Friday, July 11, 2008

How do you eat your Dolly Mixtures?

by Anna Sugden

… or Smarties … or Licorice Allsorts … or Jelly Babies … or M&M’s … or Jelly Beans … well, you get the picture. How do you eat anything in a pack of assorted sweeties?

For those of you wondering what some of the above-mentioned delights are:

Smarties are like M&M’s but with nicer chocolate. And they’re bigger too.

Licorice Allsorts (lovely hubby’s favourite - see right) are literally all sorts of licorice candies in different shapes and colours.

And … Dolly Mixture? The best little penny bag of assorted sweets you can get (although I understand these days they’re hard to find). Made of sugar, and probably all kinds of unhealthy stuff, there are striped ones, soft ones, hard ones, jelly ones … a veritable plethora of delights. (see below)

Why would there be a special way of eating them? Well, for some of us - it’s not just a simple matter of dipping in, grabbing the first sweet and chomping merrily away.

Oh no.

There is a process to be followed. Now, admittedly, I thought I was alone in this little foible. But, several discussions with friends have shown that there are others … many with routines far more elaborate than mine!

So, what’s my process?

Are you sitting comfortably? Then, I’ll begin.

1. Empty the bag or box onto a plate/desk-top/table/magazine or other handy flat surface.

2. Sorting. Separate out the different kinds of sweets into piles of the same kind.

3. Eat any spares or odd ones.

4. Count out the number of sweets in a pile. If there is an even number, you’re good to go. If not, eat the odd numbered sweet!

5. Split each pile into two - one half goes back in the bag or box for later.

6. Now, for the eating. Try to get each pile to be the same size by eating any superfluous sweets.

7. Finally you’re left with nice round numbers of sweets, in balanced piles.

Now, the only way left to eat them is one from each pile!

Let me know I’m not alone in my weirdness! When faced with a bag or box of assorted sweets - how do you eat yours? And what is/are your favourite sweets? Two lucky commenters will win a bag of Dolly Mixtures!

119 comments:

Joan said...

Hello, Hello????

Joan said...

Wow, you really have a system down, don't you Anna?

I'll admit to dividing and eating my candy mixtures by color. M & M's, Skittles, Smarties (American Smarties are not chocolate...they are tart pressed candies).

There's no fooling me. I KNOW all the red ones taste different than the blue ones.

Natalie Hatch said...

Oh Joan you beat me... darn. Ah well.
I eat lollies very quickly, I have what you could call 'child syndrome' as in I have no control systems in place when facing lollies, I just eat and eat and eat..... so needless to say we don't have lollies in our house. We do have dried fruit and celery instead.

Anna Campbell said...

Hey, Joan, a while since he's been to Kentucky! Congratulations!

What a cute post, VA. I can just picture you in your gorgeous shoes sitting there sorting out each little lolly (that's what we call them down here - candy is just not the word in Oz!) and eating them in order. It's a really sweet image! No pun intended. Well, maybe a little tiny Smartie-sized one.

Actually a lot of our lollies are the same as the British ones. Oh, the price of colonialism. One has to eat Smarties and Mars Bars and Cadbury chocolate (which you don't mention in the vicinity of Louisa Cornell aka Doglady, she's a fanatic!). I agree about Smarties being nicer than M&Ms although the power of marketing means these days over here M&Ms are easier to find than Smarties. Oh, the good old days!

I'm not so fussy with anything apart from jellybeans. And then it's only the black ones. They have to go last. Never sure why but it's a law set in stone!

Hey, am I in line for the dolly mixture? It sounds great!

Jennifer Y. said...

Congrats Joan!

Wow, you are very organized.

I was thinking the same thing, Joan, about American Smarties. I must admit it threw me at first when she said they were like M&Ms. LOL

Your organizational skills when it comes to the candy made me think of Halloween and the time I used to spend sorting by type of candy. But now I don't usually divide my candy really...at least not the assorted bags. I will keep chocolate away from the fruity stuff...don't like fruity-tasting chocolate and if you keep them together long enough, they start to share flavors...or at least that is what I think...LOL.

As for favorite candies, I love Jelly Belly Jelly Beans...but I tend to prefer going to the store and creating my own bag of flavors I know I'll like. My brother, however, likes to buy the mixed bag and play a game...whatever bean you pull you have to eat regardless of flavor.

I also love fruit-flavored Tootsie Rolls. It used to be hard for me to find these, but I have been buying them by the bag lately.

But yeah...I am a open-it-grab-it-and-eat-it-out-of-the-bag-type of girl...I don't usually count or sort.

Jennifer Y. said...

Man, y'all have me really curious about these Non-American Smarties things you mention...better than M&M's????

Carol said...

