I assume you all know that most of the gummies out there are made with animal parts. Yes? This has always been the bane of true vegetarians everywhere. The very idea that candy companies will grind up horse hooves so I can enjoy a chewy clear candy is heresy for some. For these purists, I introduce Robinson’s Squash Gums.

No, they don’t have Squash in them. And I’m not entirely sure why Robinson’s call them that – except that they also make Squash. Not the veggie though; Squash is a Britishism for a juice concentrate. It’s really sweet syrup you then mix with water to make a palatable drink. It appears Robinson is branching their brand into the gummy candy world.

The Robinson gum ingredients are indeed natural, with all natural flavors and things like spinach extract and beeswax. Companies like Haribo who make super tough chew chewy candies almost always use animal parts. I think that’s actually how the chew is so dense. Vegetarian gummies always are more jelly than typical-gummy. But these Robinsons’ aren’t bad. Not super thick, but they aren’t gelatinous either. They do fall apart in your mouth easily but they don’t get too sticky. I’m kinda impressed.

The flavors go from pedestrian to great. The lemon is below average and not sour. If I close my eyes I have to concentrate to make sure I am tasting lemon in here. The orange is basic and the red ones too. On the other hand, the apple-pear tastes like your other fave apple candies, and once my kid had one, she took all the others. So I just got 2. Dammit.

But I can remember. I’ll always have those memories.

Or I can just buy them online.

Or can we? Looks like these are UK-only. I got them in a store in San Francisco that imports lots of UK candy. If you don’t have a such a store near you, you may have to go to the source.