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Fried Candy Bars Served Up at Eastward Lanes

Written by  Cyndi Wood Monday, April 16, 2012 at 10:32 am

ELLSWORTH — What does one say when served an ooey, gooey melted candy bar wrapped in sweet fried dough and coated with powdered sugar?

Oh boy.

So it was easy for Wayne and Stacy Gaspar, owners of Eastward Bowling Lanes, to settle on O’Boy as the name for the new treat on their snack bar menu.

“[Wayne] came up with the name because a lot of people, when they bite into it, say, ‘Oh my God, that’s good,’” Stacy explained.

Some customers, particularly the health conscious, doubt the tastiness of deep fried candy.

One bite is usually enough to make them believers, Stacy said.

“I get it now,” many admit.

The Gaspars began experimenting with deep frying candy bars in December after seeing the treats on television.

Common practice is to dip frozen candy bars in batter before frying them, but the couple wanted a technique that did not require freezing the candy.

They began their trials using homemade pizza dough.

Stacy first added chocolate chips to the dough, but the chips did not melt as desired.

The couple then tried folding the dough around snack-size candy bars.

“It wraps all around and encases it so it stays warm and wonderful inside,” Wayne said.

The Gaspars then developed a dough specifically for the O’Boys.

After frying the treats for about three minutes, the dough develops a golden hue and a soft, slightly chewy texture.

There are 13 candy varieties to choose from. Fried mini Snickers are popular, but customers also clamor for the Reese’s peanut butter cups and Almond Joys.

Stacy prefers her O’Boys made with dark chocolate mint Three Musketeers bars.

The O’Boys sell for $1.50 each or two for $2.75.

The Gaspars plan to expand the menu further.

Wayne envisions making bite-sized blooming onions from pearl onions and calling them gutterballs.

He’d also like to add a turkey burger and call it the Triple Strike.

Customers also have requested deep fried pickles. The Gaspars already fry pepperoni to make pepperoni chips.

“They deep fry everything now,” Wayne explained.

Eastward Lanes opens daily before lunch and closes at 10 or 11 p.m. Customers can munch on O’Boys while bowling or playing pool or after browsing Comics Plus, which recently relocated into space adjacent to the snack bar.

Takeout is available. To learn more, call 667-9228.

For more arts & entertainment news, pick up a copy of The Ellsworth American.

Cyndi Wood

Cyndi Wood

Ellsworth native Cyndi Wood is the new media editor at fenceviewer.com. She began her reporting career in 2007, when she joined the staff of The Ellsworth American.

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