So, I'm in this five-and-dime in Atlantic, Iowa, waiting to pay for a handful of plastic animals, when I see this thing on the candy rack. Chase's Cherry Mash. I've never seen this before. What is it? It's got milk shake and sundae recipes on the back. I've got to get a couple. Purely for scientific research purposes.
The science was so interesting I had to buy a couple more. This time from the Ben Franklin in Winterset, Iowa. I got ripped off in Atlantic! They were charging 89 cents. That Ben sure knows how to save a penny.
Chase's Cherry Mash has been made by the Chase Candy Company in St. Joseph, Missouri since 1918. It has a cherry goo center surrounded by peanuts and chocolate. The original Cherry Mash mound was four ounces. Today's weighs 2.05 ounces, which is a lot of Chase's Cherry Mash to be eating in one sitting. Chase claims that the Cherry Mash was then, and is now, the best-selling cherry candy bar in the country. Who am I to argue? Maybe the Palmer Candy Co. of Sioux City, Iowa, makers of Twin Bing (which I also found and bought at Ben Franklin but have not yet performed scientific research upon), a "nutty chocolaty cherry treat" would disagree.
The Cherry Mash website led me to Steve Almond's Wall St. Journal excellent article about regional candy makers, including those mentioned above.
In a weird coincidence, I was a couple of days ahead of Kevin Strassner, K-Strass, yo-yo trickster extraordinaire as he visited a couple of Missouri TV stations late last week. The videos, from earlier appearances in Wisconsin, are pure comedy genius.
Chase Cherry Mash has beena favorite of mine since I was a child. Twin Bings came out later but do not hold a candle to the flavor of the Cherry Mash.
Posted by: Brenda | 12 May 2010 at 12:47 PM
Cherry Mash on Cherry Garcia Ice Cream.....diabetic overload
Posted by: Paul Van Hoosier | 12 May 2010 at 09:34 PM
As soon as my system recovers from last night's Cherry Mash I shall give the Twin Bing a try. My arteries tell me to skip mixing either with Cherry Garcia.
Posted by: Joe | 12 May 2010 at 10:19 PM
ahhhh a cherry mash. LOVE THOSE THINGS. i've been eating them since i was little(almost 50 years+)and i have a ben franklin up the street. i eat the outside first, saving the cherry middle for last. YUM.
Posted by: kate petersen | 12 May 2010 at 11:52 PM
I love the name Cherry mash. And the yo-yo guy is so sad it's so funny. OMG how did he get on all those tv programs???
Posted by: judy | 14 May 2010 at 01:36 AM
These look delicious.
Posted by: Dane | 14 May 2010 at 09:13 PM
From the two I've eaten I'd recommend just eating half at a time. Eating a whole candy was just not enjoyable by the time I finished.
Posted by: Joe | 14 May 2010 at 09:37 PM