Ok, when I am not busy munching on chocolate or saving the world from bad guys, from time to time I like to punish my tongue with sour candies. The more sour, the better! And more than anything, I like chewy sour candies. You know the kind I am talking about, right? The little flat or rope shaped numbers that are covered in that delicious sour, sugary “sand”. The kind that you can lick off and then are left with a sweet-ish chewy candy to savor at your leisure.

Well, Sour Power straws give you just that. I have sampled dozens of different chewy or gummy sour candies, but these might be the best. This particular package features candy “straws” that are dual-flavored. One side is cherry while the other is raspberry - double the sour flavor, double the fun, right? RIGHT! And boy, do these little babies pack a sour, powerful punch!  They are chewy, tart, tangy and have a hint of sweetness towards the end. They chewy enough, not too gummy and the sour flavor can be tasted throughout the entire candy, not just the sour-sugar coating. That is a first because most sour candies are just coated with the sour taste (through the sugar) but this sour flavor seems to lie in the gummy candy as well. I also love that you get two flavors in one - the cherry and raspberry combination is great! One half of the candy bright red (cherry) while the hot pink is raspberry. It makes for a great flavor twist. They’re hollow in the middle, so you can always bite off the ends and use it as a soda straw (we used to do this when I was a kid - we thought we were super clever). These are a great sweet treat when you are bored with the same old thing - and after reviewing all that chocolate, my tongue was certainly craving a change!

Introduced in 1940, delicious MIKE AND IKE chewy candies are loved by kids and adults alike. Throughout the years, Just Born expanded its candy production with different flavors. Although not marketed under the MIKE AND IKE name, the look and feel of the products were identical. We offered such flavors as Root-T-Toot (root beer flavored), Jack and Jill (licorice flavored), Cool Kids (spearmint flavored), and Jolly Joes (grape flavored), right alongside the popular MIKE AND IKE Original Fruits. In the 1980’s as consumer demand for flavors changed, we replaced Root-T-Toot, Jack and Jill, and Cool Kids with Strawbana (strawberry and banana), Lem and Mel (lemon and watermelon), and Cherri and Bubb (cherry and bubble gum). 

Today I am trying out the newest addition to the Mike and Ike family – Mike and Ike’s Tangy Twisters. Ok, as you all know, I love sour candies, so bring ‘em on! These look just like the regular Mike and Ike’s. They have a hard, but easily breakable sugar shell that is similar to a jelly bean. The inside is a soft, chewy jelly-bean like consistency. There are five flavors to test in this pack – Apple, Raspberry, Pineapple, Cherry and Citrus Punch. All are extremely fruity, tangy and sweet. None are too sweet or tangy, but just right. Apple tastes like a crisp, green apple, raspberry tastes fresh and tart, pineapple actually tastes a lot like a chunk of ripe pineapple, cherry tastes like a tart, sweet cherry and citrus punch tastes like a burst of orange, lemon and lime – possibly even grapefruit. These candies are very enjoyable and extremely refreshing. I think that this is a wonderful new addition to the already great Mike and Ike family, especially if you like sour candies. 

 

Sour Patch Kids got their start as a candy called “Mars Men�. They were created and named in the 1970’s during an era that was UFO crazy. The “kids� back then were actually little space “men� that featured the same recipe, but a different mold. The jelly candies were molded and then coated with the signature dusting of sour sugar crystals. They were supposed to feature an “out of this world� tartness and were thought to be one of the most sour candies on the market at that time. In 1985, the company decided to change the name of the candy to Sour Patch Kids in an effort to tie them in to the popular doll of the time – Cabbage Patch Kids. The marketing ploy worked and Sour Patch Kids have been a hit in the US and Europe ever since.

Now I love Sour Patch Kids. I love to punish my mouth with their tartness. They are one of my all-time favorite sour candies. The package features red, green, yellow and orange candies. All are gummy candies that are sweet, with the exception of the super sour sugar coating on the outside. The red candies are cherry flavored, the green are lime, the yellow are lemon and the orange are, well, if you guessed orange flavored, you’re right! These little gummy treats are really tasty. They are great at the movies, at home, in the car or while you are bored at work. The shapes of the “kids� are cute and add a little something to the candy itself. I don’t think that sour candies will ever go out of style – they’re just too yummy!

 
Lemonheads are the equivalent of taking a fresh lemon, cutting it up into bite-size slices and jamming those incredibly sour pieces of fruit in your mouth and leaving it there. Nobody in his or her right mind would do such a thing right? Why would somebody subject himself or herself to such an overpowering sourness? I think the only logical explanation is that there is a little bit of sourpuss in all of us. The gumball sized shiny yellow piece of pucker has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. I recall certain Halloweens where I would actually trade away my chocolate candy for a couple extra Lemonheads in my hand. What’s that? Six peanut butter cups for two Lemonheads? Hmmmmmmm…..sounds like a good deal to me!

