Skittles

What are Skittles anyway? They are delicious, but what are they made of? Other than sugar and artificial flavor, or course.

Have you ever tried to describe a Skittle to someone who has never had one? I asked a few people to do so, and I got a variety of answers.

I would describe a Skittle (original flavor only - the variations are abominations) as a small, chewy, slightly tart, fruit-flavored candy. They are about the size of plain M&Ms. The inside is chewy, and they have a more solid outer coating. They come in yellow (lemon), orange (duh), green (lime), purple (grape?), and red (who knows?). Red can be cherry, strawberry, raspberry, tropical punch, or any number of other flavors. I think that red Skittles are just generic red flavored.

Others described Skittles as being like jelly beans. Huh? Jelly beans are nasty. And their innards are much softer than Skittles centers.

As I have always been on a diet, I try to avoid candy of any kind. If I do indulge, I want dark chocolate. But a few years ago I heard Homer Simpson drool over Skittlebrau. "Uuuummmhhh, Skittles and beer. Skittlebrau." It is a nice combination because the beer cuts the sweetness of the Skittles. This is a typical basketball game snack for me.

The Rockets cannot win a game. I paid my season ticket money last summer, so I have to go to the games. The highlight of each game is getting out my bag of Skittles. I pour some into my hand and eat them two at a time in this order (least to most favorite): orange, yellow, green, purple, red. The bags that I have bought lately seem to be low on red. That's the story of my life.