 “Nooo! Not my beloved Twinkies!” Upon recent news of Hostess Brands filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the internet rose up with a collective wailing and gnashing of teeth. That’s to be expected, but honestly, how many of the bereft can recall the last time they actually sank said dentition into a store-bought, cream-filled snack cake? I can. It was 2008, and my colleague Rachel and I were photographing cross-sections of Twinkies, Devil Dogs, Tastykakes, Ring Dings and other classic commercially-baked goods for a feature. We knew we’d have no problem pawning off the still-wrapped extras to the hungry hordes who’d been eyeing our work all afternoon, but it seemed like a transgression against our childhoods just to toss the others into the trash uneaten. There was a point during my high school career where the spongy, coconut-swaddled cake seemed a viable substitute for lunch, dinner, or a romantic or social life of any kind. Paired with a Hawaiian Punch from the vending machine under the bleachers, it was the ne plus ultra of sugar-cranked teenage cuisine, and I’m fairly certain that if I’d had it tested at the time, my blood type would have registered as Red #40. But I grew up and away from home and developed other culinary quirks like “occasionally eating vegetables” and “being too broke to afford food that isn’t ramen noodles” and “wanting to live through my twenties.” The upshot was that a goodly amount of time passed between my last Zinger binge and that moment in 2008 when all the snack cakes in all the land were laid out before me. In the nearly two decades I’d spent Zinger-free, the memory of their sweet, creamy appeal doubled, quadrupled, octupled in intensity. So far as I could recall, the moist crisp of coconut, light tang of highly-processed raspberry jam and plush sponge bonded at an atomic level to form a mutant molecule of irresistible deliciousness. Even if the old urges once again overtook me, I had to know. I had to try - for science. So with eyes screwed shut and head tilted back, my trembling hand bore the familiar confection toward my mouth. I opened wide, sunk in my teeth and...it was fine. Just fine. The initial shock of sweetness was pleasant for a second, but quickly faded and I wasn’t compelled to finish even the half in my hand. Same with the Twinkie. Into the garbage they went. I found myself relieved and dismayed in equal measure. The former, because an 18-year-old body can bounce back from the ravages of fat and sugar-smacked snacks much more easily than one twice its age, and the latter because it aches a bit to see that something you once loved has lost its luster. In the same way that digging up current pictures of your high school crush on Facebook or seeing your former teen idols cast as parents on sitcoms casts a slight pall on the glow of youth's remembered pleasures, so does the spoiling of a food you'd once loved. So if you're feeling tempted, in light of the current market conditions, to sample a golden, creamy snack cake for the first time since childhood - perhaps reconsider. Hold on to that sweet memory, find a new food to love, and just let Twinkie the Kid ride off into the sunset. More on the Twinkies crisis |
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Twinkies were to nourish (sort of) the surviving humans holding out after the nuclear apocalypse. General Petraeus was to lead the human resistance against the machines. Clever Skynet.
Briliant post!
How sad. Imagine generations growing up, missing their Wonder years.
OH NO!! What will they serve at the carnival fry zone now?? Only the fried Oreos? Now the terrorists have really won!
So sad. All because some Union decided to having a staring contest and they lost. Now, 18,000 people will be without work because of it. Sometimes you have to compromise.
What are the stoned folks going to munch on now?
Nothn' but cracker jacks.
I have never eaten a twinkie per se........once on an adolescent dare, I uh, um.....rectally inserted one into....well, um....my....
The company makes junk food. It was only a question of time given the national mood toward improving public health. I hate to see anyone lose a job, but most people don't feed this stuff to their kids anymore.
Actually, it's the King Dons I'll miss. Twinkies can go on into the trash heap of history.
First tighty righties lost the election, now this! This just isn't their month. Hopefully the mayonnaise companies don't go bust!
Never had one. Never seen anyone eat one. I have a kid and she does not like Twinkies. None of her friends aside one (she says) ever eats them. So... we'll survive without twinkies. They must be some 50ies relic...
You need to try the deep fried twinkies on Freemont street in las vegas!
Landy Linda – a brand I discovered here in NYC makes approximately the same products, but they are actually really good. Their chocolate cupcakes (which look just like the hostess cupcake) is really delicious ... soft, moist, the cream filling is nice. I give one to out-of-town visitors for fun when they visit and theyoften end up asking me to send them more.
