As Monica correctly alluded to in her love ‘em or hate ‘em candies, taffy is definitely a divisive confection. I happen to be a lover of this candy, ever since the days I journeyed to Catalina and discovered what taffy is.
As a product, taffy doesn’t really have a large niche in the candy aisle. Most people only know it in its small, saltwater form. There are, however, a few big logo names out there. Yes, both Airheads and Starburst are forms of taffy (a lot of people have an “oh yeah†moment when they hear this). But even if it might not be as popular as these other two forms, the most recognized brand of taffy out there is probably Wonka’s Laffy Taffy.
Most people identify Laffy Taffy with the small little pieces purchased as penny candy or in bulk that contain jokes (which I tend to find not funny) on the back. The small ones come in a variety of single flavors. This product also has two other forms. One is a taffy rope, which is essentially the small pieces just in a longer, rope format. The second is a spinoff product called Stretchy and Tangy Laffy Taffy.
The stretchy and tangy variety consists of about an eight-inch bar of taffy. I have seen it at various gas stations mostly, which is where I bought mine, and was curious about them to see if the stretchy and tangy part made them taste any different from their smaller counterparts. Since most of the seven flavors this product offers are duplicates of the smaller product, I chose the strawberry-banana bar, as it had no equivalent mini form.
The taffy is a pastel pink that is soft as far as taffy viscosity goes. I took a whiff of it and my nose was what I can only describe as attacked by this fruity smell that didn’t come off as inviting. Like the name suggests, this product is pretty stretchy, as I discovered when I spent five seconds trying to yank off a small chunk. Doing so, I couldn’t escape the feeling of a greasy residue coating my fingers I pulled the piece apart.
As for the taste, I would say this has a tangy note to it compared to the classic version, but on its own merits it’s rather bitter and acidic. Though my tolerance for products most people find overwhelming is fairly high (see my review on Junior Fruit Cremes), these caused enough of a burning sensation in my throat that I had to drink some water.
Emblematic of the greasy residue, whatever flavor is in this bar is muted by a waxy coating on your tongue. The small flavor that does penetrate is fruity, but it’s not identifiable to me as strawberry or banana. You could have called it Snozberry or Mixed-Berry, and I wouldn’t have known the difference.
On a positive note for this product, I did enjoy the consistency and the chew. It had a nice toughness to it that made it easy to chew without having to overdo it and winding up with a sore jaw.
Overall, this was a letdown for me. Though I find the classic version to be fairly innocuous, they are much better than the stretchy and tangy variety. Taffy should be limited to small pieces that burst in flavor. But maybe the other flavors of this product are better? If so, then you won’t find out from me, as this bar put me off the stretchy and tangy variety. So in the end, Wonka, I have a joke for you:
Why doesn’t Robby like the Strawberry-Banana Stretchy and Tangy Bar?
Because no one enjoys eating a fruit-scented candle.
Buy Stretchy and Tangy Hanna Strawberry-Banana Laffy Taffy Online:
- at Candy Crate
- at Candy Direct
- at Amazon.com
The funny part about those jokes is that they are not funny at all! I love laffy taffy… They dont sell them where I live. Its so sad!
I love this site, btw.
September 29th, 2008 at 3:55 ami remember buying smaller taffy bars at the skating rink when i was younger (that seems rather dangerous as an adult) that had big colorful sprinkles–sugar crystal looking things, if i remember right. does anyone remember if those were also laffy taffy?
September 29th, 2008 at 7:56 amDarcy b, I know what you’re talking about! Those were Tangy Taffy, and they were delicious! I think Laffy Taffy owns them now, though, but they don’t make the sprinkle kind anymore.
September 29th, 2008 at 8:37 am“Snozzberry? Who ever heard of a snozzberry?”
September 29th, 2008 at 11:37 amI never really loved Laffy Taffy, but the jokes always made me groan.
Dude,
I. Love. Laffy-Taffy. Seriously, I’d never tasted the stuff, always assuming it would be beyond gross (like most Wonka Candies), but after trying it for the first time last May, I found it strangely addictive. I’m not usually a huge fan of fake flavorings, but I found the uber-banana tastier than the real deal. The candy’s waxiness was slightly disturbing at first, along with the noticeable chemical reactions that take place as you chew…but they grew on me. Then again, if it weren’t for the fact that laffy-taffy were the only edibles in my apartment at the time, and I weren’t too cheap to buy real food, they likely wouldn’t have had a chance to.
September 30th, 2008 at 8:16 pmI’m glad you posted this! I was going to buy some today for my grandfather (I got him hooked on banana Laffy-Taffies when I was a kid, back when they were sold in the little wax-paper squares and I could eat two dollars worth (a LOT!) in one sitting :P) and I nearly bought a few bucks worth before realizing they were the ones you reviewed! I decided against it, and now I’m on the hunt for a large supply of the original banana flavor ones for some stocking stuffers :P
October 1st, 2008 at 4:10 amLaffy Taffy is the only taffy I really like.
October 1st, 2008 at 9:02 amRobby, I think you should consider an additional review because the other flavors of “Stretchy & Tangy Laffy Taffy” are delicious and in my opinion even better than the small ones.
Laffy Taffys, small and big, are my favorite candy and I think the addition of the 2 new flavors of ‘Sammy Strawberry’ and ‘strawberry+banana’ can inaccurately turn people away from ONE OF THE MOST DELICIOUS CANDIES EVER INVENTED, and that would be a horrible thing. I have loved the small laffy taffys and loved even more “Tangy Taffys” which I thought we’re discontinued, but instead renamed to “Stretchy and Tangy Laffy Taffy” which are delicious except for the new flavors…just find the original flavors.
You absolutely must try the flavors of Herman Grape, Wally Watermelon (with seeds), Jerry Cherry, and Jerry Cherry (with sprinkles). These have been my addiction for years and have almost replaced my original small sized laffy taffy addiction. When Strawberry came out I was very disappointed with the taste and your review was accurate, but its misleading because you just happened to choose the wrong flavor.
October 30th, 2008 at 8:57 pmI loved thsi candy as a kid. A tip for getting around the stretchiness. If you slap it against a table (while still in its wrapper, it will shatter into small pieces. So you can stretch it or break it to share.
November 15th, 2008 at 11:48 pmI bought two of these at an amusement park yesterday. I thought I bought watermelon, but I guess not. While I was eating one on the dark bus on the way home, I thought it was strawberry. When I actually got home I saw that both of them were…cherry. It doesn’t really taste anything like the regular Laffy Taffy cherry flavor, which is one of my favorite candies. Oh well.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:28 pmI am conversely happy and sad to read this review. I was addicted to this candy when it was known as “Tangy Taffy” and not housed under the Laffy Taffy brand. Tangy Taffy’s offering of this candy was two different colors, the top half being the pastel pink you describe and the bottom half being yellow. I think they actually tasted different, matching their color, but it’s been awhile. The mix of flavors together was perfection to me and I usually hate taffy, although I always ate it somewhat more like a sucker than taffy. I just figured out that Laffy Taffy is offering this now and while I am curious how it actually compares to the original candy I am disappointed that the candy is no longer two different colors. I don’t expect good things after reading this. =(
June 28th, 2011 at 8:48 am