News alert from the Wall Street Journal
"Hostess, the maker of iconic treats like Twinkies, is shuttering its plants and liquidating its 82-year-old business.
A victim of changing consumer tastes (DUH -added by Marash GIrl), high commodity costs and strained labor relations, Hostess ultimately was brought to its knees by a national strike orchestrated by its second-largest union."
A tear in the eye for Twinkies, the one food Marash Girl has never eaten/never wanted to eat; a joke; the symbol for junk food, and yet a favorite of a whole generation of kids.
Twinkies brings to mind Marash Girl's long ago visit to a family in the East Bronx -- all that was in their refrigerator for their two little boys was Twinkies -- and the bag of oranges (eyed suspiciously by the Twinkie lovers) Marash Girl had brought as a gift -- a rather unholy marriage of foods sitting uncomfortably together in an East Bronx "ice box".
Oh that is kind of sad. I remember the first time I tried one (I think I was like 18 or something, as Marash Girl NEVER had them around the house growing up!). I was surprised at how unsatisfied I felt afterwards. Talk about empty calories!
ReplyDeleteTwinkies and the Bronx... I don't remember whether or not I ever ate a Twinky. If I did, it was no more satisfying to me. They certainly never looked very appetizing. Yes, a tear in the eye. Aman, aman...! My dad grew up in Bronx and I grew listening to his memories of that fabled land. By the time I was born my grandfather was living in Queens. When he came to visit us Hopkinton he brought boxes of Baracini chocolates.
DeleteWe certainly never had Twinkies in the house, but we did eat things that I wouldn't even look at today; 3 Musketeers, Mound Bars, Dunkin Donuts ect... In the 50s, and 60s and 70s there wasn't a great availability of good quality sweets in Hopkinton Framingham, or Milford. We made do with what was available. My parents did by good quality sweets when had the chance to shop in better stores, like S.S.Pierce. And Danish pastry from the bakery on Water Street in Worcester...:-) M.P.
It should be noted here that our family was always so proud that Peter Paul Mounds and Peter Paul Almond Joy were made by Armenians. Yes, Peter and Paul were Armenians, and therefore we were allowed to eat Mounds and Almond Joy, but only sparingly! Marash Girl learned today the name of the founder! According to Wikipedia, Peter Paul was originally founded in 1919 by Peter Paul Halajian, a candy retailer in the New Haven, Connecticut area. (Halajian formed Peter Paul with some other Armenian investors.) Wow! Can you imagine that while Armenian folks were still in the throes of Genocide, there were Armenians here in the United States making candy?
ReplyDeleteAs it turns out, the Halajians were relatives of the husband of my mother's sister, my Aunt Nevart, and actually gave her some stock in the company, which she ended up having to sell some time in the 1940's.
DeleteOn that note I should that my mom also loved Joyvah Corporation halvah. When I was a senior in college my room mate's buddy was the son of the founder of Joyvah Corporation. M.P.
DeleteWhat was the founder's name?
DeleteRodetsky or Radetsky. That's all I know. M.P.
DeleteAccording to Wikipedia, Joyvah was started in 1907 in Brooklyn, NY. by a newly-immigrated Russian man named Nathan Radutzky who was looking to start a company producing and selling sesame-based Halvah. Your memory is good!
DeleteIt's easy to remember that name. Just think of the famous "Rodetsky March" buy Johann Strauss senior. M.P.
DeleteMy mom loved Almond Joys. M.P.
ReplyDelete