Sisters!

Over the years the bonds of family seem to come together and grow apart.  Certainly, as kids all under one roof, the relationship with your siblings takes on a special meaning.  The old adage “too much togetherness is not always a good thing” definitely holds true – especially when nine people are living under one roof.  Then we all grow up, go our separate ways, have kids of our own, etc.  But as you get older one thing becomes incredibly clear – no one knows you better than your sisters!  For example, during our “sisters” book club (comprised of sisters, daughters, nieces and cousins) my sister Kathy knew, without any hesitation, that my favorite childhood book is Flicka Ricka and Dicka and the New Dotted Dresses.  I am still blown away by that – not only is that such an obscure book, there are so many childhood books to choose from!  Sisters also always have your back – both Anne and Kathy know I get stressed over cooking so they always assign the simplest tasks for me at holidays.  And, even more importantly as we care for our elderly mother, it is comforting knowing we have each other to laugh, cry and complain with as we go through this experience together.

 

Okay, by now you are wondering what does that have to do with candy?  Well, let me tell you!  For my birthday Kathy and Anne gave me a gift certificate to Candyland (can’t you just hear the trumpets playing and angels signing when you see the word “Candyland”, I certainly do)!   And to put the candy in – a beautiful, modern and sleek candy dish!  We always get together for our birthday lunches and it is funny, but after I opened my gift, I immediately drifted off thinking of what I was going to buy with my gift certificate!  While everyone was talking I was thinking Chicago Mix popcorn, burnt peanuts, taffy, will the holiday candy be out yet.  Pretty pathetic!

 

But this adventure doesn’t end here – Anne told me today about this place called Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store and how we need to go check it out.  Naturally, I immediately Googled it - http://www.yelp.com/biz/jims-apple-farm-jordan-2 .  It is only open from July through November, so the visit may need to wait until next year, but my sisters and I are definitely going.  My “sister from another mother” – Pam, definitely needs to come to town for this too.  Who else is in?

A blog about sisters, especially my sisters, wouldn't be complete without the following image: 

To Everything There Is A Season And A Time To Every Purpose Under Heaven.

You may think that quote sounds like a passage from Ecclesiastes or maybe even a song made famous by the Byrds in the ‘60’s and you would be correct on both fronts, but for me it also describes my “seasons” of candy and how each one is anticipated, savored, then a little sad as the seasons change. 

Winter – Winter can be a long, solemn period of time.  There are moments of fun like Christmas when all excuses to behave are thrown out the window and one can indulge themselves in all the best the season has to offer: fudge, ribbon candy, candy canes, cookies, peanut brittle, etc.  January quickly follows, but I usually have enough leftovers from Christmas to get me through to February (plus, yes, like everyone else in the world I tend to cut back on the calories come the new year, for a while at least!).  Winter mellows to welcome in Valentines Day, I smile as I type remembering the lovely box of chocolates I experienced last month with its multitude of flavors.

Spring – call me fickle, but literally within a day after Valentines Day I scope out the stores waiting patiently for Easter candy to arrive.  To me Spring and Easter Candy are synonymous with bright, happy colors, flavors, and simply, Joy.  There are certain jelly beans that are available only during this short season so I take full advantage and celebrate every day.  Plus, Cadbury mini eggs come out – need I say more (well, I could since they seem to be at Christmas now too, but I shun them in Winter and enjoy them only in Spring).

Summer – what is it about summer and candy?  There is no special holiday to stock the shelves with fanciful candies.  One would think it is slim pickings for sure.  But for me it will always be about salt water taffy, circus peanuts, peanut logs and candy buttons.  These are the things I enjoyed as a kid and, well as an adult I still do (though it has been several years since I had candy buttons.)

Fall – oh don’t you just love Fall.  Cool, crisp air, excitement of returning to school, and of course Fall candy.  Overlook the obvious Halloween candy, and think of maple sugar candy – biting through the sugar coated maple leaf into soft and oh so sweet maple candy is perfection!   But even I can only have a few, they are very, very sweet!  Fall also brings candy corn, a seasonal favorite of mine (as you know), but here again there are rules, never buy candy corn until mid-September at the earliest, it is a law.

