Coffee Rio Original Roast Gourmet Coffee Caramels: Product Review

Read the ingredient list for most any small, wrapped candy and you'll see a trail of multisyllabic chemical names and likely be reminded of an episode of "Unwrapped," the Food Network behind-the-scenes show that demystifies the candy production process. As Marc Summers narrates, you'll picture employees in white coats and hairnets dumping a gloppy brown solution into a giant stainless steel vat. Minutes later long tubes of compressed sugar and artificial flavoring will emerge from loud machinery and head via conveyor belt toward, first, a chopping mechanism, and second, quality control, where employees will weed out the misshapen ones. Eventually, the finished candy product will be trucked off to the very bulk candy bin in front of which you now stand, shovel in hand, squinting at the ingredients label. I urge you to put the shovel back and reconsider. Go to what every trouble is necessary to experience the wonder of the Coffee Rio Original Roast "gourmet coffee caramel."

Candy aisles can be a dangerous place, what with the ever-growing selection and return of nostalgic candies of yesteryear. But Coffee Rio is worth the challenge! Coffee Rio Original Roast "gourmet coffee caramels" pack a lot of punch for a product with such a long name. I refer to them simply as "coffee chews," although they are in fact hardened caramels, and always pick up a bag when I visit Trader Joe's. Adams and Brooks manufactures this delectable candy out in California, and claims that bags of them are available nationwide. These small treasures are about the size of a Tootsie Roll midgie, but with a darker, more complex coffee flavor.

Lately, I have only been able to find the Original Roast variety at my local Trader Joe's, but do know that there are other flavor options: Kona Island Blend, Caffe Latte, Irish Crème Mint, Caramel Caffe, and Raspberry Mocha. I can vouch for the Caffe Latte's delectability, and it would be a good option for those averse to a potent coffee flavor. The Original Roast candy does contain actual coffee and fresh dairy cream....as well as corn syrup and "lightly" hydrogenated soybean oil (might this be better than "partially" hydrogenated?). These little nuggets are indeed chewy, so be wary if you have dental issues such as, say, a tooth "hanging in there" by a thread. A 12 oz. bag runs around $2.69 at Trader Joe's. Four pieces will only gash 60 calories into your daily allotment.