Halloween Candy, Kansas City edition

If you are a kid today, or 50 years ago, trick-or-treating around your neighborhood this week, which candies in your loot pumpkin were invented in the Kansas City area?

I am planning to look at local chocolatiers in upcoming videos and posts, but this week I’d like to focus on other candy that could be said to have originated around Kansas City.

VALOMILK candy cups

Valomilks are a marshmallow cream filled milk chocolate cup candy that was invented in 1931 by Russell Sifers Candies. They are still manufactured by the company in Merriam, Kansas. The candy features a marshmallow cream filling that is over-saturated with vanilla. If you are curious about the taste, check out this review.

I recall getting these candies while trick-or-treating as a child. They didn’t leave a big impression on me. Didn’t hate or love them, but I’ve never been a fan of messy candies or candy featuring marshmallow.

Bogdon’s Reception Sticks

One of the weirder candies we would get for Halloween as kids were the Bogdon Reception Sticks. These weren’t a common trick-or-treat candy in the 1970s, but I recall getting them and enjoying them. In subsequent years, I’ve rarely run across somebody with a stash of these, to the point where I lumped them in with other “grandparent candies.”

Bogdon Candy Company, Inc. was a candy company that operated on Troost (2316 Troost Ave) for many decades, up until the early 2000s. This candy was invented by Walter Bogdon in the mid twentieth century for a special event. He later opened a candy store in Fairway, Kansas. The candy was available in local department stores, which is probably where I saw the candy most often. From what I understand, the department stores gave them away?

This candy is currently owned and made by Richardson Foods, Inc., which is based out of Canajoharie, New York.

Cherry Mash

The Cherry Mash was created in 1918 by Ernest Chase and was then manufactured in a factory based in St. Joseph, Missouri. The candy is still produced in that city and the candy and packaging look just the same as when I would get it while trick-or-treating as a kid in south Kansas City. I always enjoyed these cherry candy bars around Halloween, but I don’t recall seeking them out the rest of the year. From what I remember, they are very good and are a refreshing departure from the more famous and popular American chocolate bars. Cherry flavor and chocolate go together quite well.

Which Kansas City are candies do you remember from trick-or-treating? What were your favorite candies or your least favorite candies (from anywhere)?

Not a Cruel Summer for Dining in Kansas City

Don’t worry, this newsletter is not going to add a regular gossip or celebrity news section. But with Taylor Swift visiting the metro more often, this is impacting local restaurants in interesting ways. Individual restaurants are getting national attention. Our local food scene is getting international attention. Let’s look at some recent news.

• Various media sources are reporting that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce dined at Piropo’s at Briarcliff after the Chiefs game last Sunday. The restaurant is one of his favorites, is located near his current home, and features Argentinian cuisine. Swift’s world tour resumes soon in Buenos Aries with three sold out stadium shows. There are reports that the two enjoyed a private dinner date in a banquet room with a view of the Kansas City skyline. Elle | ET | KC Star
• It’s going to get harder to get into one of my favorite breakfast restaurants, Succotash, after Travis Kelce shared that its food is ‘magical.’
• A month ago, the pair rented out and dined at Prime Social after a Chiefs game.
• The pair weren’t together for Travis Kelce’s birthday at the new version of The Golden Ox, where he celebrated his birthday.

Finally, if you are really curious about what she is like as a diner, there is this look at her latest dining excursions in New York: ‘She Eats, She Pays, She Gets the F– Out’

Openings, Closings and Restaurant News

• Correction: We reported on the website and in an earlier newsletter that Elsa’s Ethiopian Restaurant was closing and their space was being taken by another restaurant. That was inaccurate. Our information was based on various media sources.
• The new CPKC Stadium, home of the KC Current football club, has started announcing food vendors for their 2024 opening season. Today they announced Billie’s Grocery. Last week the club announced Joe’s Kansas City.
• KC Daiquiri Shop Bistreaux closed on October 15th. The cajun/creole concept featured drinks and was located at 8725 Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park.
• Betty Rae's Ice Cream is opening a new location this week at 10470 S. Ridgeview Road in Olathe.
• Hemma Hemma is a new breakfast cafeteria, delivery service, and market in Waldo. 7122 Wornall Road, KCMO.
• Kon Tiki Room is a new bar opening in the Crossroads at 1922 Baltimore.
• The Other Place is opening in November in Mission. The pizzeria and bar will be occupying the former the former Avelluto’s Italian Delight space at 6522 Martway St.
• The Roasterie Café is now open in the new UMB Bank building at 1310 Carondelet Drive in south Kansas City, Missouri. This was the former location of the famous EBT restaurant. At State Line Road and I-435.
• The Drunken Worm at 1405 W. 39th St. in Kansas City, Missouri announced in September that it was closing.
• HomeGrown is opening a new location in the former Flying Saucer Draught Emporium space in the Kansas City Power & Light District. The chain is a breakfast and lunch concept featuring locally sourced ingredients and drinks.
• Poio Mexican BBQ at 800 S. Seventh St. in Kansas City, Kansas closed back in April.
• Modern Market is opening a location soon at 4046 W. 83rd St. in Corinth Square.
• Total Wine & More has taken over the Lukas Fine Wine & Spirits' store located at 13657 Washington Street, Kansas City, Mo. This is located near Martin City, just southeast of where State Line Road terminates at 135th Street. Lukas has left the Kansas City market.

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