Jelly bean
Encyclopedia : J : JE : JEL : Jelly bean
- For the alcoholic drink, see Jellybean.
Jelly beans or jelly eggs are a type of confectionery that comes in many different (primarily fruit) flavors. They are small (the size of a red kidney bean or smaller) and usually have a harder shell and gummy interior. The confection is primarily made of sugar.
History
The interior jelly traces its origin back thousands of years to a candy called Turkish Delight while the shell is essentially the same as developed in the late 19th century for Jordan Almond candies. The two were brought together around the beginning of the 20th century. It was not until 1930 or so that jelly beans became an Easter candy, presumably from their resemblance to eggs.
Ingredients
The basic ingredients of jelly beans include sugars, corn syrup, and food starch. Relatively minor amounts of lecithin (an emulsifier), anti-foaming agents, beeswax or carnauba wax, salt, and confectioner's glaze are also added. The ingredients that give each bean its character are also relatively small in proportion and may vary depending on the flavor. These include natural and artificial flavors and colors, and, depending on the bean flavor, may include chocolate, coconut, fruit as puree or juice, peanuts, vanilla, oils, cream, or freeze-dried egg, milk, or fruit powders.
Flavors
| Color | Conventional Jelly Beans | Spiced Jelly Beans |
| Red | Cherry | Cinnamon |
| Orange | Orange | Ginger |
| Yellow | Lemon | Allspice |
| Green | Lime | Spearmint |
| Blue | Bubblegum | Peppermint |
| Violet | Grape | Clove |
| Black | Anise / Licorice | |
| White | Vanilla, Coconut or Pineapple | |
| Pink | Rose or Strawberry | Wintergreen |
Most jelly beans are sold as an assortment of about 8 more or less standard fruit flavors. Assortments of "spiced" jellybeans and gumdrops are also available, which include a similar number of spice and mint flavors. The colors of jelly beans are also more or less standardized, and a fairly typical scheme is shown in the table to the right. There is even horseradish, carrot and tomato variants which exist.
On the other hand, some premium brands, such as Jelly Belly, are available in dozens of different flavors, including berry, tropical fruit, soft drink, and novelty ranges in addition to the familiar fruit and spice flavors. While these are also sold as assortments, individual flavors can be purchased à la carte. In the 1980s, when Ronald Reagan was President of the United States, he was known for keeping a jar of Jelly Belly jelly beans on his desk, which was credited with helping to increase the candies' popularity in the U.S.
Slang
In United States slang in the 1910s and early 1920s a Jelly bean or Jellybean was a young man who made great effort to dress very stylishly (usually to attract women) but had little else to recommend him; similar to the older terms dandy and fop and the slightly later drugstore cowboy. However, the word was also used as a synonym for pimp. See also jelly roll.
The type was memorialized in the song, "Jelly Bean (He's a Curbstone Cutie)", kept popular through the 1940s by Phil Harris. It was written by Jimmie Dupre, Sam Rosen, and Joe Verges, and published in New Orleans in 1920 by Universal Music Publishers, Inc.
In the semiconductor industry, a jelly bean component is one which is widely available, used generically in many applications, and has no very unusual characteristics - as though it might be grabbed out of a jar in handfuls when needed, like jelly beans. For example, the 741 might be considered a jelly bean op-amp.
See also
- Skittles (candy)
- John "Jellybean" Benitez for information on the record producer.
- Jellybeans are the currency of Disney's Toontown Online.
External links
- [Jelly Belly web site]
- [Marich confectionery company web site]
- [Modesto Bee Columnist Lisa Masson discusses the history of Jelly Beans and the observance of National Jelly Bean Day]
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