I think we’ve all been pranked sufficiently by 2020 that we can bypass April Fool’s. Instead we’re continuing our celebration of Maddie Day’s brand new release Murder at the Taffy Shop.
So, I have to ask you Wickeds: Taffy–love it or hate it? Does it bring back happy memories of childhood days at the seashore or adult woes of lost fillings and crowns? What’s your favorite flavor? Spill your guts on the subject of taffy.
Liz: Congrats, Edith! Looking forward to getting the new book! I love taffy… when I was a kid, my grandparents would bring me to Salisbury Beach in the off season if they felt like taking a drive. We would go to the taffy shop and get a big box with all the flavors and eat half on the way home. Now every time I see it I have to buy some.
Barb: I love salt water taffy. We used to get it when I was a kid in the summers at my grandparents place in Sea Girt, NJ. In Boothbay Harbor the taffy shop has big windows so you can watch the stretching machine at work. It was a huge hit with both my kids and now grandkids. My favorite flavor is licorice. I hate banana. There’s always a pile of them left in the box.
Jessie: Congratulations, Edith! I love this question, Barb! I love taffy! There is a candy shop in Old Orchard that has a whole wall of bushel baskets filled to overflowing with colorful nuggets of the stuff wrapped charmingly in waxed paper. I even love Laffy Taffy in either sour apple or grape flavor! It is not as classy as the salt water variety but it has a charm of its own, at least to me!
Sherry: There weren’t any taffy shops in Iowa (when I was growing up) that I can recall. But I do have a hazy memory of pulling taffy at some event — probably either Girl Scouts or a church group. I remember we all had to butter our hands and took turns pulling. It was delicious. In February I was at a candy store in Tarpon Springs and one of my friends bought some salt water taffy. I agree with Barb that the banana flavor is awful. I’m so happy for you, Edith!
Julie: Sherry, I’ve always wanted to pull taffy. Maybe we need to try it at our next Wicked retreat. I love, love, love taffy. Probably because it reminds me of vacations at the beach. When I was little, we lived near the ocean and went to the beach all the time. But when my family moved to Maryland, going to the beach became more of an adventure, and I learned all about boardwalks, Thrasher’s fries, Grotto pizza and the wonders of real salt water taffy. It isn’t kind to my fillings, but I still love it.
Edith/Maddie: Thank you, gang! I also love taffy – except for banana flavor. I think I like peppermint and peanut butter the best, oh, and lemon. And… I remember making taffy with my mom and sisters once. My mother had a major sweet tooth, and it was fun buttering up, pulling, and tasting, of course. Any time I’m in a coastal town I always try to bring home a box of salt water taffy, from Oregon to Cape Cod.
Readers: How about you? Taffy yay or nay?
I love salt Walter taffy! Always was a special treat growing up… many friends and family visited Hampton Beach NH or Atlantic City NJ and always brought a box home! My favorite flavor is lemon and I also dislike the banana flavor!!
I think we might find unanimity on hating banana, Ann!
I have to admit that I have NEVER tried taffy! I guess it is an Atlantic seaboard treat in the USA and never seen it in Ontario or Atlantic Canada.
Atlantic, Pacific, it’s on both coasts, Grace. If we manage to meet up in Sacramento, I’ll try to bring you some!
I have been to plenty of Pacific coastal cities in the US but never noticed any taffy shops, my bad!
Congratulations, Edith!!! It never gets old, does it?
As for taffy, I hate to admit, I’m not a fan. A friend gleefully brought me a whole box from the shore a few years ago. I tried to like. Wanted to like it. Sadly, after it sat in my cabinet for a year, I tossed it. (I hope the friend who bought it for me doesn’t see this!)
LOL. As Julie says, we don’t all like the same color refrigerator, and that’s just fine.
And no, launching a new book never gets old!
Love salt water taffy! My favorite is licorice. I am old school though and like the traditional flavors. Now days they mix and match and have all sort of combinations.
I like licorice, too, Kay.
