Tag Archives: World Market

McCrea’s Caramels

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World Market offers a variety of advent calendars, one of them being a caramel calendar. There are a total of twelve different caramels, twenty-four total. These are my opinions on the different flavors, rated out of five stars.

  1. Dark Roasted Mocha- It smells like coffee, is not super soft and granuley. I am not someone who enjoys coffee-flavored things, aside from actual coffee, but this isn’t a super overwhelming flavor. I still didn’t quite like it, 2 stars.
  2. Deep Chocolate- Its scent is very chocolatey (no surprise) and almost tastes like a brownie. I give it 4 stars.
  3. Ginger Fusion- This caramel has an odd smell with a bit of a kick. It tastes almost fruity and I liked it until I didn’t anymore. As a ginger-hater, I give it 2 stars.
  4. Ginger Fusion- Repeat, 2 stars.
  5. Deep Chocolate- Repeat, 4 stars.
  6. Cinnamon Clove- The scent of this caramel is more clove than cinnamon and has an almost pumpkin spice-esque taste to it. Not too bad, 3 stars.
  7. Chocolate Peppermint- This smells just like the name and tastes like a thin mint, however the mint isn’t overpowering. I quite enjoyed this one, 5 stars.
  8. Deep Chocolate- Repeat, 4 stars.
  9. Cinnamon Clove- Repeat, 3 stars.
  10. Cape Cod Sea Salt- It tastes like a traditional caramel. No extra notes, 4 stars.
  11. Cape Cod Sea Salt- Repeat, 4 stars.
  12. Anisette- I don’t quite understand this as a flavor but it is quite popular around the holidays. It smells like a tea, licorice, and flowers, while tasting like black licorice. I actually enjoyed this flavor, 4 stars.
  13. Black Lava Sea Salt- This has a good caramel flavor but I was not a fan of the chunks. The added texture brought the rating down, 2 stars.
  14. Black Lava Sea Salt- Repeat, 2 stars.
  15. Rosemary Truffle Sea Salt- It smells weird and I don’t think truffle should be in a caramel. Just the name of it turns me away, 1 star.
  16. Tapped Maple- All I know is that this flavor is not for me. No other explanation, 2 stars.
  17. Tapped Maple- Repeat, 2 stars.
  18. Chocolate Peppermint- Repeat, 5 stars.
  19. Rosemary Truffle Sea Salt- Repeat, 1 star.
  20. Classic Vanilla- A good, solid taste. You can’t go wrong with this flavor, 5 stars.
  21. Classic Vanilla- Repeat, 5 stars.
  22. Anisette- Repeat, 4 stars.
  23. Cafe Noir- This was an immediate no just from smell alone. It tastes like espresso and I do not like coffee unless it is in a mug or martini glass. This is definitely not for me, 1 star.
  24. Dark Roasted Mocha- Repeat, 2 stars.

Some may agree with my assessments on these flavors while others may have opposing views. Either way, you will never know how you feel about them unless you try them. I found this advent calendar at World Market. Let me know if you try it and what you thought of the different flavors.

Harry Potter Jelly Bean Advent

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World Market boasts many of advent calendar’s right around that time of the year. I was able to get my hands on the Harry Potter Jelly Bean calendar and try their ten different flavors. There are a total of twenty-four meaning there are some repeated flavors. Here are my opinion on the flavors.