Congrats Joan,
I think the GR may like to help you sort out the colours, perhaps taste test too!
Lollies,I just eat em!
Chocolates, well I give DH the ones I dont like as much...the strawbery and peppermint ones...
He doesn't mind since he usually bought them for me anyway!

With a cadbury block, I usually break up the block and put them into a bowl, share about 1/3 -2/3 my way and scoff into them letting each one melt in the mouth!
The bowl idea is so the D.Dog doesn't see me and cause a river of saliva to flow at my feet and also chocolate is REALLY bad for dogs healthwise!
Cheers Carol

Louisa Cornell said...

Did someone say CADBURY'S?????? Where? Where is the Cadbury's? (Glances around the Lair like a crack addict who has been rockless for three days.) Hey, there's a guy in buff colored breeches and boots with what looks like Tim Tam residue all over him. Does he belong to anybody?

I love your system, Anna. Very much like mine as a child. And OH YES! British Smarties are WORLDS better than American Smarties or M&Ms! I managed to keep my giant Cadbury bars away from my brothers, but for Smarties they WOULD execute a commando raid on my position and torture me for their location. Oh and the licorice sweets Anna is talking about are DIVINE!!! Okay, great. Just reading this post I have gained 5 pounds! Now I have to get an ever smaller size of Spanx, have someone hold them up and jump off the bed into them so that my evening gown will fit at Nationals! I am afraid when it comes to sweets I was very meticulous as a child. Now I just snarf them up like a demented sweet hound!

Carol said...

My DH loves SOUR worms similar to jelly snakes/ only sour as lemons (ugh)...he can have them.
Hey maybe that's why he gets me to buy them for him...the dog can't stand them either!
Cheers Carol

Pat Cochran said...

Congratulations, Ms. Joan! Enjoy your visit with the golden one, the
golden rascally one!

I only occasionally eat the type candies you are discussing and then
just go for whatever comes out of
the sack first!

Pat Cochran

Christine Wells said...

Cute post! V-A you've really thought about this, haven't you? That's a great system. Maybe I should adopt it!

My dh and I used to get boxes of Cadbury's Favourites sometimes--unfortunately we both dislike only one variety, Cherry Ripe, so they just piled up in the cupboard until either my cleaner took them or I threw them out. Should have sent them up to Foanna. I hear she gloms them when she's on deadline.

When we were kids we used to go to ye olde corner shop and buy a 10 cent bag of assorted lollies. You chose them out of jars in the window and the decision about what to have was absolutely fraught. No wonder those store owners were so grumpy waiting for kids to pick out teeth and raspberries, strawberries and cream and freckles, etc. The profit margin wasn't great!

Congrats on the GR, Joanie T!

Anna Campbell said...

(Sounding scarily like the Cookie Monster) CHERRY RIPES???!!! CHERRY RIPES???!! SEND ME THE CHERRY RIPES. I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET RIGHT NOW!!!! Rrrrrrrrr!

Minna said...

Ok, now I know whose fault it is if I have to go to the shop today.

Aside from peanut butter sweets -WHICH I CAN'T GET AROUND HERE- I love fazer's chocolates and other sweets, Tyrkish Peber sweets, Sisu pastilles, Licorice Allsorts (for some reason they are called English Licorice around here)and after eating all these you need some xylitol Sisu pastilles or xylitol chewing gum so that you wouldn't get those nasty holes to your teeth.

Helen said...

Well done Joan

Great post Anna

My favourite lollies are licorice allsorts and they were my Nana's as well when I was young and used to stay at Nans she always had a big bag of licorice allsorts to share we would watch TV together with the bag in the middle and have one each at a time till we got to the end and if there was an uneven number she always let me have it.
If I have a box of cadburys roses I pick out the ones I don't like (not many) and give them to hubby and I eat the rest
I love smarties and M&M's don't mind jelly beans I do love the black ones but as for sorting them out in colours etc no I just eat them.
Have Fun
Helen

Helen said...

I love cherry ripes as well Christine yum and I remember going to the corner store and buying mixed bags of lollies that you could choose yourself they were the days I love freckles. Cadbury chocolate I break the blocks into squares and share some with hubby not a lot I love my chocolate.
Anna the Dolly mixture sounds yummy.
Smarties are better than M&Ms I like M&Ms but totally agree that smarties are better.

Have Fun
Helen

Maureen said...

You remind me of when I was a kid and we would get a bag of M & M s and everyone would eat them differently. There were all different ideas on which colors should be eaten when.

pjpuppymom said...

Congrats Joan!

Anna, you had me chuckling at the thought of you patiently sorting your candies into neat little piles. Snort! Like that's ever gonna happen in my house! I'm intrigued by all the different candies you mentioned that I've never heard of, especially your chocolate Smarties that so many people think are better than M&M's! I'm not too fond of licorice and I've never heard of Dolly Mixture. Clearly, my sweets education is lacking.

