National Candy Day is observed annually on November 4th. Candies come in numerous colors, shapes, sizes and varieties and have a long history in popular culture.
- It was in the late 13th century that the Middle English word candy began to be used, coming into English from the Old French cucre candi, derived in turn from Persian Qand and Qandi, cane sugar.
- Originally a form of medicine, candy calmed the digestive system or cooled a sore throat. At this time, combined with spices and sugar, candy only appeared in the purses and the dishes of the wealthy.
- It was in the 18th century that the first candy is believed to have come to America from Britain and France. At this time, the simplest form of candy was Rock Candy made from crystallized sugar. However, even the basic form of sugar was considered a luxury and was only attainable by the wealthy.
- In the 1830s, the candy business underwent a drastic change. Candy was not only for the enjoyment of the well to do but the pleasure of everyone. Penny candies became popular, targeting children.
- 1847 – Invention of the candy press making it possible to produce multiple shapes and sizes of candy at one time.
- 1851 – Confectioners began using a revolving steam pan to assist in boiling sugar.
- The first chocolate eggs were made in Europe in the early 19th century and remain among the most popular treats associated with Easter.
- The winter holidays represent the biggest boxed chocolate selling season.
- How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie-pop? According to student researchers at Purdue, it’s 364 licks.
- Until the 1930s, the Sugar Daddy candy pop was called the “Papa Sucker.”
- The name “Pez” comes from the German word “pfeffErminZ,” meaning “peppermint.”
- The man who invented cotton candy, William James Morrison, was a dentist.
- Three Musketeers candy bars got their name because each bar originally came as three pieces, each with a different flavor, vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate, which is the one still used today.
- Snickers, one of the most popular candy bars today, was named after a horse.
- Most traditionally flavored bubble gum is pink because that was the only color dye available when it was invented.
- Easter is one of the big candy holidays and each year candy companies make more than 90 million Easter bunnies and 16 billion jelly beans just for the one day holiday.
- In order to create enough marshmallow chicks and bunnies (like Peeps) for Easter, companies make 5 million every single day throughout the year.
- Almost everyone eats the ears off of their chocolate Easter bunnies before they eat anything else.
- At Christmas, almost 2 billion candy canes will be made for sale.
- Despite the close association between candy and Halloween, Christmas is actually the biggest candy sales season of the year.
- Americans over 18 years of age consume 65 percent of the candy which is produced each year.
- The ancient Aztecs believed that chocolate was an aphrodisiac. Chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine (PEA), a natural substance that is said to stimulate the same reaction in the body as falling in love.
- During the 1849 Gold Rush, Dombringo Ghirardelli from Italy began making chocolate in San Francisco. His factory still stands at Ghirardelli Square.
- 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate are consumed in America each year, which is over 11 pounds per person.
- Famous candy inventor, George Smith, tried his lick, oh we mean luck, on the racetrack. In 1908, he invented a now famous hard candy on a stick and named it after his favorite race horse, Lolly Pop.
- Tootsie Rolls have the distinct honor of being the country’s first individually wrapped treat known as penny candy.
The two top-selling candies in America have been:
- M & M’S — M&M’s are milk chocolate drops with a colorful candy coating on the outside. The candies were first manufactured in 1941 and were given to American soldiers serving in the Second World War. M&M’s are produced by Mars Inc.
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups — Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are round chocolate disks that are filled with a sweet, creamy peanut butter filling. The cups were first manufactured in 1928 by the Hershey’s company.
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