• It seems we at mental_floss are engaging in a Peep-a-thon this week, but who can blame us? The sugar rush is too wondrous to overcome! Here are some more facts and figures regarding this favored Easter season delight:
• Ancient Egyptians were the first to enjoy a gooey treat now called “marshmallow” as early as 2000 BC. Marshmallow was made from the mallow plant (Athaea officinalis) that grows wild in marshes (creative naming!) native to Asia and Europe, and has since been naturalized in America.
• Marshmallows were introduced and popularized in the United States in the early 1900s, with the particular marshmallow affectation known as the Easter Peep being “born” in 1953.
• Peeps were originally made by hand, which took 27 hours (requiring setting overnight). Today it takes six minutes to create one Peeps chick.
• Why Peeps for Easter? Peeps may not have much to do with Jesus, but they do have a lot in common with Spring.
• In fact, Peeps have been the #1 non-chocolate Easter candy in the U.S. for more than a decade. Yellow is America’s best selling color of Peep chicks and bunnies.
• Peeps are great for lots of things, including posing for odd pictures, some of which Miss Cellania regaled us with in the past.
• Peeps are also excellent jousting participants.
• Follow the voyage of the Peep-o-nauts with Peeps in Space (sort of). Peeps are no stranger to science – there are plenty of websites devoted to exploring their chemical and physical properties.
• If you love Peeps, consider interning at Just Born. Or just satisfy yourself with a virtual factory tour.
• According to a survey, most people relish eating Peeps head-first. How do you Flossers enjoy your Peep consumption? What’s your (er safe, responsible) Peep-eating record? I once had a friend go into a late afternoon sugar shock from lunchtime Peep-eating. The maniacal laughter was terrifying. I suppose that’s why some people are afraid of them.
Hungry for more? Venture into the Dietribes archive.
‘Dietribes’ appears every other Wednesday. Food photos taken by Johanna Beyenbach. You might remember that name from our post about her colorful diet.
Comments (27)
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Now you have that dang song stuck in my head!!
posted by Rebecca on 4-8-2009 at 11:29 am
I don’t like a lot of marshmellow, So I don’t eat Peeps.
posted by Sara in AL on 4-8-2009 at 11:41 am
For some reason, I think Peeps taste better they have been left out to harden a little bit. Kind of reminds me of those freeze dried marshmallows in cereal boxes.
posted by Redd on 4-8-2009 at 11:49 am
When my niece was 3, she begged and pleaded for Peeps. Her mom kept saying, “No. They’re awful. You’ll hate them.” Being a good auntie, I bought her a package. I knew that as soon as she tried them, she’d realize they’re no good and never cry for them again. Which is exactly what happened.
No offense to you Peep’ers — I just don’t like them.
posted by Rachel on 4-8-2009 at 12:17 pm
truth be told, I’ve never been a huge fan – I perfect chocolate! And Redd, apparently a lot of people like them slightly stale
posted by Allison Keene on 4-8-2009 at 12:56 pm
They are fun to stick in a microwave and watch expand. Other than that, I’ve never really been a huge fan — I think the heavy sugar coating bugs me.
posted by Christopher on 4-8-2009 at 1:13 pm
I can’t believe all the Peep-hating!! Easter just wouldn’t be the same without Peeps. I prefer to eat the heavily-sugared backside first (before all the sugar falls off), then the face, then the body. And to those that think they all taste the same, I totally disagree with that, too. Purple is the best, followed closely by pink and blue. I rarely get yellow, and I’ve never tried the new deep-red ones I saw recently. Since when is a blood-red Easter peep appealing?
As for the other holiday Peeps (christmas trees, hearts, jack-o-lanterns), I just can’t get into them like I can the chicks and bunnies.
posted by Peep-o-licious on 4-8-2009 at 1:15 pm
@ Redd and Allison – I have a friend who loves stale Peeps. I can’t substantiate this claim (since I haven’t climbed on the Facebook wagon yet), but apparently there’s a piece of Facebook flair that says “I love stale Peeps.” Incidentally, this friend also loves stale circus peanuts (those weird orange marshmallow-like things). Eh, to each his (or her) own…
posted by Lynley on 4-8-2009 at 1:20 pm
My family has another use for Peeps other than eating them.
One night while working in the back of my house, the doorbell rang. When I answered it, there was no one there. However, I could make out these weird spots of bright colors out in my yard. When I went out to look, I found out that they were Peeps.