Thank you you selfish greedy union b*stards! Sad thing is, with all that your beloved prez is screwing up, we hear about the twinkies! I hope that those sorry union jerks have fun looking for a job in this economy. Good luck finding one that pays half of what you WOULD have received if you greedy jerks worked WITH the company instead of FOR your own greedy interests. HAHAHAHA......a-holes.
are they lowering the wage at your job after having workered there for years?
And that comment is EXACTLY my point!!! The company is in BANKRUPTCY dummy! Going on strike to keep what you currently have instead of working with the company is what led to this. Either work WITH the company or work somewhere else. I can't wait to hear more stories like this where greedy unions run companies into the ground. Maybe we can finally get rid of these thugs.
Just remember to "thank" any/all members of the Bakers Union, whenever you see them. Best if they are with their kids at the time.
If you are constipated I am sure you will find some way to blame it on the president. Time to put your big boy oants on. Your not 12 anymore.
One more reason to thank Obamalooney's economy. Slowly but surely HE and his cronies (unions included) are accomplishing what HE said out to do. One, maybe more, businesses(s) at a time.
Thank Mr. Commander-in-??????!!!!!! America id grateful to you!
Hey @Jerry. Bankruptcy does not happen in a couple of years. Thank Bush, not Obama.
Hey Dana, whatever inspires you to continue to "Bend Forward'". (No Vaseline this time around, though.) The fact is that you fail to realize that hundreds of workers will be laid off at the worst time of the year; the holiday season.
Also, would you please tell me who unconditionally supports and owes big time to the unions?!
LOL. Bend Forward. That's pretty funny, I must admit.
Also, I thought all you guys had moved to Canada, or at least threatened to. Which, by the way, has a government mandated national health system and about a 50% tax rate.
Republicans emotions and sudden loss of thought make me smile.
This is doing the country a favor: these disgusting, unhealthy "foods" are responsibly in part for the obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and many other conditions in the population. Companies that cannot adapt to the needs and demands of the time are destined to go under; how many buggy whip and cracker barrel manufacturers are still out there? Typical comment out of left field blaming Pres. Obama when Bush racked the national debt up to $12 billion before Obama even took office for his first term. Sore loser.
Trillion, not billion; 10 trillion, not 12 trillion; and even of that 10, Bush only added ~4.5T. So, if things keep the way they're going, Obama will have increased the debt at three times the rate of Bush by the time all is said and done.
I would love to use your numbers for the amount of debt Bush ran up though they are wrong. 12 billion compared to Obama's 6 trillion would be a great number to use. More realistic numbers though are that bush ran up something like 4 trillion over 8 years compared to Obama's 6 trillion over 4 years. Giving the way Obama likes to spend we could easily be looking at him running up the national debt 12 trillion over his 8 years. I think I would still rather take Bushes 4 trillion over what Obama is spending though I would rather see the debt going down not up.
The unions did it once again. They just can't help themselves. And the media won't cover what really happened to an iconic company. Only a union could bring it down.
Twinkies, Hostess Cupcakes, and especially Suzy Q's used to be among my favorites, but they just don't taste the same anymore. Everybody keeps saying it's because your tastes change with age, but my tastes for other sweets haven't changed like that. I think they just changed the recipes over the years to cut costs. So for me, those tasty treats died a long time ago. Maybe another baker can get them right again, but I'm not holding my breath.
They did change the fats: they used to be made with lard. In fact, a Twinkie was at one time mostly lard and sugar.
Good point, Michael! I believe they changed the recipe and made them smaller over the years(and, no, it's not just because I got bigger). Still, this is the death of an American icon...very sad. I would kill for a box of Twinkies! Does anyone ship to Japan(where I am now)?!
For the love of all thats good and holy left in the world PLEASE DONT SHUT DOWN HOSTES!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean if we learned anything from Zombieland its that we NEED Twinkies so we can survive.
My last memory of a Twinkie is biting into one and being overwhelmed by a head-spinning wave of nausea as my gut threatened to rise into my throat. I was probably 11 years old at the time. I never ate another Twinkie, and the sight of them makes me heave. Something about that unctious combination of sticky cream filling in a tube of oily cake.
But I did love Dong Dongs. I especially loved the thick chocolate top where there was an extra-thick spot - a bump that fit into the dimple of the filled cake. I would save that to eat last.
Heck, I used to like fried bologna, too. It's a wonder I'm still alive.
Kathy, you are awfully young to be using "a goodly amount of time"!
That should have been Kat. Blame autocomplete.
LOL. I don't think I ever enjoyed them when I had one.
The cream really isn't cream and the cake really isn't cake. Twinkies are like some strange food from another planet.
Although, I must confess, I love Funny Bones. Frosted chocolate fingers filled with peanut butter creme.
I know...I know.....its probably as phony as a Twinkie.
But it tastes so much better.
I like the experiment where they put the Twinkie on a shelf and leave it, for say, years, and it never "goes bad."
" sticky cream filling in a tube of oily cake."
You must be dating my ex
Ah, I loved twinkies. But I didn't get to enjoy them often since I had two older brothers who promptly devoured all junk food (and any other food except for vegetables) within seconds of it appearing anywhere in their vicinity.
I am sixty two years young, I was heart broken to hear that twinkies was going away. It would be great if someone would buy the company and keep tweekies alive. There are still a lot of devoted fans. Letting go is so hard.
Greg
What's the point? Everyone loves Twinkies but nobody even eats them. Just look at the results of the poll. It's not scientific but most people had their last Twinkie in many years or decades. Looks like a lot of maudlin nostalgia to me than real appreciation for the product.
Well, the only reason I haven't had one in years is because you can't get them in Japan(where I live now).
Admittedly, the taste and texture of Twinkies HAS changed over the years – and not for the better. Still, it
would be nice to enjoy one last Twinkie or Cupcake before they go "softly into that black night"...
Petition Mitt Romney to buy it.
Eduardo = ¡ignorante/estupido! Think (for a minute, if you are capable) of the hundreds of people loosing their jobs just before the holidays, thanks to the OBamboozler administration and HIS union thugs.
For the hundreds of people that will be unemployed during the holiday season, this is definitely NOT a joke.
If Mittens bought the company he'd do what he does best – sell off the assets, move production to China an hide all the profits in an offshore bank account.
Any one want to bet Mitt has amended his Federal income taxes to take the 3 million dollars he left on the table to make his annual income tax rate 13% instead of the 16% he reported?
*I* want to know what happened to the Milk Shake Bar. It's out of production, probably because no one understood it had to be frozen before you could eat it. Hostess... no big loss. Name one thing they made that could be eaten by an adult without guilt. Just one.
Nature's Own bread?
I'm not familiar with that. My basic position is (1) if it has to be enriched, that's because they already removed any goodness that was in it, and (2) if it wasn't baked w/in the last day or so, either by me or by the grocery store's bakery, then it's not something to get. Hostess was fun once upon a time. That time is past. I feel worse for Kodak than I do for Hostess, and in both cases it's their own fault. Hostess should've shut down in 2004.
The Hollywood Milkshake dates back to the 20s and was discontinued like the Mars Bar (similar to the Snickers Almond). My other favorite can't be found anywhere on the web. It was two pieces of chocolate covered crunchy nougat (and almond pieces?) possibly made by Peter Paul.
I have eaten exactly three twinkies in the last few decades, though I mainlined them as a child. Each year we would go to the fair, and the last three I made a pilgrimage to the Fried Twinkie stand. Battered Twinkie, deep-fried, topped with canned fruit pie filling of choice, them covered in whipped cream and confectioner's sugar. Oh my... But I recommend you split it with someone, it is pretty rich.
Texas State Fair has a deep fried Twinkie dusted in powder sugar.
You legalise recreational MJ use but then Twinkies goes out of business. Proof indeed that the universe has a sense of humour.
Twinkies? Nah. Suzy Qs forever!
rock woman...without a doubt, Susie Q's rule. They can have every Twinkie, Moon pie, Swiss Roll ever made. But I will miss my once a month Susie Q fix.
Thank you Bakers Union for killing my kid's memories. Enjoy your unemployment and Obama sponsored retraining. At least Michelle gets what she wants working to get people away from imperialist dessert foods.
What about Banana Flips? Those were similar to twinkies, but shaped liked a half moon and had banana cream filling. Are those still sold anywhere?
What's a girl to do without her crumb cakes. The soft, moist, white cake square covered in cinnamon/sugar/no telling what all else mixture. Everyone else can keep their Twinkies and Zingers....I just want my crumb cakes!
Crumb Cakes are the BOMB! Love them as a kid, love them as an adult! My favorite.
Shouldn't this be entitled, "Stay Gold, Twinkie-boy, Stay Gold"? This is clearly an Outsiders reference.
It totally is. But the mascot's name is officially Twinkie the Kid, so I figured just the nod would be okay. You still got the reference, which makes me happy.
"Nothing gold can stay..."
