Just when I thought 2020 had thrown every possible curveball [1], mushroom-flavoured candy canes came soaring from out of left field, ready to assault the taste buds of any valiant foodies with a strong stomach. Currently sold by Archie McPhee — the same novelty brand that introduced the world to candy canes of the pickle and rotisserie-chicken variety — the holiday treats abominations feature brown and white stripes and are allegedly made to taste like cooked shiitake 'shrooms, specifically. Exactly how said mushrooms have been cooked, I am unsure, but my hope is that they've been pulverized to the point of bearing absolutely no flavour resembling a capped fungus.
According to the product description on Archie McPhee's website, the candy canes are a snack "everyone can agree on," which certainly makes sense if said agreed-upon opinion is that these belong in the nearest trash receptacle. The box they come packaged in features an animated mushroom man smoking one of the candies à la a pipe and looking pretty weathered and displeased, likely an indication of the effects of consuming one. If anything, these questionable candy canes make an excellent gag gift [2] (emphasis on the gag). Snag a six-pack below if you dare.
Shiitake Mushroom Candy Canes [4] ($7)