The Important Role of Chiclets When Picking Huckleberries.

Strawberry shortcake, huckleberry pie - V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!

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Author unkown.

Ancient Mayans and Aztecs chewed gum. Chicle, a substance harvested from the sapodilla tree, helped quench thirst and stave off hunger, according to anthropologist, Jennifer Mathews. Single women and children were permitted to chew in public. Married women and widows could chew in private to freshen their breath. Men chewed to clean their teeth.

Ever since those early days, the habit of chewing gum spread through the world. One of the most popular brands, Wrigley’s, attained immense success through advertising.

My grandmother was “old school.” She stayed with Chiclets, founded in 1900. The candy-coated, peppermint-flavored squares were distinct. If you shook the flat box, a sound came out. It reminded me of the chugging of a locomotive or, maybe, the chac-chac of a maraca.

At the end of a Catskill summer, Grandma would gather as many of her grandchildren as possible for a trip to the huckleberry patch. With pails tied to our waists, we’d pick berries and drop them into the pail. After a half-hour or so, she returned to each of us, checking our picking progress. Later, she checked again. If there were little or no increase in the quantity, she’d pop a Chiclet into the mouth of a grandchild who enjoyed eating ripe berries more than harvesting. “Pick. Don’t eat!” was her admonition. By the end of the afternoon, there were plenty of berries for canning the next day.

In the dead of winter, we’d see those huckleberries again in one of her pies or cakes. I found a special satisfaction eating a slice of her pie, knowing I’d made a small contribution to the dish. If Grandma gave you her recipe, I imagine the first ingredient would be the box of Chiclets for the mouths of the little berry pickers.

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Howard Feigenbaum is the author of two trilogies, a children’s book, and a book of poetry:

Benny Goldfarb, Private “I”.

Henry Samson: Finder of Wrongdoing. Published under the pen name, H. F. Jefferson.

We’re All Nuts! A children’s book.

How to Cook A Turkey And Other Poems.