Sunday, May 23, 2010

Salmiac Mix

Once again, Alex “I’m too busy and important to blog about salmiakki”  has delegated this job to a subordinate.  “I’ve had my eye on this one for a while now,” he told me, referring to our latest selection:

Salmiac mix

As someone that once spent a week in Finland about 14 year ago, I feel that I am completely qualified to translate that as “Salmiac mix.”  It seems that the name doesn’t reveal much in this case (but then I guess it usually doesn’t).  I ripped open the bag and took a closer look:

Salmiac mix

Salmiac Mix appeared to consist of antacid tablets, pills, and chewable childrens’ vitamins.  Strange choice for a candy, I thought, but harmless enough.  After popping one of the discs into my mouth, I realized that the white powder covering all of the candies was not sugar.  I won’t lie; I spit the first one out, being totally unprepared for that salty coating.  After seeing this reaction, John tried one and managed to finish it.  Shamed, I tried again – this time one of the little pill-shaped pieces.  I made it past the salty coating to discover that it actually wasn’t terrible!  The pink and yellow pieces seem to have some sugar in them, while the other pieces are just salt and licorice.

Later that day, I thoughtfully offered Alex some Salmiac Mix.  “It’s not that bad,” I told him.  He grabbed a handful of the candies and put them in his mouth.  “Once you get past the salty coating,” I added.  You’d think he would be used to that overpowering salty flavor by now, but… his reaction suggested otherwise.

Salmiac Mix combines three tastes that are bad enough on their own: chalk, salt, and licorice into one unpleasant experience.  However, the addition of sugar makes the pink and yellow ones tolerable once you get past that initial salty rush.  Overall, it’s certainly not terrible, but that powdered ammonium chloride coating reduces the rating from edible to almost edible.

17 comments:

  1. "...but that powdered ammonium chloride coating reduces the rating from edible to almost edible."

    Ok, that's just stupid, ammonium chloride IS salmiac.

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  2. Haha, reading the various articles and comments on this blog (that is, the "urgh! salt!" oposed to the "what is wrong with you, this is good!") makes me almost want to try those types of candies, just out of curiosity.
    And I don't even like regular liquorice, so ammonium chloride liquorice can't be much worse. :p

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  3. by the time you try out the last kind of salmiakki you have there, i bet you've grown to like it. Like with coffee...i dont think anyone likes it but they drink it until one day they've grown to like it

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  4. You make me proud. You should be awarded with citizenship of finland after you have finished them all!

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  5. My mouth is watering looking at those candies on that plate!

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  6. That bag is my favorite salmiac! Love how they are less liquirice and more powderish in texture.

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  7. Do try the Tyrkish Pebers already!

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  8. Apteekkarin salmiakki --> Awesome
    Oukki Doukki powder --> Super AWESOME
    Pure powder --> Better than drugs!

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  9. This makes me salivate !
    You got all the good stuff !!
    And then some of those US candies make me vomit ..

    BTW - These candies are not intense by any means.
    There are much much more intense salmiak liquorice.
    And even those are almost tasteless compared to bhut jolokia etc.

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  10. THATS IT!!! THIS BLOG IS REMOVE DFROM MY FAVORITES. YOU NEVER UPDATE THE DAMN THING. I WA SREALLY INTERESTED IN THIS STUFF BECAUSE I HAD NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THESE CANDIES AND IT INTRIGUED ME. HOW HARD IS IT TO TASTE A PIECE OF CANDY AND WRITE A PARAGRAPH DESCRIBING IT MORE THAN ONCE EVERY MONTH OR SO??

    FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  11. Give few of those powder types to your friend let them chew for awhile and offer some bubbly beverage. AND dodge.

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  12. If you're just going to throw them out, you could give them to me instead.

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  13. No. In order to get honorary Finnish citizenship you need first to eat salted raw salmon (graavilohi) fish made in lye (lipeäkala) go to over 100 celsius degree sauna (100 ºC = 212 ºF) and theach your dog to make Nazi salute. And yes I'm a Finn

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