I have different methods of eating different candies. I don't divide Smarties (the US kind) but I do divide Jelly Beans. There are only certain colors I like so those get segregated as soon as I open the bag. I lurve Peanut M&Ms! I usually pull out the red ones (they bring on headaches) and eat the others in no particular order. Peanut Butter M&M's are a different story. Who cares what color they are? Rip that bag open and come to mama...I eat those babies by the handful! lol!

Terry Odell said...

Even though they taste the same, I eat M&M's by color.

My downfall "treat" (other than chocolate, which isn't a treat, it's a necessity), is Jelly Belly's. We get them in the big containers from Costco. I pour them into a crystal jar (gift from some conference or something) and scoop out a small handfull. The flavors I don't like (banana, cinnamon, root beer, peanut butter) go in a small container for DH. I pick out a flavor or two for that treat and put the rest in the jar.

Repeated all too frequently during the day. Like every time I walk by.

Tiffany Clare said...

mmmmm.... candy... one of my favourite things. I'm not sure if I like Candy more than Chocolate... it's hard to say... mind you there are these champagne truffles at a fancy choco store near me that are to die for...

I sort and eat by colour :) especially smarties and skittles... and sweet tarts... mmmmmm sweet tarts....

Oh man, it's eight am here and I want a bag of candy.

pjpuppymom said...

When I was a kid my family went to the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) in Toronto every August. They had a food building with booths from countries all over the world. I'd always head straight for the English booth and Cadbury's. They'd have samples on trays and all kinds of free wrapped Cadbury candies that you could take. I was probably about 10 the first time I tasted Cadbury's and it was love at first bite! :)

Marisa O'Neill said...

Dividing sweets and counting them? Putting them into a pile? Sorting them into assorted shapes and colors?
NO! Just open the bag and let me at them NOW! When I buy a bag of sweets it's for immediate gratification, I have no time to sort, count or divide. I get especially crazy when I buy a bag of Swedish Fish - I'm not sure they are sold outside of the States - but I love them. And I dare not buy a BAG of chocolate,I would eat the whole thing in one sitting. So being the disciplined woman that I am, I only buy one bar at a time and savor it slowly from beginning to end.

Joan said...

Good morning everyone! I'm up earlier than usual due to a persistent CROWING in my ear!{Eyes the GR}

Ok, I'm going to be the voice of dissension. To me, M & M's are better than the chocolate Smarties. It may totally be a difference of palate...mine grew up American...so that's what I know.

I've had the Smarties in Ireland and they are ok...reminded me a lot of Sixlets here in the States.
But the variety in chocolate in Eire blew me away. I favor Lion bars, Cadbury stars and..oh, poo can't remember the name...the chocolate bar with a honeycomb center? Moro?

My very first trip to Ireland I brought back a huge bag filled with the different types of candy and ate a fair amount while there, LOL. (Had to calm my nerves from driving SOME HOW)

As to Jelly Beans, I eat them in this order: orange, purple, red, pink, green, yellow, white and IF forced to a black. Within this sub-genre of candy I prefer Brach's classics and Mike and Ike's....

Move over tiffany...I want some now too!

Tiffany Clare said...

PJ,
The CNE is great fun for world foods but the samples are less and less... and you gotta pay for most of it now unless you want a tiny morsel that only teases your senses :) I must take the kids this year, it's just a hop, skip and a jump from me... actually a streetcar ride, but close enough.

And for Jellybeans--I eat Red, then Green last because they taste the strongest. (I toss the yellow, blecht)

Anna Sugden said...

You've all given me a big smile this morning. Okay, so I'm the only one with an elaborate system ... so far. I'm glad some of you colour sort - make me feel better.

Joanie - everyone knows orange Smarties taste the best. And the Blue ones are yuck.

Anna Sugden said...

Interesting Natalie - lollies are what we Brits call lollipops. People here in NJ call them suckers (though that seems to be a general term for many things *g*)

I don't have much control once the bag is open, and the sorting is done ... that's why I only get the small bags!

Anna Sugden said...

I wondered, Anna C, whether you had our sweeties too. Oh good, you have Cadbury's! Yum. My favourite chocolate.

Now see, when you get a pack of those Cadbury's Heroes (the mini-bars), I have to follow the same process. *sigh* I know, I'm sad.

So what is it about black jelly beans?

Anna Sugden said...

I love Jelly Belly Jelly Beans too, Jennifer. And yes - I sort those! You can sort your own flavours now? Wow - I'd be in the store forever!

Anna Sugden said...

And yes, Smarties are better than M&M's, if you like English chocolate. (Although I love peanut M&M's). What we used to do as kids was suck on the Smartie until the outer shell cracked and then lick out the chocolate middle.

Anna Sugden said...

I love those big Cadbury's blocks, Carol. I eat one chunk at a time too. In assorted chocolates, I hate the ones with Turkish Delight in them ... EWWWWWW!!!

