Elf magic part of the fun at 2019 Brookfield Zoo Halloween
This Halloween Season marks my 10th anniversary at Brookfield Zoo’s annual “Boo! At the Zoo”.
When I was first asked to be a judge for the zoo’s costume contest back in 2009, I never expected to be still gathering with little ghosts and goblins a decade later for Brookfield Zoo’s annual Halloween extravaganza, featuring not-so-scary, fun-filled festivities for the entire family.
In recent years, my parents Chester and Peggy have also joined me on the celebrity judging panel to award honors for costume creativity. To mark my decade anniversary and celebrate the launch of my new “Back From the Farm” cookbook, Brookfield Zoo invited my parents and myself to serve as the celebrity grand marshals last weekend in this year’s Halloween costume parades which have extended over the weekends in October.
The 1 p.m. parade, both Saturdays and Sundays, rolls for the final weekend, since Halloween and a scary, chilly weather forecast that includes snowflakes, arrives on Thursday.
As part of the fun and excitement, throughout the zoo, guests of all ages also enjoy haunted hayrides, cowboy carousels, giant pumpkin carvings, corn mazes, pumpkin smashing, scarecrow building, costume fun and other activities. There are also opportunities to learn about some of the zoo’s Halloween season mascots, like real bats and scorpions during special zoo chats that educate guests about the zoo’s species. Visit www.czs.org or call 708688-8000 for details.
For a number of years, Brookfield Zoo’s Boo! At the Zoo has been sponsored by Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., based Ferrara Candy Company, which has always assured candy mascot Mr. Lemonhead (of lemon drop candy fame) has shared the top spot in the zoo’s Halloween parade. This year, Mr. Lemonhead had an added friend in the parade with him, in addition to myself and my parents.
Ernie the Elf from Keebler Cookie Company notoriety helped lead the 2019 parade.
In 2017, Ferrara Candy Company was purchased by Italian rival candy company Ferrero, an everexpanding umbrella company, which in recent years, has also swallowed up other yummy brands including Nutella, Tic Tac, and Famous Amos Cookies. Ferrero’s latest acquisition was in July 2019 when they purchased Elmhurst, Ill.based Keebler Cookies and Crackers for $1.3 billion, which explains Mr. Lemonhead’s parade pal this year, pointed hat Ernie the Elf.
Ernie the Elf was born as a brand mascot in 1970, the same year of my own birth. He was dreamed up by the downtown Chicago advertising wizards at Leo Burnett Company, who also created the Pillsbury Doughboy, the Jolly Green Giant and StarKist’s Charlie the Tuna.
When the idea of “baker elves” living in a hollow tree was first introduced in television commercials for Keebler in 1969, it was J.J. Keebler billed as “king elf” who served as the company’s commercial spokesman (spokeself?). But in 1970, the Leo Burnett team and Keebler retired the king elf concept and created whitehaired and affable Ernie the Elf, crediting him in the animated TV commercials as “Keebler’s head elf” and destined to be forever associated as a cookie brand icon. Half a century later, the company continues to use Ernie, the “hollow tree” logo and campaign slogans like “made with elfin magic” and “uncommonly good.”
Today’s recipe is courtesy of Ernie the Elf and Keebler Co. for their delicious “Magic Raspberry Cookie Bars” which are scrumptious, easy to make, and include my mom Peggy’s favorite baking ingredient: coconut.