296513 Fri Mar 19 11:06:26 -0800 2004 41 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1633532 A no-brainer topic for POETS day: Of all the "candy" holidays (and they're all candy holidays now, aren't they?) I feel Easter has the best candy. Feel free to disagree. I say this mostly because I am addicted to Hershey's chocolate-covered marshamallow eggs. While Russell-Stover's come in an array of flavors, I still think Hershey's are better. The marshmallow is wetter and fluffier and the chocolate coating is thinner and less plastic-y than on RS's eggs. Oh, and my boss loves Peeps, but only if they're stale. Any Easter indulgences you'd like to share with the class? FYI - While 43% of Brits reported not knowing why Easter is celebrated 75% reported purchasing Easter Candy! (from a 2000 issue of Waitrose) Fri Mar 19 11:06:26 -0800 2004 0 Murrmaid 1 1633534 Completely agree that Easter candy is the best! Love Robin's Eggs. Regular size, not the minis...addictive. Funny, my brother-in-law loves stale Peeps too. I thought he was the only weirdo. Fri Mar 19 11:19:03 -0800 2004 1633532 0 Heidi 2 1633537 Stale Peeps are like stale Orange Circus Peanuts, a much more intense flavor with a more satisfying mouthfeel. They get that al dente feel when stale as opposed to a mushy feel when fresh. I have to buy Peeps every year just to nuke them for my nieces and nephew. Fri Mar 19 11:37:35 -0800 2004 1633534 0 The Rogue 3 1633547 Do you mean Dueling Peeps? I have heard that if you put toothpicks in your Peeps and place them in the microwave, they will duel each other. It's something I've always meant to try in someone else's microwave. Fri Mar 19 12:11:28 -0800 2004 1633537 0 Dipsy 4 1633560 Just put them on a plate and nuke them. First I heard of dueling peeps. Have to try that. Fri Mar 19 13:35:24 -0800 2004 1633547 0 The Rogue 5 1633588 I've done dueling peeps with the toothpicks. It's hysterical and a good betting/drinking game. :-) Fri Mar 19 17:43:39 -0800 2004 1633560 0 Celeste 6 1633608 Dueling peeps?!? How fun! As someone who grew up dueling decorated Easter eggs (trust me, an analytical game of strength, endurance, and strategy), this dueling peeps idea seems to be a perfect way to add to the Easter tradition. Given the level of competitiveness of the family Easter egg duels, what are the rules of engagement? Fri Mar 19 23:58:47 -0800 2004 1633588 0 Catherine 7 1633642 Rules for dueling peeps: Each contender (2 at a time please) selects a Peep, then sticks a toothpick in what they consider to be an advantageous lance-like spot. Put in microwave on a paper plate facing each other and microwave on High. They will start to balloon. The first Peep to be stabbed by the other Peep's toothpick is the loser. The winner faces the next challenger, depending on how you do your brackets. ;-) Note that this game may play havoc with the inside of your microwave if the Peeps are allowed to completely explode. Sat Mar 20 22:02:06 -0800 2004 1633608 0 Celeste 8 1633760 For those who enjoy the "microwaving peeps" phenomenon, here's a really funny link to the "Twinkie Project," in which the properties of a twinkie are "tested" in a variety of methods, from microwave to gravitational pull. Link: http://www.twinkiesproject.com/ Mon Mar 22 16:05:21 -0800 2004 1633642 0 DanaB 2 1633616 I'm partial to the Dove truffle eggs myself. If they were available year round, I'd probably gain 10 lbs during the year. Sat Mar 20 12:34:30 -0800 2004 1633534 0 Shan 1 1633539 My fave is Cadbury mini eggs. I wish they would make these year round. Fri Mar 19 11:41:42 -0800 2004 1633532 0 rkn 2 1633580 Oooh, me too. I'm so glad they come in those little single-serving bags. Of course, the 100-gram single serving bags aren't bad either. Fri Mar 19 16:02:26 -0800 2004 1633539 0 GG Mora 1 1633545 Easter is the originator of the Reese's Peanut Butter Egg. Like a Peanut Butter Cup, only with more peanut butter. SOOOO good. Although they make them for every holiday now. Fri Mar 19 12:06:11 -0800 2004 1633532 0 Jason V. 2 1633557 Yes! One of the few candies I like and the eggs are the best with all that PB. Fri Mar 19 13:04:29 -0800 2004 1633545 0 emily 2 1633604 I LOVE the new-ish mini Reese Eggs. We've consumed