gerisullivan | Is it the Wizz or the Fizz?

Things are different in Australia. I've yet to visit there, but I thought I had at least something of a grasp. For example, they have musk flavored Life Savers. 'Cause perfume can be a candy, too, don'cha know? Only in Australia.

But even musk flavored Life Savers didn't prepare me for what I found inside the packet of Wizz Fizz Original Sherbet that Aussie fan David Russell included in the birthday package he sent my way. David has been sending generous, welcome packages of Australian goodies for, eep, a good 10 years now. No, longer. I think the first came in the fall of '97 after he read about

minnehaha K's and my search for PEZ and the existence of the Australia-only PEZ stencil packs. He tucked two rolls of musk Life Savers into the box and when I told him of my plans to inflict one of the rolls on unsuspecting fans at the 1997 Loscon, he quickly airmailed an entire box of 24 rolls my way. I think the LA fans have forgiven me by now. Most of them, anyway.

David sent a book this year, informing me that he found the Hello Kitty PEZ dispensers currently populating the market on the lame side.

buttonlass aside, I can't disagree with his judgment. But it's a miracle the book made it through customs. I didn't know just how much of a miracle until I opened the packet of wizz fizz.

I was expecting something along the lines of Pop Rocks. The ingredients are icing sugar, mineral salts (500, 504), food acid (296) and flavour. I could feel some lumpy bits in the packet.

Then came the surprise. Wizz Fizz is a fine, white powder. Some of the he lumpy bits were caked bits of the, ahem, candy. But the biggest lumpy bit was the little plastic spoon that came in the packet. I suppose that's better than a straw, but not by much. McDonald's pulled their little plastic spoons from their coffee setups after they became widely used for consumption of another fine, white powder. And here the Aussies send the spoon right along in the package. How very thoughtful of them.

The nutrition label claims that 12.5 grams is a single serving. Right....

The 204 Kj of energy seemed kinda low given the weight of the powdered white stuff. No bitterness to the flavor or anything.

Wizz Fizz claims to have been around for 60 years. That makes it the new kid on the block when it comes to fine white powders meant for human consumption. I guess it makes sense. Australia is young as countries go, too. To Western eyes, at least.

Huh. I wonder what they put in their new cola flavour.

Candy is dandy.