National Cotton Candy Day celebrates the spun sugar treat that delights candy fans of all ages. On December 7th get your favorite flavor of this sweet delight that dates back to the 1400s.
- 16th century – court confectioners had spun sugar into threads to decorate lavish desserts and make extravagant ornaments for the table.
- 1769 – In her cookbook The Experienced English Housekeeper (1769), Elizabeth Raffald includes a recipe for a “silver web” and one for a “gold web” made from spun sugar.
- 1784 – The great French chef Marie-Antoine Carême (1784-1833) was particularly adept at working with spun sugar and shared his innovative techniques in his influential manuals.
- 18th Century – During the 18th century, cotton candy (spun sugar) was first recorded in Europe. At that time, it was very expensive and labor-intensive. Generally, the average person could not afford to purchase cotton candy.
- 1897 – Dentist William Morrison and confectioner John C. Wharton, both from Nashville, invented machine-spun cotton candy.
- 1904 – Their invention introduced cotton candy to a wider audience at the 1904 World’s Fair as Fairy Floss. Fairgoers loved it and bought over 68,000 boxes for 25¢ a box.
- 1921 – another dentist by the name of Dr. Josef Lascaux in New Orleans improved the design of the machine and he trademarked the name “Cotton Candy.”
- 1949 – Gold Medal Products introduced a more reliable machine with a spring base, revolutionizing cotton candy-making.
- 1966 – The world’s biggest cotton candy manufacturer – Tootsie Roll Industries, produces bagged cotton candy called Fluffy Stuff.
- 2009 – The longest cotton candy was created in July 2009 and measured 1,400 m long—about the same length as 13 football fields! It took six hours to make the gigantic treat.
- It all started when cooks physically melted and spun sugar. They used forks to extract the candy into thin strands, which they draped around broom handles.
- Cotton Candy is healthier than most desserts.
- Cotton candy is only made from two ingredients—air and colored sugar, which means that there is no fat content at all.
- Cotton Candy is fat-free.
- Overall, a stick of cotton candy is around 110 calories.
- A 12 oz (340 g) can of Coke has far more sugar than a typical paper cone of cotton candy.
- When spun, cotton candy is white because it is made from sugar, but adding dye or coloring transforms the color. Originally, cotton candy was just white.
- The only advancements in cotton candy over the years have been mass production and equipment upgrades.
- In France, cotton candy is known as “la barbe à papa,” which means daddy’s beard.
- in Australia and Finland, it’s Fairy Floss,
- In China, you’ll find a dragon’s beard
- In the Netherlands, it’s called a sugar spider.
- in Greece, the locals call cotton candy ‘old ladies’ hair’. while in the UK and India, it goes by the name of candyfloss.
- In Italy, it’s “zucchero filato,” or “sugar thread.”
- There’s also “spookasem” (“ghost breath”) in Afrikaans, and in other languages like Hindi and Greek, the term for cotton candy more or less translates to “old woman’s hair.”
- A thread of cotton candy is thinner than a human hair.
- Researchers drew inspiration from cotton candy machines to develop a technique for creating artificial capillaries. This innovation could lead to the fabrication of artificial organs, as the process mimics the intricate network of human capillaries.
- Chefs incorporate cotton candy into gourmet dishes, using it as a whimsical garnish for cocktails or as a sweet accent in desserts.
- Innovators have developed sugar-free versions of cotton candy using substitutes like isomalt, allowing those with dietary restrictions to enjoy this classic treat without the sugar content.
- The most popular color of cotton candy is pink followed by blue. Candy makers add a type of food coloring to achieve the pastel colors.
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