  1. Blueberry- This flavor was delicious, I give it 4 out of 5 stars for the classic taste. What creature was Albus Dumbledore’s Patronus?
  2. Cherry- This was a typical “fake” cherry flavor and a solid 3 stars. With exceptional skills in potions, who was Head of Slytherin House?
  3. Green Apple- Green Apple isn’t a favorite of mine but this jelly bean did have a good flavor so I was say 2.5 stars. The stone of the Marvolo Gaunt’s ring was known as what legendary artifact?
  4. Tutti Fruitti- They could have named this one bubblegum as that is exactly what it tastes like to me but I did enjoy it and rate it 3 stars. Where was Helga Hufflepuff’s Cup hidden?
  5. Green Apple- Repeat, 2.5 stars. Known as the most famous Auror of all time, who sacrificed an eye during the Wizarding Wars?
  6. Cherry- Repeat, 3 stars. What was used to destroy Tom Riddle’s Diary?
  7. Cinnamon- I think that cinnamon is a great flavor and found this to be no exception as it tastes like a Hot Tamale, so I give it 5 stars. What was used to destroy Salazar Slytherin’s Locket?
  8. Watermelon- I do like a watermelon flavor but this one lost its taste pretty quickly, 3 stars. Originally belonging to Godric Gryffindor, what determined what house you belonged to?
  9. Lemon- If you don’t like lemon flavored things, this is not for you. I thought it tasted similar to a Lemon Head so I give it 4 stars. Who is the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?
  10. Watermelon- Repeat, 3 stars. What are the three traits to describe a Ravenclaw?
  11. Tutti Fruitti- Repeat, 3 stars. What are the three traits to describe a Gryffindor?
  12. Blueberry- Repeat, 4 stars. Who was killed by Neville Longbottom in the Second Wizarding War with Godric Gryffindor’s Sword?
  13. Marshmellow- This jelly bean was a sweet, tasty flavor that reminded me of marshmallow fluff, 5 stars. Who was Head of Ravenclaw House and a well-known Charms Master?
  14. Banana- I am not a huge fan of banana flavored things and this tasted like the banana runt, 3 stars. Who was the Care of Magical Creatures professor and the gamekeeper of Hogwarts?
  15. Cinnamon- Repeat, 5 stars. What are the three traits to describe a Hufflepuff?
  16. Candyfloss- I am not sure what they were going for here but I thought it had a weird taste so I give it 2 stars. Who served as Head of Slytherin House and taught Tom Riddle about Horcruxes?
  17. Lemon- Repeat, 4 stars. Who taught Defense Against the Dark Arts and became a werewolf as a young child?
  18. Marshmallow- Repeat, 5 stars. What are the three traits to describe a Slytherin?
  19. Watermelon- Repeat, 3 stars. Who was a well-known Seer and Professor of Divination?
  20. Lemon- Repeat, 4 stars. Who stole Rowena Ravenclaw’s Diadem?
  21. Banana- Repeat, 3 stars. Since 382 B.C., who was known as the Maker of Fine Wands?
  22. Cherry- Repeat, 3 stars. Who was the HOuse-Elf that served the Malfoy family?
  23. Tutti Fruitti- Repeat, 3 stars. What creature was the first birthday present that Harry ever received?
  24. Candyfloss- Repeat, 2 stars. Who was Head of Gryffindor House and the Transfiguration Professor?

If these flavors or this advent calendar interest you, you can find it, and the answers to the trivia questions, at World Market.

Bonne Maman Advent Calendar

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This advent calendar features twenty-four jams. I am a novice in this area so if you are an expert in this food category, please take my opinion with a grain of salt.

  1. White Nectarine-Peach-Lemon Verbana smells like tea and tastes like a sweet black tea. It tastes decent on toast. 3/5
  2. Strawberry-Linden Blossom is sweet, almost too sweet and doesn’t really taste like strawberry. 3/5
  3. Apricot-Banana is a no-go for me. 1/5
  4. Cherry-Pink Peppercorn has absolutely no taste. You would think there would be at least a hint of the peppercorn since it is such a strong flavor. 1/5
  5. Fig-Cardamom is a NO. 0/5
  6. Grapefruit-Dragon Fruit gave me high hopes but ended up being disappointing. 1/5
  7. Raspberry-Dark Chocolate absolutely befuddled my mind. I could not seem to reconcile chocolate with raspberry jam. 2/5
  8. Peach-Jasmine Flower was just as confusing as it sounds. 1/5
  9. Honey is not my favorite and do not like it unless it is in tea. 2/5
  10. Lemon-Yuzu was almost sour but had no real defining taste. 1/5
  11. Apricot-Lavender had a subtle lavender flavor but I could not taste the apricot. 3/5
  12. Wild Blueberry-Balm Leaves is such a big name for a flavor but it didn’t really stand out like it should. 2/5
  13. Caramel-Cinnamon tastes like straight-up caramels. I didn’t really taste cinnamon but that’s okay with me. 5/5
  14. Cherry-Hibiscus Flower was a bit tart but not terrible, though I didn’t like the texture. 3/5
  15. Mirabelle Plum-Spice almost reminded me of cinnamon applesauce. 3/5
  16. Orange-Guava Lime smells like guava but I’m not a fan of the taste. 2/5
  17. Peach-Mint is a no, thank you. 1/5
  18. Pineapple-Ginger tastes like baby food. I detest ginger but this didn’t have that soapy taste to it. 1/5
  19. Strawberry-Guava reminds me of a sponge cake. 4/5
  20. Quince is a weird texture and not much of a discernible taste, just sweet. 1/5
  21. Rhubarb-Strawberry almost doesn’t taste like anything specific. 2/5
  22. Orange-Mandarin-Passion Fruit was alright though I mostly taste the mandarin and I didn’t like the texture. 2/5
  23. Mango-Raspberry-Lime has too many flavors trying to battle it out on my taste buds. 1/5
  24. Cherry-Christmas Spice is sweet then tart. 1/5

English Tea Shop Advent

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Let me start by saying that I am a fan of tea. If you do not normally like tea, then this would probably be a waste of your money. If you still want to give it a go, that is up to you. Here is my review of the World Market English Tea Shop Advent Calendar to help you make that decision.

