A Place for Strongly-Held Candy Optinions
November 4, 2024 7:09 AM Subscribe
Halloween has come and gone as has the bonus weekend after we claim when the actual holiday falls mid-week. In most homes though, candy remains. What are your favorite/least favorite candies? What are the ones you scour the bowl to claim for yourself? What are the horrible things that end up ignored? What treats from your culture would surprise, horrify, and/or delight people from elsewhere? Or talk about anything you like*. It's a free thread.
*It's always a rule that free threads are politics-free, which is great since as far as this thread is concerned, nothing is happening tomorrow and no one need speak of it.
*It's always a rule that free threads are politics-free, which is great since as far as this thread is concerned, nothing is happening tomorrow and no one need speak of it.
Nerds is killing it right now. The nerd clusters? š
posted by constraint at 7:18 AM on November 4 [12 favorites]
posted by constraint at 7:18 AM on November 4 [12 favorites]
I love licorice. There, I said it.
posted by heyitsgogi at 7:20 AM on November 4 [12 favorites]
posted by heyitsgogi at 7:20 AM on November 4 [12 favorites]
In most homes though, candy remains.
Objection, your Honor, facts not in evidence.
posted by mittens at 7:21 AM on November 4 [7 favorites]
Objection, your Honor, facts not in evidence.
posted by mittens at 7:21 AM on November 4 [7 favorites]
My ranking of Butterfinger enjoyability by size:
- Butterfinger fun size - the perfect amount, perpetual ruler and champion
- Butterfinger twin pack, 1.9 oz. sticks - the only way to eat more than three bites of Butterfinger that doesn't end in nausea
- Butterfinger skull - not actually a great size/shape to optimize the flavor, but hey: SKULL
- Butterfinger 1.9 oz. stick - only half as enjoyable as the twin pack, which is just math
- Butterfinger mini - not really enough, but 100% enjoyable all the way through
- Regular size Butterfinger - the second bite is the peak, each successive bite is 20% less enjoyable
- Butterfinger movie style theater 8 oz. bag of unwrapped minis - should be called "Regret Size"
- Butterfinger bits - really these are for cooking, but they have their use in a pinch
- Giant-Size Butterfinger - apparently giants like to eat the same flavor until they cure their fondness for it
We bought some bags of assorted mini-candies. One included mini 100 Grand bars, which I have somehow always shunned for no very good reason. Tried one, and wow, it's easily B-tier or better for me. Moral i guess: try the weird, sorta generic, sorta old-fashioned candy bars.
posted by uberfunk at 7:23 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
posted by uberfunk at 7:23 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
Whomps / whompers are so gross. Mild chocolate flavor over a malt ball??? Who in holy hell dreamed that one up.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 7:24 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
posted by St. Peepsburg at 7:24 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
Twix for the win. Candy corn for the bin.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 7:26 AM on November 4 [5 favorites]
posted by Hardcore Poser at 7:26 AM on November 4 [5 favorites]
In the US there is (or was) a Zero bar which was nougat and caramel enrobed in white chocolate, and those are the best, especially frozen. Not sold in Canada, which is probably for the best. Lacking that, Oh Henry Peanut. Then Reeseās Pieces. The chocolate in the Reeseās cups is bad now.
posted by seanmpuckett at 7:31 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 7:31 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
I still like candy corn. We weren't expecting trick or treaters, so I just got a bag of random tiny chocolate bars, and I've been eating those.
posted by Spike Glee at 7:32 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
posted by Spike Glee at 7:32 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
I still like candy corn
BE GONE, DEMON.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:33 AM on November 4 [8 favorites]
BE GONE, DEMON.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:33 AM on November 4 [8 favorites]
You're right golgi, and you should say it. I'll go a step further and say that Finnish salmiakki is delicious in small doses, although I'm not sure if it counts as "candy" at that point.
posted by jy4m at 7:33 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
posted by jy4m at 7:33 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
j/k about the candy corn. You can have that and leave me the fun size Butterfingers.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:34 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:34 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
MeFiCandySwap!
posted by Hardcore Poser at 7:35 AM on November 4 [9 favorites]
posted by Hardcore Poser at 7:35 AM on November 4 [9 favorites]
I was in the Husdon Valley this weekend and stopped in a cute little chocolate shop while there, because why not. No other candy is in the house at the moment.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:36 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:36 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
No candy leftovers in our house. Through repeated trial and error, we are aware that any box of Halloween candy will not last until Halloween so we buy another box and then that box...rinse repeat. (Also, Halloween candy is so expensive these days that I just can't justify buying day of.)
We hand out stickers and kid friendly comics, and let me tell you: little kids lose their fucking minds over stickers.
In non-related candy news, one of Shepherd's good friends had a tv pilot pitch meeting--he calls his home "The House that Netflix Bought" from one of his previous successes--and the execs at the table told him that his pilot had "too much plot." They said they are looking for projects that can be second-screened as that is where most new TV interest for projects lies these days, apparently. Our friend was like, "Plot is good. Why else would you watch?"
posted by Kitteh at 7:39 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
We hand out stickers and kid friendly comics, and let me tell you: little kids lose their fucking minds over stickers.
In non-related candy news, one of Shepherd's good friends had a tv pilot pitch meeting--he calls his home "The House that Netflix Bought" from one of his previous successes--and the execs at the table told him that his pilot had "too much plot." They said they are looking for projects that can be second-screened as that is where most new TV interest for projects lies these days, apparently. Our friend was like, "Plot is good. Why else would you watch?"
posted by Kitteh at 7:39 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
I like candy corn and furthermore I like the dreaded mellocreme pumpkin.
If I could have any candy at all at Halloween, I would prefer cherry bings, cherry mash and mallocups, but we live in a fallen world.
posted by Frowner at 7:39 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
If I could have any candy at all at Halloween, I would prefer cherry bings, cherry mash and mallocups, but we live in a fallen world.
posted by Frowner at 7:39 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
Necco Wafers or GTFH.
posted by slkinsey at 7:40 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
posted by slkinsey at 7:40 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
Sugar is The gateway drug true story
None of the chocolate bars taste like they used to. Now I'm partial to any super sour candy.. the T&T Market carries a good one. Barring that, those Fizz candies
posted by ginger.beef at 7:42 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
None of the chocolate bars taste like they used to. Now I'm partial to any super sour candy.. the T&T Market carries a good one. Barring that, those Fizz candies
posted by ginger.beef at 7:42 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
Liquorice is indeed the king of all sweets. By far. I love it in pretty much any salty variation, but sweet is fine too. Just as long as it's actually liquorice, and not some imposter thing like "strawberry liquorice" which is just strawberry. There is no liquorice or liquorice extract in it. It is not any kind of liquorice, it is a foul lie. I will fight you and die on this hill.
posted by Dysk at 7:43 AM on November 4 [6 favorites]
posted by Dysk at 7:43 AM on November 4 [6 favorites]
Sorry, I want to write about non-related candy things again.
My busking is technically illegal. I don't have a permit. The law enforcement here have better things to do than harass me though. Yesterday was the first time a cop has ever interacted directly with me when I was playing my instrument. He tipped me a fiver and then continued his walk down the street. Then on the way back he stopped again to ask if I had a card. I was amused. They know I'm not doing it legally.
I teach at a school and one of the parents of one of my students caught me busking and has told her kid that I'm begging which the kid now loudly announces in front of all his classmates. If I had more power over the curriculum, I would give them all a day of music history class. There are so many important musicians who started out as street musicians. Instead I just have to be okay with this parent undermining me.
posted by wurl1tzer_c0 at 7:45 AM on November 4 [16 favorites]
My busking is technically illegal. I don't have a permit. The law enforcement here have better things to do than harass me though. Yesterday was the first time a cop has ever interacted directly with me when I was playing my instrument. He tipped me a fiver and then continued his walk down the street. Then on the way back he stopped again to ask if I had a card. I was amused. They know I'm not doing it legally.
I teach at a school and one of the parents of one of my students caught me busking and has told her kid that I'm begging which the kid now loudly announces in front of all his classmates. If I had more power over the curriculum, I would give them all a day of music history class. There are so many important musicians who started out as street musicians. Instead I just have to be okay with this parent undermining me.
posted by wurl1tzer_c0 at 7:45 AM on November 4 [16 favorites]
"second screen" oh is that why the only Netflix that we bother to watch anymore is stuff from Korea and China, where they are deadly serious about plot. I mean I guess it works for them. Netflix gets our dollar whether we watch shitty english series. or terrific Asian series.
posted by seanmpuckett at 7:45 AM on November 4
posted by seanmpuckett at 7:45 AM on November 4
My kid got no Junior Mints this year and I was very disappointed. Room temperature or frozen, a Junior Mint is never a bad idea.
I also never see my favorite old-timey candy: the Goldenberg Peanut Chew, which is just the most satisfying bar you can find. Breakable into just the right size, tasting not too aggressively of peanut and honey with a dark chocolate coating that is neither too thick nor too waxy.
posted by Il etait une fois at 7:47 AM on November 4 [10 favorites]
I also never see my favorite old-timey candy: the Goldenberg Peanut Chew, which is just the most satisfying bar you can find. Breakable into just the right size, tasting not too aggressively of peanut and honey with a dark chocolate coating that is neither too thick nor too waxy.
posted by Il etait une fois at 7:47 AM on November 4 [10 favorites]
Third year in a row of being out of the country over Halloween (on purpose, because we live in Salem, MA), so no Halloween candy at our house, but we did buy scads of chocolate at the duty-free in Heathrow on the way home. Quality Street, Celebrations, Heroes and Toblerone minis.
When we are home for Halloween, we try to buy candy we don't like, so that we're less tempted by the leftovers. A bag of assorted fun-sized Mars chocolates (Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way) wouldn't last five minutes in our house. Same for Hershey's miniatures or anything Reese's.
posted by briank at 7:47 AM on November 4
When we are home for Halloween, we try to buy candy we don't like, so that we're less tempted by the leftovers. A bag of assorted fun-sized Mars chocolates (Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way) wouldn't last five minutes in our house. Same for Hershey's miniatures or anything Reese's.
posted by briank at 7:47 AM on November 4
Related article from last week by Albert Burneko at Defector.
posted by GamblingBlues at 7:47 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
posted by GamblingBlues at 7:47 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
No fan of Skittles, I was unpleasantly surprised to find the variety bags of candy I got for trick or treaters... were maybe 5% Snickers, 5% Peanut M&Ms, 10% OG Starbursts, and 80% Skittles. I grumbled about it and finally said "ugh, I'll have some Skittles" today. They're better than I remember, so either they've gotten better or I've gotten worse. I scream for I do not know!
