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Saturday, January 16, 2010

Licorice Factory Aroma


The president of the company, ironically named Smylie, looked ill-suited for such a cheerful vocation.

 
Does anyone remember the "I Love Lucy" episode about wrapping candy?


Every so often we would stop playing, because the most delicious aroma swept over us. No one could ignore it.

"Licorice Factory!"

We drew in as much of that smell as we could. It was not just a licorice aroma, but a combination of candy flavorings, vanilla, and licorice.

The wind had to be just right in my neighborhood, to get the aroma, so playing stopped when we had a chance to enjoy it. The only thing comparable since has been a breeze across a field of clover. Two children said, "Bubble gum!" and I remembered the licorice factory.

I do not remember anything like tours of the licorice factory, or a cheerful and bright retail store. With a grim president like Smylie, they were probably not allowed.


4 comments:

  1. When I would go to the dentist in the 5th Ave building downtown Moline, the man who ran the elevator would always give me a little bag of licorice that his wife had brought home from the factory where she worked. Can you imagine letting your grandchild eat candy out of a bag from a guy in a elevator today!!!! Simpler times.

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  2. I cannot imagine that today. A man giving candy away would be arrested at once. Were you going to Dr. Paschall's office? I believe that is where he was. He was our dentist. Every time I went to a dentist afterward, in various locations, the new dentist would say, "Where did you get those fillings? They are perfect!" He gave a treat each time, but it never had sugar in it.

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  3. Yes it was Dr. Paschall. I worked for him later on for several years. What a nice family!! Besides being a GREAT dentist, he was great to work for too. Everyone loved Dr. Paschall :)

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  4. My grandma worked there while I was growing up. Brought us home many samples of fresh licorice. I remember the chunks of soft strawberry that hadn't been twisted or dried. Such a treat. In my memory box I still have a box of nibs and a licorice pipe. My grandfather also built me a child sized kitchen cupboard (about 3 ft tall) made from a few maple licorice drying boards that were being thrown away. Such treasures from the past.

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