Hostess with the Mostest {Filling}

 

Tragedy stuck the U.S. on November 16, 2012 when Hostess announced that after declaring bankruptcy and finding no buyers for their plants that they were permanently closing up shop. Why is this so alarming, you ask? It meant a beloved institution of the best grilled cheese sandwiches (wonder bread), childhood field trip snack of choice (snowballs), grandmothers treat of choice (ding dongs), my go-to freshman year vending machine snack (chocolate cupcakes) and the infamous cakes --and somehow my abhorrent nickname for a hot minute-- that would last until Wall-e's time (twinkies) would no longer be produced.

I was driving into work when I heard it on NPR and although I hadn't had a Hostess product in YEARS I found myself suddenly nostalgic and angry that such a thing could happen. I was so excited the two times a year I could have a snowball (I think I was the only child that purposely chose them), I remember my grandma freezing ding dongs--yes when they were still in the tinfoil wrappers--and I remember when she died inheriting her food, which included a costco-sized box of frozen twinkies. Yes, they got me through my first two transfers on my mission.

One of my coworkers and I decided to try our luck and walk down to the nearest 7/11 to find one last twinkie. Alas, they were all sold out. Just a few fruit pies and some left over halloween themed snowballs (score!). We then walked down to a corner store only to find out that they only sold Entemann's products. She called her mom in Florida and I texted my mom in N.C. to see if they could find any in their stores. Triumph, her mom found some! However, still determined, after work I went to a CVS and TWO Giant's until I found what I was looking for (and then some). I came out with: several crumb and chocolate donut packs, as many snowballs and cupcakes I could find (both 2 packs and individual boxes), one pack of zingers, and twinkies.

author's note: I gave many away as Christmas presents and to people who lamented not being able to find any, I'm weird that way. I hoarded snowballs and was more than a bit sad when they started going moldy (-1 point for Wall-E)... to late to put them in the freezer and going on a health kick I let them go.

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