Posted on 02/24/2009 1:20:15 PM PST by nickcarraway
When Americans eat gummy bears, we blithely assume that “bear” is not actually an ingredient. But travel to Great Britain, and that’s not an assumption one should make. After all, Percy Pigs — a candy that debuted around World War I — gets its name not just from the smiling piggy face, but also from the pork gelatin that gives the candy its bulk.
In fact, in many spots around the world, sweets are not always sweet. Sure, nothing says “I love you” like candy, but the translation can vary greatly, placing the mung bean, the chili pepper and even a whiff of ammonia in the same league as rich, Madagascar chocolate.
For one thing, sweetness itself is open to interpretation. “Americans like things fairly sweet compared to other countries, but not as sweet as what you find in Middle Eastern countries,” says Carole Bloom, a confectioner and author of nine cookbooks, including the upcoming “Bite-Size Desserts.”
Of course, local ingredients often play a role into what becomes candy. Beans, for example, come up a lot in Asian sweets. They’re turned into marzipan-like pastes and then may be molded into treats that are perhaps more about show than indulgence.
In Madrid, a booming supply of flowers has created a local favorite for nearly a century. And in Mexico, a bottomless tolerance for chili powder may have you weeping with either joy or agony.
The variations are as wide as they are widespread. In Japan, for instance, the beloved Kit Kat (which originated in England) has been available (in limited batches) in flavors like melon, green tea and even grilled corn.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
In Scandinavia, a favorite is candy that tastes like salty fish.
I’m suddenly reminded of this oldie-but-goodie page:
I especially love this - http://www.bad-candy.com/candies/saltidos/
El Sabroso - the tasty one!
Most don’t sound too bad.
Pork Gelatin....no big deal....if you eat Jello, don't read farther:
If you look at the ingredients on a box of Jell-O, you'll see that it's essentially sweetened, flavored, and colored gelatin. Gelatin is basically processed collagen, which is a structural protein in animals' connective tissue, skin, and bones.
According to the Gelatin Manufacturers Institute of America (GMIA), pork skin, cattle bones, and cattle hide are the predominant raw materials used to make gelatin.
I think I’ll stick with chocolate!!!!!!!
I hope you don’t mean lutefisk.
Big with Muslims I’m sure. My plan would be to leave the sweet treats out in bowls at airports for people awaiting delayed flights. Have a CCTV camera on the bowl and we can watch how many of the Muslims adhere to religious dietary restrictions.
I’ll never forget biting into a supposed Fudgesicle at a Korean bus station, only to find out it was a Beansicle.
Yuk !
Believe it or not, those are delicious.
Disgusting stuff.
I love the Chinese version of those. They are preserved plums with A LOT of salt and a little sugar. I tried a Mexican version, but they are just not as good.
So, you like your melamine sweetened, eh?
I prefer Crunchy Frog candy.
:’D
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