Product Crush: Jelly Fruit Slices
“Har dee har har.”
I just ate a package of Chuckles, and I hate myself a little bit for settling, because I didn’t really want Chuckles — I didn’t set out for the deli on a Chuckles mission. Nobody has ever done that, and furthermore, nobody has ever actually chuckled during, in anticipation of, or after eating Chuckles. The Depression-era consumer may have managed a wan smile; I did the “well, fuck it, they’re out of orange leaves” shrug.
There was no chuckling. There was not so much as a titter. There was only grumpy chewing, and an abiding longing for these, the little candy songs of my heart.
One time, for my birthday or Christmas, M. Giant and Trash sent me some nibbles, which is nice enough of them to have done, but the nibble-pack contained jelly fruit slices, and I swear to God, my eyes filled up, because I don’t recall ever mentioning to either of them that I adore jelly fruit slices, and Lord knows nobody would ever guess that about another person, a person whom they give every indication of respecting, because nobody “adores” jelly fruit slices except your grandma, and she also “adores” plain watery cottage cheese so what does she know. And yet somehow M. and Trash had divined it, and sent me a little plastic pint container of them. (I also recall a tub of spearmint leaves, another candy that I alone in the under-70 cohort can tolerate.)
My thank-you note read “I LOVE THESE GODDAMN THINGS OH MY GOD YOU GUYS!”, and contained more than a few rock-sugar crumbs.
Tags: food Product Crush
I’m 27, love jelly fruit slices and have no shame about such love. My grandparents always had a healthy supply. They get theirs at the candy section in various Macy’s–the ones that have such a thing.
I love the pink colored jelly slices – I always eat the green ones last, with the orange second to last. When can we start discussing Circus Peanuts? (I’m currently snacking on Boston Baked Beans! Can I get a WhooHoo for Ferrara Pan!)
@Katherine: I had a friend in high school who was totally addicted to salty licorice. No idea where she got it (this was in the 80’s) but her Mom grew up in Holland so maybe that was the connection. I could never bring myself to try it, which was fine because she did not really want to share anyway.
@KER: I love jujyfruits, although have not had them in many years. Bummer about the green ones, always my favorite!
I, too, am an under-70 lover of jellied fruit slices. Drool.
I didn’t set out for the deli on a Chuckles mission. Nobody has ever done that, and furthermore, nobody has ever actually chuckled during, in anticipation of, or after eating Chuckles.
I beg to differ. Of course, I was eight months pregnant.
@camelama – Google “grape blasters”. They’re nickel candy, come by the box, and are awesome. Same with the cherry blasters.
@True – egad, why the hell would you do such a thing? After this, you’ll have gotten so many cosmic brownie points that you should never have to give up anything for Lent again, EVER.
I’ve now switched from juice berries to maple fudge. I passed a candy store at lunch & it called out to me; I just couldn’t leave it there to feel neglected & abandoned.
I tend to be a little more hardcore in the fruit-candy loving, though I certainly wouldn’t turn down fruit slices. I love the really rubbery gummies and the truly tangy and sour stuff – my favorites are Katjes’ Saure Johannisbeeren, Saure Kirschen, and Tropenfruchte, plus Haribo’s Twin Cherries and Cola Bottles. Cost Plus World Market is the paradise of Katjes and Haribo stuff, at least in the Twin Cities.
Regarding salty candy – Target’s Choxie brand has a sea-salt/caramel truffle in some of its assortments right now. YUM – a little odd, kind of pretzely, very good.
I too love the spice drops and the spearmint leaves. And I had to read all the way down to Amy at 5:13 before I found a fellow lover of the Boston Baked Bean.
I also love the French Burnt Peanut, and the Mary Jane chew. And the Goertz’s Caramel Bulls-Eye. And the Snowcap (but the King Arthur Flour Company has the best version, look for their Nonpareils …)
@cayenne: Maple fuuuuuuudge. So good.
@Erin: I love Mary Janes. LOVE THEM. They aren’t as good as Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews, but they’re close.
As a candy manufacturer/lawyer/glutton, I have to say that I love the jellied fruit candies too. You might want to consider the more gourmet offerings, too, at places like Payard and Bouley, here in NYC. I’ve tried them both, and was really happy with the fruity, jelly-ness of it all. They do lack the day-glo appeal of the original jellied fruit slices, but they do taste super-fruity, and may actually be derived from actual fruit.
My dad is a lover of spice drops. He loves them so much that when I make chocolate chip cookies, he has me make some with spice drops instead of chocolate chips. He claims they’re wonderful. You might wat to try them.
He also likes the Brachs chocolate covered orange jelly… rectangles?
Me, I like the orange slices and the spearmint leaves. Those starburst jellies rock, too.
Oh yeah, LOVE Mary Janes, though I do prefer Bit O Honey. And I definitely did not eat a whole bag of individually wrapped Bit O Honeys this weekend….
In the same vein, I also love those peanut butter taffy candies that people give out on Halloween, wrapped in plain black or orange wrappers. You know, the ones everyone complains about. I used to take these from everyone.
