# Ancient American candy "Chewy Fruit": What was it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 31, 2004, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-american-candy-chewy-fruit-what-was-it/257687 "2004-07-31T02:07:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-american-candy-chewy-fruit-what-was-it/257687/1 "2004-07-31T02:07:05Z")
Here is a cover of singer Dave Mason’s [New Crest on an Old Wave](http://home.att.net/~fleetwood.mac/mason/disc/dm11.htm). It never occurred to me that the artwork was a part of pop culture before appearing on Mason’s album, but. . . A few weeks ago in one of the many well known restaurant chains with various artifacts and relics of Americana adorning the walls, I look up and see this painting. However, it’s not touting Mason’s album, but a candy called “Chewy Fruit.” The wording said, “I’m ready to fight for my Chew Fruit chocolate.” Then there was something about “Allen Confections,” which could have been a local manufacturer. Anyone familiar with these confectionary morsels? ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-american-candy-chewy-fruit-what-was-it/257687/2 "2004-07-31T11:18:06Z")
I remember eating a candy as a young child called “chewy fruit” but it wasn’t chocolate flavored. They were little squares of wax paper wrapped soft taffy. (Not toffee, AFAIK, those are 2 different things.) They weren’t as soft as “laffy taffy” nor as hard as “Now 'n Later”, soft, but not fluffy. Very fruity, slightly tangy, and not too sweet. I did try searching for it, but I couldn’t find the candy I remembered. I don’t know if they had fruit flavored taffys mixed with chocolate flavoring or not. That was one of my favorite candies as a kid. I think also there were little sugared jelly fruit slices sold as “chewy fruit” as well. Those were softer than a gumdrop, but looked similar. Am I remembering correctly? ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-american-candy-chewy-fruit-what-was-it/257687/3 "2004-07-31T11:22:33Z")
Ok, I am mistaken on toffee and taffy being different, it seems they are they same thing. A confection made by pulling a sugary mass to make it fluffy. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-american-candy-chewy-fruit-what-was-it/257687/4 "2004-07-31T11:25:20Z")
And of course I open another page that refutes the dictionary. In the interest of accuracy here are the links. [Explanations of taffy and toffee.](http://freespace.virgin.net/john.cletheroe/usa_can/lang/s.htm) [dictionary definition](http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Taffy) ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-american-candy-chewy-fruit-what-was-it/257687/5 "2025-04-28T20:28:56Z")
OK, I’m bumping my 20-year-old thread for an answer, so that I won’t forget it for future reference. I found this info on a site selling one of these antique pieces: The cover art was from an artist named [Adelaide Hiebel (1885-1965)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide_Hiebel). I can’t determine whether this was done specifically for the candy company, but she did a different painting with a toddler wearing boxing gloves, albeit at his side, with the title [“I Ain’t Bluffin!.”](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=i+ain%27t+bluffin&_sacat=0&_from=R40&rt=nc) And if anyone has any further info on “Allen Confections” feel free to contribute. Although I get the idea they made candy. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-american-candy-chewy-fruit-what-was-it/257687/6 "2025-04-28T20:36:31Z")
Can you post a new link to the album cover? The one from 2004 no longer works. Also, which part of the US is/was this? Confectionary is probably very regional in its reach. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-american-candy-chewy-fruit-what-was-it/257687/7 "2025-04-28T20:51:47Z")
[Wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Crest_on_a_New_Wave) Hard to read, but Allen Confections was apparently in Louisville KY. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-american-candy-chewy-fruit-what-was-it/257687/8 "2025-04-29T06:24:26Z")
I was going to say that I’m very familiar with Allen candy, but it’s actually Allan Candy that I was thinking of. (Apparently Allan Candy was purchased by Hershey’s a decade ago.) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-american-candy-chewy-fruit-what-was-it/257687/9 "2025-04-29T07:24:45Z")
The poster: [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/tdbySiP.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/tdbySiP) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-american-candy-chewy-fruit-what-was-it/257687/10 "2025-04-29T11:59:54Z")
> [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > They weren’t as soft as “laffy taffy” nor as hard as “Now 'n Later”, soft, but not fluffy. Very old post but Now 'n Later is a candy I haven’t seen in ages.