Monthly Archives: November 2006

Fun Dip!!!

 

What is Fun Dip, you ask? It’s powdery sugar dust you eat off of edible chalk…ok, it’s not chalk, but it sure looks like it. It’s packets of goodness in various fruit flavors with a pure-sugar candy stick put there for your enjoyment. It’s a treat seemingly forged exclusively for kids – but a few of us with Peter Pan syndrome still love it. It’s anything you want it to be. It’s Fun Dip!!!

Fun dips come in individual packets containing one flavor and one stick, two flavors with one stick, or in packets of three flavors with two sticks. I have no idea why they don’t give you three sticks. Again, this is one of life’s great mysteries. Each of the flavors is compartmentalized into their own little envelopes. It takes a masterful skill of paper-ripping to separate the flavors without lots of spillage, so scissors are recommended. The pack I picked up had three different flavors so by this logic; I assume my package of Fun Dip to be three times the fun. Also take note of the clever atomic dust creatures representing each flavor – I think they are a cute mascot.

To eat the sandy candy, you’re supplied with two Lik-a-Stix. Again, while they may look like chalk they taste sort of like a really bland Smartie. When picking up your package of Fun Dip, always inspect it closely to make sure that your Lik-a-Stix is still in one piece. Ain’t nothing worse than broken Lik-a-Stix. I’ve seen grown men cry over a broken Lik-a-Stick. For those who’ve forgotten, here’s how it goes: you lick one of the Lik-a-Stixs, when finished, you must rush said stick into the envelope of sugar before your saliva dries. If done correctly, the sugar will pile atop your stick like magic. Yeah, some of it will spill. Yeah, most of it will spill. But the grains of sugar that touched the saliva portions of the stick? Those will stay. And those sugary grains will eventually end up back in your mouth and your tongue will thank you for it. My tongue is personally thanking me for the cherry, grape and blue raspberry goodness right now. Basically, Fun Dip is a more “fun??? version of Pixie Stix. Pixie Stix are for suckers and cry babies. And the Sheriff ain’t no crybaby. Except when my Fun Dip packet is empty…and the lights go out in the house. Then the tears flow.

Butterfinger Candy Bars

“Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!??? No, seriously…don’t – touch my Butterfinger and I’ll have you arrested. Ok, all kidding aside,  Butterfingers embody two of my favorite things in life…peanut butter and chocolate. This sweet treat first appeared on candy store shelves in 1923, which means that people in America have been enjoying these crispit-y, crunchit-y nuggets of gold for over eighty years.

Butterfingers have a peanut brittle-like taste (without the whole peanuts) and are flaky in consistency. The center is bright orange (think Chick-o-Stick) and the whole thing is coated in milk chocolate. This is one of the more crispy confections on the market and I think that has a lot to do with their popularity. The peanut butter is kind of salty and the chocolaty sweetness offsets that really well. The name “Butterfinger??? is a play on words, used to describe clumsy people and oftentimes used in sports to describe an athlete that cannot keep his hands on the ball. As an early publicity stunt, the candy company dropped Butterfingers from the airplanes in the sky when the bar was first introduced – hence the slogan “Follow the Finger???. Since then, they have had a popular following with candy lovers and I predict they always will.

Kit Kat Bar

“Give me a break, give me a break, break me off a piece of that KIT KAT BAR!??? Anyone growing up in the eighties remembers that jingle…and fondly, I’m sure. Kit Kat bars are designed for making friends…how could you not love someone who wants to share one or two of their chocolaty, kit kat-y morsels of deliciousness with you? That’s how the Good Doctor snagged me. Wait, that’s a lie! But either way, the Sheriff is back from her Thanksgiving break (albeit, still in a turkey coma) to talk about candy with you, my beloved candy kids.

Kit Kats are essentially a cream-filled wafer cookie enrobed in rich, milk chocolate. Now, Hershey’s makes them in a white and dark chocolate version, but the original milk chocolate is my personal favorite. They are crispy, sweet and satisfying and it’s easy to see why they are one of the top ten best selling candy bars of all time. Personally, I like to eat the milk chocolate first and break my way to the wafer cookie.

Kit Kats were first introduced to the world in the late 1930’s and at that time were called “Chocolate Crisp??? bars. One year later, the name was changed to “Kit Kat Chocolate Crisp??? bars, believed to have derived from a popular literary club at the time. After World War II the name was shortened to the well-known and beloved Kit Kat. Whatever you call them, they are simply delicious.

SUGAR DADDY CARAMEL POPS


 

Sugar Daddy caramel pops are the fun-to-eat treat on a stick. They are known for their long-lasting flavor and chewy texture. They are an oldie but goodie, created in 1925 by the James O. Welch candy company it was then called the “Papa???. The product was designed as a rich, long-lasting milk caramel bar, served on a stick for easy handling. In 1932, the name was changed to “Sugar Daddy??? to suggest that the candy would give you a “wealth of sweetness???. Since then, the Sugar Daddy has become well known to kids and adults of all generations, making it a nostalgic and beloved candy and to this day, Sugar Daddy pops continue to deliver their long-lasting caramel enjoyment.

