Hail - candy corn
It is time, once again, to pay homage to our favorite candy - the CANDY CORN. I'm going to post again the history of candy corn. Now, some of you may recognize the following as something I posted last year, but I don't care. I love candy corn.
Candy Corn

For those of us over the age of 25, when you think of Halloween candy you think of candy corn, those sugary little spikes of Halloween cheer. They've been around for as long as I remember and even as long as my grandparents remember but did you know that they were invented in the 1880's? Who the first person to make these tasty treats was is unknown but the Wunderle Candy Company of Philadelphia was the first to go into commercial production. However, the company most closely associated with this wonderful confection is the Goelitz Confectionery Company. Founder Gustav Goelitz, a German immigrant, began commercial production of the treat in 1898 in Cincinnati and is today the oldest manufacturer of the Halloween icon.
Making candy at the turn of the last century wasn't the highly mechanized, year-round activity it is today. Candy was manufactured seasonally from March through November. Large kettles were used to cook the basic ingredients of candy corn, sugar, water, and corn syrup into a slurry. Fondant for smooth texture and marshmallow for a soft bite would be whipped in. When the right consistency was reached the hot candy would be poured into hand-held buckets called runners. Each runner holding 45 pounds of the hot mixture.
Next, men called stringers would walk backward pouring the steaming candy into trays of cornstarch imprinted with kernel-shaped molds. Three passes were made, one for each white, orange, and yellow color. A strenuous job at best before the days of air-conditioning and electric fans.
All this strenuous labor wasn't lost on the tiny candy. It's tricolor design was considered revolutionary for its time and people flocked to buy them. Their shape was also a big selling point for the mostly agrarian population of the early 1900's. So popular was candy corn that companies tried other vegetable shapes including turnips. The Goelitz Candy Company even had to turn orders down for lack of production capacity.
Candy corn was originally sold in bulk containers like most foods products of the time. They were packed in wooden buckets, tubs, and cartons to be delivered by wagon and train over relatively short distances. Perishability prevented widespread distribution.
During WWI, Herman Goelitz, son of Gustav, moved to Fairfield, California to start his own company, the Herman Goelitz Candy Company. Their product? Candy Corn! The fortune of the Halloween treat would rise and fall many times as recession and boom, war and peace, affected the humble confection. Throughout the hard times it was the sale of candy corn that kept the companies afloat. In the sugar crisis of the mid 1970's when the price of raw sugar skyrocketed the company had to borrow heavily to buy sugar to keep production up. After the crisis the market plummeted. Many companies went out of business. It was demand for the candy corn that kept Goelitz from bankruptcy.
Today you won't have to look very hard to find candy corn. Computer and machine aided production have made them a plentiful staple no matter what time of year. So plentiful in fact that according to the National Confectioners Association, in 2001 candy manufacturers sold more than 20 million pounds of candy corn. Roughly 8.3 billion kernels! Very impressive for a product that has remained virtually unchanged for well over 100 years.
Perhaps best of all, everyone can feel comfortable about enjoying tasty kernel or two. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, candy is no different than a slice of bread, bowl of cereal or a cracker when it comes to causing tooth decay. Any food that contains sugar or starch can cause tooth decay – especially if one doesn’t brush and floss daily. So grab a bag of candy corn and enjoy. Just remember to brush your teeth after.
Hail to you...candy corn!


Onimi
18 years ago
lol, didnt know there was a history of candy corn. good to know tho for sure!!! <3 the stuffs!

ROzbeans
18 years ago
HAHAHAHA I LOVE THAT POSTER!!11
and /hug corny!!! too cute!
and /hug corny!!! too cute!

Sangre
18 years ago
I love candy corn! = extra yummy! Do you ever get the Autumn Mix bag with the pumpkins, leaves and other weird shapes??

ROzbeans
17 years ago
It's that time again - all hail candy corn!!!!


FyreGarnett
17 years ago
i was wondering when this thread would get pulled out of the ol' archive (so to speak!!!)
YAY!!!! it's candy corn season!!!!
*adding to shopping list*
YAY!!!! it's candy corn season!!!!
*adding to shopping list*

Merreck
17 years ago
I had some candy corn flavored taffy the other day... it was pretty awesome.

ROzbeans
17 years ago
Merreck;88782
I had some candy corn flavored taffy the other day... it was pretty awesome.


Sarah
17 years ago
My class gets to make candy corn out of triangles, make a counting book out of candy corn, and use candy corn as the nose on their jack-o-lantern cookie.
DawnStar
17 years ago
ohhhhh...candy corn. gotta get that back on the list...it's already gone! yum yum


Eve
17 years ago
I ain't trying that flavor, but I love the Cream Soda that Jones Co makes... soooooo goooood!

FyreGarnett
17 years ago
From the Candy Corn bag I picked up for momma tonight...
DID YOU KNOW....
Each year, Americans consume enough Brach's Candy Corn, that if laid end to end, wuold circle the earth 4.25 times... WOW!
DID YOU KNOW....
Each year, Americans consume enough Brach's Candy Corn, that if laid end to end, wuold circle the earth 4.25 times... WOW!

Lolanae
17 years ago
There are two people in this world I know that are pyscho for candy corn - My mother and Roz...both are diabetics.
I personally can't stand the stuff. lol
I personally can't stand the stuff. lol

ROzbeans
17 years ago
I can't find any Brach Candy Corn here for some reason. I saw a ton the end of September but now I can't find anything but friggin Jelly Belly candy corn. Disgusting to know that I sank that low. =/

Lessa
17 years ago
I dont care for candy corn at all, my kids like them, and they are a favorite of my mother in law... gimme chocolate!
My daughter's favorite treat is green olives with pimentos haha, and black olives are second best for her.
My daughter's favorite treat is green olives with pimentos haha, and black olives are second best for her.

Darsa
17 years ago
I'm with your daughter, Lessa, until you get to the black olives 
I put a bowl of candy corn on my desk last week (the remainder of the partial bad I sent to Scotland) because I like the color combo, though I don't really like it much myself. I have discovered my boss's favorite candy.
She kept apologizing for coming and taking handful after handful after handful... I was considering starting to charge for them!
... and nope, I don't work for Roz

I put a bowl of candy corn on my desk last week (the remainder of the partial bad I sent to Scotland) because I like the color combo, though I don't really like it much myself. I have discovered my boss's favorite candy.

... and nope, I don't work for Roz


Jetamio
17 years ago
Oooooh! *camps her letterbox* <3
And olives?? Eeew! Probably one of the few foods I wont eat lol.
And olives?? Eeew! Probably one of the few foods I wont eat lol.

Darsa
17 years ago
Ahem, Roz?
http://mfrost.typepad.com/cute_overload/2007/10/great-ideas-for.html#comments
I do believe the first one was made for you... and someone put it on a cat. GASP!
http://mfrost.typepad.com/cute_overload/2007/10/great-ideas-for.html#comments
I do believe the first one was made for you... and someone put it on a cat. GASP!


ROzbeans
17 years ago
BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA
