The origin of mint candy is a bit of a mystery, though mints have long-since been used to relieve digestive discomfort and to promote fresh breath. Of course, one thing most people can agree on is that mint candies are pretty darn delicious. There’s nothing quite like seeing a bowl filled with hard peppermints as you leave an eatery or receiving a restaurant check with a few chocolate mint candies. They truly are the perfect way to end any meal and to put a little pep (pun intended) in your step. Let’s take a closer look at four of our favorite mint candy selections that you can find in our online candy store.
Andes Mints
Andes Chocolate Mints can be traced back to 1950, when these distinctive, foil-wrapped candies first appeared. The original owner, Andrew Kanelos, switched the name of his shop from Andy’s to Andes when he realized that male customers didn’t relish the thought of giving candy bearing another man’s name to their wives and girlfriends. Now, the candy is associated with the iconic mountain range pictured as part of their logo — and the delectable mint flavor sandwiched between layers of chocolate. Interestingly, the type of Andes mints given out to Olive Garden customers is a custom flavor manufactured especially for the restaurant chain. But there are several other flavors available to the average consumer, including the similar mint parfait version.
York Peppermint Patties
The York Peppermint Pattie, with its firm minty center covered in a layer of dark chocolate, first debuted in the 1940s in York (where else?), Pennsylvania. The original maker actually produced ice cream cones for the first 20 years of business, but the pattie changed everything. There were other chocolate-covered peppermints on the market when this candy premiered, but this one has certainly withstood the test of time — and the “snap test,” which required the candies to break cleanly down the middle to be considered worthy of being sold. Now, consumers still yearn to “get the sensation” with this one perfect pattie.
Butter Mints
Also known as pillow mints or after-dinner mints, these pastel candies date back to the late 1800s. They’re known for their melt-in-your-mouth texture (and they really do contain butter, in many cases!). In general, they’re a softer and sweeter mint candy that first appeared for sale at a department store counter. They’re often passed out as wedding favors and can frequently be found at fancy dinner parties or celebratory events. They may not be as powerful as the average round peppermint candy, but they certainly are a treat.
Junior Mints
Americans ages 18 and above consume 65% of the candy produced every year — and we can bet that if you like to snack on something sweet at the movies, you might have gotten a box of these. Introduced in 1949, their name is actually a spin on Junior Miss, a popular collection of stories that was later turned into a successful Broadway play, film, and radio series. The candies were sold at movie theater concession stands, which was a clever bit of marketing that allowed the maker to avoid any legal troubles. Now, over 15 million Junior Mints are produced every day and continue to delight film buffs (and Seinfeld fans) all across the country.
As you can see, the widespread of appeal of mint candy has cemented the success of these treats for several decades — and that isn’t likely to change any time soon. So if you’re looking for an absolutely refreshing way to top off the perfect meal or are simply craving a delectable dessert, you and these candies will be a pair that’s “mint” to be.
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