Give out these cool candies this Halloween

Everyone else on your block will be offering trick-or-treaters all the familiar brands of chocolate bars — usually in those “fun size” packages that are no fun at all. A few members of the no-fun brigade will opt instead for pretzels, pencils or fruit snacks.

But you want to be different, right? Why not head over the Buford Highway Farmers Market (at 5600 Buford Highway, Doraville) for some truly unique candy?

Enlarge this image

Joey Ivansco/ AJC/jivansco@ajc.com

Mexican lollipops called Coronado Paleton de Cajeta will be a hit with trick-or-treaters and parents alike.

Enlarge this image

Joey Ivansco/ AJC/jivansco@ajc.com

Pocky: These chocolate-dipped cookie sticks count among Japan’s iconic childhood treats.

Talk about it: What's the worse Halloween treat you've received?

AJC.COM'S HOLIDAY GUIDE

• New Year's: Atlanta celebrates | The world | Send your photos | Your Resolutions?
• 2008's stupidest moment? Cast your vote
  • More Year in Stupid: The whole stupid story | Our stupid sing-along | Stupid in Atlanta | Oh, what a stupid world | Stupid celebs | Stupid products
• 2008's notable deaths: The 30 we'll miss the most | A month-by-month memorial
• Your photos: Hanukkah Pets | Santa Pets 8 | 9 | 10
• Plus: Recycle your tree | After-Christmas mall hours

Now with a major renovation nearly complete, the market is brighter and better organized than ever before, and it has altered its product mix to focus a little less on Korean goods and more on the rest of Asia, Latin American and Eastern Europe — with a huge selection of packaged goods from all over the world. In other words, it has become Atlanta’s best candy store. (You can, of course, find some combination of these brands at specialty markets and farmers markets throughout the metro area.)

Here are some items that kids are sure to find either really weird, really delicious or — hopefully — both.

• Coronado Paleton de Cajeta ($1.29 for 10 lollipops)

These Mexican lollipops — creamy in flavor and brittle in texture — are made with the goat’s milk caramel called cajeta. Everyone loves them, particularly grown-ups.

• Pocky ($3.99 for 10 packets)

These chocolate-dipped cookie sticks count among Japan’s iconic childhood treats. Full-sized portions come in a carton rather like an elongated cigarette box, but these small cellophane-wrapped servings do the trick for treats.

• Lucas Muecas ($4.49 for 10 units)

This Mexican version of Ring Pops comes with an exotic twist of flavor: mango lollipops that you dip in a spicy-sweet chile powder. Definitely warn kids about these, and prepare for a love-it or hate-it reaction.

• Joeun Food Pumpkin Caramels ($4.99 for about 60)

These chewy filling-dislodgers from Korea are studded with pumpkin seeds. They’re Far Eastern Mary Janes.

• Ting Ting Jahe Ginger Candy ($1.89 for about 30)

Made in Indonesia, these gooey chews come wrapped in a thin skin of edible rice paper and have all the peppery pungency you’d expect from fresh ginger. Younger kids may find the flavor a little intense, but older ones will enjoy them.

• Roshen Waffle Chocolates ($4.99 for about 30)

One of many Ukrainian (and Russian) chocolates that sport beautiful labels with folk-art designs. This one holds a dry waffle cookie enrobed in a thin sheet of dark chocolate.

• Funwaka Chocoten Marshmallows ($1.99 for 15)

Japanese candy makers offer all kinds of individually wrapped marshmallows with fruit fillings, such as strawberry or grape. Trick or treaters are likely to prefer the fudgy chocolate at the center of these ones. So will their parents.