Candy

Whether we tried to lose a few pounds in a pinch for a special occasion, or we have struggled with losing weight for many years, at some point in time most of us have at least dabbled in dieting. Some of those diets are stranger than others, and some are downright dangerous. But luckily, others are created to be a long term, beneficial change in the way we eat; to not be a ‘diet’ in the sense of an event, but a change in our daily diet now and forever. Among the handful of those diet options that have been reliably, healthfully delivering the desired results for years is Weight Watchers.

I have never been a member of Weight Watchers myself, but have several friends and family members that have been or currently are. And unlike the horror stories we’ve all heard about diets ranging from those where you can only eat one food, to those where you have to eliminate entire food groups, I have never heard one bad word about Weight Watchers. And given my friends’ and family members’ capability of crafting a sharp-tongued complaint when they want to, that’s saying something!

While nobody loves the journey that is changing negative or less-than-ideal eating habits, the reason so many cite for their success on Weight Watchers is that it makes sense. Their rules don’t come from a place of punishment or denial – they’re smarter than that. The Weight Watchers team understands that if you are really, truly going to change the way you eat now, tomorrow, next year and the year after that, labeling foods as off-limits simply isn’t going to work. Who wants to sign up for a life with no pasta, bread, cake, candy or ice cream? Certainly not me! And with Weight Watchers, you don’t have to. Want to know why you don’t have to? Check back on the Blair Candy Blog next week for Part Two of this post!

We hope your freezer is overflowing with frozen fantastic-ness, and your ice cream bowl never empty. We also hope you’re keeping your ice cream as cool as it is cold by experimenting with toppings new and old. Need a little inspiration? We think we might have some extra lying around!

We don’t have any issue whatsoever with typical ice cream toppings, whether you pile on the peanuts or go a little crazy with chocolate sauce. But we do like to mix things up from time to time, foregoing ice cream topping classics for something unexpected and a bit more adventurous. Here’s a few of our favorites – and please share yours in the comments!

Boston Baked Beans – Simply can’t skip the peanuts, but are open to a new take on them? Grab yourself a box of Boston Baked Beans! Those candy coated peanuts we all know and love taste terrific atop a scoop of vanilla, chocolate, mint chocolate chip or coffee ice cream. We’re certain they taste good with other flavors as well, but if we did all the research that wouldn’t be very fair to all of you!

Whoppers Malted Milk Balls – We tried these atop chocolate, vanilla with peanut butter swirl, and chocolate chip cookie dough, and we’re prepared to cast our verdict. According to the very scientific topping research conducted at Blair Candy Headquarters, you cannot go wrong with Whoppers! In fact, these complement ice cream so perfectly that we’re a little let down we haven’t been enjoying them together for years. (Note: Research was not scientific at all; we just ate delicious thing. Happily!)

Raspberry Gummy Pretzels – Not only are these fruity cuties tasty on their own, but they add an extra ‘dash o’ summer’ to any frozen treat they top. We tried them on rainbow sherbet, caramel ice cream, and vanilla frozen yogurt. And if our trials were the SATs, each of those combos would be primed for a seriously good scholarship to Yum University!

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but sincerity was never so sweet as it is in the following collection of candy copycats! Each of these perfect-for-summer treats takes a cue from another summer treat that came before it, and we think there’s more than enough room in our lives for both.

Marpo Marshmallow Ice Cream Cones: If we told our team in the candy warehouse that they had to safely ship out a tub with 30 real ice cream cones inside, I think we’d have a mutiny on our hands! But when those 30 cones are of the marshmallow variety, our team is happy to pack them up and send ‘em your way every day. These are an all-around fun treat for any season, but especially make a splash in the summer.

Necco Banana Split Candy Chews: Unlike the marshmallow ice cream cones above, these petite sweets don’t resemble a banana split in shape, but they do pack plenty of banana split flavor. With 240 to a tub, there’s more than enough to share, and you don’t have to worry about dropping your banana boat!