Anna Sugden said...

Now that I'm moving home, Louisa - you have someone who can send you a supply of Cadbury's - the real English stuff, not the kind made by Hershey's ... and yes, there is a difference. Just let me know your favourite!

ROFL at the image of your brothers staging a commando raid for Smarties!

Anna Sugden said...

Carol - that's my view on Licorice Allsorts. Yuck. But my hubby LOVES them. He probably has the land speed record for devouring a bag.

I can't even stand the smell!

Anna Sugden said...

Hey Pat - whatever works. I've been wondering why I have this system ... probably some childhood trauma involving my little sister (who I adore BTW) LOL ... and can only think it comes down to keeping my favourites for last.

Anna Sugden said...

Oh Christine - I remember the days of choosing your penny sweets out of jars! Some very important decisions to make.

I also remember when you could get certain sweeties which were two for a penny. A major factor when you only had a limited amount of money. Black Jacks and Rhubarb and Custard are two I remember.

Anna Sugden said...

Minna - what is your absolute favourite peanut sweet? I'll send you some!

Anna Sugden said...

Aww - what a lovely story, Helen. My hubby shares his with his younger daughter when they go to football matches together.

Anna Sugden said...

See - Maureen understands what I'm talking about *grin*!

Anna Sugden said...

Peanut butter M&M's?! Do we have these in NJ? And why haven't I come across them? I love Reese's Pieces ... but obviously have to go to the shops today and search out peanut butter M&M's ... for research purposes, naturally.

Aren't you impressed by the lengths I'm prepared to go to for all of you?!

Anna Sugden said...

Terry - that's the problem with the jars, isn't it? Especially once they're open. We can not eat sweets in our house for weeks and then we get a pack of something ... and vroom ... all gone!

Anna Sugden said...

YAY Tiffany is another sorter!

I know - I'm sitting here with some bags of Dolly Mixture and considering ... research.

Anna Sugden said...

Oh yes, PJ - they have the real stuff in Canada too. Yum.

Anna Sugden said...

I think it is the different palate, Joan. I don't like Hershey's Kisses (I know - sacrelige!) for that reason.

I don't know if it's the same as in Ireland, but our Cadbury's chocolate with the honeycomb centre is called Crunchie. They had a great advertising campaign - Thank Crunchie it's Friday!

Anna Sugden said...

See, there are some closet-sorters amongst you ;)

Joan said...

Crunchie!!! That's it!!!!

I love the way the honeycomb center melts into the chocolate in your mouth.

Got me one of those when I got lost on the ring road outside Dublin. Ended up getting directions at a petrol station outside the Dublin airport from an Indonesian guy with an accent on an accent.

Thank God Ireland's road signs are so good!

Anna Sugden said...

LOl Joanie - Been there ... driven those roads!

I can see I'm going to have to bring a bagful of delights back from England on this next trip.

Christie Kelley said...

Anna, I love the sorting process you go through. Me? No time for sorting my M&Ms. Although if I have any skittles, I will sort them because the I don't want to mix my fruit flavors.

Joan said...

Second that Christie about sorting Skittles.

I don't pour them out but I will pick through the bag hunting whichever color I'm craving.

I do that at parties too {hangs head}will bowls of mixed nuts {love me some cashews}and taking every orange jelly bean, M & M there is.

I know. It's a sickness

pjpuppymom said...

Anna, you definitely need to try the Peanut Butter M&M's. They're bigger than normal M&M's and soooo good! I know my Walmart carries them. So does Walgreen's, CVS and Rite Aid. Let me know what you think of them if you find a bag.

Nathalie said...

I remember I used to eat my red smarties last when I was a kid... Since I have not eaten them since I can't remember when and don't buy candy just in case I will become addicted to them... I don't know if I have some little compulsions...

Lily said...

Actually I am just concentrated and want to eat my M&Ms before anyone snatches them so there is not time for sorting!!

jo robertson said...

Vrai Anna, what a clever, clever post. Is there ANYONE who doesn't eat sweets?

We have a no-eating-during-class policy at our school, but I always lift the moratorium during finals week. And my strategy is the same as yours: spread the candies out on the desk, separate them into sundry piles, and dip into their delicious rewards. All of this makes taking a final exam . . . well, palatable!

I ALWAYS did this during tests when I was a student. And my poor students LOVE their little sugar-high reward to get through the rigors of Mrs. R's exams.

My favorites are M&M's. I separate according to color and first eat a red, then a green, then . . . well, you get the idea. And I swear the different colors have a different flavor.

Okay, so maybe that's in my head.

Minna said...

Minna - what is your absolute favourite peanut sweet? I'll send you some!

