DEAR SUN SPOTS: I have lived in the Lewiston-Auburn area all my life. I would always enjoy going to my great-grandparents’ house because they had the best candies.

They were from Brach’s. My favorite was the white nougat with the different-colored jellies in them. They also had the best different-flavored toffees in the colored-foil wrappers. The butterscotch and cinnamon hard candies were great.

The issue I’m having is that I cannot find any Brach’s at self-serve stations in grocery stores. If anyone out there, even you, Sun Spots, can help me out, I would be forever grateful. — Liz B., Auburn

ANSWER: Sun Spots went to www.brachs.com to see what is available locally. Unfortunately, at the “where to buy” link, you have to select the specific kind of candy you want, and Sun Spots does not know the names of the candies you mentioned. But she guessed at a few and found some flavors are available at Hannaford and Walmart, but far from all.

And since the company does not appear to sell directly to consumers, you’ll need to find a retailer, and their online finder only goes within 25 miles of the entered Zip code.

Sun Spots did find a couple of online sources for their candy:

* www.candyfavorites.com (1-888-525-7577). They appear to have good variety and are currently offering free shipping if you spend $59.95 (that’s a lot of candy).

* www.oldtimecandy.com (1-866-929-5477). They also offer a mailing address: 350 Commerce Drive East, Lagrange, OH 44050.

If you want to contact Brach’s directly, you can do so at Farley’s & Sathers Candy Co. Inc., Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 28, 1 Sather Plaza, Round Lake, MN 56167, 1-888-247-9855, comments@farleysandsathers.co.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: What is a Mediterranean diet and what does it consist of?

Also, can you tell me what has happened to Catherine Parrotta on Channel 13? I miss seeing her. She was the greatest. Thanks. — Barbara, Bethel

ANSWER: A Mediterranean diet got its name from its popularity in countries such as Greece, Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, which are on the Mediterranean Sea. It’s light on red meat, heavy on vegetables and fruits, whole grains, cheese. Think a pasta salad with olive oil and feta cheese.

Wikipedia offers this:

“The principal aspects of this diet include high olive oil consumption, high consumption of legumes, high consumption of unrefined cereals, high consumption of fruits, high consumption of vegetables, moderate consumption of dairy products (mostly as cheese and yogurt), moderate to high consumption of fish, low consumption of meat and meat products, and moderate wine consumption.

“Olive oil is particularly characteristic of the Mediterranean diet. It contains a very high level of monounsaturated fats, most notably oleic acid, which epidemiological studies suggest may be linked to a reduction in coronary heart disease risk. There is also evidence that the antioxidants in olive oil improve cholesterol regulation and LDL cholesterol reduction, and that it has other anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive effects.”

As for Catherine, you were not the only one who thought she had potential. According to an online post, as of March she’s been at WFXT Fox25 in Boston.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I need help and soon. I need to make a peanut butter pie, and I lost my recipe. Please help. Thank you. — Mrs. S.L.

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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