Also, my love for Reese's cups & related objects has been hollowed out by the gradual decrease of actual chocolate in their confections. I will eat the stuff occasionally, but it's like someone waved a cacao bean over a vat of wax and sugar these days. The fancy-schmancy dark chocolate and peanut butter cups that are exorbitantly expensive, on the other hand, are totally worth it.
posted by cupcakeninja at 7:48 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
Also, my love for Reese's cups & related objects has been hollowed out by the gradual decrease of actual chocolate in their confections. I will eat the stuff occasionally, but it's like someone waved a cacao bean over a vat of wax and sugar these days. The fancy-schmancy dark chocolate and peanut butter cups that are exorbitantly expensive, on the other hand, are totally worth it.
posted by cupcakeninja at 7:48 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
Junior Mints are okay on their own but if you want to launch yourself into heaven, eat them with buttered popcorn (as you would get at a theatre). Something about the minty sweetness plus the unctuous saltiness of the popcorn is fucking transcendent.
posted by seanmpuckett at 7:48 AM on November 4 [6 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 7:48 AM on November 4 [6 favorites]
Reese's mini peanut butter cups, obvs, but the real star of the show in grumpyland was Smarties. Grumpybearbride and I were at Wal-Mart buying candy when I expressed my frustration that there were no Smarties to be had. "They're a specialty candy," she said. I bristled. "They're a first-class staple candy of Halloween legend!" I retorted. As we continued to search and fail, I became more and more distraught. Eventually, grumpybearbride said, in what she probably thought was a lightly mocking tone, that the lack of Smarties was "a real tragedy."
I perked up. "Yes!" I said. "It is a tragedy." I felt heard, and the cloud over my head lifted. She later found Smarties at the Dollar Tree.
But! The best part of the story is how mind-bogglingly popular the Smarties were during trick-or-treating. Kids went right for them and adults looked on in wonder, music about how much they loved Smarties. I was not wrong to be so put out by Wal-Mart's exclusion of this Very Important Candy!
#SmartiesForPrez
posted by grumpybear69 at 7:49 AM on November 4 [8 favorites]
I perked up. "Yes!" I said. "It is a tragedy." I felt heard, and the cloud over my head lifted. She later found Smarties at the Dollar Tree.
But! The best part of the story is how mind-bogglingly popular the Smarties were during trick-or-treating. Kids went right for them and adults looked on in wonder, music about how much they loved Smarties. I was not wrong to be so put out by Wal-Mart's exclusion of this Very Important Candy!
#SmartiesForPrez
posted by grumpybear69 at 7:49 AM on November 4 [8 favorites]
Il etait une fois, you aren't kidding. Relatedly, my wife introduced me to the joy of simultaneously eating Junior Mints with popcorn, and it transformed my movie viewing.
posted by cupcakeninja at 7:50 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
posted by cupcakeninja at 7:50 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
I teach at a school and one of the parents of one of my students caught me busking and has told her kid that I'm begging which the kid now loudly announces in front of all his classmates.
My late dad quit the only job he ever loved (high school history teacher and assistant football coach) because it didn't pay enough, so he had been part-timing at McDonald's. The football players found out and well, you can imagine how that went.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:51 AM on November 4 [8 favorites]
My late dad quit the only job he ever loved (high school history teacher and assistant football coach) because it didn't pay enough, so he had been part-timing at McDonald's. The football players found out and well, you can imagine how that went.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:51 AM on November 4 [8 favorites]
Smarties in Canada are off-brand M&Ms, so up here the compressed pill sugar powder sour bombs are called Rockets. No end of confusion about this, I must say.
"Smarties are the best!" The fuck you saying? Junk chocolate with weak-ass candy shell? "Huh?! There's no chocolate in those?" "OH YOU MEAN ROCKETS. Yes, they are the best."
posted by seanmpuckett at 7:53 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
"Smarties are the best!" The fuck you saying? Junk chocolate with weak-ass candy shell? "Huh?! There's no chocolate in those?" "OH YOU MEAN ROCKETS. Yes, they are the best."
posted by seanmpuckett at 7:53 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
The most baffling sweets here are the chocolate-banana things that come in large packs; banana flavoured goo on the inside, cheap chocolate on the outside, each one is about the length of a finger. I can eat a few but I never enjoy them.
posted by The River Ivel at 7:53 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
posted by The River Ivel at 7:53 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
seanmpuckett, Junior Mints and popcorn for life! I've been telling people about this magical combination for 40 years. There's nothing better.
posted by Il etait une fois at 7:54 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
posted by Il etait une fois at 7:54 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
I just found some Halloween candy that I bought in September but totally forgot about. Anyway, I was delighted to discover that it had Almond Joys (which I only eat around Halloween). Otherwise, I have been in a bitter chocolate mood lately so Halloween candy holds little appeal. But I find a leftover Kit-Kat, I will slather it in natural peanut butter. For some reason, the sugarless peanut butter "fixes" the subpar chocolate and turns it into a perfect treat.
posted by grandiloquiet at 7:55 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
posted by grandiloquiet at 7:55 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
I might see if Joan Jett is on Cameo and ask her to sing a few bars of "I love candy corn" (really, I like candy pumpkins more but that doesn't match the meter.
In non candy news, I'm loving red dead redemption 2, which I started a month or so ago. Some evenings I just ride around on the horse, hunting or fishing and not doing any quests. It's so gorgeous and "peaceful". And I hate riding horses, hunting or fishing irl.
posted by Gorgik at 7:56 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
In non candy news, I'm loving red dead redemption 2, which I started a month or so ago. Some evenings I just ride around on the horse, hunting or fishing and not doing any quests. It's so gorgeous and "peaceful". And I hate riding horses, hunting or fishing irl.
posted by Gorgik at 7:56 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
If you're ever in Romania, you want to have a ROM candy bar, which is filled with rum chocolate. There are variations, but the OG is the best.
The FÄgÄraČ bar is not one I enjoy, but is fun to say, as it is pronounced "fug-er-ash" which sounds dirty.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:57 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
The FÄgÄraČ bar is not one I enjoy, but is fun to say, as it is pronounced "fug-er-ash" which sounds dirty.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:57 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
I don't understand the candy corn hate. Pair candy corn with some peanuts or honey roasted peanuts, and you have the best autumn combination.
posted by hydra77 at 7:58 AM on November 4 [5 favorites]
posted by hydra77 at 7:58 AM on November 4 [5 favorites]
The older I get, the less fond I am of chocolate Halloween candy - the chocolate in Reese's peanut butter cups and Snickers just tastes flavorless and waxy to me. Not sure whether this is a change in me or a change in the candy.
Unfortunately, I still dislike dark chocolate, and high-quality milk chocolate is not always easy to find. What I'm really digging lately are the caramel caps from Sendik's - although their chocolates are a little pricey.
In non-candy-related news, I'm moving Wednesday! Thoughts and prayers for my cat, who has anxiety, and does not like car rides, even 20-minute ones. I am already exhausted but trying to keep it together for 48 more hours.
posted by Jeanne at 8:10 AM on November 4 [8 favorites]
Unfortunately, I still dislike dark chocolate, and high-quality milk chocolate is not always easy to find. What I'm really digging lately are the caramel caps from Sendik's - although their chocolates are a little pricey.
In non-candy-related news, I'm moving Wednesday! Thoughts and prayers for my cat, who has anxiety, and does not like car rides, even 20-minute ones. I am already exhausted but trying to keep it together for 48 more hours.
posted by Jeanne at 8:10 AM on November 4 [8 favorites]
If you grow weary of waxy American candy chocolate, but you're not into the $6 boutique candy bars with escalating cacao percentages, the answer is to stroll on over to the Polish/Bulgarian/immigrant section of the grocery and help yourself to some Milka bars, which are simply the hecking best. They're in the purple wrappers and they're wonderful. They are milk chocolate candy bars that are actually silky and good. All kinds of flavors/mix-ins, and any one of them that sounds good to you probably is.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:13 AM on November 4 [11 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:13 AM on November 4 [11 favorites]
Strongly seconding Goldenberg's Peanut Chews as the best Halloween candy.
posted by 1adam12 at 8:13 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
posted by 1adam12 at 8:13 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
I think the Great Division is not people who love cilantro / people for whom cilatro tastes like soap. No, it is people who like liquorice / people for whom eating liquorice is akin to waterboarding only more unpleasant.
Have there been any peer-reviewed articles regarding this divide? Is there a genetic anomaly that allows that horrible taste of anise to be palatable, even delectable, to certain people?
I've tried, and liquorice repels me at every turn, in any form. Gratefully, chocolate exists, although it now comes with enough caveats regarding the nature and circumstances of its component beans' cultivation to make eating it more of a research project than it used to be.
posted by the sobsister at 8:22 AM on November 4 [10 favorites]
Have there been any peer-reviewed articles regarding this divide? Is there a genetic anomaly that allows that horrible taste of anise to be palatable, even delectable, to certain people?
I've tried, and liquorice repels me at every turn, in any form. Gratefully, chocolate exists, although it now comes with enough caveats regarding the nature and circumstances of its component beans' cultivation to make eating it more of a research project than it used to be.
posted by the sobsister at 8:22 AM on November 4 [10 favorites]
I have a sad tale to relate. A couple of years ago, I decided to cut down dramatically on my sugar intake. I've lost some weight since, yay. But I've also lost my taste for sugar. These days, I can't eat anything with sugar (candy, cakes, ice cream, sweetened drinks) without it tasting like a bunch of chemicals. Even things that remind me of sugar (eg, Diet Coke) just taste strongly of wrong. You'd think I'd be happy about that, but I miss that stuff. The whole business is, at best, bittersweet.
posted by SPrintF at 8:24 AM on November 4 [8 favorites]
posted by SPrintF at 8:24 AM on November 4 [8 favorites]
I like chocolate well enough, and don't really have a sweet tooth, but those tangy chewy sour-worm sweets just trip a switch in my brain and I can't stop eating them.
posted by Zumbador at 8:25 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
posted by Zumbador at 8:25 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
As a noun, "candy remains" sounds far less appetizing than "leftover candy".
