Since tomorrow is Halloween I thought it was the perfect time to talk about candy.
These days, I’m all about Dots.
They are my perfect, go-to dessert after every meal.
But it wasn’t always like that.
I remember…
Chunky.
Wow! There was a real taste treat. Chocolate- crammed filled with raisins and nuts. I hadn’t had one in fifty years. But when I was in Las Vegas recently, I threw caution to the winds. After a fabulous lunch at Fatburger, I thought, “WTF?”
I ducked into Walgreens and bought one.
It was still dee-lish.
That bite of Chunky was like Proust’s famous madeline. It brought back memories of all candies past.
Let’s start with the Bun Bar.
There was only one place to have these.
Mary’s Cupboard in Winnetka, Illinois.
(For those of you who didn’t grow up on the North Shore, read about one of my favorite place’s of ALL time here.)
Following their heavenly bbq beef and to-die-for cole slaw, nothing ever tasted as good as that Bun Bar did.
When I wasn’t in the mood for soft and creamy, I biked over to Edens Plaza and bought myself a Holloway “All-Day” Sucker at Woolworth’s.
I loved these guys. And the closest I get to them now is when I indulge in a See’s Caramel Lollipop. They kind of taste the same.
Caveat Emptor Sidebar: When I was in Las Vegas, I bought a BIG, expensive box of these to bring back as gifts. Imagine my surprise when I opened the box only to find it filled to the brim with bubble wrap. There were only like twenty pops in the thing. Shame on you, Warren Buffett.
And before I worried about things like dentist bills, I also loved Mary Janes.
Once upon a sweet time there were these two Chicago chocolate palaces.
And…
Help me out, Dear Readers. Didn’t Dutch Mill have fabulous turtles? Let me know.
And do you remember when we LOVED these?
Halloween of 1985 I sent Nick to first grade dressed as Sonny Crockett of Miami Vice.
He wore a coral tee shirt belonging to his sister, a sports jacket and loafers with no socks. And he carried a little machine gun and was smoking a candy cigarette.
Talk about politically-incorrect? Imagine sending a kid in a school rigged out like that nowadays.
He brought down the house, though.
And let’s not forget about these. I loved biting them off the paper. (If some of the paper stuck to the buttons, oh well. I liked that, too.)
I also loved the taste of cardboard that went along with this.
Well, I’m getting a toothache so that’s my tribute to Halloween Candy Past.
Here’s a preview of Halloween Future.
(Photograph by Natasha Tofias)
Those are my grandkids- Sam the Fireman and Carly the Bumblebee.
Pretty sweet, huh?
Now I’ll let the late, GREAT Gene Wilder wish you all a happy, healthy, delicious Halloween.
Ellen, your post today reminds me of this poem by Ogden Nash: “Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.” Cute grandkids, too!
Also, a quick(er) heads-up to you and your readers that tomorrow’s USA Today crossword puzzle contains one theme answer that is a direct shoutout to you. Unfortunately, it was not possible to use your last name for a national audience.
Happy Trick or Treat’ing tomorrow.
Wow! You’ve got a puzzle in USA Today AND you gave me a nod? Congrats. That is quite and trick- and treat. Thanks, George.
Ellen, this was fabulous. I think you named every single one of my favorites. To this day I still dream of Chunkys & Bun Bars! We only diverge at one delicious spot as I was a baby back fan at Mary’s Cupboard which was my all time favorite childhood restaurant. We used to have to beg my mother to go there because they didn’t have a bar. I don’t know if you remember the Winnetka Grill which succeeded Mary’s, but Henry the owner had the coleslaw and rib recipe and made special orders if you gave him some warning and were a regular. Thanks for the tasty trip down memory lane !
Thanks, Gary. You have perfect taste- in women, dogs and candy. I WANT that cole slaw! Where is the secret recipe now?
Gone with Henry as far as I know….possibly in a time capsule under White’s drugstore.
I’ve got a map and a shovel. Are you with me? 👻
always thought chuckles was top banana….or at least candy!
Black Chuckles will always be Number 1 Hall of Fame. Dots are just easier to find. What? No dark chocolate love?
Also Callard and Bowsers licorice.
Too rich for my blood. 👻
For me, dark chocolate! Everything else pales in comparison. Those malted milk balls. Omg. Thank you
Hmmm….an early Xmas present?
To weigh in on the subject, the highlight of my day at Camp Takajo in Maine, was canteen time when I would devour a frozen Charleston Chew. I was also a Chunky fan.
Oooh! Charleston Chew! Heck yeah! And TB just added Bit O’ Honey. A tooth-breaker fir sure but yummy. 👻
I agree with Mary Lu, I live on dark chocolate… it’s my happiness food.
