A picture of the marquee under the Oliver's Candies sign has been making the rounds on Facebook. Is "Molly Pops" a mistake, people want to know.
It is not.
A molly pop, according to general manager Jeremy Liles, is a "peppermint molasses sucker covered with chocolate." And he adds, "Very good stuff!"
That's a nominee for understatement of the year.
I stopped by late today to get a picture and as I left, an Oliver's employee offered to let me take a sample sucker.
I took my first bite as I walked through the parking lot toward my truck. I immediately turned on my heel and headed back into the store. I bought a package of eight. Tonight, I shared one with Billie. She insisted that I share the rest.
"It's terribly delicious," she said.
Mmm-m-m! Molasses! My Dad
Mmm-m-m! Molasses!
My Dad bought a 200-acre farm the year I was born, and I can remember going out to the milking area, as a little boy, and craning my head 'til my mouth was directly under the spigot of the molasses barrel, then twisting the handle.
Mmm-m-m! Molasses!
You had to be mindful of what season it was, though. Summertime, it would POUR out in a fast stream. But, come wintertime, your neck would begin to hurt by the time you got a taste. Mmm-m-m! Molasses!
Hmphh!! Country kids. What did we know? Or care. We'd break off hunks of the salt blocks in the cow pasture and suck on them. Mmm-m-m! Salt!
Many a nights, my Dad would bring in a pail of fresh, warm milk (straight from the teat) and we'd sit with him (my Dad) and have warm milk & Graham crackers. Now, THAT can't be healthy, right?
Mmm-m-m! Teat! Uh-h-h! I mean, Mmm-m-m! Warm milk!
"Watch where 'yer stepping, folks! I think my plastic teeth fell out on the floor!"
Mmm-m-m! Molasses!!!