Last year a woman sent me an email asking if I knew where to buy Uncle Joe's Mint Balls. Evidently, these imported gluten-free candies are famous and she used to be able to find them at TJ Maxx and Marshall's, but now she only finds them tucked away as part of an expensive Chelsea Market gift basket. (Funny, I always assumed that the specialty food items at discount stores were stale rejects.) I was intrigued, not only because these candies were so good that they motivated someone to search for them, but because they were corn-free in addition to being gluten-free. (I emailed the company to confirm that there are not any hidden corn ingredients and if you are wondering about the slightly "red" color, it is a natural result from the cooked sugar.)
Imagine my surprise, when I found these little guys at the new Friedman's! Vanessa was really excited about them, because they say "gluten-free" right on the cute tin. They look adorable as decoration on the ledge by the community table, and they are for sale. I was so happy to take home a tin, and although they are not as cheap as a corn laden 7-Eleven candy fix, they are super delicious and extra minty. I fell in love with the antique looking tin and it now has a permanent home on my kitchen shelf. Sorry, but I didn't get to take a picture of the candies before I ate them all. They are round traditional sucker style candy discs, similar to the shape of a butterscotch. It turns out that these candies have been made in the same way since 1898! Oh, and they are also vegan.
I know most people won't be interested in these since they are spendy, but for the few of you that would really like these I've listed here some places you can buy them. I know how hard corn-free candy is to come by!
NYC
Friedman's
Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Ave
New York, NY 10011
212.929.7100
At $8 a tin, they probably aren't going to re-order them.
Online
Chelsea Market Baskets
3 Tins for $29.00
3 Pack of Bags- This looks like the best deal- for $9.00
England
Uncle Joe's Emporium
14 Crompton Street (Wigan Town Centre)
Wigan, Lancashire WN1 1YP
Tel: 01942 244807
I'm not sure what they cost in England.
What is your favorite gluten-free and or gluten-free/corn-free candy?
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Does anyone have a list of gluten-free/friendly restaurants in London? My son is celiac and I;m trying to make travel less nervous-making for him (and me).