
Twinkies, like Devil Dogs, Ring Dings, Sno-Balls, Yodels, and Funny Bones, were never to be found on our pantry shelves in my childhood home. I had a mom who baked, and I mean baked, as in there was always something homemade for dessert. This, even though my father did not eat sweets (as kids, we were fascinated by that: “Dad, you sure you don’t want some gingerbread?”). In my mind, Dad exerted tremendous willpower. In fact, he probably preferred a cigarette and a can of Narragansett beer after dinner.
At school, I’d occasionally try to pawn off my waxed-paper-wrapped bundle containing one brownie, or two chocolate chip cookies, for one of the treasures that lay wrapped in shiny cellophane. Sometimes my made-from-scratch sweet warranted only one Twinkie, leaving its mate for the clever owner, who ended up with a Twinkie and a brownie. Hey, I had to try it, especially if it was deemed unworthy by my mother.
Now, in 2012, with Hostess shutting down operations and ridding itself of its 18,500 workers, social media and online news stories are buzzing today about the end of the Twinkie. Oh, fear not, you junk-food junkies. You’ll have your Twinkies. Hostess Brands will sell off its assets, and stands to make a ton of money. The Twinkie recipe will be picked up by some other company. The laid-off workers? Not as much to be thankful for this year.
Grew up on them, but haven’t had a twinkie in years.
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I may have eaten three in my lifetime 🙂
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No Twinkies?!?! I had no idea you had been so deprived. My mother baked too, to be honest. But I discovered Twinkies a few years ago – deep fried, gourmet style at LaMoia restaurant. (Much different than the deep fried carnival ones, I’m told.) Heaven. When LaMoia closed (fire) I had to learn to make them. They will be missed. Until they come back 😉 I got the last of the two packs at Stop and Shop today and a pack of Snow Balls – which I don’t really like but I always loved peeling the “frosting” off them!
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It would be interesting to make them, wothout all the chemicals! Eileen, your mother made Irish soda bread with her hands, for cryin’ out loud!!
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And I still make those very same loaves, with the cross on top, with my hands! And I can do it on a cast iron grill over turf. I am all set in a post apocalypse society!
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