A Candy History
Candy is a confection that so many people enjoy as a treat, and those that do so generally indulge at least once a week according to recent statistics.But where does candy come from and what exactly is it? Well, traditional candy is generally sugar boiled in either water or milk until it caramelises in to the hard substance that we know and love today. Candy also refers to other foodstuffs such as candy bars though, and these can be many different things. Different centres are often surrounded by chocolate in popular confectionary that people buy on a regular basis, and there are so many types to try that it never gets boring. Small candies such as chocolate coated in a sugar shell are also a big seller, as are lollipops, which is hard candy on a stick. All of these are stereotypically enjoyed mainly by children; by a lot of adults indulge their sweet tooth too.
Candies, although not in the form we know them now, can be traced back to the Ancient Egyptians civilisations. A variety of different nuts and fruits that grew naturally were rolled in honey and left to set in this primitive type of candy, as refined sugar was not something that could be used. This practice of using honey coated nuts and fruits spread to China and the Arab countries soon after. Sugar cane growth began to see what we now know as candy being formed. This was expensive though, and so only the upper classes could afford to indulge. With toothbrushes not being invented at the time though, this may not have been a bad thing. The boiled sugar candies were seen in the American colonies of the 1600s and across Europe and so we know that they have taken this form since at least the seventeenth century.Cacao, which is used to make the hugely popular component of candy known as chocolate, was discovered in Mexico, and the development of candies using this soon began. This was used for coating fruits and on its own to make a tasty dish. People back as far as the Mayans used to have hot chocolate though, and so cacao had been used as a sweet delicacy long before it took the shape of a candy.Candy really took off when techniques developed in the 1800s. Implements to help with production were developed and different flavours were tried out. Some old favourites such as lemon drops can be traced back to this time, and it is when sweet shops first began business.
Nowadays, there are several leading manufacturers who make a lot of candy bars or bagged candy to be sold in shops, and further advancements have made it even easy. Boiled candy is a very old recipe though, so think of how far back it goes when you next have some. Many new holidays such as Halloween now feature candy as a large part, when people go from door to door asking for a treat, or they will play a trick on a person who refuses. This is an old holiday, but now candy is a large part of it. Candy is also a very common gift for all occasions, particularly Valentine's Day, when heart shaped candies are made for the purpose. This spread of candy in to modern culture shows the way it is so integral now, and it will no doubt only continue to grow as an industry.
You Have a Party? You Need Some Candy
Being in the candy business, I often come across people who are interested in using candy as a theme or decoration for a special occasion. Be it a wedding, birthday party, sweet sixteen, baby shower, bar/bat mitzvah or any kind of event adding candy adds an extra bit of goodness. Are you interested in sweetening up your next gathering? Here are six great reasons to include candy on the guest list.
- Color choices - No matter what your color scheme, you can find candy to match. Need red? Try Red Hots , Hot Tamales or Very Cherry Jelly Bellys. Are Pink and brown your colors? Try chocolate-raspberry saltwater taffy. Need some light blue? Cotton candy flavored rock candy or some Berry Blue Jelly Bellys may help. Yellow the "in" color this year? Try banana runts. Need pink or blue for a baby shower? Cotton candy candy sticks should do the trick. The possibilities are virtually endless.
- Theme Choices - Most people would be amazed at the variety of shapes and "themes" available in candy today. Traditional party shaped candies might include flower lollipops and It's a Boy/Girl bubblegum cigars. Having a party with a beach theme? Why not throw some gummy sharks in a bag and have them chase around some Swedish Fish. Or grab some tropical fish lollipops. What about that Fear Factor part you were thinking about. No problem. Candy manufacturers love making gross looking, sounding and tasting candy. Consider Big Burp, a candy with a dispenser that burps, or Hose Nose, where you squeeze green goo out of fake nose onto your tongue (their motto is, "It' snot what you think"). Need some sour power? Try Toxic waste or Zotz. For those who want a real "creepy" experience, sink your teeth into some insect candy. You can't go wrong with sour cream and onion crickets or scorpion brittle. Having a character party? No problem. Most popular kids movies and TV characters now have their very own candy counterparts. From Hello Kitty marshmallow pops, to Spongebob ring pops, to Disney Princess pez and Spiderman Giant Pez, almost everyone is available in candy. What if you want the star of the party to be the sweetest person there? No problem, you can have their picture put on chocolate!
- Universal Appeal -I don't know anyone who doesn't enjoy some kind of candy. Sweets are one of those rare items that cut across gender, race, generation, culture, or any of the dozens of other "gaps" that separate people. I have had the pleasure of watching a parent or grandparent introduce a piece of nostalgic candy, such as Necco Wafers or wax bottles, to a child many times. I have witnessed peoples' faces light up as they discovered that their favorite candy is available in sugar free. I've been delighted to acquaint visitors from other countries with some of our unique specialties. We have a candy cart that we bring to many special events Rarely is it just the children who come to get something to eat! Everybody has a favorite candy!