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:32 AM on November 4 [5 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:32 AM on November 4 [5 favorites]
I'll go a step further and say that Finnish salmiakki is delicious in small doses, although I'm not sure if it counts as "candy" at that point.
I'm not sure either, and the ammonia flavor is a whole vibe. I will say that I haven't sought it out, but someone once shared some with me, and I did go back for seconds. So.
posted by heyitsgogi at 8:33 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
I'm not sure either, and the ammonia flavor is a whole vibe. I will say that I haven't sought it out, but someone once shared some with me, and I did go back for seconds. So.
posted by heyitsgogi at 8:33 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
My boss said recently that candy corn used to taste buttery and then I was all, "oh, that's why people ever liked it?!" Because they have absolutely no flavor of anything other than generic wax to me.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:33 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:33 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
My dog's treat this morning was our kid's retainer.
Kiddo left it unwrapped on the coffee table.
$300 snack, that.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:35 AM on November 4 [6 favorites]
Kiddo left it unwrapped on the coffee table.
$300 snack, that.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:35 AM on November 4 [6 favorites]
Though I still love the flavor of peanut butter + chocolate, there's something about the texture of regular Reese's cups that just does NOT do it for me these days. The seasonal shapes are often AWESOME, but there's no... contrast? In the texture of a regular cup. Love me those Reese's Pieces though.
posted by obfuscation at 8:46 AM on November 4
posted by obfuscation at 8:46 AM on November 4
I'm having trouble deciding if "Optinions" is a typo or a joke that is too clever for me.
posted by atbash at 8:48 AM on November 4
posted by atbash at 8:48 AM on November 4
I love those peanut butter taffy chews that come in the plain black and orange wax paper wrappers, and I don't care what anyone says--their low ranking on those widely-circulated candy ranking listicles ruined those listicles for me. But I still dig the fun size candy bars; the peanut butter Snickers ones are just the shiznit for me, year-round.
Also in candy this year, I finally had to throw out my TPM merch tie-in Jar Jar Binks Sour Candy Tongue Lollipop because the tongue was starting to turn black. Congrats, haters, you drove Jar Jar to the dark side, happy now?
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:49 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
Also in candy this year, I finally had to throw out my TPM merch tie-in Jar Jar Binks Sour Candy Tongue Lollipop because the tongue was starting to turn black. Congrats, haters, you drove Jar Jar to the dark side, happy now?
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:49 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
Regular size Butterfinger - the second bite is the peak, each successive bite is 20% less enjoyable
This is so true. The second to last bite you're like "Huh, I'm still eating this Butterfinger..." and on the very last bite you say "Well at least I can turn this piece around and let the chocolate end hit my mouth first, and not the butter part."
posted by grog at 8:53 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
This is so true. The second to last bite you're like "Huh, I'm still eating this Butterfinger..." and on the very last bite you say "Well at least I can turn this piece around and let the chocolate end hit my mouth first, and not the butter part."
posted by grog at 8:53 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
Bought full size bars to 'be cool'. Kids tells me gummies shaped like fast food (hamburgers, pizza, hot dogs, etc.) were gold 'back in the day'. Bought those too. Gummies were the hot item. Kids these days!
posted by mazola at 8:54 AM on November 4
posted by mazola at 8:54 AM on November 4
I'll go a step further and say that Finnish salmiakki is delicious in small doses, although I'm not sure if it counts as "candy" at that point.
One of those "kids react to" videos was about kids reacting to different international candies, and salmiakki was one. One kid had an amusingly specific review for what he thought it tasted like: "Raisins dipped in beef."
Hooray for Necco wafers, too.
I still need to pick up the variety of Kit-Kats I've been meaning to get for my brother's family (they've had a lot of shit luck and I wanted to send a care package with a note about how they ALL need a break). Fortunately this place is a short detour on my commute home, and about a month ago I was there and they had all these random oddball Kit-kat flavors - some from Japan, but also some from Canada and the UK, where they have strawberry and lemonade and glazed donut flavors.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:55 AM on November 4
One of those "kids react to" videos was about kids reacting to different international candies, and salmiakki was one. One kid had an amusingly specific review for what he thought it tasted like: "Raisins dipped in beef."
Hooray for Necco wafers, too.
I still need to pick up the variety of Kit-Kats I've been meaning to get for my brother's family (they've had a lot of shit luck and I wanted to send a care package with a note about how they ALL need a break). Fortunately this place is a short detour on my commute home, and about a month ago I was there and they had all these random oddball Kit-kat flavors - some from Japan, but also some from Canada and the UK, where they have strawberry and lemonade and glazed donut flavors.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:55 AM on November 4
One of the mixed bags of Halloween candy I got this year was a really terrific mix - Reeses pieces, Reeses pb cups, Kit-kats, Twizzlers, and Haribo gummy bears, with the only real dud being plain Hershey's bars. I like having a mix of chocolate things and fruity things. But the chocolate things seem to have taken on some of the flavor of the fruity things because they all tasted weird and off. Real disappointment.
The Nerd gummy clusters are top tier.
I love candy corn and always will.
posted by misskaz at 8:58 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
The Nerd gummy clusters are top tier.
I love candy corn and always will.
posted by misskaz at 8:58 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
At some point I aged into liking black licorice - I don't seek it out, but if I am at the fancy licorice store near me, I'll get some. Black jellybeans are not it, it has to be the higher-end stuff.
I'm also struggling to find chocolate I still like, even the higher quality stuff. Picking something between too sweet and too bitter has been a struggle recently.
posted by PussKillian at 9:03 AM on November 4
I'm also struggling to find chocolate I still like, even the higher quality stuff. Picking something between too sweet and too bitter has been a struggle recently.
posted by PussKillian at 9:03 AM on November 4
We gave our more potatoes than butterfingers this year, make of that what you will.
Reese's Take 5 is worse than any other Reese, and I think the newest. Stick to your wheelhouse Reese.
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:10 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
Reese's Take 5 is worse than any other Reese, and I think the newest. Stick to your wheelhouse Reese.
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:10 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
I was excited about salt licorice when I first heard about it, because I'm a big fan of the salty-sweet combo. Then I actually tried it and learned that the "salt" does not refer to sodium chloride but ammonium chloride, and that was not a pleasant discovery.
posted by obfuscation at 9:11 AM on November 4
posted by obfuscation at 9:11 AM on November 4
I've been into black licorice (only) since a kid. Horehound is the real old-timer treat!
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:12 AM on November 4
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:12 AM on November 4
I'm having trouble deciding if "Optinions" is a typo or a joke that is too clever for me.
Goddammit with my fucking typos. Let's pretend that was on purpose and I'm just clever or something.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:14 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
Goddammit with my fucking typos. Let's pretend that was on purpose and I'm just clever or something.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:14 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
Ferrero Rocher are the inedible consequence of scraping the bottom of a budgie cage and enrobing the resulting slurry in chocolate - Nope. Chocolate-peanut butter combo anything - Double Nope (sorry North Americans).
Having been raised in Scotland on a diet of boiled sweets (and suffering the dental consequences), I still have a craving for tablet...
posted by aeshnid at 9:14 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
Having been raised in Scotland on a diet of boiled sweets (and suffering the dental consequences), I still have a craving for tablet...
posted by aeshnid at 9:14 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
Have too many styrofoam cups lying around and don't know what to do with them? Missed out on cinnamon candy hearts in your Halloween haul? Kill two birds with one stone: NileRed shows you how to turn the former into the latter, using only the power of chemistry.
posted by senor biggles at 9:16 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
posted by senor biggles at 9:16 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
Chocolate is the best candy. I've never been a fruit candy or hard candy person. Candy corn is like circus peanuts. It isn't good exactly, but it is very fun to eat.
Whomps / whompers are so gross.
You've made a powerful enemy this day.
posted by pattern juggler at 9:17 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
Whomps / whompers are so gross.
You've made a powerful enemy this day.
posted by pattern juggler at 9:17 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
Nobody came to my apartment building, but I brought my college writing class candy last week. Hershey bars, Snickers, Kitkats, Twix. Two guys looked disappointedly at the bowl and said, "Don't you have any whoppers?" before admitting they knew no one else liked them. On preview, except for pattern juggler.
posted by pangolin party at 9:21 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
posted by pangolin party at 9:21 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
In non-confectionary news, a few months ago in one of the free threads I mentioned that I'd gotten back into painting fantasy miniatures (D&D, Warhammer, non-denominational, etc. - whatever caught my eye and looked fun to paint). I started out working with larger 6-8 inch tall pieces thinking that it would be easier than trying to paint the tiny 1-2 inch miniatures typically used in game play, and I was just painting them for display anyway.
But after completing one figure and getting most of the way through a second I've found that the larger figures also amplified bad technique, of which I have plenty since I'm still very much on the steep part of the learning curve. So I've stripped all the paint off the two figures I've worked on so far, and bought some smaller 1-3 inch miniatures to work with for a while before I try tackling larger models again. These cheaper pieces will let me practice my technique with less pressure to Get It Perfect Right Away - which I can't yet do anyway. As a bonus, it will let me complete a figure more quickly, to get that small dopamine rush of satisfaction. I painted the first one over a couple hours or so this weekend, I'll try to remember to get pictures later.
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:21 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
But after completing one figure and getting most of the way through a second I've found that the larger figures also amplified bad technique, of which I have plenty since I'm still very much on the steep part of the learning curve. So I've stripped all the paint off the two figures I've worked on so far, and bought some smaller 1-3 inch miniatures to work with for a while before I try tackling larger models again. These cheaper pieces will let me practice my technique with less pressure to Get It Perfect Right Away - which I can't yet do anyway. As a bonus, it will let me complete a figure more quickly, to get that small dopamine rush of satisfaction. I painted the first one over a couple hours or so this weekend, I'll try to remember to get pictures later.
