Wednesday, September 29, 2010

My Wishlist of American Sweets

I'm American. I forgot to blog about it, but in August I celebrated my 10 year moving-to-England anniversary. Ten years! When people meet me they usually ask what I miss the most about the United States. Most people expect to hear something along the lines of close family members, childhood friends... perhaps a loveable family pet. But no. Here are the things that I miss the most.

1. Airheads - My all-time favourite type of sweet. I'd love to have these by the bucket-load. In fact, a friend recently took a holiday to Las Vegas and asked if I'd like anything. I only mentioned Airheads and (because she must know me very well) she brought back a bumper box of a variety of 72 Airheads. I was in heaven and she became my best friend. I could eat Airheads all day.

2. Bit-o-Honey - Have you heard of these? I don't think they're very popular? But my dad used to love them and because they were often in the house, I came to love them too. They're just so chewy and have the fantastic honey flavour. Love Bit-O-Honey.

3. Welch's Grape soda - How do I come to love Welch's Grape Soda as much as I do? It's a mystery, even to me. But I love that grape-y goodness!


4. Tootsie Rolls - I remember one year my dad bought this gigantic bag of Tootsie Roll Midgees for Halloween. Only he bought it in like, September. Yeah. Those suckers didn't last until the end of October! When they're that little, those things are addictive.

5. Laffy Taffy - Mmmmm, Laffy Taffy. My favourite is apple. Sour apple? I can't quite recall anymore. When I was little, I used to empty my piggy bank and walk up to the 7-11 behind my house and buy what I could. And Laffy Taffys are cheap, so they usually ended up coming home with me.

6. Almond M&Ms - This is one the whole family loves. My dad used to buy huge bags of these everytime he came over to visit and give some to me, to N and to N's mother. It was a huge Almond M&M party. Understandable, as they are delicious.

7. Mike-n-Ikes - Have you spotted a trend yet? I like fruity flavoured chewy sweets. I never really noticed that before. I have a total of two types of chocolate on this list, two drinks and the rest chewy sweets! This list is making me more self-aware! (I'm such a dork.)

8. Root beer - I have no preference for A&W or MUG. Either are very acceptable to me. There's an American restaurant (Tony Roma's) about an hour away that serves Mountain Dew and root beer from their menu. I love going there. Incidentally, Mountain Dew would have been on this list, apart from the fact that I am able to get it here in the UK finally! Certain petrol stations in my area sell it. Woohoo. But! Root beer floats = love.

9. Candy Corn - Now that Halloween is around the corner, I have candy corn on my mind. Halloween just isn't the same without it :(

10. Butterfinger - Last but not least, we have Butterfinger. As I've mentioned, I don't have a lot of chocolate on my list, but I definitely make an exception for Butterfingers. It's the peanut-brittle-type centre. Love that stuff.

PHEW! I'm getting hungry after writing all that out! Before you feel too sorry for me, there are certain websites that allow for importing all of these items! I don't use them often, and what I actually miss the most is wandering into a 7-11 (or whatever) and picking up all those interesting new varieties of my favourite sweets that are only found in America. I love that. Do you love these sweets too?

What is your favourite type of chocolate/sweet?

20 comments:

  1. I am actually really jealous that you have different kinds of M&M's in the US.
    All those sweeties look so yummy :D
    My big girl keeps asking for American sweets - I thinmk she is the only one that remembers them :D

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  2. Happy 10 years! I've just passed my own 8-year moving-to-England-from-America anniversary. When I first came over, the things I missed most were bottled mocha frappucinos (the kind you get in a supermarket, not in Starbucks), Kraft macaroni & cheese, and Rice Chex. Now the list has narrowed down to just missing Rice Chex...because I've discovered the Divine line of dark chocolates, which is SO good and which I've only ever seen in the UK.

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  3. Hehe! Love this post. I spent 3 1/2-4 years in the US as a little kid, I was 6 when I came back. I miss Goldfish crackers the most. Also, three muskateers bars!! That're probably my fave chocolate. Have you ever heard of this site: http://www.americansweets.co.uk/ I've ended up placing orders with them a few times a year since I discovered them a couple years back. Good ol' American food stuffs here :D

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  4. I've only been to the US once but I came home in love with orange Sunkist, Mountain Dew and Reece's Pieces. The US doesn't do choclate like we do, though.

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  5. The almond M&M's sound awesome. I am a Cadbury's Milk Chocolate girl through and through, but I did love Hershey bars when I visited the Us. Also funnel cake in Disney.

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  6. Emma - Aww! She remembers them? That's a little sad. What's her favourite?

