When I was 8 or 9 years old (in ‘78 or ‘79), my dad was in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany and I remember getting this candy there. I have done some searching online and can’t find any references to this candy. If anyone has had this candy or knows what I’m talking about, please email me or leave a comment on this post….
The candy came in seashells like the ones seen above (I’m not sure what they are called). They used the seashells as a container for the candy. The candy was like hard candy – maybe like a Jolly Rancher type candy that was poured into the shell then allowed to harden (I am assuming that’s how it was made). The candy itself I am almost positive was a cola flavor (though it might have been root beer). You ate the candy by just licking it out of the shell. I am also almost positive that these were real seashells that were used and not plastic.
I don’t remember the packaging at all – I’m not sure if they came in packs or if they were sold individually or if they had a name brand or a wrapper or anything. I don’t know if the candy was German or not, though we definitely bought them in Germany.
Does this ring a bell with anyone? I’m going to email my Mom a link to this post and see if she remembers these. I’ll update you if she remembers or if anyone emails me.
Also…if anyone else has a candy from your childhood that you can’t remember the name of, contact me and if I don’t know what it is, I’ll post it for all the world to see and maybe we can get an answer. I have another one of my own I’ll post sometime too.
UPDATE: Thanks to some kind readers, they have been found at GermanDeli.com
tags: candy cola seashell shell shells edible german germany
Those are scallop shells.
December 15th, 2005 at 11:57 amMaybe these are the ones you’re talking about?
http://cgi.ebay.de/Suesse-Schleckmuscheln-Dose-a-100-Stueck-OVP-Lutscher_W0QQitemZ7184296731QQcategoryZ48147QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
They’re the only ones I’ve ever heard of, and I am German. :-)
December 16th, 2005 at 5:52 amAlas, I don’t think they’re Cola flavoured.
I found a website that has them they are called hitschler sube schleckmuscheln and you can order them on http://germandeli.com, cheaply too. They also have the big cookie hearts and kinder eggs
December 16th, 2005 at 10:18 amI hooupe you get this and email me back. I came across your message about the seashell candy as I was searching the net trying to find the candy and found your posting. Her is where the coincidence comes in. I also had the candy when I was 8 -9 years old and my father was also stationed in Germany. Bittburg German to be exact. Please email me back as there is a possiblility that we knew each other. It is a small world after all. I hope to hear from you D:
May 17th, 2006 at 11:20 pmI was in Germany as a kid also. It was in 1969 and 70. I remember the same candies that we used to buy on base. I think they were honey flavor. We knew them as honey shells and I can’t find them either.
July 2nd, 2006 at 9:43 pmI was in Kitzingen,Germany from 1965-72 and we used to buy honey shells from a German man that sold candy and fresh fruit out of his station wagon…yes my sister and I are still searching german websites…Good Luck!
July 15th, 2006 at 10:46 ami used to love these. they were 10 Pfennig (5cents) each at a kiosk :)
August 10th, 2006 at 12:48 pmI was just going through older postings, and I saw this, and thought that perhaps Anna or someone else here could answer my question. Here goes. A few years ago I lived in Munich for about two months. Being the candy addict I am, I explored all sorts of wonderful German candy. My favorite, however, has come to elude me in the States. I ended up leaving rather abruptly, and didn’t manage to bring a package home with me. It’s a mistake I kick myself for every day. The candy comes in a regular hanging bag, and looks a lot like the candy shown here: http://www.candyfavorites.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=784&pname=Gummi+Ice+Cream+
August 17th, 2006 at 1:39 pmHowever, I know it wasn’t American, and this candy has been discontinued, so I can’t even try it to see if it’s the same. The texture was kind of a cross between a gummi and a mallowcreme – easier to chew than a gummi, but a little firmer than a mallowcreme. I believe the four flavors were strawberry, cherry, orange, and lemon, but I could be wrong about that. Thanks for any help!
I used to eat the shellcandy as a kid too. I definitely remember that they came in green, yellow and red, but the flavours didn’t really differ all that much. the shells were definitely made of plastic btw. I remember how I used to try to break the candy out of the bendable shell because I found it annoying having to lick it out of the shell, which took ages.
@Caitlin: is the candy you’re talking about striped like that? I’m not sure if the campino ones are soft (I don’t like them myself so never buy them – I think they’re actually hard) but they are from storck http://www.storck.com/de/brand/campino/
these are soft: http://www.trolli.de/artwork/produkte/produkte/deutsch/150g/thumbs/soft_ice_gums_150g.gif
September 14th, 2006 at 6:50 amThey’re definitely not the campino ones, but the soft ice gums look very promising. I’m going to see if I can find any place to get them over here. Thanks so much for that!
