Candy Chat Chicago

Candy Chat is back with a 3-hour extravaganza. Ronnie Raviv joined hosts Leah Jones and Jocelyn Geboy to talk about medical diagnoses, Finland, the Ice Hotel, the last Bears game of the post-season, all while eating a lot of Finnish candy. Candy that we sample during the episode. Photos on Threads Suffeli Puffi Marianne Dumle Winter Mix Jaffa Karl Fazer Blueberry Truffle Karl Fazer Salty Toffee Crunch Salted Caramel Fudge Ollo All Sorts Susu Snacks Tutti Frutti Winter Mix Tyrkisk Peper Fazer Glogikulaat Lapland's blueberry candy  Vestibular Schwannoma or Acoustic Neuroma information Mayo Clinic Dr. Ricky Wong   Ronnie and Leah's guide to Lapland Time-lapse drive to Sweden: Housing between Kittila/Levy and Muonio Villa Borealis (where we stayed) https://www.villaborealis.com  Lapland Dream Villas (3adjacent cabins, different owner, same operator) https://www.laplanddream.fi    Appropriate clothing Our property owner had a warehouse that she took us to for boots, coats, gloves, snowpants, etc Ice hotel provided coveralls, gloves, boots, balaclava Base layer of cotton is a no-no in a cold room at Icehotel so make sure you at least have something synthetic or wool for top and bottom   Places we ate in Finland Swiss cafe Muonio Takka at Olos resort Panoramic restaurant at Levi resort via gondola Levi Pizza Salteriat (schnitzel) Finland activities and vendors Aurora Chase with Arctic Frontiers http://www.arcticfrontier.fi/  Phenomenal. Would’ve booked a second night if needed Base camp was on a frozen lake with a hut with a fire, warm juice and brownies Dogsled http://www.maglelin.fi/  What a delightful afternoon! Ronnie drove a sled himself and I was a passenger on the guide's sled. Once she saw my cane, she made arrangements for me to sit and take 200 photos.  Family owned and operated. She offers different distances based on the weather and party size.  Arcandia Adventure Park  What a fun, silly night!  We did ramen with the shamen for dinner. Hot pot cooking with reindeer meat, filet, ramen, fresh veg A la cart sausages and snacks looked good Hot chocolate with mint liqueur was delicious  We threw spears, axes, archery, and did an astrology chart This is hilly terrain with snow packed paths. We saw people slip and fall, but kept our footing.  Of course it’s a tourist trap! Take your best ren faire or Comic-Con attitude and have fun https://www.arcandia.fi/  Reindeer safari https://www.getyourguide.com/sirkka-l139331/levi-reindeer-experience-with-sled-ride-t418396/?ranking_uuid=3248de96-0922-420f-af99-54f05c66decf  Warm drinks in a hut with a fire for fascinating reindeer facts after short sleigh ride and feeding reindeer   Ice hotel in Sweden https://www.icehotel.com/  What we did Ice Dinner Slept cold in 365 art suite Aurora photography with Scandinavian Sami Photoadventures Www.scandanavianphtotoadventures.com.  Ice sculpture class Ice Hotel suggestions Look at the calendar for when the winter exhibit opens. We went a week before. Fun vibe with all the artists and builders on campus, but we didn’t get to see the annual build Skip the ice dinner and eat a la carts Use their gear! It’s really good Make it two nights - one warm, one cold - and enjoy a slower visit Overall thoughts We went Nov 30 to December 6 2 hours of daylight stretched into 4-5 hours with dawn and dusk Went before peak season of total darkness, so more cost effective  We didn’t do any Christmas or Santa stuff A few notes on traveling fat and mobility-impaired IceHotel had gear in sizes too big for me! The icehotel sleeping bag was snug and a little claustrophobic, but it zipped The property manager had coats big enough for me (actually a little too big) WinterRent coat was my fave, but their 6x pants didn't fit. Their boots were also the best I borrowed for me.  The Snow Country snow pants I bought on clearance last year were perfect https://www.snowcountryouterwear.com/  Smart Wool base layers in largest size fit great Darn Tough socks were tight on calf, but worked good enough  Every restaurant has comfortable seating for me The wheelchair plane access in Kittila was an elevator on a truck. If you are unsteady on your feet, get wheelchair services in the airports and save your energy for dogsledding.  Bring your own towel. No towel in Finland wrapped around my body. 

In a follow-up to our conversation with Dan Abel Jr, the Willy Wonka of the Midwest, we sat down with four boxes of Bissinger's treats to see if the old world recipes hold up. Spoiler alert: they do. We sampled.... The 1668 Collection Strawberry Bark Sea Salt Caramels J'adore Bissinger's The chocolates were provided by Bissinger's PR Team, but we were not compensated for this episode or the interview with Dan. Please rate and review Candy Chat Chicago 5 stars and tell your friends to listen.  