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:21 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
Re: licorice, my wife of Norwegian descent baked anise-flavored Springerle cookies and brought them to Christmas in our Asian household. My dad, not knowing what they were and full of naivety that all Christmas cookies were Good, bit into one and a large part of him visibly died that day. Team no licorice.
Butterfingers are good but I feel like I spend at least 5x longer getting it out of my molars than actually eating them.
Iāve moved from a mixed-income Chicago neighborhood to pretty affluent part of the SF Bay Area, and the variety of candy my kids got were crowd pleasers but frankly, boring. Kit Kats, snickers, 3 musketeers, Twix, Crunch (underrated imho), a few Reeseās cups, a smattering of starburst. No candy corn, smarties, skittles, jawbreakers, lollipops, jolly ranchers, or any other random candies.
posted by photovox at 9:26 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
Butterfingers are good but I feel like I spend at least 5x longer getting it out of my molars than actually eating them.
Iāve moved from a mixed-income Chicago neighborhood to pretty affluent part of the SF Bay Area, and the variety of candy my kids got were crowd pleasers but frankly, boring. Kit Kats, snickers, 3 musketeers, Twix, Crunch (underrated imho), a few Reeseās cups, a smattering of starburst. No candy corn, smarties, skittles, jawbreakers, lollipops, jolly ranchers, or any other random candies.
posted by photovox at 9:26 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
One year the local Targets had Halloween bags of Swedish Fish on sale, the original ambiguous red fruit ones. They were a big hit with trick or treat visitors that year.
posted by gimonca at 9:29 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
posted by gimonca at 9:29 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
I was excited about salt licorice when I first heard about it, because I'm a big fan of the salty-sweet combo. Then I actually tried it and learned that the "salt" does not refer to sodium chloride but ammonium chloride, and that was not a pleasant discovery.
You can get sea salt liquorice too! Malaco (Swedish) make a great sea salt liquorice fudge bar called Kick. BagsvƦrd Lakrids (Danish) do a really nice if quite spendy caramelised sea salt liquorice. I'm due there's others too, but those are the two stand outs off the top of my head.
posted by Dysk at 9:31 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
You can get sea salt liquorice too! Malaco (Swedish) make a great sea salt liquorice fudge bar called Kick. BagsvƦrd Lakrids (Danish) do a really nice if quite spendy caramelised sea salt liquorice. I'm due there's others too, but those are the two stand outs off the top of my head.
posted by Dysk at 9:31 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
I didn't indulge in any Halloween candy for myself this year, but I did get some yummy fancy chocolates at the International Tea Festival at the SF Ferry Bldg. on Saturday. And tea, of course.
One of my trick-or-treating families were all just wearing regular clothes except for the youngest, and when they walked away I saw one of them had "FUCK YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT" in reflective letters on the back of their jacket and I fell on the floor laughing.
posted by The Ardship of Cambry at 9:36 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
One of my trick-or-treating families were all just wearing regular clothes except for the youngest, and when they walked away I saw one of them had "FUCK YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT" in reflective letters on the back of their jacket and I fell on the floor laughing.
posted by The Ardship of Cambry at 9:36 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
I can't even with all the upthread reading, but will post my thoughts and then reread all the love for fucking NECO Wafers and shit.
It is really hard to buy Halloween candy that isn't mixes of all the stuff mentioned above.
Ms. Windo is very anti-plastic, so we had Dots, Milk Duds, and some Sour Lemon Mike & Ikes. Couldn't find bulk Nerds boxes, nor sadly, Junior Mints.
And she bought too many Dots, tried to return them, and amazon was like, no you're fine, have your cash back, don't return them...
And if you want candy, go to Fred Meyer right now. Unloading their stock as fast as they can...
posted by Windopaene at 9:42 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
It is really hard to buy Halloween candy that isn't mixes of all the stuff mentioned above.
Ms. Windo is very anti-plastic, so we had Dots, Milk Duds, and some Sour Lemon Mike & Ikes. Couldn't find bulk Nerds boxes, nor sadly, Junior Mints.
And she bought too many Dots, tried to return them, and amazon was like, no you're fine, have your cash back, don't return them...
And if you want candy, go to Fred Meyer right now. Unloading their stock as fast as they can...
posted by Windopaene at 9:42 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
Definitely Team Reese Peanut Butter Cups here. The minis are the best, but I like pretty much everything they produce. I was disappointed that this year there weren't any Reese chocolate and orange-coated pumpkins available as there have been for the past several years. This year Dollarama had Reese bats. And I didn't even get any because I wanted a bag for election night, not for Halloween, I was afraid to buy them too soon lest I ate them before the appointed time, and Dollarama sold out of them by mid-October. (I notice they always sell out of their Reese Halloween chocolate sooner than any other brand.) I ended up buying a bag of minis from No-Frills at full price, sigh.
Otherwise... I will eat most chocolate if it's given to me, but there aren't that many brands that I like enough to spend money on. My sister lives in Stratford, Ontario, and there's a chocolatier there that produces excellent quality square mint chocolates and my sister often buys boxes of them for stocking stuffers. I wouldn't even ordinarily eat mint chocolates other than say, After Eights, but these are so smoooooth. Dollarama carries cherry-flavoured chocolates (can't remember the brand -- they come in a red box) that I like to have occasionally. A lot of their off-brand chocolate is waxy garbage, though.
I'm not a big candy person, but I like Werther's, Kraft caramels, and real fruit gummies. I like red licorice okay, but not black.
Candy corn always looks like rotten teeth to me [shudder]. I have no idea how they taste because I can't bear to even put anything that looks that revolting in my mouth.
posted by orange swan at 9:47 AM on November 4
Otherwise... I will eat most chocolate if it's given to me, but there aren't that many brands that I like enough to spend money on. My sister lives in Stratford, Ontario, and there's a chocolatier there that produces excellent quality square mint chocolates and my sister often buys boxes of them for stocking stuffers. I wouldn't even ordinarily eat mint chocolates other than say, After Eights, but these are so smoooooth. Dollarama carries cherry-flavoured chocolates (can't remember the brand -- they come in a red box) that I like to have occasionally. A lot of their off-brand chocolate is waxy garbage, though.
I'm not a big candy person, but I like Werther's, Kraft caramels, and real fruit gummies. I like red licorice okay, but not black.
Candy corn always looks like rotten teeth to me [shudder]. I have no idea how they taste because I can't bear to even put anything that looks that revolting in my mouth.
posted by orange swan at 9:47 AM on November 4
Butterfingers of you like chewing glass shards...Circus peanuts are awful...Necco wafers need to go away...Goodbye to nonpareils.
I miss Mexican Hats a lot. And the Mars
bar. Canada still has it I believe. I love the jujubees because they last forever...Mallo cups are delicious...so are Mounds and Almond joy. Real black licorice is good. Not that salty imported stuff. Anybody remember little brass pie plates filled with a nouget stuff? It came with a tiny metal spoon that had very sharp edges. Wax lips still make me laugh.Sponge candy is delicious and seasonal maple sugar candy.
posted by Czjewel at 9:53 AM on November 4
I miss Mexican Hats a lot. And the Mars
bar. Canada still has it I believe. I love the jujubees because they last forever...Mallo cups are delicious...so are Mounds and Almond joy. Real black licorice is good. Not that salty imported stuff. Anybody remember little brass pie plates filled with a nouget stuff? It came with a tiny metal spoon that had very sharp edges. Wax lips still make me laugh.Sponge candy is delicious and seasonal maple sugar candy.
posted by Czjewel at 9:53 AM on November 4
My five year old daughter was totally jazzed about Halloween this year, excited to show off her ācat Marioā costume from the Super Mario Bros. movie. She barely cares about the candy, for her it's all about interacting with people and wearing fun clothes (and a big fuzzy Mario mustache).
The morning of Halloween she woke up at 5am complaining of tummy trouble, something that she hasn't experienced much. All day long she couldnāt keep any food down, and clutched her tummy in pain. At the hour we'd normally head out for trick-or-treating, she was bent over the toilet in her cat Mario costume (sans mustache). Between awful discharges, she whimpered in a raspy voice, āThis is the worst Halloween ever.ā It broke my heart. She slept on the couch while trick-or-treaters rang our bell.
The next day, she was feeling much better. We posted a message to the neighborhood community about her disappointing Halloween, asking if anybody with leftover candy would volunteer to man their doors for a make-up trick-or-treat. Lots of people signed up. She got back into costume, mustache and all, and we pulled her in a wagon from one Google Maps pin to another until well after dark. Several other neighbors saw what was happening and hurried out to pitch in. By the time we were done, her bag was so full she needed help carrying it. So far she's eaten half of a Reese's Take 5.
Anyway, sometimes humans do good.
posted by Hot Pastrami! at 9:53 AM on November 4 [39 favorites]
The morning of Halloween she woke up at 5am complaining of tummy trouble, something that she hasn't experienced much. All day long she couldnāt keep any food down, and clutched her tummy in pain. At the hour we'd normally head out for trick-or-treating, she was bent over the toilet in her cat Mario costume (sans mustache). Between awful discharges, she whimpered in a raspy voice, āThis is the worst Halloween ever.ā It broke my heart. She slept on the couch while trick-or-treaters rang our bell.
The next day, she was feeling much better. We posted a message to the neighborhood community about her disappointing Halloween, asking if anybody with leftover candy would volunteer to man their doors for a make-up trick-or-treat. Lots of people signed up. She got back into costume, mustache and all, and we pulled her in a wagon from one Google Maps pin to another until well after dark. Several other neighbors saw what was happening and hurried out to pitch in. By the time we were done, her bag was so full she needed help carrying it. So far she's eaten half of a Reese's Take 5.
Anyway, sometimes humans do good.
posted by Hot Pastrami! at 9:53 AM on November 4 [39 favorites]
And the Mars bar. Canada still has it I believe.