Icee Squeeze Candy: Ever get a craving for an Icee while you’re camping and they’re miles away, or it’s 2 in the morning and you don’t want to swap your slippers for real shoes? We’ve all been there. Icees are pretty much summer royalty, foregoing their crown for a straw with a little scoop on the end! But the brains at Icee headquarters have thankfully avoided brain freeze long enough to bring us something genius – Icee Squeeze Candy, Icee Spray Candy and Icee Gummy Candy, all perfectly portable ways to enjoy Icee awesomeness anywhere, any hour, anytime!

For the majority of the year, the nighttime isn’t the right time to be a kid. From September through early June, almost every night is a school night, which means doing homework and getting enough rest to tackle the long day ahead. Add to that the early setting sun of winter, and the cold days and even colder nights, and it’s easy to see why adults and kids alike keep most activities indoors until spring comes to town.

But once spring does come, and school days end for the year, it’s time for every kid’s favorite six letters – S-U-M-M-E-R! And with it comes much more time to relax and play away the day, and later bedtimes for many young folks.

Because kids usually want to stay outside as late as possible, even if they’re just playing on the porch, light up candy makes a perfect nighttime treat. It also helps you keep an eye on them, but they don’t need to know that part!

Skittles Sour Light Up Spray Candy: Sour Strawberry, Green Apple and Blue Raspberry sprays are a novelty made for the night! With terrifically tart Skittles flavor, each box is packed with 18 pieces.

Flash Pop Rings: Kids will love this lick-activated flashing lollipop! With a bright, flashing light inside, brought to disco life when you lick, these are fun to wear and full of flavor.

Lightning Bug Gummi Candy: As fun as lightning bugs are to watch and chase around the yard for a closer look, they can also be fun to eat! Well, sort of. Just leave those lovely little flying ones alone and tempt your sweet tooth with our lightning bugs, OK? Ours come with a special set of tweezers that illuminates the gummy ‘bugs’ inside when you or your little ones pick them up.

Happy Independence Day, everyone! And thanks for taking a few minutes to stop by between burgers grilling and fireworks popping. Since we’re in full 4th swing here as well, we thought this would be the perfect time to share some of our own treat ideas with you, each of which is ideal for Independence Day, but would work all summer long!

Red, White and Blue Berries: We’ve seen strawberries popping up all over Facebook, dipped in white chocolate before getting the sugar treatment with blue candy crystals. Plenty of parents have been posting them as their kiddos helped with their creation, and they really couldn’t be cuter! But we do think there’s something that might taste even better than blue sugar – Blue Sixlets. The combo of chocolate, white chocolate and strawberry is what freedom is all about!

Revolutionary Red Velvet Cupcakes: We aren’t going to lie; there isn’t much you can do to a red velvet cupcake topped with buttercream frosting to make it any better. It’s like the Ryan Gosling of cupcakes – so close to perfection that it isn’t worth the risk of trying to make it any more amazing! But we like to live on the edge – we like to push the envelope on awesome. But only a little! So we’ll be sticking with our favorite recipe for red velvet cupcakes and buttercream frosting, and dropping just a few Blue Sixlets atop each to make it as American as it is delish!

Patriotic Jello Petites: When the summer sun is beating down and temps are climbing into the 90s, many of us look for lighter treats to snack on. And today looks as though it’s shaping up to be quite toasty! This one requires just a few minutes and a few ingredients. You can purchase already-made red Jello packs (strawberry is my fave!), or make your own at home in small glasses or even Dixie cups. Once the Jello is ready, squirt on a little whipped cream and garnish with Blue Sixlets. Easy, economical, and not a ton of calories!

To say that either Ferrara Pan or Farley’s & Sathers were small before this monumental merger would be silly, but together they do create quite a candy force in the world of non-chocolates. We’ve been keeping up with the latest news on the merger for weeks, and in a June 21, 2012 article from the ChicagoTribune.com read that this candy combo is “believed to be the largest non-chocolate candy company in the United States.” Salvatore Ferrara II will be chairman and CEO of what will now be known as Ferrara Candy Co. Inc., and we’re confident this Candy King is more than ready to take the throne!

If you aren’t familiar with what each company brings to the candy shelf, we’ll highlight some sugary sweet classics. Bear in mind that Farley’s & Sather’s scooped up Brach’s Confections 5 years ago and you have a pretty good idea of how much candy is in this combined bowl!

