Junk Food Nation, here I sit in a darkened hotel room with the bright sun streaming in around the cracks in the shades, writing my blog post from beautiful South Brunswick, New Jersey!  Wooot Woooooot!  Why am I here?  Because I traveled back to my alma mater yesterday to watch my some college football, to take in a concert, and to visit all the old haunts I loved while I was there for four years.

As I walked around campus, it felt like home, and the day was perfect.  So perfect, in fact, that I have to brag and say that while I know the West Coast has infinite sunlight, no snow, and perfect temperatures year round, I wouldn’t trade this perfect Northeast Fall day for anything.  The air was dry and light, with a nice breeze.  The temperature was chilly but not cold; I felt snug in my jacket and socks.  The crinkled leaves on the ground rustled as I walked, and plenty of gold/red/orange/yellow had not completely dropped from the trees yet, making the scene look like a perfect painting.  There were smells of barbecues and wood burning stoves that punctuated the air. And aside from the sounds of laughter and people walking, the atmosphere was still and natural.

That was my attempt at writing poetically.  Anyways, you may have In-N-Out, West Coast (I’ll grant you that), but the East Coast, on rare occasions, has these perfect days. Now if you’ll excuse me – I have some leaves to go jump in.

Today’s junk food: Dove Peppermint Bark!

The Money Shot

Yes, JFN, I am reviewing a clearly holiday-themed junk food ALREADY.  Yes, already – shush.  I CAN’T HELP IT, I SAW THESE ON THE SHELVES AND NEEDED TO HAVE THEM!  Leave me alone, I KNOW it’s not even Thanksgiving yet.  Do we have to do this? No, *I’m* sorry. Yes, I know. I love you too. C’mere you…

Anyways, so yeah…Dove Peppermint Bark.  Found these at Walgreens, my local calorie dealer.

Promises promises

What can be said about Dove that you don’t know already? Newsflash: Dove makes chocolate!  I let out the big secret!  This is the first time, however, I’ve ever seen Dove Peppermint Bark.  As you can see, the bag is adorned with Christmas tree ornaments and some visual representations of what these chocolate squares will look like.  Silky smooth promises, eh? We’ll see, Dove, about you and your promises …I never did get that pony last year. AND I TRUSTED YOU.

Your moment. Your Dove.

Peppermint Bark, for the uninitiated, is really just crushed up candy canes in chocolate.  That’s the typically recipe, that is.  And if you like mint and chocolate together (which I do), peppermint bark around holiday time is a huge deal.  And Dove makes pretty damn good chocolate – you can see why I get so excited.

Like ornaments

Dove Peppermint Bark is wrapped up in little squares in holiday tin foil.  I felt like I should be hanging these somewhere.

Little gift wrapped present

Not sure about the font they used to write the words, Peppermint Bark … but now I’m just being persnickety. Dove Peppermint Bark, why don’t you slip out of that foil into something more comfortable…

Like porcelain

THERE WE GO, TAKE IT OFF…..  Although now I feel sort of skeezy, don’t you?  Dove Peppermint Bark is a layer of white chocolate on top of a layer of dark chocolate, and the white chocolate has bits of peppermint in it.  Delicious.  Lets eat.

White, Dark, Peppermint

Yep, amazing.  AMAZING.  So good. Dove Peppermint Bark, you are just really good.  The chocolate favor is very interesting – you have the dark bitter taste of the darker chocolate and the creamy sweet taste of the white chocolate.  They mix to create a really rich flavor.  The peppermint taste is strong, but not overwhelming like a breath mint – instead it melds well with the white chocolate to create an infused-like taste.  And the bits of peppermint crunch satisfyingly when you bite and chew.

The truth is most peppermint barks are good, so I knew this would be too.  Still, using Dove chocolate to make the bark? Excellent.

Thoughts?  Tell me in the comments below or hit me on Twitter @junkfoodguy or on my Facebook Page.

Sincerely, Junk Food Guy