Friday, December 27, 2013

Malaco Pastellfiskar (Swedish Fish)

Swedish Fish from SwedenA favorite candy in the United States are the Swedish Fish. Today they’re made by Cadbury Adams in Canada. Though they come in multiple flavors, the favorite is the red lingonberry flavored fish with the word Swedish embossed on the side.

The original, however, is still made in Sweden by the Malaco company under the name of Malaco Pastellfiskar. (Malaco is now owned by the Cloetta company, which also makes Fazer chocolates.) They’re actually quite different from the North American variety.

They do come in four flavors: lemon, orange, pear and berry. They are also a winegum-style of jelly candy, not a gummi. The Swedish version has a different texture and recipe. This assortment was sent to me by Swede Sweets, but I’ve also seen them for sale at Sugarfina and Sockerbit.

Glucose-fructose syrup, sugar, cornstarch, water, acid (E330 - citric acid), vegetable oil, acidity regulator (E52 - sodium hydroxide), flavorings, glazing agents (E901 - beeswax), colors (E141 - natural green, E160a - carotene, E160e - apocarotenal).

Swedish Fish from Sweden

The fish are thick and fresh, soft but a little stiffer chew than the Cadbury Adams version. The texture is more like Dots. They’re a smooth chew with a vibrant flavor profile but they do stick in the teeth.

Yellow is Lemon has a wonderful note of the lemon rind along with a sort of marmalade or honey syrup note to the lemon juice flavors.

Orange is Orange and quite zesty. It’s tangy and juicy but mostly it’s truly like a fresh peeled orange.

Green may be Pear or Green Apple, though I thought it tasted a lot like pineapple, but green wouldn’t make much sense for that. It’s tangy and floral and sweet, it was actually my favorite of the assortment. (Which is weird because I’m not much of a fan of pear or apple flavored things.)

Red is the famous Swedish Berry or Lingonberry. It’s great to taste this without the distraction of the artificial colors in the North American version. This is a little more tart, a little more fragrant. The berry flavor is the same though, that strange blueberry meets pomegranate meets black currant that is the profile of Lingonberry. It’s great and has a well deserved reputation.

The only thing I don’t like about these is the fact that they stick so much to my teeth. The little nuggets just get stuck in between all of my molars. I found eating some crunchy crackers between helped and then some hot tea. (I suppose actually brushing my teeth would help as well.) They’re worth seeking out, especially if you’ve been looking for a version without artificial colors.

Related Candies

  1. Marabou Noblesse Crisps: Original, Dark & Orange
  2. Sugarfina: The Gummis
  3. Swedish Fish Jelly Beans
  4. Sockerbit Swedish Candy Selections
  5. All Gummies Gourmet Fruity Fish (Swedish Fish knock-off)
  6. Swedish Aqua Life
  7. Salted Licorices: Djungelvral and Dubbel Zout


Name: Pastellfiskar (Swedish Fish)
    RATING:
  • SUPERB
  • YUMMY
  • TASTY
  • WORTH IT
  • TEMPTING
  • PLEASANT
  • BENIGN
  • UNAPPEALING
  • APPALLING
  • INEDIBLE
Brand: Cloetta
Place Purchased: samples from Swede Sweets
Price: $6.00 retail
Size: 8 ounces
Calories per ounce: 113
Categories: All Natural, Candy, Cloetta, Jelly Candy, 7-Worth It, Sweden

POSTED BY Cybele AT 11:26 am Tracker Pixel for Entry     All NaturalCandyReviewCloettaJelly Candy7-Worth ItSweden

Comments
  1. Actually you probably are correct. Several sources cite the yellow as lemon-lime and the green as being pineapple for the US version.  Scroll down to the “In North America” section: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Fish

    Comment by Jessica on 12/27/13 at 5:52 pm #
  2. (Going through th Swedish tag cause I got curious about how you’d perceive what I’m so used to)

    My favourite is the green too!

    Wait what? Red is supposed to be lingonberry? And that’s what the American version is supposed to taste of too? That’s… such a failed taste then. I have been eating lingonberry things since I was a teensy tiny child and the same goes for the fish. And never put the flavours together. Huh.

    Tbh I always think of these as not tasting like anything else. Green fish tastes like green fish you know? Except yellow which I just thing of as citrus, my least favourite.

    Comment by Pocki on 7/01/14 at 2:22 pm #
  3. Years ago, there was a ‘giant fish made’.  about 4 - 5 inches long and flat.  Only in red.  Is there every any hope that these might be made/sold again?

    Comment by Ann on 10/23/15 at 12:38 pm #
  4. I recently purchased 5 bags of Swedish Fish at a Walmart in my location.  I emptied the 5 bags into my counter-top container for easy access going in and out of my kitchen (I LOVE, and my brother too, SWEDISH FISH).  However, and much to my surprise, the “bags” all specified a new look and size when in fact, the contents were different; smaller and no “new look” OR, for that matter, they even tasted different.  NOT AS DELIGHTFULLY FRESH as we expected.

    I never expected to have to save receipts when I go grocery shopping and I did not this time, therefore, I’m out $11.00 and outside of throwing them all out, I brought them to work so see if I could get rid of them.

    DISSATISFIED!!!!!!

    Comment by Pamela S. Mroz on 8/18/16 at 6:34 am #
  5. Can you tell me where can I buy your product,in USA

    Thanks,

    Comment by Mitra on 8/21/16 at 1:30 pm #
  6. Red fish used to taste strictly raspberry (or at least artificial raspberry) to me, going way, way back.  Now they start off with a berry-ish bite, but a very violet essence emerges as I chew.

    Comment by Rexie on 5/02/17 at 1:15 pm #
  7. Mitra..:
    You can buy the Swedish Fish at 99c, Dollar Tree, and I believe at any drug or grocery store..(I love those too.)

    Comment by SJCarras on 5/03/17 at 2:27 pm #
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