  1. Chai Charge- To me, this tea tastes like a weak black tea. Chai is supposed to be practically overflowing with the flavor of the different spices and I did not get that when I tried it. 1/5
  2. Festive Spice- This tea has a very specific taste (that I can’t think of at the moment) but I found it to be a little weak. 2/5
  3. Super Star Anise- Decently aromatic, this tea also had a weak taste and the smell did not make the same taste. I wasn’t a fan. 1/5
  4. Peachy Keen- I love peach in teas but this tea was once again, weak. 3/5
  5. Tropical Lemongrass- This had a very pretty taste. It sounds strange but if you try it, you’ll get what I mean. It was very refreshing and I love lemon. 4/5
  6. Happy Holiday- Actually quite delicious, this tea was sweet (probably because of the honey I added) with a waft of spice. 4/5
  7. Ghostly Green- I love a good green tea and I know it can be an acquired taste. This organic green tea had cinnamon, ginger, peppermint, and rose, the flavors don’t really taste well together, in my opinion. 2/5
  8. Happy Holiday- This was a repeat. It had flavor notes of cinnamon, pomegranate, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper. 4/5
  9. Super Star Anise- This was also a repeat. It was a black tea with ginger, cloves, and star anise. 1/5
  10. Spooky Spice- This organic green tea had cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper. I really wasn’t a fan of this tea. It tasted like someone tried the tea and then spat it back in the cup before I tasted it. 0/5
  11. Ghostly Green- This was a repeat. 2/5
  12. Peppermint Candy- I’m not normally a fan of peppermint tea, though I know that it’s really good for you, and this tea was a bit of a step up. An organic green tea with peppermint, orange, cinnamon, roasted chicory, and vanilla, it tastes like regular peppermint tea. I did not taste any other the other notes. 3/5
  13. Tropical Lemongrass- This is a repeat. The notes are lemongrass, peppermint, hibiscus, rosehip, chamomile, and apple. 4/5
  14. Chai Charge- This organic rooibos with cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, cardamom, garlic, and blue corn flower is a repeated flavor. 1/5
  15. Post-Party Refresh- An organic green tea with cinnamon, garcinia, and acai berry. It had a weak flavor and I disliked the smell. 1/5
  16. Post-Party Refresh- This is a repeat. 1/5
  17. Gingerbread Treat- This organic black tea has cinnamon, ginger, apple, and cardamom. I thought it had almost no taste and tasted like boiled water. 0/5
  18. Irish Holiday- An organic black tea with ginger, rooibos, and cinnamon that smells quite nice and would probably taste good if it weren’t so bitter. 1/5
  19. Winter Warmer- Organic rooibos herbal tea with ginger, cocoa, star anise, and mace. It smells kind of like water beds ‘n stuff but tastes a little fruity and watery. 1/5
  20. Spooky Spice- Repeat. 1/5
  21. Festive Spice- Repeat. 2/5
  22. Peppermint Candy- Repeat. 3/5
  23. Peachy Keen- Repeat. 3/5
  24. Gingerbread Treat- Repeat. 1/5
  25. Irish Holiday- Repeat. 2/5

As you can see, I wasn’t a huge fan of these teas. That makes sense, seeing as how they are all similar variations of the same ingredients. Remember, just because I was not a fan, doesn’t mean you won’t be either. Let me know if you’ve tried them and what you thought about them.

Advent Calendars

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I know it is only the beginning of November but Advent Calendars sell out. Fast. Since I didn’t get any last year, I went earlier this year and was able to snag a few. Here are a list of some you should look out for:

  • Aldi’s Wines of the World
  • Aldi’s Cheese Advent Calendar
  • World Market McCrea’s Caramels Advent Calendar
  • World Market Bonne Maman Jam/Jelly Advent Calendar
  • World Market Harry Potter Jelly Bean Advent Calendar
  • Target Advent Calendar For Dogs
  • Target Disney Doorables Advent Calendar
  • Target 12 Days of Beauty
  • Target 12 Days of Wellness
  • Aldi’s Barissimo Coffee Advent Calendar
  • Aldi’s Burman’s Hot Sauce Advent Calendar
  • World Market Harry Potter Hot Chocolate Advent Calendar
  • World Market English Tea Shop Advent Calendar

For most of these I will be putting out a review of the products so you can get another opinion on them and maybe/maybe not help you decide if you want to try them yourself.