Candy Review: Starburst Baja California Fruit Chews

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 - by Robby

As much as I enjoy trying new candy, the oddest things can put me off from doing so. Sometimes I don’t like the packaging or the description appears unappetizing. For Starburst Baja California Fruit Chews, it was the flavor selection that disappointed me.

In theory, the idea of a set of flavors indigenous to Baja California sounds interesting, but I never considered any of the flavors on the packet that representative of the region. However, I have always been partial to one of the four flavors, so when a coworker offered me some pieces that she bought from the CVS across the street, I thought it was finally time to give these a try.

Limon: O.K. First thing first. The flavor Limon is a portmanteau. A what you ask? A portmanteau is the combining of two words into one, and in this case it’s lemon and lime (see, who says candy isn’t informative?). Anywho, the piece is citrusy, like Sprite, but an odd hint of cream embedded as an aftertaste. Though it wasn’t terrible, it was odd having both a lemon and lime mix without any acidity. The lime was more prominent of the two, and it resembled a tropical variation on Lime Midgees.

Strawberry Watermelon: So what’s the deal with this one? I don’t consider strawberries or watermelons to be very “Baja-esque.” The flavor is very reminiscent of the original strawberry chew, as the watermelon exists as a muddled afterthought that complicates the flavor unnecessarily.

Baja Dragon Fruit: This was the one flavor I was anticipating with excitement. I adore dragon fruit, and it’s only slowly breaking into the food world as an antioxidant-rich fruit. There are several different citrus notes here, turning into almost a punch, meshed with an artificial blue raspberry flavor, and even an indiscriminate berry. None of this is indicative of what a dragon fruit tastes like, and though it makes for a decent punch flavor, it’s not what the name claims.

Aztec Punch: To my knowledge, the Aztecs had very little presence in Baja California. Just another weird component of this set I suppose. I am reminded a great deal of Hawaiian Punch, and alternately, the similarly flavored Tropical Lifesaver. It’s not too sweet, and most strongly resembles the original cherry chew, with some pineapple and acid mixed in.

In my experience, the harder you try to make something appear tasty and complex, the more likely it is going to be bungled and botched. Though the premise for this candy is a good one, the pitfalls are readily apparent. None of the flavors successfully produce a harmonious and well-balanced taste. That is because each is overridden with too many things occurring simultaneously. I feel the original Starburst have always worked so well because people appreciate the satisfying taste of something identifiable to the palate.

• Starburst Website

Buy Starburst Baja California Fruit Chews Online:

• at Candy Direct
• at Amazon.com