Yup. We've finally eaten all the leftover candy. Can confirm the Mars bar was the last bar standing (meaning it was last choice among rest, lest it be construed any other way as an endorsement).
posted by mazola at 9:58 AM on November 4
Yup. We've finally eaten all the leftover candy. Can confirm the Mars bar was the last bar standing (meaning it was last choice among rest, lest it be construed any other way as an endorsement).
posted by mazola at 9:58 AM on November 4
Reading the posts:
"This is corn, that tastes like Candy... No, this tastes like Crap" - Lewis Black
Can't do cilantro nor licorice. NECCO wafers always had the black wafer in there that contaminated everything else.
100 Grand bars are solid, Nestle Crunch with caramel? I'm in.
Those weird peanut butter toffey things in the wax paper? Those always went in the bin.
Smarties cool.
Butterfingers gross-ish.
Reese's are just so nasty. Get some good peanut butter, put in some good chocolate, you have a meal! Reese's have none of those ingredients.
Chic-O-Sticks were always weird to get. Bit-O-Honey? Charleston Chew? Apples full of razor blades? Good times.
posted by Windopaene at 9:58 AM on November 4
"This is corn, that tastes like Candy... No, this tastes like Crap" - Lewis Black
Can't do cilantro nor licorice. NECCO wafers always had the black wafer in there that contaminated everything else.
100 Grand bars are solid, Nestle Crunch with caramel? I'm in.
Those weird peanut butter toffey things in the wax paper? Those always went in the bin.
Smarties cool.
Butterfingers gross-ish.
Reese's are just so nasty. Get some good peanut butter, put in some good chocolate, you have a meal! Reese's have none of those ingredients.
Chic-O-Sticks were always weird to get. Bit-O-Honey? Charleston Chew? Apples full of razor blades? Good times.
posted by Windopaene at 9:58 AM on November 4
Apples full of razor blades?
That's gold! Have you seen the price of razors these days?
posted by mazola at 10:02 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
That's gold! Have you seen the price of razors these days?
posted by mazola at 10:02 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
It was always a thing before the Tylenol poisoning thing. Then that was the thing.
posted by Windopaene at 10:10 AM on November 4
posted by Windopaene at 10:10 AM on November 4
I laugh every year when my drug-enjoying friends make their annual "Put drugs in Halloween candy? In this economy?" jokes.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:11 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:11 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]
Mazola. Do they still have McIntosh toffee?. That was what I always brought home after we vacationed in S. Ontario ..Sherkston beach or Long beach area.
posted by Czjewel at 10:12 AM on November 4
posted by Czjewel at 10:12 AM on November 4
Mackintosh's Toffee is here (at the candy counter), not sure of its status as a Halloween candy. Purists will be disappointed, it's foil wrapped these days (not cardboard box with wax paper).
posted by mazola at 10:15 AM on November 4
posted by mazola at 10:15 AM on November 4
I know these threads are politics-free, but bear with me here:
Canvassing on Halloween is the closest you can get to socially-acceptable trick-or-treating for adults. I didn't match my kids' candy numbers, but it was close.
posted by Mayor West at 10:15 AM on November 4 [6 favorites]
Canvassing on Halloween is the closest you can get to socially-acceptable trick-or-treating for adults. I didn't match my kids' candy numbers, but it was close.
posted by Mayor West at 10:15 AM on November 4 [6 favorites]
That's gold! Have you seen the price of razors these days?
Not to mention a good apple that's not some tasteless Red Delicious. That's a double winner right there.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:22 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
Not to mention a good apple that's not some tasteless Red Delicious. That's a double winner right there.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:22 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
Candy Corn is punishment.
Once upon a brief time, there was York Peppermint Pattie Bites, which were the perfect candy. Tiny little balls of dark chocolate and peppermint you could eat by the handful.
We did not have much left over this year. A few containers of flavored Pringles and 2/3 a box (out of 5) of full sized Snickers/M&Mās and Twix. Kiddo will finish off the Pringles and Iāll take the rest of the candy into the office tomorrow. Spouse and I have managed to avoid eating it all by picking out a couple of our favorite items before trick or treating and putting the remainder directly into the car after, as we are both just lazy enough to want to avoid the into our cold garage to get a candy bar.
A friend and I saw Cyndi Lauper last night. Fabulous show. It has been a long time since I have attended an event with such a happy vibe.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 10:28 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
Once upon a brief time, there was York Peppermint Pattie Bites, which were the perfect candy. Tiny little balls of dark chocolate and peppermint you could eat by the handful.
We did not have much left over this year. A few containers of flavored Pringles and 2/3 a box (out of 5) of full sized Snickers/M&Mās and Twix. Kiddo will finish off the Pringles and Iāll take the rest of the candy into the office tomorrow. Spouse and I have managed to avoid eating it all by picking out a couple of our favorite items before trick or treating and putting the remainder directly into the car after, as we are both just lazy enough to want to avoid the into our cold garage to get a candy bar.
A friend and I saw Cyndi Lauper last night. Fabulous show. It has been a long time since I have attended an event with such a happy vibe.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 10:28 AM on November 4 [3 favorites]
I love the jujubees because they last forever.
Now this is one of those sweets which have undergone such a dramatic transformation in flavor, color & texture over the years, whatās being sold today has almost no relation to what I remember from growing up (1960s, 70s). Texture is the big difference: these were originally much harder and took some work to get soft enough to start teething without sticking to your teeth. They were also more translucent and had a little rim on the bottom where they had been molded into that little, slightly tapered plug shape. There was also flavor. In particular one of them had a sort of floral note to it. That might have been the purple one. You could also get them in bulk by weight in an old skool candy store., handed to you in a little white paper sack.
Oh, and Swedish fish is another one of those legacy candies that excepting shape & color are almost an entirely different experience from what they used to be.
Oh, Iāll get off my own lawn now. But I will stand by my opinions on such matters.
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 10:34 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
Now this is one of those sweets which have undergone such a dramatic transformation in flavor, color & texture over the years, whatās being sold today has almost no relation to what I remember from growing up (1960s, 70s). Texture is the big difference: these were originally much harder and took some work to get soft enough to start teething without sticking to your teeth. They were also more translucent and had a little rim on the bottom where they had been molded into that little, slightly tapered plug shape. There was also flavor. In particular one of them had a sort of floral note to it. That might have been the purple one. You could also get them in bulk by weight in an old skool candy store., handed to you in a little white paper sack.
Oh, and Swedish fish is another one of those legacy candies that excepting shape & color are almost an entirely different experience from what they used to be.
Oh, Iāll get off my own lawn now. But I will stand by my opinions on such matters.
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 10:34 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
Random thoughts on the topic:
One of the well off families in my hometown hamlet were surnamed Moss. They all lived in the newer rich people's subdivision up on a hill east of the old town.
All save their crazy uncle Heber Moss who lived in what must have been the ancestral mansion, a two story Victorian house off which had flaked every dab of paint ever applied to it, which was a block off Main Street.
Heber stalked around in the same outfit everyday: unbuckled black rubber boots like we kids wore on rainy days; dirty black pants stuffed into said boots; a weatherbeatened heavy black and red wool Pendleton coat and a hunter's cap with a bill and a pull down ear protector band which was always pulled down over Heber's ears
And if anyone dared step off the sidewalk onto the foot high unmown dead grass of his "yard" Heber would storm out of his house screaming "GET OFF MY LAWN!!" I kid you not. We were terrified of him.
The last year I trick-or-treated I went with a friend to the back door -- which was the only door he used to go in or out -- and knocked. We were let into a dirty kitchen where sat Heber and an equally scruffy dude under a lit bare clear bulb hanging from the ceiling above the table where they sat. There we were given a choice between one black or red licorice jelly bean. I hated licorice but after ODing on red licorice whips in kindergarten, I chose black. And then we scooted outa there fast and I threw away my black jellybean because Way Too Spooky
Decades upon decades later, I realized this was my first encounter with performance art.
One of my hometown Facebook friend's older brother dressed as Heber Moss at a pep assembly and stormed out on the gymnasium floor shouting "GET OFF MY LAWN!" and got into big trouble for it via everyone's least favorite 7th grade English teacher Inez Driscoll who also came screaming that at anyone who ever dared cut a corner onto her parking strip crossing Center Avenue to the junior high and high school. My friend absolutely refuses to remember his brother's stunt.
Also across town lived an elderly who made every kid sign their name on a sheet of lined paper on a clipboard. All this to get one popcorn ball. Their front yard was littered with popcorn balls discarded by the previous trick or theaters.
Boy; if I had a nickel for everytime I heard "GET OFF MY LAWN!!" before I turned 12, I would be set for life
And who eats red licorice anyway!? Not to mention popcorn balls..
[shudders]
posted by y2karl at 10:46 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
One of the well off families in my hometown hamlet were surnamed Moss. They all lived in the newer rich people's subdivision up on a hill east of the old town.
All save their crazy uncle Heber Moss who lived in what must have been the ancestral mansion, a two story Victorian house off which had flaked every dab of paint ever applied to it, which was a block off Main Street.
Heber stalked around in the same outfit everyday: unbuckled black rubber boots like we kids wore on rainy days; dirty black pants stuffed into said boots; a weatherbeatened heavy black and red wool Pendleton coat and a hunter's cap with a bill and a pull down ear protector band which was always pulled down over Heber's ears
And if anyone dared step off the sidewalk onto the foot high unmown dead grass of his "yard" Heber would storm out of his house screaming "GET OFF MY LAWN!!" I kid you not. We were terrified of him.
The last year I trick-or-treated I went with a friend to the back door -- which was the only door he used to go in or out -- and knocked. We were let into a dirty kitchen where sat Heber and an equally scruffy dude under a lit bare clear bulb hanging from the ceiling above the table where they sat. There we were given a choice between one black or red licorice jelly bean. I hated licorice but after ODing on red licorice whips in kindergarten, I chose black. And then we scooted outa there fast and I threw away my black jellybean because Way Too Spooky
Decades upon decades later, I realized this was my first encounter with performance art.
One of my hometown Facebook friend's older brother dressed as Heber Moss at a pep assembly and stormed out on the gymnasium floor shouting "GET OFF MY LAWN!" and got into big trouble for it via everyone's least favorite 7th grade English teacher Inez Driscoll who also came screaming that at anyone who ever dared cut a corner onto her parking strip crossing Center Avenue to the junior high and high school. My friend absolutely refuses to remember his brother's stunt.
