So I’m doing holiday stuff, right?  Crusing around the ferry building in San Francisco on a glorious Sunday.  I had just come from taking a family photo with the SF Giants’ three recent World Series trophies, I was on my way to winning the Superbowl in 2 of my fantasy football leagues- so I can honestly stop right there, because that’s an outstanding damn day.  Along the way though, in a way too precious candy store in the ferry building, I spotted these purple spongy looking things.  I asked the kid working there what they were, and he replied “sugar plums”.  Hmm.  I was rushing to meet my family from the coffee stand, and didn’t feel like plunking down 10 bucks for a small handful, so I moved on.

Two days later, I’m in my favorite SF candy store (The Candy Store on Vallejo St), and as I’m ringing up, boom I see them again, right on the counter.  They offered me a sample, and…my head almost exploded.  Plum.  Deep, perfect, delicious plum flavor in a fruit jelly like consistency.  Tart notes and all sorts of plum notes burst through.  So  I started asking the woman who was working there what country they came from.  “Jelly Belly” she says.  I honestly didn’t believe her for a sec-not because I didn’t think Jelly Belly could make these, but because I thought I knew everything that Jelly Belly sold, and I had never heard of these.  But then it became obvious to me, because the plum taste was just like the amazing plum taste in their beans.  But what the hell’s up with the super secret holiday time-only offer of these things?

Ho ho ho.  Dark photo, but then again, these things are supposed to look like plums: deep and dark.

Each one is roughly quarter shaped.  The consistency is that of a firm fruit jelly.  But it’s the flavor on these that’ll knock you out.  On a side note, we Candy Gurus originally had plans to actually produce candy back in the day, and whether we were to make gummies or what, in my mind, plum was always my priority flavor.  Think about it-when’s the last time you tasted a good plum candy?  The Japanese knock it out with their delicious pickled sour plum candies, but that’s different- I’m talking about a representation of a juicy summer plum.  Preferably, a Santa Rosa plum.  The.  Best.  Fruit.  Ever.

Just one of these fills you with so much incredible flavor, you just don’t need to to eat a lot.  But what if, you say, one wants to?  Well…one better figure out where to get them.  They’re only offered seasonally, which is cute and makes sense from a marketing perspective, but doesn’t help us junkies.  I’m not sure if they dry up in early January or not, but click the link below to buy directly from Jelly Belly, on sale now.

These are excellent, especially if you like plum flavor at all.  If you like fruit jellies, you definitely need these.  But if you’re like me and love both jellies and plum….well then….you just met your new favorite holiday candy.

Bravo, Jelly Belly.  Hella Bravo.