Cherri and Bubb and Lem and Mel

Today is a day I reclaim a piece of my childhood. This afternoon in the mail arrived three packages each of Mike and Ike's Cherri and Bubb and Lem and Mel flavors. Candies I have not consumed in 15 years, maybe more. Not only that, it is my favorite candy of all time: cherry Mike and Ikes.

Cherri, Bubb, Lem and Mel - my childhood amigos

I was clued in to the availability of these candies by FOTB Shamus, who found them on Amazon. I have searched the Internet for these candies and based on keywords bringing individuals to this blog, I am not alone. Well I guess all our searching and seeking have finally paid off as on the back of each box it reads, "Now this delicious candy is back again by popular demand."

There are no words I can speak that describe my love for Cherri and Bubb. The fact that they are half my favorite candy (cherry Mike and Ikes, again) is equal to the fact that Just Born combined two flavors, both lovable flavors on their own, and unknowingly created one of the best combinations in sugary goodness the world has or ever will see. Fact!

Lem and Mel might be my other favorite of the Mike and Ike two-flavor combinations mainly due to the watermelon flavor. I think the Red Rageous flavor also boasts a watermelon flavor but here the color of the candy is green, like an actual watermelon. Ha, Mike and Ike should have called this flavor "waterlemon."

Candy fans rejoice, the day has come! Casual candy consumers go out and get these. Based on the box it looks like Just Born is bringing them back so let's cross our fingers that we start seeing these on the store shelves and not just from online retailers.

Mike & Ike New Look Boxes

"We are together again! You are the reason we make great candy." - Mike & Ike

    Mike & Ike's new look boxes           

The rift has closed. The feud is over. Differences have been settled and Mike and Ike are back to work making their delicious candy (even though Just Born never stopped making the candy). The duo is coming back with new look boxes and they look very modern. There's lasers in the background, digital-looking text and some black because black is slick and cool.

Mike & Ike bar code

One of the cooler things on the new packaging is the bar code on the back, which looks like elongated names, Mike and Ike. A Facebook icon and QR code also adorn the box, again, because it's modern. The box also states that the candy is "Now with real fruit juice" which is news to me. Is that a plus? I don't know but the candy still tastes as delicious as ever.

Mike & Ike Jelly Beans

         Did Mike and Ike call off the feud for Easter?       

Readers of this blog will (hopefully) know that one of my favorite candies is Mike & Ikes, specifically the cherry ones. I was extremely excited to see the Mike & Ike Jelly Beans and that might be an understatement. Looking at the bag in the store the one thing that stood out was that the jelly beans included a grape flavor, which means this could be a combination of regular Mike & Ikes and Jolly Joes....?

Well it is and it is absolutely glorious. A few friends have commented how Mike & Ikes were sort of elongated jelly beans, so making Mike & Ike flavored jelly beans seems like a no brainer. The flavor line-up for these beans includes the regular Mike & Ike flavors in addition to a pineapple flavor, something new to me. Before I even attempt to review these, I just have to say these beans are a must try for any Mike & Ike lover.

Mike & Ike Jelly Beans

Similarity to traditional beans: 8.0 - The beans are small but the consistency and layering is spot on with traditional beans. The shape of individual beans is less egg shaped and there are many that have flat bottoms. I can't really say more about the appearance because these beans are Mike & Ikes and could be square and I'd still crave them. They are not the traditional jelly bean consistency, but close enough to warrant a high score.

How the taste compares to the original candy: 9.6 - I can't rate this any higher. The cherry is the cherry from the regular Mike & Ikes. The grape is the Jolly Joe flavor. The rest, all almost identical to their non-seasonal candy counterparts. The rating is so high because not only are the flavors so good, they throw in the grape and the pineapple, which isn't bad at all!

Overall taste: 9.0 - I'm biased but I think any candy aficionado would agree there are few jelly beans out there that duplicate their classic taste more than these. I love Mike & Ikes so I do love these. They are not overly sweet, they have a great consistency, and can be eaten by the handful or individually and still pack an amazing flavor.

From left to right: lemon, pineapple, cherry, strawberry, grape, orange and lime

From the company: Serving size 23 pieces - 140 calories, 0g of fat, 36g of carbs, 27g of sugar and 0g of protein.

Jason Mecier Does Channing Tatum in Mike & Ikes

While on BuzzFeed today, I saw a portrait of Channing Tatum done in Mike & Ikes (the individual who posted the picture commented "Get it, because Magic Mike." Click here to view the portrait.

The portrait was done by an artist, Jason Mecier, who has done other works in candy. They are truly amazing and the candy combinations used to create patterns and colors blows my mind. Check out his candy works gallery here, and if you do, make sure to stop by the Red Vines series. Incredible.

The Mike & Ike Split

Mike wuz here '12
(Thanks to Melissa for the pic!)

