National Caramel Apple Day is observed annually on October 31. A fun memory from many people’s childhoods is eating caramel apples in the fall. It may have been at a fair, carnival, Halloween party or just home with family and friends, but the memory is a good one and part of the fun was making them.
- Caramel apples (sometimes called taffy apples) are made by dipping apples, on a stick, in hot caramel.
- Caramel apples are sometimes sprinkled with nuts, chocolate or other confections.
- The most commonly preferred apples used in making caramel apples are tart, crisp apples such as Granny Smith or Fuji apples.
- Candy Apples were first introduced in Arabian cuisine. The reason was that fruit was candied to preserve it.
- Soldiers in World War I slanged them “toffee apples.” Candy Apples are popular all over the world.
- England celebrates Guy Fawkes Day with caramel apples on November 5.
- Newark, New Jersey candy-maker William W. Kolb is said to have invented the red candy apple in 1908. The first candy apple was meant for display only. The candy apple was created quite by accident. Kolb the candy maker was looking for ways to expand sales of his red cinnamon candy during the Christmas season and used an apple on a stick as a way to display the brightly colored candy in the shop window.
- Caramel apples were invented in the 1950s. The creator, Dan Walker, was a sales representative working for Kraft Foods. Kraft Foods, who also sold small individually wrapped caramels, continues to print the recipe for caramel apples on the backs of their caramel bags.
- In 1960, Vito Raimondi, with the help of his uncle William Raimondi, invented and patented the first caramel apple machine.
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