So yes, like the song/bible quote says there is a time to weep (as the candy season fades), and a time to laugh (the first bit of a favorite piece of chocolate); a time to mourn (my pectin jelly beans are gone), and a time to dance – there is always a time to dance (how else does one burn off all those calories!)

Posh Candy

When it comes to sweets, I am definitely a meat and potato kind of a girl – give me a Butterfinger over fancy chocolate any day of the week!  There are certain kinds of candy that are just too posh for me.  For example, Jordan Almonds (you know those almonds that tend to show up at weddings), while very pretty in their hard coated candy shells, are simply difficult to eat and for very little reward.  Give me peanut M&Ms and I am happy.  What about those little silver imperial type candies that make their way onto cakes and cookies?  Sure they are pretty, but have you ever tried eating them?  Totally impossible and not worth the effort. 

Then the ultimate posh candy – chocolate painstakingly painted with gold leaf designs, with very grownup fillings inside.  Sure they are beautiful, almost works of art.  But worth it?  I’m not convinced.  A simple box of Russell Stover chocolate and I am happy as can be!

Fancy candies aside, I should be making my New Year’s resolutions right about now – should I cut back on my sweet intake (no), show some restraint (possibly), try sugar-free candy (hell, no), but instead I am sitting here thinking about the next holiday in front of us – Valentines Day!  I’m looking forward to the first box of candy hearts (you know, when they are still slightly soft – they are the best that way!), along with cherry hearts.  And as for chocolate, you don’t have to bother with an expensive box of chocolates for me.  Keep it simple and I will love you all the more for it!

Happy New Year everyone!

Sugar Babies!!

I don’t know, but I think Sugar Babies are an esoteric type candy – they aren’t well known, or are they?  I don’t really care, because you know what?  I really like them.  (This picture is from my desk, enjoying a bag of Sugar Babies at work).   They are the offspring (hah!  Pun intended) of Sugar Daddy, a caramel lollipop.  I am not a big fan of Sugar Daddy, I don’t get the point of a caramel lollipop, but the little Sugar Babies are different!  Yes, they still are a caramel of sorts, but they have a nice sugary coating over the caramel.  I find them to be the best when they are fresh, so stay away from the ones in a box and instead look for the ones in a bag (they stay fresher in a bag, I swear!).  If you have never tried them, you should!  They are definitely a refreshing change from chocolate or jelly beans.

I think in my very first post I talked about taking out my candy jar and filling it with candy for my grandchildren  someday - well guess what?  Since writing that very first post I am a grandmother to two beautiful babies – Lucy and Ed.  My very own Sugar Babies (as they are so sweet!!).  While they may be babies today, I can’t wait to spoil them with sugary treats in the not to distant future!  I believe it is my duty as a grandmother to spoil my grandbabies as much as possible and give them treats they may not otherwise get at home!  I am so looking forward to the day when Lucy and Ed come over, go directly to the hidden drawer of candy (shh, their parent’s won’t know about it) and delve into something sugary, soft and sweet.  Could anything be more simple or sweet?

(Don’t worry kids, I promise not to introduce them to Coke (duh, the beverage) until they are at least 6 or 7.)

All in a Name

As humans we tend to indulge ourselves from time to time.  Be it alcohol, ice cream, comfort food or candy.  Whether it is to drown our sorrows, cope with whatever is going on in our lives or a way to relieve negative energy and increase positive feelings.  When we feel sad we turn to what gives us comfort and likewise when we are feeling happy we may celebrate with a drink, birthday cake, etc. 

When I am feeling blue or not quite on my game I often turn to candy to make me feel better.  It is a way to cope and to cheer myself up.  I still practice moderation, but it usually lifts my spirits and life seems a bit brighter. 


I don’t think it is a coincidence that one of my favorite “feeling blue” pick me ups are Chuckles – you know – the sugar coated jelly candies in five different flavors.  The name itself makes you smile.  And that by itself truly is a step in the right direction!  My research didn’t reveal why they are called Chuckles, except I learned the inventor’s wife came up with the name.  Okay, whatever! 


