Looking for the name of a candy

I just stumbled into this forum as a result of Googling and searching for "mints". My wife and I were, just yesterday, talking about these mints. We used to get them for my grandfather back in the 70s. We got them at SHILLITO'S in Cincinnati. They had them at all the candy counters... as long as they had the candy counters. They have gone the way of in store tea rooms and restaurants ... helpful clerks ... things cooked in lard ... all the good things, But, I digress.... they were about the size of a half dollar and probably less than 1/4" thick ... several colors ... they did have ridges or grooves in them ... you didn't have to chew ... they just melted ... ahg, the good old days!!!

I would really like to find the real thing or a recipe for them. Has anyone tried any recipes? I'm not so much interested in "something like" as in the real deal.

I don't think Shillito's had an exclusive on them, but they probably did make them in their own kitchen ... at least in the earlier days.

I'll keep watching

thanks

Oh Jack1104 how great you remember "the REAL thing"! Those are exactly what I was talking about. It's the ridges I remember and the 5 colors with each being different in flavor!

You probably don't remember anyone who used to work for that store do you? If so, maybe you could track down who made them. Are you saying you think they were made on site or were they brought in and sold like I remember.

Afraid I go back a few centuries more then you do, because I remember these in Virginia in the late 50's and 60's.

BTW did you happen to see RubyRose's recipe for the MerryMints?


Thanks so much for your input! Really interesting and please keep us posted if you find out anything else.

Delamere

Can we all agree that the "real thing":
1) had ridges only on one side and were smooth on the other side?
2) Colors and flavors were: white-peppermint, pink-wintergreen, green-spearmint, yellow-lemon, orange-orange (all colors were pastel shades)?
3) did not have sugar cystals sprinkled on them like french creams, although the consistency of the interior was similar?
4) were about the size of a half-dollar?
5) came in a box about 9 inches long with white corrugated paper on the bottom of the inside of the box?
6) are not any of the ones currently made with colored mint-flavored waxy white chocolate?

Jack, I am working on perfecting the recipe I posted on page 2 and need to get the little bottles of flavored oils instead of extracts to get the correct flavors to match the colors.

(Edited to add that they were pastel colors)

Hmmmmmm I don't know, RubyRose---LOL! Yup think you've summed it up very well. Certainly makes it a lot easier when all the characteristics are in an orderly list. Thanks for doing it.

Delamere

Nope, not them. The nes Delemere was talking about were a pastel color. . . the "dried icing" description described the texture. . . grooves on the back.
My g'mother always kept what we thought were "fine" candies and they were one of them. . . along with chocolate covered thin mints, Whitman Sampler chocolates. . .

Hi SouthHillbilly,

Thanks for your input. Not sure who you're addressing your comment to, but RubyRose just posted a list and in it she mentions the colors (all pastels) and flavors. Do you not remember them this way?

Delamere

FYI. Here in California Meltaways came in a cardboard tub and were sold by the Charles' Chips guy. They were/are wonderful. Only sold in winter months.

Hi RedPatti,

Really! Wonder how to get them. We're on the northern coast of California by Mendocino, and I haven't seen them up here that I can remember, but that doesn't mean anything, I just may have overlooked them. Are they the different flavors also?

Delamere

Hi, Delamere!
I want you to know that, I, too, have been exhausting a search for these "merrimints". They bring back such fond memories, and tasted really really good!

I guarantee that we will find someone who does or someone who will make these. The more interest we show, the better the market will be for them.

Good luck, and keep us posted!
Daisy

Delamere!

I wrote to Heberts Candy Store in Shrewsbury, Ma yesterday, and they emailed me back today, and said that they have ALWAYS made the merrimints! They only have a shelf life of 2 weeks, but they will ship them!Hi Denice,



"Guess what, we have always made these mints. We have Pastel, just like you describe, and Pink Sandwich Mints that have a chocolate center. The shelf life of these candies is very short (2 weeks) due to the fact that we use no preservatives and that we use pure sugar.



We can ship them to you. Just call in an order to our sales floor, 888 476-6467 x243.



I’ll look into Roadfood.com and I’ll ask my web-site designer to add them to the site.



Thanks for thinking of Hebert Candies!



Pete Perkins

President"
So, I am going to call as soon as I get offline, and order some. Let's hope that these are what we are really looking for!