Also across town lived an elderly who made every kid sign their name on a sheet of lined paper on a clipboard. All this to get one popcorn ball. Their front yard was littered with popcorn balls discarded by the previous trick or theaters.
Boy; if I had a nickel for everytime I heard "GET OFF MY LAWN!!" before I turned 12, I would be set for life
And who eats red licorice anyway!? Not to mention popcorn balls..
[shudders]
posted by y2karl at 10:46 AM on November 4 [4 favorites]
Necco wafers don't have a licorice flavor - the purple one is Spice flavored. I saw them at World Market last week and they have the packages that are 100 percent chocolate as well! I've missed those. I'll take the peanut butter taffies in the black and orange wrappers that people gripe about. Whoppers, circus peanuts, candy corn, too. My candy obsession is the caramel mix I get at Kwik Trip. It is an assortment of brachs toffees, bit-o-honey, tootsie rolls, fruit flavored tootsie rolls, square caramels, and these odd round caramels with nougat in them. Perfect for a road trip.
I need to find a solution to theater candy, not for movies, but plays and musicals. It helps me pay attention, and I will cough a lot more without something to suck on, but damn it is all so loud. Water helps, but I have to limit that during the longer shows, too. We didn't hand out candy this year (we've done 3 of the past 5 years) and so we don't have any laying around. I did go on a cookie making binge this weekend, though.
posted by soelo at 10:50 AM on November 4
I need to find a solution to theater candy, not for movies, but plays and musicals. It helps me pay attention, and I will cough a lot more without something to suck on, but damn it is all so loud. Water helps, but I have to limit that during the longer shows, too. We didn't hand out candy this year (we've done 3 of the past 5 years) and so we don't have any laying around. I did go on a cookie making binge this weekend, though.
posted by soelo at 10:50 AM on November 4
Agree that candy quality has degraded severely over the decades. In the late 60s, you could still see the metal displays with, like, 30 different flavors of Life Savers on sale next to the grocery checkout. Those days are long gone.
Flavors in most non-chocolate candy are a pale shadow of what they used to be. I'm assuming this is due to years of cost-cutting by Big Candy. In many cases, the trend has been hidden by the intro of "extreme sour" versions, where the candy is dipped in drain opener or something to hide the lack of strawberry or cherry or whatever flavor.
Brach's Conversation Hearts are a prime example. They used to have flavors! They're bits of dried spackle now with a little embedded sugar. Just awful, but it wasn't always this way.
(As Valentine's candy, they should be showing up on store shelves...right about now.)
posted by gimonca at 10:59 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
Flavors in most non-chocolate candy are a pale shadow of what they used to be. I'm assuming this is due to years of cost-cutting by Big Candy. In many cases, the trend has been hidden by the intro of "extreme sour" versions, where the candy is dipped in drain opener or something to hide the lack of strawberry or cherry or whatever flavor.
Brach's Conversation Hearts are a prime example. They used to have flavors! They're bits of dried spackle now with a little embedded sugar. Just awful, but it wasn't always this way.
(As Valentine's candy, they should be showing up on store shelves...right about now.)
posted by gimonca at 10:59 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
We gave our more potatoes than butterfingers this year, make of that what you will.
Like... plain uncooked potatoes?
posted by tavella at 11:00 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
Like... plain uncooked potatoes?
posted by tavella at 11:00 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
For those looking for a replacement peanut butter cup with actual chocolate, check out Boyer Candies. Peanut Butter, crunchy Clark Cups or butterscotch Smoothies.
posted by JDC8 at 11:03 AM on November 4
posted by JDC8 at 11:03 AM on November 4
We did not buy any candy for Halloween this year, as we never get even a single trick-or-treater and it was time to stop pretending. My partner gave up sweets (making exceptions for home bakes but I haven't had time or energy for any of those in months now) and I didn't but I also do not feel like it's quite sporting to keep a bunch in the house.
However recently I found myself in desperate need of emotional support gummi bears (I am team Haribo) and also those Nerds gummy clusters which look like little COVIDs but taste amazing. Literally could not leave the house without buying some, somewhere along my route.
I assumed it was because of the insane stress of my job lately, but the cravings have since passed, even though the job has gotten exponentially worse (my boss is giving me radio silence today and I fear, but also hope, it means I'm being fired for my attitude lately). I think I'm just too stressed out now to desire anything at all beyond sleep, which I do immediately upon signing off from work every day.
On the plus side, I can legitimately say I haven't thought about the election at all, not even once, beyond a sort of ragey OH and now I ALSO have to find TIME to fucking VOTE in this BULLSHIT between all my GODDAMN MEETINGS. BURN IT DOWN.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 11:05 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
However recently I found myself in desperate need of emotional support gummi bears (I am team Haribo) and also those Nerds gummy clusters which look like little COVIDs but taste amazing. Literally could not leave the house without buying some, somewhere along my route.
I assumed it was because of the insane stress of my job lately, but the cravings have since passed, even though the job has gotten exponentially worse (my boss is giving me radio silence today and I fear, but also hope, it means I'm being fired for my attitude lately). I think I'm just too stressed out now to desire anything at all beyond sleep, which I do immediately upon signing off from work every day.
On the plus side, I can legitimately say I haven't thought about the election at all, not even once, beyond a sort of ragey OH and now I ALSO have to find TIME to fucking VOTE in this BULLSHIT between all my GODDAMN MEETINGS. BURN IT DOWN.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 11:05 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]
adding one tiny little "god-dammit" because the cute guy in my building who I have been trying to summon the guts to ask out since May might possibly be moving at the end of the month.
I did try to shoot my shot, I got a "hey, yeah, that's not a bad idea" but no definitive plans yet. I'll nudge them into more certainty later in the week.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:07 AM on November 4 [5 favorites]
I did try to shoot my shot, I got a "hey, yeah, that's not a bad idea" but no definitive plans yet. I'll nudge them into more certainty later in the week.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:07 AM on November 4 [5 favorites]
I know this dates me, but I miss real Clark Bars. They had the most amazing molasses-and-peanut-butter, just crispy enough middles. Kind of a Pittsburgh thing.
Although not Halloween candies, Callard & Bowser butterscotch was unbeatable. Another lost sweet.
I do miss them so, but my teeth surely do not.
posted by kinnakeet at 12:04 PM on November 4 [1 favorite]
Although not Halloween candies, Callard & Bowser butterscotch was unbeatable. Another lost sweet.
I do miss them so, but my teeth surely do not.
posted by kinnakeet at 12:04 PM on November 4 [1 favorite]
I am the only living human who still likes Mary Janes, either the NECCO bars or the bigger taffy rolls wrapped in black and orange wax paper.
Give them to meeeeeee.
I'll also take all your black licorice, please and thank you.
posted by BrashTech at 12:08 PM on November 4
Give them to meeeeeee.
I'll also take all your black licorice, please and thank you.
posted by BrashTech at 12:08 PM on November 4
Zero bars have been my favorite candy for several decades. They are still made but a little hard to find (in the US), which helps them to stay special for me.
A favorite that is no longer made is Brach's jelly nougats. I have had other jelly nougats but they aren't good; the last ones I had were spongy.
posted by neuron at 12:10 PM on November 4 [3 favorites]
A favorite that is no longer made is Brach's jelly nougats. I have had other jelly nougats but they aren't good; the last ones I had were spongy.
posted by neuron at 12:10 PM on November 4 [3 favorites]
I was very sad, for years and years, after Skittles pulled their Green Apple bullshit. But finally they came back to their senses and went back to Lime. Lime is the only true green Skittle flavor.
posted by notoriety public at 12:16 PM on November 4 [7 favorites]
posted by notoriety public at 12:16 PM on November 4 [7 favorites]
And my holiday thematic Dad Joke:
āDid you know that candy corn never goes bad? It just stays bad!ā
posted by notoriety public at 12:18 PM on November 4 [4 favorites]
āDid you know that candy corn never goes bad? It just stays bad!ā
posted by notoriety public at 12:18 PM on November 4 [4 favorites]
Acceptably strange candies, interesting in their taste and/or texture, include:
Necco wafers
Bullseyes (my grandma used to have to hide them from both me and my grandpa)
Lemonheads
Cinnamon hearts
Wine gums
Candy corn and mallo pumpkins, although I do think they used to taste a little better
Cadbury Flake bars (so messy!)
Whoppers
Mackintosh toffees
Those Italian ones in fruit flavors with the hard exterior and gooey interior
Brach's hard candies
Choward's violet candies
There used to be this kind of candy my grandma got that we called "sticks and circles" that was hard candy rolled in sugar, in citrus flavors. I can't even remember which company made them, although they were based in Chicago and moderately fancy. I miss them.
I like candy when it's chalky, or hard, or squishy, or some combination thereof, (I do love a gummy but I am bored with Haribo) and often if it's vaguely unpleasant. Circus peanuts make no sense though.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 12:26 PM on November 4 [1 favorite]
Necco wafers
Bullseyes (my grandma used to have to hide them from both me and my grandpa)
Lemonheads
Cinnamon hearts
Wine gums
Candy corn and mallo pumpkins, although I do think they used to taste a little better
Cadbury Flake bars (so messy!)
Whoppers
Mackintosh toffees
Those Italian ones in fruit flavors with the hard exterior and gooey interior
Brach's hard candies
Choward's violet candies
There used to be this kind of candy my grandma got that we called "sticks and circles" that was hard candy rolled in sugar, in citrus flavors. I can't even remember which company made them, although they were based in Chicago and moderately fancy. I miss them.
I like candy when it's chalky, or hard, or squishy, or some combination thereof, (I do love a gummy but I am bored with Haribo) and often if it's vaguely unpleasant. Circus peanuts make no sense though.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 12:26 PM on November 4 [1 favorite]
Like... plain uncooked potatoes?