September 21st, 2006 at 7:22 pmI was in Augsburg, Germany from 1970-1976, and we also used to buy candy from a German man who sold it out of his van. I’ve had those honey shells many times! My absolute favorites were his little Gummi Bears, and Coke Bottle gummis. Of course, the original ones are impossible to find in the states. They have gummi bears and different gummi “things”, but there is nothing like the original.
October 5th, 2006 at 3:08 pmI was online looking for this candy, which I have looked for off and on for 4 years. I had this candy while my father was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army. I was about 10 (in 1985). A German lady in a minivan used to come to the Post in Illesheim, Germany. We called her the “Candy Lady”. She would ring her bell and open up the back of her van which she had filled with candy. We would give her two marks and she would fill a cone shaped sack with the candy we wanted until our money was used up. One of the candies she sold were seashells filled with fruit flavored candy. Thank you for your posts!
December 9th, 2006 at 3:30 pmHey, I have a candy I would like to know about…my dad was stationed in Ansbach, Germany, ‘65-’67. We called them “Grapies”, because it was a hard, grape-flavored candy. It was so dark, it looked black and appeared to have a “frosted” coating, which was simply the result of being rubbed together in the bin. They were about an inch long and looked “braided”, if you will. Anyone know what these were? Like everything else, we could buy them in a paper cone for a Deutche Mark. Help, anyone?
January 14th, 2007 at 8:56 pmCan anyone help me find a candy that is NOT chocolate, but a thin candy shell like a Jordan almond, but filled with liquor? Thank you! 4glickbergs@gmail.com
February 1st, 2007 at 12:01 pmThank you very much. I have been looking for the sea shell candies for years, I to lived in germany, my father was in the army, we were station in stutgart—( pattonville) 76-79 i’m getting ready to order some now….thanks again
February 11th, 2007 at 4:16 pmI am originally from germany & go back home every 2 years. I too remember that seashell, but it started out being made of honey and then in the later years they started making it in the hard candy style. My husband is an army ‘brat’ & has fond memories of the honey style. Every time we go home we are on the hunt for the honey, but all we can find is the hard candy type. My family lives near Oppenheim Germany & I speak & email them alot and most every time they give me an update of their hunt for the elusive “honey” seashell.
February 12th, 2007 at 9:09 pmAlles gutes und mit freundlichen Grüssen
This is too funny. I have talked about these honey shells for years and NO ONE knoew what I was talking about. I too am a service brat from Germany.. Thank you all for the great information and the confirmation!
March 29th, 2007 at 8:53 pmHello,
I too was an army brat. My dad was stationed in Manheim Germany back in the 70’s. I too have been searching for this hard shell candy.
The shell I remember though I think was a real shell also, but it was filled with honey that was hardened. I am also looking for Sprudel Water, I can’t find it anywhere. I have done several searches, but not finding it. Can someone help? Believe it or not, WalMart carried it at one time, and I didn’t keep the bottle and can’t remember the brand name of it.
April 11th, 2007 at 10:43 pmHow funny to read all the comments about the honey shell candies. I, too, have been searching for them for years. My family was stationed in Weisbaden in ‘64 & ‘65. I was in the 2nd and 3rd grade. They sold them at a local family-run store near our apt. The first time we went in for candy, my brother and I were literally swept out of the store by a big German woman with a broom. We were opening all the glass jars of candy ourselves! The next time we went, we pointed to what we wanted. I also loved the little square fizzy candies. Those shells with the hard honey in them were great! I can still taste them!
May 2nd, 2007 at 10:14 pmI ate these all the time! Heidelberg, 76-79. I remember them as plastic shells and a honey flavor , but hard. What I can’t find are these sticks of fizzy candy we loved. Anyone remember those?
May 15th, 2007 at 9:45 pmHi erin,
I am German and I think, I know what you mean… there are these plastic-straw-like tubes filled with powder, closed at bot ends and you eiteher have to chew the powder out of the straw (which you have opened with your teet) or you have cut it open and let the powder rain into your mouth….
