Posted on 10/29/2001 7:01:50 AM PST by Cagey
HANOVER, N.H. -- You scarf down loads of it every year. Somehow it always finds its way into your trick-or-treating bag. And you see it on sale on the shelves of CVS for months. Candy corn has become a national trend and a fundamental aspect of Halloween. But what exactly is it? It's not corn, it doesn't look like corn and it sure as hell doesn't taste like corn. So what's the deal?
The history of candy corn can be traced all the way back to the 1890s, when Albert and Gustave Goelitz (who soon became the inventors of Jellybelly jelly beans), German immigrants and candy-makers extraordinaire, began to sell it in 1898. From the start, candy corn was a hit: while licorice, chocolates and peppermints were also produced in the Goelitz factories, the single best-seller for decades was candy corn. In fact, the brothers began to refer to themselves as the "Kings of the Candy Corn Field."
But candy companies today aren't just content with the simple "white, yellow, orange" traditional form of candy corn. Many new forms of candy corn have been created in the past few years.
First, there's the ever-popular "Indian Corn," which, instead of the white, marshmallow tip, has a brown, chocolatey tip. Candy corn has also been adapted to different holidays; look for red, white and green candy kernels during Christmas time and pastel-colored kernels during Easter. And don't forget the creamier "pumpkin-shaped" candy corn also popular during Halloween season.
The primary ingredients of candy corn are corn syrup, sugar and water. Many companies have begun to add some marshmallow to give it more flavor.
To make the "corn," a wooden tray is filled with corn starch and molded into the shape of the corn. Each mold is filled up one squirt of color at a time (white at the top, orange in the middle, and yellow at the bottom). The candy is then aged for a couple of days and beeswax and honey are added to the mix to give it a sweeter taste and a smoother texture.
It's checked very carefully by factory workers before they are bagged to ensure that every kernel is perfect before it's shipped off to candy stores all across the nation.
Candy corn is sweet and creamy and tastes like a mix of butter cream and vanilla, with a little marshmallow aftertaste. The best candy corn is really soft when you bite it and melts in your mouth as you chew. Candy corn tastes good only when it's fresh, so don't think that if you buy that bag of candy corn still on sale from last year's Halloween, it will taste the same.
The way one eats candy corn reveals a lot about his/her true personality. Pay attention next time you eat a kernel of candy corn.
Do you bite off the white bit first then slowly tackle the orange center and top it all off with a nibble of the yellow part on the bottom? If so, you are an organized, cautious person who thinks that "living on the edge" means renting a house on the beach. Or do you just grab a handful and shove it in your mouth? If this is more your style, you are an overachiever who lives life to its fullest and are never afraid to take a risk.
The National Confectioner's Association estimates that, this year, over 20 million pounds of candy corn will be sold for Halloween. So, while there is no logical explanation for why it's called candy corn or why it tastes so incredibly delicious, make sure you keep all the spirits away from your secret stash of candy corn this Halloween.
Pay very close attention and report anything unusual.
Yuck.
The 1st indicator a candy is going to suck: It is named after 'corn'.
NeverGore
Aw c'mon, how about Maisenettes and Three Maiseketeers?
Sorry, couldn't come up with any "corn" ones, but I'm sure someone here can.
At least it's not as bad as those horrid puffy orange 'circus peanuts'.
I believe it is an F1 Hybrid meaning that the seed reverts back to one of it's crossed parents, which in this case given the taste of Candy Corn, is $hit. And most planters wreak havoc on the seeds and you end up with a bunch of chaff, which I believe they use in the making of Elmer's glue.
Ah yes, Peeps. I hear they improve greatly if you stick them on a fondue fork and toast them over a gas stove. Circus peanuts, OTOH, are beyond redemption.
What does it mean when you break it in half and scream, "Stop staring at me!"?
Peeps? I love Peeps. Of course, I always rip the head off first, then cram the rest of its body into my mouth while making dying Peeps noises.
You can tell a lot about a person by the way they eat Peeps. Peeps--pay special attention to the separation of the Peeps Quints.
It was probably some of that genetically altered candy corn that will not sprout from seed.
If that's the best you can do, don't. Just leave your porch light off and hibernate like the mean old cronies you are.
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