Good morning. Did you know today is my Birthday? Thank you for joining me in our Food Holidays: November 4th, 2021. Its the perfect day to celebrate National Candy Day. Would you like to join me in having a piece of candy? I can pick us up a treat when I go to the store in a little bit. What would you like. Charlie said Snickers for him. David said M&Ms Peanuts with him. For me I think I will either do Chocolate Covered Peanuts. I haven’t had Chocolate Covered Peanuts in a while.
I hope your sweet tooth is ready, because mine and Charlie’s is as we celebrate November 4th which is National Candy Day. Sweet and sour treats have been our favorite snack since childhood. Whether the candy is hard, chewy, fruit flavored, or a “melt in your mouth not in your hand” sort of treat, candy has been a consistent source of happiness.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL CANDY DAY
Did you know the story of candy began in India.? Between the 6th and 4th Centuries BC, the Persians and Greeks learned that the people in India had, what they called, reeds that make Honey without Bees. These reeds were actually Sugarcane, indigenous to Southeast Asia. Ancient Indians would boil Sugarcane Juice, turning it into individual pieces of Sugar, which they called “khanda.”
Before sugarcane was domesticated outside of Asia, Honey was used in ancient China, the Middle East, Egypt, Greece, and Rome to coat Fruits or Flowers, which would preserve them and turn them into a form of candy. Before the Industrial Revolution, candy was used as medicine to either calm the digestive system or cool the throat. In the Middle Ages, candy was mostly consumed by the wealthy and was made of Sugar and Spices to aid digestive problems, which were common, because food was neither fresh nor balanced.
Candy first came to America in the 18th Century from France and Britain. Very few colonists were skilled in sugar work, meaning only the wealthy were able to enjoy these new treats. In the 1830s, when the Industrial Revolution was in full swing, technological advances allowed candy to be accessible to more than just the rich. Including a new market specifically for children. While artisan sugar workers remained, candy stores were becoming an American staple, especially in the lives of children across the Country. Penny Candy became the first thing a child would spend their money on. Candy store owners relied on the business of children and families to keep them open.
NATIONAL CANDY DAY ACTIVITIES
- Nothing says “Have a great day” better than a box of colorful candy. Today pick up a box or two to give to someone you care about.
- Make your own candy? Using boiling Sugar in Water or Milk until it starts to Caramelize. Just research online for a recipe that you would like and make the Candy. Charlie and I will be doing this in our Homeschool Cooking Class. Would you like to join us?
- We all have our go-to candies, but the next time you’re in the grocery story, pick a new candy to try.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL CANDY DAY
- Candy is delicious. If you’ve never had a king-sized Kit Kat bar or pack of Sour Patch Kids, then you haven’t lived. Can you believe I haven’t had either because they just don’t sound good to me. Why Charlie and David eat both of these all the time.
- From using piñatas at birthday parties, to passing out Hershey’s Kisses for Valentine’s day, candy was a big part of our childhoods. No matter how much we grow, candy will always bring back those special memories.
- Happy? Sad? It doesn’t matter! Candy is used by people as a way to boost happiness and Candy has a natural knack for lifting our moods.
Here are today’s five things to know about Candy:
The first Chocolate Eggs were made in Europe in the early 19th Century and remain among the most popular treats associated with Easter. ie Cadbury Eggs.
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.”
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
