Browsing Tag

jelly beans

Candy History, Candy Memories, Easter Candy

It’s a Marshmallow “Peep” World

April 14, 2017 by

“Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.” ~From the television show The Wonder Years

marshmallow peepsWith a Peep Peep here, and a Peep Peep there, here a Peep, there a Peep, everywhere a Peep Peep!

Easter baskets loaded with all kinds of goodies. Jelly beans, chocolate bunnies and lambs and of course yellow Peeps peeking out of the plastic green and pink straw that lined my brother’s and my Easter basket! Mmmmmm. . . Delicious memories.

I remember my dad searching for that big plastic bag in our basement that held our Easter baskets captive. It was time to get out the coffee cups and the bottle of white vinegar out as my mom cooled the dozen of hard boiled eggs. Then my younger brother and I would sit at the kitchen table, plop the color tablets into the cups and see how long it would take to make the darkest purple, blue, pink, yellow and orange egg you’ve ever seen!

Yellow, pink and white were the only color Peeps I can remember way back then (I am old you know) but still young at heart. But the other day, I walked into a super store and was flabbergasted to see a myriad of Peeps in every color and flavor imaginable.

I saw orange creme, vanilla delight, strawberry, chocolate mousse, raspberry, cherry limeade, cotton candy, fruit punch, limeade, blue raspberry, triple chocolate, vanilla caramel brownie, bubble gum, party cake, sour lemon-lime, sour watermelon, and even sugar free Peeps! My eyes as well as my taste buds were thrown into a sugary, rainbow, marshmallow world!

Did you know that Sam Born founded Just Born, Inc. in 1923 in New York, and this family-owned candy manufacturer then moved its headquarters to Bethlehem, PA. in 1932?

It used to take 27 hours to make the Peeps but Born created a way to automate the cooling process and make them in 6 minutes from start to finish. About 5.5 million Peeps are made each day. And now you can find green trees at Christmas, orange pumpkins at Halloween and red hearts for Valentine’s Day in addition to chicks and bunnies.

If you love Peeps, you’re not alone. Justin Bieber, Miranda Cosgrove and even Joe Jonas love this sugary treat. More than 1.5 billion will be consumed this spring!

So what are you waiting for? Pick up a box or two for Easter and remember how fun they are to eat, and eat and eat. And now if you’ll excuse me those triple chocolate Peeps, oh and those vanilla caramel brownie Peeps are calling my name! And wait! Maybe just one box of the chocolate covered marshmallow ones. . .

Happy Easter Peepsters!

Candy in Pop Culture

Sweeten Your Star Wars Viewing Party

September 9, 2015 by

star wars machine bigStar Wars: The Force Awakens, the seventh installment in the main Star Wars film series set approximately 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, doesn’t open in theaters until December 18th. That might seem like a long time to wait for the next installment of this epic space saga, but it also means you have plenty of time to enjoy all six previous Star Wars movies before ‘The Force Awakens’ hits theaters! Sounds like the perfect opportunity to invite your fellow Star Wars fans over for a viewing party complete with themed Star Wars snacks, decorations, and costumes! We’ve got just a few ideas to get you started. What else will you come up with?

Costume Contest

Who’s your favorite Star Wars character? Is it Princess Leia, Yoda, R2-D2, or Chewbacca? Whoever it may be, let your creativity go wild and craft a character costume for yourself and invite your guests to do the same. Then, at the end of the viewing party, have everyone vote on the best costume. Reward your best-dressed guest with a fun Star Wars party favor — our Star Wars Clone Wars Pez Dispensers could be just the droids you’re looking for!

Clone Trooper Cupcakes

Satisfy guests with Star Wars-themed desserts. One simple yet creative option is to top white iced cupcakes with jumbo marshmallows. Then, simply take a black food-safe markers and draw clone trooper or stormtrooper helmet markings to each marshmallow. And there you have it, cupcakes fit for the dark side!

Star Wars Candy  

From a galaxy far far away, Candy Favorites brings you the Jelly Belly Star Wars Bean Machine. This bean dispenser is the perfect decorative piece for your Star Wars movie viewing party. Served by a stormtrooper, your guests will love snacking on their favorite jelly beans as they watch classic action-packed lightsaber battles. And when they’re done snacking on jelly beans, satisfy the dark side of your guests’ candy cravings with the Star Wars Taffy Swirl Pops. Just like the movies, these character-themed lollipops span generations with their out-of-this-world taste. Hand them out as party favors and enjoy them as you recall your favorite Star Wars scenes.

If even the thought of a new Star Wars movie gives you goosebumps or if you’re finding it hard to wait until December to see it in theaters, round up your fellow Star Wars and brush up on your favorite films from the saga. And with our tips for hosting a viewing party, you’ll have the best bash in the galaxy! Check out our full inventory of Star Wars themed candy here.

