Looking for the name of a candy

Hi,

I wonder if anyone here is old enough to remember a mint candy wafer that came in a long box. This was back in the 50s and 60s. I remember them when I lived in northern Virginia. I think there were about 5 different colors each in it's own section of the box. There were white ones (peppermint) green (lime), pink (spearmint, I think), sort of an orange color one and a yellow one which was lemon. They were each about the size if a silver dollar and the backside of each mint had ridges like the potato chips. I cannot for the life of me remember the name, and would love to know if they're still around. The Vermont store had something like them a couple of years ago, but when I called to ask if each color had a distinctive taste they said no, so don't think they were the same.

Thanks everyone for any help you can give me.

Delamere

They were creamy, right, kind of like dried frosting? i remember them, but not their name, darn it. i just wanted to let you know that i remembered too.

Oh Hamburger YOU'RE RIGHT!!! Boy it's sooooo good to find someone that at least remembers them. If you think of the name, please let me know.

Thanks so much for your reply!

Delamere

Google "candy" and see what you come up with. Some of the sites sell really hard to find candy.

Oh I did that quite awhile ago, and of course came up with all sorts of "discontinued candy", "mints", "wafers", but never could figure out just the right phrase to ask to narrow down the search. There's also a wonderful site which I'll find later on that lists all sorts of discontinued foods other than candy. Fun site. Oh well, the search goes on!

Were they called Meltaways or was that some other candy????

Oh, yes, I remember them so distinctly. There was orange (both flavor and color), yellow (lemon), white (peppermint), green (spearmint) and pink (wintergreen). I'm pretty sure they had the word "pastel" in the name and were made by the same people who made very thin round chocolate covered mint patties. The boxes were the same size and used to be next to each other on the grocery store shelf.

We only had them for special occasions like adult birthday parties and I used to hide the pink ones on the bottom so nobody would see them and I'd get a chance at having the leftovers.

I have been searching for them for years too but with no luck either.

Thanks Arnisarn and Ruby Rose! You bet that's exactly what they were Ruby Rose. I've tried for years to find them. As I said in my original post I thought I'd found them at The Vermont Store, and although they looked just like them on-line, when I called they said that although they were different colors, the taste was all the same, so I didn't order them. I just checked their site again and now don't even see those anymore. Think I'll call them. Soooooo frustrating isn't it!

I remember them too. I found this site, they aren't exactly like what your talking about but they seem close (no ridges) They are called Crystal creme mints, scroll down the page to find them

http://yummies.bizland.com/store/mints.html

Hi ocdreamr,

Great, I'll check that out! Think I'll email them and see if there are multiple flavors. They look a little smaller and fatter, but heck, if they taste about the same I'll give them a try.

Thanks so much for the link, and I'm off to investigate. I'll let everyone know what happens.

P.S. Off the subject. I'm new here and I notice that at the end of this reply window there's a small blank box that says "Check here to subscribe to this topic"---could someone tell me what this means? Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by Delamere

Hi, I wonder if anyone here is old enough to remember a mint candy wafer that came in a long box.
Delamere

I think you may be talking about this: http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=8766&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=38&iSubCat=179&iProductID=8766 . VCS has great "stuff" of all kinds.

I was at Hebert's candies in Shrewsbury, MA a few weeks ago with my kids, and I think they had something that looked like what you describe. Probably not the exact same thing, and I didn't notice whether they were different flavors or not, but they may be close.

Also, I tried a recipe a few years ago from a magazine that came out similar to these as well. As I recall, it was basically cream cheese, confectionary sugar and mint extract. I imagine you could adapt it by using food coloring and changing the extract to get the desired flavors. You mixed it together and formed little balls, which you then flattened with a fork, then let sit until they firmed up a little. They were still soft and creamy, but just dry and firm enough that you could handle them without making a mess. They came out very good, and if you're ambitious enough to try it, I could probably find the recipe.

quote:

Originally posted by Delamere
P.S. Off the subject. I'm new here and I notice that at the end of this reply window there's a small blank box that says "Check here to subscribe to this topic"---could someone tell me what this means? Thanks.