The packaging itself is unmistakable. A clear pouch with a man whose head is shaped like, what else? A lemon. Not only is his face shaped like a lemon, but his bow-tie and nicely combed lemon hair makes Mr. Lemonhead seem like the type of nice fellow you would like to meet and shake hands with, right before devouring his cranium. After the initial sourness fades away in your mouth, the underlying layers of the Lemonhead turns to a sort of sugar coated jaw breaker that will keep a smile on your face for the rest of the day. There have always been sour candies out there but few rival the overall tastiness of the Lemonhead. So show me your pucker face and suck on a Lemonhead today, who knows, it might just make your day at work suck less.

 

Ice breakers are known for their extremely minty gum with flavor crystals. I like to call them “Barbie contacts� because the flavor crystals look just like that. Ice Breakers also has a line of mints that feature the same flavor crystals that made them famous. All are sugar-free, which is a hit with both the young and older markets. They are packaged in a round “tin� which makes the candy seem more festive. Upon opening said tin, I am greeted with a pleasing tropical scent. My nose detects hints of coconut, passion fruit and something else, something I can’t quite put my finger on.

The tin shows a host of fruits and lists four unique flavors: Tangerine Passion, Lime Coconut, Peach Dragonfruit, Mango Margarita. I’ll try Tangerine Passion first. I definitely taste the tangerine in it and the sour kick is evident from the beginning. I am assuming that the “Passion� portion of the candy stands for “passion fruit� which would account for the sweet undertones. When you bit into the candy, you get little bursts of flavor, both sweet and sour. Next up, Lime Coconut. The lime is really tangy and the coconut is sweet. The candy smells fantastic (I’m a fan of coconut – both in smell and taste). This one reminds me of a virgin pina colada. I LOVE pina coladas. Mango Margarita is next. The mango adds a great kick to the candy – sweet and tangy at the same time. The margarita portion of it tastes like lime and maybe a little salt? This particular candy has that salty-sour taste that so many people love, while the mango adds a tart, fruity sweetness. Ok, onto the Peach Dragonfruit. Let me state for the record that I have NO idea what a Dragonfruit is. I have never even heard of a Dragonfruit, and kids, the Sheriff is pretty wise when it comes to her fruits and fruit flavors. Will this candy taste like the big, fire-breathing dragons that we see in Harry Potter movies? God, I hope not! Will this candy taste like fruity dragon eggs? Again, I really hope not. Well, there’s only one way to find out. Hmmmm…I definitely taste the peach, and that is delicious. There is a tartness to the candy which I can only assume is the dragonfruit portion of it. And you know what, it’s good! It’s probably the best out of the four flavors featured in the tin. I like it!

So there you go, Ice Breakers Tropical Sours get the Sheriff’s badge of approval. Chew on that, candy kids!

Hey Kids! As many of you know, I LOVE sour candies. Something about them just makes my mouth water and from time to time, I simply crave them. And this is one of those times. I am sitting at my desk, with a package of Dubble Bubble Crybaby EXTRA sour bubble gum. Now, I’ve never had this particular sour treat, but something tells me I am going to love it. There are 9 ball-shaped pieces of gum in the package, all of varying colors: Red, blue, green, yellow and orange. Now, as a sour candy expert, I know that blue candy tends to be the most sour, so that will be my first pick, and since I have mustered up the courage to brave this sour gum, away we go!

*Makes pucker face* Okay, so this gum is pretty darn sour. It has a fruity, sugary taste to it once you break through that shell, but at first, it is a sour taste explosion. Those little balls of gum really pack a sour punch! I was knocked off my feet for a good thirty seconds of chewing, but now the sour flavor has worn off and I am left with a nice, sugary, gooey gum. This is definitely not a treat for the faint-hearted (or weak stomached), but I have a feeling that most kids will like it. For some reason, many adults do not like sour candies - present company excluded, of course. But if you feel like trying something a little out of the ordinary, I’d highly recommend this treat…and of course, it’d give me the opportunity to call you a “crybaby�.

Pucker up sucker! I have been a huge Skittles fan ever since I was old enough to chew solids. My mother actually used to feed them to me when I was crying to keep me quiet so she could watch Three’s Company in peace. Perhaps that is the real reason why I am a diabetic, but that is neither here nor there. As I sampled the new sour flavored Skittles I knew right away that holding a conversation with anyone while eating them could result in a skittle flavored spittle catastrophe, and should be avoided at all costs. Your salivary glands will be kicked into overdrive the second you pop a few of these bad boys in your mouth. The familiar candy coated fruity goodness is back, but the unique sour crystals coating the outside will surely deliver a swift kick to the pants. Be on the look out for the ever-elusive “ice-cream� flavor. (I will find you.)