Let’s think of Ferrara Pan and Farley’s & Sather’s as sports teams. Here’s who Blair Candy would choose as 2 favorite players from each team…

Team Ferrara Pan

Lemonheads: Packed with real lemon juice and enough fresh, fruity flavor to keep them in the starting lineup for decades, there’s no denying that Lemonheads are a fan-fave! The crowd goes wild for these yellow tart treats, and that lemon wearing a bowtie is about as cute as candy mascots come.

Jaw Breakers: They might be small in stature, but these candies prove that petite can pack a punch! Whatever color you start with, you’re in for a long-lasting walk down Sweet Street. You can throw these in at the start of the game and they’ll still be going strong well into overtime!

Team Farley’s & Sathers

Trolli Candy: Whether you can’t put Peachie-O’s down until the bag is empty, or it’s those Gummy Strawberry Creams that leave your taste buds begging for more, when your mouth wants to go all in with gummies, Trolli is ready to deliver!

Chuckles: These jelly candies may love to have a good time, but their commitment to serving up flavor is nothing to laugh about. Each bar brings lemon, lime, cherry, orange and licorice, offering something for everyone to enjoy. Talk about a team player!

We should start with a little disclaimer about our stance on stealing: unless there are a handful of extenuating circumstances at play, it’s wrong. That said, every now and then we come across a story about a thief that leaves us laughing. And that’s exactly what happened today.

With a title like “Ohio candy thief targets mostly peanut butter cups,” you know you’re about to read the best thing you’ll read all day. Turns out there’s a candy thief in northern Ohio “who has stolen hundreds of dollars in peanut butter cups from a gas station store.” Hundreds of dollars! I know that gas stations don’t typically have the same low prices as Blair Candy, but regardless, hundreds of dollars will get you more than your fair share of cups.

The article goes on to explain this candy bandit’s M.O. As he usually commits his peanut buttery hustle after midnight, I’m going to profile him as a late night or early morning snacker. Maybe he likes to get a leg up on breakfast, giving his stolen sweets time to cool down in the refrigerator? Just a thought. What we do know for sure is that he’s fast. He pilches the Reese’s peanut butter cups and takes off before employees even have a chance to call the peanut butter police. (These are the regular police, by the way. We just like alliteration.)

As for trying to physically stop the thief, which we wouldn’t recommend anyway – it’s been unsuccessful. A clerk tried to capture this candy criminal but was “spun around” as he got away. I’m sure it wasn’t funny for the clerk involved, but come on, people! There’s a man out there stealing peanut butter cups on the regular, and if you get in his way he will spin you around and speed out the door. And it’s not a cartoon. If this wasn’t a crime, and likely at least somewhat scary in person, I’d say it’s some of the best advertising Reese’s could get!

While enjoying dinner and drinks with friends a few weeks ago, I was met with a fun-tastic surprise while browsing the cocktail menu. As if they were designed from my own mind, the restaurant had incorporated candy into many of its martinis! Once my excitement subsided, I was dumbstruck by the fact that I had never thought to do this on my own. Not that I think I’m a genius, but I’ve been surrounded by candy since birth – somewhere along the way it should have come to me!

I wasn’t driving that night so I was able to satisfy my sweet tooth with a sampling of sweet ‘tinis. My first choice a Pop Rocks martini, featuring a glass rimmed with, you guessed it, Pop Rocks! Seriously people, how did this never occur to me? My next tasty temptation was a bubble gum vodka martini with a Charms Blow Pop dunked inside and poking out the top of the glass. Whatever bubble gum-loving guru was behind that creation was one smart cookie! I may have even had two.

Reminiscing now on those marvelous martinis, I did a little search to see what other ideas might be floating around out there. And I quickly discovered I need to have a get-together with my favorite ladies and fellas as soon as possible! Candy cocktails would be delicious any time of year, but they’re simply perfect for summer. And one of my favorite ideas doesn’t even involve putting candy in the glass, but around it! In this mouthwatering post on the A Beautiful Mess Blog – A Candy Cocktail Party – I was literally left gasping over the Orange Soda Cocktail. Garnishing the stem of a martini glass with Ring Pops? Brilliant! It also solves the question of whose drink is whose – just remember your Ring Pop color and you can keep swapping gossip and having good times without sharing germs.

