When I went to the All Candy Expo I saw all sorts of candy, from the simplest hard candies to the newest, most progressive gourmet chocolate bars. Out of all the candy I saw and tasted while I was there, some of best were the Medlow Fine Fruit Gels.
I have something to confess: I have a special soft spot for Pate de Fruit. Yes, I love chocolate with all my heart, as well as retro candies and other sweets that I have no need to mention. I swooned over the Pate de Fruit samples sent for my Charles Chocolates review, and some may remember my love for the Whole Food’s variety. There’s something about the simplicity and sophistication of this classic candy that just makes me go weak in the knees. So my discovery of the Medlow Fine Fruit Gels at the Expo was one of the many high points of the trip.
Medlow Fine Fruit gels are made in Australia and, therefore, are imported to the US. This unfortunately makes them difficult to find. I am lucky enough to have a grocery store near me carry them. I certainly felt luck smiling at me when I was doing my shopping one day to find them staring at my from a shelf.
The gels are made using pectin fruit juice which is boiled, cooled, cut into squares and rolled in granular sugar. These particular gels have a very intense and succulent flavor. The texture is wonderful too – firm and smooth and the granulated sugar coating gives it a nice subtle graininess.
Citrus Mix:
Green: Lime. It has a fresh lime flavor. I do get that sort of “window cleaner” taste with it, but that’s hard to avoid with lime. They did a good job since it’s not a dominant note in the gel. It has a slight zestiness to it that really comes through toward the end.
Yellow: Lemon. Very light, fresh and sweet. Not a lot of zest in it at all, which surprised me. The flavor is very mellow and pleasant and it’s very refreshing to eat.
Light Pink: Grapefruit. Oh, this flavor is nice! You get all the nuances of real grapefruit in there. A little sourness, a little zestiness and a little sweetness. So good. They really managed to catch the true essence in grapefruit in this and it’s just divine. My favorite.
Red-Orange: Orange. It’s very mild at first, but quickly becomes a bold flavor. It has a fresh orange taste with a subtle zest to it. I get a very juicy sensation from this flavor and it’s very nice.
Berry Mix:
Pink: Very sweet and tastes of strawberry. It’s very fresh and authentic tasting starting with a nice fruity sweetness and then mellowing into that subtle tartness that strawberries have. Very nicely done.
Rose: Berries, and mostly blackberry. It has that robust sweetness accentuated with strong floral notes. Really tastes like a fresh blackberry and it’s very authentic.
Red: Raspberry I believe. It has a more tart presence than the other two, but still has that juicy, rich raspberry flavor.
Overall, I really love these and am so very glad that I found them. I only wish they were easier to find here in the US so that other Pate de Fruit enthusiasts can give them a try too. Even if you’re not sure if you like Pate de Fruit or, heaven forbid, you’ve never tried it before, please give Medlow Fine Fruit Gels a try. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed!
Ahhh, finally! Something which I can find in almost every store here! LOL, Sera, it’s nice to have the shoe on the other foot for once – usually I’m reviewing American stuff which I can’t find in great quantities (if at all.)
…and on my next trip to the US, I’ll have to bring you some. :)
MichelleG
February 20th, 2008 at 2:17 amAwesome, I’m so glad you finally found some! It sounds like the citrus mix is right up my alley.
February 20th, 2008 at 2:37 pmThey even have chocolate covered versions of them!?
February 21st, 2008 at 4:54 pmHave you ever tried La Maison Du Chocolat’s Pate de Fruits? How would you compare?
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:49 pmI know what you mean! I love chocolate very much but there’s something so unique and special about pate de fruit. I think it’s partly that so many candies don’t taste anything like real foods, and pate de fruit goes so far in the other direction – it can almost taste MORE like strawberries or pears or whatever than a strawberry or a pear does. It’s so concentrated and nice.
February 24th, 2008 at 6:58 pmthose so-called ‘fine fruit gels’ are just an over-glorified version of the classic “gum drop”. chewy, gummy, fruit-flavored, and coated in sugar. essentially the same, probably cheaper, too. :/
March 11th, 2008 at 12:36 pmhey, MARUKAWA, there nowheres like a basic “gumdrop”, fruit gels have a lighter, and jelly lik texture. while gumdrops are chewy, and have a tendency to stick to teeth.
August 12th, 2008 at 12:21 amWe are the manufacturers of Medlow Fruit Gels in Adelaide, South Australia. We would like to resume supply to America. Can you please advise a suitable importer.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:19 pmThanks and kind regards
Mary