I’m always complaining about something.  Sometimes about the SF Giants/my miscreant son/Mrs. Guru (I kid!) – but more commonly, about how hard it is to find the really great varieties of Haribo candy in the states.  Sure, there’s the handful that you can readily find, but we’re bored of those, right?  Wrong.

POP QUIZ, HOT SHOT: when’s the last time you had these?

For me, it was hella long ago. I mistakenly thought of them as just another marshmallow gummy, which I’m not a big fan of.  And they sort of fall in that category-but not exactly.

It’s not a traditional gummy on top-it’s little more on the fruit gelee side, but much firmer.  So a cross between a gelee and a gummy.  Then there’s the grainy marshmallow-not to be confused with standard ‘smore marshmallows.  The graininess is key, as it makes the entire marsh part looser and…cooler.  Grittier, more interesting to eat.  It really compliments the strawberry flavor of the gelee/gummy part.  In fact, the consistency of these things is what I enjoyed most about them-they’re fun.

The flavor is no slouch either.  Think Strawberry Quick, and artificial strawberry flavored candies along those lines.  Really yummy, sweet, and just a touch of crisp tartness.  I was truly surprised by how much I really enjoyed these.

Best part?  You can get these anywhere.  Literally, they sell them in you apartment.  Or close to it.  Every Walgreens, Safeway, and World Market has these suckers hanging alongside the golden bears, alphabet letters and frogs.  If you haven’t tried them, give them a chance.  PERFECT movie theater candy.

Kudos, Haribo.  Ya done good, kid.