"We're gonna do it for Twinkies, man... do it for Twinkies"... in a Matt Dillon voice.
http://catchadreamcatcher.tumblr.com/post/16476898652/dang-dora-hit-the-twinkies
This is just tragic. Hadn't eaten a twinkie in decades and a few year ago, decided to try them again. Damn if they weren't still good. So I tried one of those pies. Hadn't had one since Disco was born. ACK! But the Twinkies, heaven.
Banana ones at Easter are good, too. LOL
Going to have to go buy a box for old times sake.
I may have to enjoy one more Twinkie just to say goodbye.
In all honesty, while I haven't eaten a Twinkie in decades, I have polished off several boxes of chocolate Zingers over the last few months becasue my grocery store keeps running them on sale. Ditto for the Cupcakes. they have them on sale again, I noticed, and since the bad news about Hostess came out, I may have to go stock up. Just in case, y'know?
*g*
I've never had a Twinkie, but that's not because my childhood diet was devoid of junk. Moon Pies were my downfall. Aaahh, that delectable disc of rubbery marshmallow, crumbly cookie, and waxy chocolate coating. Fortunately, they aren't available in my new home of Northern California. My coronaries are thankful.
You haven't been paying attention. They are in 7-11's all over the place
Probably not the original huge moon pies. Little Debbie makes a "version", but not near as good. Wal-Mart her in Texas carries the original moon pies with the cookies. Tehy have the banana ones too!
You can get them (and most obscure foods) through Amazon.
I had a Twinkie today actually. All this Hostess news made me nostalgic. Still tasty and worth the 150 calories.
Bought a box of Ding Dongs last night.
You pervert! What the hell do you do with a box of dongs ?
You ding them.
I could think of several different things to do!
twinkies noeeeee =( im part of that 2.89 percent! ! i had a twinkie this week and it was amazing <3
Lies, Kat Kinsman! Lies! I still love twinkies in a weird and gluttonous way.
Communist!
It's a cowboy
Its a horse
No Its Twinkie the Kid
dun dun dun
Twinkie the kid
Wanted dead or alive
Reward of 10lbs off that big ass o' yours
Taste buds actually evolve. I grew up in the Midwest, and I ate junk food, which tasted great at that time. Now, just the thought of a slice of Velveeta (or a Twinkie) makes me nauseous.
In the last two months I have had a twinkie. It had probably been over a decade since I had one before that. I totally agree with the article. The twinkie was fine. I was a little disappointed that it was not as good as I remember, but I was also relieved because I decided the excess calories are definitely not worth it.
Twinkies were my energy food in college. Now they have become my fat food so I cut way back on them but ever so often my body requires a shot of one.
Ohhhh man....Suzy Q's....good times...goooooood times.
Interesting memory, but for all that, it's an overwritten piece.
No sugar before you write, sweetie.
Far, far too long
Oh honey, you are SO cute when you condescend! Just pwecious!
Actually, I found it lovely that a writer used vivid images and carefully crafted language to evoke these memories. Web writing is generally so flat, to get the point across quickly to anyone who can read at all. Perhaps the style of this article further illustrates the difference between Twinkies and a homecooked meal with high-quality ingredients? Clearly, you still prefer Twinkies.
Twinkies are my traditional treat when I took my kids (now grown) camping. That and plenty of bacon. I take along a box of twinkies and pass them out for use as poker chips and we have a big game around the fire – lots of fun, 1/2 twinkie ante. Oh and once used one for a last minute birthday cake for my son at a restaurant.
Had a Twinkie a few weeks ago. Kind of like sweetened glue. Nasty.
I don't like Twinkies but I love, love the Raspberry Zingers. I will have to get some this weekend.
Oatmeal cream pie's are where it's at. Those deceptively named little treats were delicious as a child, and are still delicious now.
I agree...but the Oatmeal Cream Pies are actually Little Debbie. :)
Hehhehehehehe
Tastykakes were much better than Twinkies.
My husband and I use the term "The Twinkie Effect" to describe something for which the idea is much better than the reality.
HIlarious, and so very true!!! Sad how so many memories of youthful follies are so terrible and pale in the light of adulthood.... Twinkies being one of those. Great in theory until you pop one in your mouth and go into shock from sugar and fat content.
Well, I haven't had a twinkie in at least a year, maybe longer... But I'ma go have one today thanks to this article... Thanks CNN.
I would've eaten the other half of that twinkie, jerk.
Does anyone else remember them being advertised on Captain Kangaroo by the Captain himself!?
