Smarties and the things you learn at knitting

Yesterday at knitting, Smarties came up in discussion.  And in one of those little twists the world makes as it spins, Smarties greeted me on my other favourite forum, the Achenblog.  (Yes dmd, every little girl did use the red as lipstick)

Every Canadian will know Smarties as the far tastier, more delectable progenitor of M &M's.  Smarties under their original name, chocolate beans, were first produced in 1882, and they have been produced in Canada since 1918.  Smarties are the quintessential Canadian Candy.

These wonderful candies are not sold in the US except by specialty importers. You poor poor people.  Will somebody fax these people some Smarties, please?  They are in serious need.  They know not what they lack.  Seriously.

And for the Americans, who are sadly lacking, the song that has been with us since childhood

Smarties

Sing Along

"When you eat your Smarties,

do you eat the red ones last?

Do you suck them very slowly,

or crunch them very fast?

Eat those candy-coated chocolates,

but tell me when I ask,

when you eat your Smarties, do you eat the red ones last?".

(I'm probably violating all sorts of rules here)

Smarties are now being made with no artificial colouring and the self proclaimed Smartie aficionado among us said they are no longer as good as they used to be.  We contemplated many things.  Chocolate, candy coating, but mostly we contemplated the awful truth.  We contemplated artificial.

For the Smarties lovers among us, we must put out a call to Nestle. It is almost painful to say this, but could you put the artificial back?