Every afternoon around 3:00 we eat dark chocolate. I’m the supplier for everyone who works in our two businesses. So I get to pick what we will be eating in terms of added ingredients like cherries, sea salt, and almonds.
Oh, yum, Sherry. Good choices all. You can be my snack boss anytime. 🎃
I really enjoy your blog, Ellen – great memories! I’ve posted my obsession with Mary’s Cupboard coleslaw elsewhere, but just want to say that I support any and all attempts to locate a copy of their recipe, including, but not limited to, taking a pick axe to the concrete at White’s! As far as candy is concerned, I always ate my Chuckles in order of preference, saving best for last – yellow, green, red, orange, and black. Licorice all the way, babe!
Julie, we haven’t met but we are sisters. I love you. 👻🎃💋
Ditto!
Who remembers Arnolf Stang promoting “Chunky what a chunk of chocolate! Besides
Dots on paper,we had licorice records !!! Yum!!!!I had a Bubbe who hooked me on dark chocolate orange peel…. Still my favorite!!!!💀💀💀happy Hallowe’en
The records! Terrific. I had forgotten them. And I’m still hooked on orange peel. Stop it! I’m drooling. Thanks, Jackie. Heard it’s a beautiful day out your way today. 🎃👻💋
Hey Ellen…love the trip you talked about on the way to the dentist office. My go to candy bar was always dark chocolate and coconut which means Mounds….Almond Joy would do in a pinch. None of my Grandkids here in Tucson like coconut, which means they will promptly turn over their Mounds and Almond Joy to me, Then it will take a month to work off the calories…..no problem…except Thanksgiving is around the corner…..always a dilemma every year….HAPPY HALLOWEEN E.
Oh my gosh! Another two of my favorites,Steve! I’d fight you for an Almond Joy or Mounds any day. Coconut. Yum. (And the chocolate always tasted a little bit waxy.) Dee-lish. 🎃
I like my Joy but not Almond Joy (or Mounds) since I never cared for coconut.
I thought of that. I like your Joy,too.
Brilliant Ellen! Re: bun bars a fun story comes to mind ~ when my sisters and I
would be out on a date my dad would get a craving for bun bars. He would track us down to the local Big Boy and ask us to bring him home a few bun bars ASAP ! And of course we did. 😂😂 My personal fav were Mary Janes ~ BTW what beautiful grandchildren you have Ellen
I knew I liked your family! Your father had great taste. Thanks, Cathy, and btw, the deck is looking mighty empty. We miss you both.
Ellen, Sam and Carly are absolutely adorable!!! Our Little Lion will be arriving in an hour.
I have a longstanding relationship with candy. I was the candy queen as a kid, and my hours in the dentist’s chair were proof! I walked to Stineway’s almost every day to buy 3 candy bars for 12 cents, and consumed all 3 immediately. No deferred gratification for me! As a child my favorites were Butterfingers, Nestle Crunch, and Baby Ruth. No Chunky, thank you very much! I can’t stand raisins in my chocolate.
I also loved the penny candy I would get at my grandfather’s store. Every time we went to visit my grandparents, we got a little brown bag and were allowed to pick 10 cents worth of candy from the glass candy counter. I always got the buttons, some Mary Janes, and a few others.
And then there was Fannie May! The summer I worked downtown (the summer of Richard Speck), all of the girls who worked at the Cook County Treasurer’s Office would visit Fannie May to select our favorites. Mine was dark chocolate with vanilla buttercream.
Now, even though I avoid candy and sweets as much as I can, we have always have a supply of dark chocolate in the form of Dove Promises in our cabinet. (Charlie is a lifelong chocoholic.) Just one of those can be the perfect topper to the day!
I heartily approve of all your choices. -and thanks for the Fanny May shout out. I didn’t forget it but this was my tribute to candy in the past and I’m very happy someone mentioned this Chicago icon.
Please say “trick or treat!” to darling Clara from Sam and Carly We should get them together one of these days!👻🎃❤️
Ellen, growing up at the other end of the spectrum we always looked forward to a 3 mile ride on our bikes to go “uptown” Tinley Park, Illinois officially. We couldn’t wait to squander away all our nickels, dimes and pennies at the penny candy store. Wax lips and other assorted wax items filled with sugery juices of all flavors. Individually wrapped confections, too many to list. My favorite, several shelves above the penny candy was Gold Rush. Loved the little drawstring bag, it hung easily on the handlebars for the trip home. Thanks for the memories and one last trip “uptown”. Happy Halloween!!
A very nice bike ride down Candy Cane Lane. I liked the wax lips and Gold Rush gum, too. Thanks for reminding me. 💋👻🎃