The first thing I noticed about these jelly beans was the texture. They’re a lot softer than other jelly beans I’ve tried and they aren’t as chewy. Not that this is bad, it’s just different. Overall, the flavors reminded me of regular SweeTarts, but with some variation in the intensity of either the sweetness or tartness.
Certain candies catch my eye during the holidays that I normally avoid consuming throughout the regular year. Why? Well, by the time you gulp down whatever candy you just bought, chances are it has been sitting on a shelf for quite some time. I mean, I always see gas stations stocking limited edition bars made years ago.
However, since holiday candy is seasonal, you’re more likely to purchase a product that is fresher. And with the rare exception, candy tastes better the less it ages.
So while perusing the Valentine’s Day candy aisle at Walgreens, I spotted Wonka’s SweeTARTS Hearts. Actually, it was pretty hard to miss them with the festive packaging of blue and pink swirled in a very Wonka style. If I can find fresh SweeTARTS, I usually enjoy them, so I figured there could be great potential in these. Plus, they only cost 50 cents.
SweeTARTS are the classic, crunchy American candy. Super sweet and charged with super fruit flavors, SweeTARTS have earned their place in the candy hall of fame. Ripping open a pouch never disappoints. Sure, it may always be the last candy left in your Trick-or-Treat bag (does anyone go out and actually buy SweeTARTS?) but it’s always good in a sugar pinch.
So, let’s talk about the Wonka company’s other version of SweeTARTS, its Giant Chewy SweeTARTS. Ok, so they’re SweeTARTS that are big (that’s the “giant” part) and soft (yes, the “chewy” part). From the description, I imagined a candy that had the texture of a soft-baked cookie. Would I like a sugar cookie with bits of SweeTARTS embedded in its chewy soft middle? You bet I would.
With this buildup, I opened the package and came face to face with four tablets vaguely resembling urinal cakes. No cookies here! Each tart is about 2 inches across and hard as a rock. It’s actually recommended on the package that you slam the disc down to crack it into edible pieces, though the Wonka folks don’t use the word “edible.”
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.