Pretty much my favorite aisle of any grocery store - anywhere in the world - is the candy aisle. Every culture loves sweets of some kind or another, and seeing what constitutes "candy" in different countries is a hoot. In both mini-markets in France and the Asian market just outside Portland, for instance, flavored marshmallows are on offer - it's just the flavors that are different.

For Christmas, my brother had a traveling friend bring back a Cadbury Crunchie bar for me from, I think, Greece. I first had a Crunchie when I was in Australia in 1992, when those kinds of "foreign delicacies" weren't available stateside (at least not where I was from). I just ate my Christmas gift, and it brought back memories of Oz. The good news is that one of the small grocery stores where I live carries some UK goodies, including the Crunchie.

When I went to the UK later in 1992, I developed an insane fondness for the Wispa bar, which I only made worse when, before leaving the London airport after a 2003 visit, I bought an entire boxful of Wispas. That lasted me a few months. I found out last year that Cadbury has stopped making Wispas (R.I.P.), and I think I might be close to done with the mourning process now.

What are your favorite foreign candies?

I think these are just in my blood...but I love tamarind candies (tamarind coated in sugar and some chili), prune and plum (preserved) candies from Thailand, and the tamarind and plum flavored tablet candies. They always scare people off when I try to get people to try them. It's pretty entertaining to see the faces people make when they try them too. But I love them.

Mexican tamarind candies are some of my favorites, too.

Chocolates...I always take a sampling of chocolates from everywhere I go. Belgian chocolate...by far the best.

quote:

I found out last year that Cadbury has stopped making Wispas (R.I.P.)

So THAT'S what happened to them! I loved those things. I wondered where they went, I have been looking for them lately and haven't found them. No wonder.

As for your original post, I am so with you! I grew up as a serious sugar-hound (still that way, I'm proud to say) and scouting out sweets in different locales in always fun. Some of the most interesting are in Asia, they are available in many of the asian food shops in Vancouver and everyone is addicted to Pocky there as a result, and lychee jelly cups are delish.

And dutch licorice, drool.....

But the best will always be the sweets of my childhood, Rowntree's Fruit Gums, Pastilles and Bassett's Jelly Babies. Heaven.

I've never found a chocolate candy anywhere that is as tasty as a good ole Reeses Peanutbutter Cup.

quote:

Originally posted by braslvr:
I've never found a chocolate candy anywhere that is as tasty as a good ole Reeses Peanutbutter Cup.

Except for Paul Newman's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. Yow.

I totally agree with Wayard. I went to England when I was ten and have been savagely addicted to the rowntrees fruit pastilles ever since(20 years)

Minstrels and Ripples are the best I think. Galaxy makes such lovely things.

Ginger Candy, it is so sweet and hot at the same time. I love it.

Candied dates, I fell in love with these when I was in Egypt and now order them whenever I get the chance. It brings back some great memories.

Those of you who like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups would love my favorite candy from the Philippines: Choc'nut. It's so good and along with dried mangoes, it's what you'll find in every visiting Filipino's luggage. Either because it was requested of him by a fellow Pinoy, or he's bringing it for his own greedy consumption.

Sherbert Lemons, toffee, carmels, chocolate, really any candy from the UK.

Though LImoncello filled candies from Italy weren't bad either.

I'm not sure if the little red gummy fish I love are actually Swedish, but we always called them Swedish Fish. They've got a really distinctive taste, and I find them addictive. Anyone know if they're really from Sweden or if that's a ploy to make me feel international when I'm scarfing them down by the handful?

Ah, so they are Swedish!

Yan Yan! Japanese snack food of biscuit sticks and chocolate and strawberry cream to dip in...

It even has its own wikipedia entry !

There's also a similar Japanese food, Pocky

ok.. so it's not technically a candy but you can find it in the candy aisle...

I have to say marshmaloow Peeps that we have here in the US for Easter.