Oh, that would be great! And I could send you some xylitol sweets. But maybe not xylitol Sisu pastilles... It seems only we Finns like Sisu. My absolute favourite peanut butter sweets? What a question! I like peanut butter M&M's -haven't been able to get those for over six years. But I like also Reese's peanut butter cups and bars, Hershey's peanut butter kisses (they are the only Hershey's Kisses I liked)...

traveler said...

I so enjoyed your memorable post today. It reawakened my fond memories of the favorite treats that I would enjoy. I especially love licorce allsorts and would definitely eat them with a method in mind. Colors, shapes and types all sorted and then picked out one by one. The anticipation was worth it. I loved getting a box of smarties, at that time they were 5 cents. Jelly beans are a fave now and I just eat them by the handful. The photos are delectable.

Deb Marlowe said...

Too funny, Anna!

No system here. I love m&m's, but just grab a handful of any color. As stated before, dark chocolate raisenettes are my current vice.

Do you guys have Swedish fish? Sort of like European Haribo--is that the right way to spell it? Everyone in my family will scarf those until there's not a one left.

I have friends who pop a bag of microwave popcorn and then toss in a bag of m&m's while it's still super hot. Apparently the salty/sweet, crunchy/melty thing is addictive--I'm too afraid to try it!

Elyssa Papa said...

I love candy. Way too much.

With chocolate, I unwrap it and then suck on them until it's melted in my mouth. Or I'll just bite away...depending on my mood.

M&Ms...sometimes I sort by color and other times, I just grab a handful and eat them.

Twix, I'll just eat the cookie part first, then the caramel. Or I'll reverse the order. For Kit Kats, I like to eat them row by row.

I put the candy in my house...either in a tin in the fridge or a glass container on the counter. I haven't gone to the candy jar in a while, but I know it's there. And really, chocolate is the best rememdy for anything.

Minna said...

Jo, you reminded me... When I was doing my final tests in high school -despite the fact that I had bread and other stuff- the only thing I could eat while doing those tests was "Fazer's Blue" (chocolate). But after those tests were over... I STILL can't eat that stuff without remembering those tests.

Minna said...

Anyone of you watch Mythbusters? Remember the episode where they heated up a certain type of candy and it exploded?

Anonymous said...

Your post today resounded with me. The choice of candies were all tempting and enticing. I was always very methodical about apportioning candies. A good assortment, a good amount and then eat the smallest first for allsorts and the others just grab at once. M & M's are great but I rather indulge in jelly beans and licorice.

Suzanne Ferrell said...

Okay, a subject near and dear to my heart! The process of eating M&Ms and jelly beans.

With M&Ms I sort by color like Joan does. BUT I make shapes on the desk top. Mosly triangles. One red, two blue, three yellow, etc... The color order changes based on how many I have in a pack.

Jelly beans...now that's a whole different process. MUST EAT ORANGE FIRST! Then green or yellow, then pink or white and black...ick.....it's last!!

One other weird process...those cream caramels with the white centers? Bullseyes I think they're called. Well...those I eat the creamy white stuff first, then chew on the caramel!

Anonymous said...

This is the funniest and most unique post ever. I just love it. I never ate candy but do now. Why now, I don't really know, but I love it. any and all jelly beans are fine with me and just eat them freely anytime, all day long. Graze and enjoy. Licorice allsorts, what a treat for me. When I found them I was in heaven, but I do a certain thing when I eat them. I arrange them in a pattern and then eat them with the sqaures first and then the round ones later. Colors too are organized. Crazy eh.

Anonymous said...

Your system is something to be admired. Such restraint. I doubt that I could do that. I just eat them the minute they are in front of me. I am glad that you chose the assortment of candies that you selected since they are all my favorites and gazing at the pics gave me a great deal of pleasure. Now I have to go out and get a few bags to calm down my longing. But I'm not sure which to buy. Perhaps a nice variety. What an amazing post.

p226 said...

Ok, after reading this blog, and the ... organization skills applied to mixed treats... one question and two statements popped into my head.

The question: "Where's Dustin Hoffman when you need him?"

The statements: "Definitely an excellent driver. Always drive on Tuesdays."

Anonymous said...

Sweets for my Sweet. I savour every mouthful since I ration candies. The only way to eat them, otherwise I would lose control. The pics reminded me of times gone by when I would pass the store on the way home from school and gaze in rapture at the colors, types and wish I could try them all. Enjoy these wonderful treats and thanks for this excellent fun today.

Anna Sugden said...

Yay Christie ... glad to see you have a 'sorter' in you!

Joanie - that's natural. Don't other people pick out the cashews?

PJ - off to the store this afternoon and will look out for them.

Anna Sugden said...

Nathalie - I know what you mean. I try not to buy sweeties for that reason. But, when they put these humungous special offers in Duty-Free ... it's more than I can take!

Lily - who's going to take them from you?!

Anna Sugden said...