If you click that little box, every time someone posts to your topic you'll get a notification in your e:mail. Not so bad for a topic with only a few replies but if you get a topic that goes on for several pages, it's a real pain!

Thanks ocdreamer,

I've been on other forums where they just say to click a box to receive notification of a reply. I just couldn't quite figure out the wording on this....sounded a little strange.

Thanks jvsmom for the reply. Wow, you are much more ambitious then I am, but the receipt sounds wonderful. Think I'll see if Herbert's has a website. I've written the Yummie candy people, thanks to ocdreamer, and waiting for their reply.

Hi Rick,
Sorry I overlooked your reply before. Thanks for the link and I just called them and unfortunately although they are different colors, the flavors are all peppermint. Sure looks like what I remember though, but guess they're different.

Thanks again for your input I really appreciate it.

I guess Neccos is way off.......?

Well pooh! I just heard from the Yummie candy people and the crystal mints I thought were a possibility all have the same taste. Sooooo the search goes on although I now have a sinking feeling that my candies from my youth have gone by the wayside as have so many of the other favorites from the past. Thanks again everyone for all your help. What fun site to read and participate in.

Hi Rusty,
Yup Neccos are not the ones I remember, but they're also good!

quote:

Originally posted by Delamere

Hi Rick,
Sorry I overlooked your reply before. Thanks for the link and I just called them and unfortunately although they are different colors, the flavors are all peppermint. Sure looks like what I remember though, but guess they're different.

Thanks again for your input I really appreciate it.

I'll check again. I got some of the differently flavored ones last year, but they didn't come in a long box.

EUREKA! Well almost! I just called Yummies to make sure I understood their email when I THOUGHT they said the flavors were all the same, well I was wrong. According to the man at Yummies the flavors on their Crystal mints are different. Sooooooo I have placed an order. Now, the only kicker is that to place an order with them you have to buy $20.00 worth of whatever. So I had to go back through their site and now besides the mints I getting their handmade (?) truffles.

Thought you all would like to know this. I'll keep you posted as to whether this is anything like I remember. Course, as with so many things we remember from our youth, they may not be the same, but heck that's OK, the search has been fun and it was because of that investigation I've found this wonderful site and all you helpful food lovers.

Thanks again for all your help and a special thank you to ocdreamr for finding y
Yummies.com for me in the first place.

I just got a 1957 Sears Christmas Wish Book as a gift and checked the candy section. They didn't have the candies you're thinking of but they did have molded ones called French creams that we used to get only at Christmastime. When I Google "French creams", these came up:

http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/jump.jsp?itemID=10314&itemType=PRODUCT&searchid=inceptor

While they're a different shape, I'd bet the flavor would be the same.

Hi Ruby Rose,
Well look at that! I remember those! They were really good also. Although not the same I might try them along with the big order I placed yesterday at Yummies (gotta LOVE that name). I swear I'm going make myself sick with all the candy I'm stocking up on. Feel like a squirrel storing nuts for the wintee--LOL Thanks much for finding this, R.R.

I just found something very similar on a website :www.christiescandies.com
They are called Crystal cremes. They come in a box and it does say assorted flavors.
They are $5 per box. Look in the mint section.

Also, try www.rockportchocolates.com

under half dipped cream wafers . These are chocolate dipped, not plain, but appear to come in the right flavors - wintergreen, lemon, orange,cinnamon and lime.

Hi Acronson!

Two great leads! Thanks so much. Just to let you, and everyone else who was so kind in answering my request, I did get some mints from Yummie.com. Not exactly like the ones I remember, but they were different flavors. One of the flavors wasn't that great, but that's OK, the ones that were tasted wonderful. They were much smaller than the ones I remember and not many in the box, but certainly brought back memories of days gone by. I'll check your links out, and if I order any I'll let you know. Oh, BTW yummies require a $20.00 order I think so I filled in the rest with chocolate mini truffles. Pretty good also.

