DISH OF THE WEEK: F.G. Freaks at EUGENE J. CANDY CO.

Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City

Very few of New York’s great candy stores have ever been mentioned on this site. In fact the only one that has been properly featured (Papabubble) is sadly no longer open. I love sugary places like Economy Candy, Sockerbit, and Aji Ichiban. But they’ve never gotten a shout out because they don’t make their own candy.

I’ve always tried to stick to dishes and drinks that are actually created in the city. So while Economy Candy has a lovely selection of nostalgic sweets and Aji Ichiban has many really cool Asian goodies, I never thought they were the right fit for a Dish of the Week.

Eugene J. Candy Co. in Bushwick is a little different. While you can buy all sorts of international and domestic favorites, you can also try something nobody else is doing: homemade candies.

The mad candy scientist owner at Eugene J. actually makes his own version of Nerds. Those crunchy sugar colorful bites. He calls them F.G. Freaks (named for Fickelgruber, one of Willy Wonka’s rivals) and they come in unique flavors.

While Nerds might feature favorite combinations like Watermelon and Sour Cherry, Eugene J goes one further and gives a nod to the typical Bushwick hipster. All the Freaks are made with natural flavors and colors. Flavors include things like Coconut Ash Strawberry, Hibiscus & Elderflower, and Orange & Peach.

My favorite was the dramatic black and white edition which goes by the name of Gothic Grape with blackberry and açaí berry.

They have that sweet sour taste you expect from Nerds and the texture is actually a bigger crunch. They look a bit inconsistent and misshapen, but in my mind, that is how you know these were handmade and not created in a factory.

Perhaps other NYC candy shops will be influenced by Eugene J. and add a little creative artistry into their candy business. That would be a trick… and a treat.