It’s Sourest Day, which means it’s time for a sensation overload that will make your mouth explode this October 25. We’re not just talking sucking on a lemon or boatloads of over-sugared gummies. Today is a day for all things sour — from candy to kimchi, sour foods can be an everyday part of our lives! Grab some citrus and some yogurt, we’re about to get puckerin’.
- 1000 AD – Egyptian records cite the first lemonade type of drink, made with lemons and dates
- 18th Century – Sweet and sour chicken. The popular dish originated in China before taking off in the U.S. a couple of hundred years later.
- 1970s – Sour candies gained prominence in the 1970s, with products like Lemonheads leading the trend. The intense flavors and unique mouth-puckering experience attracted consumers, solidifying sour candies’ place in the confectionery market.
- 1975 – Warheads are invented. The classic sour bombs that few can handle was invented in Vietnam.
- 1985 – Sour Patch Kids were originally called Mars Men. Created by Canadian confectioner Frank Galatolie in the 1970s, the candy was designed to capitalize on the interest in space and aliens. When Jaret International, the company Galatolie worked for, introduced the candy to the United States in 1985, they changed the name to Sour Patch Kids
- 2000s – Thanks to the rise of food trucks and Korean restaurants in the Hell’s Kitchen area of N.Y.C., Korean food redefines Asian-Americans.
- Oranges are considered a sour fruit (in part because of the high Vitamin C content)
- Limes are a bit more sour on the sour chart and go great in a variety of drinks and on tacos.
- The Japanese umeboshi, a pickled plum, is renowned for its extreme sourness. Traditionally served with rice, its tartness is both a culinary delicacy and a cultural staple in Japan.
- Sour Skittles: You’ve tasted the sweet side of the rainbow, now take a walk on the sour side! These Sour Skittles are perfect for anyone with a sour tooth, yes, I did say sour tooth.
- Juicy Drop Gum This innovative product is designed to give the customer full control over their sour-to-sweet preference.
- Toxic Waste Goop Gum is hazardously good and oozing with sour slime! Perfect for any sour tooth in your life.
- Cry Baby Tears: We’re convinced these were made to turn any grown man, or woman, into a crybaby! These appropriately shaped teardrop candies are a classic when sour candy comes to mind and a must-try for anyone who thinks they can stand up to the test! The name of the candy was given because it’s so sour it will make your eyes water!
- Toxic Waste Hazardously Sour Candy: The umeboshi sour plum is a Japanese delicacy where the plum — related to normal plums and apricots — is preserved in salt, making it the sourest fruit. Rhubarb is said to be the sourest vegetable, even though it’s typically used for sweets!
- Sour Patch Kids contain tartaric and citric acids, which are chock full of protons that our tongues register as sour. The protons increase when the acids are mixed with a liquid like saliva. Sour Patch Kids Extreme takes it one further, adding lactic acid for an extra bit of tongue-sizzling goodness.
- SweetTarts: Sourness: 1; Tastiness: 5; Long-Lasting: 2; Sweet Tarts are a classic and so can’t be left off the list. But, for the real sour fans among us, Sweet Tarts are child’s play.
- Sour Nerds: Sourness: 1.5; Tastiness 4; Long-Lasting: 1; Real proof that there’s strength in numbers. No one eats just one Nerd if such a thing is even possible. While individually, Nerds aren’t that sour, if you get a big mouthful of these little devils you’ll still go to go into sour overdrive.
- The same chemical that makes grapefruit taste sour — citric acid — is in sour-tasting candy.
- Gummies contain flavor, sugar, and a seaweed chemical called carrageenan, which makes them chewy.
- Middle Eastern Cuisine: Tamarind juice offers a tangy refreshment, especially popular during hot seasons.
- Eastern European Cuisine: Kvass, a fermented beverage made from rye bread, has a mildly sour taste and is enjoyed for its probiotic benefits.
- Thai Cuisine: Som Tam, a green papaya salad, combines sour lime with spicy and sweet notes.
- Polish Cuisine: Żurek, a sour rye soup, offers a tangy flavor, often enjoyed during Easter celebrations.
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