tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post2300867602363160437..comments2024-03-16T10:37:09.839-04:00Comments on Life in Mathews: Penny CandyChesapeake Bay Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07187804072769932131noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-39184931434580739172008-12-16T07:51:00.000-05:002008-12-16T07:51:00.000-05:00I rode that bus with Cougar and Big Mama! **sigh**...I rode that bus with Cougar and Big Mama! **sigh** I'll get no work done today going down memory lane.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-63864063679803543522008-12-04T08:54:00.000-05:002008-12-04T08:54:00.000-05:00Our family's grocery store at Callis Wharf had a p...Our family's grocery store at Callis Wharf had a penny candy counter, featuring all of the before mentioned treats ... also, root beer barrels. We even provided the smallest brown paper bags, in which a dime's worth would comfortably fit. I lived just up the road from the store. My mother would call me inside from playing and say "Go down the wharf and get me a 'Forever Yours.' Those candy bars were 5 cents at the time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-77022630355872124232008-12-03T09:24:00.000-05:002008-12-03T09:24:00.000-05:00My uncle's grocery store - my first place of emplo...My uncle's grocery store - my first place of employment (I rode a dinosaur to work) - stocked all of that, PLUS three colors of bubblegum cigars. Remember those? Also, did anyone mention those wax coke bottles? <BR/><BR/>BTW, was I not supposed to eat the wax lips?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-51272099052999418232008-12-02T21:36:00.000-05:002008-12-02T21:36:00.000-05:00Candy, whether from cane sugar or syrup is not goo...Candy, whether from cane sugar or syrup is not good for the continuity of life. Choclate, of course, is different. Since it's made from a bean it's a vegetable/<BR/>For longevity, try www.strategicbookpublishing.com/Partners<BR/><BR/>Hank<BR/>hankjames18@yahoo.caAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-29263816497008201302008-12-02T19:00:00.000-05:002008-12-02T19:00:00.000-05:00Where can I get candy cigarettes these days?? I'm ...Where can I get candy cigarettes these days?? I'm going to buy one pack a week and use them for "fresh air breaks" at work. If those lazy people can take 5 smoke breaks a day I can certainly take a candy cigarette break, right??<BR/>Love,<BR/>Baby SisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-73218713718060059122008-12-02T00:59:00.000-05:002008-12-02T00:59:00.000-05:00Auds, I'd kill to be able to visit that candy shop...Auds, I'd kill to be able to visit that candy shop in Harvard Square....Many moons ago I was a college recruiter and traveled up there for free courtesy of the company I worked for. I would have loved to visit that candy shop.<BR/><BR/>Kaffy - Oh, how could I forget the pleasure of biting the top off those wax bottles with wanton abandon and tossing back the nectar of the gods, also known as artificially-colored sugar water, also known as cancer enhancer. The juxtaposition of the wax and the sugar definitely was a winning combination. <BR/><BR/>The mere fact that I'm using the word "juxtaposition" in the same sentence as wax and sugar (nevermind the cancer enhancer)is a clear signal that I'm up too late and need to sleep.<BR/><BR/>Thank you all for commenting, it makes my day.Chesapeake Bay Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07187804072769932131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-21434727804596220542008-12-01T22:33:00.000-05:002008-12-01T22:33:00.000-05:00Oh the memories. My life of crime began because of...Oh the memories. My life of crime began because of my addiction to penny candy... I used to steal change from my dad's coat pocket so that I could stop by the variety store on the WAY HOME FROM SCHOOL (how convenient!). I would load up a little brown bag with candy and consume it before I got home (had to hide the evidence). Some of my favorites were little wax bottles filled with sugar syrup. You'd bite the top off, and chug a mouthful of grape, cherry, cola, you name it. I also liked those long strips of white paper with the little dots of pastel-colored candy "glued" on. I'm not sure what the point of that was, but I bought it anyway. And by the time I was 13, all of my teeth were filled with metal, and now they are all being converted into crowns! Penny candy...so good yet so evil.