2008 Woodie Awards
A 'Tale' of Two Baltimore Candies
Kathleen Knust
Issue date: 10/4/06 Section: Distractions
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I bit into a Baltimore tidbit today—a Cow Tale. I was not looking forward to it because I do not usually crave candy. I would rather nibble on savory cheeses, or sip a fine wine. For the sake of being open-minded, I tried the candy. Cow Tales are 8-inch long pencil-thin pieces of caramel. The caramel was soft and had a good, chewy texture. However the white, creamy center of the candy was a little too sweet for me. The soft, almost subtle caramel mixes with the cool bite of white frosting, making each taste a little different. Goetze’s Candy Company, producer of the Cow Tale, has been manufacturing confections in Baltimore since 1895, when it was originally called the Baltimore Chewing Gum Company. In the early 1940s, August Goetze (pronounced “gets”) decided to produce only one type of candy, which was the Caramel Cream, or Bulls-Eye, as some know them because of their appearance. In 1992, the company developed a new candy based on a suggestion from a Goetze family friend. The Caramel Cream changed from a thick, quarter-sized candy into a soft cylinder of caramel enclosing a white creamy inner tube. According to their website, the suggestion was to “stretch” the Caramel Cream and call it a Cow Tale—”the candy was intended to be fun and exciting to eat. It is with that thought that the spelling of Cow Tales was determined.” The company is still located in the same building on East Monument Street that housed the original manufacturing plant in 1928. The 5th generation of the Goetze family now runs the business and manufactures both the Caramel Creams and the Cow Tales. Despite the fact that the candies are native to Baltimore, many University of Baltimore students have not tried a Tale or chomped on a Cream. Laurie Seibel, English major, had her first Goetze candy experience on campus. “It’s an odd texture,” said Seibel after a careful chewing. “I like it.” Jessica Spartana, law student, nodded her head in agreement with Seibel as she bit one. “It’s good. It’s not overly sweet,” she said. Lola Soyoye and Edobor Osian, both undergraduate accounting majors, had never heard of the candies. “It’s actually good,” Soyoye said as she took a second bite of a Caramel Cream. Osian tried both candies. “That’s sweeter,” Osian said of the Caramel Cream. “The Tale is softer [and] sticks to the teeth.” Megan Dolan, undergraduate business management major, said she had tasted the Caramel Creams before and did not want to taste them again. “I don’t like these either,” she said after trying a Cow Tale. “I’m a chocolate person. They are vanilla. ” The center filling received another negative reaction from Narmeen Samad, undergraduate business major. “I like the caramel outside,” said Samad. “I don’t like the middle. ” A few people’s eyes lit up when I mentioned the candy. “I love Cow Tales! I had no idea they were Baltimore based!” said Mariela Gómez, publications design student. “I absolutely love these,” Gómez said as she tried a Caramel Cream. “They are my favorites. My mom used to buy them for us; now I buy them for my nieces.” Cow Tales come in the original vanilla flavor as well as chocolate and strawberricream. Caramel Creams are made in the original flavor as well as chocolate, strawberry, caramel apple, strawberricream and chocolate caramel. Cow Tales and Caramel Creams are available in grocery stores, drug stores, convenience stores and wholesale clubs. A bag of Caramel Creams is usually under $2, and Cow Tales can be purchased individually for $.79 ($.39 for the mini Cow Tales). kathleen.knust@ubalt.edu  web – www.goetzecandy.com RECIPES: Source: Goetze candy company website listed above. |
