I had no idea candy played such a big role in my childhood and memory, but when I walked into Big Top Candy Shop yesterday I was flooded with memories of people, places and times so perfectly wrapped up in their shiny wrappers it was as if they'd never been touched.
First it was the Candy Buttons, which are basically hardened sugar dots cemented on long strips paper and sprayed with artificial coloring. These little treats are not anything to beg mommy for, but they made their way in to my Christmas stocking every single year. As I said, they aren't the tastiest of treats, but I would peel each little hard dot off and end up eating at least as much paper as I did button. Inevitably it wasn't for another year that I'd see this confection, so they must be only available via Santa's elves, of course.
Then side by side as if predestined were mom's two favorite sweet treats (besides licorice), Bit-O-Honey and Chic-O-Stick. Most of you reading this have probably never even heard of these underdogs and understandably so. However unlike the Candy Buttons, these are worth a try. Mom was a always great at finding the diamond in the rough, especially to keep her sugar high going on a long road trip to a dance competition or fiddle contest. In her honor, I too have started indulging on Chic-O-Sticks. The crunchy peanut butter bark stick coated in coconut does the trick on a long drive.
Wandering down the aisle of a sugar addicts paradise a little further, I found my two childhood favs, Haribo Gold Bears and Chupa Chups Lollipops, among others. I must have discovered Haribo Gold Bears at the age of 3 or so when we moved to Fredericksburg and started having lunch at Altdorf's outdoor patio. I know now their food is great, especially the reuben, but my memory only let's me recall heading straight for the cash register to get my little golden bag of gummy bears. Those were good times. Dad and mom enjoying a beer, maybe with friends. Big red parasols shading us from the warm sun. The gravel crunching with my little footsteps round and round the table. The best part is Aldorf hasn't changed a bit. I can still go crunch the gravel under the red parasols, eat a reuben, and reward myself with gummy bears.
Lastly I must honor the Chupa Chups lollipop. Kind of the same story as the gummy bears, just a different restaurant. This time the lollipop takes us 16 miles west of Fredericksburg to the infamous Hill Top Cafe. Hands down my favorite place to eat in Gillespie County. Hill Top is a fabulous restaurant that blends Greek and Cajun cookin' with the blues that stream from Johnny's piano playing fingers and the sweet hospitality on Brenda's pretty face. Set in an eclectic old gas station, Hill Top houses many precious memories. Aside from the delicious food there was the pinball machine, jukebox and the tower of lollipops on the bar. It was here, atop a bar stool, I would suck on Chupa Chups (always orange or strawberry flavor). Unfortunately these days they no longer sell Chupa Chups, but not to worry... I discovered their pie. To die for.
There were several others (candy necklaces, old fashion taffy, peppermint sticks, smarties, doctor's office lollipops.. you know which ones I'm talking about) that I could write about, but I think I will stop here with my top five. I wonder what strange unsuspected thing brings sweet memories back to you?
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