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-20627234191096584292008-12-01T21:29:00.000-05:002008-12-01T21:29:00.000-05:00Oh how I miss those days! There is a place down in...Oh how I miss those days! <BR/><BR/>There is a place down in Harvard Square, MA, that Megawatt and I discovered when we went down for her admissions interview to the university, back last fall. It's a candy shoppe with every single candy known to man and loads of the old fashioned stuff too! I imagine they use HFCS nowadays, but it sure shocked me to see things like bottle caps, wax lips and candy cigarettes...things I haven't seen in more than 20 years! <BR/><BR/>HFCS is one of the reasons I loved sweets whilst living in the UK and traveling all over Europe...they don't use it over there. Coca Cola is to die for because it tastes just like it did back in the old days. <BR/><BR/>What I wouldn't give for a fountain drink from my favourite cinema just outside London! <BR/><BR/>There was something else the dime stores carried when I was just a wee lass...and whilst I can't stand chocolate, I'd love one of these, but alas no one makes them. Cup O' Gold...Mmmmm.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-7738492349735261232008-12-01T19:40:00.000-05:002008-12-01T19:40:00.000-05:00Whew! What a relief to FINALLY be home after leav...Whew! What a relief to FINALLY be home after leaving at 6:15 a.m. and only now returning at 7:24 PM AND NO INTERNET ACCESS ALL DAY AT THE PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT!!<BR/><BR/>What a treat to come home to all these comments. <BR/><BR/>GJ - Why am I not surprised to hear about you smokin' with the boys next door....<BR/><BR/>Val - Gobstoppers, yes, we had those. They were hard on your teeth, though.<BR/><BR/>Angela, those brothers sound pesky. I've never heard of the paste-on candy, I would have loved that.<BR/><BR/>BN - No way! I'll have to go check it out, and thank you for your kind words.<BR/><BR/>Icey - We kept that 7-11 in business and it kept us well-fed. We'd go in there and have Patrick cash us a check for five dollars, and that would pay for an entire night out. Then we'd come home to those delicious nachos covered with artificial cheese product...mmmmm, artificial cheese product melted over stale chips.<BR/>At 2 a.m. nothing could taste any better. Except the 7-11 burrito.<BR/><BR/>Mathews Mountain Man - I rode one of Big Mamma's buses. We were scared to death of her. What an enterprising young lad that Cougar was....didn't he drive a volkswagen at one time?<BR/><BR/>BHE - Sometimes I have ESP...maybe I picked up the vibe of your conversation..I LOVE(d) Jolly Ranchers. The green ones and any of the reds. Heavenly.<BR/><BR/>MPM - I loved Sweet Tarts...do you remember when they went through a phase where they made them two to a pack...they were HUGE, sort of like the clump of soap you toss into the dishwasher or the washing machine these days. The texture was different from the regular sweet tarts - a tad chewy, but still delectable. I almost refrenced the Necco wafers as well as the Zero bar because both of those were my mother's favorites along with the Mary Janes. I liked all the Necco flavors except the black..licorice I think?<BR/><BR/>Cool Breeze - there is nothing more heavenly than a fresh caramel cream...there is a significant difference in taste and texture once they get some age on 'em. You should definitely write about those Gulf Station Days.<BR/><BR/>Cats - you're right, anyone could buy cigarettes. Remember the smoking section in the outdoor quadrant in high school? <BR/><BR/>Native Devil - I LOVED THOSE WACKY STICKERS!!!! <BR/><BR/>Ms. Anonymous Mathews Native - We shopped at Sibleys too. Not only did we get the candy there, but we bought all our horse feed, salt licks (for the pony, not for my sisters) and garden seeds there. I miss him and I miss going in there to buy that stuff.<BR/><BR/>LWK / Reb. - You have perhaps just made my day. The fact that I can make anyone laugh for any reason is very rewarding, especially on a long day like today.<BR/><BR/>Have a wonderful evening, everyone.Chesapeake Bay Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07187804072769932131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-5303189522508179352008-12-01T18:48:00.000-05:002008-12-01T18:48:00.000-05:00This was interesting. I am sad to say that I don't...This was interesting. I am sad to say that I don't remember a lot of this candy. I surely ate it : ) but I just can't recollect it!<BR/><BR/>I laughed so hard on Big Hair Envy's blog when you said <BR/>"It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without guns going off left and right." You are hilarious! <BR/><BR/>Hope your week is great!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07874897254332872367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-89659923706172706212008-12-01T14:17:00.000-05:002008-12-01T14:17:00.000-05:00It got my penny candy at Sibley's. We'd load up o...It got my penny candy at Sibley's. We'd load up on provisions there and at the Dollar Store. Watermelon Jolly Ranchers were my favorite.