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The Slow and Quick Rise of the Peppermint Plant

I recently got a call from a reporter at the Wall Street Journal, asking about the background of peppermint in the U.S.

The Chocolate Tasters Have Spoken!

And the winner is….Hostess Mints!

The Strawberry, a Spy, and a Happy Accident

Taken, in part, from “Sweet as Sin” (Prometheus, 2016) Strawberry is one of the most popular candy flavors in the nation. It’s in chewing gum, hard candies, jelly beans, taffy, Caramel Creams.

The Remarkable Life and Times of the Jelly Bean

The story of the jelly bean is remarkable, spanning cultures and centuries, involving sultans and ancient apothecaries, wars and great literary figures. It began around 226-652 CE in the Persian Empire where the ruling power, the Sasanids, enjoyed a sweet called “abhisa” made of honey, fruit syrups, and starch.

Retro Candy You May Have Missed

The universe of “retro” candy is a large one, spanning over 150+ years – Wax Lips (early 1900s), Good n’ Plenty (1893), NECCO Wafers (1847) and such sensations as Fruit Slice Gum (1960s) and Turkish Taffy (around 1931)… to name a few. But wedged into this clutter of wrappers, flavors and advertising stints are candies Read More

The True Story of Beemans – Pig Guts and Pepsin

The popular Beeman’s gum was invented in the late 1800s by Dr. Edward E.

The Return of Black Jack, Clove and Beeman’s Gum – But Returned from Where?

The iconic Black Jack, Clove and Beeman’s Gum have gone in and out of fashion for years. They left the market in 1978, returned in 1985 and, just a few years back, vanished again.

The Candy Cane – Details Revealed

A few weeks ago, I posted that History.com interviewed me via a number of written questions.

The Deep – and Not Dark – Backstory of Holiday Candy

One of the most beloved – and inexpensive – gifts during the holidays is Christmas candy. So, it’s ironic that the candy has little to do with Christmas, the birth of Jesus, or even the wintry season.

Happy Birthday Robert Johnson!

Today is the birthday of Robert Johnson – the remarkable and legendary blues musician – born in 1911. The influence of just about any cultural effort affects so much in our culture, and Johnson’s influence on our cultural history and American music is profound.

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