It all began innocently enough. My sister Kelly sent out an email to her siblings with the Mary Sue Easter egg jingle attached.Just about anyone who has grown up in the Baltimore area has heard this jingle. It is as much a part of the Baltimore Easter holiday traditions as hot cross buns. Mary Sue Easter eggs have been made in Baltimore since 1948.
Ever since I listened to it, it has been playing on an endless loop in my brain. For other family members, now scattered across the country, the jingle brought back memories of Easter baskets outside our bedroom doors on Easter Sunday mornings long ago.
Tomorrow, Peanut and I are off to Florida to see my sister Pat. I told her I’d bring her a Mary Sue Easter Egg.
I should’ve have done that. I’ve been unable to find Mary Sue Easter eggs anywhere in Howard County. I’ve looked in the Giant store in Lynwood, the Safeway in Ellicott City, the Target in Ellicott City, the Walmart in Columbia, the CVS in Elkridge and the Rite Aid in Ellicott City. No Mary Sue.
I even went to The Candy Box candy store on Frederick Road in Catonsville and Sweet Cascades on Main Street in Ellicott City. One of the salespeople at The Candy Box told me that Mary Sue sold out a few years back to another company. “It’s not the same candy though,” she informed me, “Mary Sue sold the name but not the recipe.”
The plot thickens.
I emailed the company and got a prompt response. “You can find Mary Sue Products at most retailers in the Baltimore area, including Walmart, Kmart, Giant, CVS and Mars Supermarkets.”
Apparently not in Howard County though.
I finally gave up. I am now taking my sister a dark chocolate vanilla cream egg from Sweet Cascades in Ellicott City that was made by Sue, just not Mary Sue.
Happy Easter.
