You Are What You Were. Celebrate Retro Pop Culture At Retroland.
Some might call Airheads the silly putty of the candy world. These tangy and tasty taffy treats can be twisted, tormented and pulled into lengths that would make Stretch Armstrong jealous. Sold in a variety of flavors, some a bit more ambiguous than others, they remain a favored candy treat for those who have the utmost faith in the strength of their fillings.
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The Space Age was in full swing after World War II. Swift technological progress and widespread economic growth gave birth to a culture in love with rockets, space stations, and dreams of life on the moon. Every kid wanted to be an astronaut, and every week, a new toy or TV show was there to feed that dream. Spangler Candy of Bryan, Ohio, (founded in 1906) met this demand with the snazzy, rocket-shaped Astro Pop. This lollipop, a thin inverted cone of hard candy on stick, suggested a three-stage rocket: a red cherry-flavored lower section, a dark green lime middle, and a long yellow tip of lemon.
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Okay, so Bazooka gum isn’t the first commercially produced bubble gum, nor is it the first to contain a comic strip on the wrapper. That hasn’t stopped it, however, from becoming an iconic candy for well over a half century. It’s about as American as apple pie and Chevrolet, with its patriotic red, white and blue wrapper and its availability in just about every drug store for a mere penny or two. As a result, it’s mere appearance unfailingly brings back fond memories of childhood to anyone who ever took a moment to read a Bazooka Joe comic or save up a stack of the wrappers to turn them in for a prize.
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Some candies are so teeth-adhesive that one wonders if a dentist invented them. And while the little rectangular suckers known as BB Bats might not have been invented by one of these white-coat-wearing sadists, they have probably made as many dentists smile as the kids that chomp into them.
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Five sticks not enough gum for you? A Big Pack too small for your Violet Beauregarde tendencies? Have we got the solution for you. Created by the makers of Hubba Bubba, Bubble Tape was the thing for kids and teens in the 1990s to be chewing. Bubble Tape in your pocket meant you had six full feet of chewing pleasure ready to be rolled out. According to the advertisements, “it’s six feet of bubble gum for you, not them.” Finally, something we were told to not share (although most of us were compelled to by nagging and begging friends).
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Prior to the 1970s, chewing gum was only available in a few incarnations, the vending machine gumball, the stick, and little hard individually-wrapped wads such as Bazooka and Dubble Bubble. But along with disco and CB radios, the 70s will also be remembered for another, and longer-lasting, contribution to the world - the advent of soft gum. And while Bubblicious wasn't the first on the market, its full spectrum of delicious flavors has kept it one of the biggest selling soft gum products of all time.
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In California, carbonated soft drink fans have long enjoyed a little local delicacy called Cactus Cooler. A welcome addition to any backyard barbecue, beach party, or anywhere else the blistering sun beckons you to reach for some ice-cold refreshment, the fluorescent green nectar contained in these yellow, orange and green cans has been quenching thirsts for decades. Let’s look back at this beloved beverage.
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Of the many modern urban myths that tangentially involve breakfast foods, there is one universally accepted truth that has been handed down unchanged from successive generations since its inception in 1962. Unaffected by the march of time, immune to the threat of the frozen microwave breakfast brigade, this truth goes marching onward in the whispers of knowing children, and in the late-night binge by their parents who remember too late to save themselves: if you eat Cap’n Crunch too quickly, or for too long, you will experience the dreaded Cap’n Crunch Mouth. CCM is an unfortunate malady that shreds the gums and roof of the mouth, rendering the subject useless for the next four to eight hours. Depending on the severity of the damage and the sensitivity of the subject, one conceivably could suffer for several days, unable to chew anything more complicated than oatmeal, which, incidentally, is where Cap’n Crunch got his start.
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Through half-opened eyes and a cloud of sleep-deprived fog, we stared at them intently every morning while shoveled their contents into our mouth. That box of breakfast cereal greeted and enthralled us each day. And yet, take a walk down the cereal aisle today and only a handful of favorites from yesteryear remain – and most of those are barely recognizable. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a place to go, where you could revisit the glory days of breakfast cereal boxes?
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1963 was a good year for cookie lovers, thanks to the introduction of Chips Ahoy! to grocery stores everywhere. Though maybe not as good as the homemade version, Chips Ahoy! were certainly a fine and addictive substitute. Paired with a generous glass of ice-cold milk (much like a glass of wine, expertly paired with a gourmet meal,) it was entirely possibly to devour the whole bag in one sitting, leaving you pawing your way through cookie fragments hiding at the bottom. If this rings any bells, join us as we remember these delectable treats.
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