Trading traditional peppermint for something with a bit of umami, a candy-maker is selling shiitake mushroom-flavored candy canes this holiday season.
Seattle-based novelty retailer Archie McPhee is known for churning out preposterous candy flavors that, admittedly, pique our curiosity while maybe simultaneously giving our tastebuds goosebumps. The set of a half-dozen brown-and-white striped mushroom candy canes sells for $6.50. We pity anyone who thinks they’re unwrapping a caramel or butterscotch treat and instead gets a surprising bite of mushroom!
“We know Santa is a fungi,” says the description for the candy cane. “So obviously he gives a shiitake about Christmas!” There’s not very mushroom for any more puns in that marketing copy, eh?
The shiitake candy canes join a lineup of unusual flavors sold by Archie McPhee that we doubt even Willy Wonka would have seen coming. A red-and-white striped candy cane that looks a whole lot like peppermint candy is — surprise! — actually flavored like ketchup, so just go ahead and crush it up and sprinkle it on a burger. Another candy cane flavor is after the hearts of pizza-lovers.
Archie McPhee also has a pho-flavored candy cane and, hey, maybe — just maybe — it would be good for stirring the broth of a tasty bowl of the Vietnamese soup?
There are also bacon, pickle, clam, ham, mac n’ cheese and kale flavors, which, to be honest, sounds like the menu of a hastily planned potluck represented as candy canes.
Then, for a palate cleanser, the retailer sells a Bah Humbug Candy Cane ($4.50). The Scrooge-approved giant, plain white candy cane has absolutely no flavor, no stripes and no Christmas spirit. Zing!
With the tagline “We Make Weird,” Archie McPhee got its start in 1983 and has a brick-and-mortar shop in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood. The store sells party supplies, crafts, costumes and a bizarre collection of toys and candy.
We’re curious to see what candy cane flavor they’ll dream up next. But really, after the year 2020, there’s not much left that can surprise us!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
