Is there a particular candy that evokes childhood memories for you? My most turbulent teenage years can be conjured up by the sweet, sour, and spicy flavor of Pelon Pelo Rico, a soft tamarind candy popular in Mexico. I grew up in East San Jose, a neighborhood in Santa Clara county, where diverse residents migrated from all over the world. Many of my friends were from Mexico, Vietnam, and the Philippines, so early on, I was exposed to cuisines outside of Chinese and American food.
Pelon Pelo Rico was probably the coolest candy you could eat, because it’s a fun candy that is almost like an activity — not like a lollipop you passively suck on. It is packaged in a colorful, short, fat, plastic syringe. When you remove the cap, it exposes a flat grid riddled with holes where the soft candy is extruded. You’d push the plunger at the bottom, and the candy grows out like tiny wiggly worms — like the snakes on Medusa’s head or Play-Doh’s Mini Crazy Cuts. When you were satisfied with the length, you would lick the top off (almost like you were giving it a haircut), and the tangy, sugary paste would melt in your mouth triggering a rush of endorphins.