Candyland

Today my family and I had a lovely Minnesota autumn day. We busted out the fall sweaters and made the trek down south to an apple orchard. We enjoyed a hearty country breakfast, sampled all of the apple varieties, made our way through the fall/Halloween décor at the General Store and even saw a camel. That’s right, Minnesota apple orchards have camel rides. Totally normal. It was a lovely morning and we left armed with more apples than any one family needs. Ever. (Expect to see some apple recipes coming up!)

On the way home we spotted this:

{image borrowed from here}

If you know us at all, then you know that OF COURSE we stopped! It’s Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store. I don’t even know what it’s really called other than that as that’s what the huge sign off the highway said…maybe that’s its name? I just did a quick Google search for it and nothing really came up. It’s off of hwy 169 about halfway between Jordan and Belle Plaine, MN. Or maybe it exists only in my dreams?

As you enter, you are greeted by a giant indicator light letting you know whether or not fresh pies are baking (they were). Inside is a haven of pies, strudels, nut rolls, jams, cookies, cookie cutters, apples (who even needs to go to the orchard), salsas, hundreds of kinds of root beer and other pop in real glass bottle etc, etc, etc, etc. Oh yes, and CANDY. Serious candy. Hard candy, gummy candy, gross candy, vintage candy, new candy, candy that you probably couldn’t even dream up. Chocolate that guarantees no weight gain? Yep, they have that. Candy cigarettes? Yep, multiple varieties actually. Bacon flavored bubble gum? Gross, but yep. Bubble gum flavored Mike and Ikes? Yep. Also gross sounding but indeed a real thing.

I now have a kitchen full of apples and candy and a serious test of willpower ahead! If you are up for a little Minnesota adventure, check it out!

{pies are baking}

{papa Tewks scoping out the root beer}

{candy cigarettes}

{candy}