Snack time at Lucky Man, Inc.

I've been thinking about snacks. Now, I know that at Lucky Man, Inc. we are contractually obligated to think about Lucky Man and Lucky Man alone, and yet I am thinking snacks, the best snacks, the ones I love, the ones that will change your life:

(1) Little chocolate donuts

Number one with a bullet. No competition. Any brand. Just take a bite. And if you still have some doubt, see John Belushi's Saturday Night Live "little chocolate donuts" commercial. Case-closed.

(2) Peeps

Yellow. Blue. Pink. Rabbits. Chicks. Gnomes. Doesn't matter, Peeps rock. Next.

(3) Gummy fried eggs

There is no bad gummy anything, and there can be no argument to the contrary. But there is something truly special about the gummy fried egg. Whether it's the texture or the truly unidentifiable flavor I cannot say, what I can say is that they are hard to find and they are sublime.

(4) Fried dough (with confection sugar)

Where I grew-up they were also known as pizza fretes. In New Orleans, they are beignets. They are crisp yet chewy, and with confection sugar, a perfect storm of greasy goodness.

(5) Maple candy

Love maple, the whole maple family, from syrup to frosting, but maple candy in the shape of a maple leaf, killer. If you need a fix you can always head to Vermont, but for my money nothing beats the Marathon maple festival in Marathon, NY.

(6) Pizzelles

I tend not to favor dry cookies, or cookies in general really, but the Pizzelle, the flat, snowflake looking Italian cookie with a hint of vanilla and touch of Anise will always remind me of growing-up on the Southside of Binghamton, NY.

(7) Candy corn

C'mon, do we need to discuss candy corn? Take a moment, picture one. I think my work here is done.

(8) Caramel creams

Also known as bulls-eyes. The plastic cover on the package can be hard to open and I always need to use my teeth. You have to peel them off of the cardboard tray they come in, which forces them to twist, then tear, the cream filling cracking and spilling out. But then you bite into one and you smile, just a little.

(9) Chinese rice candy

I don't know who makes them. They are hard to find. There are never enough in the box. And the toy that's included is always cheap and stupid. But the wrappers are edible, they stick to your teeth in a good way, and since they're a grain, whenever you eat four or five boxes in one sitting, you get to both eat dessert and meet one of your basic daily food group requirements all at one time. Sweet.

(10) Sour cream and cheddar Ruffles

I love Pringles, their shape, and perfect salt to faux potato ratio. I also love kettle chips of all stripes, the Cape Cod's especially, which are the perfect accompaniment to any sandwich. But the sour cream and cheddar Ruffle is the best chip ever - it's the most addictive and most life-affirming. Eat one, eat fifty, it doesn't matter, once you start you will have to finish the bag. Enough said.