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Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Peanut ChewsThese are a classic East Coast candy. Made for years by the Goldenberg candy company, they were purchased by Just Born in 2003, which has been gobbling up other Eastern small-maker candies. Just Born is best known for the Easter favorite, Marshmallow Peeps. I’ve always referred to these as Goldenbergs ... the one part of the old name that is not retained (I think the company is pushing the name “Chew-Ets") so now I have to call them just Peanut Chews. But the notable thing about them is that they break one of my rules of good candy. They’re fake. There’s no chocolate there. But what they lack in chocolate they make up for in flavor.
The original Chew-Et is a molasses-based chew embedded with peanuts and then covered in a wax that resembles dark chocolate. (Okay, it’s not wax, it’s just not real chocolate.) The interesting part of the chew is that it’s not a caramel. There’s no milk in the original bar at all, so it can’t be a caramel. It’s just a sugary syrup that’s been boiled down to soft-ball state. Maybe you could call it a “soft brittle”. They’re formed into fingers of candy that are placed in a tray and usually sold in a package of six or so, though I usually bought the King Sized ones. For a while I’ve been able to find them here in California at Rite Aid (probably because Rite Aid is based in Pennsylvania). The molasses and peanuts make a good combination of roasted, musky flavors. The dark chocolate stays out of the way and doesn’t really add anything to the party (except trans fats).
Having just said that the chocolate coating doesn’t much matter, it seems to make more of a difference in the milk version. Molasses is a dark flavor and seems to benefit from the dark, slightly bitter mockolate. While the milk chocolate coating is more successful at replicating the feel of real chocolate, it’s a little sweet, a little sticky feeling in the combo. I’m glad to see that the Chew-Ets will continue to exist, as they are rather unique. They’re small and easy to share and have a flavor combination not found in any other candy bar on the market in the states. Since it’s not real chocolate, they also seem to weather being in my bag better than chocolate candies, so they’re a better bet as a summer candy. I wish they were made with real chocolate, but I suppose I shouldn’t advocate messing around with such a good bar. Additional Reading: Check out Steve Almond’s Candy Freak which has a whole chapter devoted to his visit to the Goldenberg factory (while it was still Goldenberg’s) in Philadelphia. You can even read a couple of pages on Amazon if you like. Here’s something interesting I learned from the book, Goldenbergs were first developed as ration bar for the Army in WWI and after the war the GIs kept buying them. Edit: I found this in Mike’s Candy Wrappers, the original wrapper.
POSTED BY Cybele AT 1:53 pm 
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Meticulously photographed and documented reviews of candy from around the world. And the occasional other sweet adventures. Open your mouth, expand your mind.
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COPYRIGHT NOTICEAll content (text and photos unless otherwise credited) is copyright 2005-2008 by Cybele MayPlease do not use my photos on your own site without permission directly from me, they represent what I ate in preparation for these reviews and are not to be used for other purposes. Design by Hop StudiosPowered by ExpressionEngine
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VOTE IN THE POLLWhich do you prefer?
Total Votes: 419
Milk Chocolate 
41% (172)Dark Chocolate
26% (111)Really Dark Chocolate (70%+)
18% (76)White Chocolate
14% (57)Carob!
1% (3)
 
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WORTH IT 
TEMPTING 
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BENIGN 
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SUPERB
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TEMPTING 
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BENIGN 
UNAPPEALING 
APPALLING 
INEDIBLE 
I love Peanut Chews. It’s odd seeing them in the new packaging. Being from the East Coast, I know these quite well.
Oh my gosh, I love these things and I’m so happy that they are starting to be available on the West Coast. They ARE the perfect summer candy! And the “Dark Chocolate” ones are vegan!
When did they drop the Goldenberg? I just had them a few months ago in the old wrapper and no “chew-et” to be found. What the hell??
I’m not sure when they dropped Goldenberg ... how old was that package you ate Rachel?
not old, it was fresh and chewing. And I know just a year ago this month I went through a bad of the individually wrapped candies.
I found these in the vending machine in the basement where I work, and tried them a week or two ago. I liked the flavor of the “chew” part, very tasty.