*happy sigh* Jo - you've made my day! Another sorter! Maybe it's a teacher/school thing. Hmm.

You know, I'm sure certain colours do have different flavours, particularly if they're natural colours. I think this is why orange Smarties are the best.

Anna Sugden said...

Minna - will do my best - send your snail mail address to anna at annasugden dot com.

Anna Sugden said...

Ah Traveler! Mwah! So pleased to have someone who gets it! Which was your favourite Licorice Allsort?

Yes Deb - we get Swedish Fish here. In fact, at some hockey games they give them out free to everyone! It's the Haribo's in England. Which reminds me of another sweetie I love - Wine Gums!

Oooh that popcorn and M&M treat sounds devilish!

Anna Sugden said...

Elyssa - even better - a woman who has a process for each type of sweetie!!

And Anne - welcome to the sorters *g*.

Anna Sugden said...

Hi Marisa! How are you? You? Impatient and in need of instant gratification ... really? I'd never have guessed *g*

Anna Sugden said...

Oh yes, Suz - I love it! What a cool process!

There's an interesting number thing involved, isn't there. I don't like odd numbers (well, I do, because I get to eat those *g*) - so my whole sorting thing is about getting even numbers. Hmm What does that say about me?

Anna Sugden said...

Thank you so much, Ruth. I'm glad I let out my little sorting secret now!

Sorting by shapes works for me!

Anna Sugden said...

Diane - I think assortments are the most fun! I really like having different colours and shapes. I guess that means I have a short attention span or something.

Anna Sugden said...

ROFL P226. You could well be right! I bet Dustin is a sorter. Acting or in real life - he seems the type.

I don't know if you get Graham Norton where you are - but if ever watch him and see the ones with Dustin Hoffman - they're hysterical. For such a rigid perfectionist, Dustin is a really good sport!

So, what is your favourite sweet (other than your lovely wife!)

Anna Sugden said...

You're very welcome Alissa - I'm glad you're enjoying it. I'm having such fun *g*.

Luckily I have a spare bag of Dolly Mixtures, so I may have to open them later. I'll let you know what I get.

pjpuppymom said...

Anna, the peanut butter M&M's come in a red bag. It'll make looking for them easier. ;)

pjpuppymom said...

My favorite homemade, can't-eat-just-one-handful candy mix is made like this:

Toss in a large bowl:
2 cups wheat chex cereal
2 cups rice chex cereal
2 cups cheerios cereal
1 cup pretzel pieces
1 cup peanuts
1 cup M&M's

Pour one cup of melted white chocolate over the mixture and toss until coated. Spread on waxed paper until dry. Enjoy!

To change things up sometimes I'll use peanut M&M's instead of plain or peanut butter M&M's for a special treat. I do love my peanut butter! :)

Anna Sugden said...

*sniff* PJ our local stores don't have them ... will have to wander further afield in search of them.

Anna Sugden said...

Success!! Yumm. A new vice. Thanks for the tip about the red bag, PJ.

And that candy mix sounds awesome!

Joan said...

Ohhhh Deb! Dark Chocolate Raisinets! Yum, yum, yum.

But blech on the Swedish Fish. I had a couple of patients years ago, a wife who had fallen and the husband who it came to light had been neglecting his own health in caring for her at the same time.

Anyway, their two daughters and I bonded. As a special thank you to me they brought be this HUGE assortment of handmade Swedish fish, cinnamon drops etc. from a famous candy store in their hometown of Madison, IN.

They were all so pretty but WHOA, spicy isn't the word. My eyes were flooding with tears as I tried to eat one while chatting with them.

Joan said...

Suz,

I think that is so interesting that you not only sort by color but then arrange in shapes. If that isn't a sign of a brilliant mind at work, I don't know what is.

Pass me a triangle....

Joan said...

p226....are insinuating that we are savants? I don't even SHOP in K-mart.....

But come on. A highly organized guy like you? You're BOUND to eat your candy according to a system!

Fess up....

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Of course I sort my M&Ms and Skittles by color. Doesn't everyone? Reds rule!

Never really liked jelly beans but when forced I prefer the yellow and orange and a black jelly bean shall NEVER pass Aunty's lips! Neither does the salt-water taffy that tastes like licorice. Do. Not. Like. Licorice.

And I'm another cashews first, peanuts last. ;-)

AC

Anna Campbell said...

YUMMMM, Crunchies! We don't have exactly the same chocolate bars as you any more, Anna, but there's enough for me to feel a very familiar feeling when I go into a corner shop in Britain. I'm not a great Hershey's Kisses fan either although I'd eat them to keep me alive in a blizzard ;-)

Oh, it's SOOOO early in the morning here and I already want chocolate!

Anna Campbell said...

Hi Marisa! Waving madly! Great to see you venturing into the lair. Here, have a nice ice cold cabana boy! No, you don't put the straw THERE!

