The kids had been asking for candy canes since November. It’s such an everywhere thing at Christmas time in the US, they just assumed they would be around here in Chile. I mean, you see Santa, he gives you a candy cane. Your teacher puts on a Christmas movie, she passes out candy canes. Heck, there are even bowls of mints when you leave a hair cut, restaurant, or any place of business this time of year.
So when I spotted them at Jumbo (at $6 for one box), I knew Jane and Wilson would be thrilled. I tossed that box of “bastones de carmelo” in my cart with such glee, I could have been an elf.
We had flown home from Atacama the night before, and the kids had a 3 hour choir practice that morning. I knew they’d be tired and cranky, and these candy canes would be just the pick me up they needed.
When I presented them with the candy canes after practice, they squealed with delight. I patted myself on the back for spreading a little Christmas joy. They eagerly opened the candy canes and…… “What are these?” “These do not taste like candy canes!” I broke off a piece. Of course, there was no mint flavoring. It was just hard sugar? I can’t even tell you what it tasted like. It was just a sweet candy in the shape of a candy cane.
I should have known. I’ve been looking for “mente” extract for a while and have yet to locate any. My hopes were that these candycanes had been imported from the US or Europe but they were not.
Alas, we were fooled by the “bastones de carmelos” and went on our merry way.
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