National Gumdrop Day leaves sweet taste in the mouth

You can tell a good orange slice from a mediocre one by the hint of fresh orange in the jelly. Rolled in cane sugar and perfectly clear on the inside, a good, fresh orange slice has just enough tooth to let you know you’ve bitten into something and then melts away into luscious orange goo before you can chew it up.Both smaller and tougher to chew than your average gumdrop, Jujubes® have been delighting candy aficionados since 1920. With more flavors and less sugar, Jujubes® offer a great workout for your jaws. First manufactured in 1945, bullet-shaped Dots® takes the gumdrop back to its essence. Chewier than gumdrops but much less sweet because they’re not rolled in sugar, Dots® are a very satisfying snack as well as a way to control your OCD.View the list »
February 15 is National Gumdrop Day.

Community Issues newsletter

National Gumdrop Day is just the right occasion to pay tribute to some great old-time candies.

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The humble gumdrop has stood the test of time

Gumdrops – an early name for a host of gelatin- and pectin-based candies – first went into production in the early 1920s.

The two principle styles of gumdrop developed in parallel in the United States and Germany.

The first, what we in the US grew up calling “gumdrop” is the chewy, bullet-shaped jelly candy rolled in granulated sugar.

A line of old candies – that includes orange slices and spearmint leaves – still in production today, you can still find them in stores with decent candy aisles.

Spice drops, another variation on gumdrops, are flavored with cinnamon or cardamom.

The other style of gumdrop that most people are familiar with is the gummi, which is not rolled in sugar.

First introduced by Hans Riegel Sr., a candy maker from Bonn, Germany, who started the Haribo company in 1920, gummi bears have been in production since 1922.

Trolli, another German confectioner based in Bavaria, introduced the gummi worm in 1981.

More gumdrops that have been around the block – Jujubes® and Jujyfruits® by Heide Candy Co.® since 1920, and Dots® by Tootsie®, new to the world in 1945.

The gumdrop – flexible & healthier than you think

There are yet other reasons that gumdrops are still so popular.

First, there’s a style to suit almost everybody.

If viewed in certain light, even jelly beanies can be classified as “gumdrops.”

Although, as you’d expect, gumdrops are not the most nutritious snacks on the market, they have turned to be a boon to people who suffer from Celiac’s disease, an extreme intestinal allergic to wheat glutens.

That’s right, campers, gumdrops are gluten free.

Try some today

You can almost always catch gumdrops on sale.

Try Walgreens® and Family Dollar®.

But for an extra-special treat, make a pilgrimage to Sweet Pete’s Old Time Candy & Ice Cream Shoppe in Springfield, one of Jacksonville’s most historic and funky neighborhoods.

Sweet Pete’s specializes in all-natural candy – real cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup and natural flavorings.

A second-generation chocolatier, Pete (his real name) learned candy making from his mother.

With several gluten-free and vegan candies available, Sweet Pete’s also offers custom and specialty candies made to order.

Many can be made while you wait and watch.

Ask for the gumdrops.

Sweet Pete’s Old Time Candy & Ice Cream Shoppe

  • Jacksonville, Fla.
  • 1922 N Pearl. St.
  • Historic Springfield
  • Email: sales@sweetpete.net
  • Phone: 904-376-7161

www.sweetpete.net/

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©2013 All rights reserved.

OFFICIAL BIO: K Truitt is a second-generation, native Floridian born in Jacksonville. Truitt worked in public higher education for 25 years, most recently in Texas, is a successful grant writer, knows newspaper publishing, printing and graphic design and wants to work in the public sector. Contact: kt.4examiner@yahoo.com

View the list
  •  First manufactured in 1945, bullet-shaped Dots® takes the gumdrop back to its essence. Chewier than gumdrops but much less sweet because they’re not rolled in sugar, Dots® are a very satisfying snack as well as a way to control your OCD.
  • Both smaller and tougher to chew than your average gumdrop, Jujubes® have been delighting candy aficionados since 1920. With more flavors and less sugar, Jujubes® offer a great workout for your jaws.
  • You can tell a good orange slice from a mediocre one by the hint of fresh orange in the jelly. Rolled in cane sugar and perfectly clear on the inside, a good, fresh orange slice has just enough tooth to let you know you’ve bitten into something and then melts away into luscious orange goo before you can chew it up.
  • A good compromise between an old-school gumdrop and a Jujube® is the Jujyfruit®. Softer like a gumdrop, Jujyfruits® come in flavors with bright, fruity notes.
  •  Contrary to popular belief, gummy bears are not a product of the 1980s. They are, in fact, a German invention that went into production in 1922, two years after the founding of the Haribo® company.
  •  Look for the funky old white house in the 1900 block of north Pearl in Springfield, and you’ve found Jacksonville’s very Sweet Pete’s, chocolatier and candy maker.
View the list

, Greater Jacksonville Examiner

K Truitt is a second-generation, native Floridian born in Jacksonville. Truitt worked in public higher education for 25 years, most recently in Texas, is a successful grant writer, knows newspaper publishing, printing and graphic design and wants to work in the public sector. Contact: kt...

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