May 5, 2008

Review: Modjeskas from Cracker Barrel

If you haven't been to a Cracker Barrel, more specifically if you haven't perused the candy section of the Cracker Barrel store, you're missing out on a treasure-trove of retro candy and confections.

We're going to be covering several of the treats we've recently picked up there, starting today with a candy that's actually looks to be made by Cracker Barrel, or some regional candy-maker - the hard to pronounce Modjeska. It is a candy that originated in Kentucky, and has several variations. The one we're discussing today is a caramel-covered marshmallow.

The candy was wrapped in plain wax paper, giving it a very homemade feel, which added to our anticipation. They happened to be selling these at the checkout, not the normal candy section. When unwrapped it, what we saw looked like a large caramel - which made us very happy of course.

When we bit into it, the first thing you notice is the texture - which was a little tough. The issue is that the marshmallow is very dense, not light and fluffy. So it ends up being very chewy. In fact, you can see from the picture that the marshmallow was tight enough that it started pulling away from the caramel. This isn't a terrible thing, but if it had a lighter texture, it would make the piece much more enjoyable.

From a flavor standpoint, the caramel is terrific. Creamy, rich and delicious. The marshmallow, however, gets lost in the shuffle. I love the idea of marshmallow paired with caramel, but this particular combo wasn't evenly balanced. By the time you're past the rich caramel, you're on to the chewiness of the marshmallow filling, so its contribution to the overall flavor is lost.

Overall - your ~$.50 is better spent on the other treats in the Cracker Barrel store.

If you're interested in learning more about this unique candy, its history, and a recipe click here.