I have much love for the orange slices, thanks to my mother (my grandmother’s dentures, God love her, would never have tolerated jellied-candies, though she could gum a caramel into submission and she did inspire my life-long love of the rootbeer barrel hard candy).
I had a friend in college who so loved spice drops that when he coached our intramural football team, he’d wager them with the other coach — every year our sorority played the “Spice Drop / Loaf of Cheese Bowl” against our rival sorority team. If we won, he got a pound of spice drops and the other coach won, he got a ‘loaf of cheese’ (hideous orange cheese of unknown origins, lol). Good times.
My new fav chewy candy is granny smith apple flavored Switzer’s licorice chews (bright green, look like Twizzlers — a tart, sweet, party in your mouth) from Cracker Barrel.
@Jessica: Necco Wafers!! Used to love them…anyone else ever play Mass and use the white ones for Communion??
A favorite candy memory: clear toy candy lollipops – anyone else ever get them around Christmas? I think they’re a Pennsylvania Dutch thing.
Does anyone else eat After Dinner Mints by the fistful? Just me, then.
The regular Mints or the candy coated After Dinner Mints? I love both but especially the candy coated ones.
@Erin – oooh, I love me After Dinner Mints! Also those butter mints. Yummy in my mouth and tummy!
mmmm….jelly fruit slices. Off to the Bulk Barn for me, today!
(and I’m only 30)
Candy coated? That sounds delish.
I love those spearmint leaves too.
In high school we started a rumor that they’re an aphrodisiac – like the green M&Ms…I think I believe my own hype, because there really IS something about those things, huh?
@KER: “those peanut butter taffy candies . . . the ones everyone complains about.”
OH HELL YES. They can always give them to me. I’m glad to hear the Mary Jane love–I was at the Minneapolis Candyland on a licorice nip mission, which was abandoned the instant I discovered that they had Mary Janes in the case. Mmmmm.
Saw this and thought of you guys instantly :
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Orange-Slice-Cookies-I/Detail.aspx
I loved these creamy little mints that my grandma always got me for Christmas. They were nice pastel colours and really easy to eat a whole bag of.
I loooove the Sunkist ones. I spent a summer with my cousin in Richmond, VA, and we went to the pool every day, and every day I spent the allowance my mother sent me on those fruit discs. I only like them wobbly and soft, though. I agree with Stephanie K about the orange slices.
@ANNA: That sounds like After Dinner Mints, which are straight from heaven.
My lovely X-MIL (I mean that) & I made over 300 of these beautiful little creamcheese mints for the wedding, and they were in my freezer for less than a month. I could NOT stay out of ’em, and there were maybe 30 of ’em left by the wedding date. Poor X-MIL.
8 oz of cream cheese
2 lb powdered sugar
1/4 cup soft butter
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
(you love it already, don’t you?)
Add the cream cheese & butter together. Slowly slowly add the sugar. Add the peppermint (& some food coloring if you like.) Make 1 inch balls & set them between waxed paper & flatten ’em, or mash ’em into a candy mold. Let cool in the fridge for 4 hours.
(Yeah, right. My own personal directions are to immediately eat them with a spoon and growl at anyone who gets too near the bowl.)
Y’all have to try these. Going through that marriage was worth it if it meant I could make these whenever I want. I’d do it again for this recipe…
Erin! My long-lost candy sister! After Dinner Mints by the handful, bagful, whatever measure.
Ew…I can’t cleave the association between kelly fruit slices and Passover eats. I feel like I always get horrible gummy tummy from eating so many of them – not because I want to, but because it seems like they’re always the only thing on the table other than macaroons by the end of the week. Matzoh toffee, though, is fine eating if we’re talking about K-for-P.
@ Erin & Amy: Boston Baked Beans! I haven’t had those in ages, and I cannot remember for the life of me why that is but it must be corrected immediately.
Count me in the under-30s who love spearmint leaves. I also have a deep and long lasting love of horehound sticks and rootbeer barrels, neither of which can be found anywhere anymore. And I’ve always loved Sno-caps despite my general dislike of dark chocolate. My mother’s been known to pull the Figi’s catalog out of my hands like she’s staging an intervention. Dammit, now I want a tin of Licorice Piglets.
I do, however, draw the line at supporting my grandpa’s love of ribbon candy. I have some standards.
@fannypie – no effin kidding. Matzah toffee? Sounds very familiar. By the end of the week, I’m living almost exclusively on a cookie sheet’s worth of chocolate&toffee-covered matzah (think Skor bar on matzah) per day. Plus some veg, ‘cos matzah does nasty things to the digestion.
Another great old-fashioned candy store: Mast General Store in North Carolina. I was taken there by a friend when visiting and felt like I’d stepped into old-fashioned candy heaven.
Thanks everyone. After reading through these comments for two days, I HAD to specifically pick up spearmint leaves from the drugstore today. I had no choice in the matter. None whatsoever.