we call them Brausestangen, but I found out they are called Schleckpulverstangen (Lick-Powder-Rod, I think lol)
I could send you some, if you want lol
only if I am right of course lol
here are some pix:
(here you can also order them)
http://www.worldofsweets.de/shop/traubenzucker/artikel/schleckpulverstangen/
or
http://www.sidral.net/SIDRAL2005/productos/canas/indexe.htm
Hugs, KiKi (fellow Sweets-Addict)
May 25th, 2007 at 6:18 amAnd now for something COMPLETELY different…from an old-timer too. My dad was in the AIR FORCE and we were stationed in Loan, France for two years (60 – 62) then Toul Rossiers (sp?), France (62 – 64) for two years until that idiot De Galle kicked America out of France. I remember seashell candy there too; it was most definately in a REAL shell, came in lollypop flavors of which I always fought with my brothers for the root beer-flavored ones first, came in a crackly plastic bag of 20 – 25 or so with red writing on it. We bought them (or begged for them to be bought for us) in the boulongerie (bread store and sort of little corner market) when my mom shopped there. We didn’t live on base, we lived ‘on the economy’ and occasionally we were given a few centimes and allowed to go to the store ourselves and we always pooled our money for a bag of these. Maybe later versions were put into plastic shells, this certainly would have been more sanitary, but the originals were real shells and I know this because I still have some. They are about 1 1/2 to 2 inches across the widest part of the shell, a regular looking ‘clam’ shell, like the Shell gas logo, and very white. I have mentioned this to a candy-making friend of mine and he says he has no idea how he would sanitize a real seashell to the FDA’s satisfaction. I said so put them through a dishwasher and who would know? He’s only local so what would it matter? Well, with everyone suing everyone now-a-days I suppose it does. Is there anyone out there that was stationed at these AF bases with their families? If so I would love to reminisce with you about that. Contact me at bumpgirl@yellowbananas.com. Jean in rural PA
May 27th, 2007 at 4:22 pmOh those shells! We lived in K-Town in the late 60s and I remember the German man with the van filled with all sorts of wonderful candies but especially the shells! I seem to recall a striped pattern in the shells and a very glossy finish. If it were honey it must have been colored somehow. I seem to recall green, red and perhaps brown or black. I thought the shells were white and real but I was only 4!
May 28th, 2007 at 2:33 amI was also an Army brat. My family was stationed at various bases around Germany including Frankfurt, Kaiserslautern, and others that I can’t spell.I have many fond childhood memories of the great candy that you could find only in Germany. The seashell candies. in an actual seashell, are one of these memories. A friend of mine just returned from Germany. Before she left I asked her to bring me some of these candies. She came back with candy in fake looking plastic shells. These are the ones she thought I was describing. I guess they don’t make the real shell candy anymore. Increased Product safety has caused alot of products to change or disappear.I imagine the shells could break and cut a childs mouth. Anyway, you are not mistaken – these candies WERE originally manufactured with real seashells.
June 1st, 2007 at 2:05 pmAldi Süd in Germany now provides the sea shell candy on a semi regular(about every six months IIRC) basis. It is packaged with other classics and is named retro candy. Among the goodies are edible necklaces. My kids go nuts over them. The shells are now made of some sort of ceramic, but still pretty authentic.
July 15th, 2007 at 1:00 pmWe were stationed in Wiesbaden Germany from 1977-78 and we
August 1st, 2007 at 4:33 pmalso loved the shell honey candy. We always bought them from a little candy shop in Bierstadt which was right around the corner from our housing area. I have looked for years for this candy! I am glad to know that I am know not crazy telling people about this candy. I remember that they were in plastic shells and tasted like honey. We all loved them. I am glad there is a way to order them again.
I sure do miss all the wonderful german food that we enjoyed while we were stationed there! I found out after I got back to the states that I actually had german cousins still living over in Germany somewhere! Also found out that my whole ancestery is German!! Wish I would have known while I was there!!
I was an army child too. I remember these too and the candy inside the shell was kinda of a honey flavor. I also remember the kids beer and there was this sweetart candy that kinda foamed in your mouth. I loved the old german stores it was like heaven as a kid to go into.
August 2nd, 2007 at 3:17 pmHussel’s confectionary in Germany makes the plastic shell candy with the hardened honey. My brother found them in a candy store somewhere in Germany 7/07. I’ve seen the shells with the jolly rancher type candy, but the memory I have is of the honey candy. I was an army brat in Mannheim in the late 60s and the honey candy came in real seashells.
August 5th, 2007 at 8:30 pmOk here’s my story
We left Germany in 1961.. Lived in a number of places but the last was Aschaffenburg, but we were in Wiesbaden, Frankfurt, Munich, actually all over the country. From 1951 to 1961 when I was ten.
We used to get these Shell candies because they were cheap. I remember paying just 2 phennigs a piece for them. We had little money but always managed to get at least one for the four of us brothers. They were in real scallop shells. They were a hard poured candy with a golden color and a taste much like honey mixed with anise.. We used to lick at these all day. They last a good long time…
Never say them again but from what I read above they lived on for a time..
