My love of candy started with a white chocolate Easter Bunny. Between that and the jelly beans I was hooked. But I couldn't indulge as I wished until I got my own income stream to spend as I chose. That changed with my paper route.

It was a wonderful thing, being master of my own finances. Too much of a good thing perhaps as evidenced by the fillings in my teeth. But the power was mine to buy whatever candy I wanted. There were all kinds of novelty treats (a bit different I think than those available in England): Pixie Stix, wax bottles, fireballs! Chocolate was my preference though and I had several favorite candy bars.

The Heath Bar stands out from the rest. It had been around long before I discovered it (the 1920's it seems). The hard toffee had a satisfying crunch, leaving bits stuck between my molars to the joy of my dentist.

The Cadbury Creme Egg was introduced closer to my chocolate bingeing days. I think it was available year round, but it seemed to be in stores only in the spring. A milk chocolate egg filled with a gooey white and yellow center: Genius! And delicious!

The Chunky! This may not have started the larger portions that bedevil the waistlines of Americans, but it certainly seemed a bigger delight that the other chocolate bars. I liked this one because I could break off a big piece (it came in four segments) and pretend I'd save the rest for later (I never did).

Milk chocolate was the rule for our simple palates in the States. I did long for something different. Black licorice was the best I could do. The lovely bite of molasses was a welcome change.

By the early 1980's the industry was making an unfortunate turn (in my opinion) 'gross-out' candy. There were the Sour Patch Kids (sour candy? ugh!), candy in little plastic trash cans, gummies in all sorts of despicable shapes. Perhaps it was me (a teenager by then) with a maturation of tastebuds, but I wanted nothing to do with that trend.