almost a whole bag in the past 3 days. They're wrapped in foil and the perfect bite size. I'd better go grab a couple more! Fri Mar 19 22:13:11 -0800 2004 1633545 0 Free Wilma 1 1633552 I still have a fondness for Cadbury Creme Eggs because I never got them as a child and I thought it was SO COOL that they looked like eggs! But Easter for me is always Sees Candy, which my grandmother gave me baskets of -- particularly their jelly bird eggs! Fri Mar 19 12:33:30 -0800 2004 1633532 0 Caitlin Wheeler 1 1633555 I always think it is funny that candy companies make kosher Easter and Christmas candy. Sort of an oxymoron. Fri Mar 19 13:02:48 -0800 2004 1633532 0 Eric 2 1633563 Oh, that's funny! I'd never heard that. I'm a marshmallow egg fan, too. Although the Hershey's are good (they make marshmallow bells at Xmas, too), I'm a sucker for the ones that come in the egg carton. Perfect size, and they come in dark chocolate, which I prefer. They're cheap to being with, and sometimes they even go on sale (69 cents!), so I stock up. You don't want to know how many of those I can scarf! And yes, there's something to be said for the al dente mouthfeel of stale marshmallow. But with Caitlin, I'm also a See's fan. Their jelly beans are really good, and this year they're making Scotchmallow (marshmallow and caramel in dark chocolate) eggs. YUM! Fri Mar 19 13:45:14 -0800 2004 1633555 0 Ruth Lafler 3 1633570 Marshmellow Easter products are most likely not Kosher. But check out the Mars and Hershy products for Christmas and Easter. I've seen other companies make limited release candies for Easter (egg, bunny and other shapes) and Christmas (Santa, Elves, Xmas trees, etc.) that are kosher. As a Jew, I have no problem eating those. Fri Mar 19 14:32:08 -0800 2004 1633563 0 Eric 4 1633606 Today a friend gave me a milk chocolate Maccabbe (sp?). Don't know if it's kocher, but it's cute! Fri Mar 19 23:51:59 -0800 2004 1633570 0 hattie 1 1633559 My favorite is (was) candy/chocolate coated malted milk ball eggs, aka Robin Eggs, purchased by the 1/4 pound (or more!) in some candy stores. These were much better than Leaf, etc. brands. They had superbly smooth candy shell, fine chocolate layer under the shell, melt-in-your-mouth malted milk interiors. I can't find them anymore. Does anyone know where to get them or who makes them? Fri Mar 19 13:32:10 -0800 2004 1633532 0 moi 2 1633607 do you mean the ones that were speckled? I loved those! Fri Mar 19 23:53:30 -0800 2004 1633559 0 hattie 3 1633853 Yes, speckled. Tiny flecks of color on a white shell. The candy stores I've checked do not have them, tho' I used to see them at some mall chain stores. These eggs are to the drugstore bagged eggs as real French Dragee are to Jordan almonds. Any clues where to find the candy eggs -- or real Dragee for that matter? Tue Mar 23 11:03:54 -0800 2004 1633607 0 moi 2 1634152 I can relate. I love those malt ball speckled eggs. I did a search on the web since my husband could not find them at Bristol Farms in Newport Beach, CA - I got really desperate. I went to candy4u.com and ordered a pound. I'll let you know how they are. The Christmas Mix looks good too. Happy Easter... p.s the worst are Brecco or something like that, they're always mushy and taste stale. Fri Apr 09 00:04:51 -0700 2004 1633559 0 Sharlene 1 1633561 Cadbury caramel eggs. The creme eggs are too sweet. To me, Cadbury just plain tastes like milk chocolate should. I prefer it over french, belgian, etc. Must be a childhood fixation. Fri Mar 19 13:39:53 -0800 2004 1633532 0 sbp 2 1633571 Amen to your thoughts on Cadbury! Fri Mar 19 14:32:12 -0800 2004 1633561 0 Hellkatte 3 1633575 But only the Cadbury actually made in the UK (or perhaps Canada). Anything with the Cadbury label made in the US is a pale imitation. Fri Mar 19 15:06:10 -0800 2004 1633571 0 Chorus Girl 4 1633576 Of course! But even those US made is far better than a Harsh Hershey. Fri Mar 19 15:11:07 -0800 2004 1633575 0 Hellkatte 4 1633577 I recall seeing a TV show (Biography maybe?) that said Cadbury sold in the US is actually made by Hershey's, which owns the US operations. UK Cadbury tastes different. And, I think, much MUCH better. Still have to eat my annual creme egg though. Sickeningly