by Maria Malia

Created on: April 02, 2009   Last Updated: April 22, 2009

Gallant Fox? Snickers? What's in a name?

That delicious bar of candy layered with creamy peanut-flavored nougat and topped with luscious caramel-covered Georgia peanuts, with a final dip and a swirl in a most heavenly Hershey's milk chocolate might have been named Gallant Fox. But, the Gallant Fox does not exist. With some imagination, it might have existed however.

As the story goes, Frank Mars (1883-1934) and his partner-son Forrest, named the company's new confectionary treat in memory of a recently deceased, well-loved race steed Frank and his second wife, Ethel, had raised on their Tennessee farm, The Milky Way.

Gallant Fox was the triple crown winner in 1930, the same year the Snickers bar was created and manufactured. So, if Frank Mars was searching for a name for his new concoction and he was inclined towards horsey names, it might not be to far fetched to think that we might, today, be eating a Gallant Fox, a Man O' War, or some other famous horse name from the 1920s or early 1930s.

In 1930, seven years after the famous Milky Way bar was marketed in Minneapolis, Frank Mars, a Midwest candy maker, in partnership with his son Forrest, a product of his first marriage, developed and began manufacturing their now, well-known, much loved, and oft-savored candy bar. Snickers went on to become the world's best-selling candy bar of the time. Many resources report the Snickers bar is still, today, at the top of the heap.

A Snickers bar covered in Hershey's chocolate? Yes, Mars, Inc. and Hershey's were in chocolate cahoots. That partnership served both companies well until Forrest severed their mutually beneficial business relationship in 1965.

The original secret recipe (Forrest eventually had his company executives sign a confidentiality agreement) remains relatively unchanged today.

Entrepreneurs have found other interesting things to do with the Snickers bar. The Fried Snickers bar and the Snickers Bar Salad are just two of the more popular concoctions.

Those inventive Scots started the Fried Snickers craze in their fish and chips shops in Scotland. Eventually, the Fried Snickers (as well as other name-brand bars) became a staple at county fairs in America.

Fried Snickers begins with a thoroughly frozen bar, which insures it will not overly melt during its quick swim in the hot vegetable or peanut oil. The frozen bar is completely dipped in a sweetened batter, such as that used for funnel cakes, and deep fried for 2 to 4 minutes, until it is golden brown.

When cooled slightly, this sinful combination of a powdered sugar coating, fried batter, slightly melted chocolate and warm caramel, delights the senses. Definitely not an every day treat!

Thank you Frank and Forrest Mars. No matter its name, be it Snickers or Gallant Fox, your candy treat has made our world a little sweeter.

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