Suzanne Ferrell said...

oh Joan and Anna....if you have six of one color, you can put a different color in the middle and whala.......flowers! Sort of 60's flower power flowers...hehehe

Jane said...

I love Smarties, too. I can only get them at Duty Free or abroad. When I was little, I used to pick out all the green M&M's and eat them first. I always left the yellow and orange ones to my mom or dad. For some reason, yellow and orange were my least favorite even though all the colors taste the same. I always threw out the lemon and orange flavors from Skittles and gummy bears.

jo robertson said...

LOL,Minna, I honestly couldn't get through those tests without my M&M's. I'd reward myself -- each question answered got so many M&M's. I saw my students doing the same thing, so I don't think I'm the only weird one.

Anna, maybe it is a teacher thing. Hey, I figure anything that gets you through a test is allowable. Of course, I authorized cheat sheets too. Do you know how hard students have to study just to create a sheet cheat? Candies and cheat sheets -- work wonders in the American educational system.

jo robertson said...

Hehehehehe, AC, that's why you're my friend. Blech -- hate licorice!

Anna Sugden said...

You're right, Joan - I can see P226 being a sorter!

AC - I can see why we're friends! You're a sorter and you hate licorice!

Suz - you are sooo creative! I love it!

Anna Sugden said...

Interesting Jane - do you like orange and lemon flavours? I tend to dither about them ... and I can't stand fruit peel *shiver*

Anna Sugden said...

Wow Jo - a woman after my own heart. You're so right about cheat sheets (we had some exams at Uni that were open book too!) I wish you'd been my teacher!

And just because you allowed sweeties ... although in my case, that might be a distraction - too much time sorting and not enough time answering the tests!

Anna Sugden said...

Dolly Mixture update:

2 round green
4 green & white stripes
5 round brown
5 brown & white stripes
2 round pink
1 round orange
1 orange & whie stripe
1 pink & white stripe
1 yellow cube
1 pink cube
2 red jelly bears

Love those odd numbers so I can some right away!

Terri Osburn said...

Right. 91 comments on a Saturday. Geez, you guys are amazing. LOL!

Uhm, Anna, are you on medication, dear? Because that's a really involved process for something really simple. Not that I'm saying you're weird, just special. :)

When I was little, I would separate all my M&Ms into color coded piles. There aren't any colors that I refused to eat, but I had to have the colors in their own piles.

I am one of those who eats my french fries first. I don't like cold fries and the sandwich is usually kept warm in its wrapper so that can wait.

Other than not eating anything green and preferring my food not touch, I just eat to much. LOL!

EllenToo said...

My way of eating sweets is very similar to yours. If they are M&M's I sort by color and then eat all of one color before going on to the next color. And actually other than Kisses they are the only candy I eat.

Terri Osburn said...

Now that I've read the comments...

No jelly beans or licorice for me. I'm very curious about the difference between English chocolate and the chocolate we have here. And peanut butter M&Ms are DA BOMB! Peanut butter and chocolate is my idea of heaven. If I find really good peanut butter meltaways, I'm in paradise. In fact, I've been known to buy Hershey Bars and dip them in a jar of peanut butter. LOL!

pjpuppymom said...

Terri, doesn't everyone eat the french fries first? Same with dipping Hershey bars in the peanut butter jar. That's the only reason I buy Hershey bars! :)
Btw, they're really good if you take the Hershey bar straight from the freezer and dip it in the peanut butter. Yummmmm-0!

Anna Sugden said...

Aww - Terrio thinks I'm special! From the sounds of things, you're special too!

I agree with dipping chocolate in peanut butter - it has to be English chocolate in American peanut butter *g*.

LOL on the French Fries!

Anna Sugden said...

PJ - you are a wicked temptress!

Suzanne Ferrell said...

Okay....here's one. Those miniature Resse's peanut butter cups? I keep a bag in the freezer. And eat them straight out of there. mmmmm

limecello said...

Heh - I'm a somewhat fussy eaters. One of those kids who wouldn't let one type of food touch another growing up. I'd also eat all my vegetables first, then carbs, then meat. And so on.
I love Haribo gummy bears - I eat the orange and yellow first, then red and green - mostly red, then green - and I'll save the last few to mix it up, and lastly, the white ones. They're my favorite. For chex mix - I eat the pretzels first, then the wheat chex, then the rye chips, then the corn chex, then bagel chips, and finally the bread sticks. [Sharing foods is less fun for me b/c I'll miss out on my favorites.]

Suzanne Ferrell said...

OMG Jane, you and I could've handled the Skittles and gummi bears as yellow and orange are my favorite!

Now I have to go to work....wonder if my friend Katie will have Mike & Ikes or M&Ms today...:)

By the way, at work I DO NOT SORT. Too chancy them sending me to the psych unit! LOL

Kate Carlisle said...