No, he fed those to me and Mr. Green Jeans. Then, after our show, we'd all watch Bozo's Circus together and laugh at MC Frazier Thomas, Bozo, Cookie and Wizzo!
How many times did you see someone get to bucket #6 during the Grand Prize Game? There usually were so many silver dollars in that bucket that the ping pong ball would bounce right out of it.
Well, I better get back to my bong for a while and watch cartoons before I have to start up the 'ol school bus and take the kids home.
Isn't it funny that Twinkies brings back this nostalgia for our long lost childhoods where we had no idea what we ate (quite frequently) was likely to be harmful to us. It will be interesting to see just how this translates into medical/health headlines 30 years from now. Maybe we'll all be surprised with, "Gen Xers the most healthy generation despite the tremendous amount of junk food consumed in the in their early years"! Then we'll bring back the Twinkies...
I don't know if it's just me or if they changed the recipe at some point but twinkies aren't nearly as spongy, ooey gooey as they once were. The chocolate cupcakes are hard and dry now with very little filling. They used to be full of the cream fill. I used to love the fruit pies too. Don't have the heart to try one of those... just want to remember that they used to be tasty.
I got a Twinkie pan for Christmas, and I'm going to make some of my own from scratch. I've tried that with a few of my favorite recipes from childhood that don't Tate as good to me now, and I've been pretty pleased with the results thus far.
i'd buy them if i could find smaller quantities. I can't justify buying ten twinkies at a time, but if my local grocer sold the 2 packs or a box of 4, i'd buy them as the craving swept over me
Go ahead and splurge for the 10, Mikey. They'll probably last for 10 years, thank to all the preservatives!
My heart5 is broken. What next will be destroyed by those who have no appreciation for the wonderful junk food which has no nutritional value whatsoever? Will Little Debbie soon be under attack?
I liked Tastycakes as a child for the pound cake like texture of their sweets. The soft spongy cake combined with gooey cream was disgusting feeling in my mouth then and it's disgusting now. It's junk. If it were to discontinue, good riddance.
"It" meaning the Twinkie.
I ate a twinkie once, as a child 50 years ago. They were nasty then. They are nasty now. I find it amusing that the company has filed bankruptcy because they can't make money selling this garbage, yet they have assured us they will still continue to make them. Makes total sense to me.
I am with you SamIam...Twinkies are horrible, I prefer real food, my kids have never had a Twinkie and never will. I like my food to have real ingredients, not artificial crap. I guess there is a place for all kinds of junk in our world.
Oh, don't kid yourself Ray. Your kids WILL have Twinkies and they will HATE you for denying them that childhood memory! :-)
SOOOO TRUUUUEE!!
i was raised by total health freaks/vegetarians and used to sneak pieces of sliced Kraft cheese and hotdogs from the fridges of the families i baby sat for. that junk food was like crack. Other kids were sneaking cigs and booze... i was sneaking sliced cheese and twinkies.
Ah, Twinkies... the gateway food to obesity. All of these snack cakes are. And I've eaten plenty!! Mmmmm good.
Archie Bunker of All In the family, had Edith put a Twinkie in his lunch box every day.
If she forgot he would carry on.
I love them and I hope they stick around
"There's a box of Twinkies in that grocery store. Not just any box of Twinkies, the last box of Twinkies that anyone will enjoy in the whole universe. Believe it or not, Twinkies have an expiration date. Some day very soon, Life's little Twinkie gauge is gonna go... empty. "
IT HAS BEGUN!
The same thought popped into my head when I heard the news. My condolences, Tallahassee. ;)
Twinkies....great memories from my grade school lunchbag. Little Debbie used to have an amazing one called the "Fudge Crispie" that sadly vanished a decade ago.
Twinkies , Ho- Hos ,& Ding Dongs
I've never eaten a Twinkie. We were raised on Debbie cakes. My favorites were the Swiss Rolls, esp. if they were ice cold. Bite off the end, peel off the outer coating ,fold it up and eat it whole ... ahhh fond memories of childhood.
OMG, I loved Swiss Rolls! Ate one everyday during junior high and high school. After I peeled off the outer coating I'd unroll it and lick out the cream. Don't know why I always ate them like that. And no, I'm not a lesbian now.
Hey now. Straight people like to lick, too. :) I was never big on white food. Until recently I thought I was in a minority until I watched my friend's 5 y.o. eat a B&W cookie – only eating the black part. She looked so cutely guilty when she put the half-eaten white part of the cookie back on the plate. Priceless!