Month: March 2020

As mentioned in my last post, on February 1, I hinted about several big announcements for 2020, the 60th Anniversary of the debut of The Andy Griffith Show. I have already revealed The Andy Griffith Show Ambassadors Program and my being scheduled to do one of my presentations for the first time as an official part of a Mayberry event, Mayberry in the Midwest.

At the time, I also said, “I will be announcing certain magazines you should be sure to check out later in the year.” I am happy to report that I will be doing a series of articles for Mayberry  Magazine, the periodical published by the Mount Airy Times in Andy Griffith’s North Carolina hometown!

Readers may get a kick out of something I did not know about this news myself.

I originally pitched an idea for a  series of articles on the origin of The Andy Griffith Show. I had firm dates in mind for events that took place in 1960 (detailed below) but only knew an approximate date for an important event from 1959, Sheldon Leonard’s creation of the series concept that became The Andy Griffith Show. Still, I submitted the article and did not think about it much until the editor emailed asking for a headshot.

I sent the requested photo but never heard anything else so I assumed they had decided not to use the article for whatever reason. I contacted the editor again in mid-January about a proposed article about the 60th anniversary of the pilot episode. In the course of our conversation, he mentioned something along the line that they were looking forward to publishing another article by me. Another? I asked if he still planned to use the one I sent last year, and he responded, “We already used it! It was in the October issue.”

This was news to me. I regretfully had not subscribed to the magazine at that point though I did at the end of last year. They were nice enough to send me a copy which I just received today.

By the way, Mayberry Magazine has switched to a quarterly schedule, so if the original price tag was scaring anyone off, the price is now 10 dollars less. While there will only be four issues, each one will have a higher page count than the ones published previously.

So if you subscribe soon, you will be able to read articles by me on the 60th anniversary of the pilot episode, the beginning of filming, and the debut episode of the classic series, The Andy Griffith Show.

On February 1, I posted rather cryptically about several big announcements from Liberty Grove Press for 2020, the 60th Anniversary of the debut of The Andy Griffith Show. I have already revealed one of those planned events by announcing The Andy Griffith Show Ambassadors Program which I introduced on February 15, the 60th Anniversary of the pilot episode.

At the time, I also promised, “I will announce some big news about one of my presentations on aspects of The Andy Griffith Show.” I am excited to officially announce that I will be doing one of my audio/visual presentations for the first time as an official part of Mayberry in the Midwest!

This annual festival is scheduled to be held in Danville, Indiana on the weekend of May 15-17. Friday night kicks off with a meet-and-greet dinner. Saturday includes a parade and the Squad Car Nationals. Live music and performances by the tribute artists run the entire weekend.

My presentation is a free event that will be held on Sunday, May 17 at 1:00 p.m. in the  Crawley Business  Center. As a nod to my new Ambassadors Program, the event is titled “Ambassador Turner’s History Lesson: An Audio-Visual Presentation on The Andy Griffith Show and the Lost 40 Acres Backlot Where the Exteriors Were Filmed.”

My plan is to give about a 40-minute presentation since the great LeRoy McNees will be performing just a block away on the main stage outside at 2:00. I will have books and t-shirts for sale at a table in the front of the room for sale right after the main talk. After done at the table, I will be happy to do a short Q&A with any who want to hang around a bit, but I would really urge those who attend not to miss any more of LeRoy’s performance than you need to!

Of course, with the uncertainty of large gatherings during this time of the world dealing with the coronavirus disease COVID-19, it is always possible the festival will have to be rescheduled. In the event that happens, you can be assured that I will still be there whenever the event is ultimately held!

I really enjoy providing these presentations, which I have given at libraries, civic organizations like the Kiwanis Club, and retirement homes. I look forward to seeing a few Mayberry fans as my first appearance as an official part of this great festival!

Another Kit Kat type found only in Japan is Kit Kat Baked Custard Pudding.

The front of the package pictures the flavored white chocolate candy bar with an arrow leading to the same bar toasted with steam coming off it. Upon looking at it closer, I realized the drawing behind the pictures was meant to represent a toaster oven.

The back of the box confirmed that I would definitely have to investigate further. While in Japanese, it was clearly explaining how to bake the candy bars!

I first tried to use Google Translate which only led to some amusing attempts to convert the language to English. Somehow I don’t think the first line really translates to “the receiving day of the nose with a bun toaster.”

Luckily, the package contained three different wrapped small candy bars so I had the ability to try them in different ways. First, I had one as is. The candy definitely did have a custardy pudding flavor that was tasty.

After a bit of Googling, I decided to heat the remaining two bars differently. I first simply toasted one as if making toast. I heated the other bar under the broiler. I had better luck controlling the amount of heating with the second method, but both were really good and interesting.

Some of the sugar in the chocolate melted off and hardened along the bottom of the bars. This crystallized sugar tasted just like the top of creme brûlée. To me, the bar itself did not taste like a chocolate candy bar at all once heated. It almost had the consistency of a dense cake. It may be I don’t have a discerning enough palette, but I could not easily distinguish between the heated chocolate slightly caramelized on top and the wafer interior.

I would never have thought of heating a candy bar at all and definitely would not think the result would taste so much like creme brûlée. Quite the treat!