For three decades the Central Coast has had our own version of Willy Wonka.
Although the confections and flavors dreamed up by Larry Peterman for the Hotlix candy store in Pismo Beach are considerably more “down to Earth” than those of his fictional counterparts, his unique products are sold around the world.
Until the recent closure of the Pismo Beach Pier for renovations, visitors strolling up Pomeroy Avenue after a walk on the attraction will have had their attention drawn up and to the left by the store’s iconic ruby red lipstick kiss of a logo. It’s what are in the display cases under the street side awning that sometimes prompts shrieks or giggles.
Insects and bugs coming in flavors like “Original Cricket” or grubs and scorpions dipped in milk chocolate or confectionery are just a hint of what awaits inside.
In the 1980s Peterman started with hard candies, and the creepy crawlies were almost an afterthought. The first was the inclusion of an earthworm in a tequila flavored sucker, others that have become staples in the line include ants, grubs, scorpions and crickets incased in an “amber” of flavored sugar.
And, while they’ve never stopped cooking up new flavors, not all of them insect related, a milestone is coming up.
Hotlix is planning a new product launch to return to the roots with a new earthworm candy to be unveiled at the Sweets & Snacks Expo held from May 23 to the May 25 at the McCormick Place in Chicago.
“The expo is one of the largest around anywhere,” said Kaleen Hamrick, who’s recently returned to the business after growing up with summer jobs behind the counter. “That’s our main show, we go every year and see all of our customers from all over. It’s great.”
Although he’s been thinking about it for years, Peterman was still tinkering with the final formula for the “real life gummy worms” until they were ready to start full-scale production. He even carried some batch samples with him on his way out for a slice of pizza.
“Now there are subtle flavors in there…can you taste the earthiness?,” he asked after handing one to a local reporter in a chance meeting.
“He’s been doing that as long as I can remember,” said Hamrick, about her great uncle, “Always tinkering and it was always fun.”
Indeed the little green string tasted quite a bit like a sour apple candy, sweet but sugar free as it would get sticky in packaging otherwise, and was dyed with food coloring for effect. The candy bore little resemblance to its origin. However the flavors were as complex as his process for creating them.
Hotlix plans to have production at full capacity by the Expo, which means there’s a special building in Grover Beach right now full of writhing worms destined to be cleaned, turned into jerky, candied and sold in packages of six all over the world.
“Our slogan for the package says ‘Sweet, Sour and Earthy’ and ‘Not Just for the Birds,’” Hamrick explains, noting that the art style for the package will be similar to the fun cartoonish creatures on their chocolate covered and ant candies, but featuring a little boy in a tug of war with a bird over one of the candies.
“No, I’m not an entomologist, but this has certainly turned me into an entomophage,” said Peterman. “That’s what you call someone who eats bugs.”
Information on all of their products, and eventually the worms, can be found online at: hotlix.com/candy.
Story and Photos by Camas Frank