Candy of the Month: Hubba Bubba Sour Gummi Tape

Flavors: Roll #1 (Raging Blue Raspberry)

Roll #2 (Shocking Strawberry)

Welcome back to another installment of “Candy of the Futureâ€?. This month we’ve got something special for all you fun loving sour tongues out there. Hubba Bubba, the famous creators of the Bubble Tape, bring you something exciting in the next evolution of Bubble Tape. Now I’m a fact man, and if someone tells me they are giving me 6 feet of bubble gum, dog gone it I want to make sure I’m getting my monies worth. If you’ve ever actually taken out the bubble tape, and measured from start to finish, you will indeed find that they don’t lie when they give you 6 feet of gum wrapped up in a pseudo measuring tape type canister. When you unroll the glory of 6 feet, you will unfortunately find that the 6 feet of measured tape needs to be rolled back up. Not fun for those that have fell to the same fate as I. But don’t feel stupid, we’ve all done it one time or another.

Here we have the newest release of what bubble tape will soon become. Now don’t get me wrong, you will still be able to find your original 6 feet of fun, but the release of the new Sour Gummi Tape is sure to rock your socks off! First we are given Raging Blue Raspberry and Shocking Strawberry. It’s coated with extreme sour crystals, much like the ones found in the glaciers of the Himalayas (it was on a candy expedition through the mountain range in search of the lost chocolate city, I will blog about that later).

This is not like the usual bubble tape gum that you can smack on for hours at a time. This is more of a soft Gummi substance that is easy to chew and goes down smooth. I was expecting some sort of flavored bubble gum, but I guess I should have read the cover, sour GUMMI tape, not sour bubble tape. Hence the gummi surprise. But it’s a great treat that takes the sour level to new heights. It packs a full sour punch with a nice gummi after effect. My recommendation is to savor the coating and let the gummi dissolve away in your mouth. Heck, you have 6 feet of it, try it however you want. But if you want the real effect, take your time. This guy isn’t going anywhere, as I say before, you have 6 feet of it.

Hubba Bubba has made that trademark “6 feet of fun� a staple on the Generation-X lifestyle for quite sometime now. And with the release of these guys, which are set to hit shelfs in February 2007 they are going to make an even bigger impression in a big way. 2007 might just be the year of Wrigley. They have been releasing new items since the Dark Chocolate Altoids in November 2006. To the new Orbit gum Mint Mojito and Raspberry Mint, Life Savors Fruit Tarts and now the Sour Gummi Tape. And by the looks of their calendar, they have many more surprises up their sleeve that are sure to make your head spin.

Sour candies hit the market in a big way in the early 1990’s. I was a mere smidgen of a girl back then and I too, fell for the sour craze with the zeal that only a kid can have. But I’d be lying if I said that I did not appreciate sour candies now. I do! I love them! I have no idea what the appeal is, but man, do I love to punish my tongue. And the candy I chose to whip it into shape with today is the Sour Punch Straw. The package shows a silly, smiley-faced character with lightening bolts coming out of his mouth. Hmmm…now I don’t know if lightening bolts will shoot out of my mouth when I eat this, but for safety’s sake, let’s say they do. I have cleared my desk of all papers, flammable material, put my phone in a safe place and have a large bottle of water present. Here goes nothing…

I bite, I chew and ladies and gentlemen…no lightening bolts! Huzzah! But what I do get is a sour, fruity treat. A chewy “straw� of sour goodness. It tastes just like a blue raspberry should. Wait a minute…aren’t raspberries red? Magenta? Pinkish? Either way, they taste great. Now, being sour candy connoisseurs, we all know that the sour power lies in the sugary coating while the sweet side lies in the gummy candy beneath and Sour Punch Straws are no exception. I happily licked the sour goodness from the straw and chewed the gummy sweetness that was much needed. My tongue is stained a glorious blue, my eyes are tearing up just a little from that tart flavor and now is the time to take advantage of that water bottle. Excuse me, please…

It’s very hard to find good sour candy these days, but luckily for those who love both sour and sweet candy there is now a solution.  Shockers have this unique taste because at the first instant, when you put it in your mouth it tastes sour and shocking, but then it turns a little sweet. What I like to do is just suck on the candy until all the sour taste has died down, and then I chew on the remaining candy, which is deliciously sweet. They are very chewy, yet they don’t stick to your teeth.

Another great thing about shockers is that they package is a long tube that you just unwrap and pop in whatever flavor comes out. I kind of find it suspenseful, because I never know which is going to be the last flavor. Hopefully it will end up being green apple because that is my favorite. I personally think it is the sourest one and I love how it just holds the sour flavor longer than the others.

“Every flavor is super sour, but still different, and that’s what makes shockers my favorite candy,” says Whitney a sour candy connoisseur. Indeed all the flavors are uniquely wonderful. Orange has just this citric taste that makes my mouth tingle with joy. Cherry may not taste exactly like a cherry, but it sure does burst in my mouth. Blue raspberry has this way of just melting into the sweet candy, and eventually melting away. Grape is unfortunately kind of rare in some rolls making it a bit more enjoyable to eat. Green apple is tremendously sour and I just love that. Luckily for me that was the last one!