Undoubtedly the candy you see now was copied from the original. And as stated safety concerns probably preempt anyone from doing it like they used to.
Germany was a poor country in the early fifties and a lot of folks did what they could to make ends meet. We had candy vendors selling on Post as well.. It’s really strange to hear t went on for decades…
I was searching and funny these posts came up. I enjoyed the memories of so many and that we all remember how good being a kid then was. Actually there was much misery as well but that is forgotten…
Thank you
August 16th, 2007 at 3:42 amI remember the shells. I am looking for SOUR TONGUES, anybody remember those? I NEED THEM! I can not seem to find a site with them anywhere. The ones that did have them don’t anymore. please email me with any ideas at mikemadie@yahoo.com
Thanks
August 21st, 2007 at 8:49 amHi Guys-
I have a candy I have been trying to find for 10 years.
We would buy it on base in Ramstein when a candy vendor would come and sell stuff outside the Commisary, It was all kinds of bulk candy, gummies mostly, but he had some soft caramels that were individually wrapped in paper and I think they were yellow with white and had a cow on them.
Anybody???
Thank so much!!!
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:57 pmPlease Help! I’m desperate. My dad was stationed in Frankfurt, Germany in 77-78.
August 24th, 2007 at 1:37 pmI used to get this candy that was like a square block wrapped in foil that fizzed in your mouth. Can’t find this anywhere in the US. Does anyone know anything about this candy…Would appreciate ANY info
TRY THIS LINK, DOESN’T HAVE SOUR TONGUES, STILL LOOKING BUT MAYBE YOUR CANDY WILL Bhttp://www.aquarterof.co.uk/?ongues/E HERE.
August 29th, 2007 at 7:54 amHi! I lived in German in the early 70’s in Budigen (only a baby then) and in Darmstadt in the early to mid 80’s (my Father was stationed there). My friends and I used to buy these chocolates wrapped in a blue tin foil wrapper and I believe they had Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck pictures on the outside wrapper. Does anyone remember these or know where I can buy them? I think they were popular over there. I remember seeing them everywhere at supermarkets, shopping squares and buying them off of the candy truck where we lived. Thanks so much!!! Gretchen
October 25th, 2007 at 2:00 pmThanks,
December 14th, 2007 at 6:53 pmI remember this candy as a child as well. My father was also stationed in Germany. I was about 5-6 years old. I thought they might have been filled with a honey hard tack candy. They are the best. Thanks to your web, I am now able to find them and share with others. As for the candy filled with liquor, try the Vermont Candy Co.
My father was stationed in France and Germany from 1963-1967.
April 6th, 2008 at 5:16 pmI have been searching for the French (real) seashell candy that tastes like a great lollipop.
We lived near the base in Toul, France. I remember buying them in the French village near a bakery.
I also remember all the great goodies the Germans sold to us kids on base (K-Town & B-Town). Gummi motorcycles are my favorite.
Anyone remember the ice cream on little double cones in Germany. I have never in my life had such great ice cream. How about the cream puffs from the bread man in his van? We all were lucky to have had such great European candies and breads at least for a period in our lives.
Pamela #36
I forgot to add my e-mail address to my post.
If anyone needs to contact me about the French candy or possibly finding old friends, then please e-mail me.
April 6th, 2008 at 5:31 pmrvbh62@classicnet.net
Yes, I remember those shell candies. My dad was in the army and was stationed in Gelenhousen Germany from 1960-1964 and we use to get those candies from the local German Bakery. Does anyone remember the todo suckers? It was a hard candy, came about 3 inches tall on a plastic stick. The candy was shaped like a twirl on top of the stick. They came in different flavors. Please help. No one remembers them.
April 9th, 2008 at 9:04 pmOooo, the shell candies are so pretty ^_^
April 9th, 2008 at 9:10 pmThey still exist. I am from Germany so I’ve to know it ;) you can buy them in german old shops but iam not sure if they ship them…
but you can also buy them here: http://gdcom.stores.yahoo.net/hissc15.html
http://gdcom.stores.yahoo.net/hisusc15.html
hope it works…
April 14th, 2008 at 6:38 amSounds like we were all army brats at the same time. I also was in Augsburg in the early 70s. Came back to Oklahoma in 72. Love the German fizzies, sour sticks and shell candy. Would love to go back. Was also in Schwabicsh Gmuend in late 60s.
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:34 pmMy father was stationed at Manhiem Germany from ‘63-’69. I remember the shell candy very well. Funny thing is though when I mentioned them to my brother not too long ago he didn’t remember them. What he remembered were the coke bottle gummies and the fish gummies. I am so happy to learn that I wasn’t having a false memory. Army Brats Rule!!
