Cotton Candy, Lollipops, Taffy, Caramel Apples, Coffee, Ices

Cotton Candy:

National Cotton Candy Day is December 7th. It is both fun to watch it being made and fun to eat.

Cotton Candy was introduced at the St. Louis World Fair as Fairy Floss in 1904 by William Morrison and John C. Wharton. The cotton candy invention that Morrison and Wharton came up with in 1897 was an electric machine. The machine made the cotton candy by melting a sugar mixture and then using centrifugal force to push the melted substance through a screen. The screen would create the wispy threads that were collected onto a paper or cardboard cone.

Birch beer is a carbonated drink made from birch bark. It is a favorite in New England. In the CT area, we tend to drink white birch and in PA they prefer a red birch. The color depends on the species of birch tree from which the sap is extracted. After the sap is collected, it is distilled to make birch oil. The oil is added to the carbonated water. Black birch is the most common extract. Birch beer is similar to root beer, but yet very distinct. It is sweeter with a sharper flavor, and has almost a slight hint of mint.

This fluffy and delightful candy is a novelty to children as well as adults. The process by which cotton candy is made has been around for over 100 years so. For many, the smell and scent are unforgettable – often times it makes one feel a bit nostalgic. Fond memories are linked with it – days of happy and carefree youth.

Cotton Candy and Calories:

Cotton Candy is made from Sugar and food coloring. Actually it mostly sugar and air. Even though cotton candy primarily sugar, it usually contains less sugar than a can of an average soft drink. What appears to be a large serving of cotton candy is really only a small amount of sugar — the rest is air, which gives cotton candy it’s special appearance. What a nice SURPRISE!