sweet, but it has to be done. Fri Mar 19 15:27:27 -0800 2004 1633575 0 T in DC 1 1633564 I too love peeps. What happens if you microwave them? I've thought about it, but thought the outcome would be really messy. I too like them stale. Another favorite is the candy eyes that are on the chocolate bunnies, I'd rather eat the decorations then the chocolate. Fri Mar 19 13:59:37 -0800 2004 1633532 0 Michele Cindy 2 1633599 Nuking them makes them grow and get all warm n soft. Nuking them too much makes them grow and grow and grow... and then they get all weird and strange. Very entertaining when you are very young or on your fifth beer. Fri Mar 19 19:36:35 -0800 2004 1633564 0 The Rogue 2 1633601 Toasting them with a creme brulee torch makes them brown on the outside and gooey on the inside. Just becareful not to burn yourself! Fri Mar 19 20:05:46 -0800 2004 1633564 0 LisaN 1 1633567 Cheap jelly beans are the best. No gourmet pectins, no mod flavors, and most definitely no Jelly Bellys, please. Brach's Jelly Bird Eggs are a reliable source for good, old-fashioned jelly-bean flavor (and that's a great name). Fortunately, in my house, I like red, green, purple, and pink, and my mother likes black, white, yellow, and orange. That's family harmony. Fri Mar 19 14:22:29 -0800 2004 1633532 0 Annabelle 1 1633578 Grew up loving Fanny Farmer stores' large dark chocolate covered Easter eggs filled with something like a white buttercream outer layer & a bright yellow/orange center. Loved the tri-color of each slice. There also was a yummy milk chocolate version with a maple buttercream filling. Anyone remember these? Wish I could still find them. Fri Mar 19 15:35:06 -0800 2004 1633532 0 taralli 2 1634150 Fanny Farmer is out of business. It was bought out by another company, which then went bankrupt late last year. The purchasing company is looking to sell the brand name (and, presumably, the recipes), but until then, you're out of luck. Sorry. Mon Apr 05 20:36:06 -0700 2004 1633578 0 Amy 2 1634153 Yes, my parents bought us the dark chocolate with yoke inside vanilla buttercream eggs each year for our baskets, from Fanny Farmer. I've searched the web. Alpine Candy in Salt Lake City bought out Fannie May and Fanny Farmer and shut down the plant in Chicago in Feb. 2004. They are reopening some Fannie Mae stores soon in Chicago. I'm in Minneapolis so we are bummed. We want those eggs! They were the highlight of our Easter baskets! Sat Apr 10 23:14:14 -0700 2004 1633578 0 mv3wolves 1 1633586 My favorite: See's chocolate butter egg with walnuts!!!! Nothing better! And those tacky brightly-colored candy coated marshmallow eggs. MMMMMM, sugar flavored. Love 'em! And peeps, of course, peeps. What I don't like are all the popular candy brands that are jumping on the bandwagon, e.g. Snickers eggs. That's just everyday candy in Easter wrappings. I also look askance at non-Easter peeps such as Halloween ghost peeps or Christmas tree peeps. Just doesn't seem right. Fri Mar 19 17:13:04 -0800 2004 1633532 0 eel 1 1633594 Cadbury chocolate eggs and my annual Peeps fix. Fri Mar 19 18:40:23 -0800 2004 1633532 0 efdee 1 1633609 It's not candy, but Easter oriented - have to have a few hot cross buns! Sat Mar 20 00:01:21 -0800 2004 1633532 0 hattie 1 1633610 I got this very cute box of Easter Godiva candy as a gift yesterday: it's a small rectangular metal box, like a pencil box, with bunnies on it. Inside, there are small wrapped very-thin squares of milk chocolate, two flavors: milk hazelnut and milk nougatine. Delicious. PS: I also like stale marshmallows -- too soft when they're fresh unless of course they're on hot chocolate :). Sat Mar 20 00:22:49 -0800 2004 1633532 0 AndieCat 1 1633615 See's Scotchmallow Eggs -- dark chocolate covered marshmallow and caramel layers! Link: http://www.sees.com/Prod.cfm?CatGroup=00090125 Image: http://www.sees.com/ProdImg/0202scotchmaleggs.jpg Sat Mar 20 10:32:21 -0800 2004 1633532 0 Nancy Berry 1 1634130 It's been fifteen years since I made it to the upper east to Elk Candy, but their Easter Egg Chocolate truffles were outstanding back when I worked in the neighborhood. I imagine they are just as good now. Fri Mar 26 20:04:55 -0800 2004 1633532 0 David Lerner