<BR/><BR/>My mom used to say that when her older sister was being romanced by a certain young gent he bribed the nine (!) younger siblings with a sack of penny candy to get them to leave the courting couple alone. <BR/><BR/>He was successful in his suit, and later became my uncle by marriage. His grandchildren reminisce that the ash tray in his old blue truck was always full of change and that they were allowed to buy all the penny candy they wanted with it.<BR/><BR/>If there was no source of penny candy within walking distance, he plied them with Rolaids! Now that's babysitting!<BR/><BR/>AMNRITSOR<BR/>Anonymous Mathews NativeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-43794008526191222892008-12-01T13:58:00.000-05:002008-12-01T13:58:00.000-05:00I used to go to Port Haywood Market to buy Wacky P...I used to go to Port Haywood Market to buy Wacky Packages stickers. I would be so excited each week when a new shipment came in. I also liked to get grape bumble gum (for 5 cents) from the machine at the station that was across from Bobby Hubbards station.<BR/>Sometimes, in the summer, you had to be careful about getting candy bars at the service stations, since alot just used big fans instead of air conditioning. I remember I got a Clark Bar once at Buck's Service Station, and when I opened it, it had worms on it. I got lots of other things there, never any problems, they just sat there too long. Buck just said throw it away and gave me an ice cream bar instead.nativedevilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01183997501881428293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-35533862581917737902008-12-01T11:14:00.000-05:002008-12-01T11:14:00.000-05:00When I was around 10, my brother would send me to ...When I was around 10, my brother would send me to the store to buy cigarettes. Yes, they sold cigs to minors in those days. Anyhow, he told me to get anything I wanted with the change. I always liked the tootsie rolls, and fireballs. The now and laters were good for now but later they would make your teeth hurt. I too feel like I am from the dinosaur days.<BR/>MY husband and I were talking the other night. WE are the only generation to see the microwave, VCR, computer cell phones, dvd, ipod, and the list goes on. When I was a child we had 3 tv channels. When I was very young no one had a color tv unless you were rich. My mother used to ride horse and buggy to the mill to grind corn into flour when she was a child.<BR/>We have come a long way baby.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-33632340853725731202008-12-01T10:29:00.000-05:002008-12-01T10:29:00.000-05:00I used to work at a Gulf Station in Eltham. We had...I used to work at a Gulf Station in Eltham. We had the penny candy there too. I used to teach our station dog to do tricks by tempting her with Caramel Creams. They were awesome from a freshly opened box ... nice and soft and chewey and creamy and ...<BR/><BR/>Double Bubble<BR/><BR/>Tootsie Rolls<BR/><BR/>How about service station sandwiches? I'll have to blog on that one some day.Cool Breezehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07162581642366914196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-65324836918547724112008-12-01T09:55:00.000-05:002008-12-01T09:55:00.000-05:00Sweet Tarts ere my favorite, and Necco Wafers. 'M...Sweet Tarts ere my favorite, and Necco Wafers. 'Member them?Mental P Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05957544840704376193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-88498070462673609602008-12-01T09:17:00.000-05:002008-12-01T09:17:00.000-05:00OMG! I can't believe you posted about this!!! My...OMG! I can't believe you posted about this!!! My sisters and I had quite the "penny candy" conversation over the weekend. Our store of choice was "Lum's", and he called all the girls "Boop". Oh, how we LOVED those tiny paper bags that held our treasure!!!!<BR/><BR/>Some more to add to your list: Square Shooters, Jolly Ranchers, Those candies that were made from honey and sesame seeds, jaw breakers, the apple flavored gum that my PaPa said smelled like an outhouse, Laffy Taffy.......Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-37532889689049597572008-12-01T09:00:00.000-05:002008-12-01T09:00:00.000-05:00Way back when kids like me used to ride the bus to...Way back when kids like me used to ride the bus to school, there was a guy nicknamed "Cougar" who'd worked out a brilliant scheme to get free candy for himself. Cougar's grandmother, Big Mama, drove our bus to school; a route that included all of Gwynn's Island. Each day Cougar took candy orders from kids when they got on the bus. When Big Mama turned to go down Callis' Wharf Road, a two mile round trip, she'd let Cougar off and he would run over to Scrooch's Market to get the candy. When Big Mama returned Cougar got back on the bus and distributed the candy. "Us kids" worked it out beautifully, for the most part, we'd give Cougar our left over change, or a portion of it, and he'd buy his own candy. If we didn't have money on a given day, he'd make us a loan. On a few occasions Cougar's scheme was temporarily halted, I suspect by complaints from kids who didn't have the resources to buy candy. This too was overcome by "us kids" as we learned to share with others. We were good at "spreading the wealth" back then...