Wine Gums

This page is a tribute to the glorious Wine Gum, one of the true culinary wonders of the world. Since all the Wombies are such Wine Gum aficionados, they each wanted to contribute to this celebration of the world's most perfect candy.

Fraz

Wine Gums

By Fraz
Roses are red,
violets are blue.
I really like Wine Gums,
and so should you!

Twink

In Search of the Perfect Wine Gum

Although it could be argued that every Wine Gum is indeed perfect, I must admit to finding some more perfect than others. As everyone knows, of course, Wine Gums contain no actual wine, but they can be favorably compared to a fine wine in terms of fragrance and taste. A quality Wine Gum must possess a fruity bouquet and a subtle, yet deep flavour. It should be mildly sweet, with a crisp aftertaste. Also like a fine wine, Wine Gums should be properly aged. This enhances the Wine Gum's consistency which should be neither too soft, nor too chewy. A just-made Wine Gum is generally too spongy, while one that is too old becomes hard and unpalatable.

Although Wine Gums are usually enjoyed by themselves, they also make a delicious addition to many recipes, and can even be the main ingredient in various mouth-watering treats. "Wine Gum Delight," a chocolate-covered, cream-filled Wine Gum desert, is probably the most popular recipe from my best-selling "502 Wine Gum Recipes" cookbook.

The search for the perfect Wine Gum is a not at all unpleasant task, and the quest has so far taken me to various locations around the world. While I do not believe I have yet found the perfect Wine Gum, I do feel duty-bound to continue my arduous search for the benefit of Wine Gum lovers everywhere.

Of the traditional Wine Gum brands, I prefer Waterbridge for their firmer, chewier texture and tangier taste. Maynards are also quite good, but a bit soft for my liking. Other Wombies may disagree. Some of the lesser-known varieties, especially the no-name brands, are not so good, while some can be delightfully excellent. The Country Cottage brand, found in the North of England, and the Candies Du Rhine, from the South of France, are among the best Wine Gums this Wombie has ever tasted.

In some countries, Wine Gums are non-existent, while in others, Wine Gums are referred to by different names, but in this regard, you simply cannot fool a Wombie. A Wine Gum by any other name tastes just as sweet.

Winky

Binky

The Wine Gum Effect

Wine Gum supplementation enhances mental concentration and physical performance in Wombies

Binky Ph.D., M.S.P.A., M.S.A.E., B.S.C.S.

Abstract

The Wine Gum Effect has long been debated among scientists, Wombies, and Wine Gum connoisseurs. In the present study, the benefits of Wine Gum ingestion in Wombies was investigated. A 30 day randomized, double blind trial was undertaken with 36 Wombies. The participants were split into three groups: The first group of 12 Wombies consumed the normal daily Wine Gum intake (NDWGI) of 200 grams. The second group of 12 Wombies consumed the NDWGI three times a day (600 grams total), and the last group of very unfortunate Wombies (VUW) were denied their NDWGI (0 grams). Wine Gums were ingested in a reconstituted powder form in an effort to prevent the Wombies from knowing to which group they were assigned. Additionally, this had the added benefit of eliminating the sensory stimuli normally associated with Wine Gum ingestion (odor, taste, chewiness), and helped to isolate the true biochemical and nutritional effects of the Wine Gums themselves.

All participants were rigorously tested with Standardized Mental Performance Tests (SMPT) throughout the study period. Physical Performance Tests (PPT) were also undertaken at regular intervals.

Results: Using group one as a control, the second group of Wombies scored 47.8% higher on their SMPT. They also had on average 32.1% higher PPT scores. On the other hand, the VUW group scored 87.6% lower on their SMPT and 83.3% lower on their PPT scores. Additionally, the VUW group were very irritable and uncooperative by the end of the study. Three of the VUW had to be removed from the study due to adverse Wine Gum Withdrawal (WGW) symptoms.

Conclusions: Wine Gum Ingestion enhances mental concentration and physical performance in Wombies. It was conclusively demonstrated that Wombies require their NDWGI in order to thrive. Further study is warranted to determine if Wine Gums may have the same beneficial effects on human subjects. (Journal of Wombiology 2004; 09:167-176)

KEY WORDS: Wine Gums, Wombies, The Wine Gum Effect, Wombiology

More About Wine Gums

For a discussion on the flavor of Wine Gums, and some Wine Gum tips, see the Wine Gum Flavor Debate.

For additional pages about Wine Gums, check out the Wine Gum Links page.