To whom it may concern;
My heart has been broken. I am at a low point in my life. For the past year or two I have noticed that my favorite movie candy, Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews were unavailable at the movies. I have been eating these wonderful candies for years. It made the movie seem better. I would carefully ration out each wonderful chew slowly.
Now I find out that you are no more. Goodbye Goldenberg’s, goodbye Joe DiMaggio, goodbye Mickey Mantle. How can I go on?
I can’t even revert to Goobers or Baby Ruths, their formulas have been changed as well.
I suppose the next shock will be that there “ain’t no Santa Claus.”
How can you guys do this. No wonder the economy stinks! Do you realize how Un-American this action is? Next thing you know, some Japanese company will start to produce Goldenbergs and bring them into this country. With President Bush and Congress ceding control of our ports to the Arabs, those phoney Goldenbergs will have no problem getting past security. Enough is enough!! I WANT MY GOLDENBERG’S BACK NOW!!!
Joseph Schachner
I liked the original formula and package before the marketing people at the new company changed it. Change isn’t always bad but it is with food. I like what I like. They should have left it alone. Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews were unique. Now these new Chew-ets Peanut Chews are just brown, sweet and salty. Bring back the Goldenberg family to fix it!
Joseph - I loved buying the big box at the movie theater. I don’t know why someone would want smelly nachos instead.
Candyman - I know that the old formula must have been tweaked. I didn’t like the milk version much at all but the molasses chew is still alone on the market and I make do with that.
I do, as a West Coaster have to credit the new owners for delivering fresher candies to us out here. There have been many times where I’ve had freakishly stale candies out here from the Rite Aid where I used to pick them up. No problem with that any longer.
Yeah, I’m just sick about this. I like the darkness of the Goldenberg chews soooooo much better. It was a much thinner layer and the inside was hard to bite into. It almost had to warm up in your mouth before you could chew it. This seems to happen to all my favorite foods. Pudding Pops being another example.
I called the company, there comment was the dark chocolate is no longer available. The caramel was changed to make it softer. They did not think the harder center was a good idea!!! They are better if you put them in the frig to get cold. I have been eating these for 50 some years. I don’t see that they will change any time soon. Make do.
I’ve been out of the US, and just discovered the switch. I LOVED the old chews, and was horrified to see that the “Chew-ets” were supposed to be taking their place. I couldn’t bring myself to buy one, though it was the red package, not the light blue package… so, the dark chocolate ones are different from the good old Goldenbergs? Or are they close to the same? I’ll try one the next time I’m in the states… here’s hoping it will be close.
What a shame.
Anne, the dark original ones were changed also and are no longer close to Goldenberg’s original red and brown wrapped candies.
hi my name is john doren and i am a doctor. the place where i get my sweet candy treats is Candydirect.com that place is the greatest!!!
i have been looking for goldenberg peanut chews in supermarkets in my town for a long time. not just for me, my 74 year old mother loves them and i kept looking until today when i decided to look it up on the internet. it’s been changed!!!..say it isnt so!...why dont they stock it at stop & shop or price chopper supermarkets here??? i want to put a smile on her face again....me too!
May 2, 2008
I was so excited to find peanut chews here in the Dominican Republic. Who would think they would have them here in a third world country. I don’t know how long they will last, but I’m heading to the store tomorrow to buy the rest!
I went to college in Philadelphia 1980’s and my room mate was neighbors with Mr. Goldenberg. He had fond memories as a kid and the old man would always be distributing samples.
True fact: They were the only candy you could eat with beer.
i found the peanut chews of all places, at a 7-11 near norwich,ct. on my way back from mohegan sun casino. i bought 8 of them for my mother, but ended up eating two..oops..sorry mom!… i put a smile on her face again! They are by far, the best munchie i ever had!, i would buy a case of them if i had the extra cash just to keep her smiling!
Please, can you post a recipie for peanut chews that taste like the goldenberg brand? i can’t find one online anywhere!
MY HEAD MUST BE IN THE SAND… I JUST FOUND OUT THE ORIGINAL GOLDENBERG PEANUT CHEWS ARE NO LONGER… I AM HEART BROKEN… I CANNOT WATCH ANOTHER MOVIE WITHOUT A STASH OF ORIGIANL PEANUT CHEWS… FORGET THE FRAUDS.
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