Talk:Gobstopper

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Gobstoppers were not invented by Nestle. They are a generic type of hard round sweet, ranging from about 1cm across, up to 3cm across (hence 'Gob-stoppers', from 'Gob', UK vulgar slang for mouth) They have been available in traditional sweet shops in the UK for years, bought by weight from jars, for example, "a quarter(-pound) of gobstoppers please".

They last a very long time in the mouth, shrinking, often revealing different coloured (and sometimes flavoured) layers, before dissolving completely. The name 'Everlasting Gobstoppers' is an extension of this used by Roald Dahl. Nestle have used the name for their brand, but they didn't invent it. ---

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When you feel an article needs changing, please feel free to make whatever changes you feel are needed. Wikipedia is a wiki, so anyone can edit any article by simply following the Edit this page link. TheMadBaron 18:46, 15 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The Origin

Chacago-based Ferrara Pan Candy Co. claims to have invented the jawbreaker. Their original product was candy-coated jordan almonds, which have a jawbreaker-like suger coating.--Drvanthorp 07:04, 10 June 2006 (UTC)

That's very interesting. Do they say how they're defining "jawbreaker", or when they supposedly invented it? Can you cite your source? TheMadBaron 07:58, 10 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Exploding jawbreakers

Okay, I understand why the jawbreakers might explode if heated in a microwave. What I'm unclear on is WHY a kid would heat a jawbreaker in the microwave in the first place. What's the benefit?Benami 21:10, 1 January 2006 (UTC)

I wondered the same thing. Maybe to try to soften it up a little? Pnkrockr 03:23, 2 January 2006 (UTC)

Probably just out of curiosity to see if it would explode, I'd imagine. --Ekaiyu 07:02, 6 March 2006 (UTC)

It did say "when heated". Maybe simply having it in your mouth for long and then biting could cause it to explode?

My original edit simply noted that "A few reports have emerged of jawbreakers exploding". Somebody subsequently added "when heated", presumably to avoid precisely this sort of ambiguity. There is an urban legend to the effect that a boy's jaw was blown off by a jawbreaker hearted by the sun [1]. I was not able to find any examples of jawbreakers exploding without first being heated in a microwave oven, but nor was I able to confirm that the unfortunate Florida girl had, in fact, microwaved her jawbreaker. However, it seems highly unlikely that a jawbreaker would otherwise explode. Somebody should refer the matter to Snopes . TheMadBaron 11:32, 4 June 2006 (UTC)

DOH! The Smoking Gun has the original police report....

"DIGGS STARTED AT THE REFRIGERATOR WHERE SHE HAD PUT THE JAW BREAKER, SHE THEN WENT TO THE COMPUTER ROOM (SMALL ROOM AT THE BACK OF THE HOUSE FACING WEST, TOP HALF OF THE DOOR IS CLEAR GLASS) WHERE SHE SET THE JAW BREAKER, STILL IN CLEAR PLASTIC WRAPPER, ON THE CORNER OF THE COMPUTER TABLE. THE VICTIM THEN WENT TO HER ROOM TO PLAY FOR AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME. WHEN SHE RETURNED TO GET THE JAW BREAKER, SHE STATED THE PACKAGE THE JAW BREAKER WAS IN WAS QUITE WARM SO SHE PUT IT IN THE REFRIGERATOR AGAIN. SHE THEN WENT TO THE REST ROOM AND THEN CAME AND TOOK THE JAW BREAKER OUT OF THE WRAPPER SHE WAS WALKING INTO THE YARD AS SHE WAS PUTTING THE JAW BREAKER UP TO HER MOUTH TO LICK IT WHEN IT EXPLODED.

AT 1715 HOURS THE SUN WAS BEGINNING TO SET AND WAS SHINING THROUGH THE GLASS IN THE COMPUTER ROOM ONTO THE COMPUTER TABLE WHERE THE VICTIM SAID SHE PUT THE PACKAGED PRODUCT. THE CORNER OF THE TABLE AT THAT TIME WAS WARM TO THE TOUCH. THE EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE INDICATES THAT THE JAW BREAKER COULD HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN SUPER HEATED AND CAUSED THE INTERIOR CONTENTS TO EXPLODE."

Apologies for shouting. TheMadBaron 13:11, 4 June 2006 (UTC)