Other Canadian Candies

[VivreManger]

Porkpa's memories of maple cone candies raise my perennial question: the names of the various mass market Canadian candies not available or no longer available in the States. The O'Henry bar is in the latter category. In the former are Smarties.

And then there are two or three others which confuse me. There is a chocolate covered treacle bar -- rather like aerated solid Lyle's Golden Syrup. Is that Aero Crisp? There is also something similar to that but coffee flavored and not -- I believe -- chocolate covered. Of course then are the famous Mae West minicakes. I am curious how they got their name.

Please enlighten me.

[gus_tatory]

Porkpa's memories of maple cone candies...

...Of course then are the famous Mae West minicakes.

hey VivreManger--

all your questions about Vachon cakes (the Quebec equivalent of Little Debbie or Twinkies) can be answered here.

link to vachon cakes website....

my favourite would be the Ah! Caramel cake (white 'cake', marshmallow, caramel, and chocolate garniture), but you'll also see that the Passion Flakie (?!) , the Mae West, the Jos. Louis, and the Half Moon/Demi Lune are well represented at this site.

and in the category of tasty chocolate bars that americans don't import from canada, i'd like to add the Eatmore--it's like peanut brittle, but chewy and made with malt and molasses.

my 2 cents...

Edited February 28, 2004 by gus_tatory (log)

[prasantrin]

And then there are two or three others which confuse me. There is a chocolate covered treacle bar -- rather like aerated solid Lyle's Golden Syrup. Is that Aero Crisp?

It's called "Crunchie". It's my second or third favourite chocolate bar (and no, Coffee Crisp isn't first or second).

[maggiethecat]

I don't know if these qualify as mass market; they were a staple of the corner candy stores of my youth. Does anyone remember Humbugs --horehound flavoured , dark brown, and three for a dollar. And what about blackballs --big round honkers with a black anise coating and a hard pink center. I'm not sure these were strictly Canadian, but I know I've never seen them since I moved to the States.

Crunchies: Oh, yeah!

[docsconz]

Since when are Smarties or Oh!Henry bars not available in the US?

[maggiethecat]

Since when are Smarties or Oh!Henry bars not available in the US?

Yes, Oh Henrys are available in the states, and an abomination called Smarties are too.

But: Smarties in the True North Strong and Free are a whole different box of fun. They are made by Cadbury's I think, and they are like superior M&Ms.

[unreserved]

But: Smarties in the True North Strong and Free are a whole different box of fun. They are made by Cadbury's I think, and they are like superior M&Ms.

...but the best smarties are sold inthe U.K. in tubes.

[Marlene]

there's also a thread Here, discussing candies etc exclusively Canadian

[Jeffy Boy]

Crunchie bars are awesome. One of my all time favourites.

Eatmores are disgusting, though. The texture is like someone took some sticky toffee, used it to pick up all the crap off a dirty floor, then rolled it out. Makes me gag.

[middydd]

Eatmores remind me of panforte.

One spring Vachon did a limited edition Maple Ah Caramel. I look for them every spring but have never found them again. They were the best Vachon ever.

[gus_tatory]

One spring Vachon did a limited edition Maple Ah Caramel. I look for them every spring but have never found them again. They were the best Vachon ever.

i am emailing the company at consumer.bakery@saputo.com to request that they re-release the maple Ah! Caramel cakes at some point in the future. maybe they are already planning to. (crosses fingers.)

those sound amazing.

Edited February 29, 2004 by gus_tatory (log)

[Larry]

My father who commutes to Florida on a weekly basis has an ongoing order for the filled Maple Cookies, Jo Louies and ketchup chips. They just can't get enough of them

[Kenk]

I am not sure if chicken bones are available in other places but they are a Canadian concoction. Originally made by Ganong. They are a 3-cm. stick of cinnamon candy filled with chocolate flavoured soft filling.

Chicken Bones at Ganong

They are not my favorite but they are interesting, and a perfect name to interest kids.

[prasantrin]

I am not sure if chicken bones are available in other places but they are a Canadian concoction. Originally made by Ganong. They are a 3-cm. stick of cinnamon candy filled with chocolate flavoured soft filling.

