Smarties vs. Rockets

My good friend Danielle posted last week about how in the US, Smarties are not Smarties - they are Rockets.

My friends to the North and I have had many a discussion about what Smarties are--to them, they are candy-coated chocolate goodness, and to me (and every other American) they are heavenly pure sugar wrapped into little cellophane rolls.

That got me wondering what "Canadian-Smarties" are called in the US - are they even available? Yes, I wonder about these things.

I think it's funny because both those candies have "ways" of eating them. Everyone has their little ritual for indulging in the sugar high.

Chocolate Smarties are normally eaten one color at a time - keeping the red for last. You can sort them all out and pick and chose which color goes first. My favorite way to do it is by shaking them out of the box, one at a time and stuffing the red ones back in until that's all that's left. They are fantastic because they don't melt - ever. I actually prefer them to M&Ms.

The Rockets, have similar rituals. Some sort out the colors, some crush them into small pieces and roll a lollipop in them. I like to let them melt on my tongue until there is just the teeny middle part - kind of like a disc shape - left. Then I crunch it between by teeth. Cue the sugar overload.

My best friend's husband has a very particular way of eating them too and we were lucky enough to get a demonstration last time we visited. He puts a whole Rocket candy on each row of teeth and crunches. But wait, there's a twist. There are 27 Rockets in each pack so you get to eat the first one however you so please.

That's him, telling me alllllll about that 27th, oh-so-special, Rocket.

I think we have issues.