Kasugai – Yuzu Gummy Candy
I hope that I’m not the only one who experiences this – when going to a store, there’s always certain items or brands that I see everywhere, to the point that it’s almost invisible to me. It’s so prevalent that, it’s almost easier to notice when it’s not there than when it is. As I’ve mentioned in many of my previous reviews, growing up in and around Asian grocery stores meant that certain brands and packages were basically staples in stores. One of these staples was the Kasugai gummies. They all come in an iconic, simple packaging with a bunch of fruits that communicate clearly what’s inside. Each of the gummies is individually packed, and are of a decent size and shape. I’d say they are about the size of a bottle cap, both in height, and diameter.
The gummies were always quite expensive when I was a kid, so I rarely got to try it. When I did, it was usually because someone else brought it to school, or they were being given out for some reason. It was one of the reasons I loved going to parties – snacks everywhere! The flavours I remembered seeing as a kid had 100 on the package, which I assumed meant it was made with 100% fruit juice. Not all of them share the same tag line though, and today’s flavour simply says gummy, even though they all share the same packaging motif.
Another thing I remember about these gummies is that they were really on point with the fruit they try to replicate. They weren’t just sugar. That isn’t to say these are healthy by any stretch, but they at least got the flavour profiles down pat without being overly sweet. I remember the grape flavours most fondly from my childhood. Maybe I’ll revisit them one of these days. Today is about trying something new though.
For those unsure of what exactly yuzu is, it’s a citrus fruit from Asia, specifically China. I would describe it as being a cross between a grapefruit and a mandarin. It has a slight sweetness to it, but it has a very tart, zesty flavour to it. If you’ve ever had a nice zesty marmalade, think of it as a less sweet, zestier version. It’s almost like eating the rind off a citrus fruit, it’s that zesty.
The gummy is basically what I remembered, in terms of shape. I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t had them in a long time or what, but the piece feels a bit firmer than what I remember. It’s been a decade (or two) since I last had one, but I remember them being very soft, almost pillow like. It could also just be this specific variety is a bit different.
The texture is slightly firm, just slightly past the point of being squishy. When trying to squeeze it between your fingers, it bounces back fairly easily. It’s not firm enough to provide too much resistance when you bite in though, and while it has a nice initial bounce, it’s in no way chewy and the gummy gives way quite easily. Some gummies are designed for chewing, others to simply deliver flavour to your mouth and tongue. This would fall in the category of the latter, where you bite into it to release the flavour to your brain faster. I mean, you can keep chewing, but the main thing is to savour the flavour here.
As I’ve mentioned before yuzu is a very zesty, slightly sweet citrus fruit. Some compare it to grapefruit, some to pomelo. I would say they are both partially correct, and it ultimately comes down to preference. In the end, the important thing is that this candy does a pretty good job of replicating the flavour of the actual fruit. If you’ve never had yuzu before, this would be a fairly good way to dip your toe into that flavour profile to see if you would enjoy it.
I personally am not the type to clamour for yuzu as a flavour, but even I have to admit this is a pretty faithful recreation. If you enjoy yuzu or want to see what all the culinary fuss is about, give these a go. Maybe grab a few of the other flavours you see as well. Chances are if you see this in a store, you’ll see at least 3 or 4 of the other staple flavours like grape, strawberry, kiwi etc. Would definitely recommend these.
