Sweets of yesteryear, a favorite childhood memory. Taking a walk down memory lane, reliving those first bursts of Lemon Heads and Licorice in movie theaters (driving, of course!) Where did it all come from? Many places. Here are some fun facts about those delicious baking inventions we just can’t live without:

In 1847, a young English immigrant, Oliver Chase, invented the first American candy machine, a pill cutter. This is the pioneering movement of the NECCO family.

In 1868, Richard Cadbury presented the first box of Valentine’s Day chocolates.

In the 1880s, the Wunderle Candy Company created sweet corn.

In 1903 Milton Hershey built a chocolate factory and a town for his workers near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Known today as Hershey, Pennsylvania.

In 1911, Frank and Ethel Mars build a candy company in Tacoma, Washington. Later it became Mars, Inc.

In 1930 the famous Bazooka Bubble Gum was introduced, and later, in 1953, the infamous Bazooka Joe.

In 1966, The Campbell Soup Company purchased Godiva Chocolatier, Inc. of Belgium. There is nothing better than Belgian chocolates! I’ll take that back. I have discovered that Finnish chocolates are the bomb!

In 2007, the Retro-Candy company introduced the 2-pound packet of nostalgic candy. What goodies!

These are just a few of the favorites that have lasted for decades (well, some of them are working centuries!)

It’s a shame so many clever sweets have been left by the wayside. Mary Janes, Paratroopers, Black Cow, to name just a few.

They say smells bring back memories. And the tastes? Didn’t you fall in love with Junior Mints, fell in love with the bitter taste of Sweet Tarts, and quickly bit into the center of Blo-Pops and Tootsie Pops?

One of my favorite memories? Zots. Do you remember those? You put them in your mouth, NEVER suck them. These you had to bite. AND WOW! The middle was filled with the most bitter tasting lemon you could wish for! It was like directly biting into a lemon! As soon as you bite into them, it will bubble. Oh man! I think the fastest I ran was when I introduced my dad to the wonderful world of these fizzy Zots! That is something you can only do once. Fortunately, he was a good athlete, since I live to share with you a sweet, and yes, sometimes bitter, walk through our past.