Pear Drops

c¾" long, approximately pear-shaped hard sugar sweets coated in sugar crystals and flavoured with a pear essence. Commonly of pale yellow colour, a two-colour yellow/pink version is also known.


Pear Drops
Image: 'SalfEnergy'

The largest pear drop in the world is at Stockleys Sweet factory in Oswaldtwistle Mills, Lancashire. While Stockleys assure us that they strictly use only natural pear flavouring, the 'pear' in less reputable drops used to be isoamyl acetate, a chemical known to be released as a bee stings in order to attract other bees to come and sting too. It is also an ingredient in some varnishes.