One Of The First Real Disappointments From A Gimbal's Jelly Bean: Orange 'N' Crème!

The Good: Economically and environmentally smart packaging, Does not taste bad.
The Bad: Very waxy taste and aftertaste! Not true to flavor, Taste fades.
The Basics: The first real loser flavor I’ve had from Gimbal’s, Orange ‘N’ Crème is a letdown for its lack of true flavor.


One of the nice things about starting to review a new (to me) candy company’s works is that often they have something new and different for me to try. So, when I made the transition from Jelly Belly to Gimbal’s – more a choice from wanting something new to review than being at all disappointed with Jelly Belly! – gourmet jelly beans, the flavors I was most eager to try were the ones that did not exist in the Jelly Belly line. The first one I came across was Orange 'N' Crème. Unfortunately for all of us, the Gimbal’s Orange ‘N’ Crème jelly beans are not a true-to-life flavor and the experience I had with them was entirely underwhelming and unimpressive. Indeed, even without a comparative flavor, Orange ‘N’ Crème flops because it tastes waxier than anything else and this is a huge letdown

In fact, the only advantage Gimbal’s Orange ‘N’ Crème jelly bean had over any Jelly Belly flavor was that Gimbal's jelly beans are less expensive and that is a nice bonus for those bulking up on them with the ten pound box. Who needs ten pounds of Orange 'N' Creme flavored Gimbal's jelly beans? Anyone who thinks orange is only vaguely citrusy and that cream flavors ought to taste like wax! This flavor is a poor rendering of both the fruit flavor and the creamy additive. While one might hope it would taste like a jelly bean Creamsicle, it falls drastically short of that. Still, the ten pound box is the ideal way for people to stock up on these jelly beans, at least from an environmental and economic standpoint.

Basics

Orange 'N' Creme is a flavor of Gimbal's jelly beans. Gimbal's jelly beans are approximately one half inch long by one quarter inch wide and they are roughly bean-shaped. These little candies are marketed to taste precisely like Orange 'N' Creme and they fall unfortunately short of that.

Orange 'N' Creme flavored Gimbal's are available in a wide array of quantities, but the largest quantity available is the ten pound bulk case. This is a decent-sized box with a plastic lining and while some might wonder why anyone would need a ten pound box, I suggest those who enjoy plastic fruits. The Orange 'N' Creme flavor is one that is unremarkable and a ten pound case, kept properly, keeps for a year even in this level of bulk.

The Orange 'N' Creme Gimbal's is easily differentiated from other Gimbal's jelly beans by its opaque orange color. In fact, this is the only bright orange opaque jelly bean in the assortment. There are no other jelly beans from Gimbal’s that come close to looking like this one.

Ease Of Preparation

These are jelly beans, not picking plastic fruit off the plastic trees and cooking with them! Preparing these jelly beans is as easy as opening the box and popping one (or several) into your mouth. In the case of the ten pound box, one might want to put them in a candy dish of some form as opposed to always going into the box. Then again, they may be consumed right out of the box with no adverse consequences.

Taste

Given how many cases of the Gimbal’s beans I have gone through so far, there was no surprise for me when I opened the box of Orange 'N' Creme Gimbal's jelly beans and there was no strong bouquet. Instead, these jelly beans smelled of nothing. There was a neutral, slightly citrus scent that came when I opened the box, but nothing else.

Unfortunately for Gimbal’s, the weak aroma prepares one adequately for the taste. The Orange 'N' Crème jelly beans possess only a vague citrus flavor, without a distinctly orange taste that one might recognize and appreciate as orange. Instead, the flavor is dominated by the waxy coating to the jelly bean. The result is a jelly bean that starts off unimpressive and finishes poorly. The citrus fades to a sugary taste that is not creamy, it is mostly just waxy. This is a disappointing turn for those looking for a complex flavor to a jelly bean.

To add insult to injury, Gimbal's Orange 'N' Creme jelly beans fade in their taste fairly quickly. After only about ten beans, these jelly beans begin to taste generically sweet and waxy, with no real flavor that is distinct to recommend them. This is a problematic flavor that only becomes more bland the more one eats.

Nutrition

Again, these are jelly beans, so anyone looking to them for nutrition is bound to be disappointed. Jelly beans, even Gimbal's jelly beans, are not a legitimate source of nutrition. These are a snack food, a dessert, and are in no way an adequate substitute for a real meal. A serving is listed at thirty-seven beans. This means that in a single serving, there are 140 calories, which is 12% of your daily recommended intake.

The thing is, Gimbal's jelly beans are not as bad as they could be in the nutrition area. They have no fat and no protein, but for those who have ever dated a Vegan, these are Vegan compliant because they contain no gelatin! They have only zero percent of the daily sodium with 10 mg and they are gluten free! The main ingredients are sugar, corn syrup and modified food starch, so it's not like this is an all-natural food, but they could be far, far worse. As well, these candies were not produced on machines with peanuts or other nuts and they are egg, trans fat, dairy and egg free! These contain none of the vitamins or any other benefits that actual oranges would possess!

Storage/Clean-up

Gimbal's jelly beans have a shelf life of approximately one year and I have yet to run across a stale Gimbal's (though arguably that is because of my lack of experience with them). They remain freshest when they are kept in an airtight container (the bag in the bulk box is sufficient if it is kept closed) and they ought to be kept in a lukewarm environment. Storing them in hot places or in an intimate location is likely to make the beans stick together and become gross. Kept in a cool, dry place, the beans retain their flavor perfectly.

As for cleanup, unless one allows the Gimbal's to get hot to the point that the waxy coating on the bean melts, the dyes on these do not bleed or denature, so there is usually no cleanup necessary, not even washing one's hands after eating them (always wash your hands before eating Gimbal's jelly beans; that's just common sense). I have never had Orange 'N' Creme Gimbal's jelly beans stain anything.

Overall

Gimbal's Orange 'N' Creme jelly beans are a disappointment to anyone who likes gourmet candy. Instead of having a complicated and delicious flavor, they are mild and waxy. But, at least they are inexpensive in this form and when they do taste like something, even if it is not the right flavor, they do not taste bad.

For other Gimbal's jelly beans reviewed by me, please check out:
French Vanilla
Spicy Cinnamon
Green Apple

4.5/10

For other food and drink reviews, please be sure to visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.


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