I’ll be keeping my eye out for more summery sweet candy cocktail ideas, and would love to hear from you if you have any awesome ideas! As for this moment I’m still at the office, so I’ll simply be sipping my lemonade with one of the Striken Strawberry Sour Punch Twists that are never far from reach.

Yes, summer is just around the corner! Only a few months more and school will be out for another sun-soaked summer. Part of the joy of summer, for both parents and their children, is the fun and excitement of summer camp. With excursions lasting from a few days to the entire summer long, this is the right time to start planning what you’ll purchase and pack to send the little ones on their way – with sweet pizzazz!

After all, what self-respecting mom or dad forgets the things like toothbrushes and toothpaste? Aren’t you a little more worried about being the parent who forgets to send along those sweet little somethings, those comforting reminders from home that help soothe away the sorrow of homesickness and banishes the blues? Looking for a surefire way to bring smiles to faces? Just add a few secret treasures from your certain favorite bulk candy store in the luggage and you’re well on your way to earning your “World’s Greatest Parents” t-shirts.

Summer Essentials – Be a Bulk Candy Store in a Box!

Parents looking for summer camp brownie points should never underestimate the power of sweets! Whether you’ll be packing away your sweet treats or sending them as part of your care packages, parents who buy bulk candy can save time and money and help their kids make a lasting impression on their new pals. Here are a few other suggested items:

* Digital or disposable cameras (so they can hold onto mementos from their getaway)

* Letter writing supplies and stamps

* Comic books or magazines for late night reading

* Buy bulk candy that offers individual wrapping or packaging to prevent pest problems, like Tootsie Frooties and Taffy Town Taffy!

* Home-baked cookies or treats that can be shared with their dorm mates

* Stuffed animals or other comfort buddies

* Bug spray or bug spray wipes (again, extra to share would be great!)

* Cards, dice or other small games

What fun must-haves will be on you and your child’s summer camp checklist?

Mother’s Day is always the second Sunday in May. This year, make Mom a little nostalgic, and maybe even a little misty-eyed by putting together a “Mom and Me” scrapbook. And, to sweeten the deal, give her nostalgic candy from through the years to bring back beautiful memories!

I think back to my childhood where I would use my allowance to go to the corner store (remember those?) and buy gummy fish and vanilla popsicles. I can still see Ziggy (yes, that was the store owner’s name) counting out the fish on the old-fashioned candy counter, and then sliding the candy from the counter into one of those tiny brown paper bags.

Or, I would go down the block to the other corner store (yes, there were two within 200 yards of one another, on the same side of the same street), and buy Smarties pops and my favorite, marshmallow ice cream cones! That’s when soda came in 16 ounce glass bottles, when you would earn a few cents for some more penny candy when you returned the glass bottle! What are your mom’s favorite candies from her childhood? Include some of those as well. (My mom loves Squirrel Nut Zippers and Mary Janes.)

Enough of my nostalgia. Enjoy these ideas for your scrapbook…

Create a “Through the Years” scrapbook:

Dedicate each page to every year of your life with mom, with pictures of the two of you together from when you were an infant to an adult, and of course, some fun captions, too.

Or, try a “Side by Side” scrapbook with themed pages—about you on one side, and about Mom on the opposite facing page as follows:

Find a baby picture of you and a baby picture of Mom, and cut out each face.  Create a “crib” on each page complete with a blanket, and tuck each baby into her crib!

Include a “garden” filled with flowers (decals or pressed, dried ones) from your birth month and from hers.

Create a page with high school or college memorabilia for each of you, and include graduation photos of each of you.

Compare the meaning of each of your names side by side, and build each page theme around the respective meanings.

Take a step back in time, and include prices from the year of your birth and the year of Mom’s birth for popular items such as a gallon of gas, a candy bar, a year of college tuition, a loaf of bread, etc.

Give Mom the gift of nostalgia for a Mother’s Day neither of you will ever forget!