I have tasted the Candy Cane

[Lady Vulpix]

It was Saturday noon. I had just out of my swimming class and I went to a kiosk to get some Powerade when I found this:


http://s14.postimg.org/dh90nke3l/2015_02_21_Candy_Cane.jpg

Although not as big as it appears on screen.

I had never seen a real candy cane before. I had a long internal dialogue trying to decide whether or not to buy it, but ultimately I did, if only to find out what it tasted like and to be able to say I had eaten one.

It tasted less like candy than I had expected, and more like meringue with caramelized sugar. But it wasn't so bad. I finished it today.

Are these things common where you live? Have

[Roy Karrde]

Did it taste like peppermint? Was it hard?

[Charles Legend]

That's hilarious Gabi, yeah they are quite common here in the state of Michigan around Christmas (Dec 25), in fact here are about 14 leftover candy canes...

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2015/054/a/6/candy_cains_in_a_boot_by_charles_legend-d8j9fum.jpg

~Charles legend

[Knight of Time]

Candy canes are quite popular where I am.

Besides the usual peppermint flavour, you can get them in a wide variety of flavours, including some fruity flavours, tutti-frutti, root beer, etc. This past Christmas I had sour candy canes (I think they were based on Warheads candy) for the first time I can remember.

On top of that, there's an annual flavour of ice cream in the stores that has broken pieces of candy canes in it, which is delicious.

Of course, there was a time I tried a candy cane I actually didn't like...it's rare for me to not like a candy cane, unless the flavour just doesn't agree with me.

[Oslo]

On top of that, there's an annual flavour of ice cream in the stores that has broken pieces of candy canes in it, which is delicious.

omg since you're Canadian and all I assume you're talking about President's Choice candy cane chocolate fudge crackle ice cream? Because yes, holy shit, that is the most delicious stuff ever. I wish it were sold year-round. It and The Muppet Christmas Carol are the two things in the entire world I don't hate about Christmas.

Anyway, that doesn't look quite like the typical candy cane you can buy around here, Gabi. The vast majority of candy canes are made out of hard peppermint-flavoured candy, like the little swirly red peppermint candies you may or may not have in Argentina.

[Magmar]

omg since you're Canadian and all I assume you're talking about President's Choice candy cane chocolate fudge crackle ice cream? Because yes, holy shit, that is the most delicious stuff ever. I wish it were sold year-round. It and The Muppet Christmas Carol are the two things in the entire world I don't hate about Christmas.

That ice cream sounds amazing!

Yeah, candy canes here are typically made out of the same stuff as this:

http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/the-land-of-peppermint-candy-square-andee-photography.jpg

Personally, I don't really care for peppermint except as an accent flavor (like in the aforementioned ice cream of splendor) but I love wintermint!

[Blademaster]

omg since you're Canadian and all I assume you're talking about President's Choice candy cane chocolate fudge crackle ice cream? Because yes, holy shit, that is the most delicious stuff ever. I wish it were sold year-round.

Couldn't you conceivably buy several cartons of it and keep them in a spare freezer so you would have it all year?

Actually, forget it. It'd probably become freezerburnt or something.

On-topic, as many others have pointed out, our candy canes are hard peppermint candy sticks. Use them to stir your hot chocolate. You won't regret it.

Use the red-and-white peppermint ones, I mean. The fruit-flavored ones probably won't work as well.

[Knight of Time]

omg since you're Canadian and all I assume you're talking about President's Choice candy cane chocolate fudge crackle ice cream?

Sorry Oslo, but that's not quite the kind of ice cream I was talking about here.

This brand of ice cream I've tasted doesn't contain anything chocolate in it, but it's still good even without the chocolate.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

I ate myself out of chocolate December 2009. I had five confectionery boxes and devoured them all. I didn't even like some of them to begin with.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7022/6488854485_0828ed7701_b.jpg

[Lady Vulpix]

I have tried the candy Magmar posted, so I guess I know what traditional candy canes taste like even though I haven't tried them.

This one was more like hardened meringue with some red candy mixed in. And I'm afraid there was probably something in there that caused me an allergic reaction, so I'm not going to buy another one of those. Still, it was an interesting experience.

[Magmar]

Gabi, if you like, I'll ship you candy canes in the autumn when they hit the stores :) I bet your friends would love to check them out, too! They sure get stuck to your teeth, be forewarned LOL

[Lady Vulpix]

Gabi, if you like, I'll ship you candy canes in the autumn when they hit the stores :) I bet your friends would love to check them out, too! They sure get stuck to your teeth, be forewarned LOL
Umm... OK, if you're offering me free sweets, I'm not going to say no. It's not like you're trying to kidnap me or something. ;)

[Magmar]

Oh my goodness Gabi of course not! LOL So since we are on the topic, what are your typical Christmastime treats? Christmas is so highly merchandised as a winter holiday, that Christmas in the summertime must be such a different celebration.

[Lady Vulpix]

The most common Christmas treats around here are panettone and nougats. People eat a lot of nuts too (walnuts, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts and cashew nuts). So, not as summer-oriented as you would expect. Although there is one place which sells panettone ice-cream, which is a real treat! And ice-cream in generall is rather common, but it's not specifically christmassy.

[Heald]

Generally the equivalent of candy canes in the UK is 'rock', also known as 'Brighton rock'. It's just flavoured boiled sugar, and it's generally sold in coastal towns. Not sure why, maybe the whole Brighton thing.

[Blademaster]

'rock'

It's just flavoured boiled sugar

Britain is a very depressing place to live, isn't it?

[Lady Vulpix]

Good news: the candy cane did not give me an allergic reaction after all.

[Gavin Luper]

The most common Christmas treats around here are panettone and nougats. People eat a lot of nuts too (walnuts, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts and cashew nuts). So, not as summer-oriented as you would expect. Although there is one place which sells panettone ice-cream, which is a real treat! And ice-cream in generall is rather common, but it's not specifically christmassy.

This reminds me a lot of the Italian side of our Christmas celebrations. We do all the western stuff like candy canes, etc., but there's always panettone, nougat and biscotti as well.

[Lady Vulpix]

I guess it makes sense, since about half the population of Buenos Aires is of Italian descent.

[Magmar]

I never knew that about Buenos Aires! My people <3

[Heald]

Britain is a very depressing place to live, isn't it?

Honestly, I think the 'flavoured' bit is a lie as well.

The national pastimes include moaning, and drinking enough to stop ourselves from moaning.