From the http://www.hometownfavorites.com web site, a list of mints that are no longer made:

Borden Thin Mints
Clorets Breath Mints
Dynamints
MerriMints
Nabisco Mystic Mints
Rockwood Mints
Russell Stover Air Mints
Russell Stover Rosebud Mints

Hmmm. Looking at that Vermont Country store link I noticed that those pastel creams are in a Lammes Candy box. Lammes is an old Texas candy maker. I think I remember those pastel creams as a kid. My mother would have them for a special occasion. Maybe you can contact Lammes and find some info? Their web site is not that complete, looks like you can request a catalogue at the bottom of the page.
http://www.lammes.com/

Hi Maynerd,

Thanks for your reply. I actually called The Vermont Country Store last year and yes they have these mints and they looked very much like the ones from years ago, but when I asked the woman if they each had a different flavor to go along with the different colors, she said no--they were all peppermint flavor. Thanks though for the link to Lammes---I think I'll call them and ask them about it anyway.

Hello Bigbear!

Isn't that interesting!! Thanks so much for getting the list. Not sure I'll recognize these mints by name, but I'm going to try and find out as much information as possible about those that sound like the ones I've been looking for.

Thanks again for your input!

i found another website today . www.unclesamscandy.com
click to enter online store. Then click at flavored candy category and check out crystal freedom creams. I'm not sure what the flavors are, but they look good.

Hi Acronson,

You know I saw those earlier today, but when I saw that blue and brown I thought YUCK----LOL. Interesting, think I'll look at their site further and if there's an #800. If they have one I'll give them a call and see what they say. I mean why on earth would anyone think that a bilious blue candy might be great tasting??? Maybe it's just the picute, but boy is that unappetizing looking---IMO. Thanks again for another great bit of detective work.

Ok, I have found a manufacturer of cream wafers which come in wintergreen, orange, lemon and peppermint mint. They are called Johnson Candy Company and are based in Somerville, MA. They have a website - www.johnsoncandy.com and you can check by state where they sell their products. The wafers which are different colors are the different flavors. The other ones- flowers, or seasonal may or may not be. You have to ask at the store which carries them. Some stores have websites, some do not.
Happy shopping!

Hi Acronson,

Great! A new contender--I'll check it out. Thanks for the link.

quote:

Originally posted by Maynerd

Hmmm. Looking at that Vermont Country store link I noticed that those pastel creams are in a Lammes Candy box. Lammes is an old Texas candy maker. I think I remember those pastel creams as a kid. My mother would have them for a special occasion. Maybe you can contact Lammes and find some info? Their web site is not that complete, looks like you can request a catalogue at the bottom of the page.
http://www.lammes.com/

Maynerd, I have not thought of Lammes chewy Pralines in years! Thank you for jogging my memory! I want one so bad - there is nothing like them. My grandmother always had a box of them at Christmas time.

And their Divinity is divine...

Lammes has a store near my mother's house where you could purchase pre wrapped boxes of candy for Christmas presents. I sure knocked out a bunch of my Cristmas shopping in that store over the years and never had to buy wrapping paper!

Hi Maynerd,

You know I did call them after seeing the ones in the catalog from Vermont Store and nope, not the same. Only the colors are the same the flavors are all one kind----peppermint I think. I'm check the link Acronson sent for Johnson's Candy. I'll let everyone know if something comes from it.

I couldn't believe it when a google search for this candy turned up this discussion. I never heard of roadfood. I've been trying to find this candy for years. If anyone is successful, or even remembers the name, please include me when you give out the info.

I found them in the mid 1990's in a candy shop in a train depot turned mall in Pittsburgh when I was travelling. Sadly, the candy shop is no longer there. They were sold loosely, not in our long box, but they were definitely the same -- white peppermint, yellow lemon, green spearmint, pink wintergreen, and orange orange. God, I loved them!!

Thanks for starting this thread. It's nice to find people who know what I've been talking about for years. By the way, I'm 54 and bought them growing up in norther N.J.

Hi Nancyjo,

Oh isn't that funny!!! Really is a small world isn't it! I've been able to find and try a couple, but so far not quite the same. I'm sure you've read most of this thread and you may want to try a couple of those links that were suggested to me.

I know what you mean---I'd never heard of this site either, but am so happy to have found it. Google's great isn't it.

