200 Years and Counting
And the few I’ve had tasted every bit of 200 years old. But that’s apparently part of the debate surrounding…
…the Circus Peanut.
…”People can’t wrap their brains around why it’s sweet and get really confused by the flavor,” said Beth Kimmerle, author of “Candy: The Sweet History.”
Though they’re orange and look like peanuts, they taste like banana. And they are chewier than a traditional marshmallow. Even those who like circus peanuts can’t agree whether they’re better soft and fresh or stale and hard.
“Break out a bag anywhere, and you’ll get a debate going,” Kimmerle said.
God, they’re nasty.
UPDATE: Let’s make this AN OFFICIAL SCIENTIFIC POLL to silence the molecular nitrogen set.
Fun | tree hugging sister | 
August 1, 2006 9:51 am
Subscribe
I love ’em. (And I prefer them soft and fresh.)
Ladies and gentlemen, we have the first vote in our poll, thanks to the lovely Lisa. Let us be a house divided on this subject, shall we?
My vote? Fresh, stale? Immaterial to the subject at hand and my opinion of that is gackgackgackgackgackgackgackgackgackgackgackgackgackgack…
She prefers them factory fresh and once served slices at a party; guests added them to crackers and prosciutto.
Oh ickickick.
I love ’em also. But I like them stale. But that prosciutto thing is digusting regardless.
Put me on the “those things are nasty” side. Ditto for peeps by the way. Two sides of the same coin in my book.
HEY!! Back off the Peeps, big guy…
I voted the closest thing I could find to “Indifference”.
Barf.
I prefer molecular nitrogen. Actually, I prefer atomic nitrogen but it’s very hard to come by.
Shiver.
As a child raised on bulgur wheat experiments, dried kelp, kale, Brussels sprouts, and vitreous grains grown in petri dishes (alongside sausage links painted with real butter, as my mother was running marathons and needed some GD energy) – I was once confronted with a bag of these curious orange marshmallow circus peanuts in the waiting room of the osteopath’s office. We were probably being treated for rickets or something… Anyhow, I was staring. Just STARING. He was sucking on them, packing one into each cheek at a time, upper, lower, upper, lower, front, bottom, and SQUUUUUUISH. He was in HEAVEN. Orange stuff trickled out of the side of his fishy lips, his eyes were moist, it was really weird.
This gentleman offered me one. My mother glared at him, narrowed her eyes, and HE got up, really fast, and shuffled across the waiting room. Mother bear.
In spite of this malnutrition I somehow grew to 5’10” – a little scrawny, but still able to wrangle two stocky Pugs, wield a 12 gauge with authority and handle a .45 if necessary. But I’ve always wondered.
I blamed the Joos.
Maybe Mel will try the “Circus Peanut” defense?
I’ve got no problems with peeps as ornaments, THS. In fact, if you buy the heirloom quality ones they can be passed down from generation to generation, probably forever with proper care. It’s the notion that they are edible that offends me.
They’re right up there with black licorice. keep them away from me.
Dave, they may be related to fruitcakes.
Ken, you say “fruitcakeS,” indicating that there exists more than one?
I thought there was only one?
Susanna, you’re absolutely right. My bad.
Ohhhh, I thought you meant like Pat Robertson ‘fruitcakeS‘, ’cause there’s sh*tloads o’ them.
Huh? Black licorice? You mean, licorice-flavored licorice?
Oh well, more Sambucca for us.
Not a fan of the peanuts but the peeps need to be stale. As in poke holes in the package and let them sit for month stale.
Precisely as it should be.
(So BACK OFF, Dave…)
I don’t believe I’ve ever had one, seen ’em around but never had any reasont to try one. My wife says they’re ok…
So, not just peeps, stale peeps. I…I…never mind.
If you ever get bored you can try peeps in the microwave. It’s entertaining and they can be used for s’mores.
Kcruella – entertaining only if you are not the one cleaning the microwave, in the same way a raw egg in the in microwave is entertaining. HAve you seen this site?
Add me to the love the peanuts crowd, stale or fresh. Almost as much as I love moon pies.
I love Little Debbie’s version of Moon Pies ~ those rock. But the mini chocolate Moon Pies, especially with their archaic packaging, do my heart and tummy good.
They’re basically a fat free indulgence. (Did you know?) Cardboard often is.
All hail Mallomars.
My vote is for the peanuts — FRESH!!!!!
Right up there with Fuji apples.