January 27, 2005

I want candy! I'd like to find the best gummy/fruit candy to give to my sweetie for Valentine's Day.

Yeah, yeah, yeah - corporate death holiday and all, but I think it'd be fun to be able to give him the finest candies I can find. He likes gummy anything, those sour gummies, and those fruit wedges with the sugar crystals on the outside, and all that kind of stuff. If you Monkeys would be so kind as to direct me to some serious gourmet stuff (or just the most exotic or interesting or best tasting, even if it's not gourmet), I'd be forever grateful (as would my man). I'm a chocolate girl myself, so I'm at a loss as to the gummy/fruit varieties of sweets.

posted by MsVader 19 years ago
  • well, here's what NOT to buy him. the always-helpful national confectioners association may have some hints. i'm with you, chocolate all the way.
  • I'm a huge fan of Dots and JuJyfruits.
  • oh god, patita, that is... um... stunning.
  • Gummi candies (several brands to choose from)
  • get him some disgusting candy. ("sour flush candy with edible plunger." heh.)
  • Chewy Swedish candy
  • Haribo Gold Bears. (scroll down to 7) Accept no substitute.
  • Make your own! I made these Alton Brown gummies a few weeks ago and they turned out really well. (Don't be fooled by the name, they have a nice mild cirtus flavor.)
  • yeah, Haribo is really the gold standard of gummis. so wonderful!
  • I've seen the gourmet version of the fruit wedges at Williams-Sonoma, but it's not on their website now. What about some real glace fruit?
  • I'm involuntarily salivating now.
  • Your local IKEA, if there is one, will have a Swedish food shop brimming with Swedish gummi goodies. The Swedes know from gummi fruit things, trust me on this.
  • Also, Jelly Belly jellybeans would satisfy gourmet, gummy(ish), and fruity criteria. They do the 50-flavor assortment boxes (some strange flavors! I like margarita), delicious sour flavors, and my favorite - a gumball machine you can fill with candy. Mmmm. They make other gummy/fruity things besides jellybeans too.
  • I love the candy sushi, Melinika. That's the kind of fun stuff I'm looking for. Though, some of that disgusting candy from SideDish's link might be fun to throw in... Keep 'em coming, guys! This is great stuff.
  • I feel obliged to point out that SideDish's link is completely wrong on Dubbel Zout. It is NOT bad candy. Lordy, Lordy, it's FAN-FRIGGIN'-TASTIC candy! It IS, however, an acquired taste. That much I will admit. Not all candy has to be sweet or sour, no, some can be chewable salt licks. And in that, Dubbel Zout is the Queen of all Salty Candy. Just felt the need to point that out. And a word of caution -- if your sweetie doesn't share my genetic predisposition to salty candy, a Valentine's Day gift of Dubbel Zout isn't going to go over very well.
  • (Not to mention that Dubbel Zout has a temporary effect of reducing one's testosterone levels by 70%, so that's not going to help you on Valentine's Day, either.)
  • HARIBO HARIBO FROGS AND SHARKS AND GRAPEFRUIT AND BERRIES AND BEARS AND HARIBO!! CITRUS SLICES!! PEACH GUMMIES!! HARIBO FOR KING! ALL HAIL KING HARIBO!
  • Haribo macht Kinder froh... und Erwachsene ebenso! I'm guessing that ActuallySettle's enthusiasm falls in the second category :)
  • AWESOME!! AWESOME!!!!! FUCKING AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • The best Valentine a sweetie ever gave me was a Mason jar full of selected Jelly Belly jelly beans (my second-favorite.) As I worked through the top two inches or so, I found four Godiva cordial cherries (my first favorite) carefully concealed in the center of the jar.
  • Are those real fruit wedges with the sugar crystals on the outside, or fruit-shaped jellies? If it's the latter, I've heard that the fresher the better and pectin-less will mean better flavor. Going to a local candymaker will probably take care of the fresh part. In general homemade/handmade candy tastes yummy and feels gourmet to me.
  • Kasgui gummis in lychee, apple or muscat. mmmmmm....gelatinicious pineapple is pretty good too
  • Kasugai apparently i can't spell
  • I'm amazed no one's mentioned Del Monte Fruit Gummies. Definitely the best gummies I've had, though I haven't had a chance to try the Kasugais yet, though I've seen them. Del Monte comes in a few different flavor mixes, and there are definite preferences amongst my friends, so you might want to get them all for your sweetie to try. Usually found in the candy section of the supermarket. Costco and Sams Club often have the bulk pack, which is a much better value, if an almost insane amount of gummi and only in the original fruit mix.
  • In a drunken stupor eleven years ago I wrote a song called "No Gummi in My Tummy." It is among the many reasons I will never be able to run for office.
  • For the win.