So, autumn candy season. Every year, I ask what you’re favorite candies are and every year, you answer. So this year, I think I’m going to ask about the candy you ate as a child. What kind of candy did you love? Do the candies of your youth define your generation? In a way, mine do. Red vines and Chick-O-Sticks. Butterfingers, and 3 Musketeers and Almond Joy and Mounds, those candy cigarettes that were such a bad influence on kids. And then there are homemade candies–my mother made the best divinity, and we made something we called Powdered Sugar Candy, which is one of the few candies I can still eat safely–so I make a dairy free version of it once in awhile. My mother also made the best fudge–I have never been able to replicate it. She wasn’t that great of a cook (I think she was bored with it) but fudge? Yes, she did a great job.
So tell me, what candy do you remember from your childhood? And did your mother/caregiver ever make candy at home? If so, what kind? Do you make candy of any kind?
If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support it, or just want to buy me a cup of coffee, click on the link below to donate.
My favorite treats especially this time of year were the wax lips and harmonicas. There was something about the taste of the wax as you chewed on them. Of course you didn’t eat them so no calories right? Popcorn balls. I love coconut so of course Mounds and Almond Joy are tops of the list. Black licorice. I found these little german fish. Black licorice coated in a salty sugar. Yum! Mom didn’t make candy but my Grandma always made fudge. It was to best. She always had a cast aluminum dish with either fudge or licorice allsorts. I love making candy. Peanut butter balls, peanut or almond brittle, and this stuff called white trash. Cereal, nuts, m&M’s, pretzels and melt white chocolate over it all and mix. Needless to say we aren’t tiny people. I also try to make my furbabies treats. Different flavored dog biscuits.
I always liked those long tootsie roll candy you get in a variety pack of candy that you really can’t get anywhere else at any time. It was always one of my favorites to get when a kid.
My favorite candy as a child was my mom’s homemade fudge, I have never been able to duplicate it. Never had a lot of store bought candy, my Mom was was always making sweets as my Dad had a real sweet tooth. My favorite candy as an adult is Butterfingers.
My mom wasn’t a great cook, either. She didn’t particularly enjoy the kitchen. Put her in the garden, or give her a household problem to solve, though, and she was a star!
Dad, on the other hand, made peanut butter fudge. It was amazing. Spoon fudge–if it didn’t set up well–was the best. Smooth and creamy. I loved to get a spoonful of fudge to eat with vanilla ice cream. None of us has been able to figure out the recipe he used. There have been attempts, but nothing has been successful.
Keeping with the theme, my favorite candy as an adult is Reese’s peanut butter cups. I’m especially fond of the little ones wrapped in foil.