<BR/><BR/>I don't know whatever happened to Cougar. I'd like to think that he's a generous corporate giant or head of some non-profit somewhere, but I fear that another outcome pevailed. We miss you, Cougar...<BR/><BR/>Mathews Mountain Man (MMM)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-28882271470883542182008-12-01T08:24:00.000-05:002008-12-01T08:24:00.000-05:00All I can think about now is our college trips to ...All I can think about now is our college trips to 7-11 which always included penny candy (and either beer, a microwave burrito, nachos or a big gulp depending on time of day) I am ready for our reunion ...Iceyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10525617706136665451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-62902734304161904682008-12-01T07:37:00.000-05:002008-12-01T07:37:00.000-05:00Congratulations for being a "Post of the Day" cont...Congratulations for being a "Post of the Day" contender on David McMahon's blog for your post "Cooking."<BR/>In my opinion your posts are always "Post of the Day." <BR/><BR/>Memories of penny candy.<BR/>I am still trying to find a nougat that tastes the same as what I used to buy when I was young.<BR/>And does anyone remember sponge candy?<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://wwwbearnaked.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow">Bear((( )))</A>Bear Nakedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10911207797995309155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-26986614539474253702008-12-01T04:24:00.000-05:002008-12-01T04:24:00.000-05:00When I was little, which was even BEFORE the dinos...When I was little, which was even BEFORE the dinosaurs, our small-shop grocer`s (called Aunt Emma`s shops)had really big glass containers with loose, unwrapped candies which you could buy for a Pfennig (penny) each, and Aunt Emma put them in a small pointed bag which you could hold in your hand tightly so your stupid brothers wouldn`t grab them from you (instead, they tried to talk them out of your fist)- oh yes, now I also really feel old. And did you have the ammoniac pastilles that you could lick on and then paste to the back of your hand in form of a star, and then lick till they were gone?Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06484336744673299416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-39725604103137727722008-12-01T02:52:00.000-05:002008-12-01T02:52:00.000-05:00werent they called picture windows because they fr...werent they called picture windows because they framed the view?? not sure... I made that up.Valhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16060531713032236270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-61524062738581398472008-12-01T02:51:00.000-05:002008-12-01T02:51:00.000-05:00did you have gobstoppers too? those giant candy ba...did you have gobstoppers too? those giant candy balls that filled your whole mouth (hence the name) and turned diff colours as they got smaller. I also remember a sweet shop - a whole shop full of sweets - shelves and shelves of huge jars of sweets - mesmerising!Valhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16060531713032236270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240067140694289750.post-48770673504847497052008-12-01T01:30:00.000-05:002008-12-01T01:30:00.000-05:00You can find a lot of those candies at the Dollar ...You can find a lot of those candies at the Dollar Tree store. I don't buy them because I think they may be the original batch..and the thought of rancid poprocks going bananas in my mouth scares me. At least it's not a pet rock...remember those? I'm wrapping some up for the grandkids this Christmas and revive the nostagia.<BR/><BR/>I loved candy cigarettes. The kind that you had to break apart, and try not to break them the wrong way. I smoked but the candy cigarettes had nothing to do with it. It was the cute brothers across the street who had access to all the Kents they wanted. Their mother used to come over at night to watch TV with my parents. I would go over her house and smoke with the boys. We could see our parents watching TV through their picture window that faced ours. Why were they called picture windows?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16036374022323687122noreply@blogger.com