Oldies But Goodies

Cybele May, the mastermind behind the candy industry’s no-holds-barred product review blog, CandyBlog.net, shares her list of go-to candies when she’s in the mood for a classic.

Junior Mints. It’s a classic combination of a sweet peppermint fondant covered in a shiny dark chocolate shell. Junior Mints [a Tootsie Roll Industries’ brand] are great frozen, perfect to share, and an ideal candy to eat at the movies on a date.

LOOK! A West Coast favorite. Annabelle Candy Co.’s Look! bar is unique among the combination bars available on store shelves today. It’s a stiff molasses and almond nougat covered in dark chocolate. Less sweet with a long-lasting chew, it’s a unique treat.

Boyer’s Peanut Butter Smoothie Cups.  A curiosity in the candy cup world, this one combines peanut butter with a butterscotch confectionery coating. Like all the Boyer candy cups, each package contains play money in random amounts that is still issued to this day. The prizes may have changed, but the passion for the candy has not. The packaging is largely unchanged, which sets this cup apart from others on store shelves.

Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews (now called Chew-Ets). Though Just Born packages these as Chew-Ets for some markets, I still can’t resist the packaging that bears the name of the founder, Goldenberg. These molasses and whole peanut chews are unique little bites. Plus they’re vegan since there’s no milk in the chewy center or in the dark chocolate-flavored coating.

Tootsie Roll. This classic chocolaty taffy comes in so many different formats, but they’re all easily spotted by the wrapper, red stripe, and bold white Tootsie name. Like many other candies from the early 20th century, they were part of our troops’ daily lives as both their ration supplements and a special treat from home. Each chew lasts a long time and is even better when inside a Tootsie Pop.

Hoffman’s Cup-O-Gold. Not the original marshmallow candy cup, but certainly among the best. Made on the West Coast, Hoffman’s Cup-O-Gold [an Adams & Brooks brand] is larger than most, filled with a frothy and smooth marshmallow cream, and sitting in a creamy chocolate cup with both almonds and coconut.

Chick-O-Stick. Since 1938, this strange-sounding candy from Texas-based Atkinson Candy Company was actually introduced as “Chicken Bone.” When it became popular outside the area, the company changed the name to Chick-O-Stick in 1955, probably resulting in similar confusion. The packaging has barely changed. The thin rod of honeycombed peanut butter is coated in toasted coconut and sheathed in a clear plastic sleeve and marked with the Lone Star emblem with the Atkinson name. There are plenty of honeycombed peanut butter products out there, but the fresh taste of Atkinson’s is hard to beat.

Sugar Babies. Cute little nuggets of milky and chewy caramel with a sugary shell, Sugar Babies [a Tootsie Roll Industries brand] are the caramel equivalent of a jelly bean. Classic yellow bags are easy to share and exceptionally durable.

Clark Bar. One of the original combination candy bars, the Clark Bar [a New England Confectionery Company (Necco) brand] was also one that was offered as part of the rations for WWI. Clark Bars became a quick favorite of returning soldiers, especially those in the candy company’s hometown, Pittsburgh. The wrapper has changed its format over the years, but the bold orange background and black CLARK letters have remained. Residents of Pittsburgh will remember the huge Clark sign that graced the top of the factory along the Allegheny River for years. There may be other crispy peanut butter crunch bars, but Clark is an original.

Necco Wafers. It’s hard to turn down a Necco Wafer. The strange coin-sized disks of hardened sugar dough are lightly flavored and leave a fresh feeling in the mouth. They’ve been around for so long (1860s), it’s hard to imagine a time when Americans didn’t eat them.

Chiclets. I have a special soft spot for Chiclets [a Cadbury Adams brand]. They’re so cute and to this day they still come in a bright yellow box. The smooth, rounded rectangles provide crunch, sweetness, and light peppermint flavor. It’s my go-to gum.

Bit-O-Honey. The Bit-O-Honey bar [a Nestlé brand] was introduced in 1924 and though the product (a honey taffy with almonds in it) wasn’t unique, the format of placing the pieces side by side into a full bar was. The package has changed some since its early years (and individually wrapped pieces are also available), but the diagonal swath of yellow on the orange background have been around for years.

Clark’s Teaberry Gum. A light wintergreen gum, this stuff was always mysterious and compelling. Not as strong as a full mint, Teaberry Gum [a Clark Gum Company brand] was always light and refreshing, the closest thing to a birch beer gum I ever found.

Heath. The Heath brothers introduced their almond toffee bar coated in milk chocolate in 1928 in Illinois and within five years they were being distributed nationally. Made with traditional ingredients and providing a classic and simple taste, Heath [a Hershey Company brand] appeals to young and old. The packaging has changed with technology over the years, but one thing has always remained the same: The bold HEATH name—with the H’s on either end larger—leaves the word “EAT” as a focus on the store shelves.

Nut Goodie. It’s like a deluxe box of chocolates all in one giant piece of candy. Still produced by the Pearson’s Candy Company, Nut Goodie bars debuted in 1912 and feature a decadent cream center surrounded by peanuts and chocolate. The red and green bisected wrapper is easily spotted on store shelves by keen fans.

Life Savers Wint-O-Green. These wintergreen mints—now manufactured by the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company—have been used for decades by science teachers to demonstrate triboluminescence. Go into a dark room or closet and crunch one to see a faint blue spark. They’re one of the tastiest science class assignments ever.

Lemonheads. More intense than a lemon drop, these little candies are one of the early super-tart candies. The mild lemon hard candy center is covered in a tangy lemony layer then a soft sugar shell. There are so many ways to eat Lemonheads [a Ferrara Pan brand]; I never get bored with them.

Hot Tamales. One of the few cinnamon candies, these little rods are like intense, spicy jelly beans. Hot Tamales [a Just Born brand] are packaged with just one flavor, so no sorting through the gumdrops to find your favorite here.