Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Did You Know Tuesday - Conversation Hearts Candy


Do you remember conversation hearts candy?  I always loved this as a little girl.  I can still remember the sweet, slightly chalky taste, and the pretty pastel colors.  Each of these candy hearts has a short message, like "Be Mine" or "Kiss Me."

This candy was invented in 1847 by Oliver R. Chase.  These candy lozenges were originally unmarked.   Oliver Chase's brother, Daniel, began putting sayings on the candy hearts in 1866.  

Sweethearts, the most popular conversation hearts, are made by Necco (New England Confectionery Company).   More than 8 billion candy hearts are made by this company yearly.



In 2010, Sweethearts were modernized with mottos like "email me" and "tweet me."   They also went all natural.  However, the all natural candy didn't taste the same, and the company announced in 2011 that they were going back to the original recipe.

Sweethearts now come in many varieties, including Dazzled, En Espanol, Sugar Free, and Chocolate. 

Unfortunately, this candy isn't vegetarian (it contains gelatin), so I haven't had it in many years!   If anyone knows of another brand that is in fact vegetarian, I would love to hear from you.

Do you remember these cute conversation hearts from childhood?   What were your favorite sayings?