On a trip to L.A. last year, Ted received gifts from relatives of haw flakes and other Chinese goodies. We’re still savoring the sweets…and wondering what haw flakes are?!
The package states the ingredients are “haw, sugar, water” and red food coloring. The flakes are like a cross between a Necco wafer and a communion wafer: thin and red but with an unique gritty texture and sweet-sour taste.
I’d take a picture but there’s already some on the web – here’s a beginner’s guide of sorts with photos of the red discs, describing them as “fruit leather” in flavor.
Here’s a site describing haw flakes “Haw flakes are mistaken for drugs, used as packing material, given up as offerings, immortalized in the names of songs, an easy way to cheat parking meters, and banned by the FDA”.
There’s even a yahoo group devoted to the candy.
Someone this year handed out Haw Flakes on Halloween and blogged about it .
This site makes medical recommendations for haw flakes, including weight loss,
treating hearts, insomnia, and other maladies.
Well here’s what we do with them – Ted gives them to the girls as treats after dinner. He’s rationed them, saving the precious packages through the year. Abigail and Michaela love them. Elisabeth was begging so we decided to let her try one. Or two. I tried to take a photo but I didn’t realize how quick she would be – shoving the flake fast into her mouth. Ted got a picture of her fingers stuffing her face. Abigail had fun playing around too, sticking out her tongue and making goofy faces with her flakes. She savored hers the most while her other sisters swallowed theirs instantly.
I guess we could write one more purpose for haw flakes: family fun!
1 response so far ↓
1 emily // Dec 1, 2003 at 12:58 pm
how funny, we enjoy haw flakes too! M & I grew up eating them and family friends across town also ration haw flakes as treats otherwise they get stuffed into faces all too fast.