They’re back! And by popular demand, we might add. After a brief hiatus, it’s true: Old-Fashioned Candy Sticks have landed back on the shelves of your local Mast General Store.
Old-Fashioned Candy Sticks aren’t just a favorite classic candy of many Mast Store guests, but they’re also staples that have been around for decades.
“We know our guests love them, so we’re thrilled to offer them again,” Mast Lead Candy Buyer Kendra Sink said of Old-Fashioned Candy Sticks’ return.
“What’s even better is that they’re a treat shared by generations at Mast, and nothing makes us happier than to see a parent or grandparent sharing a box of candy sticks with the youngest members of their family,” Kendra added.
Like all beloved things in life, they come with stories!
Kendra recounted an often-told tale from Mast’s Candy Processing Center Manager, Doug Porterfield, who was once stopped by a picnicking family as he was leaving the Mast Store Annex. The family was passing around a box of Peppermint Candy Sticks as their dessert and offered one to him. Although Doug had sampled his fair share of candy sticks during his time at the candy center, he politely accepted the family’s generous offer to a total stranger. According to Doug, what he found more amusing than the irony was one family member’s enthusiasm as he exclaimed, “These are THE reason I drive up the mountain to visit Mast!”
Doug and plenty of others would find that level of enjoyment hard to deny when it comes to Mast Store Provisioners Old-Fashioned Candy Sticks. In addition to Peppermint, these treats also come in Vanilla, Cinnamon, Clove, and, for those who can’t bear choosing only one variety, Assorted Flavors. While this is the selection being re-introduced to Mast, it’s wise to be on the lookout for new, incoming flavors as the current rotation is expected to fly off our shelves.
Also currently available is Red Band’s Horehound Stick Candy. True candy aficionados may be familiar with this old-school variety, but, for the uninitiated, horehound is a member of the mint family known for its extremely bitter taste. In candy preparation, horehound leaves are dried and boiled, producing an herbal tea brew, which is then cooled and sweetened with sugar. Known for its medicinal properties, and sometimes still associated with cough drops, horehound has been cultivated since the days of Ancient Egypt and Rome, but it was first popularized and widely produced as a candy in the United States in the early 20th century. Though polarizing, many classic candy purists crave its earthy, bittersweet, root beer-like flavor and have fond memories of it as a treat Grandma likely offered you from her purse.
What’s the Secret?
Stories passed down through generations and memories of sweets that grandparents shared with you. Sure, Old-Fashioned Candy Sticks are sentimental favorites, but their popularity couldn’t just “stick” around all these years if they didn’t taste good! What goes into them besides love and nostalgia? Let’s pull back the candy-striped curtain and peek…
Red Band and Mast Store Provisioners Old-Fashioned Candy Sticks are made the traditional way in a copper kettle. A mixture is formed using pure sugar, then poured straight from the kettle onto a temperature-controlled slab. Even the candy processing room’s humidity is controlled so that the final product avoids getting – no pun intended – sticky. Maintaining time-honored methods and quality controls ensure consistently delicious candy sticks.
Red Band and Mast Store’s Old-Fashioned Candy Sticks are also guaranteed fresh because they’re made in our home region. A trusted, family-owned business, just like Mast, produces each batch with attention, pride, and expertise just as it’s done for generations spanning more than 100 years.
Ready for Your Restock or First Try?
Clearly, candy sticks have brought joy to guests of the Mast Store and beyond for well over a century. Particularly in the mountains surrounding Mast, candy sticks were a luxury that often appeared around holidays while few other sweets were readily accessible.
Embodying the character of the region, they were likewise practical. Resistant to spoiling or melting, candy sticks were a treat Appalachian coal miners could enjoy during a break. They could also provide a sweet, refreshing, ready-made dessert for families when fresh ingredients for baking were scant.
Candy sticks originated in Europe centuries ago as confectioners experimented with boiling sugar and cooling it into hard sweets, although most people today picture a candy cane when they think of stick candy. Unlike hard, traditional candy canes, however, the candy sticks you’ll find at Mast are hard with a delicately crunchy bite similar to a “soft” after-dinner mint.
The best way, of course, to describe the texture and taste of an Old-Fashioned Candy Stick is to try one for yourself! Whether you’re replenishing your supply or sampling one for the first time, you’ll be entering a tradition of pure, simple delight with each bite. Find your favorite flavors at Mast Store, try “new” old-fashioned ones (Yes, even, horehound!), and, most of all, be sure to pass the box amongst family, friends, and new folks you happen to meet. Inside, sweet memories are waiting to be made.