A little history of confectionery

Sweets from yesteryear, a favorite childhood memory. Taking a walk down memory lane, reliving those early bursts of Lemon Heads and licorice in movie theaters (by car, of course!), where did all this come from? Many places. Here are some facts and fun about those delicious confectionery inventions we can’t live without:

In 1847, a young English immigrant, Oliver Chase, invented the first American candy machine, a pill cutter. This being the pioneering movement of the NECCO family.

In 1868, Richard Cadbury introduced the first box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day.

In the 1880s, the Wunderle Candy Company creates candy corn.

In 1903, Milton Hershey builds a chocolate factory and a town for his workers near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Known today as Hershey, Pennsylvania.

In 1911, Frank and Ethel Mars start a candy company in Tacoma, Washington. It later becomes Mars, Inc.

In 1930 the famous Bazooka Bubble Gum was introduced, and later in 1953 the infamous Bazooka Joe.

In 1966, The Campbell Soup Company purchased Godiva Chocolatier, Inc. of Belgium. There is nothing better than Belgian chocolates! I’ll take that back. I have discovered that Finnish chocolates are the bomb!

In 2007, the Retro-Candy company introduces the 2-pound package of nostalgic candy. What treats!

These are just a few of the favorites that have been around for decades (well, some of them have been around for centuries!)

It’s a shame that so many artisan sweets have fallen by the wayside. Mary Janes, Parachute Jumpers, Black Cow to name just a few.

They say that smells bring back memories. What about the likes? Didn’t you fall in love with Junior Mints, frown on the sour taste of Sweet Tarts, and quickly bite into the center of Blo-Pops and Tootsie Pops?

A favorite memory of mine? Zots. Do you remember those? You put them in your mouth, you NEVER suck on them. These had to bite. AND WOW! The middle was filled with the most bitter tasting lemon you could wish for! It was like directly biting into a lemon! As soon as you bite into them, it would bubble. oh man! I think the fastest I ran was when I introduced my dad to the wonderful world of these sparkling Zots! That’s something you can only do once. Fortunately, he was a good sportsman, as I am still living to share with you a sweet, and yes, sometimes bitter, walk through our past.