    Steph - Thank you! And happy anniversary to you too :) Divine, I don't think I've heard of them. But Rice Chex! Those ARE yummy!

    Cem - where did you live in the US? And oh, goldfish crackers. They were a staple in my lunchboxes growing up! And yes, I do use americansweets.co.uk (amongst others) N sometimes buys me American sweets and gives them to me on the holidays (4th of July, Thanksgiving that sort of thing) It's sweet of him.

    Sophie - Sunkist is nice, has a very sweet taste to it. But you can get Reese's AND Mountain Dew here now! Also, I agree. Chocolate is SOOO much better here.

    Vivienne - Like my dad would say, Almond M&Ms are TO DIE FOR. But yeah, mostly I don't like American chocolate! :) Funnel cake?

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  7. you need to check out cyber candy. They have a shop in London which I go to whenever I go to London which does all different sweets from around the world. I love Pretzel flipz which you used to be able to get in the UK but now can't. I almost cried when I saw they had them!!

    http://www.cybercandy.co.uk/aaasmt/

    they do sell online!

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  8. I feel your pain from our days in France. There was a store in Paris, that I could go to to stock up though.

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  9. Cyber Candy - the name sounds vaguely familiar! I think I may have been in that shop before. Had no idea they sold online though, thanks for the tip Kirsty :)

    bermudaonion - Isn't it awful? I never thought that this stuff would be the stuff I'd miss though.. :)

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  10. I second the recommendation for cyber candy online. I have no idea where you live, but there's a branch in Brighton too. Then there's Sweets From Heaven, at Bluewater, and some branches of House of Fraser sell a few US goods in their food hall (I've got my Tootsie Roll fix there on occasion). Even my vending machine at work has Mike and Ikes, for some reason.

    Oh, and Candy Corn? Love the stuff. I'm pretty sure you can buy it at Sweets From Heaven - maybe worth checking if they have an online store.

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  11. OMG! You're killing me here! I'm coming up on 3 yrs in Scotland. I'm pregnant, and ALL I crave are American foods!! SO NOT FAIR!!!!

    Right now I'm missing, Campbell's chicken noodle soup, Root Beer, Tootsie Rolls, Zero bars, S'mores, Taco Bell, Krispy Creme Donuts, and soooo much more. No one does candy like we do!!!!

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  12. I've never tried any of the sweets you mentioned but they all look nice. I'm so glad we've got Mountain Dew back in the UK again - I adore that stuff!! I also love reeces peanut butter cups :o) You can't beat cadburys for chocolate though!

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  13. I don't think I've ever tried any of those so I'm missing out! I think there is a shop in London selling American products. I'm afraid I have no idea what it is called/where it is, but it might be worth looking into as you may be able to get hold of a few of them.

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  14. I miss British Cadbury's chocolate. The kind with almonds. That is what I miss about the UK. When I was living in the UK, the candy I missed most from home was Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I love chocolate and peanut butter together, but Britain does not. :p

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  15. These all look pretty good. Have you checked out this site http://www.americansoda.co.uk

    I know that my American friend quite often gets her candy fix from there...

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  16. Splendibird - yes, I do use that website. For the soda more than for the sweets if I remember correctly. They sent me this lovely smelling room freshener thing. It still smells gorgeous.

    Jenny - Aww. It's like the opposite of my problem :) And you're very right, there's definitely a thing against chocolate and peanut butter!

    Jackie - There is a shop in London selling American things! I've been in to one, and I think there might be another based on some other comments. Will have to track it down! :)

    Sarah - I was ecstatic to see Mountain Dew over. Ecstatic I tell you! :)

    Mary - I'm so sorry!! What a horrible craving to have, something that's just not easy to locate.

    Lauren - really?! House of Fraser sells Tootsie Rolls! *gasps* but Yes, will definitely check out that place. See if I can get candy corn by the end of the month :)

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  17. I know exactly how you feel. Sometimes I think paying £400 to go back to Toronto would be worth it just so I could eat $1.50 hot dogs and Swiss Chalet lol!!

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  18. I love Bit O'Honey. I have a hard time finding it and I live in the States. When I do I stock up!

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  19. I lived in the UK for 5 years, and it was definitely the food that you couldn't get that provoked the most feelings of home sickness for me too!

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  20. Marg - I'm glad it isn't just me then. It's crazy how badly I'd like some of these things. And it does make me feel very homesick, thinking of some of these sweets.

    Linda - Ha, really? God, I love bit-o-honey. Good luck to you :)

    Lyndsey - LOLOL! I absolutely adore your comment, one of my favourites ever :) I'm right there with you.

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