0

This question is not about the preparation of a food item, so if it does not fit well on this site, please let me know where I might post them instead.

I have seen many places selling "moose mints" with picture of a moose on the box. Is this just a word play on "loose mints", or does "moose mint" actually refer to a specific kind of mint candy?

JHN
  • 3
  • 1

1 Answers1

1

Word plays on the excrement of indigenous moose are common everywhere moose are common. In Alaska, we often refer to "Moose Nuggets" both as novelty food items and as (I kid you not) novelty jewelry items. Moose excrement is much like rabbit excrement in that it comes in big piles of perfectly shaped, tiny turds.

1

2

There is a company out of Spokane, Washington that sells Moose Mints:

3

It's the same kind of silly word play/scatological humor. There is no particular type of candy or kind of mint involved, it's just meant to be cute play on the rather bizarre (and therefor "funny") nature of moose poop.

Community
  • 1
Jolenealaska
  • 58,386
  • 30
  • 196
  • 321
  • Very interesting. I'll make sure to look for those nuggets next time I'm in Alaska. So you think moose mints is also alluding to the turds? I thought maybe it was a play on "loose" mints but did not make the connection to poop...a friend got them for me from Colorado and now I'm thinking of getting her the nugget earrings in return. – JHN Oct 13 '15 at 05:01
  • @user12707 Yes, I am sure of it. The name is a reference to the turds. Here it is such a ubiquitous reference that we hardly even know we are doing it, but the turds provide no end of silliness. Look at the moose on the Moose Mints package, then look at the picture on the Moose Nuggets. Mints in a tin are always perfectly formed and identical. For some reason, moose turds are also "funny" that way. – Jolenealaska Oct 13 '15 at 06:07
  • You would think that somewhere in the world someone would have made a candy based on rabbit scatological humour. – user23614 Oct 13 '15 at 12:41
  • They probably do, but the thing about moose is that they are very novel to live around. They are amusing as in this picture from my neighborhood: http://www.adn.com/sites/default/files/styles/ad_slideshow_wide/public/legacy/2012/03/1rD6aN.So.7.jpg?itok=pBzOe1Wi Touristy stuff like Moose Nuggets is a celebration of the novelty of living with moose. – Jolenealaska Oct 13 '15 at 17:57