Each package contains five pieces of candy always in the following order: cherry, lemon, licorice, orange and lime.  But just because they come in that order doesn’t mean you must enjoy them that way.  I think anyone who has eaten Chuckles before has their favorite flavor.  And as everyone knows, you always save the best for last, right?

I’m staring at a pack of Chuckles right now trying to decide which flavor I always save for last.  It comes down between cherry and licorice.  The cherry is sweet and happy whereas the licorice is a bit richer and darker.  So now I just realized the order I eat Chuckles is in direct correlation to my mood!!  Wow, who would have figured that?  I am going to have a chuckle over that right now (literally and figuratively!).  And today, I suspect cherry will be the last one standing.

Candy Update and Tootsie Rolls!!

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Wow, I haven’t updated my blog for a long time!!  Don’t for a minute think that I haven’t been indulging in my favorite past time, of course I have, but with one exception!  Shortly after jelly bean season I decided to try to give up sugar to see how it would make me feel.  Everyone swears they feel better after cutting out sugar.  So I did it!  I did surprisingly well at first, but after 5 days I really started to feel funny, I wasn’t feeling better like everyone swear would happen, in fact I felt progressively worse each day.  By day 7 I decided enough was enough and realized that my body is so used to sugar that it started to shut down without it!  So from here on out, I will always have something sweet near by (my sweet husband notwithstanding), my life depends on it!

But part of the reason I haven’t updated my blog is because I am rather consistent in my arsenal of candy.  I enjoyed Easter candy season as always (I made sure to stock up on those jelly beans you can only get once a year), and now it is salt water taffy season and am delighted to see that my source now sells bulk vanilla and banana salt water taffy (my two favorite flavors) so I have been enjoying that.  In fact, Candyland has a maple bacon flavor – oh is it good, you should try it!!  And as always, I have jelly bellys in hand, mints and occasionally circus peanuts.  I wouldn’t call this a rut, but rather my version of comfort food!

I recently added tootsie rolls to my candy stash.  You may balk at this and think it is a poor man’s version of chocolate, but I assure you it is not.  It is the best of both worlds – it has a chocolate flavor, it is chewy and best of all it is very low in calories (about 23 calories each) so you can get your sugar fix without guilt (that is if you feel guilty about consuming candy, which as you know I don’t).  Plus, there is something so nostalgic about Tootsie Rolls, isn’t there? I think as we age there is a natural pull to remember our youth and for me in the pile of sweets I have enjoyed throughout my life there is a brown, red and white wrapper with a chocolate log inside of it.  And quite simply, it puts a smile on my face!

Holiday Cheer!!

Wow, I can’t believe the holidays are already upon us.  What a great time of year – time spent with family and friends, good will among all, presents, blah, blah, blah!! Who am I kidding – for me near top of the list (I can’t say THE top of the list without wreaking havoc from my family) is Christmas candy and holiday goodies!  If you know me at all, you know I have already bought one (or two) bags of my favorite peppermint Christmas nougats, a box of ribbon candy (oh, if only it was available year round), holiday spice drops, as well as the perennial chocolate – anything!! Go to Candyland – they have a great assortment of holiday candy, including holiday salt water taffy! Best time of the year for certain!

In addition, I usually make one or two batches of “Mrs. Budge’s Fudge” to share with family and friends.  But this year my two biggest fans of my fudge (my dad who passed away earlier this year and my brother Tim who is not coming home for Christmas - again!) aren’t going to be with us, so I don’t know if I am actually up for it.  Instead I’m thinking of making popcorn balls!  I love popcorn.  In fact, when I make popcorn it is like an art form – each batch must have just the right amount of burnt pieces (yes, burnt pieces, I love burnt popcorn). But popcorn balls are actually tough to get just right – if you heat syrup too long the popcorn balls become rock hard and basically inedible!  So, this year I am going to dig out my old Betty Crocker cookbook (the one in inherited from my grandmother), find the recipe we used as kids and make a batch or two. No highfalutin high-end, gourmet popcorn balls for me, just the good old fashioned ones! So this year, if you find a bowl full of popcorn balls, I promise they will be edible and made with love (with no burnt pieces – I’ll keep those for myself)!  Happy Holidays Everyone!!