tennblondie78
Well-known member
I've never heard of Bosco... I feel left out. 
Guess I need to hunt down a bottle to see what the fuss is about!
Guess I need to hunt down a bottle to see what the fuss is about!
Guess what I found at Big Lots
- Thread starter norgeway
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Being manufactured in my state, I see Bosco in most supermarkets, but not all.
The ingredients really don't look too bad:
"Ingredients
High fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, natural cocoa, sugar, cultured sugar, malt extract, natural vanilla flavor, xanthan gum, citric acid, salt, vitamin B3 (niacinamide), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine HCI), vitamin B2 (riboflavin).
No preservatives, no artificial flavors, and no artificial colors. OU Kosher Pareve."
I like Bosco on my ice cream, but in a glass of milk I prefer Rich Chocolate Ovaltine, as ridiculously expensive as it is.
Ken D.
The ingredients really don't look too bad:
"Ingredients
High fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, natural cocoa, sugar, cultured sugar, malt extract, natural vanilla flavor, xanthan gum, citric acid, salt, vitamin B3 (niacinamide), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine HCI), vitamin B2 (riboflavin).
No preservatives, no artificial flavors, and no artificial colors. OU Kosher Pareve."
I like Bosco on my ice cream, but in a glass of milk I prefer Rich Chocolate Ovaltine, as ridiculously expensive as it is.
Ken D.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
Stephanie:
Your avatar photo reveals that you're much too young to remember Bosco!
The heyday of the product was the late 1950s through the middle 1960s. It was heavily advertised on "kiddie shows," like Atlanta's Popeye Club, L.A.'s Cartoon Carousel and even Waterloo's Dr. Max and Mombo.
That time frame was when kiddie programming on school days began at 4:00 pm and ran through 6:00 pm - two whole hours of saturation advertising wrapped in a thin veneer of cartoons hosted by a local personality. Saturday was even more intense - cartoons began at 7:00 am and ran until noon, then "juvenile" programming like Sky King took over for a couple of hours more.
We boomer brats responded so well to the brain-washing we received that we mercilessly pestered our parents for Bosco, Lay's and Gordon's Potato Chips, Maypo, Duncan Yo-Yos, Fizzies, Wham-O Hula Hoops, Hostess Twinkies, Barbies and G.I. Joes.
I remember more than one occasion when I was threatened with bodily harm if I said ONE. MORE. WORD. about some product I'd seen advertised on The Popeye Club.
Your avatar photo reveals that you're much too young to remember Bosco!
The heyday of the product was the late 1950s through the middle 1960s. It was heavily advertised on "kiddie shows," like Atlanta's Popeye Club, L.A.'s Cartoon Carousel and even Waterloo's Dr. Max and Mombo.
That time frame was when kiddie programming on school days began at 4:00 pm and ran through 6:00 pm - two whole hours of saturation advertising wrapped in a thin veneer of cartoons hosted by a local personality. Saturday was even more intense - cartoons began at 7:00 am and ran until noon, then "juvenile" programming like Sky King took over for a couple of hours more.
We boomer brats responded so well to the brain-washing we received that we mercilessly pestered our parents for Bosco, Lay's and Gordon's Potato Chips, Maypo, Duncan Yo-Yos, Fizzies, Wham-O Hula Hoops, Hostess Twinkies, Barbies and G.I. Joes.
I remember more than one occasion when I was threatened with bodily harm if I said ONE. MORE. WORD. about some product I'd seen advertised on The Popeye Club.
tennblondie78
Well-known member
I used to watch the "After School Specials" and Saturday morning cartoons. I also remember cartoons being on in the afternoons; that's when I watched Inspector Gadget, Heathcliff, He-Man, Battlecats, etc...
Let the laughing commence...
Let the laughing commence...
danemodsandy
Well-known member
Stephanie:
Your era was a little different from ours.
Those shows I referred to were local. Basically, a local station bought a "package" of cartoons from King Features Syndicate or another entity, and hired someone to be a host with appeal to kids. The U.S.'s television markets were full of "Officers," "Skippers," "Doctors" and clowns with various names. A studio audience of local kids was always in attendance.
Over the course of an hour-long show, several cartoons would be interspersed with lots of commercials, and studio audience participation games. Prizes for the games were always sponsors' products.
Kids vied to be on their local show (in my native Atlanta, there was a two-year waiting list to be on The Popeye Club in its heyday), and local personalities were often hired by local businesses as a "draw," like when a new grocery store or fast-food place opened up. The Popeye Club's "Officer" Don Kennedy would be on hand, which made kids beg to be taken to the new A & P or whatever, and when the little darlings got there, they begged for whatever they'd seen on TV.
