what tastes like childhood?
what tastes like being back home?
Wilhelmina’s do!
My wife came back from the store and said, “I got you something.”
And handed me a box of Wilhelmina Mints with that wonderful line, Royal Quality Since 1892.
Sure sure everyone can name, King Charles III and his Mom, Elizabeth II but you’re not Dutch if you can’t rattle off Willem, Trixie, Julianna and Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.
And if you can’t name those folks, you might not know about these mints.
According to their website, “The Wilhelmina peppermint was developed in 1892 by the company Fortuin.”
The first ones were given to the then 12 year old Wilhelmina, Princess of the Netherlands.
As big around as a quarter and as thick as two quarters stacked.
Not the bite of a Altoid , but a smooth, cool almost soft buttery mint flavor.
The mint itself was not smooth or glassy like a Lifesavor, but rough, almost sandy.
They dissolve slowly into little bits of mint flavor.
With a little luck and effort, you could make one last an entire church sermon.
Wilhelmina’s were carried by my Grandma (along with those big pink mints and black licorice) and if I was acting up, a mint would be offered.
Anyone call tell you that this is rewarding and encouraging bad behavior.
And it did.
But to make it last as long as possible I had to sit still AND keep my mouth shut.
There was a method to this madness.
Now it is hot and steamy in the low country of South Carolina.
And over a half century away from my Grandma.
But on my desk is a blue and white box of childhood.
Product of the Netherlands it says on the box.
So am I.
According to Uit Wikipedia, de vrije encyclopedie
Wilhelmina pepermunt is een in Nederland bekende soort pepermunt die wordt gemaakt door Fortuin.
Op ieder pepermuntje staat de afbeelding van prinses Wilhelmina. Deze pepermunt werd in 1892 ontwikkeld en was een eerbetoon aan de prinses, die dat jaar twaalf werd. Het nieuwe product werd ontwikkeld wegens het 50-jarige bestaan van de fabrikant.
De pepermuntjes worden verkocht als rol, in een zakje, schuifdoosje en in blik.
Ook is er een ‘zwart wit’-variant verkrijgbaar op de markt.
Could not have said it better myself!
No Haiku For You 