Jocelyn and Leah sit down with Dan Abel Jr, the Chief Chocolate Officer of St. Louis-based Bissinger's Chocolate. We learn about the history of the company from the 1600s in France to the 2000s in St. Louis, Missouri, why they import oranges and chocolate from Europe and what handcrafted means to them. In Part 2, we get into the chocolate treats. A few links Bissinger's Chocolate The St. Louis Podcast Youtube: Inside the Bissinger's factory Please rate and review Candy Chat Chicago 5 stars and tell your friends to listen.  

The night before Leah went on her summer vacation to Africa, Jocelyn came over with very special Toney's Chocoloneys and Korean candies. They also tried salt water taffy from Oregon and talked about movie podcasts. Rovos Rail How Did This Get Made Newcomers Blank Check Unclear and Present Danger (Jamelle Bouie)

Jocelyn went to Woodman's and brought some post-Halloween treats, so we recorded an episode. Want to eat along with Jocelyn and Leah? Fiery Cinnamon Zots Pecan Snickers Jello Pudding Cups (candy) Mango Chili Rips

In March, Leah and Jocelyn were joined by friend Jo McCawley to celebrate Jocelyn's birthday the only way we know how - by recording a podcast episode. This episode is heavy on chat and a little light on candy, but 100% Candy Chat. Show Notes Cheryl's Cookies Carol's Cookies Chamoy pickles YaBoy Chamoy Phony Negronis Mocktails Seedlip Fre Braunschwieger Ham Salad Dehydrated candies Skittles lentils Chubbies (breadsticks and shorts) Girl Scout Cookies Nutter Butters Oreos The history of bagels Little Debbie vs Hostess Please rate us 5 stars on Apple Podcasts If you found us through Dinosaur at The Den - welcome!

Leah and Jocelyn are back to talk about Christmas traditions and try some Secret Santa regional treats from Robert Persinger (AKA The Drop King). We try... Chukar Cherries Fran's Park Bars Aplets and Cotlets 

Happy birthday, Jocelyn! We are working on bringing Candy Chat Chicago back with weekly episodes. Here's an episode recorded in September with treats from Spain and Sweden thanks to Lily, Shai, James and Abby!

In August, Leah and Jocelyn took a road trip to Rochester, Minnesota where they bought a lot of candy. Then our friend Jamie in Germany sent a care package. Jocelyn's friend Matt went to Korea and brought us back candy. We have so much candy, friends. We're trying candy from Germany, Korea and Minnesota. We're talking sad documentaries and highway signs. Fast 9, AMC movie pass and so much more.

In July - JULY - Shai Korman from Friday Night Movie Podcast was in Chicago for 24 hours and he dropped into the Candy Chat Chicago HQ for a quick record. Then we sat on the file for months, because... life is hard sometimes. It was worth the wait - Shai tells us about how our mutual friend Justin Korda changed campaigning at their high school in Montreal, his favorite parts of a nuero-psych exam and how a good joke means love. July was when our second care package from Jamie in Germany arrived, so we started trying some treats from Europe! Listen to Shai and his sister's on Friday Night Movie Podcast  and Shai's first episode with us    

In this extra-special episode, Leah visited her friend Caroline to interview her eight-year-old daughter about candy hierarchies and taste some classic treats. Now that Shira is 9, we decided it was time to share the conversation! Special guests Neil and Eli. (Jocelyn was very sad to miss out on this recording) Candy we tried Watermelon Jelly Belly Twizzlers Sunkist fruit gems Twix Snickers M&Ms Crunch YooHoo chocolate Dum dum lollipops Tootsie rolls (small) Milky Way 3 Musketeers Kit Kat Duo - Strawberry and Dark Chocolate Reese’s Cup Show Links Whatever happened to tan M&Ms? Candy Squared Windy City Sweets Caroline was previously a guest on Finding Favorites talking about how to prepare for Passover.

In an episode that defines "come for the candy, stay for the chat," Leah and Jocelyn have a long talk about aasking someone, "are you okay?" when they obviously are not. We talk subscription snack boxes, the art of drinking a slushie, refilling ice trays and ADHD and the difference between Twizzlers and Red Vines. We also tried a number of "pick & mix" candies from Sweets & Snacks Expo 2022 Topics Aunt Mame Mahomet Soda Fest Universal Yums Mascot Mixes Candy we tried Tropical Smarties Frooties Julia Fazer Karl Fazer Fazer Mint Daim (Fazer) Choco Jello

Leah and Jocelyn recap their biggest adventure of the year - going to the Mahomet Soda Festival with Jasmine - then sample an Idaho care package of Huckleberry candies. We talk about Spidey's end of life care, the worst drink at McDonald's ever served and a collapsing Tik Tok stool. Mahomet Soda Festival Wiley Wallaby Liquorice Huckleberry Huckleberry Candy Wiley Wallaby Sourrageous Drops Moose Plop  Luncheon Tickets from Argentina Cot vs Caught Tour vs Tore Bennie and Binny’s Mom's suitcase of candy rant

Jocelyn and Leah talk about Top Gun way too long considering only Leah had seen it at the time of the record. This epsiode is dedicated to the Fruit & Chewy bag of candy from Sweets & Snacks Expo 2022. Candy we try Jones Soda carbonated candy Welch’s Strawberry Grape Rips Jell-O Candy Squares Sour Cherry https://www.amazon.com/Shocks-Popping-Candy-Assorted-Flavors/dp/B074N8HVFH Chunk Nibbles Pecan Nation - Sneaky Heat Hi Chew CW: we also talk briefly about the overturn of Roe V Wade, because we recorded a few days after the decision.