It seems that a few of my nieces and nephews had Peeped my house and yard with a couple hundred Peeps. I had been PEEPED!!!
posted by Phrank Loyed on 4-8-2009 at 1:21 pm
As an American living in the UK, there are only a few food items that I miss and Peeps are one of them – weird? Also, I totally get the stale Peeps thing, it’s the best way to eat them I think.
posted by Katie on 4-8-2009 at 1:30 pm
On Easter we do the Great Peeps Sacrifice and burn them in the fireplace.
posted by nikki on 4-8-2009 at 1:46 pm
I have a friend who roasts Peeps on the stove like marshmallows in smores. I’ve never tried it but she says it’s great.
posted by nihil on 4-8-2009 at 2:35 pm
Yeah, give it up for Peeps. Which are still good months later. I don’t know what preservatives they pump into these little buggers but they have a shelf-life comparable to Twinkies (maybe even longer).
posted by mister canis on 4-8-2009 at 3:07 pm
My brother (Sean) and his freinds are known for pushing their personal limits with what they term “challenges.” Sean was convinced that the peep challenge would be easy and would only require will power. However, after only about 6 in he literally could not get himself to put on more in his mouth, try as he might. His best friend, however, ate upwards of 30 before yacking. It was the most beautiful vomit I’ve ever seen. A picture was taken of him next to the vomit-filled toilet giving the thumbs up and was eventually put in a frame that read “Hangin’ with my Peeps.” Classic.
posted by Bri on 4-8-2009 at 4:14 pm
I adore marshmallows, but have never had a peep. I think the extra sugar coating scares me away. But a roommate of mine adored them. Her mom would send them to her at Easter, and she’d eat an entire box in one sitting.
posted by nutmeag on 4-8-2009 at 4:26 pm
Peeps are best stale! And after a jousting competition of course!
posted by Jenji on 4-8-2009 at 4:39 pm
Peeps are best stale! And after a jousting match of course!
posted by jenji on 4-8-2009 at 4:41 pm
I don’t like peeps. Just seems like a waste of calories and no taste. On the other hand, bring on the chocolate!!!
posted by Angela on 4-8-2009 at 5:07 pm
ok, not a peeps fan in the raw. HOWEVER, the little ghostie peeps which come out around Halloween are tremendous when roasted over an open flame. it’s like creme brulee on a stick!! there is SO much right with that!!!
posted by mri on 4-8-2009 at 5:07 pm
my name contains a link to DIY peeps. There has to be a way to make them offensive…hmm…
posted by mandragora on 4-8-2009 at 6:38 pm
I haven’t had the courage to eat peeps since I was involved in a peeps eating contest several years back. I ate 33 peeps in two minutes. I didn’t even win. The guy that won ate almost fifty! I felt a bit off for the rest of the day but was able to keep my peeps down. I can’t say the same for several of the other contestants.
posted by Lattman on 4-8-2009 at 9:47 pm
My husband likes to put a peep in his coffee. He likes how it melts and adds sugar to it.
posted by vicki on 4-8-2009 at 10:43 pm
My older brother James, when we were kids, discovered that he was able to fit 9 peeps in his mouth at the same time. Oh yeah… NEVER EVER put a peep in the Microwave… its a bad choice.
posted by Kate on 4-9-2009 at 5:28 am
I can’t believe that no one has mentioned FROZEN peeps! It is great. Slash open the cellophane so that they get stale WHILE freezing, it is the best of both worlds! The tough, chewy, sugary, marshmallowy goodness is just too much! The only potential drawback is that I tend to find caches of multicolored sugar crystals at the back of my freezer when I clean it out!
reCAPTCHA: $5,379,500. I wonder if that is an estimate of my lifetime Peep spending! ;-) Does anyone else have the plush peeps?
posted by Rose on 4-9-2009 at 12:38 pm
At bakerella.com, she turned peeps into pokimon!
posted by Bethany on 4-10-2009 at 9:00 pm
Never been a peeps fan…I prefer my sugar in the form of chocoalte! :)
Interesting about marshmallow, though. Are any still made using the plant?
posted by Dawn on 4-13-2009 at 6:39 am
Am I the only one who sucks off all the sugar before eating the marshmallowy part?
And I agree with Peep-o-licious. Purple is definitely the best. I have tried the green Christmas trees, the black Halloween cats and the white ghosts as well and they are not nearly as delicious.
My mom sends an assortment of purple, pink and blue every Easter and I usually eat 20 or so in one sitting.
posted by Jenna on 12-17-2009 at 3:51 pm