Sorry, I don’t get it. Never have, never will. I’ve known plenty of Peep connoisseurs in my day, who’ve gladly shared their vast knowledge of the marshmallow chicks. “Eat them fresh! Stretch them alll theee waaayyy out to eat them! Wait till they get hard and stale(!)” No thanks.
No doubt I’m missing out on something delightful, but the one time I tried a Peep, that was the exact sound I made when I quickly discarded it. Yuck.
Celebrities have succumbed to the allure of Peeps, writing odes to them on their Facebook pages. Reba McEntire is a big fan. I guess I’m creeped out by a candy “born today” that will be still be good long after I’m gone. It’s bad enough what was once an Easter time only treat can now be found throughout the calendar year: Peep Pumpkins! Peep Christmas Trees! Peep Shamrocks! Peep Statues of Liberty! Well, maybe that’s stretching it a bit, but maybe not.
Now, Peeps are used to create art.
The Ohio Historical Society just held a competition with simple rules: Peeps must be used in an Ohio scene. Clark County re-created the “Battle of Peep-qua (Piqua)” complete with troops and the Shawnee depicted with blue and yellow peeps. And of course there’s Marshmallowpeeps.com, where you can sign up for the fan club, get recipes, buy Peep paraphernalia and chat with other Peeper Creepers.
Didn’t get your fix on this Easter Sunday? No worries; tomorrow is another day, full of half price marshmallow chicks and bunnies in yellow, blue, pink and white, ready for you to take them home, if they make it that far.
Readers can contact Nancy Wilson, a morning-radio personality at WHKO-FM (K99.1), by email through k99online.com.
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