I noticed your age and although I "outnumber" you by quite a bit I think this is something we remember from at least our teen age or early twenties. For me it was in the Washington,D.C. and northern Virginia area. I'm sure they were nationwide though. I'm not giving up yet. If and when I find a really good substitute I'll pass it on.

Delamere

I used to get these candies at Lazarus in Columbus, Ohio at their downtown store. They had their own candy kitchen and I suppose that they made them there. Some local ladies make them around central Indiana for weddings etc. I loved to go and decide which flavors. Maple and cinnamon were my favorites. There were lots of colors. Lazarus is now Lazarus-Macy and downtown store closed. They have no fresh candy in stores so don't get your hopes up. I think they are made like you would make butter creams and add flavoring.

Hi Mgood,

Isn't that interesting! I guess there are many companies that make a version of the ones I remember. As far as making them myself.....nope, too lazy, and it definitely wouldn't be the same. That's too easy. I'd rather complain about not finding them and continue the search---LOL!

Hi Delamere and everyone else,
The name of the mints that everyone is looking for is MerriMints!!! I was very suprised to see that no one recognized the name in Big Bears list of discontinued favorites. MerriMints were a favorite of my dad as he shared them with the rest of the family growing up in Baltimore in the 50s and 60s. Around 1967 when I was 17 and was making my own money, I used to buy Merrimints at the rate of about 5 boxes at a time. As I recall they were packaged in a green and white 6 inch long box with a cellophane window.
What got me on this forum is as I was at a Cracker Barrel last night, I came across something that looked exactly like our MerriMints except they were packaged in an all white box and labeled LAMMES SHERBET MINTS. The mints looked exactly the same as Merrimints right down to the White,Yellow,Green,and Pink colored,Silver Dollar Size candy. Well, when I got them home I was very dissapointed, because they're all the same flavor and the taste resembles white chocolate. As I mentioned Big Bears comments before, It looks like "Merrimints" are no longer made. I am going to write LAMMES Candies of Austin, Tx and suggest that they flavor their sherbert mints.

Take Care all,
JimC

Thanks Acronson,

I actually wrote them to ask them about the flavors, but never heard back from them. I'll try it again and see if I get any better luck this time. Not sure about some of the colors though. One of them looks like it's brown, but maybe that's chocolate. If I get an answer I'll let you know.

Thanks again for your reply.

Delamere

JimC: yes, MerriMints was the name and sorry I didn't recognize it when you first posted it, Bigbear.

I have some good news. I was snowed in yesterday and looking through some old cookbooks a relative gave me and found this recipe in the 1965 McCall's Do-Ahead Party Book. I made them, although I didn't have wintergreen extract so used orange extract for one of them. Rolled them a little thicker - more like 1/4" and pressed them with the times of a fork. They were as close to MerriMints as I've tasted over the years! Caution: wear plastic gloves while kneading the fondant unless you want them to be an indelible 'delicate shade' of whatever color you are using.

PASTEL FONDANT PATTIES

1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lb. Sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/ 4 teaspoon wintergreen extract
green food color
1/ 4 teaspoon peppermint extract
red food color
1/ 4 teaspoon lemon extract
yellow food color
1/ 4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine butter, syrup, and salt in large mixing bowl. With portable electric mixer, beat to blend well. Add confectioners’ sugar all at once; beat until stuff. Turn out onto wooden board; knead with hands until well blended and smooth.

Divide fondant into 4 equal portions. To one portion, add wintergreen extract and one or two drops of green food color to tint a delicate green. Knead with hand to blend. Do the same with the three other flavorings and colors, leaving the vanilla white.

Roll out each portion, one at a time, 1/8 inch thick. With biscuit cutter or fancy cookie cutter, cut into circles 1 ¼ inches in diameter.

Refrigerate until firm. Makes about 85; 1 ¼ pounds

Note: Patties may be made several days before serving. Refrigerate covered, until ready to serve.

That's great, but Wintergreen must be PINK!!

quote:

Originally posted by nancyjo

That's great, but Wintergreen must be PINK!!

I actually made the peppermint ones green even though they should have been white. I think those flavored oils might work better than the extracts but the only one I had on hand was anise.