It is a thing: https://www.mashed.com/1438031/halloween-potato-trend-explained/
posted by soelo at 12:42 PM on November 4
It is a thing: https://www.mashed.com/1438031/halloween-potato-trend-explained/
posted by soelo at 12:42 PM on November 4
I still need to pick up the variety of Kit-Kats I've been meaning to get for my brother's family
There is a store in the US called World Market that sort of sells popular products from around the world, and they sell a bunch of flavors of the Japanese kit-kats. I guess kit-kat has finally gotten on board, because they used to have a big disclaimer on the bag that they were not officially licensed flavors, but that is gone now. Bootleg kit-kat flavors. LOL.
Speaking of the same store, if you are poor and bored, they have $20-$100 giveaways twice a day though December, and it's an in-store scavenger hunt where you have to search the store for a prize. If you can go on a weekday, you have a pretty good chance of beating granny for a giftcard.
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:04 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
There is a store in the US called World Market that sort of sells popular products from around the world, and they sell a bunch of flavors of the Japanese kit-kats. I guess kit-kat has finally gotten on board, because they used to have a big disclaimer on the bag that they were not officially licensed flavors, but that is gone now. Bootleg kit-kat flavors. LOL.
Speaking of the same store, if you are poor and bored, they have $20-$100 giveaways twice a day though December, and it's an in-store scavenger hunt where you have to search the store for a prize. If you can go on a weekday, you have a pretty good chance of beating granny for a giftcard.
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:04 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
I don't recall the last time I had a Bit O'Honey, but man those were good and also probably responsible for the current state of my teeth.
I have eaten a lot of candy corn in my life. I preferred the ones with "chocolate" butts. I also liked the mallow pumpkins-bats-ghosts in different colors, but surprisingly could only eat a few of those.
Violet Crumble (chocolate covered honeycomb, from Australia) was the best, but they need to make a vegan one.
I told someone recently about collecting for Unicef while trick-or-treating when I was a kid, and they had no idea. Also, popcorn balls. And wax lips. You can get wax lips and a bunch of other old-fashioned candy at nuts.com.
posted by Glinn at 1:04 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
I have eaten a lot of candy corn in my life. I preferred the ones with "chocolate" butts. I also liked the mallow pumpkins-bats-ghosts in different colors, but surprisingly could only eat a few of those.
Violet Crumble (chocolate covered honeycomb, from Australia) was the best, but they need to make a vegan one.
I told someone recently about collecting for Unicef while trick-or-treating when I was a kid, and they had no idea. Also, popcorn balls. And wax lips. You can get wax lips and a bunch of other old-fashioned candy at nuts.com.
posted by Glinn at 1:04 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
Violet Crumble
I saw them open for Veruca Salt.
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:09 PM on November 4 [4 favorites]
I saw them open for Veruca Salt.
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:09 PM on November 4 [4 favorites]
I have eaten a lot of candy corn in my life. I preferred the ones with "chocolate" butts. I also liked the mallow pumpkins-bats-ghosts in different colors, but surprisingly could only eat a few of those
This is close to my feelings - I'll get a hankerin' for some candy corn this time of year, but generally just a handful satisfies that craving while still being enjoyable. But I do actually like the "Autumn Mix" that has regular candy corn, the "chocolate" candy corn (kind of like a tootsie roll replacing the yellow portion of regular candy corn) and the pumpkins if they're in decent proportion to each other - I got a bag this year that was a bit over-pumpkined.
I'm OK with most Halloween candy, but I don't enjoy candied coconut stuff, so Mounds and Almond Joy go to others. Additionally, having a box of See's mixed chocolates around the home or office seems to be a bit of a SoCal holiday tradition, but I'll avoid the creme mix boxes just because of the potential of mistakenly picking up a coconut one. Nuts & Chews all the way.
posted by LionIndex at 1:38 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
This is close to my feelings - I'll get a hankerin' for some candy corn this time of year, but generally just a handful satisfies that craving while still being enjoyable. But I do actually like the "Autumn Mix" that has regular candy corn, the "chocolate" candy corn (kind of like a tootsie roll replacing the yellow portion of regular candy corn) and the pumpkins if they're in decent proportion to each other - I got a bag this year that was a bit over-pumpkined.
I'm OK with most Halloween candy, but I don't enjoy candied coconut stuff, so Mounds and Almond Joy go to others. Additionally, having a box of See's mixed chocolates around the home or office seems to be a bit of a SoCal holiday tradition, but I'll avoid the creme mix boxes just because of the potential of mistakenly picking up a coconut one. Nuts & Chews all the way.
posted by LionIndex at 1:38 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
We gave our more potatoes than butterfingers this year, make of that what you will.
Like... plain uncooked potatoes?
Yeah, don't tell anyone who's not cool. I'm a little hesitant to post about it bc if too many people do it, it will lose its thrill. I suppose it will sooner or later anyway. But some kids fucking love it and scamper back to the group shouting "HeY everybody! I got a PO-TAY-TOOOOOO!" Others look at you like you'd suggested they take an actual piece of shit. Some just short-circuit and mostly ignore it.
It's fun! Kids just like something different/wacky/weird. I also offer plenty of boring normie candy.
posted by SaltySalticid at 1:39 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
Like... plain uncooked potatoes?
Yeah, don't tell anyone who's not cool. I'm a little hesitant to post about it bc if too many people do it, it will lose its thrill. I suppose it will sooner or later anyway. But some kids fucking love it and scamper back to the group shouting "HeY everybody! I got a PO-TAY-TOOOOOO!" Others look at you like you'd suggested they take an actual piece of shit. Some just short-circuit and mostly ignore it.
It's fun! Kids just like something different/wacky/weird. I also offer plenty of boring normie candy.
posted by SaltySalticid at 1:39 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
Okay - anyone else a fan of Bottlecaps? They just sort of appeared one day at the drive-in when I was ten, and I was fascinated by "huh....these really do taste like soda."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:56 PM on November 4 [5 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:56 PM on November 4 [5 favorites]
I think the occasional molasses candy is good for you (but not your teeth).
posted by mazola at 2:01 PM on November 4
posted by mazola at 2:01 PM on November 4
Okay - anyone else a fan of Bottlecaps?
Yes - but the lemony one is really tart. Root beer is my favorite, so I save two of them for last.
posted by soelo at 2:18 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
Yes - but the lemony one is really tart. Root beer is my favorite, so I save two of them for last.
posted by soelo at 2:18 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
stale Mentos and a wrist rocket in slow motion.
I read that to the chorus of Alannah Myles' Black Velvet.
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:23 PM on November 4
I read that to the chorus of Alannah Myles' Black Velvet.
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:23 PM on November 4
It is a thing: https://www.mashed.com/1438031/halloween-potato-trend-explained/
Is it eponysterical when it's the name of the website rather than the poster?
posted by demi-octopus at 2:32 PM on November 4 [4 favorites]
Is it eponysterical when it's the name of the website rather than the poster?
posted by demi-octopus at 2:32 PM on November 4 [4 favorites]
This has brought to mind buying Musk Lifesavers at an Asian grocery back in the basement in the middle of the Pike Place Market a couple of decades ago. The roll wrap was light pink with a black outlined white font back in the two decades ago day. Further search then led to this. Man, the things you can learn in an afternoon...
posted by y2karl at 2:36 PM on November 4
posted by y2karl at 2:36 PM on November 4
Like... plain uncooked potatoes?
DID I STUTTER
posted by ginger.beef at 2:40 PM on November 4 [1 favorite]
DID I STUTTER
posted by ginger.beef at 2:40 PM on November 4 [1 favorite]
dirty kitchen where sat Heber and an equally scruffy dude under a lit bare clear bulb hanging from the ceiling above the table where they sat.
It just came back to me. I misremembered that -- what just came back to me was that the kitchen was lit by was a big ass skinny flashlight standing on its end on the kitchen table pointed at the ceiling. Which was trĆØs spectral, spooky and creepy indeed. That's what I mean about performance art -- they had thought this out. They were playing with us. A fact we appreciated at the time.
posted by y2karl at 3:22 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
It just came back to me. I misremembered that -- what just came back to me was that the kitchen was lit by was a big ass skinny flashlight standing on its end on the kitchen table pointed at the ceiling. Which was trĆØs spectral, spooky and creepy indeed. That's what I mean about performance art -- they had thought this out. They were playing with us. A fact we appreciated at the time.
posted by y2karl at 3:22 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
We buy candy as insurance, on the off chance that someone will show up, but this was year five of no kids. Anyway, they were Hershey's miniatures, which I then promptly donated to the students in my class. I tend to stick with Hershey's dark chocolate, but am also happy to eat Kit-Kats and Reese's if they are in my immediate vicinity. However, the local Wegmans carries Aero bars from the UK, which are a vast improvement on all US chocolate bars.
posted by thomas j wise at 4:26 PM on November 4
posted by thomas j wise at 4:26 PM on November 4
Who else held Halloween as a late teen as "Vandalism Night"?
All summer was vandalism night for my mates, but...
So one Halloween, my mates and I went to a classmates house on Halloween. We asked for him. He was there, and was as wasted as we thought he would be. And I shot him with a BB gun and we ran away...
He committed suicide a year or so later. And I totally busted him for what he did to get thrown out of school .
Halloween, so fun
posted by Windopaene at 4:36 PM on November 4 [1 favorite]
All summer was vandalism night for my mates, but...
So one Halloween, my mates and I went to a classmates house on Halloween. We asked for him. He was there, and was as wasted as we thought he would be. And I shot him with a BB gun and we ran away...
He committed suicide a year or so later. And I totally busted him for what he did to get thrown out of school .
Halloween, so fun
posted by Windopaene at 4:36 PM on November 4 [1 favorite]
I'm living in a church basement since the flooding so I didn't get any trick or treaters. My farm was completely demolished and I don't have the means to make it right. I'm starting a job next week working in a group home. Looking forward to it.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 4:37 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
posted by Mr. Yuck at 4:37 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
On Halloween night, my housemate called down the stairs asking if I had any candy because Trick or Treaters had unexpectedly shown up (I'd just gotten back from an earlish showing of Young Frankenstein because that's how me and about two dozen other introverts party now on Halloween). I looked around and said "I have juice boxes ..." (I keep them around because they're shelf-stable). She just decided to ignore the Trick-or-Treaters.
(We have an elementary school right up the street -- it's our polling place! -- but at least around here, Trick or Treating no longer seems to be much of a thing.)
