With the new film out soon, the merchandising has been ramping up again including new releases on the confectionery front. For want of anything better to do, here's my overview of the various HP sweets and chocolates I've come across over the last year or so:
- Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans
- Taken straight out of the books, but sadly not as well done as could be - the UK version runs to a mere eleven flavours, Horseradish being the only really offensive one. The US fares a little better as they get theirs from Jelly Belly, although rather than the full 50 flavours, there are only 20 (including earwax and vomit, so bonus points for authenticity) but you can get them with nifty packaging.
- Chocolate Frogs
- Again, an idea taken straight from the books. The frogs are just chocolate shells (think Easter eggs) but come with 'moving' collectable cards. I had to eat a lot of these to complete my collection...
- Sherbert Lemons
- They've tried to magick them up by adding multicoloured sherbet, but they really don't need it. Dumbledore certainly knows his Muggle confectionery. Yum!
- Honeydukes' Best Chocolate
- Ho, hum. Something like a small Milky Way with some crunch sprinkles on top and a bit of green goo inside. I'm underwhelmed.
- Fizzing Whizbees
- I can't remember if these are described anywhere in the books. These are something like inside-out fizzy Chewits - fruit chews covered in a thick layer of fizzy sherbet. I remain undecided.
- Every-Flavour Chocolate
- Chocolate footballs with assorted fillings, really. "Every-Flavour" seems to be down to about five this time. Quite nice, but you don't get an awful lot for your money.
- Acid pops
- Lollies with sherbert inside, which bubbles out in a disturbing fashion. Hmm....
- Liqourice Wand
- Does exactly what it says on the tin. Apart from being especially wand shaped. Or indeed proper liqourice. Avoid.
Coming soon to Mark's "I don't have anything better to write about" journal: the DVD packaging round-up!
