Vintage Candy Monday: The Charleston Chew
Editor's Note: Every Monday, we'll spotlight a vintage candy to put you in the Halloween mood. This week, the Charleston Chew.
Named after the dance craze during the 1920s, the Charleston Chew (née 1922) comes in vanilla with chocolate coating, strawberry, and chocolate. Though there's no directions on the wrapper, it's an unspoken rule to put a Charleston Chew in the freezer first. Once hard and ice-cold, the Charleston Chew gets a “Charleston Chew Crack," or smack against the table to make for a zillion its and bits. Basically, if you don't know someone with a freezer, you should properly fixate on another candy.
I like that the school bus yellow wrapper has outlived any color changing initiatives, and the abnormally long size is a smart financial investment.
Whether or not you've been to Charleston, you are definitely allowed to love this candy.
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13 Comments:
i looooooove charleston chew - but i like em melty and chewy
alas, my teeth not so much......
deliciousnyc at 11:39AM on 10/06/08
I may not eat much candy these days, but this is still my favorite! I love 'em frozen like I used to get them at camp when I was a kid.
Leah Greenstein at 11:53AM on 10/06/08
I worked in the park district concession stand in high school, and Charleston Chew was one of our most popular candies. I wish I saw it in stores more often.
me3dia at 12:27PM on 10/06/08
LOVE! but not frozen. I agree with deliciousnyc, melty and chewy all the way.
VerasTastyFreeze at 12:42PM on 10/06/08
Gotta go with the others here and say that I prefer them soft and chewy. Though I'm curious to know which of the 3 flavors you prefer?!? I love the original and chocolate but can't stand the strawberry!!! As for my teeth, I don't know which they hate more...Charleston Chew or Sugar Daddy!!
http://gonzogastro.wordpress.com
vinovamp at 12:47PM on 10/06/08
Oh, nougatty goodness! There's one more thing for tonight's shopping list. Now I will be craving these all day.
KateNolan at 1:02PM on 10/06/08
The strawberry one was always my favorite. They also good warm, especially if you've grown tried of your front teeth and would like to get rid of them.
jonny509 at 1:27PM on 10/06/08
I go with the best of both worlds: I freeze and crack it, then let it warm up so it's soft and chewy. :)
me3dia at 1:39PM on 10/06/08
I love them so! The strawberry ones! I havent had one since I was little, I never see them anymore...I prefered mine to be soft and mushy, slightly melted in my halloween pillow sack.
delilah at 3:38PM on 10/06/08
I am so happy to bring together the Charleston Chew lovers, but does anybody think the strawberry one moderately tastes like cough syrup?
Erin Zimmer at 4:48PM on 10/06/08
Chalestin Chew is chewy Louie(but not too chewy)
nhfoodie at 10:03AM on 10/07/08
@Erin....exactly, that's why I can't eat the strawberry ones and asked what everyone's favorite flavor is.
vinovamp at 3:19PM on 10/07/08
Back when the brand was owned by Nabisco and I was an Industrial Engineer there, I did some work in the plant. Nothing better than fresh off the line.
By the way, the smack on the table works even without freezing.
fpatrick at 8:47PM on 10/07/08