Whenever I dig into a package of mixed fruity flavored candies, I have an entirely predictable response: savor the purples first, then the pinks and reds. (And only after I’ve plucked out those flavors will I offer to share what remains.) Even though artificial grape receives the full measure of my devotion, I’m awfully fond of red candies, too. It doesn’t even matter to me whether the reds are cherry or strawberry or something else; I like them all. So, during a recent meander through a gas station candy aisle, I was thrilled to note that the Starburst selection included a variety called FaveReds. The company describes the candies this way: “Like a mixtape of your favorite songs, the FaveReds bring your favorite juicy red flavors–strawberry, fruit punch, watermelon, and cherry–together in one pack.” A package of nothing but reds?! How could I resist?
On a recent vacation in southeastern Tennessee, in which I must have wandered starry-eyed through at least a dozen fudge and candy shops, I kept bumping into these Lollipops from Blanton’s Candies. When I’m on the prowl for new sweets, lollipops don’t often register on my “intriguing candy” radar, probably because I prefer to chew my hard candies rather than suck on them. I find the crunch much more satisfying than the dissolve. But these lollipops caught my attention because of their beautiful, shiny appearance.
I loved the bright, cheerful, whimsical colors. When I picked one up for closer inspection, I noticed that all of the sticks were printed with the name and address of a local Tennessee candy company, Blanton’s Candies. I always like to try locally made treats, so I decided to sample a few of these lollipops. I had my choice of perhaps twenty varieties, but I picked only four: grape, orange cream, cotton candy, and candy corn.
Having a stressful day at work? Think a sweet playlist will make the world seem a bit brighter? Listening to songs mentioning candy and sugar always put me in a good mood so I thought I’d share with you some of my favorites…and some of the sweet history behind the tunes.
10. Sugar Shack, Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs
Of course all of us present-day sugar fiends love this song, but apparently there were just as many sugar fiends in 1963. Though this New Mexico-based group got their start as an instrumental group, it was “Sugar Shack” that put them at No. 1 on the Billboard chart in ’63.
I’m not really sure when chocolate chickens were officially born, but it puts a smile on my face to know that they exist. What I can tell you is that chocolate eggs, at least in the form of the Cadbury Creme Egg we know today, first hatched in 1971, replacing an earlier type of creme-filled egg the company launched in 1923.
In the spirit of Easter, let’s talk more about Cadbury Creme Eggs.
Palmer’s Chow Down Mix is one of those concoctions that really look like they threw a bunch of leftovers together. It honestly looked really unappetizing to me. You can see from the photo that it’s a mix of mini pretzels, some candy-coated chocolate pieces and a bunch of white candy-coated items. The white candy-coated items are more mini pretzels, a wheat circle (reminds me of a certain cereal) and wheat squares (reminds me of yet another cereal).
I’ve never been a huge fan of anything claiming to be “yogurt covered†or covered in today’s candy makers’ fake white chocolate. So, knowing this about me, you can understand that I thought it was a candy I was not going to like. Upon opening the container, a huge aroma of vanilla bursts out of the tub. It wasn’t overpowering, but it let you know it was there. Once I ate some of the Chow Down Mix, I was actually surprised that the flavors work together nicely. We all know salty pretzels work well with anything sweet but the combination with the white candy coating and the candy-coated chocolate pieces was actually pretty good.
I’m not really sure when chocolate chickens were officially born, but it puts a smile on my face to know that they exist. What I can tell you is that chocolate eggs, at least in the form of the Cadbury Creme Egg we know today, 