Good luck!
Denice

Hi Denise,

How exciting! Of course the ones with the chocolate centers aren't the original, but heck, if they're good we may buy them anyway.

Keep us posted! Good work!

Delamere

Hi, Delamere,

I called and ordered the mints today. The ones I ordered are the regular flavors (without the chocolate). The sales lady, Liz, told me that they make the original five flavors, they just call them "pastel assorted mints", have the ridges, and are made with pure sugar. We will see in a few days. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

Take care, and I'll keep you posted!
Denice

Denice, thank you for your dedication to the merrimint quest and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that these are the ones.

As my grandmother used to say, this thread has been "more fun than a barrel of monkeys."

Wow how weird. I posted a reply to both Denice and Peachpie, but neither one has shown up, and now whenever I get an email notice of someone replying to this thread I get 5 of them at a time. Anyone else having problems? I wrote the webmaster twice, but haven't heard anything so far. Hope this one comes through OK.

OK, Peachpie, if this is a repeat forgive me, but as I thought I said to you, I hope we haven't oversold these candies, and we'll wait for Denice to do the taste test.

Denice. good luck and can't wait for your report!

RubyRose. Your grandmother is right this has really been a fun thread. We'll have to think of another search after this one's over.

Good Morning Catherine,

Thanks for the reply and kind words! It's really weird about the email notifications. When I just got yours there were 6 other notifications alerting me of your message. It's not just you, thought, it's happened with others on this thread. Just wish one of the "powers that be" would answer my request and give me an opinion as to what may be wrong.

Well, if you're not going to order any candy, we'll be sure to let you know bite, by bite, how good/bad it is. Just waiting for our "guinea pig", Denice to go first.

You're right, the hunt is always so much fun.

Thanks again for your reply,

Barbara "Delamere"

Hi, everyone!

I am just waiting for the candy to get here (today's Friday, should be here tomorrow latest). I can't wait!

Boy, my life is such a party!It's funny how those little candies bring back such fond memories. Mine are of my grandmother, who was raised Pennsylvania Dutch. She always wore aprons (which I now collect) and looked just like Aunt Bea!

This guinea pig will post a message as soon as she's had a bite!

Take care all,
Denice

Hi Denice,

Boy am I jealous! You mean you're not going to share will all of us? Why not just send us each one piece so we can all test them first before we buy them---LOL! Well, we're all here waiting with baited breath for your report! Make it good so we can savor each and every bite.

Your grandmother sounds wonderful! Think we all wish we had an "Aunt Bea" in our lives. Great memories, I'm sure.

Delamere

Today is Tuesday, and the candy has been shipped. I am waiting, sitting on my hands lol. As soon as I open that box I will be on with comments (although they may be muffled by eating sounds tee hee). Talk to you soon, hopefully with very good, very yummy news!

Denice

YIP, YIP, YAHOO!

Oh, Delamere....
I received my box of candies not 5 minutes ago. In that time I ate one of each color...white, green, pink, yellow, and orange...these are it!

They are just about the size of a half dollar, with checkerboard design on back instead of straight ridges, otherwise they are identical!

I called my sister, who was passing my street. She turned here, just ate them, and said BINGO!

Okay...Hebert's Candies has done it! Their phone number is:
888 476-6467 x243. The candy is less than $4.00 per box, they send it UPS ground shipping. Even though they are fragile, not one was broken.
Their web address is: http://www.hebertcandies.com and I think they take orders online. They are located in Shrewsbury, Mass.

I can't wait to hear from you and others after you've had a chance to get some! And I hope this puts a beautiful smile on your face .

Talk to you soon!
Your "minty" friend,
Denice

Denice, I feel like watching the end of the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade video. The Holy Grail has been found and I'll be ordering tomorrow. Thank you so much and thanks to Delamere for being such a gracious host to this Mintquest thread.

Roadfood means different things to different people but this seems to fit the definition at the bottom of the page: It is non-franchised, sleeves-up food made by cooks, bakers, pitmasters, and sandwich-makers who are America’s culinary folk artists.

We might have to ask Stephen to add candymakers to the above.

Dear RubyRose,

I agree, kudos go to Delamere for firing us up! I can't remember when I've had so much fun researching something, none less getting to reap some of the yummy benefits. Delamere, you're the greatest!

