One summer (many moons ago), I went to a temp agency seeking a short term job. The agency in turn sent me to a candy factory. For two months I put biscotti into plastic trays, wrapped Santa Claus shaped chocolates in foils, and put ribbons on holiday candy boxes. People kept telling me that by being around candy so much, I would no longer want to eat it. Didn't happen! Chocolate peanut butter cups still top the list of favorite foods- and I wouldn't sneeze at some fine dark chocolate or a box of truffles either. I'm still waiting for an incredible craving for carrots to kick in. Maybe next year.
A man completely unabashed about his love for candy is Steve Almond, who authored Candyfreak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America. Within the first pages, he tells you he eats a piece of candy "every single day of his entire life," "thinks about candy at least once an hour" and "has between three and seven pounds of candy in his house at all times." Denied access to the likes of Hershey, Mars and Nestle, Almond visits the independent candy makers: Pittsburgh (Clark Bars), Sioux City (Twin Bing), Nashville (Goo Goo Cluster), Boise (Idaho Spud). Warning: the imagery of "the enrober" pouring chocolate may make you break out in a sweat if you don't have something sweet nearby!
Another candy lover is Hilary Liftin, who chronicles her sweet obsessed life in Candy and Me: A Girl's Tale of Life, Love, and Sugar. Or if you're interested in the more corporate world of chocolate, you might try The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars by Joel Glenn Brenner. For more history and trivia check out Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light by Mort Rosenblum.
Happy Halloween everyone! May all your candy wishes come true!
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