Detail from a broadside circa 1899 the “Universal food chopper, and a few of the things it chops,” Landers, Frary & Clark – Connecticut Historical Society
The story of food and drink in Connecticut is one of evolution from small agricultural producers to large, multi-national corporations. Early colonists relied on homegrown crops and livestock for their sustenance, along with the bounty provided by Long Island Sound. Their beverage of choices included locally made wine or distilled spirits, or those imported from England and the West Indies. By the mid-19th century, Connecticut hosted a thriving dairy industry and was a vital producer of milk and eggs during the Civil War. The 20th century witnessed the birth of numerous corporations, including the Peter Paul Candy Manufacturing company in New Haven in 1919, the founding of Pepperidge Farm in Fairfield in the 1930s, and the opening of the first Subway sandwich shop in Bridgeport in 1965.
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A Candy Bar Empire in Naugatuck
Almond Joy and Mounds were two of the most popular candy bars sold by Naugatuck's Peter Paul Manufacturing Company, an enterprise begun by Armenian immigrant Peter Halajian. …[more]
