes, ice cream and more

Well this one definitely had a smooth shape and taste like the packaging claimed. This bar was solid milk chocolate. Although it wasn't the BEST chocolate I have ever had - it is definitely up there!! This one is definitely a bar to savour and not to scarf down (as I do a lot of my chocolate bars :))

Rating:
Milk Factor: 2
Smiles: 3
Calories it was worth: 230 out of 250

What was the best chocolate I have ever had? Well if you must know, it was when Lorri (dad's gf) was living in Germany and would bring home chocolate at Christmas. Those Germans certainly know what they are doing when it comes to cocoa and milk!! Hence why the Kinder Surprises are SOOO good!

Anyway, this being my LAST chocolate bar (good riddance), I thought I would summarize my top five bars of the month:
1. Double Decker
2. Coffee Crisp Chocolatey Crunch
3. Max 5
4. Mars Caramel
5. Kit Kat Senses

And there you have it ladies and gentlemen...my month of chocolate is officially done. Thanks for your suggestions and comments, and keep reading. If anyone has any comments on what I should blog about in April let me know!!

Day Twenty Nine: Wispa

Wispa
Aerated Milk Chocolate Bar

Did you know:

• Has also seen variations such as: Wispa Gold (caramel filling) introduced in 1995, Wispa Bite (caramel and biscuit filling) introduced in 2000, Wispaccino (coffee flavoured filling) and Wispa Mint (mint layer)
• The Wispa was discontinued in 2003 and then reintroduced as the 'Dairy Milk Bubbly'
• Wispa has since been relaunched in the UK and Ireland markets

Thanks to Cadbury there are two Aero bars out there. Although this definitely has the same take as an Aero bar, this one has way less bubbles. The chocolate is delicious and the bubbles smaller, so it lasts a lot longer! The bar is also narrower and thicker then the regular Aero bar.

I am sure that everyone has their own way of eating their favourite chocolate bars and seeing as this is one of my last chocolate blog posts, I thought I would share a few of mine with you:

Smarties - I very gently eat the candy outside first, leaving just a chocolatey inside
Aero - I let the bubbles pop and the chocolate melt in my mouth
Skor - I take a bite then let the chocolate melt in my mouth first, revealing just the crunchy inside
Oh Henry - I enjoy eating the peanuts off the outside before eating the rest of the bar

How do you eat some of your favourite chocolate bars?

Anyway, getting back to the Wispa...chocolate lovers indulge. If you've ever had the feeling that the Aero just doesn't last long enough, then I'd definitely recommend this one!

Rating:
Milk Factor: 2
Smiles: 2
Calories it was worth: 190 out of 210

Day Twenty Eight: Baby Ruth

Only two more posts to go! Yay! I can't wait to start writing about something more worthwhile.
Baby Ruth
Bursting with Peanuts, Rich Caramel and Chewy Nougat Savour the Good StuffDid you know:

• There is speculation to who this chocolate bar was named after: Babe Ruth or President Grover Cleavland's daughter Ruth
• This bar carries lots of pop culture references including Caddyshack, Goonies, That 70's Show, Hellboy, Friends and Hairspray
• The advertising and marketing for this bar have had a heavy baseball-oriented theme and during the summer and post-season of the 2007 season, a TV ad for the candy bar showed an entire stadium filled with people munching Baby Ruths, and thus having to "hum" rather than singing along with "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh-inning stretch.

Grand Slam! Ha ha well it wasn't THAT amazing, but this was pretty good. There was less focus on the chocolate and more on the nougat and caramel. Very yummy indeed.

This bar had caramel on the bottom nestled under some tasty (yes, i'm getting attached to it) nougat, which was coated in peanuts and then dipped in chocolate! There was definitely a lot of tastes going on here which was great. It was flavourful and there was lots of 'good stuff'. Wikipedia was right: the nougat tastes more like fudge in this bar.

This one gets a 'recommended' (for those of you who like nougat) from me.

Rating:
Milk Factor: 1
Smiles: 2
Calories it was worth: 230 out of 280

Day Twenty Seven: Pay Day

Woo hoo only a few days left...I'm sure no one is reading anymore :)
PayDay
Peanut Caramel Bar

Did you know:

• PAYDAY Peanut Caramel Bar was first introduced in 1932 by Frank Martoccio, founder of the F.A. Martoccio Macaroni Company
• In 2003, Hershey introduced the PAYDAY Honey Roasted Limited Edition Bar.

Ok so technically this shouldn't count as a chocolate bar, cause there is NO chocolate in it!!
It is mighty delicious though! Basically just a chewy caramel bar coated in amazingly salted peanuts!

A Honey Roasted version? I want one now! For anyone who loves peanuts (not likes, loves) then this is definitely the treat for you! This satisfies both a salty and sweet craving and I have never tasted anything quite like it. I can't stop eating it... :)

I highly recommend this one!

Rating:
Milk Factor: 0
Smiles: 3
Calories it was worth: 220 out of 240