 I was actually informed by a friend over a month ago about this split, when she casually said, "did you hear Mike & Ike broke up?" Soon after I began seeing the scribbled out names on candy boxes and then billboards that looked as if a graffiti artist demonstrated a dislike for one or the other member of the candy duo. More people started telling me about it and finally, my sister found out. She's the last to hear about anything. I did not want to address this feud, or split, because I wanted to focus on the candy: Mike & Ikes. They're delicious. They're top ten. And I can suggest 3 other ways off the top of my head I believe would or could generate more revenue than a split slash publicity stunt of classic monikers in the candy game.

1. Bring back Cherry & Bub. Cherry Mike & Ikes are one of the best fruit candies known to man. The pairing of cherry and a bubble gum flavors was incredible. It was genius and Cherry & Bub would be a smash if they came back.
2. Watermelon. It is the pinnacle of taste in the highly delicious Red Rageous Mike & Ike flavor. Use it. Bring it to other areas. Make a mix that focuses on watermelon and is complimented by the other flavors. The Red Rageous are possibly the best thing going for Mike & Ike right now; you can devour them by the handful and each flavor stands on its own. A big reason for this is the cherry but the watermelon, I mean, WOW.
3. A vanilla flavor. Pair it with almost anything else and it is BOMB! Make cream flavors...didn't Mike & Ike have lemonade flavors? Orange cream, strawberry cream, vanilla cream...doesn't that sound awesome? Put them all in the same box! You could even market it to an older crowd at first, then kids will inevitably find out and scoop them up.


Can't we all just get along?



I might also suggest more focus on the fruit twists. Since I've found those I've bought pack upon pack, stocking up on Saturdays to get me through til Fridays. I'm hooked. They are awesome. Do a cherry one with vanilla inside. Please?

Mystery Solved: Mike & Ike Blue Raspberry Fruit Twists

When I originally reviewed Mike & Ike Fruit Twists I joked about the blue raspberry flavor being a "mystery" because when I did the review, my research led me to find that this candy has been out for some time and I figured if I had not seen the blue raspberry flavor by now, I probably wouldn't for some time, or not at all. But it's times like these that show me there is really a "mystery" to the world and life itself. Yesterday while at Six Flags, I found the blue raspberry flavor. At a time when I wasn't looking for them, there they were. My brother and I entered the candy store to buy a mixed bag of gummi for the ride home and I was given a real fruit juice answer to a candy prayer I begged the sugar gods only weeks ago. And...

They are good. Better than, in fact, these Mike & Ike Fruit Twists are my favorite candy going right now. It takes years to become an all-time favorite, seeing as tastes can fade after the initial excitement, but right now I drool when I think of them. I'm making special trips to Walgreen's to stock up. I'm even buying them and putting them in the freezer to keep fresh, removing them hours before eating to allow time to soften up (they're chewier when a little cold). Now I get to taste the blue raspberry? Yes please.



Blue Raspberry: Bigger, Longer and Uncut


I can't even put the twist down to write this blog. They are addictive. I'm not a huge fan of blue raspberry flavored candy as sometimes the flavor comes off sour or overpowering but not here, not even slightly. It is the exact opposite as the strawberry takes over and visually, the filling looks more generous than in the shorter, watermelon, strawberry and green apple twists. The color of the filling is also pink where as the outer twist is blue, giving the candy a striking contrast from interior to exterior. But the taste reigns supreme here; they are as good as the other flavors, and these Mike & Ike Fruit Twists are a unique and extremely succulent candy, one of the best "new" options on the market.

From the company: 1 pack/container has 110 calories, 1g of fat, 25g of carbs, 16g of sugar and less than 1g of protein

My note: There is one twist to a package. The other flavors come 6 to a package and are shorter.

Mike & Ike Fruit Twists

Despite the split of Mike & Ike, the duo have given us a treat that branches out from their traditionally small, cylindrical candies. Mike & Ike's Fruit Twists are exactly that: fruit flavored filled twists (or so the label says). I'm inclined to call them licorice with a softer fruit filling reminicent of Twizzlers fruit filled licorice even though the Mike & Ike twists are really not licorice but more of a softer fruit candy.

The flavors I was able to find were strawberry, green apple and watermelon, with the two latter ones being packaged together. A mystery blue rasberry with strawberry filling is out there but still aludes me. The label says "King Size" but an online search shows smaller packages that maybe contain 4 possibly longer twists. However, six is just right for a snack and even though they are candy they are low fat and made with real fruit juice. The twists are delicious, soft and easy on the palate and the inner filling is sugary, and more the consistency of paste than liquid. The flavors in each package are quite different, so I'll treat each package to its own review.

First, the strawberry. The smell of these candies is very powerful compared to the taste but both are very sweet and the twists themselves are sticky with goodness. The filling gives little of the flavor to the candy compared to the outer shell but the inside is what makes these so special. Its different and the texture is that little bit of flair that differentiates these from other twists or even juicier licorice.

Now the other package: watermelon and green apple. I'm not very familiar with either flavor in terms of Mike & Ike but both flavors are spot on. Between the two, the green apple tastes more like green apple and the filling adds a touch of sour, however both are superior to the strawberry. Texture is the same although in the packages that I purchased, the strawberry were sitcky while these were not. If faced with the decision between either package of flavors, go with the watermelon and green apple.

Next step is getting my hands on the blue rasberry.