I was just reminded of this great shop I found in London a couple of years ago. Honestly, I think I was surfing the web to see if I could order Hershey's kisses from anywhere because I was having a very focused homesick craving! I came across the site for Cybercandy and was so excited to see that there was a shop in Covent Garden! They even have a live web cam set up in house! (Odd, I know, but fun fun fun). So I made my way down there and was overwhelmed with a sugary blast-from-the-past sensory overload. Some things were there that I hadn't seen since my friend Tina and I would get our little brown paper bags filled at McDonald's corner store in Eastwood where I grew up. You name it, they have it: Jolly Ranchers, Blow-Pops (link complete with Blow Pop nutritional information for all those mindful parents out there... I kid you not.), Lemonheads, Sugar Babies, Hot Tamales, Charleston Chew, Now and Later, Chuckles, Tootsie Rolls, HERSHEY'S KISSES... etc etc etc.
One very welcomed find was the original Necco Wafers. I have a tender spot for those, as they were a special treat that Dad and I would share from time to time. When we were out on our own for any reason, and he would go into a shop for something or to pay for gas, he would come out with a roll of Necco Wafers for us to share. I always liked the chocolate ones, but didn't approve of buying the whole chocolate roll.
So here I was in this mecca of childish indulgence! Thing is, the products were so damned expensive I ended up leaving with a couple of Mary Janes (which I didn't realize 'til now were made by Necco!)and a handful of Bazooka Joes complete with comics!
Since then I've noticed some products popping up in the shops here. I almost dropped when I saw Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in a regular shop for the first time -- and at normal candy bar prices! Still haven't seen Kisses, though. Maybe it's just Reese's that made the international inroad.
This trip to memory lane was inspired by my friend Karen in Chicago. She sent me an email today updating me on what she's been up to. She's working at a similar shop to Cybercandy called Suckers Candy in my old neighborhood of Roscoe Village. Suckers has popped up since I've been there last (a shocking two or so years ago now). I must get back to Chicago sometime in the near future. I lived there for something like 4 years, only leaving when I moved to England for the first time in 2000.
**Note, this post is being loosely labeled as 'food'.
One very welcomed find was the original Necco Wafers. I have a tender spot for those, as they were a special treat that Dad and I would share from time to time. When we were out on our own for any reason, and he would go into a shop for something or to pay for gas, he would come out with a roll of Necco Wafers for us to share. I always liked the chocolate ones, but didn't approve of buying the whole chocolate roll.
So here I was in this mecca of childish indulgence! Thing is, the products were so damned expensive I ended up leaving with a couple of Mary Janes (which I didn't realize 'til now were made by Necco!)and a handful of Bazooka Joes complete with comics!
Since then I've noticed some products popping up in the shops here. I almost dropped when I saw Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in a regular shop for the first time -- and at normal candy bar prices! Still haven't seen Kisses, though. Maybe it's just Reese's that made the international inroad.
This trip to memory lane was inspired by my friend Karen in Chicago. She sent me an email today updating me on what she's been up to. She's working at a similar shop to Cybercandy called Suckers Candy in my old neighborhood of Roscoe Village. Suckers has popped up since I've been there last (a shocking two or so years ago now). I must get back to Chicago sometime in the near future. I lived there for something like 4 years, only leaving when I moved to England for the first time in 2000.
**Note, this post is being loosely labeled as 'food'.
I hmm.. I never realized that you were (or Dad was) such a fan of Necco Wafers, I've always thought them odd..
ReplyDeletehey.. look who turns up near the end of the History section of this page..
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Syracuse
WOW! Well spotted! Okay, Mike, you've now officially inspired my next post. Credit to you!
ReplyDelete