The difference is that traditional chocolate candy begins to melt at 78 degrees and becomes liquid (like the chocolate you melt to make brownies) at 98 degrees, while the Desert Bar only becomes soft at 113 degrees and still retains its shape, not sticking to the wrapper until 140 degrees!
Although the Hershey Co. says its technique is proprietary, the secret ingredient is listed right on the label: egg whites.
CAROLYN: Summer is not the season for us chocolate fans. The determined few who attempt to eat chocolate in other than frozen form will end up slurping a pool of chocolate syrup - unless the chocolate they choose is this new Desert Bar from Hershey's.
Its connection to Operation Desert Storm gives this candy the novelty appeal of that freeze-dried astronaut ice cream sold at the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum.
But it tastes a lot better. The chocolate is thick and puffy (more on the order of what you expect from Hershey competitor Nestle), and when it gets hot, it turns pleasantly soft and fudgy.
In fact, if you're not planning to eat this on the beach, you may want to artificially create this effect by throwing your Desert Bar in the microwave for about 40 seconds.
NEWMAN'S OWN ALL NATURAL BANDITO SALSA. Mild, medium or hot. $1.69 to $1.89 per 11-ounce jar.
BONNIE: Salsa has become as commonplace as ketchup in many U.S. homes. So it's no surprise that Paul Newman's make-money-for-charity company would add Bandito Salsa to its ever-growing product line.
Unlike many other salsas on the market, Newman's contains no preservatives, artificial ingredients or vegetable gum thickeners.
But like other salsas, Newman's Bandito is high in sodium. Although the mild and medium are lower than many of their competitors, 1 tablespoon of the hot has more - 120 milligrams sodium.
But who do you know that consumes only a tablespoon?
