Saturday, January 15, 2022

Annabelle's

My school chums and I grew up going down to 'the dairy', a corner market situated on the grounds of an old dairy called Sun Valley, to buy candy just about everyday after class. We usually all had pocket change to spend on sweets. But if one of us didn't, then the rest of us would pitch in a few coins so that no one was left empty-handed. Most candy bars back then were 25 cents a pop and the vast selection of them were displayed on a rack that was at least as tall as us. The usual suspects for purchase were: Abba-Zaba, Rocky Road, Charleston Chew, Snickers, Mounds & Almond Joy, Big Hunk and, although not a bar, M&Ms. 

Abba-Zaba was my all-time favorite candy bar. The bar was white on the outside and sort of beige/nut-colored on the inside. The white bit was both hard and taffy-like and sugary-sweet and the beige bit was creamy and tasted of peanut. Abba-Zaba was a challenge to eat as the chewy part ALWAYS got stuck to your teeth and you would have to dislodge it with both your fingers and tongue before being able to swallow it. Annabelle's, the maker of Abba-Zaba (and Big Hunk and Rock Road), is a local candy factory located about 30 miles from where I grew up. When I think of, say, M&Ms and its global reach, I wonder how a little candy company like Annabelle's could even survive going up against the heavy hitters like Mars, Inc. and Nestlé. But survive they have & those of us who like sticky taffy candy that tastes of peanut are happy campers.


Annabelle's second locale since the 1960s.



21 comments:

  1. Very cool. We don't have Abba-Zaba bars in Canada.

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    1. Yeah, the name Abba-Zaba is pretty nifty, too. :)

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  2. Does is still exist? And if so, do you like it as much as you did?

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    1. I don't go out of my way to eat much candy these days, but have had an Abba-Zaba as an adult. It's even harder on the teeth now than it was then! :D

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  3. Here, Annabelle's was a famously exclusive London club. Princess Diana went there.

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  4. Never heard of most of those candies, aside from snickers and M & M's, but what a nice memory. We had some local candy makers in my growing up years also. They are also still around.
    Sandy's Space

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  5. Whatever sweets (candy) one liked in childhood, the first thing you notice these days is that it's now ony half the size. You have to eat two.

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  6. I know the candy flavor but not the name. I know it as a bit sized candy that did have to be pried lose.

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  7. I've never had one, but I do know what an Abba-Zaba is. I imagine Mars et al were once local companies. It's nice that Annabelle's is still around.

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    1. Yeah, it is nice that they're still around.

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  8. The only Annabel in my life led me a merry dance into all sorts of mischief, rather like yours did in the dental department!

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  9. To my recollection, I have never had or seen an Abba-Zaba before. I have seen Big Hunks. Glad that the Annabelle's of the world are still around.

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  10. Making blog rounds, so waving hi. Hope you have a good weekend.
    Sandy's Space

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  11. Me, time to make blog rounds again and hoping you're doing well.
    Sandy's Space

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  12. Glad your candy company survived so must be good sweets but I'm not familiar with them. Candy bars when I was young were a nickel. I remember years later when they went to a dime. As the years went by the increased in price to the quarter you experienced. Along the way in later years, I noticed they started decreasing in size, too, even though the price was going up.

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  13. Dear Bea, we don't have Abba-Zaba here in the mid-west. I'd never heard of it until your posting and I must say that I'd like to taste it because I like carmall and peanut butter. Like you, given the candy "giants" we've all heard about, I'm amazed that Annabelle's has lasted. There must be many, many faithful candy-eaters there in your area. Peace.

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    1. Haha. Yes, there must be very many faithful candy-eaters all around these parts. xx

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