Well, of course I sort my Jelly Bellies, but not M&M's. Hmm, maybe I'm the weird one...hey, no comments, please!

If I tell you your post is HILARIOUS, Anna my dear, will you be offended? But your rules for sorting cracked me up and made my day! Well done!

And Joanie! Watch out for that rascal! You know he loves to catch you when you're slipping into...or out of...your toga...

Joan said...

Geez, you guys are amazing.

Yes. Yes we are.

And humble to boot!

LOL, we're amazing because of our BB's!

Hmmmm...wonder if we should sort our BB's? T's over there, H's there.... Naw, we love you all just like a Dolly Mixture!

Fedora said...

Oh, hilarious, Anna! I do tend to have a sorting process when I eat mixed sweets--anything from M&M or Skittles or gummy bears to something like the Dolly Mixtures, which look like tons of fun! My favorite is any kind of gummy candy ;)

Congrats on the GR, Joan!

p226 said...

But come on. A highly organized guy like you? You're BOUND to eat your candy according to a system!

Fess up....


No, no system. But I do have a method.

When eating m&m's, peanut or plain, I toss 'em in my mouth one at a time. I then carefully chip away and remove the hard candy shell. Once that's done, I eat the chocolate. And if there's a peanut in the middle, it goes last.

Method, yes. System, no.

I have a method for sunflower seeds too.

But I don't organize my candy. I just dig in. If there's a kind that I like mixed with a kind that I don't like, I fish through it until I get the ones I like. I don't pre-sort.

Unknown said...

I do think you should put the colors together before you eat them.

Anna Sugden said...

Yay Ellen is a sorter too!

Terrio - IMHO Cadbury's is creamier than Hershey's (and Dove).

Limecello - at least you ate your veggies. I've taught kids who would only eat chips (ie French Fries!)

Anna Sugden said...

Suz - we won't tell the folks at work - what's said in The Lair ...

Kate, love, I wouldn't be offended. I'd even be proud! I long to be in the same class as some of our fellow Banditas, when it comes to funny *g*.

Anna Sugden said...

Joan - ROFL at the thought of sorting our BB's. How would you sort them? By their choice of drool-hunk?

Flchen1 - yay on you being another sorter.

P226 - method, system, to-may-to, to-mah-to *g*. I knew there had to be a process in there somewhere!

Anna Sugden said...

Virginia - well, of course *g*

Beth Andrews said...

Anna, what a fun post! I do sort my M&Ms (peanut, almond or peanut butter, I'm not crazy about the plain ones *g*) but the system changes depending on my mood.

And I never eat anything by the handful. It's one a time and that includes popcorn (my latest kick is the 100 calorie bags of microwave kettle corn) peanuts, Dots (so yummy! had some at the drive-in a few days ago) even the tiny chocolate covered sunflower seeds I like so well go in one at a time :-)

Susan Sey said...

I know I'm really late weighing in, but I have to say I just recently (like in the last few years) realized my mother does this. I lived with her for the first eighteen years of my life, & have been on countless vacations with her since then, & only like five years ago noticed that when she eats m & ms, she eats them light to dark. She doesn't sort them into color piles or anything, but very methodically eats all the yellow ones, then the orange ones, then the red, the green, the blue, light brown, then finally dark brown.

How could I not have notice this??

She laughed when I mentioned it & said she'd been waiting years for somebody to say something.

Huh.

I just open the bag, pour 'em on my ice cream & eat away. :-)

Keira Soleore said...

How do I eat 'em? One at a time till they're all gone. V.Anna, I don't have your patience or discipline.

Keira Soleore said...

V.Anna, I agree on the Cadbury's taste is much much finer than Heryshey's: creamier, less sweet, and more chocolatey. Plus the fruit and nut ones? To.Die.For. Every time I have fly through Heathrow, I snag some from the duty-free shops while charging from one nightmarish end of the terminal to the other nightmarish end.

Anna Sugden said...

I love anything in 100 calorie packs, Beth. Especially that microwave popcorn (though I then spoil it by putting my own butter on *g*).

I'm restrained too - one at a time. Still haven't tried those chocolate-covered sunflower seeds. Must do that. Are you bringing some to SF?

Anna Sugden said...

Yay for Susan's mum!! You obviously have great genes, Susan *g*

Anna Sugden said...

Keira!! How are you? I hate the airports there too - especially Heathrow (although it is way better than JFK!). Yep - those Duty Free shops are a big temptation. Last time they had a 3 for the price of 2 deal ... I bought!

Unknown said...

If it's an assorted candy bag, I usually pick thru my fave first then leave the rest. lol. If it's m & m's, I just eat whatever color I get.

feefiefofum said...

When I eat dolly mixtures I eat everything except for the pink layered sweets first. And then I try to get other people to eat the pink ones, because I really don't like them. :D