"just born" news and stories

Everyone knows that on New Year's Eve, New York City drops a glittery ball over Times Square. However, there are a number of other cities around the country that also drop objects as a way to welcome the new year and, in Pennsylvania, they all seem to be food related.

In Bethlehem, a specially rigged crane lowers an enormous, illuminated Peep (Just Born, the company that makes the marshmallow confections, is located in Bethlehem) at midnight. In Lebanon, PA, the local fire department lowers a 7 and a half foot long bologna (but what do they do with it afterwards?). Pottsville raises a giant bottle of Yuengling (pronounced Ying-Ling), the city of Hershey lowers a huge, foil-wrapped Kiss and Elizabethtown drops a oversized M&M.

It certainly makes Philly's fireworks and day-long Mummer's Parade pale in comparison! Next year, I think we should drop a gargantuan cheesesteak.

[via CBS3]

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Yes, you read that title correctly. In case you were blissfully unaware like I was, Just Born, the makers of Marshmallow Peeps, hold a 'Celebrity Survey' every year. Apparently they conduct this survey "to keep up with today's trends and cultures." Maybe it's just me, but I can't recall ever seeing anything other than various shapes and colors of Peeps emerging from their factories depending on the season. If their products have ever actually reflected trends and cultures, it is news to me.

Now don't get me wrong, I love the little marshmallow treats as much as the next person - but there are limits. Though I'm fairly certain this one can simply be filed under "for those that have way too much time on their hands," in the spirit of Easter (or maybe just because it is Friday) I'll let you in on the results after the jump. I apologize in advance.

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Just Born is always expanding their Peeps lineup, as the sugar-coated marshmallows are one of their most popular products. Instead of only offering yellow chick Peeps at Easter, they have chicks, bunnies and egg shapes in a variety of colors and flavors. And for other holidays, they have themed Peeps, with hearts on Valentine's Day and trees at Christmas.

At Halloween, Just Born introduced cocoa-flavored black cat Peeps, which I passed on because I was somewhat put off by the color. I am a huge fan of Peeps, but I like my Peeps in the spring. While shopping this week, however, I came across Cocoa Bunny Peeps and, as they were Eastery-enough to meet my standards, I picked up a package for a taste test.

The important thing to note about these candies is that they are not chocolate marshmallows, despite the promising light chocolate color. They are merely cocoa-flavored and that flavoring is entirely limited to the sugary coating on the outside of the bunny. The subtle chocolate flavor didn't really do anything to enhance the Peep and, although I would eat them again, if I really want chocolate with my Peeps, I'll stick with Milk Chocolate Peep Eggs - or better yet, a dark chocolate Peeps s'more using a regular Peep.

For a closer look at the cocoa bunnies, click past the jump. *warning - the photo after the jump is graphic, and may not be suitable for all viewers*

Thanks to The Capital Times, I now know the difference between sprinkles and jimmies. The difference is there is no difference. Both are the little bits of candy-coated chocolate that liven up your ice cream. The real distinction seems to be one of place. As a New Yorker I call them sprinkles. Folks in Philadelphia, Boston, Michigan and Wisconsin call them jimmies.

But where does the word jimmies itself come from? As with many food origins, there's a fanciful story. In the 1930s the Just Born candy company manufactured sprinkles. Seems a guy named Jimmy ran the the company's sprinkle-making machine and the name stuck.

The article also goes on to detail how sprinkles are made as well as foreign variations. It even suggests some really novel uses for sprinkles. All I can say is cream cheese and rainbow sprinkles on a bagel is one combination this New Yorker isn't trying. And nobody's gonna fool me by calling them jimmies either.

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I love Peeps. Not the creepy new ones that Just Born is releasing at every conceivable holiday, though. In fact, the black Halloween ones are just downright wrong, as are the filled marshmallows. But the marshmallow yellow chicks and purple bunnies are simply perfect. They're sweet and sugary, light and fluffy. They're made out of sugar, corn syrup and gelatin, in much the same way as homemade marshmallows. I always buy them around Easter and in the grand scheme of Easter confections, the low-cal, no-fat Peeps are not a bad option, with only 32 calories per peep.