BS: The Point of Peeps

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Apr 18 - 09:20 AM

NO peeps... NO JubeJells... NO Twinkies(maybe one 50-60 years ago.

I get my sugar fix from good chocolate and p......

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Donuel
Date: 04 Apr 18 - 09:23 PM

I think they look like the spy vs spy characters without their pointy hats.

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Jos
Date: 03 Apr 18 - 02:57 AM

Rapparee, that's the first time I've heard of a rumour about tartrazine affecting male functions, but the "ADHD-like behaviour in children", if that is how it could be described, is not a rumour.
My experience is of a child/teenager being transformed into a (very unhappy and angry) creature yelling obscenities and throwing furniture, after eating something such as an orange ice-lolly. These episodes would be followed the next day by a more recognisable allergic reaction in the form of streaming eyes and runny nose.
There is often no obvious reason to use the food colouring. I found it in tinned butter beans - surely butter beans are supposed to be white. And why would it be necessary to colour mustard yellow?

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: beardedbruce
Date: 03 Apr 18 - 02:03 AM

Rap,

Cannibalized?

YOU have Peep in your family tree?

I had no idea.


8-{E

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: robomatic
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 11:13 PM

As to eating them crusty, some people I know just told me of a co-worker of theirs who was mad for peeps, but only when they'd been left in the open air enough to develop a shell-like crunchy epidermis. Then he'd chow down with delight, leaving little colored peeps dust all over his work area.

All the Easter candy is out on the "price reduced" rows at Fred Meyers. There are some chocolate peeps which look kinda okay, but- NO NO I CAN'T.

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 09:15 PM

I just cannibalized five of them.

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 07:23 PM

My research says peeps were first introduced in 1953. I don't remember them until they were in my Easter basket about ten years later. I seem to remember the original (well, in the early '60s) shape of the chick peeps being different from the ones produced today.

As a kid, I don't remember ever seeing them in the box. They were naked, so to speak, in my basket.

Not my favorite Easter candy, but a lot better than spice-flavored jelly beans or soft fake chocolate coated malted milk eggs. (Had to be the malted milk eggs with the inner layer of milk chocolate and an outer crisp candy layer.) I desperately miss the 1960s era whipped cream eggs from Quality Candy in Milwaukee.

I still pick up an occasional package of peeps after the holiday at 50% off. I poke holes in the cellophane and put them on the shelf for a couple weeks. They're best when they age to the right chewiness.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 12:14 PM

From Wikipedia:

The United States requires the presence of tartrazine to be declared on food and drug products (21 CFR 74.1705 (revised April 2013), 21 CFR 201.20) and also color batches to be preapproved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As part of these regulations, the FDA requires that the Precautions section of prescription drug labels include the warning statement, "This product contains FD+C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine) which may cause allergic-type reactions (including bronchial asthma) in certain susceptible persons. Although the overall incidence of FD+C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine) sensitivity in the general population is low, it is frequently seen in patients who also have aspirin hypersensitivity."
The FDA regularly seizes products if found to be containing undeclared tartrazine, declared but not FDA-tested, or labeled something other than FD&C yellow 5 or Yellow 5. Such products seized often include noodles.

In 2010, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) called for the FDA to ban Yellow 5.[30] The FDA reviewed the data, and did not ban it.

Alternative coloring agents

Organic foods typically use beta-Carotene or curcumin (from turmeric) as an additive when a yellow color is wanted and annatto (E160b) might be used for non organic foods. Other alternatives include chlorophyll (green), beet powder (red or pink), cocoa powder (brown), paprika (brown) and saffron (orange).

Myths

Rumors began circulating about tartrazine in the 1990s regarding a link to its consumption (specifically its use in Mountain Dew) and adverse effects on male potency, testicle and penis size, and sperm count. There are no documented cases supporting the claim tartrazine will shrink a penis or cause it to stop growing.
Although tartrazine is one of various food colors said to cause food intolerance and ADHD-like behavior in children, evidence for this claim is lacking. It is possible that certain food colorings may act as a trigger in those who are genetically predisposed, but the evidence is weak.

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 12:07 PM

I recall colored sugar-coated marshmallow animals from childhood Easter baskets, but we didn't call them "Peeps". It may have said "Peeps" on the package, but the name wasn't yet part of popular culture. That came much later, courtesy of intense marketing.

By the way, we were never allowed to eat Easter candies before Easter Day. I get the impression that people nowadays start shoveling cubic yards of Peeps into their mouths as soon as they go on sale for Easter. So much for delayed gratification.

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: beardedbruce
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 11:17 AM

Probably like the Red dye prohibited in food, but used for maraschino cherries for a while. After all, why mess with a good thing?


"FD&C Red Number 1 and 4, and FD&C Yellow Number 1 through 4 were removed from the approved list in 1960. The ban on Red Number 4 was lifted in 1965 to allow the coloring of maraschino cherries, which by then were considered mainly decorative and not a foodstuff. In 1975, William F. Randolph of the FDA ruled that if an "artificial bitter almond flavor or any synthetic flavor is used, the product must be labeled artificial or artificially flavored." The following year, the ban on Red #4 was reinstated.

As of 2010, modern American Maraschino cherries typically use FD&C Red 40 as a colorant."

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Jos
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 11:04 AM

I thought tartrazine (E102) was banned in the US. If it isn't. it should be. Even less than 0.5% can cause problems.

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: beardedbruce
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 10:44 AM

"What else is in Peeps other than sugar? Not much. The Peeps nutrition facts reads as follows: Sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, contains less than 0.5% of the following ingredients: yellow #5 (Tartrazine), potassium sorbate (a preservative), natural flavors, carnauba wax."

