Monday, August 30, 2010

Blood Pops Revisited

A post on candy.com's Facebook page today prompted me to dig out these photos of Dish taste testers. I know there are gums and such which promise lots of bloody good fun, but my favorite is the Harry Potter Blood Pop.



Guest blogger Lisa took some great Blood Pop photos last year.
I'll be looking over Halloween candy soon and the grosser the better.
If you're a linkaphobe like me, these are some of the more interesting items the links below turned up:
Googly Eyes, Bubble Gum Camel Balls, Gummy Maggots, Lick Your Wounds (almost got those last year), Zit Poppers, Gummy Flesh Fries, Spermies, Scab-a-roni, Crime Scene Candy Kit, Larvets, Garlic Mints (Vampire Repelling), Candy Blood Bags, Organ Harvest, Werewolf Hair, Spider Sacks, Barf Bags (gag candy, get it?), and Eyes of Terror Bubble Gum.

Good Gross Candy Links
Blair Candy
Holy Taco

Houston Press
Off Beat Treats 
Oriental Trading Company
Suite101.com Article

Friday, August 27, 2010

Penny Candy That Costs A Dime

Caramel Apple PopsHere's where exhaustion and hunger can lead: Ten for a dollar Caramel Apple Pops at the Kelly's Market on Highway M. There's a new kid behind the counter who gave me a well delivered "Candy blog, you say?" as we danced together in the neon glow of the Mobil gas station delighting in Tootsie's price points.

Row of Caramel Apple PopsThey might look (and open) like profalactics on a stick, but they taste a lot better. Of course I bought ten—I almost dragged the cardboard display to the counter and dumped out the lot of them. I hadn't eaten and both the Middleton Copps and Gyro place were closed, which is why I was shopping for dinner at the gas station. I might still buy them all and get the kid's name and photo.

Green Caramel Apple Pops
They come in the classic Green Apple flavor along with Red Macintosh and Golden Delicious. Watch out, they stick to everything, not just thoughtlessly placed napkins, but Corelle plates even before you've gotten them wet, uh, started to eat them, um, sucked on them—can't win here, giving up.

You can't taste the various apples until you've worked off the outer candy a bit, at which point setting it down anywhere acts like an adhesive tantamount to super glue.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Kiss This

Not one to do a lot of toadying, I like the idea of chocolate hanging off my body instead of permanently glued to my arse, so I'm going to post a little something about Hershey's Kiss Jewelry.

Silver Kiss Jewelry PendantI like the looks of it and think it would make a good gift for someone's Sweet Sixteen. See the Hershey's website linked above for more info.

We used to draw up posters and cover them with candy for a girl's sixteenth birthday in high school. Then we'd put them (the posters, not our friends) on their locker for people to sign. There wasn't much more than a Smarties or two left at the end of the day. I'm not sure what the guys did besides eat our candy. There's no subtext in that. I'm sure it involved Old Milwaukee and Mad Dog 20/20.


Thanks to the Now and Zen Group for the pendant image

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Like Butter

Irish StrudelI tend to buzz around sugar more often than something fried and phallic dipped in butter, but being one of the many questionable "Irish" food offerings at this year's Irish Fest, take a look at this:

TwistsFried Bread Steeped in Butter

The Twists (Brit slang for "girl" which I find ironic), were available in Cinnamon, Lemon, Plain and Salt by the time we got there. I'm willing to bet there were some stuffed with cheese that sold out.
Why not, the Big Kitchen Banger Platter was served with nine, yes nine sausages, the beef was glazed with Guinness, and there was ale in the pancakes.
All six of us had Koepsell's popcorn, my nephew Joey had a questionably Irish corned beef on marble rye, and I had a veggie egg roll.
Not only was Mader's boldly flying faded Irish colors in the Cultural Village, but the sign that screamed "Irish Egg Rolls" boasted that they were made with corned beef cabbage and, drum roll...cheese.
If you've ever been to or considered the idea of Irish Fest, you'll know it's not about the food, but the endless rhapsody of lovely Irish music. More about this and Milwaukee's Irish Fest on Behind The Cheddar Curtain this week.
Follow The Dish on Facebook for an early look.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Root Beer and Ice Cream Stands

I recently came back from Wausau, Wis., where curling is a PE elective. (I laugh, but I'd be out there sweeping the ice if I were more coordinated, plus the Wiscsonsin State Curling Association is here in Madison.)

A&W Onion Rings

What we don't have are the inordinate amount of soft serve ice cream shacks which dot the Wausau landscape. We don't even have an A&W here anymore, and considering it was our high school hangout in the seventies and our neighborhood hangout in the sixties—yes, I'm that old—it's a shame.

