The Beloved Vintage Candy Gordon Ramsay Called A 'Combination Of Aspirin And Tums'

Some foods just don't hit the same for everyone, and when it comes to those Gordon Ramsay won't touch, the list might be a little long. He isn't a fan of frozen dinners, nor does he like McDonald's iconic Big Mac. And, as it turns out, the "Hell's Kitchen" host would be content if these old-school Halloween candies vanished from the bags of costume-clad revelers: Smarties. On a 2016 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, Ramsay critiqued the American candies and referred to them as "The perfect combination of aspirin and Tums." He further said, "Smarties are for dummies."

What exactly are Smarties? For the uninitiated, American Smarties were born in 1949 in New Jersey. If you prefer chocolate candies, these are not for you. They have a sugary, tangy, almost gritty taste and come in six different pastel colors and flavors. Stacked in a nice roll and wrapped in clear cellophane paper, Smarties are a sweet and sour encounter for the taste buds. The white chalky tablet candy is orange cream; yellow is pineapple; pink is cherry; green is strawberry; purple is grape; and orange is orange. Smarties are free of gluten, nuts, and soy. They also only have 25 calories per roll.

To be fair, American Smarties, with their snappy and powdery texture, are quite a bit different than what a Smartie in the United Kingdom tastes like. A hop across the pond to the U.K. will give a candy lover a whole different Smarties experience. The British version of this candy is one that Gordon Ramsay is more likely to enjoy. Instead of a simple plastic wrap, British Smarties come in a cardboard container. They are described as milk chocolate encased in colorful candy shells. They sound more like an American M&M than an American Smartie.

Smarties are not the only American candy that Ramsay would never be seen noshing on. Circus peanuts — those big, orange, marshmallow-like candies– took a lashing from the celebrity chef, as did our beloved candy corn and the amazingly fun treats you can make with them. Ramsay quipped, "It's not candy, it's not corn, it's earwax formed in the shape of a rotten tooth." Alas, to each his own.