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migrations

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Through millennia of human existence, people have moved around – a lot. And as they moved, candies moved with them. This box contains three iconic, migratory candies, each with versions from different parts of the world. These candies have stories: of travel, invention, and cultural interconnection.

in this box...

TRAVELING PLUM

(China, Japan, Mexico)

An iconic flavor in Mexico, chamoy is a vivid sensory explosion of salty, spicy, sour, sweet, and umami. This flavor is both quintessentially Mexican, and very international. Its roots are in China and Japan, where preserved plums have been eaten for many centuries.

Key moments in this flavor’s journey...

8th century CE

Preserved plums (huamei in Mandarin, li hing mui (“traveling plum” in Cantonese – preserved in China since at least the 3rd century CE) are introduced in Japan, becoming umeboshi (pickled plums).

16th century CE

Chinese preserved plums arrive in Mexico (as well as Hawaii, the Phillippines, Polynesia) via Portugese trade routes.

1950

Japanese immigrant Teikichi Iwadare founds a sauce + spice company in Mexico: transposing the flavor profile of umeboshi into apricot and chili, and naming it chamoy. Later he gives his recipe and machinery to an employee, who opens Dulces Miguelito Chamoy: it drives the rise of chamoy in Mexico.

The TRAVELING PLUM candies in this box are:

Chan Pui Mui and Chan Pui Lemon (Hong Kong)

These are milder incarnations of Chinese preserved fruit (huamei and li hing mui are more intense). Tang Hoi Moon Kee has been making preserved fruit candies since 1968. They distribute their spiced fruits around the world. (Note: Chan Pui Mi contains pits)

Nama Ume Ame (Japan)

Ribon has been selling “Raw Fresh Ume Candy” for 30 years. It has an intense salty-sour-savory umeboshi center in a mild candy coating, thus revealing the ume’s intensity in layers (unless you choose to crunch it, releasing a burst of flavor).

Pulparindo (Mexico)

This popular Mexican candy shows how an intensity of preserved fruit flavor was deliciously transposed in Mexico to regionally abundant fruits like tamarind (which is originally from Africa and was planted in Mexico by Spanish colonizers in the 17th century).

HALVAH

(Russia, Turkey, Vermont)

In the US, halvah is often associated with Jewish cuisine: often represented by long-time Brooklyn-based Joyva and, more recently, artisan producers such as Seed and Mill. This tahini-based, soapwort-infused version is one among many kinds of halvah that can be found throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Europe (and referred to as halawa, halva, halvah, helva, helwa, helvasi, xalwo, xalwa).

Halvah (which means sweetmeat in Arabic) is described in a thirteenth century Arabic text as a candy of several ground nuts, seeds, and spices. This general candy concept – of a soft sweet made of ground ingredients – traveled far and wide, and changed as it did. In Turkey, Greece, the Persian Gulf, and East Africa, there are soft halvas that use semolina, flour, or cornstarch (as well as firmer, tahini-based ones). In India, a variety of halvahs are made from fruits, vegetables (carrots, beets) and flours. These range from pudding-like to flat and firm; many use ghee or milk (and are thus quite perishable and not easily included here, alas).

In this box: two markedly different traditional recipes, and one modern one…

Sunflower Halva (Russia)

This is one of a few variations (sesame, peanut) that are made in Eastern Europe. This one is made by Russian candy company Azov Confectionery, which sells candy domestically and internationally (including throughout the United States).

Saray Helvasi (Turkey)

This sweet has several names in Turkey, perhaps its most common being Pişmâniye (after the Persian “pashm,” for wool). This light and airy confection is made by repeatedly pulling a mixture of syrup, flour, and butter until it is composed of numerous fine, delicate strands. Maker Uğurlu Pişmaniye has been crafting pişmâniye since 1978.

Noir Bar (Vermont)

This contemporary take on classic tahini halvah is made by Vermont-based Holy Halvah. This candy is small-batch made and sweetened with maple syrup. The mix of black sesame and maple makes for a wonderfully unique, toothsome, nutty take on sesame halvah.

CONFETTI

(Middle East, France, Japan)

These small round candies are sometimes referred to as panned sweets, or dragees. They are made by continuously rolling an item (a seed, nut, or piece of candy) around in a pan as small amounts of sugar syrup are added, creating layers of candy around the item. This technique has existed since at least the 14th century; they have long histories of use throughout the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. They have been known as comfits, confeito, confetti, konpeito, dragees, noghl, pastilles, and more. Versions of these have been medicine, digestives, breath fresheners, status symbols, gifts, and things to toss in the air at weddings and carnivals. In the tossing at celebrations, these were eventually replaced by little plaster balls and then, in the late 19th century, by the little bits of paper we know today.

Included in the box:

Leblebi Şekeri / Chickpea Noghl (Middle East)

Sugared chickpeas are popular in Iran, Turkey, and Afghanistan, as a variation on sugared almonds, which are produced in the same way. have a unique light crunch and earthy quality (thanks to the chickpea within).

Citron Anis de Flavigny (France)

These were first made by Benedictine monks, who grew anise starting in the 9th century, on the orders of Charlemagne. This recipe dates to the 16th century; today it is crafted by the sole remaining producer of Anis de Flavigny in France. The layers of candy have a lemon flavor.

Konpeito (Japan)

Confeito was introduced to Japan in the 16th century by Portugese missionaries. In the introduced version, the candy was typically built around a poppyseed. Eventually Japanese makers eliminated the seed to make an all-sugar candy.

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