Bulk Candy Reviews, Candy Reviews, Easter Candy

My stomach must be bigger than my eyes for the Big Tex Jumbo Jelly Bean

March 11, 2011 by
My stomach must be bigger than my eyes for the Big Tex Jumbo Jelly Bean

My stomach must be bigger than my eyes for the Big Tex Jumbo Jelly Bean

Sharability: 10

Denture Danger: 10

Convenience: 8

Novelty: 10

Overall: 8

Imagine a world where Jelly Beans were so big that you could not only not eat a handful at a time, but you could to take multiple satisfying bites of one jellybean. Well, as they say, if there is a will, there is a way, and the jellybeans must have eaten a bite of Alice’s cake because they have grown exponentially in size.

Limey green, grapey purple, sweet vanilla white (not to be confused with Vanna White), cherry red, licorice black, lemony yellow and a pink that I believe is an attempt at strawberry; these fun flavors fill these supersized jelly beans.

Don’t think that the growth of the bean has reduced the potency of the taste because each bean is bursting with flavor. The thick, soft shell protects the chewy jelly gum inside, which holds the life of the party.

I think this is a good candy for the bite-and-pass technique because that way you can get a taste of every flavor without overdoing the candy eating and wearing out a flavor. (As long as no one is sick, the bite and pass is my favorite way to share because you get just enough to want a little more, which is the perfect amount).

Brachs Candy, Bulk Candy Reviews, Easter Candy

Brach’s Classic Jelly Bird Eggs Make Every Day Feel Like Easter

January 21, 2011 by
Brach's Jelly Bird Eggs

Brach’s Peacock Eggs and Jelly Bird Eggs have long been Easter Classics and are considered by many to be the best jelly beans available.

Sharability: 10

Denture Danger: 9

Convenience: 5

Novelty: 7

Overall: 7

The Jelly Bird lays the eggs, the humans collect the eggs by the millions and put them in colorful bags to sell to more humans to enjoy.

The Brach’s depiction of the Jelly Bird is seen on the front of the bag of eggs and it isn’t what I would expect a Jelly Bird to look like. The elusive egg layer looks more like a Jelly Bunny from my perspective, but I just assume that in the Jelly World things are different and the Jelly Bird has bunny ears.

Regardless of who lays these eggs, they are an Easter time favorite and even enjoyed by many before and after Easter comes around. The eggs have a hard, but not quite crunch outer candy shell that holds the chewier jelly candy inside.

Eight colors fill the bag and thus, eight flavors. Choose your favorite from grape, lemon, lime, orange, cherry, raspberry, licorice, or the one of a kind vanilla-pineapple flavor. Mmmm, mmmmm, Easter… thanks Jelly Bird.

Sources:

http://www.farleysandsathers.com/Products/ProductDetail.asp?uid=1117

Candy Reviews

Bean Boozled and Bean Disguzzled

September 22, 2009 by
Jelly Belly Bean Boozled Jelly Beans are for the truly daring...

Jelly Belly Bean Boozled Jelly Beans are for the truly daring...

Sharability: 10

Eatability: 2

Denture Danger: 6

Convenience: 8

Novelty: 9

Overall: 7

 “You want to be careful with those,” Ron warned Harry. When they say every flavor they mean every flavor – you know, you have [buttered popcorn, and licorice and peach] but then you can get [vomit, pencil shavings, and ear wax] George even reckons he had a booger-flavored one once.”*

And George reckoned right, you may think you are biting into the green juicy pear jelly bean but don’t be too surprised when you the booger flavor coats your tongue and you need to spit it out and get that taste out of your mouth. But don’t try grabbing another Bean Boozled unless you want to be disguzzled, the chances aren’t in your favor of getting a good flavor.

These repulsively flavored jelly beans are not meant for personal enjoyment. These are prank jelly beans. Either buy the box for your harry potter obsessed nephew or buy them to add to the communal jelly bean pile at your friend’s house.

Don’t pick up that black jelly bean thinking it is licorice, you are putting yourself into a 50/50 position between tasting licorice and tasting skunk spray. The flavors are conveniently made so that each real flavor’s color has a corresponding trick flavor. For example, beige ear wax and café latte, yellow moldy cheese and caramel corn, blue toothpaste and berry blue, and green juicy pear or booger.

It is up to you if you want to take the risk of having a horrible taste in your mouth for the slim chance of getting the sweet flavor you crave. But when you do succeed (after gingerly chewing the bean) it feels all the much better. Good luck with avoiding bean disguzzled and laugh at other people who eat one unsuspectedly.

Ah! Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit-flavored one, and since then I’m afraid I’ve rather lost my liking for them – but I think I’ll be safe with a nice toffee, don’t you?’ Dumbledore smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he choked and said, ‘Alas! Ear wax!’

 *Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – J.K. Rowling