It Was a Great Time to Be Alive

1989 had its share of monumental events. Berlin’s wall crumbled. A little thing called the World Wide Web was invented. Nintendo rolled out the Game Boy. Folks turned on Fox for the airing of the Simpsons’ first episode. All these historical feats made lasting impacts on society. Important...yes, but they pale in comparison to what Mars Incorporated accomplished. For it was a mere 36 years ago this titan of the candy world introduced the Snickers ice cream bar, relegating the above mentioned to mere historical footnotes.

I was always a fan of the candy bar in its original form. If I wanted to get fancy, tossing one in the freezer made for a nice variation. But frozen Snickers had one major setback. You needed patience and self-control for the bar to thaw before enjoying. If not, there was the high potential for a dental catastrophe if bitten into too soon or with too much gusto. Other than that, I never thought there was a need for tinkering with perfection.

Thankfully, my limited imagination and I were not part of the Research and Development team at the Mars’ headquarters in McLean, Virginia. Converting their beloved candy bar into an ice cream treat transcended my culinary wildest dreams while producing DNA-altering results in this sugar-addicted manchild.

The Snickers ice cream bar checked all the boxes for me. The appearance resembles a normal Snickers bar, so I’m lulled into a prejudicial opinion of what I’m about to experience. But as soon as I breach the chocolate-coated exterior and find no resistance from the ice cream interior, I experience a sensation that propels me to a new realm of tactile bliss.

The harmonious blend of indulgence and confectionary euphoria in every bite sends my tastebuds on a transcendental adventure. The harmonious union of sticky caramel amid a luxurious texture of ice cream triggers calorie-driven endorphins, which flood my brain.

Neither Snickers nor ice cream have ever been a source of disappointment for me. Combining these forces into one ensures this streak remains intact.

I am not narrow-minded. I believe that variety is the spice of life. You can’t go wrong with a Creamsicle, Drumstick or Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia (hold the political preaching). But I know what I like, and I like what I know, and Snickers ice cream bars are the foundation of my bliss.