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Does anyone remember the toffee which came in a tray with a wee hammer?

(58 Posts)
Daddima Mon 21-Mar-16 15:41:47

I imagine it was called Blue Bird or something similar, but I may well be imagining that.

Nelliemaggs Tue 22-Mar-16 10:41:05

I just wondered, is it because I had a deprived childhood that I had never heard of Werther's toffee before I was 50 something (now mid 70s). The ads implied that I should have shared them with my grandfather.

WilmaKnickersfit Mon 21-Mar-16 23:53:12

Yes, you can still get McCowan's toffee. The company went under, but another company makes the toffee now. You can get it on eBay and Amazon. Mind your teeth! grin

rosesarered Mon 21-Mar-16 22:27:25

Ooh, McCowans toffee, do they still make it? Almost lived on it as a child.
Mind you Thorntons is pretty good too ( the brazil nut is the best.)

wot Mon 21-Mar-16 22:13:46

Holland's coffees with a red wrapper with the world on it.

Ana Mon 21-Mar-16 21:07:47

Harrogate Toffee was the best I remember from my childhood. We were always given some by the Yorkshire grandparents - I'm sure it was available elsewhere but I used to associate it with them.

Lona Mon 21-Mar-16 21:04:15

Ooh yes, I loved that banana toffee too. My mum used to make toffee, I remember trying to get a big piece! I haven't changed! grin

specki4eyes Mon 21-Mar-16 21:02:17

It was called Walkers Nonsuch and was made in Stoke on Trent. Walkers was a local family firm run by two brothers (I think). i once met one of the brothers and I remember that he was a follower of the James Last Orchestra and he used to take gifts of toffee to the concerts.

It was gorgeous toffee - dangerous for the fillings though!

loopylou Mon 21-Mar-16 20:55:20

Oooh! Banana toffee drools at the thought or treacle toffee even better Teeth would never be up to it nowadays......?

trisher Mon 21-Mar-16 20:25:32

I've got a toffee hammer somewhere-is it worth money? Bet I can't find it now!

Gagagran Mon 21-Mar-16 19:39:45

Anyone remember Riley's Chocolate Toffee Rolls? Made in Halifax and really delicious. Could have them with covered in plain or milk chocolate - I think the wrappers were red or blue respectively.

WilmaKnickersfit Mon 21-Mar-16 19:34:19

Daddima do you remember penny dainties? That was McCowan's Highland toffee in the penny trays when I was little.

Thornton's treacle toffee is delicious but my teeth come first these days.

Maggiemaybe Mon 21-Mar-16 19:19:48

I'd forgotten that my mother used to make it too, so thank you for jogging my memory. In small patty tins, then we'd be handed it half-wrapped in greaseproof paper to eat. It was delicious (but might go some way to explaining my dodgy teeth)!

Thingmajig Mon 21-Mar-16 18:41:17

My granny used to make us toffee, both in the tray (to be hammered) and as toffee apples. So yummy and no shop bought stuff was a patch on it.

I love Thornton's treacle toffee now, but avoid it due to the fillings problem!!!

Greyduster Mon 21-Mar-16 18:28:34

I used to eat industrial quantities of McCowan's Highland Toffee - it's a wonder I have any teeth left! I remember the toffee with the little hammer, too, and we had a hammer for years. I absolutely love Thornton's toffee - especially the Brazil nut and the treacle - but since it pulled one of DH's fillings out we don't buy it too often these days.

TriciaF Mon 21-Mar-16 18:03:07

In Northumberland we had Maynard's toffee. I think you could buy it in a block with a hammer as well as in wrapped pieces.
There's a family legend about my PGP, who loved it. He was walking back to work one afternoon chewing his usual lump of toffee. Someone greeted him "Good Afternoon, Mr. K..." He opened his mouth to reply and
found he couldn't open his dentures.

Maggiemaybe Mon 21-Mar-16 17:39:40

grin I won a huge block of chocolate covered toffee complete with hammer (Walkers) in a raffle a couple of weeks ago. The spirit is willing, but I'm afraid the teeth are weak these days. To save the dentist's bill, I'm gifting it to a younger relative sad

BBbevan Mon 21-Mar-16 17:29:39

Palm toffee, with banana in the middle. But I think it came in blocks?

Synonymous Mon 21-Mar-16 17:07:34

My Grandpa made 'Yellow Man Toffee' which was pulled on a hook on the back of the kitchen door. My DM told a story about how her big sister decided to try her hand at making it one day while their parents were out. They returned earlier than expected and so she threw it down the sink in an effort to hide what she had been doing. It set in the pipes, of course, and it ended with the floor coming up and new pipes being laid and she was in dire, deep disgrace as you can well imagine! shock

Alea Mon 21-Mar-16 16:49:49

My Scottish grandpa's one domestic accomplishment was what we knew as Russian Toffee. It was not quite treacle toffee, but much darker than regular toffee and hard as glass. Yes, he would use a hammer to break it up in the tin. We children loved it. Granny made a mean Tablet, equally yummy smile

Daddima Mon 21-Mar-16 16:47:59

Blue Bird is the one I remember in the tray with the hammer. McCowan's was the one we bought either in a bar (3d) or as a " penny caramel" (1d)

Jane10 Mon 21-Mar-16 16:31:26

Do Thorntons not do it as a special item from time to time? I'm sure I've seen it in passing (just passing. Honest!)

WilmaKnickersfit Mon 21-Mar-16 16:19:04

I think Blue Bird toffee might have been popular in England and McCowan's Highland toffee in Scotland.

LullyDully Mon 21-Mar-16 16:16:27

Wonderful for teeth..........I can taste it now. Hard , creamy toffee.....yum.

WilmaKnickersfit Mon 21-Mar-16 16:15:09

Googling it, Blue Bird and Walker's look like the main brands and the names were on the handle of the hammer. Walker's is the main brand now by a long way though.

shysal Mon 21-Mar-16 16:13:55

The one I remember is Sharp's toffee. They have some of the hammers for sale on Ebay.