Product Review: Brach's Milk-Maid Caramel Candy Corn

Is it possible for candy corn to taste even sweeter? Yes. How is this so? Brach's "Milk-Maid" flavored caramel candy corn. I grabbed a bag as I passed through the newly revamped, autumnal candy aisle, aborting my original plan to grab a bag of the mellowcreme pumpkins.

Brach's, as producer of America's finest candy corn, has given the American people a tasty new way to expand our waistlines during this season of gluttony. While I still prefer the soft purity of fresh Brach's Mellowcreme Pumpkins, the caramel corn is a logical addition to the traditional and Indian corn mix. Definitely the sweetest of the corn kernels, I'd heed the advice on the back of the bag: mix these with some peanuts for a sweet and salty treat. At 140 calories and 36 grams of sugar per serving, however, one best consume said treat in moderation.

A few years back, candy corn-flavored Hershey's Kisses met with a negative response on my part, and I have been hesitant to reach for new candy corn-related concoctions ever since. Well, apparently other folks must have liked the candy corn Kisses well enough to merit continued production of them, as there was a large stash of the bags on the shelf. As I began to question my taste preferences, I figured I'd try the candy corn + Milk-Maid caramels combination. Maybe this one would work?

Sure enough, this combination works quite well. The caramel touch nudges the trademark indistinguishable candy corn flavor toward something more classifiable - more, well, caramel. These little candy corn kernels, with their distinctive chalky brown cap and Milk-Maid branding, allude to the caramel dipped apple - a fall favorite - but without the gloppy mess.

In some parts of the country, the arrival of September means that crisp autumn weather is just around the corner. In other parts of the country, such is not the case. Summer rambles on endlessly, and we are forced to create the illusion of Fall through mass-produced home décor - cornucopias, pumpkins, plastic flower arrangements, and the forced introduction of warm browns and oranges to our wardrobe, even if the temperature is more in sync with fluorescent turquoise and magenta.

Not to be overlooked, of course, is the "dietary restructuring" that comes with seasonal change. We replace smoothies with unpasteurized apple cider, angel food cake with cider donuts, and the usual candy jar staples with candy corn. Candy corn is available year round, yet somehow it just tastes better September through November. Next time you're out shopping, considering supplementing your standard Autumn Mix with Brach's caramel candy corn.