Chicken Bones at Ganong

They are not my favorite but they are interesting, and a perfect name to interest kids.

I used to like those as a child until I almost choked on one. Then they were off my eating list. I almost choked on a real chicken bone, too, but those are just too good to pass up .

[chromedome]

Two east-coast holiday traditions are ribbon candy (all hand-pulled sugar, made in the same factory for decades); and molded lollipop "toys" of clear golden or red candy in various shapes (ships, teddy bears, etc).

Newfoundland's Purity Foods makes a number of products not seen elsewhere (except in stores catering to homesick Newfs); their "peppermint knobs" are a minor classic.

[gus_tatory]

Does anyone remember Humbugs--horehound flavoured, dark brown, and three for a dollar?

yes, maggiethecat:

my Dad, if we were going on a roadtrip anywhere, *had* to get a bag of humbugs for the drive. (is horehound medicinal in any way?! )

but the weirdest Canadian candy that never made it South has to be Thrills gum by O-pee-chee (?)

it's this purple gum that looks like Chiclets, and yet tastes like lavender. kids always said it "tasted like soap" (and yet it tastes nothing like coriander ).

as a kid, i loathed it; an as adult, i buy it wherever i see it.

[middydd]

One spring Vachon did a limited edition Maple Ah Caramel. I look for them every spring but have never found them again. They were the best Vachon ever.

i am emailing the company at consumer.bakery@saputo.com to request that they re-release the maple Ah! Caramel cakes at some point in the future. maybe they are already planning to. (crosses fingers.)

those sound amazing.

I did that, too. After I posted. Maybe if they get enough e-mails they'll make the maple cakes again.

[VivreManger]

One other item not seen south of the border is coffee-flavored gum. My adolescent daughter used to stock up ever time we hit Montreal.

[reverendtmac]

Purity Peppermint Knobs are better than bricks of solid gold when you need a favor from a Newf. At my old job in New Brunswick, I needed a huge favor from one of our programmers...it was like three hours of hard coding. I gave her a bag as a thank-you, and I thought she was going to cry, she was so happy.

[rocler]

I know this is not mass produced and i think this strictly "Quebec", sucre a creme. mmmm

[Kenk]

Anything or everything dipped or smothered in maple syrup. This is the season.

[VivreManger]

Speaking of which, has maple sugar ice cream arrived at Bilboquet? Do they add walnuts -- a travesty -- or do they leave it plain?

[Larry]

Speaking of which, has maple sugar ice cream arrived at Bilboquet? Do they add walnuts -- a travesty -- or do they leave it plain?

I know this is off topic, but has bibloquet opened for the season??

[gus_tatory]

I know this is off topic, but has bilboquet opened for the season??

here's their phone no. if you want to find out: Tel. : (514) 276-0414

[carswell]

Speaking of which, has maple sugar ice cream arrived at Bilboquet?  Do they add walnuts -- a travesty -- or do they leave it plain?

Dammit. My first reply got lost in the ether....

If you mean what I think you mean, it's not maple sugar ice cream but maple taffy ice cream or, as Le Bilboquet calls it, crème glacée à la tire d'érable. They make it by swirling pure maple taffy into their standard vanilla ice cream; no nuts, thank you very much. It may be the best ice cream in the world (this coming from someone who doesn't care much for either maple or Le Bilboquet's vanilla ice cream). A couple of years ago on swallowing her first-ever spoonful, one of my friends paid it the ultimate compliment: "Ohmygawd," she exclaimed, "this is better than crème brûlée!" Such is its renown that Le Bilboquet can get away with putting an impossibly laconic sign in their front window — Il est arrivé [it's here] — and everybody knows what they mean. The window of availability is short, usually about a month. According to their current voicemail message, the shop will reopen in mid-March. The message also says that maple taffy ice cream will kick off the season, though I'm sure there have been years when it didn't show up until April 1. Best to call ahead: 514 276-0414.

Edited March 7, 2004 by carswell (log)