Peeps in Bethlehem: Candy Capital of the Lehigh Valley

Peeps in Bethlehem are made by Just Born, a family candy company whose factory in the Pennsylvania city turns out the marshmallow chicks and bunnies in Easter baskets across the country. The same company makes Hot Tamales, Mike and Ike and Goldenberg's Peanut Chews. Come in spring for the shop windows and bring a sweet tooth.

What is the story of Peeps in Bethlehem?

The marshmallow chicks are a long-running Bethlehem product. For decades they were shaped by hand, and a worker could take a day to finish a batch. A machine built by the founder's son and a company engineer cut that to minutes, and the process is still used in principle today.

Peeps are marshmallow candies coated in colored sugar, and they sell in the millions every spring.

How are Peeps made?

Sugar, corn syrup and gelatin are cooked into a marshmallow mixture, which is whipped, squeezed into molds in the shape of a chick, rabbit or other figure, coated with a shower of colored sugar and given eyes. The process is fast, and the finished candies are packaged within a day.

The company's own site lists any visitor arrangements.

Why does Easter season matter to Bethlehem candy?

The season drives the factory. Peeps are a spring product, and production ramps up for months before Easter, then eases off. The city markets itself with local events, shop displays and, at times, a festival with a Peeps theme. Outside Easter, other candies keep the factory busy.

If you visit in the spring, expect Peeps in shop windows and on restaurant dessert menus. People do surprising things with them: stuffed into hot chocolate, melted onto s'mores, set on a cake or even dipped in chocolate. Whether that is delight or sacrilege depends on who you ask, and the debate over whether Peeps are better fresh or stale is one of the great disputes of the American spring. Take your own side and enjoy the argument.

What are Mike and Ike and Hot Tamales?

Fruit-flavored candies and cinnamon-flavored ones, both made by the same company in the same city, sold in theater boxes and corner stores. Mike and Ike are chewy and fruity, Hot Tamales are spicy and red, and fans have strong opinions about which flavors rank first. Goldenberg's Peanut Chews are a chocolate-covered peanut and molasses bar, also from the Just Born family of brands.

All of them started with the idea of a simple, cheap treat for children and grown-ups. The company's other brands have their own loyalists, and a quick poll in any Bethlehem coffee shop will produce a favorite. Ask a local which one they grew up with, and you will get a story. Those stories, as much as the candy, are the city's sweet heritage.

Where are the candy shops in the Lehigh Valley?

Candy shops, bakeries and chocolatiers in Bethlehem, Allentown and the smaller towns sell their own sweets alongside the national brands. Look for hand-dipped chocolates, fudge, caramels, brittles and seasonal specialties, especially at holiday time. The Moravian tradition adds sugar cake and cookies to the mix.

The Bethlehem restaurants guide covers where to sit down.

How do you plan a sweet day out?

Start with a walk along historic Main Street, stop for a pastry or a hot chocolate, and browse the shops for local candy. Eat a proper lunch on the South Side or at SteelStacks, then finish with something sweet. Avoid sugar overload by sharing, and balance the candy with something savory. A pretzel, a bowl of soup or a sandwich between sweet stops keeps the day from tipping over. Buy gifts last, so they do not melt or get squashed in the bag, and keep chocolate out of a warm car. Ask the shop to pack candy for travel if you are flying home. If you are traveling with children, set a rule about how much candy they can eat and let them choose.

How do tags and ratings help?

In the Mosey app, you can rate a place with stars and add a dish or treat, such as a hand-dipped chocolate, with its own rating. Tags such as Bakery, Dessert and Family Friendly describe the place, and a diner can look for them in the Find sheet. A tag is a note from someone who was there. Rating several places with a tag can earn a badge, starting at five different places.

Where next in the Lehigh Valley?

The Allentown Hamilton Street guide covers the neighboring city, and the Lehigh Valley food list guide shows how to keep what you find. The soft pretzels and water ice guide for Philadelphia covers another Pennsylvania snack, and the US food guides hold the rest of the country.

Heading somewhere else in Pennsylvania? The Food in Pennsylvania page links the rest.

Mosey never says a place or a dish is free of anything and does not check allergens. If you have an allergy, read the label on the candy and ask the kitchen when you eat out in Bethlehem. The Hide dishes that list filter in the Mosey app only hides dishes a place has listed an allergen for.

Before you finish the bag, open the Mosey app, rate your favorite candy by the dish and share a list of your Bethlehem sweets with someone who loves Easter.