After meeting the team from Pearson's Candy at Sweets & Snacks 2022, Jocelyn received a very special delivery from Sandy. It was like Christmas morning and the best Halloween rolled into one when we unboxed a huge surprise including t-shirts, Pearson's Salted Nut Rolls, Pearson's Mint Patties, and Pearson's Maple and Vanilla Buns.   PSNR on the Appalachian trail as a treat for vegetarian hikers. We also tried Jackson's Sweet Potato Chips Three Amigo's Elote Snack Mix  

Leah and Jocelyn continue to eat their way through the Sweets and Snacks 2022 Expo. In this episode, they do a Chipventory to see what savory snacks lay ahead, were sad to realize that the cool weather was still too hot for chocolate to be in the car all day, and had a heated debate about firework safety. Show Notes Hot Tamale Peeps Mike & Ikes Mega Mix Sour Jolly Rancher Gummies Squashies by Sweettarts Face Twisters https://foreigncandy.com/ https://foreigncandy.com/rips/ https://clickamericana.com/topics/culture-and-lifestyle/school-education/vintage-fundraisers-kids-selling-earn-money-scouts-school-clubs https://www.postcrescent.com/story/life/food/2019/04/02/frozen-pizza-made-wisconsin-satisfies-pepperoni-cheese-supreme-hunger-across-state-nation/2776334002/ Chipventory https://www.marettibakery.com/  https://lilliesq.com/collections/chips https://815eats.com/ https://www.pringles.com/us/products/scorchin.html * Three Amigos Elote Snack Mix https://www.spudsy.com/ https://jacksonschips.com/ https://paqui.com/ https://www.naturescrushpopcorn.com/ Other notes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_Music,_Arts_and_Dance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.O.R.D.E. https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/07/01/bowmanville-neighbor-wants-city-to-be-more-strict-about-stopping-unofficial-fireworks-event-at-winnemac-park/ https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/tools-resources/seasonal-safety/summer/fireworks https://www.kopps.com/  Melted Chocolate Inventory https://tonyschocolonely.com/us/en   https://annabellecandy.com/ https://www.blissfullybetter.com/ https://www.ritter-sport.com/ https://stuffedpuffs.com/ https://www.cqc.com/ https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/almond-roca-toffey-canister/ID=prod6046974-product

Jocelyn spent two days walking 13,000 steps around the Sweets & Snacks Expo 2022 and she came back to report after each day. Top Trends Socially responsible companies Chili Lime Sour Gummies Hot (spicey) savory Day One Companies Pearson's Nerds Welch’s fruit snacks Cake Bites Taffy Town Jelly Belly Goldbergs peanut chews Hostess Old Wisconsin Summer Sausage Hot Tamales Peeps Laffy Taffy Mambas  Hi Chew Oreo Cakesters Ritter Sports Day Two Companies Food Fight Warhead's Sour Soda Blissfully better https://itsjustnude.com/ https://chunknibbles.com/ Hot Tamale peeps Mike and Ikes Mega Mix - Sour Jolly Rancher gummies, very berry Squashies - Sweet Tarts Face twisters sour taffy combo Schuster Products, LLC, Hales Corner WI

The night before Sweets & Snacks 2022, Leah and Jocelyn previewed the agenda, tried to plan parking, talked about Bibles and reality TV. They also tried some candy.   Things we tried Laff Bites Sour Punch Bites Old Bay Goldfish crackers Reese's Fast Break Thank you to Doug at Chocolate First for letting us join your team during Sweets & Snacks!

Leah went to see the Doughboys live in Boston and has a lot to say about the trip, hanging with Doughmies and meeting Mike Mitchell's hometown friends. Jocelyn and Leah try Goo Goo Clusters (thank you Kevtron), Cinna-Dragons from Trader Joe's and some terrible candy from TJ Maxx. Candy we tried Goo Goo Clusters Cinna-Dragons Pina Colada and Lemon Drop gummies from TJ Maxx Show Links https://candychat.tumblr.com/ https://sweetsandsnacks.com/ https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/cinna-dragons-gummy-candy-071332 https://googoo.com/ Follow Candy Chat Chicago Podcast on Twitter and Instagram Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and rate 5 stars! Follow Jocelyn: @smussyolay on Tik Tok and Instagram Follow Leah: @ChicagoLeah on Twitter and @ChiLeah on Instagram

Just as Leah and Jocelyn sat down to record, news that the Supreme Court plans to overturn Roe V Wade and destroy what is left of women's body autonomy in the United States. So first they talk about politics and eventually they try some candies. Candies we tried Red Vines Crows Tony Chocolony Reese's Potato Chip Crisp Damyel Kosher chocolates Why don't we say Judeo-Christian?