Also:
http://mentalfloss.com/article/56283/20-delicious-facts-about-peeps


Many of us prefer aged Peeps, which means opening the sealed container and letting them get crunchy ( stale, actually, but no effect on flavor).

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Iains
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 10:36 AM

We have had the cornflakes blamed for novichock, along with door handles, park benches..............
No doubt peeps will be next on the list.

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Jos
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 09:42 AM

I tried a Hershey bar once.
Just the once.

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: beardedbruce
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 09:15 AM

Re Peeps:

One can put them in a microwave oven, and when it is on they will GROW ( as will other marshmallow items.

They shrink back down as they cool, UNLESS they are place in a freezer- then they stay large.


The eyes are sometimes chocolate tears.


Peeps are basically sugar- but it is interesting to float them in hot chocolate. Mint Hershey's Kisses are a better addition to hot chocolate, though.

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 09:00 AM

A Sausage McMuffin is served on what over here we call "English Muffins" with cheese and a sausage patty (not link). It's not too bad for a quick morning bite if you have no other options. You can also get it with "egg", which is a precooked, preformed something. If I must eat eat these things I never get the egg.

What you don't know about Peeps....

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: keberoxu
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 08:37 AM

robomatic, you took every word out of my mouth;
I, too, survived without Peeps, and so did
the small town where I grew up.

I wonder if it was an urban thing, as opposed to the country?

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Jos
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 05:54 AM

I'd never heard of Peeps either. I wonder if the habit of eating sweet savoury food was taken to America by Dutch settlers. In the Netherlands I watched in a mixture of amazement and disgust as Dutch people sprinkled a thick layer of sugar over their savoury pancakes.
This sweet habit is often promoted by television chefs who finish/ruin savoury dishes with honey or a sweet sauce.I gave up on 'Nigella' when she said in one of her cookery programmes that she would excommunicate anyone who used green peppers rather than red ones - because, she said, red peppers are better because they are sweeter. I prefer green ones, which have a much more interesting flavour.

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Will Fly
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 04:25 AM

Hehn heh - bring on "Man versus Food" with Adam Richman, a programme that I find fascinating and disgusting at the same time.

My wife, who has travelled all over America with friends at various times, could never get over the gigantic portions of food served up in eating places. When they asked if they could share a portion between two, explaining that they just couldn't manage a whole one each, some places said OK and others not. So they ate what they could and saw the rest being thrown away.

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 04:17 AM

PMSL, Sen!

Absolutely the most vile thing I've ever eaten was a McDonalds Sausage McMuffin (I know, but I was doing a rush-shop for perfume to bring home for my wife, before getting my flight home, so time was of the essence!) in the Houston Galleria. It consisted of what they call 'sausage' - absolutely nothing whatsoever like the delicious Lincolnshire bangers I'm used to - in a blueberry muffin with sugar sprinkled on the top!

Heeeeeeeeeuuuuuwwweeeeeee!! :-)

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Senoufou
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 04:04 AM

Ooooooh Backwoodsman!!! I've fallen in love with you!!!!!
My rotten sister told me I should STOP drinking Shloer as it has far too high a sugar level and would make me diabetic. The absolute witch!

It's so dark here in the Norfolk sticks we've got all the lights on. No sign of snow as yet though...

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 03:41 AM

We-e-ell, strictly speaking, eating sugar doesn't cause Type-2 - that's a widely-believed fallacy. But eating an excess of sugar can cause weight-gain, which itself can be a contributory factor to the onset of T2.

I have T2, had it for the past eleven years, but it's the result of multiple attacks of pancreatitis, complications arising from it, and two lots of open-surgery to deal with those complications.

On my visits to the US (Houston TX, and it's surrounding area) I've been horrified by the amount of sugar and animal fat they consume over there.

Raining like hell here in the Lincolnshire Backwoods, with snow mixed in...

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Senoufou
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 03:19 AM

Didn't the comedian Harry Enfield have a Greek character called Stavros who used to say, "Hello Peeps!" ?

I should imagine those sweets would greatly increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Happy Easter to you too robomatic. Hope you don't have snow. It's pouring with rain here - grim.

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 02:43 AM

Never heard of them.

Subject: RE: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Apr 18 - 02:15 AM

Well, I'm not much of a conoisseur of sweets. I prefer salty snacks with my beer.

Marshmallows are....OK. But the outer texture of a marshmallow, leaves something to be desired. Peeps cover the outer skin with crunchy, coarse-grained, colored sugar. To me, the crunchy outer texture makes Peeps a better marshmallow.

But I'd prefer corn chips with guacamole. And my current favorite beer is double bock.

-Joe-

As for using "peeps" as Internet jargon to mean "people," I don't like that at all.

Subject: BS: The Point of Peeps
From: robomatic
Date: 01 Apr 18 - 10:57 PM

I don't remember
Peeps from my childhood. I'm not sure when I first became aware of Peeps. I have never opened a Peeps box, tasted or eaten of the Peeps.

I have a memory of a plot point of a ten-year-old or more episode of "Malcolm in the Middle." In it, the oldest of the four brothers, who is in military school makes a bet, kind of a copy from Paul Newman's egg gambit in "Cool Hand Luke". He bets that he can keep down a number of "Quacks" . And he does, but not long enough, and the thought of that episode has kept me clean from Peeps unto this day.

I understand that Peeps are made from marshmallow- mostly. From the view I get of the varicolored candy ducks I say they look entirely artificial, like they could give Twikies a run for their money in being left for archaelogists of the future who could ingest them safely, or at least as safely as we can right now.

Any good Peeps stories or traditions out there? Do they float? For long? Do they have interesting scientific properties?

And a Happy Easter to all!