Candy Syrup

I guess I was a pretty scrawny child, and with my predilection for eschewing certain kinds of foods (of which I recently posted in Strange Tastes), my mother decided that my diet required fortification.

What she did was purchase a product called Neo Chemical. To entice me and my very fussy taste buds, she called it Candy Syrup. Someone else has described it below.

For those of you who have never heard of it before, Neo chemical Food was a thick sticky liquid only slightly more runny than molasses. It was loaded with all kinds of nutrients. The joy of it was dipping the spoon into the jar and twirling it around to capture all the drippy stings then quickly putting it into the mouth and slowly sucking the spoon clean.

I don't recall the taste as being joyful (as above), but I it was palatable enough, and the application of Candy Syrup to my body became an evening ritual.

She would tell me and the dog that it was Candy Syrup time. She'd give me a spoonful, and the dog would come running to lick the spoon.

I don't know how long we did this, and my memory in general is vague. In fact the only memory I have is being given my portion in the dining room next to the kitchen. And I'm not even sure whether it's a first-hand memory or whether it is a memory of my mother telling me about it a few years later and me then envisioning this. But I think it was the former — an actual memory.

If my memory is correct, it was served in this room at least that once in a space somewhat behind the lady in the picture.

Just by way of note, this was the house that I lived in with my parents, grandfather (to my right) and uncle (not shown) from about the ages of 2 to 7.  The two other adult are Bill and Sadie, cousins of each other and, therefore of my mother as they were related to her mother.          (circa 1952)

I don't know when the ritual was abandoned or why exactly, for I am almost certain that she didn't ply me Candy Syrup after the age of 7.

On the other hand, I do remember some attempts to force feed me cod liver oil. The phrase, "Gag me with a spoon," comes to mind.

Whatever the case, the supplements must have worked because I am no longer scrawny.