From the Candy Aisle: Marathon Bar

Product: Marathon Bar
Company: Mars Inc.
Years: 1973-1981

Image by Jason Liebig

Talk to Jason Liebig.
Visit his outstanding blog called CollectingCandy.com. Specifically, his post about Marathon Bars. I mean, the man lives, sleeps, and breathes Marathon Bars. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if at some point in his life, he owned a pet named "Marathon". A miniature pony perhaps? Not really sure. But he's got the entire low down on the candy bar everyone loved and now longs for.

Me? I've never even eaten one. Well, I guess I can't say I've never eaten one. I was around at the same time they were, for a few years anyway, so I guess my parents could have given me one in those years before I start forming meaningful memories. It's totally possible. So I guess I should really say "I've never eaten a Marathon Bar" in the same way I'd say "I've never eaten a spider" (FACT: people do sometimes sleep with their mouths open). Hey, Things happen in our lives sometimes that we for whatever reason just don't remember. I mean, I must have had a run in with a Marathon Bar at some point.....right?  They sure do sound like they were popular from what people tell me.

It was an 8 inch braided caramel inside, covered in chocolate, with the iconic red wrapper. On the wrapper? A ruler, so you knew without a shadow of a doubt you were getting what was advertised. Genius. I wish other companies that supply food based on length did that same thing. Subway, I'm looking in your direction.

image by 197?now

An interesting note about Marathon's TV commercials: they featured John Wayne's son Patrick as Marathon John who would regularly confront villain Quick Claude.

So that's all I got on the Marathon Bar. It was a candy bar that I certainly needed to add to the shelves here at Gone But Not Forgotten Groceries, even if I've never had one that I can remember. But I wish I had. They look delicious. There is a similar bar in the UK called the Curly Wurly. I'll have to contact my UK friends* and see if they can hook me up.

*(Note to self - make some UK friends).

Until then, I'll have to keep eating the same old boring candy bars I've been eating for the last 30+ years. And possibly a few spiders.**

**(Second Note to self - keep your yap shut while sleeping).

From the Beverage Aisle: King Stir

Product: King Stir
Company: Pacific Hawaiian Products
Years: I'm guessing late 60's. Complete Guess, though.

Image by grickly

King Stir.....the Bubbly drink mix on swizzle sticks.

Here's another product that was just a bit before my time, but I recently saw this item posted on Flickr by Grickly, and I fell in love with it. The magical swirl in the glass.....the candy coated swizzle sticks.....the legless king.....love I tell you. Love it.

I know very little about this other then that the packaging rocks, so any and all info to help fill in the Bio would be welcomed. It was made in Fullerton, CA in what I'm guessing was the mid to late 60's by a company called Pacific Hawaiian Product. It came in Orange and Lemon Lime (Imitation Flavors) and I'm betting it came in more.

So yeah, I know about .5% of the history of this. But I know 100% that the package is amazing.

And I'd really like to know what's up with the legless king. Combine Accident? Or is he a ghost king?

From the Snack Aisle: Nabisco Chit Chat Crackers

Product: Chit Chat Barbecue Crackers
Company: Nabisco
Years: 1964-?

Short post today. I've got a bad head cold and feel pretty crummy. I need a bowl of chicken soup and some crackers to make it go away.

That's my segway into the post. Crackers. Yup, pretty crummy I tell you.

 Nabisco makes crackers, that's their thing. And I'm guessing over the last 50+ years they've had hundreds of crackers I've never heard of and have never seen. That's why it's always fun to stumble upon a long gone flavor, such as the Chit Chat Crackers.

What a 60's sounding name.

I just picture people sitting around their horribly decorated apartments talking about how awesome the last episode of "Gidget" was. Then someone would say "hey, lets go down to the drive in and get some burgers!", to which someone else would respond "We don't have to, I've got a box of new Chit Chat Crackers, by Nabisco!", to which the first guy would then respond in a really whiny Richie-from-Happy-Days-voice "But I wanted a Cheeseburger!"
Then they'd all start to dance. Probably the Twist......no, no...the Mashed Potato.Yeah. That's it.

So, yeah, I don't really know much about these crackers. Other then the Nabisco trademark of the name "Chit Chat" expired back in 2005 and is still available if you're bored and/or starting a fledgling cracker company.

That's all I got today. I need to go blow nose and drink a bottle of NyQuil.

And don't lie, you've never heard of these crackers either.

From the Candy Aisle: Dynamints

Product: Dynamints
Company: Dentyne
Years: 1970s

I was recently reminded of Dynamints by my friend Jason Liebig over at Collecting Candy  (if you haven't checked out his website already, what's wrong with you?). You see, in the 70's, when you would eat something like French Onion Soup, or Garlic Bread, or Limburger Cheese, you would need a quick fix to rid your mouth of that nasty odor. And what better to turn to then the super minty flavor of Dynamints! They were sort of like Tic-Tacs, only with a stronger flavor to fix the poor decision you made for lunch. Onion Rings??? Are you serious, man? You've got a hot date with Tina from accounting later tonight to go see "The Apple Dumpling Gang", and chances are, you're gonna end up making out. EVERYONE makes out with Tina from accounting, so you've gotta do something to counter your poor decision to have the Onion Rings for lunch. I don't care how bad her daddy issues are, if you still have rotten breath in a few hours, she's gonna say "no thanks" to the lip embrace.

Here, have some of these:

Image by Jason Liebig

Dynamints came in several different flavors: Peppermint, Spearmint, Regular, Fruit, Lemon Lime.....probably a few more that I'm forgetting too. Each plastic container contained 40 mints (and with your onion ring breath I'd suggest sucking on 39).

Image by Gregg Koenig

Image From Grickly

So thanks to Jason Liebig for reminding me of these Tic Tac wannabes. I wish I had some of these right now, I pick up Tina at 7:30. And I just ate an entire Bloomin' Onion. Damn you Outback!!!!

Happy Holidays from Gone But Not Forgotten Groceries!!!

Attention Shoppers: We will be closed for the Holidays so our employees can spend time with their families. And Open Presents. And drink large amounts of Eggnog (and beer.....and Gin......and Rum......and wine.......).

Thanks for your Patronage in 2012, and we are looking forward to bringing you even more extinct favorites from your past in 2013!

Now I'm gonna go and hook up my betamax and enjoy the classic 1982 Menudo Holiday special.

Feliz navidad from Gone But Not Forgotten Groceries!!!!