Following a post not too long ago about pairing leftover Halloween candy with wine, a commenter posed an important question: Where can you find Maynards Wine Gums? These curious flavored gelatins are a mainstay in the canon of British candy. They rank high alongside Cadbury Crunchie (Butterfinger’s much more elegant British cousin), Cadbury Flake (a chocolate stick comprised of thin and delicate concentric layers of chocolate), and Nestle’s porous Aero bars (available in mint, caramel, etc.) seen in area purveyors of goodies hailing from Old Blighty. In order to serve the inquisitive reader and to sate our semiannual craving for Anglo sweets, we hit the road.

Our search began at Classic Cigars and British Goodies on Wilson Boulevard, which houses one of the more impressive arrays of British wares in the D.C. area. The first thing to catch our eyes were the fridges full of Irish bacon, breakfast pudding, and bangers, as well as cold drinks such as Irn Bru (an appallingly sweet Scottish soda), Lilt (a refreshing lemon/lime soda), and Ribena (a black currant-flavored soda).

The dry goods aisle delighted us with the sight of the requisite Marmite and its disturbing cousin, a beefy yeast paste called Bovril, which can be made into soup stock or a delicious spread for toast! Other condiments included an alarming range of pickled spreads by Branston and Heinz, as well as Heinz’s unimaginatively titled “Salad Cream.”