Strangely enough, seasonal candy is one of my biggest weaknesses. I love candy corn for Halloween, mini candy canes at Christmas, even Peeps (especially if they’re stale) for Easter. But most of all, I like candy hearts or “conversation hearts” for Valentine’s Day.
Right now, I’m eating my fifth handful of the day, and although my tongue is starting to feel grainy and raw, I can’t stop. I’m particularly enjoying this bag -- Brach’s large conversation candy hearts -- because it has the classic sayings like “Honey pie” and “Guess who?” mixed in with the newer ones like “E-mail me” and “Whatever.”
I read that this year, Necco, another maker of candy hearts, included a bunch of nature-inspired sayings like “Chill out” and “In a fog” because of America’s focus on “saving” the environment. In the early ‘90s, an ex-sweetheart gave me a bag of X-rated candy hearts, clearly made by people whose first language wasn’t English. I remember a little pink one stamped with, “Lick hims.”
Six or seven years ago, I was at an art opening at Adambomb Gallerie -- when it was still in Walker’s Point -- and I saw a painting that I will never forget. It was a very realistic painting of a tiny candy heart by a local artist -- I think it was Amy O’Neill -- and if you got close enough, you could read the saying on the heart, “F--- you.” It was one of the few times I felt like I had to own a piece of art, but it was already sold. ("No way" says the candy heart.)
At this point, I’m just thinking about making Milwaukee candy hearts, and if I did, what they would say. Sentiments like “Go Pack” and “Beer here” are probably unavoidable, but I would like to see “The Fonz” (sorry, Mike Brenner), “Kiss my brat,” “Add it up,” “Cream puff,” “Snake button” and “Shag.”
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