It was a racket the Mafia must have wished they'd thought of first. Changes in FCC regulations made such shows much less profitable beginning in the early '70s - you couldn't market so blatantly and aggressively any more. By the time you were at the right age for kiddie programming, not nearly so much of it was local any more. At one point, Atlanta had three local kiddie shows in the afternoon - The Popeye Club, Skipper Ray and The Mickey Mouse Club.
Your era was a little different from ours.
Those shows I referred to were local. Basically, a local station bought a "package" of cartoons from King Features Syndicate or another entity, and hired someone to be a host with appeal to kids. The U.S.'s television markets were full of "Officers," "Skippers," "Doctors" and clowns with various names. A studio audience of local kids was always in attendance.
Over the course of an hour-long show, several cartoons would be interspersed with lots of commercials, and studio audience participation games. Prizes for the games were always sponsors' products.
Kids vied to be on their local show (in my native Atlanta, there was a two-year waiting list to be on The Popeye Club in its heyday), and local personalities were often hired by local businesses as a "draw," like when a new grocery store or fast-food place opened up. The Popeye Club's "Officer" Don Kennedy would be on hand, which made kids beg to be taken to the new A & P or whatever, and when the little darlings got there, they begged for whatever they'd seen on TV.
It was a racket the Mafia must have wished they'd thought of first. Changes in FCC regulations made such shows much less profitable beginning in the early '70s - you couldn't market so blatantly and aggressively any more. By the time you were at the right age for kiddie programming, not nearly so much of it was local any more. At one point, Atlanta had three local kiddie shows in the afternoon - The Popeye Club, Skipper Ray and The Mickey Mouse Club.
I see that HFCS is the first ingredient listed. I seriously doubt the original formula contained that.
Another blast from the past
Fox's U bet.
Egg cream purists and fans of the original early 20th-century formulation of U-Bet sometimes seek out the Kosher For Passover version of the syrup. In order to maintain its kosher certification from Kay Kosher Supervision during the Passover holiday, U-Bet is made before Passover with refined sugar instead of the high-fructose corn syrup sweetener base that is used the rest of the year.
Good stuff when you find the formulation made with sugar.
Just say NO to HFCS!
Fox's U bet.
Egg cream purists and fans of the original early 20th-century formulation of U-Bet sometimes seek out the Kosher For Passover version of the syrup. In order to maintain its kosher certification from Kay Kosher Supervision during the Passover holiday, U-Bet is made before Passover with refined sugar instead of the high-fructose corn syrup sweetener base that is used the rest of the year.
Good stuff when you find the formulation made with sugar.
Just say NO to HFCS!
danemodsandy
Well-known member
HFCS:
In that part of my working life that deals with special-needs people, I have tried and tried and tried to impact on their consumption of HFCS-sweetened pop. The reason? Many of them are overweight, and some are obese, and all of them will do absolutely anything to get their hands on as much pop as they possibly can.
My finest moment came some months ago, when I mentioned in a meeting that HFCS is suspected in some quarters of being at least somewhat addictive. I was glared at, and frostily told, "There is no evidence of that."
To which I replied, "I will believe that when I see people lie, cheat and steal to get hold of broccoli."
In that part of my working life that deals with special-needs people, I have tried and tried and tried to impact on their consumption of HFCS-sweetened pop. The reason? Many of them are overweight, and some are obese, and all of them will do absolutely anything to get their hands on as much pop as they possibly can.
My finest moment came some months ago, when I mentioned in a meeting that HFCS is suspected in some quarters of being at least somewhat addictive. I was glared at, and frostily told, "There is no evidence of that."
To which I replied, "I will believe that when I see people lie, cheat and steal to get hold of broccoli."
danemodsandy
Well-known member
Fox's U-Bet:
I love U-Bet, preferably in the Kosher for Passover version.
It is different than other chocolate syrups - thinner, with a somewhat lighter taste. It mixes superbly well with soda for an egg cream.
I love U-Bet, preferably in the Kosher for Passover version.
It is different than other chocolate syrups - thinner, with a somewhat lighter taste. It mixes superbly well with soda for an egg cream.
Chocolatey
Presume the makers used the term "chocolatey" as a way to get around the fact the drink contains '0' percent actual chocolate. Chocolate contains both cocoa solids and cocoa butter, in varying amounts. (Technically cocoa contains some cocoa butter, usually in the 10-12% range; although some high-end cocoas contain upwards of 22% cocoa butter). The point is, when the cocao (yes, cocao not cocoa) bean is processed the solids are separated from the butter - and each can be used in varying amounts when re-combining to form a particular type of chocolate - some more viscous (less cocoa butter) and others less viscous (higher cocoa butter contents, which provides greater flow) and naturally - higher cost. And you can just guess how much $$'s Mr. candy bar maker or Mr. chocolatey syrup maker can save by incorporating nary a drop of the real thing-! Happens all the time in today's high-profits-at-all-cost world of food making.
