A cow-orker recently came back from a visit to Kansas and brought with her a Midwestern treat called Cherry Mash. Manufactured in St. Joseph, Mo., these candies have been "America's favorite cherry-flavored candy bar" since 1918.
I'd not seen them before, though I grew up in Wisconsin. Too Upper Midwest, maybe. Had I known of them as a kid, though, I probably would have avoided them. They're quite reminiscent of those chocolates in the Whitman's Sampler that you hoped you didn't pick by mistake. (I was always angling for the chocolate-covered cherries or the caramel-filled ones.)The ingredient list is deceiving, topped as it is by peanuts, even before sugar. Yes, there are noticeable ground peanuts in the chocolate coating, but it's the incredibly sweet cherry filling that you really taste.
They're better than the ones in samplers, and at least one cow-orker is now scoping out sources ("These are like crack!"). I like them OK, but I don't know that I'll go out of my way to find more.Is there a regional candy you're fond of that makes other people say, "huh?"
I'm not a giant fan of the cherry mash (I lived in both MO and KS.) But really I'd love a Bit-O-Honey candy bar anyday. I'm not sure if they're regional, but they're not easy to find!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine anyone saying "huh" about them, but I love Goldenberg's Peanut Chews. Chewy rich caramel, peanut bits and dark chocolate. Yum. Steve Almond devotes a chapter to Peanut Chews in his Candy Freak book.
ReplyDeleteI would probably not stop until they were gone. You and I would have gotten along just fine with a box of Whitmans.
ReplyDeleteOh man, every time I come by here I salivate at the recipe's! I can't give you the name of a sweet that I like as I hate sweets!
ReplyDeleteI love the first couple of bits of cherry mash, and then I hate it.
ReplyDeleteBit-O-Honey! I haven't seen those for a while. I would be a little afraid of it now, with some rather expensive crowns on my molars.
ReplyDeletePeanut Chews are new to me, Rooie. Though I did read Almond's book a while ago. Without tasting the actual candy, I guess the names didn't stay with me.
Alecto, we probably still would! Though now I think I could eat everything in one without going YUCK. I used to hate coconut, too.
No sweets, MOB? What about desserts in general? I can keep candy in my house and never touch it, but at work? It's gone. I'm constantly snacking there.
Jen, I think that's the way I feel about them, too. Kind of, "Oooh, interesting!" and then "Eh. No more."
I like Nut Goodies which we ate when I was a really small kid in Minnesota. Don't see them out west much, but one or two make their way back in my folks' luggage whenever they go visit relatives. I don't imagine they'd make people go "huh", though, unless people have a thing against maple.
ReplyDeleteAnd I liked Abba Zabbas as a kid. Are those regional? They were white taffy slabs w/ a thin peanut butter-like filling.
You must read the book Candyfreak now, though (if you haven't already). It's one of my favorite books ever.
oops. Didn't read your comments carefully enough. Of course you read Candyfreak.
ReplyDeleteSorry!
I don't remember seeing them back in Oregon & Michigan, where I lived in my previous life. I'm not really into sweets, more into mints....sometimes....
ReplyDeleteYou used to be able to buy Cherry Mashes in Denver at 7-11s. That's where I bought all ten pounds-worth, ten pounds meaning what was left on my hips after I consumed more than I could count. Urg. To say I was addicted to them is an understatement.
ReplyDeleteFor me, it's the Savanah Creams from Fawn Candy Co. They are bars of this sweet, vanilla whipped cream stuff. They melt in your mouth and you can only get 'em in Cincinnati.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if they were regional, but I always loved Mallo-Cups. Check out Powell's Sweet Shoppe on the Boulder mall if you haven't before. They sell lots of candy from our childhood.
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