June 28th, 2008 at 8:57 pmThanks everybody who wrote about those good ol’ SHELL CANDIES. We were stationed in Laon, France 1957-61 and all the kids loVed them! I didn’t realize Germans had em too. We went back to France much later and -gosh darnit- they were harder to find and smaller, no longer filled to the brim or sold individually. Thanks for the links on where to find similar ones today (just wish they were real shells, like ours before; oh well, plastic is better than nothing)! Might anybody out there remember us… Joan/Denise/Bob PERIGO?
October 3rd, 2008 at 3:51 pmI too would love to find the sea-shell honey candy. We were stationed at Hahn AFB when I was a child and lived on the economy. My mother would give us money to go the store in Luffelshied (sp). I would always buy either gummy bears or the shell candy. This was in 1960-62. I you do find this candy online please let me know as I would like to show my grandchildren what they were. Was glad to find this website.
October 5th, 2008 at 12:29 pmI was also an Army brat, stationed in Frankfurt in the early 60’s. I remember the shell candy very well. It’s a subject that comes up between my older brother and I when we reminisce. I believe the candy in the real shell was barley sugar,
November 15th, 2008 at 10:30 pmalthough I don’t remember any particular flavor; perhaps honey. It was an extremely dense candy, and dragging your tongue across the chalky shell was as much a part of the flavor as the candy itself. A couple of licks and slip it back in your pocket. At eight years old, having to lick the pocket lint off was never a big deal.
hey, I’m glad I found this website, I am also an army brat, my dad was stationed in Karlsruhe, Germany, but it was ‘90-’93.. I was searching German candy truck or fruit truck online b/c I remember the “candy truck” coming and buying all sorts of goodies. I’m pregnant now and have been craving the sour tongues, or some call them sour belts.. and all the other stuff. I also remember some kind of really good ice cream from an ice cream stand, but I remember it was on mickey mouse cones or something? very vague memory, but it was freakin good! it was off base so I assume it was german.. nice to know there are other people out there w/ fond german candy memories!
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:05 pmI was in Langen Terrace (sp) in the early 70’s and used to love to go to the candy shack for the honey shells.
December 9th, 2008 at 2:17 pmWhat I miss even more are the soft strawberry chews that were coated with a red shell. Does anyone know what these were called or where they could be found??
Anyone remember the suckers that were made of the same type hard candy as the shells? They were conical in shape with the pointed end that would face yoour mouth and had a plastic toy handle? We called the toto suckers back in the day. A German lady told me once they were called a (sp) brumkrisel
December 12th, 2008 at 5:58 pm(which means a humming top) not sure but cant find those either.:-)
Hey we were in Gelnhausen from 60-63!!!
December 12th, 2008 at 6:10 pmI am also an army brat. Born in Frankfurt. We were stationed from 1961-1974 in Gelnhausen, Manheim, and landstool. not sure if I spelled all those correctly. I have read all the comments and remember all these great things along with trading comics after diner and playing marbles. This whole thing brings tears to my eyes.
Somebody should start a web site for all of us brats.
I have saved this page to my favorites and will check back from time to time for more memories.
Thank you all.
Jim
February 1st, 2009 at 1:30 amI live in germany now because my husband is stationed here and we went to a candy store in Mainz yesterday and they had some. You should give me your address and ill mail you some shells.
July 1st, 2009 at 9:25 amCristal,
2hip4u113
at
tx
dot
rr
dot
com
Admin if she cant see my EM post, could you please send it to her…
Mark
October 20th, 2009 at 2:54 pm;=]
I to lived in Germany in the 60’s… Nuremberg, Frankfurt and Hamburg. For five awesome years, no TV, no Americans (been there, done that), all I had was a few kids stuck like I was, a radio and the strange and loving Germans. I searched restricted Bunkers for war relics (and found many) and collected German miniature model war machines. I had over 1000 very tiny soldiers, Americans and Nazis, as well as every Armament you could think of…. and one more thing… hard Honey Candy in a real sea shell. I watched my real sea shells go to plastic in 3 years, and the candy went from a homemade recipe to mainstream flavors. Our maid would make them homemade after they changed the shells and flavors. I remember falling asleep listening to sci-fi radio casts from America and sucking on that sea shell…
October 20th, 2009 at 2:55 pmI could write a book… or a screen play, oh yeah, I am working on it.
Cristal, if you could send me some, I would love to try to share a part of my my youth, with my daughters….
Mark
;=]