Swizzels Fizzers
1 pcs., 200 g
Remember these crazy sweets from back in the day?
18/11/2024
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
The Galaxus editorial team is going through their favourite childhood treats, reminiscing about a more carefree time.
«Remember edible paper? Ew! How could we eat that?» or «Did you know that smoke came out of that cigarette gum for children when you blew into it?» This was one of our recent break conversations, all about the absurd sweets that accompanied us through our youth and how they shaped us. Yes, my fellow editors are unwrapping the sweetest anecdotes and telling you all about their favourite childhood treats.
Darina Schweizer: when others go sweet, she goes sour
I’m still pretty sour today – at least when it comes to sweets. It all began when I was a kid. The more my face contorted as I ate, the better. In first place were Fizzers: at least two at the same time, preferably one of them purple – those were the most sour. I rubbed them between my tongue and the roof of my mouth until the latter was bright red. I’d sometimes even rub the skin raw. Ah well, if it’d already gone that far, what was the harm in eating more?
Right behind Fizzers came Love Hearts. Their profound, highly poetic messages such as REAL LOVE or HUG ME filled my young heart with inflamed emotion. My friends and I even organised love heart oracles to predict our future. Of course, the process was highly scientific. If my class crush passed me by, I’d peel the next random candy out of its plastic. Randomised research methods, see? And once I saw I LOVE YOU, it was game over: our love was mutual and forever sealed.
PEZ were also very popular. Naturally, out of all the flavours I squeezed from various animal and Disney character heads, my favourite was sour lemon. The small recess in each sweetie was useful too. I was able to stick my tongue in for added security and rub the candy against my palate. Already ravaged by Fizzers, it quickly became sore again. My god, what kind of a child was I?!
Source: Shutterstock
Lorenz Keller: «A gateway drug to the liquorice universe»
Back in the day, one of those black sticks cost 10 Rappen at the kiosk. I didn’t actually like liquorice as a child – at least that’s what I thought. Instead, I snacked on sour fish (10 Rappen), green frogs with their white foam bellies (5 Rappen), gummy strawberries (10 Rappen) or those soft jelly apricots (10 Rappen). Sometimes I even allowed myself a sour tongue (20 Rappen).
At some point I must’ve tried a filled liquorice stick for the first time, probably from a buddy. And then, a revelation – a trio of pleasure. First, removing that plug of hard sugar with your teeth. Then pouring some of the sugar crystal filling into your mouth for that little acidic kick. And finally, letting the liquorice stick with the remaining sugar melt into pieces. The best thing: there was a liquorice stick at every kiosk.
Later on, I hardly ever bought sweets at the kiosk. And supermarkets usually only stocked liquorice spirals or Haribo mixes. Still fine, but in the back of my mind I always knew that there was something better.
A few years ago, I came across Liquorice Flyers in an online sweet store. And they really do taste like they did back in the day: a sweet memory, and definitely my favourite treat. We’ve also had them in our store for a few months now. And I have to be very careful not to order them too often. After all, a large pack will be empty again surprisingly quickly.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Patrick Vogt: sweet and sour
Little me had a real sweet tooth. Cola frogs, Malabar chewing gum, Pop Rocks and whatever else, I loved it all. Whenever my grandma secretly slipped me some change, I was at the kiosk in front of Migros just a few minutes later to diversify my sweets portfolio – and empty it again straight away.
One of my first and favourite candy memories is «Zehnermocken». Before my time they were called «Fünfermocken», later «Zwanzigermocken». This basically always referred to the price in German: 5, 10 or even 20 Rappen. For almost nothing, you got great value: a suitably large portion of sugar in the form of a sticky sweet and more or less soft ball-shaped candy. They came in various flavours such as chocolate, raspberry or cola. Mocken still exist today, only the number has disappeared from the name.
I also have very fond memories of Tiki. Those duo-pack sherbet cubes were available for 20 Rappen at the kiosk. We probably should’ve dissolved them in water, as the inventor intended. However, we preferred to have competitions to see who could put more tiki cubes in their gob without foaming at the mouth. I don’t even remember what my record was. Maybe I should try this «Tiki challenge» again…
Admittedly, I didn’t just have a sweet tooth as a kid, I still do today. I’ve simply specialised a little over the years. By now, I’m like my colleague Darina: in love with sourness! For some time now, I’ve been on the lookout for sweets to contort my face, too sour even for me. I haven’t found any so far. Right now, I’m sucking on a Sour Madness skull. Bah, child’s play.
Source: Shutterstock
Stefanie Lechthaler: whether sweet feet or bazookas – I loved lollies
«Lollipop, Lollipop, Oh Lolli Lolli Lolli-Pop 'POP'». This song could be the soundtrack to my childhood. Turns out it was actually the song from old candy commercials. I knew them all by heart and could never get enough of some candy on a stick. The sweeter and more artificial the lollipop tasted, the more I needed it. But what really catapulted me into the land of milk and honey were the crazy toppings that came with some of those treats.
That sour sauce from Bazooka lollipops, enough to make my face scrunch up? I just had to give it a go! I even sucked it straight from the tube. A powder that explodes in your mouth? Of course! I’d cover my whole lollipop – shaped like a foot – with it. And in the end, of course, the packaging had to be torn open and licked so that not a crumb was lost.
Source: Stefanie Lechthaler
After eating these intense toppings, the lollipop tasted almost bland and wasn’t really exciting. Except, of course, the Flip and Lic lollipop. I could pretend I was wielding a butterfly knife in the playground, after all. Hang on, why would you want children playing with something like that?
Which sweets accompanied you through your childhood and which sinful selection can you still not resist today? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Header image: Stefanie Lechthaler
Painting the walls just before handing over the flat? Making your own kimchi? Soldering a broken raclette oven? There's nothing you can't do yourself. Well, perhaps sometimes, but I'll definitely give it a try.