I'll keep working on the recipe until we can all enjoy MerriMint replicas.

Nancyjo, do you remeber what flavor the green ones were? Delamere said lime and I though spearmint but I'm not really sure on that color. I know white=peppermint, pink=wintergreen, yellow=lemon and orange=orange.

I think they were spearmint, too. I think orange and yellow were the only non-mint flavors. After all, they were called MerriMINTS :)But Delamere started the thread, so that makes me unsure, too.

Nancy Jo

Hi JimC,

Wow! I wonder if that's the name. Funny, but I remember the box as being the same size of those dark, thin, chocolate after dinner mints, which if I'm remembering correctly was longer then 6". Either way, I recall seeing the name of MerriMints in one of those retro candy sites, but since I couldn't remember the name and there was no description I didn't link the two.

I also contacted Llames. Hope you have better luck then I did---think they were the ones that didn't answer. Think they're also the ones who "The Vermont Store" suggested I try since their's (VS)were the same color but NOT different flavors.

Hi Nancyjo, PeachPie9 and Ruby Rose,

Isn't this fun! OK, Now I'm confused (more so then normal I mean) That's right there are a few different flavors of mints. Let's see---I KNOW the green ones were mint green colored and if my memory serves me correctly it was a very "light" flavored mint, but not sure which mint flavor it was. I know it was NOT Peppermint. Peppermint was white. All I do remember is that there were definitely 5 different flavors and the one I didn't like was the white--too strong! In fact I'd give those away if anyone was around. Didn't like to share the rest. I'm getting "wintergreen" and "spearmint" mixed up in my mind.

I thought I'd hit pay dirt day before yesterday. As it turns out we have an "old fashioned" candy store in our town. I ran into the owner and when I described what I was looking for he said "Oh yes, I have those" Don't have to tell you how excited I was! Anyway, rushed into the store, went up to the salesperson, told him what I wanted and he went over to this bin and pulled out what looked to be a big pastel Hershey's Kiss minus the foil but complete with the top knot. This thing had tiny white "seeds" all over the top like the Nonpareil candy. He gave me a sample which of course was no where near what I was hoping for. Very creamy inside once you were able to bite through an extremely tough exterior. Awful!

P.S. RubyRose! My hat's off to you (if I were wearing one). How very industrious of you. Afraid I'm not going to go to that extent, but think it's wonderful you went beyond the call of duty for your fellow candy searchers!

Yeah, NancyJo---think you're right about the yellow and orange not being mint flavored. Never thought of it that way.

quote:

Originally posted by Delamere

Hi,

I wonder if anyone here is old enough to remember a mint candy wafer that came in a long box. This was back in the 50s and 60s. I remember them when I lived in northern Virginia. I think there were about 5 different colors each in it's own section of the box. There were white ones (peppermint) green (lime), pink (spearmint, I think), sort of an orange color one and a yellow one which was lemon. They were each about the size if a silver dollar and the backside of each mint had ridges like the potato chips. I cannot for the life of me remember the name, and would love to know if they're still around. The Vermont store had something like them a couple of years ago, but when I called to ask if each color had a distinctive taste they said no, so don't think they were the same.

Thanks everyone for any help you can give me.

Delamere

I have also been looking for these colored mints for many years. I think the name of the company was Derry or Derrey.

Hi DBA Meister,

I just did a "Google" search for those spellings and nothing came up. The first spelling brought up a township in Hershey Pennsylvania. There is a mention of the Hershey candy company, but that's it I'm afraid. Nothing for the other spelling except for some woman's name etc.

Thanks for your reply. I'll keep searching even though I'm sure they're not made anymore I'm still curious who made them many years ago.