I'm a Skittles lady. Reese's Pieces too. And some fancy sour Swedish candy I sometimes will splurge on from Sockerbit. I should do that, actually, given the state of the world. We all deserve some candy.
posted by edencosmic at 4:38 PM on November 4 [1 favorite]
(We have an elementary school right up the street -- it's our polling place! -- but at least around here, Trick or Treating no longer seems to be much of a thing.)
I'm a Skittles lady. Reese's Pieces too. And some fancy sour Swedish candy I sometimes will splurge on from Sockerbit. I should do that, actually, given the state of the world. We all deserve some candy.
posted by edencosmic at 4:38 PM on November 4 [1 favorite]
My usual grocery store still had some Halloween candy on sale at 50% off, so I bought three bags of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Had been any fun-size Nerds, I'd have gone in for those too.
My MIL, (RIP) for some reason thought I liked jelly beans, so I would get an assortment of Jelly Belly jelly beans every year for Christmas. I don't exactly dis-like jelly beans, but they aere not something I would buy myself. I do admit, the variety of flavors was interesting and fun to experiment with. I remember seeing a short documentary on how jelly beans are made. Interesting, and more complex than I would have guessed.
I am generally not a fan of the novelty shaped Reese's things. In my opinion, they upset the balance too far to the peanut butter side.
Whoppers, in the plastic, fun-size wrappers, are an abomination. Only two malted milk balls are worth the calories (in small amounts, because malt-fatigue is a thing): Whoppers in the milk-cartonesque packaging, or Brach's, in bulk from an actual dedicated candy store. Way back in the 70's, there was a Sears store in town that had a Brach's bulk candy kiosk thing right in the middle of the store. The kiosk disappeared some few years before the store closed entirely.
posted by coppertop at 5:23 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
My MIL, (RIP) for some reason thought I liked jelly beans, so I would get an assortment of Jelly Belly jelly beans every year for Christmas. I don't exactly dis-like jelly beans, but they aere not something I would buy myself. I do admit, the variety of flavors was interesting and fun to experiment with. I remember seeing a short documentary on how jelly beans are made. Interesting, and more complex than I would have guessed.
I am generally not a fan of the novelty shaped Reese's things. In my opinion, they upset the balance too far to the peanut butter side.
Whoppers, in the plastic, fun-size wrappers, are an abomination. Only two malted milk balls are worth the calories (in small amounts, because malt-fatigue is a thing): Whoppers in the milk-cartonesque packaging, or Brach's, in bulk from an actual dedicated candy store. Way back in the 70's, there was a Sears store in town that had a Brach's bulk candy kiosk thing right in the middle of the store. The kiosk disappeared some few years before the store closed entirely.
posted by coppertop at 5:23 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
I was shocked at how much I liked nerds gummy clusters. I have some of those freeze dried, but I have yet to try them. The other freeze dried candy I tried is just way too sweet...
posted by skunk pig at 5:33 PM on November 4 [1 favorite]
posted by skunk pig at 5:33 PM on November 4 [1 favorite]
Aw, dang, Mr Yuck. Well, yay for the job, but otherwise.
posted by clew at 6:05 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
posted by clew at 6:05 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
yeah, sorry Mr. Yuck, that sucks
posted by Windopaene at 6:07 PM on November 4 [1 favorite]
posted by Windopaene at 6:07 PM on November 4 [1 favorite]
I always pass out Junior Mints with a bag held back just for me!!!
posted by brookeb at 6:15 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
posted by brookeb at 6:15 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
I always hand out Hi Chew, whatever that stuff is, since I once had some in the mix and one trick-or-treater noticed and became so excited he shouted "He's handing out Hi Chew! This is my new favorite house!" but if he's ever returned in subsequent years he hasn't identified himself.
posted by Rash at 6:52 PM on November 4 [5 favorites]
posted by Rash at 6:52 PM on November 4 [5 favorites]
The chocolate fun-sized bars of my youth (Snickers was always my fave) were the pinnacle of the Halloween stash, but are just meh these days as an adult. Did the recipes change? Or did I change?
I might have to buy a bag anyway, for stress eating tomorrow.
posted by honey badger at 7:13 PM on November 4
I might have to buy a bag anyway, for stress eating tomorrow.
posted by honey badger at 7:13 PM on November 4
My 3rd grader gobbled up all of the Kit Kat Witchās Brew, but does not enjoy any other type of Kit Kat bar, and they especially did not care for Kit Kat Ghost Toast, period.
Nerds Gummy Clusters - Very Berry (in the turquoise-ish blue container) were my 17 year oldās go-to this Halloween. They donāt enjoy candy much anymore, but used to crave Junior Mints, and also had an Andes mints phase a few years back.
The 15 year old is all about Wertherās Original Harvest Caramels: Caramel Apple Soft Caramels.
Me I just wanted a bowl of Boo Berry monster cereal on the 31st. Honorable mention from Trader Joeās are these delightful fruit jellies. I am obsessed. Neither of these are per se Halloween candies, of course.
posted by edithkeeler at 7:44 PM on November 4
Nerds Gummy Clusters - Very Berry (in the turquoise-ish blue container) were my 17 year oldās go-to this Halloween. They donāt enjoy candy much anymore, but used to crave Junior Mints, and also had an Andes mints phase a few years back.
The 15 year old is all about Wertherās Original Harvest Caramels: Caramel Apple Soft Caramels.
Me I just wanted a bowl of Boo Berry monster cereal on the 31st. Honorable mention from Trader Joeās are these delightful fruit jellies. I am obsessed. Neither of these are per se Halloween candies, of course.
posted by edithkeeler at 7:44 PM on November 4
My friend, who gets more trick or treaters than my house does, handed out candy and I handed out small polished rocks; agates, jasper, and sparkly quartz. I was surprised that the kids were more excited by rocks than candy. I started handing out rocks a few years ago because I got so few T-or-Ters and I didn't want leftover candy to try my diabetic control. So this year took my rocks to a more kid friendly neighbourhood and caused a rock sensation! My most favourite candy prediabetes was Mounds bars...sigh...
posted by a humble nudibranch at 7:59 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
posted by a humble nudibranch at 7:59 PM on November 4 [2 favorites]
> He committed suicide a year or so later. And I totally busted him for what he did to get thrown out of school .
That sounds like an exceptionally heavy load to carry. You might consider ways to forgive yourself.
I spent a number of years volunteering as a listener on a suicide hotline. It was traumatic enough that I stopped, but it was ... clean trauma? It was trauma I could work through in therapy and forgive myself for.
What you're carrying sounds like something that might be hard to forgive yourself for in therapy.
posted by constraint at 8:32 PM on November 4
That sounds like an exceptionally heavy load to carry. You might consider ways to forgive yourself.
I spent a number of years volunteering as a listener on a suicide hotline. It was traumatic enough that I stopped, but it was ... clean trauma? It was trauma I could work through in therapy and forgive myself for.
What you're carrying sounds like something that might be hard to forgive yourself for in therapy.
posted by constraint at 8:32 PM on November 4
And the Mars bar. Canada still has it I believe
Mars Bars (my favorite, uh Mars bar as a kid) in the US morphed into the Snickers Almond, which I guess is not technically identical but pretty damn close in my evaluation.
posted by atoxyl at 8:55 PM on November 4
Mars Bars (my favorite, uh Mars bar as a kid) in the US morphed into the Snickers Almond, which I guess is not technically identical but pretty damn close in my evaluation.
posted by atoxyl at 8:55 PM on November 4
Candy corn mixed with raw almonds (thank you to the buddy who introduced me to that combo), and I will die on that hill. In other news, here in central Sweden I am celebrating a vital victory over the mysterious bureaucratic forces standing between me and a functioning dishwasher. One week ago, the rental management company replaced my broken refrigerator with a shiny new model. Yay! But then my dishwasher stopped working. I remembered that the dishwasher plugs in behind the refrigerator (no, I don't know why). I noticed this while vacuuming the dusty hole where a refrigerator used to be before the new one got slotted in. Apparently the service person unplugged the dishwasher while installing the new appliance next to it.
I called the rental folks on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Got crickets, just nothing. Doing dishes by hand is not my jam even when I am fully healthy, and currently I have an injured left arm. Today, I decided to try a different approach and called the scheduler who made the appointment for delivering the refrigerator. He needed to find the original order. It took a mere 15 minutes, and now I have a time tomorrow for a service person to fix it.
It's a privilege to have a dishwasher, and I enjoy the hell out of having one. Truly hope things go well tomorrow and I get to use it again on the regular. I am practically giddy at the thought. Thanks for this post, DirtyOldTown!
posted by Bella Donna at 3:43 AM on November 5 [1 favorite]
I called the rental folks on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Got crickets, just nothing. Doing dishes by hand is not my jam even when I am fully healthy, and currently I have an injured left arm. Today, I decided to try a different approach and called the scheduler who made the appointment for delivering the refrigerator. He needed to find the original order. It took a mere 15 minutes, and now I have a time tomorrow for a service person to fix it.
It's a privilege to have a dishwasher, and I enjoy the hell out of having one. Truly hope things go well tomorrow and I get to use it again on the regular. I am practically giddy at the thought. Thanks for this post, DirtyOldTown!
posted by Bella Donna at 3:43 AM on November 5 [1 favorite]
Windopaene, yikes, what a grim memory. No fun at all. Goodness, Mr. Yuck, that sounds like a fucking nightmare. I am so sorry to hear it. PS, please check your MeMail.
posted by Bella Donna at 3:45 AM on November 5
posted by Bella Donna at 3:45 AM on November 5
No, I have little trauma from that. He was a bad dude. And his stealing of the gym teacher's keys was so blatantly obvious it was clear he had done it on purpose for precisely getting caught and kicked out. Which he was.
But, the BB gun attack was pretty out of line, in retrospect.
posted by Windopaene at 7:02 AM on November 5 [1 favorite]
But, the BB gun attack was pretty out of line, in retrospect.
posted by Windopaene at 7:02 AM on November 5 [1 favorite]
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Reese's peanut butter cups all the way every day.
posted by djseafood at 7:16 AM on November 4 [6 favorites]