Peanuts Begins by Charles Schulz for September 17, 2016

“Sweetmeats”?

Just in case nobody got the joke, sweetmeats ARE candy!

Back in the oooold days, “sweetmeats” usually referred to nuts, dried fruit or flowers covered with a sweet syrup and left to harden (see also comfits). You can still get candied almonds, violets, roses etc in Mediterranean countries; they’re the ancestors of the American peanut brittle, but here in Europe they’re dipped individually and left to harden, so you can munch them one by one.

Mincemeat used to be made with real meat, too—usually venison or beef.

Growing up in the sixties, “eating in front of someone” was a cardinal sin among kids. Nowadays, it’s “get your own!”

This is the first time I have ever heard of a candy called sweetmeat. It doesn’t sound like a good name to merchandize, but then again, things were different in the sixties.

Fudge is also considered a sweetmeat by definition.

Speaking of fudge, Linus and Lucy call fudge “Divinity” in a later strip, which was a new one on me…

Good thing he didn’t say “sweetbreads.” Not that they aren’t good..

On another note, Patty is not a nice person.

Smooth move there, Chuck! He’s more clever than he appears.

Had to look it up

“Sweetmeats” have no meat in them. But “sweetbreads” DO have meat in them.

A very old term. The term meat used to just mean “food” in general say the etymologists. Over time it was changed to just animal flesh.

Who knew – Charlie Brown grew up to become Hannibal Lecter.

Sweetmeat candy? Vomitrocious!

Preferable to sweetbreads !