Peppermint Bark is one of our favorite confections; it has candy cane bits, white chocolate and milk chocolate all in the same candy! What could be better? Unfortunately, it’s both difficult to obtain (and seasonally inappropriate to some) at anytime other than Christmas. Christmas season IS approaching, but we don’t want to wait for our bark fix. So, when we came across Organic Confections Bark at Candy Expo back in the Spring, we had to “test” it until we couldn’t “test” it any more. more ›

Now that we’ve recovered from the sugar crash, we can tell you about some of the things we found during our visit yesterday to the National Confectioners Association’s All Candy Expo at McCormick Place, which ends tomorrow. The industry-only event draws 20,000 visitors to town to sample over 2,000 gums, candies, and snack foods. New products and trends within the industry are also unveiled with all the accompanying sizzle to prospective retailers and wholesalers. The... more ›

Cyrano's Bistrot is open again, after a week and four inspections to combat a roach infestation caused by condo renovations above the restaurant. Congratulations, Chef Didier. Just don't expect us to visit anytime soon. Gabriel Magliaro of Half Acre Beer Company has been busy. Half Acre and Bloodshot Records have a promotion where Bloodshot is offering a sampler album as a free download to Half Acre fans. Magliaro will also be at Whole Foods... more ›

What with our parties and on-the-go lifestyle, Chicagoist is looking for extra energy in any way we can get it. And, we're not opposed to getting our fix in bar and/or carbonated form. The rest of the country it seems is on the same page. more ›

Growing up we were always told that eating too much candy was bad for us, which might be one of the root reasons our fridge is always stocked with peanut butter cups and Pepsi. But to read some of the stories coming from the All Candy Expo, which wraps up today at McCormick Place, we could soon be having our cake and eating it, too (bad pun one hundred percent intended). more ›

For all of you freaks that would like to play along with Fear Factor at home, Chicago confectioner Brand New Products is introducing a line of Fear Factor-inspired candy that is sure to gross you out. The candies are still being developed and must be approved by NBC, but if all goes well next year on the market you'll see jellyfish-shaped gummies, candy tonges dipped in goo, a giant chicken leg-shaped sucker that tastes like chicken and a "grub" bag filled with real dried silkworms and granola. A tip from the Brand New Products national sales manager, "The silkworms taste like chicken." more ›