Sharability: 7Denture Danger: 10Convenience: 8Novelty: 10Overall: 10
Once upon a time in the land of Turkey lived a man named Albert J. Bonomo. Al emigrated to Coney Island, New York and founded the Bonomo candy company in 1897.
This candy company made hard candies, but specialized in its saltwater taffy. As delicious as Al’s saltwater taffies must have been, it was not Al, but the son of Al who introduced the masterpiece of the Turkish Taffy that we have all known and loved since we learned to say the word “taffy.”
An interesting thing about this candy that Tico, son of Victor, pointed out is that it is not technically taffy, it would be better described as nougat because of its corn syrup and egg white ingredients. Also the taffy is not any kind of Turkish secret family recipe. It was named Turkish Taffy purely for marketing reasons.
When the candy was first distributed into Woolworth stores it came in school desk size sheets that were broken into pieces with ball-peen hammers. In the late 1940s the hammers were dropped and the bars of taffy took the field. The bars have a unique way of being eaten.
Before opening the wrapper you can smack the candy against the table so that it breaks into bite size pieces. When the taffy is too soft to break, a few minutes in the freezer does the trick to help the candy shatter. Bonomos’ flavors include vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and even banana.
Bonomo was one of the first candies to be advertised on television and it surely wasn’t poorly marketed. The Magic Clown was a character on NBC Television who did your usual clown tricks and gags, but it all depended on the magic word: Bonomo. The commercials had a catchy hook, “B-O-N-O-M-O, O-O-O BONOMO!” that helped to make the candy so successful; they were so successful that in the 50’s and 60’s, 80 to 100 million bars were sold per year.
In 1980 Tootsie Roll industries bought the candy and only nine years later they discontinued it. In 2003, the people who could only feel the melting taffy in their mouth through nostalgic memories began a movement to bring Bonomo back. The Bonomo website lacks information in that particular area, but I had the privilege to chew up some tasty Bonomo, so they must be in production somewhere. The Warrel Corporation claims that the Bonomos that you all love and miss so much will be back in stores and available for purchase this summer in July of 2010.
That, my friends, is the story of the elusive Bonomo.
Patience will prevail as you await the return of this wholesome nougaty Turkish Taffy. The day will come again when we will all hold our Bonomos above our heads and slam them against the table in unison.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_Taffy
http://www.tvacres.com/clowns_bonomo.htm
http://www.candyfavorites.com/shop/bonomos-turkish-taffy.php
I remember the Bonomo factory on West 8th Street across from Luna Park Houses and up the street from Coney Island’s 60th Precinct. Loved Bonomo’s salt water taffy growing up and while it was delicious, it was probably a contributing factor to the many fillings I have.
Norm Zierler on April 12, 2020
Victor Bonomo’s brother Joe Bonomo was a champion weightlifter and movie stunt man. After enjoying success with selling mail-order body building courses, Joe realized he had an exceptional talent for sales, and became a sort of “liquidation expert,” selling discontinued items ranging from stuffed toys to paint thru stores like Woolworth’s. Joe is credited with developing the idea of selling “cut-out” LP records at bargain prices; slicing off a corner of the jacket to identify them so they could not be returned for a full-price refund.
Jeff Missinne on November 4, 2018
I worked at two beach hotels along the south shore of Long Island in the 1970’s…..Victor Bonomo (and his wife) were guest at the Nautilus Hotel in Atlantic Beach (1979)….His company must have been sold because he’d hand out Tootsie Rolls he’d keep in his pockets…I’d ask him where the Turkish Taffy was…he’d smile…Victor was a very likable fellow…Great candy…great memories…..Thanks Mr Bonomo and Thank You Candy Favorites!
Bo on April 5, 2016
i am 70 years old and i have ben looking for this candy a long time.use to eat 3bars a day.now i can have all i want.been waiting for someone to realize we had the best candy,in those years.my sister will be happy also.it was a ritiual every day go to the candy store and buy them.you have made one of my bucket list.now i am ording a box of vanilla,choclate,banna,strawberry.and will continue to do so as long as you keep making it.thank you from the child with in who will always be there,now i can go on and order the rest of my favorit candy that.as you can see still a child to my candy.thank you for bring it all back,and my childhood.patty
A favorite of WW II soldiers. Good reason. Less sweet than modern candies, the mixture of dark chocolates, molasses and peanuts is just right, in my opinion.
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I have loved these candies since I was a girl and I'm now 79. I ordered the boxes for my daughter who continues the love of this candy. Yummmmmm.......
Thank you for your wonderful review of our Necco Wafers Chocolate. We're so glad to hear that you've been a fan since you were a girl and that your daughter loves them too! Thank you for choosing CandyFavorites.com!
I remember the Bonomo factory on West 8th Street across from Luna Park Houses and up the street from Coney Island’s 60th Precinct. Loved Bonomo’s salt water taffy growing up and while it was delicious, it was probably a contributing factor to the many fillings I have.
Victor Bonomo’s brother Joe Bonomo was a champion weightlifter and movie stunt man. After enjoying success with selling mail-order body building courses, Joe realized he had an exceptional talent for sales, and became a sort of “liquidation expert,” selling discontinued items ranging from stuffed toys to paint thru stores like Woolworth’s. Joe is credited with developing the idea of selling “cut-out” LP records at bargain prices; slicing off a corner of the jacket to identify them so they could not be returned for a full-price refund.
I worked at two beach hotels along the south shore of Long Island in the 1970’s…..Victor Bonomo (and his wife) were guest at the Nautilus Hotel in Atlantic Beach (1979)….His company must have been sold because he’d hand out Tootsie Rolls he’d keep in his pockets…I’d ask him where the Turkish Taffy was…he’d smile…Victor was a very likable fellow…Great candy…great memories…..Thanks Mr Bonomo and Thank You Candy Favorites!
i am 70 years old and i have ben looking for this candy a long time.use to eat 3bars a day.now i can have all i want.been waiting for someone to realize we had the best candy,in those years.my sister will be happy also.it was a ritiual every day go to the candy store and buy them.you have made one of my bucket list.now i am ording a box of vanilla,choclate,banna,strawberry.and will continue to do so as long as you keep making it.thank you from the child with in who will always be there,now i can go on and order the rest of my favorit candy that.as you can see still a child to my candy.thank you for bring it all back,and my childhood.patty
thank you