In Defense of Peeps

Peeps, those ubiquitous, puffy, yellow, marshmallow chicks that start appearing about six weeks before Easter: people either love them or hate them. Peeps, which have been around for more than 50 years, have achieved a kind of cult status. There are Peeps fan clubs, Peeps contests, and even Peeps museum exhibits.

What are Peeps?
Peeps are a marshmallow candy treat made of marshmallow, corn syrup, gelatin, and caranuba wax. Caranuba wax is made from palm leaves and is the ingredient that gives Peeps their glossy finish. Peeps have been an American Easter basket staple since the 1950s.

History of Peeps
Peeps were acquired in 1953 by Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based Just Born candy company when they purchased the Rodda Candy Company. Rodda made Peeps by hand using a pastry tube. Just Born automated the process and demand for the chicks grew exponentially. Today, Peeps are marketed in more than 35 countries. A Peeps retail store--for all things Peeps--opened just outside of Washington DC in 2009.

Fun Facts about Peeps
Just how much do you know about Peeps? Did you know that...

- Although yellow is the most popular color for Peeps, they are also available in pink, blue, orange, green and lavender.

- Fifty years ago, it took 27 hours to create one Peep; today, it takes just six minutes.

- There are Peeps bunnies as well as chicks.

- Peeps are not just for Easter; there are pumpkin Peeps for Halloween, star-shaped Peeps for summer and snowman-shaped Peeps for Christmas.

- Enough Peeps are produced each year to circle the earth twice. (Scary!)

- According to Just Born's own research, 17 percent of Peeps fans prefer their Peeps stale.

- Maryland hosts a "Peep-off" contest each year on the first Saturday after Easter. The person that consumes the most Peeps in 30 minutes wins.

Cooking and Decorating with Peeps
Peeps are not just for Easter Baskets. The Peeps website features recipes for such creations as Peeps chocolate mousse, Peeps Easter cake and even Peeps peach fizz.

If you'd rather look at Peeps than eat them, consider adding them to your Easter decorations. Hot glue them to an Easter wreath. String a dozen of them together with twine for a Peep garland. Set a trio of Peeps on a bed of grass for a spring centerpiece.

Other Articles by Sandy Mitchell
Wines to Drink with Easter Dinner
Pairing Ethnic Foods with Wine
Pairing Italian Food with Wine

Sources:
Peeps Web site
Fox News: The Power of Peeps