Sugar Daddy caramel pops remind me of summertime and my youth. When I was young, I used to visit my aunt in Ohio. She bought Sugar Daddy’s and other nostalgic treats of her youth at a nearby drugstore and kept them on hand for us kids and if I remember correctly, herself as well! We used to run around her backyard in our bathing suits, jumping through the sprinklers, climbing trees and playing freeze tag. She’d always bring out her jar of treats and let us choose one from the mix. I, being the smart cookie that I am, always chose the Sugar Daddy’s. They were creamy, delicious, sticky and lasted for FOREVER. I could run around all day with that one bar and barely make a dent in it. My hands were sticky for hours afterwards and I’m sure I was the target of every ant and bee within twenty miles of the place, but man oh man, was it worth it!o. and c

 

Rolos

“Do you love someone enough to give them your last Rolo???? This is the slogan that has graced Rolo packages for years. So I come to you, candy kids, to ask you the very same question. Do you love someone enough to give them your last Rolo? Now for me, the answer is simple, I love the Good Doctor with all my heart, so I would gladly give him my last Rolo. And chances are he’d half it with me. But anyone else? No way, Jose! Rolos are chewy, chocolaty little morsels that I like to eat one by one. Gulp…gone!

Rolos are chocolate covered caramels. When you bite into them, the gooey golden center stares at you like a great, golden eye. You feel like you have been given a rare gift. In fact, each little Rolo is like a little treasure. A cylindrical wheel of chocolaty treasure chest goodness that is filled to the brim with rich, caramel-y sweetness. Rolos are a great candy for sharing, as they come seven to a tube. An odd number, yes, but a good one nonetheless. They are individually wrapped in gold foil which just further enhances my “treasure chest??? analogy. The milk chocolate is sweet and soft while the caramel center is chewy and just plain delicious. Rolos are truly a taste treat, if you don’t believe me, try them for yourself. But save me one, would ya?

 

 

Snickers

 

The ground begins to shake. The wins change direction. It is that feeling before the winter rain swarms the city. It is the sound of tectonic plates shifting. It is the movement of the ocean in harmony with the earth. It is the sun on the day of your birth. It has been the salvation and leader of the chocolate bar dynasty. It is the king, the emperor, nay, the Sultan of the land of candy. It is the bar all other candy bars must kneel before when it enters the room. It is the one, the only, the original, SNICKERS!

Snickers has been around since 1930 and sold for a nickel! From 1949 to 1952 it sponsored the “Howdy Doody Show??? In 1968 Snickers dominates Halloween with the introduction of the “Fun Size???. In 1984 Snickers was “The Official Snack Food??? Sponsor of the 1984 Olympics. 1989 was the Snickers Ice Cream Bar. 1996 the Snickers Ice Cream Bar is introduced. In 2005 Snickers celebrated it’s 75th birthday! It is bar none the most recognized candy bar in the world. It’s rich chocolate, creamy caramel, roasted peanuts and that other element inside that no one else can pronounce, “crack???. No it’s not really crack but you might as well call it chocolate addiction and hook up the I.V. It is the one thing I can look forward when I’m having a bad day. It always brings me up and never lets me down. It is uniquely complex and amazingly simple, all at the same time. It is a snack, a treat and a meal all rolled into one little bar. And with options ranging from bite size to king size, ice cream to cone, creamy to crunchy, it truly is a God among insects.

Raisinets

Centuries ago, on the rolling hills of sunny California, there grew a secret. A secret so powerful the name alone brings fear to the mightiest of men. It strikes down the worthiest of foes and smites their ruins upon the mountainside with power of Thor’s hammer. The secret is known as, Raisin. Little fruits dried from the plumpest of grapes growing from the highest of trees possessing the will of forty men! The branches reach toward the sun like hands toward salvation. Glowing with warmth and shining with glory, the grapes are picked and dried for harvesting. When once upon a midnight dreary, when the clouds huddled high above the ground, a lowly shoemaker named Hanz was stirring his warm chocolate beverage. He heard the crash of thunder and startled he spilled a bushel full of raisins into his drink. The shoemaker not knowing what to do poured his drink into a strainer to salvage what he could of his precious drink. Upon drying, the shoemaker decided to eat the chocolate covered raisin. To his bewilderment he called his wife Yolandanita, the sheep herder, to see what he had found. Hanz told Yolandanita that he had found the secret to the harsh winter storm. That their hope had arrived in the name of Rasinets! And so the tale will be writ. But Hanz and Yolandanita did not brave that winter. They were in fact devoured by bears. But their legend lives on.

Raisinets are sun-ripened, plump juicy California raisins tucked in rich creamy Nestle Classic Milk Chocolate, which is the reason movie-goers have always loved Nestle Raisinets. But this candy is not just for the movies anymore!. Introduced in 1927 by the Blumenthal Chocolate Company. Nestle acquired the brand in 1984. “Taste the Sunshine??? is the catch phrase that has been sweeping the globe for centuries. Even though the name tells you they have only been around for a short while, never forget the peril Hanz and Yolandanita had to go through in order to bring you the Rasinets.

