The Sweets in Mexico, gringos perspective
Have you ever wanted to satisfy your sweet tooth and go into heart failure with a single treat on a stick? Well I have just the thing for you! REBANADITAS! One of the more popular candies that I have seen. Enjoyed by children and adults alike!
There are some really strange candies from all around the world and as I travel I like to try to find the weird ones and the good ones in the mix. So here is my attempt at a review of the strange tastes of Mexican flavored sweets on my USA conditioned tongue.
*image source: https://fooradise.com
Tamarind on sweets
Sweets meets spicy and salty. This custom is not for the lover of simple flavors. It is an assault on the tongue. Be prepared with a tall glass of water.
My first try of this sweet was a candy sucker that was a watermelon flavor surrounded by tamarind candy paste. The lollipop was a gift from a friend. I was obliged to try it and of course I like to think of myself as someone who places their courage in curiosity and doesn’t allow fear to steer the choices she makes. So alas there we were; me, the lollipop and the friend who was interested in my reaction. My initial impression was that this could be a delightful concept, to blend these particular flavors. In fact, I have tried and thoroughly enjoyed the Mexican staple Tajin spice on a variety of fruits including watermelon and by the smell of it and the first taste, I considered that it would be a similar experience. This particular candy was “demasiado” too much. Too much salt, too much tamarind. It is clearly for a culturally developed taste bud and not for me.
*image source: https://www.candywarehouse.com
Another strangely popular candy is Mazapan. This candy couldn’t be stranger. The consistency is like a flakey chalk. It is not quite melt in your mouth because it has that chalky consistency. It just coats your tongue. It tastes like peanut butter but with out all the great depth that peanut butter gives. It is very sweet, however, so that is a plus.
*image source: https://dulceriacolmena.com
Finally, I would like to highlight my preferred Mexican environmental disaster candy. Not only is it not delicious, it also has the added benefit of polluting our environment because each small portion of tamarind mixed with fruit and sugar is individually packaged on a plastic spoon.
In all seriousness there are some fantastic dulces in Mexico, but I do find some of the “popular” options a bit perplexing for my United States flavor-cultured tongue.