Mid-afternoon I always find myself needing a pick-up and having been sent these Mooch Chocolate Milk cans and having placed them immediately in the fridge, I decided to give them a shot. The mid-afternoon is always kind of a lull – it isn’t the morning so I’m not trying to power through to lunch and it isn’t the home stretch where I am looking forward to going home (I spend 3h commuting every day). It’s just in the middle there and it’s kind of a dull, depressing part of the day. 3pm… what ever happened at 3pm that was fun and exciting on a weekday at work (well, maybe some shaving foam in the face on national TV…)

So I thought, what better way to spend a short break at 3pm than to try some Mooch. Now, I’m a Canuck and to us Canadians to mooch something off someone is to beg to borrow it. In the case of this can of chocolate milk, it would be to beg if off someone so you could drink it yourself. “Can I mooch that off ya?” is a phrase any kid (or adult) has come to fear and loathe so imagine my surprise that a can of chocolate milk was seeming to directly aim itself at being begged or borrowed off someone else. Mind you, I might find myself doing exactly that…

Original – I started with the original can because despite my many chocolate adventures I’m quite conservative when it comes to chocolate. The one thing I noticed more than anything was how rich this was. Maybe it comes from only drinking skinny lattes but it was quite rich in flavour with a pleasant chocolate flavour to it overall. Very drinkable and exceedingly delicious and I have to say I finished the can wishing there was more. Mind you, it was also giving me a massive sugar boost to help me through the afternoon so that could have also accounted for my wanting more

Hazelnut – This was a bit different and was something that I found to be less scary than I originally thought. The flavour of the hazelnut was, in fact, not that bad and not at all overpowering. The main flavour was of the main sweet chocolate milk with the hazelnut a flavour that was enhancing it. This wasn’t like drinking praline which is what I thought it would be like but more like the milk chocolate with a hint of hazelnut. Not being a huge fan I shared it of course and the consensus was sweet but drinkable.

Mint – After the success with the original and hazelnut not being as onerous as I thought it would be, I was still nervous about the mint. I had imagined it would be like drinking mint choc chip ice cream which, while amazing is a bit much. Yes, I have drunk mint choc chip ice cream and the shots of the same name. That doesn’t mean it’s healthy or good So I shook and poured myself a lovely glass of this chocolate milk (in a champagne glass since we didn’t have any other small glasses I could find quickly) and tried it. Here the mint was absolutely front and centre. Not a green fresh mint but absolutely the mint of a mint choc chip ice cream however it wasn’t as sweet or cloying as I was worried it would be.

Overall a sweet chocolate milk in a very cute can with an adorable logo I think everyone is going to dig. This is absolutely best chilled and you for sure need to shake it. As every kid knows, chocolate milk tastes better frothed – especially by using a straw and blowing bubbles into it

What has happened to my favourite chocolate mints?  I used to love After Eights because of the mint fondant in the middle.  It was a thin, almost runny mint fondant.  I loved biting in to it and separating the two sides of the chocolate and enjoying the mint fondant.  This technique is only possible with a loose, fresh mint fondant.

For some reason this year, the first two boxes I have tried (finished off by husband) have both had a harder, less runny fondant tasting slightly stale.  It is as though they changed the recipe or the supermarkets all over had so much extra stock that no matter where I went it was all old.  The change in the consistency of the fondant means I have to *chew* the After Eight rather than letting it melt slowly in my mouth.  I am sure this does mean the After Eights do hold their shape better in variable temperatures and possibly in transit.

I don’t know what’s up but it isn’t my own changing tastes that has robbed me on my After Eight pleasure but changes to the fondant centre.  It is a shame as I have always enjoyed scoffing then while sharing the box but the way these boxes have been have meant that I have lost the pleasure I always associated with them.  I have eaten a few but the pleasure is gone. “I’ve lost that lovin’ feelin’….”

I had the good fortune of getting three of Paul Wayne Gregory’s chocolates.  One mint, one sea salted caramel and one raspberry.

The mint chocolate was a nice with a very green mint flavour mixed in to the chocolate ganache.  The flavour I prefer is that of a fresh green mint and this was slightly on the synthetic side for me for some reason.  I cannot say if there was real mint or mint oil used but regardless I did enjoy it but did not finish it.

The sea salted caramel was too salty for me.  I’m sure it is brilliant for some and probably developed to be the perfect balance but for me the salt was too much. It didn’t get finished. ***UPDATE*** Tried one at the Chocolate Festival and chatted to Paul about it and he said it was not representative and on trying both the lollipop and a truffle I can say it was not. They are LOVELY!

The raspberry was the one I love love loved. I am a huge sea salt caramel fan but this raspberry had it beat.  The chocolate was fab and the filling brilliant!  I’d eat a box of these – I wish I could!!

This lovely box of minty chocolate goodness has 4 different types of mint chocolate in it.  There are traditional mint fondant patties, a mint fondant ball topped with a crystallised mint leaf on it, a white chocolate mint chocolate with mint milk chocolate mousse filling and a solid mint chocolate with crispies in it.

This box is stuffed with chocolate and so is a good solid weight.  This also protects the chocolate in it, as does the thickness of the chocolate shell of each chocolate.  The chocolate is a moderate quality and the strong mint flavour really covers up much of the chocolate flavour.

The mint patty has a lovely creamy mint filling.  Perfect and quintessential this was the first chocolate I tried.  The next was the one with the crystallised mint leaf on top.  This also had a creamy fondant centre with a thick chocolate shell.  I then tried the white chocolate with the chocolate coffee bean on top.  I ate the bean first which had a strong coffee flavour and then munched the mint white chocolate with mint milk chocolate centre.  That was lovely.  Finally I had the solid mint chocolate with crisp mint pieces.

I loved the box and had to share it I enjoyed it so much.  I think I should have just kept it to myself but when you find something yummy, you have to share it!