peep¹

Pink Peeps

Peeps are small marshmallow candies, sold in the United States, which are shaped into baby chickens, rabbits, and other animals. There are also different shapes used for various holidays. Peeps are primarily used to fill Easter baskets, although the Just Born company is trying to change that by introducing new shapes and advertising "Peeps - Always in Season". They are made from marshmallow, sugar, gelatin, and carnauba wax.

Peeps are produced by Just Born, a candy manufacturer based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Just Born claims Peeps were introduced in 1953, but most aficionados say that Peeps were originally manufactured by Rodda Candy Company starting in the 1920s.^{[citation needed]} When Just Born acquired Rodda Candy Company in 1953, they automated the process (originally the chicks were formed by hand) and mass-marketed them. The yellow chicks were the original form of the candy — hence their name — but then the company introduced other colors and, eventually, the myriad shapes in which they are now produced.

Just Born has expanded its product line to include bats, cats, pumpkins, and ghosts for Halloween; hearts for Valentine's Day; trees, gingerbread men, and snowmen for Christmas; and red, white, and blue chicks and stars for the 4th of July.

Although the original Peeps were standard marshmallow flavor, some of the newer flavors include strawberry (hearts for Valentine's Day), vanilla/eggnog (gingerbread people for Christmas), and orange (eggs for Easter). Red Peep chicks are exclusively available at Target stores.

Alternative uses

An alternative way to eat Peeps, preferred by some, is stale. This is accomplished by removing or opening the cellophane wrapping and leave it out for a time before eating. ^{[citation needed]}

Peep jousting

The messy and largely self-entertaining game, "Peeps Jousting" is played with a microwave oven. One takes two Peeps, and licks the right-hand side of each until sticky. A toothpick is thereby adhered to each Peep, pointing forward like a jousting lance. The Peeps are then set in a microwave, squared off against one another, and heated up. As they expand, the toothpick lances thrust toward each opponent, and the winner is the one that does not pop and deflate (or fizzle and die). Both usually are eaten after the competition, however, regardless who the victor was, calling into question the nature of "winning" in such a circumstance.^[1] This folkloric tradition has been noted by the Washington Post.^[2]

Indestructible Peeps

Rumors of Peeps' purported indestructibility have evolved into a myth that has come to define the product's place in the lore of pop-culture ephemera. In an effort to establish this legend as fact or fiction, scientists at Emory University performed experiments on batches of Peeps to see whether they could be dissolved. They concluded that the candy is indeed difficult to destroy, according to CNN reports.^[3]

Using Peeps in cooking

Though they are made of marshmallow, it is difficult to toast a Peep over a campfire, as the sugar coating tends to burn and become unpalatable. However, Peeps can be used as ingredients in such desserts as marshmallow cookie treats (to substitute as marshmallows as well as being used as decorative objects on top), fondue, and s'mores. Peeps are also excellent in a cup of hot cocoa, especially as the chicks will float upright until the increasing warmth causes them to dissolve.

Peep eating contest

The first Peep Off was held in Maryland, by Shawn Sparks, in 1994, and had only 6 and one half participants^[4]. It is held the first Saturday after Easter, when Peeps are greatly discounted. Dave Smith started Sacramento's record holding annual Peep Off after contacting Jack Eidsness, a participant in the first Peep Off, with a question about it, through Mr. Eidsness' peep themed website.

The Sacramento version was first held in 1997 and is known as "The Dennis Gross Memorial Sacramento Peep Off."^[5]

The basic rules: Contestants get 30 minutes of Peep-eatery, then there's a five minute "cooling off" period where they're disqualified if they vomit. At the start of the five minutes, they can shove as many more Peeps into their mouths in an attempt to chew and swallow during the period. The puke rule is, if you throw up, you can eat your puke and not be disqualified (which has happened). The all-time record is 102 Peeps eaten by Dennis Gross in 2003 which led to the Peep Off being known as, "The Dennis Gross Memorial Peep Off." Most news sources put Dennis at 82 which is incorrect.^{[citation needed]}

Photo and videos

There is a whole genre of Peeps videos on video sites such as YouTube ranging from parodies of movies such as Star Wars and Pink Floyd's The Wall, Monty Python and PT 109. There are also Peeps put on grills, placed in microwave ovens, expanded in a vacuum, run over by cars, and used in political commentary. The Seattle Times has an annual contest of Peeps used in photos.

References in Pop Culture

• In the South Park episode "Fantastic Easter Special," Professor Teabag defends his honor by putting a box of Peeps into a microwave oven and turning it on to stop a group of ninjas. This results in the Peeps expanding and exploding out of the microwave, killing Teabag and the ninjas, destroying the entire mansion and allowing Stan and Kyle to escape.
• In the Malcolm in the Middle episode "Traffic Jam," Francis attempts to eat 100 of a candy similar to Peeps (called Quacks) on a bet saying, "The marshmallow wouldn't expand. It would dissolve. I'd never get full."
• In the webcomic Erfworld, Jillian Zamussels rides a ferocious "Gwiffion" that resembles a giant Peep.

References

1. ^ PEEP JOUSTING. FUN WITH PEEPS!. phancy.com. Archived from the original on 2007-04-28. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.
2. ^ Vincent P. Bzdek. "50 years of turning Easter into one big Peeps show", Oakland Tribune (reprinted from Washington Post article), 11 April 2004. Retrieved on 2007-08-09. 
3. ^ Ann Kellan. "CNN's Ann Kellan reports" (VXtreme stremaning video), U.S. Fringe, CNN.com, 10 April 1998. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.  (content not verified; could not play video)
4. ^ Jack Eidsness (before April 1996). The unofficial Marshmallow Peep page. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.
5. ^ Dave "Smith" (2 April 2007). The Official Sacramento Peep-Off - I'm NOT Just Born, I'm the 2nd Coming. nokilli.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.

External links

• Peeps Official Website
• Tour of the Peeps Factory
• Experiments on Peeps
• A Peeps Documentary
• Peep recipes and scientific experiments

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