Here's a new chapter in this saga. I'm a reference librarian, and we have a reference work called Brand Names and Their Comapanies, 2 volumes, and Companies and their Brank Names, also 2 volumes. I use it a lot to look up who makes a particular product, but it never occurred to me to look up Merrimints. But today I had to look up something for a patron, a company whose first word in the name was "MERRILL'S". And right there was MERRIMINTS. I almost freaked. It gave the company and Ultimate Nut and Candy Corporation, in California. I looked them up in our business references and they had an 800 number. I called it. I got transferred to
"Theresa". She was very nice. Yes, they still made Merriments, but only the light green ones, and only at Christmas, but if someone wanted to order some they'd make them even if it wasn't Christmas. I described what we all wanted and asked if they were still the same. She said no, they were square, no ridges on the bottom, and they were creamy, not sugary. But, she said, the company has gotten calls before about what I was describing. Like I said, she was very nice.

So here's my thought. If they are the kind of company that would make something out of season, and if they've gotten calls before, maybe they would be receptive to an onslaught of requests to make what we all want! They have a web site, www.ultimatenut.com. And on that website is their 800 #. And she said if I called again, to ask for Theresa. So what if we ALL called AND emailed (there's a customer service email link under "CONTACT US" on their website). Maybe they'd consider developing them as a new product. After all, they own the name Merrimints so I wouldn't think any other company could complain about them developing something like the old Merrimints. What do you say, group? Let's deluge you them with requests, and maybe they'll start seeing dollar signs in their eyes.

Nancy Jo

WOW! Mary Jo! You will get gold stars in heaven one day I know! Isn't this great! OK, I'm game and will do that first thing tomorrow.

One correction if I may-----and I may just be having a faulty memory, but I'm not sure about them being sugary. I do remember they weren't that way on the inside, but the outside may be another matter. Seems to me they were also smooth on the top, but definitely ridged on the bottom and definitely 5 different flavors.....we can fight about which one was which later-----LOL!

OK, I'll give Theresa a call tomorrow and see how far we can get. Did she happen to say what flavor their green is?


Ain't this fun!!!!

She said it was mint. When I asked her if it was peppermint, spearmint, etc., she said just mint. When I say they were sugary, I meant as opposed to creamy. They were not the consistancy of, say, a vanilla cream drop. And yes, the top was smooth.

I think it's great you're going to call. There's a good twenty of us on this thread. Let's ALL call.

Nancy Jo (not Mary Jo, though I do get called that about 3 times a week:)

Thanks NancyJo.....got so excited I just screwed up your name....sorry. Thanks for the clarification on the creamy vs. sugary. Heck, if the flavors are there I don't care which they are.

Well, can't wait till tomorrow. That poor gal is going to get inundated. Hope she's got a good sense of humor.

I found this web site of discontinued candies and unfortunately merrimints were on the list along with several other candies that may be being searched for. I realize this is not good news but atleast you can have some closure. Barry in MI

http://www.thecandycompany.com/discontinued_items.shtml

Thanks Barry!

Yeah we sort of found out they were discontinued, but some of us aren't sure they were merrymints to begin with. We're coming up with some interesting substitutes though. I think the search is half the fun of it.

Really appreciate your input.

BarbB

Delamere and others, I remember exactly what you're talking about! Just about to celebrate my 50th birthday (April), I've been looking for these myself and have found what you have, just how impossible it is to find them, not knowing exactly their name.

Just today, though, I see on the Vermont Country Store website their French Creams and they sound like what I remember, even though they do not look the same. They say that they do come in these five flavors: orange, wintergreen, peppermint, lemon, and spearmint, so that seems right. They also say they have a crystallized outer coating which is DEFINITELY what I remember. Their product called Pastel Sherbet Mints looks more like the packaging I remember and the size, but these are clearly creamy/smooth on the outside and not ridgy like pressed with a fork, and the crystally coating and ridge marks is what I remember.

In fact, the reason I went to the Vermont Country Store website in the first place was because the texture I remember is EXACTLY like the texture of their maple sugar candies (leaf-shaped). The outside is that nice sugary crystallized 'shell' and the inside is melt-in-your-mouth creamy. I think I'll order some and try.

I enjoyed reading the other posts but unless I missed something, it doesn't sound like anyone has actually found exactly what we're seeking, right?

Hi Acronson,

You know I can't remember which place I ordered some from, but it might have been them. If so, I think they were very small and not many of them, but pretty good. Of course not like the original, but not a bad substitute. Thanks for keeping the vigil going---LOL.