My wild eyed cousin put salt in my chocolate shake long before I developed a taste for sweet and sour at our neighborhood A&W. It had a Bookmobile parked on the corner and fittingly became the place for seniors before it retired and became a rib joint.

I was so inspired by the rash of ice cream shacks in Wausau and the charm of the A&W in Portage (taking the long way to Wausau), that I decided to have a last summer fling and seek out the best drive-in, drive-through, sit-down, take-out ice cream snack shack near or far. I'm hoping there's some lovely Guinness flavored ice cream at Irish Fest this weekend.

"There's an A&W in Port Orchard [Wash.] my kid wants to take me to because it's one of the originals. They make everything there, including their root beer. He says it's like drinking fizzy silk and the head is incredible." --Jodi

I'd long since given up on shout if from the rooftops soft serve (with the exception of the ice cream in the UW Hospital cafeteria - I leave no stone unturned) until I discovered a Wausau Briq's.

Hot Fudge Brownie Briq Mountain

Young Bug here is holding a Hot Fudge Brownie Briq Mountain (3.45/3.39). The fudge was so hot it toasted our fingers through the cup.

Banana Cream Pie Sundae

Bug is holding a Banana Cream Pie Graham Cracker Pie Crust Sundae (3.45/3.95) in this photo. I got a small Zebra soft cone (1.60), a good size, delicious, and 96% fat free. Leave me alone, I'm trying to eat healthier. No feedback on the Brownie Sundae yet, but Bug swears by the Banana Cream. They also have a 1 lb. cone, a variety of Sundaes, Smoothies, Flurries, Slushes, Floats, Whips, Shakes, Malts, Banana Splits, and six packs of Cookie Coolers and Lattes.

"My vote is for CHESTER'S in Plymouth...Best hamburgers and grilled breast of chicken around! Not to mention deep fried cheese curds..." --Sandy

A few people have mentioned the A&W in Edgerton, which one of my cousins (the one who put salt in my milkshake when I was four) thinks is the first one in Wisconsin. I don't have proof either way, so it might be time to dust off some archives at the State Historical Society (or the State Hysterical Society if you've ever heard the pigeons—what an exciting life I lead).

One of the most interesting things about the A&W website is their timeline. It lets you arrow through the first A&W root beer stand in 1919 to 2002 when they were taken over by Yum! Brands, Inc. ("Root beer stand" as in "Why should I give you a nickel for the root beer stand when you throw away milkshakes?" What were we, made of salted chocolate milkshakes.)

A&W Root beer

"...edgerton still has the drive up stalls and the staff bring the food on trays that attach to your window. are there many of those left yet?" --Kandy

This is why you see the Yum! Brand A&W fast food pairings. Somehow the combination of tacos and root beer floats isn't the same as a Flinstone tray on your car window. But I'm always thrilled into taking snapshots like a tourist when I come across an old tyme root beer or ice cream stand. I don't think I've seen an ice cream hut outside of a beach or the Merimac Ferry and applaud Wausau for their many ice cream stands, and every town, medium, small or large for their classic drive-ins and root beer stands.

Thursday, August 05, 2010

Time In

SoCo time outI'm so sick of Brent


What's Been Going On

• I've taken some computer classes to catch my stride in the PC world
• Got my first laptop
• Started a blog for my mother called Evelyn's Corner
• Am updating my website and adding dog photos
• Am not crazy about the new AP spelling of "Web site" (website)
• My favorite neighbor moved away and many new ones moved in

SoCo nappingMy Favorite Neighbor

• Speaking of cankles, I started eating better and working out the very day I finished summer school. I lost almost six pounds in the last six days, and believe me, the way I've been hunched over a computer, Mickey D's and Cheese Nips, it's progress scale
• The YMCA gave me an offer I couldn't refuse to help counter all the new products I'll be trying
• I got both my parents (85) and Unky Ray (87) to go to the Belleville Olson Fourth of July and Birthday Food, Fun, and Beer Fest this year

Unky Ray in at the Belleville FarmUnky Ray up to no good in Belleville

• I had my first snowball fight in July

Snowballs in JulyBrian, Wanda, and a very pregnant Vicki

• It's Bart, Brent, Buck, I mean Brett déjà vu all over again. ESPN radio is saying "he transcends sports" as I type. Not being one to say "I told you so," I'll just show you this photo I took at my only visit to Lambeau

Brent FavreFrom my cousin's seats on the 50-yard line

• I got a new scanner yesterday so expect some new old photos

And, there's a new candy store in town called "Lucy's" that I can't wait to try

candy sucker