- Economical - Often you can purchase candy to use as decorations for the same or less money than you would spend on traditional decorations. Bulk candy items scattered around a table make for a tasty design, without a lot of expense. You'll also save a lot of time on clean up. People don't leave a lot of decorations laying around when they're this good. The final reason to think about making candy a part of your next party is the simplest and the most powerful. Candy is fun! Let's face it, which is more fun, a streamer or a strawberry gummy? A banner or a bunch of chocolates? Candy has a way of putting a smile on peoples' faces, and isn't that what it's all about?
Fun Facts About Candies
WHAT IS CANDY?
One of the world's most popular sweet-tasting foods is candy, its main ingredient being sugar. It contains other ingredients such as milk, eggs, flour, nuts and fruit. Honey, vanilla and peppermint are sometimes used as sweeteners and flavoring respectively. They include chocolate bars, jellybeans, caramels, lollipops, and licorice.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN KINDS OF CANDY?
Candy comes in all shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors. Some candies are hard while others are soft and creamy or sticky and chewy. What's the difference? It's in how the candy is made. Candies such as nougats and marshmallows are made by whipping air into sweet syrups. The air adds volume and makes the candy feel smooth in your mouth. Chewy candies, such as caramels and toffees, are made by boiling sugar, milk, and vegetable oil. Gumdrops are made by boiling sugar with gelatin or cornstarch. Hard candies, such as lollipops and lemon drops, are made by boiling sugar with corn syrup and water. Butter or vegetable oil boiled with sugar produces butterscotch and brittles. Most brittles, including peanut brittle, are made with nuts. Chocolates are the most popular candies of all. Chocolate is made from the cocoa bean, a type of seed. Chocolate candies are sold mainly as solid bars, chocolate-covered bars, and other chocolate-covered treats. Chocolate is made by drying and roasting the cocoa beans. The beans are ground and then crushed to release a liquid known as chocolate liquor. This bitter-tasting liquid contains a fat called cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is what makes chocolate so creamy and delicious. To make the chocolate you eat, sugar and more cocoa butter are added to the unsweetened chocolate liquor. Other ingredients might also be added for flavor, including milk or vanilla.
THREE FUN CANDY FACTS
The simplest candy is cotton candy. It has one ingredient: sugar. The sugar is melted in a container with tiny holes and then spun very fast. The whirling container forces the sugar through the holes, making those thin threads that melt in your mouth. The flavoring for black licorice comes from the root of the licorice plant. Licorice is one of the world's oldest candies. The ancient Chinese, Egyptians, and Greeks used licorice as a medicine. Do you know why a candy cane is curved at the top? Because shepherds often carried curved sticks and the first visitors to the baby Jesus were shepherds. That's why candy canes are especially made for Christmas, a day that celebrates the birth of Jesus.
WHEN DO WE EAT CANDY?
Candy is good just about anytime. But people eat more of it than usual at certain times of the year. In the United States, where trick-or-treating is popular, the most candy is eaten around Halloween. The second-most popular time for candy is Easter. Many people receive Easter baskets filled with sweet treats. Next comes Valentine's Day, which is for giving candy to loved ones and friends. Winter holidays such as Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa are also special times to share candy.
All You Need To Know About Candy Bouquets
A candy bouquet is an exquisite vision of beauty and flair, yet a delicious and unique gift alternative for those occasions we so often need the right gift. Gifts for our family, friends, loved ones, co-workers, business associates and the list goes on. Thus, these fine candy bouquet arrangements can be found at your online candy florist stores. We know that it can be hard to find that perfect gift to convey your sentiments and with a yummy candy bouquet what a great alternative and a delicious treat too! Everybody enjoys candy from all ages. You could hardly go wrong with gifting a candy bouquet to anyone on your list. The candy bouquet is an arrangement as a bouquet, basket, mug and many other varieties. While your looking around to find that perfect unique gift, understand that a candy bouquet is a great way to express your regards to those special in our lives. With so many choices, options and variations to choose from you are sure to find them the very best.
Each candy bouquet is individually hand-crafted in bright, cheerful, and fun arrangements created by talented designers paying close attention to details and care in their creation. They are offered both themed and non-themed in their variations of arrangements, baskets, bouquets and so much more. This definitely makes it easy for you to find an appropriate gift for just about any need or occasion. A candy bouquet makes an excellent gift choice for anniversaries, birthdays, get wells, corporate gifts, holidays, and all other special occasions imaginable. If by chance you don't find what you're looking for, you generally have the option to tailor build a creation to suit your tastes. If this is your preference, just give the online candy florist store a call or email as they are willing to work with you and create your recipient the best gift possible. Making it a win win for everyone. A candy bouquet becomes a win win because all by itself it presents in its presentation an expression of sweet regards and sentiments to the important people in our lives. A candy bouquet makes your shopping experience fun and easy and yet it is a fantastic gift idea for your recipient. A gift idea they are surely not going to forget but one they will remember for sometime. Act now and be sure to send your candy bouquet this holiday, you will not only impress but are sure to leave them with a smile.