Fraise Tagada

 Le Saut du Loup, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

On Palm Sunday, I met Misha for a promenade around Paris. The weather was unbelievably sunny. Every Parisien was outside, occupying every cafe seat and every spot on the grass at the Tuileries gardens. We escaped to the Musee des Arts Decoratifs nearby for tea.

 From Le Saut du Loup's website shows their streamlined, geometric, black and white dining room.

When the super, elegant tea arrived, alongside came this triangular-tray contraption laden with free goodies, and the conversation turned to candy memories. Besides sugar cubes and rock hard so-called "chocolate chip cookies" was FRENCH PENNY CANDY. Pink La Guimauve (marshmallows).

And on the front right are the reknown FRAISE TAGADA.

These strawberry-flavored marshmallows are loaded with memories for French kids as Proust's Madeleine. M. says the "tagada" comes from the imagined sound of horse hoof beats
"ta-ga-da, ta-ga-da, ta-ga-da"
Haribo created Fraise Tagada in 1969 -1 billion of these candies are sold per annum in France.

Immediately after, I kept seeing Fraise Tagada everywhere! The candy stall pictured above is at the Odean Metro station.
And at BLEU DANS L'ILE, with a huge array of caramels...


Here they're being sold on the Pont Neuf . Forget the view. Take a good look at the penny candy. Stories lurk in these sweets.

My first travel excursions at age 6-7 were to Anthony's Drug store, Elkins Park to puruse stacks of penny candy. That was when penny candy actually cost 1 penny. My search for adventure has never ceased since thanks to penny candy.

Here's the funny thing about France. The French are unafraid to be exceedingly silly. Our concept of them as the ultimate in chicness went right down the drain

Or rather I'll suggest they can be supremely, chicly silly when they choose to.I showed you their silly Easter shenanigans. Here top French pastry chef, Christophe Felder  demonstrates how you can use Fraise Tagada in a sophisticated cocktail. And he's got a cookbook creating more recipes from penny candy.
Who knew?

For the absolute heights of silliness and not to be outdone by Lindt's Gold Bunny car, here is Renault's Twingo covered completely in FRAISE TAGADA! What do you make of that?

Pretty goofy, non?