The above explanation doesn't fully answer the question as to why the current iteration of Bosco is described as chocolate syrup, unless adding 'syrup' to the description somehow clears the way for deceptive advertising. And the label on older bottles of the concoction stated: Bosco Milk Amplifier Chocolate Flavored Syrup. Now try to figure that one out...
Presume the makers used the term "chocolatey" as a way to get around the fact the drink contains '0' percent actual chocolate. Chocolate contains both cocoa solids and cocoa butter, in varying amounts. (Technically cocoa contains some cocoa butter, usually in the 10-12% range; although some high-end cocoas contain upwards of 22% cocoa butter). The point is, when the cocao (yes, cocao not cocoa) bean is processed the solids are separated from the butter - and each can be used in varying amounts when re-combining to form a particular type of chocolate - some more viscous (less cocoa butter) and others less viscous (higher cocoa butter contents, which provides greater flow) and naturally - higher cost. And you can just guess how much $$'s Mr. candy bar maker or Mr. chocolatey syrup maker can save by incorporating nary a drop of the real thing-! Happens all the time in today's high-profits-at-all-cost world of food making.
The above explanation doesn't fully answer the question as to why the current iteration of Bosco is described as chocolate syrup, unless adding 'syrup' to the description somehow clears the way for deceptive advertising. And the label on older bottles of the concoction stated: Bosco Milk Amplifier Chocolate Flavored Syrup. Now try to figure that one out...
Yay! Pete got the Bosco jingle down pat!
I went to a Publix Supermarket yesterday, before I bought my Maxwell House Instant and ten cans of Friskies, I checked for Bosco, and Biscoff. Bingo, both!! Bosco is still described on the label as a milk amplifier, Biscoff is a spread made up of ground Biscotti, subject for another thread. I should have gotten some Bosco, we never had any growing up.
I went to a Publix Supermarket yesterday, before I bought my Maxwell House Instant and ten cans of Friskies, I checked for Bosco, and Biscoff. Bingo, both!! Bosco is still described on the label as a milk amplifier, Biscoff is a spread made up of ground Biscotti, subject for another thread. I should have gotten some Bosco, we never had any growing up.
norgeway
Well-known member
You all do know!
If its FULL of stuff that's bad for you....ITS BOUND TO TASTE GOOD!!!!LOL
If its FULL of stuff that's bad for you....ITS BOUND TO TASTE GOOD!!!!LOL
tennblondie78
Well-known member
My mother was on an episode of Romper Room when she was little. They asked her where she was from (Tennessee) and she said Texas... LOL!
I always wanted to be on Bozo the Clowns show. I remember as a kid we were on one of our summer vacation camping trips and Bozo came on and it wasn't the same Bozo. That was weird at the time.
iheartmaytag
Well-known member
I think there is some regional popularity too.
I remember hearing of Bosco, but we are more of a Nestle Quick, and PDQ region I think.
I remember hearing of Bosco, but we are more of a Nestle Quick, and PDQ region I think.
I grew up 20 minuteI s from Hershey, so I'm Hershey's chocolate all the way. You could get a real factory tour until 1973. I know non-Americans don't like it, but wow, the smell. YUM! Never heard of Bosco before today. Most "good" chocolates don't taste good to me. Now I'm curious; might need to head over to Amazon!
-chaik
-chaik
I wouldn't special order it myself but if I see it somewhere I'll pick up a bottle for auld langs syne. It may not even taste the same as all those years ago and that could be they altered the ingredients too much or an aging palette but ya never know. I bought a bottle of Hersheys choc syrup maybe two years ago spur of the moment when I had cravings for a home made sundae,, but it wasn't great and I never did finish the bottle, but heck I may have loved it as well when I was 7.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
Pete:
You're right - our tastes change as we, uh, "mature," and childhood favorites may not be as wonderful today. I had that experience with Hot Ralston, a hot breakfast cereal I loved as a kid. Now, it tastes to me more like the box it comes in than anything else.
Campbell's tomato soup leaves me cold now, as well, though in that case, I suspect changes to the product are at the bottom of things.
You're right - our tastes change as we, uh, "mature," and childhood favorites may not be as wonderful today. I had that experience with Hot Ralston, a hot breakfast cereal I loved as a kid. Now, it tastes to me more like the box it comes in than anything else.
Campbell's tomato soup leaves me cold now, as well, though in that case, I suspect changes to the product are at the bottom of things.