I adore taffy – Laffy Taffy, saltwater taffy…all of it. I’m not sure why. And Annette, I’d have eaten that box.
I like strawberry the best, I think. Banana isn’t my favorite, but I’ll eat it.
I do not know what Laffy Taffy is – and am not sure I want to google it!
It’s not scary. Well, the colors can be a bit…overwhelming. But it’s just bite-sized bits of taffy. Not salt-water taffy, though.
I had a piece of taffy when I was 12 and had the full set of braces on my teeth. I had to wear a headgear set at night and the headgear pieces were literally pounded into my back teeth. When I ate the taffy, I managed to get it stuck on one of the headgear pieces and pulled it clear off the tooth. The worst part was, I couldn’t get the taffy off and had to confess my crime to my parents. Needless to say, they weren’t pleased and neither was my orthodontist!
Ha! And, oh dear. I don’t think kids get that headgear stuff anymore, which is a blessing.
Love salt water taffy – it reminds me of my grandparents and Ocean City, NJ. But as an adult, I avoid it – I don’t want to spend any more time (or money!) at the dentist’s.
I’m blessed with strong teeth, but I hear you, Kitty.
Fond memories of salt water taffy at the Salem Willows, and watching the taffy pulling machine at work on the silky stuff. Alas, times have changed and so have my teeth. Don’t dare to risk it anymore!
I used to go to critique group meetings at Margaret Press’s home near the Willows, Carol. I never knew it in its heyday. I wonder if they still pull taffy there!
Big taffy lover here, and each place flavors it just a bit differently. My favorite taffy is from Goldenrod in York ME – every flavor.
I will have to look for that next time I travel to Maine!
Seldom had taffy as a kid (grew up in the midwest) and what was available was the cheap crap so I never cared much for it. I was intrigued with the idea of salt water taffy until I learned there was so salt water in it. I’ll stick with chocolate!
Chocolate works, too!
I love taffy. It’s been years since I had any, however.
Hope you find some soon, Mark!
I had taffy when I was a kid. It was good. I don’t know that I have a favorite flavor though. I do know that it definitely wouldn’t be banana since I despise that flavor in any form anyway.
My mom used to buy a box all the time. We had a place in town by one of the main beaches that sold it. Kenny’s Salt Water Taffy was the name of the place if I remember correctly. It’s gone now I believe.
I haven’t actually had taffy in a while though. I think I might have to find some in the near future.
And I can imagine a book launch is always a thrill.
Launching never gets old, Jay – even in a pandemic.
Congratulations on your new release, Edith. I love salt water taffy, my favorite flavor is the caramel apple taffy. Looking forward to reading “Murder a The Taffy Shop”.
Having grown up and lived in New England near the coast all of my life I’ve had lots of salt water taffy. And at home growing up my Mom made fabulous molasses taffy that my two sisters and I would pull. Once it cooled and stretched in our buttered hands we’d roll it in a long rope and she’d cut pieces with scissors that we’d wrap up in buttered waxed paper squares. It was gravely. I made a few batches and pulled taffy with my two children many years ag now but all memories are so wonderful I’d love to recreate that feeling with my grandchildren when we our world is finally over this virus and we can be together again. My favorite flavors in taffy from the candy shops was molasses with peanut butter, lemon and lime swirl, and if I’m not mistaken there was a shop or two that had clove flavor or perhaps a combination of delicious spices that I really enjoyed.
I was never that fond of taffy but after I lost a cap on a front tooth to some that a co-worker brought back from the shore, I swore off taffy, carmels, and all sticky candy. I’d rather have fudge.
I like taffy but don’t see much of it around here, and only the very basic flavors when you do. I can’t imagine a whole variety of kinds!
Congratulations on your New Launch Maddie! And yes, I like Taffy, I have not had it for a long time, but yes , I like it.
Congratulations Edith..I like salt & laffy taffy.. I also like a kind that has cream in the middle, but can’t remember the name.
I like taffy that my teeth dont is the problem
I love taffy of all kinds!
I love Taffy! Great!