Easter Sugar!

Yesterday I wrote a bit about some of our long-standing Easter traditions that center around food.  They are based on the religious meaning of the holiday and date from pre-Christian days.

But come on.  We really know what many people think of when they Easter food comes to mind:  jelly beans and chocolate bunnies!

So here are some interesting facts about how these two confections became as big a part of Easter as lamb and eggs.

The exact origins of jelly beans are not exactly known, but most experts believe that they are
decedents of two kinds of candies: Turkish delights, which date from biblical times and had a gel-based center; and Jordan Almonds, a candy from 15th Century France which used "panning" to create the shiny shell that they share with jelly beans.

The first appearance of "modern" jelly beans were during the Civil War when, in 1861, a Boston confectioner suggested that jelly beans be sent to Union soldiers as gifts.  Perhaps because of the candy's lack of nutritional value, in the early 20th Century, "jelly bean" became a term for a man with style and no substance.  Jelly beans were the first candies sold by weight and originally were often sold by color.

It wasn't until the 1930's, though, that jelly beans became associated with Easter.  Someone realized that the candy was shaped like the egg--a traditional symbol of Easter and rebirth--and they were marketed as Easter candy.  Today, about 16 billion jelly beans are made for the Easter season.

In 1976, Jelly Belly started producing it's famous gourmet jelly beans.  Up until 1998, Jelly Belly reports that their most popular flavor was Very Cherry.  But in that year, Buttered Popcorn took over as favorite.  (I know, I don't get it either.)  But Very Cherry took over once again in 2003.  Jelly Belly makes 50 regular flavors and some specialty flavors (including blueberry, which was created for jelly bean-lover Ronald Reagan's inauguration in 1981).  You can see their list of flavors here.

Well, it's no surprise that someone started making bunnies out of chocolate for Easter.  The rabbit--a symbol of fertility--was long a symbol of Easter for that reason.  And hey, pretty much everyone likes chocolate. 

The first chocolate bunnies were made in Germany in the 19th Century.  Whitman's Chocolates started to produce them in 1842, but they didn't really catch on that much.  Around 1890, a Pennsylvania drug store owner, Robert L. Strohecker, displayed a 5-foot chocolate bunny in his store as an Easter promotion.  (Try as I might, I could not find out where in PA he was from.  If anyone knows, tell me!)  Strohecker's idea helped to popularize the chocolate bunny for Easter, where it really took off in the early 20th Century.  By the way, Robert L. Strohecker chocolate bunnies are still available and are supposed to be some of the best you can find.

During World War II, cocoa was rationed, so to abide with these regulations, confectioners started making hollow bunnies.  The process continued after rationing ended as a way for these businesses to save money by not using as much chocolate in their products.  I don't know.  It's always a little disappointing biting into a hollow bunny. 

Today, there are more than 60 million chocolate bunnies produced each year for American Easter celebrations.  And 76% of Americans say that they eat their bunnies ears-first.  You're not alone!

So there you go.  Jelly beans and chocolate bunnies.  Have a tasty and cavity-free Easter!

Great Licorice

Black licorice is a love it/hate it kind of food, isn't it?  Some kids pick out all the black jelly beans and toss them.  Others pick them out and eat them. 

Well, I'm one of the latter--I love it.  Jelly beans, Twizzlers, Sambuca, whatever.  Have you ever tried licorice tea?  Yum.



Thanks, Santa!

 Well this year Santa went out of his way and got me some licorice for me stocking.  According to the candy store owner where Santa found them, he thinks that they are the best licorice you can find.  I can't argue with him.

You know by now that I'm a supporter of local foods, but this stuff comes from New Zealand.  It's made by a company called RJ's and the kind I have is their "Soft Eating" version--big logs of soft and chewy goodness.  Not too sweet and full of real licorice flavor.  Check out their website and see some of their other products--black licorice with filled with chocolate!? I have to get some of those. 

I've been good--there's still 2 or 3 left in the bag.  But they easily could have been gone after about 10 minutes.  If you can find them, and you're a licorice fan, you HAVE to try them.  You won't be disappointed.  If you can't find them...well, be a good boy or girl and maybe Santa will bring you some next Christmas!

Trick or Treat!

Halloween is just a few days away.  As usual, I'm hoping that we don't get many kids showing up so I can have all the left-over candy.  I can always sneak some of Jake's...

In the US, we spend over $2 billion each year on Halloween candy--a huge chunk of candy makers' annual income.  So what kinds of candy are the favorites?  That's a little hard to figure out.

There are loads of lists and surveys that give you "favorite" Halloween candy and they're all different.  But there are some trends.

Chocolate candy almost always tops the lists (Snickers and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups usually).  But Candy Corn is also up there--for whatever reason.  Those little waxy things are gross if you ask me.  Ask Jake, and he'll say that he loves them.  I guess that's why these lists are all different.

What would I like if I went out Trick-or-Treating?  Snickers & Reese's are good for me.  I like Milky Ways, too (especially the dark chocolate).  Smarties are good--and nostalgic.  Starbursts.  Oh, and York Peppermint Patties.  Does anyone give Heath bars for Halloween?  I love them.

For some reason, there was an article on MSNBC's website that listed the "healthiest" candies--kind of an oxymoron.  They were Jolly Ranchers, Blow Pops, Gobstoppers, Pixy Stix and Candy Corn.  The least healthy?  Mr. Goodbar, NutRageous, Snickers, Baby Ruth and Mounds.  Not coincidentally, those "unhealthy" choices are the best tasting.

What candy are you giving out this year?  Or are you giving out something else like toothbrushes or pencils (and then waiting to get your house egged)?  Leave a comment and let me know!

Have fun and be safe!