Customer Reviews

See's Famous Old Time Candies: A Sweet Story

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a charming little tome for those who know, love, and consume See's Candy. Growing up in 50s L.A., this book brings back many memories.

Alas, I was hoping for recipes,too! For those, do a Google. I found their fudge (basis for those famous Easter Eggs, I'm thinking) and lollipops, so far.

Roald Dahl called his famous story Charlie and the Chocolate Factory after having encountered the legend of of Charles A. See, and now veteran penswoman Margaret Moos Pick tells the whole incredible story from a woman's point of view, in a book lavishly illustrated with sepia (and cocoa) colored photographs from the company archives. No Oompa Loompas here, but you will find many unusual tidbits that will amuse you and titillate your senses.

Let Moos Pick take you into the secret factory itself, into the so-called "enrobing room" and right through the brain tank where Sees officials and chefs determine what the next flavor of candy shall be.

We've seen it all in WILLY WONKA, and to a lesser degree, remember when Dick Van Dyke drove up to the Scrumptious Candy Factory in CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG? Well, finally the inside guide to how you make candy and how you sell it, from a one room roadside stand in a lousy, Depression California, to a revolution in fine chocolate, offering everything from marzipan, mocha milk, creme de coconut, and champagne infusions that would have been illegal under Prohibition. Lucy and Ethel worked the assembly line in a Sees store, in one of the famous I LOVE LUCY episodes, find out more about it here.

Remember, reading uses up calories! But don't spoil your weight loss program by absently stuffing handfuls of Sees candy into your mouth as you flip the pages of this diverting little truffle of a story. Add a star if you're into candy or California labor history.

This book is very interesting and I enjoyed purchasing it. I found it first on a book stand at the airport where I work but they weren't selling it. Amazon had the book for sale by someone.

The seller was truthful and wonderful. She shipped it out and I got it within just a few days from California.

I wrote that letter back when they had decided to stop making Marshmints, I was REALLY upset, and decided to write.
Well, three months later I get a call from See's, asking if they could print my letter in the See Breeze, the company newsletter! It was printed for quite a while,too, as they were coming up with the Marshmint Club idea!
I was invited to the See's factory in Daly City (by San Francisco) where I met The owner of See's, and everyone else high up who made sure I knew I was very important.
I have Marshmint club #1 card (my sister has #2, she went with me:), got to tour the whoooooole factory, got to dip our own candy(haha, I was SO BAD at it, we got to eat our own 'things'), got taken out to lunch, had our pictures taken with the president (also run in the See Breeze), I was made to feel VERY special.
I was really happy, and still am!
now....go order some, AND BUY THE BOOK.

I like this author's credentials and perhaps what she has written about See's was once true of this company, but candy lovers should be aware that See's Candies labels say that the candies contain corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup, even though their website and catalog do not list ingredients. They seem to trade a great deal on their "old fashioned" image but neither their candy (at least in 2009) nor their customer service are "old fashioned", in the good sense, at all. When I returned candy to them because of the ingredients, unknown until receiving the packages, in spite of their satisfaction guaranteed guarantee, they have not issued a refund and have ignored my letters and e-mails. This book needs to be updated with a fuller description of a company that does not currently correspond to that "sweet, charming, old fashioned" image that they and this author seem to be cultivating.