Connecting with the Sticky Bun Zeitgeist

My wife Susan has fond memories of sticky buns—Philadelphia sticky buns. No matter where one grows up in the United States there is a fairly good chance that a local variation of cinnamon or sticky buns will be touted as the authentic, indigenous version. Virtually everyone has childhood recollections of the best sticky or cinnamon buns in the world. We have heard testimonials from Wisconsinites, Ohioans, and even Texans about the best or biggest. Cinnamon bun shops have sprung up in malls all over the country, helping to restore that nostalgic longing for something that is completely unessential yet so totally irresistible. The secret to Coca-Cola’s success, for instance, was determined around the turn of the century when the manufacturer found a way through advertising to convince society that we absolutely needed something that was completely unnecessary.