Goobers

 

Sitting by the roadside on a summer’s day
Chatting with my mess-mates, passing time away
Lying in the shadows underneath the trees
Goodness, how delicious, eating goober peas.
Peas, peas, peas, peas
Eating goober peas
Goodness, how delicious,
Eating goober peas!
When a horse-man passes, the soldiers have a rule
To cry out their loudest, “Mister, here’s your mule!”
But another custom, enchanting-er than these
Is wearing out your grinders, eating goober peas.
Peas, peas, peas, peas
Eating goober peas
Goodness, how delicious,
Eating goober peas!
Just before the battle, the General hears a row
He says “The Yanks are coming, I hear their rifles now.”
He looks down the roadway, and what d’ya think he sees?
The Georgia Militia cracking goober peas.
Peas, peas, peas, peas
Eating goober peas
Goodness, how delicious,
Eating goober peas!
I think my song has lasted just about enough.
The subject is interesting, but the rhymes are mighty rough.
I wish the war was over, so free from rags and fleas
We’d kiss our wives and sweethearts, say good-bye to goober peas.
Peas, peas, peas, peas
Eating goober peas
Goodness, how delicious,
Eating goober peas!
When I was in the eighth grade we learned about the Civil War. It was then that I first heard the expression “eating goober peas???. Evidently, “goobers??? was the Confederate Army’s name for peanuts. After being cut off from rail lines and their own farm land, the soldiers relied on peanuts as a mainstay of their meager diet. My history teacher taught us the “Goober Peas??? song that is featured above. It was sung by Confederate soldiers to pass the time and liven their spirits. I’ve never forgotten the song or the history behind it. Which brings me to the candy blog of the day… 

Goobers!

Goobers are milk chocolate covered peanuts. They are simple and delicious, satisfying both a sweet and salty craving. Roasted, whole peanuts are encased in sweet milk chocolate making for a protein rich, sweet, delightful treat. There are no fancy trappings with Goobers…what you see is what you get – chocolate and peanuts. They have been like this since 1925 and will continue to be on the market when I am old and gray. Originally made by the Blumenthal Chocolate company (later bought by Nestle) the creator of Goobers decided to give the Southern candy a little history and bestowed upon it the already well-known name. I guarantee that the next time you eat Goobers, you’ll think of our little history lesson and that plus the candy will make your day just a little bit brighter!

 

 

Sky Bar

Necco was the first candy manufacturer in this country to introduce a molded chocolate bar having four distinctly different centers enrobed in chocolate. In 1938, the SkyBar was introduced to the public. The Necco candy company hired skywriting planes to fly high above the city and advertise the coming of their newest and most creative candy bar.

To this day, the Sky Bar remains the only candy bar to have four different flavored centers: fudge, caramel, peanut and vanilla nougat – making it a truly unique treat. This is my first experience with a SkyBar. I have never seen them or heard of them until now, but they seem to have quite a history. The packaging is very “retro??? and I love vintage items…from clothes to candy. Now, I hope that this particular bar wasn’t made in 1938, but there’s only one way to find out…

Nope! Still fresh! And tasty…the SkyBar is made up of a crisp, milk chocolate shell that has four chambers or candy compartments. Each block is fairly thick and the centers ooze out from the chocolate when you bite into them. The vanilla center is sweet and has a sugary grit to it. It’s reminiscent of a Cadbury Cream Egg. The peanut butter center is not too thick, or too thin. The peanut butter center is just the right mix of sweet and salty and is a perfect accompaniment to the chocolate. The caramel center is creamy and smooth and leaves those great little sticky bits on the tip of your fingers. The fudge center is rich and chocolaty. All in all, this is a great candy bar. It’s fun to have four different flavors to choose from and it’s easy to see why the SkyBar has been around for so long.

Twix

 

Twix cookie bars are a modern day miracle. They can be found in both the cookie and candy aisle at your local supermarket, easily making it one of the most recognizable chocolate bars the world over. Twix is a simple, but delicious combination of crunchy, crispy cookie, smooth, chewy caramel and rich, decadent chocolate. The package features two bars, which makes it unique and easier to share with friends (if you are the generous type).  I love how multi-textured a Twix bar is. The cookie has a nice pleasing crunch to it and adds an almost buttery taste to the whole affair. The caramel is smooth and slightly sticky on my tongue and the chocolate is yielding and melts just a little with the heat from your fingers.

Twix is available in both the caramel and peanut butter versions, the latter of the two being my personal favorite – what can I say? I’m a sucker for anything with peanut butter! The peanut butter Twix bar is almost identical to the original caramel bar, with the exception that the caramel is omitted to make way for sweet, salty peanut butter. The peanut butter is sandwiched between the cookie bottom and the chocolate top and sides. Twix has had a toehold in the candy world and I think they always will. So whether you think of yours as a candy or a cookie, it’s delicious either way.