Can't wait to see your notes after you receive your mints. Enjoy...time to have a mint party!

Wow don't know what to say other than "Thank you" Denice for being our Guinea piglet-----and a darn good one I might add! Thank you also RubyRose for those beautifully written thoughts and kind words. It's been a pleasure. Shoot I feel like this is the end of a beautiful friendship----see the tears??

I'm going to order right after I send this. Maybe we should search for something else.....any ideas?

Thanks again everyone.....I'm off to prepare for the arrival of some fabulous old and colorful friends. Yum!

Delamere (Barbara)

Dear Barbara,
You are more than welcome! I ended up eating two of each color, and boy, there was that rich, yummy candy, sickeningly sweet, lol. I just can't believe it. You are a very good leader on this thread!
Another search? My friend asked me today to find the "10:30 candy bar". LOL! I did find it on the discontinued list, but she thinks that they may still be made. It was white chocolate with rice krispies, and orange drizzle on top.
Thank you so much, and can't wait to hear about your first bite!
Denice

Hi Denice,

Glad you wrote, cause I just went to the site and I thought I was losing it. I looked over the whole site, did a search and nothing came up. I thought ohhhhhh noooooo, and then I was too embarrassed to write you and admit I must have failed site navigation 101! Finally remembered something you wrote when you first contacted them, so I re-read your message and found the woman said she was going to talk to her webmaster about adding them to the site. Whew!

I also noticed she said they only have a shelf life of 2 weeks-------Yeah, right----as if that's going to be a problem! 2 minutes are more like it for me.

I'll call them tomorrow, and place the order. I live in California so according to their map it'll take 5 days to receive them. The sounds you'll hear will be my fingers drumming on the table top

Never heard of the "10:30 Candy Bar", and I must say, from your description, it doesn't sound that appealing to me-----I'm sure I'm wrong-----shhhhhh, don't tell your friend.

I'll write when I receive them, and in fact I'll write as I'm taking one out of the box and plopping it into my mouth.

Barbara

Barbara,
LOL about the 10:30 bar...we need to find something else to look for that we allll want to eat! Also, I cannot stop eating these darn things! I'm trying to pace myself ha ha!
Will watch for your "biting" moment when you receive them. I can't wait! Talk to you soon, Denice

Great Denice,

I'll be checking back without "subscribing" since for some reason I just got 19 notification notices to your reply---LOL! Anyway, my email is yelling at me, so forgive me if I forget to answer sometimes since I'll no longer get a message telling me someone has replied. I'll check back and also I'll let you know when I get the candy.

Barbara

Just checking in to see if anyone got their order yet...my family has finished a box, and my sister is only letting her kids have one a day! It's hysterical! What a payoff, though, all because Delamere got us fire up about our wonderful mints! Talk to you soon---Denice

Hi Denice,

Nope---believe me you'd have heard about it if I had. They told me it could take maybe 2 weeks. If I don't hear anything by next week, I'll call and see if maybe they've been eaten en route---LOL!

Thanks for checking in.

Delamere

OK gang--they arrived this afternoon. I said I was going to wait till I got on here to try them, but my husband was on the computer and I COULDN'T WAIT!

Here goes. First, some of them arrived broken, but that's OK, I didn't care. The box has the window etc, but the mints are smaller then I remember-----but then again so was I so maybe my memory is just clouded. The colors are all there, but without their divider (maybe that's why some were broken). Instead of the ridges (like Ruffles potato chips) they have a tiny waffle pattern as Denice said.

Taste was very much as I remember except maybe the "orangish" color one. I may be wrong about that though, as I said it was many moons ago so again I may have forgotten. Must confess I haven't tried the white one yet since I didn't like them years ago, and I might be putting it off. The rest were spot on I think. The ONLY complaint---if I can even refer to it as a complaint is that I think they may be a bit "chewier" then I remember. Again that's OK, but seems to me the original ones were a tad snappier--and melted quicker? These seem to be a little bit creamier then the others.

Whew finally my appetite for these things has be satisfied! Was it worth it? You bet! Met some fun people here and again Denice thanks for being our Guinea Piglet!

I'm sure I'll run into some of you on another thread, so until then----happy nibbling!

Delamere