Limited Time Adventure

Remember a few months back, during Girl Scout Season, when Grandma’s Backyard reviewed some cookies?  Not just any cookies but Girl Scout Cookies?  Those cookies we wait all year for, and this year at least, finally get and are disappointed?  Well, you should remember because you are a loyal follower and you love this blog.  In case you don’t remember, that’s okay because those pesky Girl Scouts decided to team up with Nestle for their next Limited Time Adventure.  After many months of talks about this new Adventure, the bars were finally released – Nestle Crunch bars with Girl Scout Cookie Flavors.  I won’t lie…I was pretty stoked about these.  As soon as I spotted them, I purchased 1 of each flavor, placed them in my Poke Ball and began my Limited Time Adventure.

I will review these bars in the order I ate them which just so happens to be the order which I liked them, best to worst.  I decided to try the Thin Mint bar first and am glad I did.  I had these bars in the pantry – honestly, I didn’t even think about putting them in the fridge – and ate it at room temperature.  I was glad to find the bar was in 2 individual pieces within this shiny wrapper.  The Crunch pieces on top could be seen from first examination of the bar.  I picked up my first piece and took that first bite.  Wow, I was pretty shocked – this sucker was good.

Before I even talk about taste, this Thin Mint Crunch bar had ingredients that played Perfectly with one another.  There was the right amount of everything and nothing stood out on it’s own – a difficult feat in itself.  With all parts playing their part, I knew the flavor would be good as well.  This bar represented exactly what a wafer should be – many small layers of everything, with each layer being great.  I loved the additional of the Nestle Crunch pieces as well – these provided additional texture and taste.  While this did not taste exactly like a Thin Mint, the taste was still great.  Within each chocolate coating, was dark chocolate cookie wafers and mint chocolate creme…both were great.  The exterior of the bar was the traditional Nestle Chocolate which is sweet and subtle and very creamy.  The cookie wafers provided a nice balance of chocolate and the mint chocolate creme had a very smooth taste – it was not at all artificial in taste.  All put together, this bar was great from start to finish.  I would certainly have this bar again and may even try it in the fridge next time.

About a week of so after the Thin Mint Crunch, I decided to try the next – Tagalong Crunch.  Now, Tagalong’s have always been my favorite Girl Scout Cookie prior to this year.  This year, I was totally disappointed in them and left the season with no reason to ever have them again.  But, I do love me some chocolate and peanut butter.  Plus, I thought that maybe Nestle could help improve this cookie which I once loved so dearly.  Once again, the bar came in 2 individual bars and the Crunch pieces of top were visible.  Well, it’s now or never, so I began to eat.

As soon as I bit into this bar, I knew I should have stored it in the fridge.  I quickly ran my bar to the freezer and waited 5 minutes before continuing.  The problem?  Well, the chocolate and peanut butter were far too soft and the first bite ended up being pretty messy.  While the 5 minute freezer trip did help, this bar would have been way better had it lived its entire life within the fridge.  Ohh well – now I know.  I don’t think I would have ever associated this flavor with that of a Tagalong but, it was still pretty good.  The peanut butter played the biggest part and while the Crunch pieces were there, I felt as if they didn’t really bring it.  Once again, the soft & creamy Nestle Chocolate was present and it mixed well with the cookie wafers and peanut butter.  The biggest thing with this bar for me, was the fact that it was pretty messy out of the pantry.  I know I would have loved this bar out of the fridge and will try it again.

Going into the 3rd bar, I was really not expecting to like it.  This would be the Samoas Crunch Bar and honestly, I don’t even know when the last time was I had a Samoa.  Yes, I have tried them but, I totally never liked them and never would eat them.  I was also surprised to see that rather than Crunch pieces, this bar had Toasted Coconut.  So, I guess this really isn’t a Crunch bar then huh Nestle?  I know, it was those pesky Girl Scouts who made you take them out.

Once I unwrapped the Samoa bar, I was hit with a wave of smells – all far too sweet.  The taste of the bar was exactly the same – overly, overly sweet.  Far too much sweetness.  Oh my was this sweet.  I really couldn’t even taste the chocolate in this bar – the flavors were all caramel and coconut.  While I do like both of these, the usage in this Samoa bar was, as mentioned, far too sweet.  Both the caramel and coconut flavors were far too ‘fake’ as well.  Some how, I managed to eat most of this bar but, I’m not sure how.  I guess some where I was hoping that it would get better but, the sweetness only got worse.  I would never, ever, ever have this bar again.

So, during my 3 week Limited Time Adventure, I had some ups and downs.  By far the best of the 3 bars was the Thin Mint bar however, I think if I tried the Tagalong bar again, after it has been chilled, I probably would prefer this.  Another thing to mention…the bars themselves do not actually have the names of the cookies on them.  This is quite weird but, I’m sure another ploy made by those darn Girl Scouts.  It’s not like people don’t know which is which but, whatever.  I am happy that I got to try all of these bars and have a feeling they will be disappearing very soon.  Also, in Naples, the only places I saw these were 2 gas stations, Publix for a week and Bed, Bath and Beyond.  Odd indeed.  Nestle made a Girl Scout bar that was pretty legit and my hard feelings towards the Girl Scouts and their cookies may have subsided just a bit.