Showing posts with label candy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label candy. Show all posts

February 23 - Tootsie Roll Day

Posted on February 23, 2019


According to Tootsie Roll Industries, 64 million Tootsie Rolls are produced every day.

That's a lot of candy! And I assume that's not counting all the Tootsie Pops that the company manufactures. 

(I assume it IS counting all the various sizes of Tootsie Rolls!)

Today is supposed to be the anniversary of the date in 1896 when Austrian immigrant Leo Hirshfield started selling hand-wrapped candies in his small Brooklyn store. He'd named his new treats after his daughter. Don't worry! - his daughter was named Clara, and it was her silly nickname "Tootsie" that Hirshfield used for his candies.

Some people who study such things say that Leo Hirschfeld (a slightly different spelling of the name - but spelling changes in names are very normal for immigrants) was actually working for a candy manufacturer, not running a small store, when Tootsie Rolls were invented. In 1907 he applied for a patent for his recipe, I guess, and the unique chewy texture of his candy, and a year later he was awarded the patent. The whole thing about Clara, nicknamed Tootsie, being the candy's namesake may be true - and she may even have been Hirshfield/Hirschfeld's daughter - but there doesn't seem to be any proof of that story, either. What is backed up by evidence is that there was a child spokes-model for a fruity gelatin candy put out by that same candy company, and this little girl was named Clara.

So I don't know if the Tootsie Roll Industries' story about the small store in Brooklyn and the candymaker's daughter Tootsie is completely true or if it is a mishmash of truth and heartwarming fiction. 

I do know that we cannot believe everything a company says about its own product...Check out these old ads:


"Stands any weather"??? "Stands any test"???

I think that is an exaggeration!
Sure, Tootsie Rolls don't melt like most chocolate
candies do, but we don't need to overstate it!

I actually really like Tootsie Rolls. I usually like my candy to be a mix of dark chocolate, nuts, and caramel or nougat - but Tootsie Rolls is one of my favorite exceptions!

Here is an old video that shows how Tootsie Rolls are made. And here is a modern video showing us how to make a homemade version of the candy!










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April 12 – National Licorice Day

Posted on April 12, 2018


Licorice!









There are so many ways to go with a food holiday: The history of the food. Recipes. Health benefits, or lack thereof. Non-food uses of the food.

Let's do a quickie survey of all of these topics:

A Bite of History

So licorice - or "liquorice," as the Brits spell it - was consumed by Ancient Egyptians (at least by the Pharaohs! probably not by commoners?). And by Ancient Greeks (at least by Alexander the Great). And by Ancient Romans (at least by Caesar).

I said "consumed," rather than "eaten," because licorice root (in other words, the root of the plant Glycyrrhiza glabra) was generally used to create a sweet drink rather than a chewy candy, way back then! 

Today we often use the word licorice to mean candies made from licorice root - or candies made with the similar-tasting anise - or even just candies with similar long-twisty-strand shapes.

Here are some different licorice candies:

Allsorts
Black jelly beans
Good'n'Plenty
Licorice swirl salt-water taffy





Swedish salty licorice





In addition to various drinks and candies, licorice has also been used in medicines, as a flavor additive for tobacco (!), as a mouth freshener - and even, occasionally, in art or craft projects!

Recipes

Licorice ice cream? Savory licorice dishes? Check out a few recipes here.



Health benefits

Some people use licorice in herbal or traditional Chinese medicines. For example, people have consumed licorice for stomach complaints and for sore throats, among other things. However, consuming a lot of licorice can be toxic! Check out this WebMD page.

Non-food uses

It seems like a gingerbread house would be a food - but nobody eats these creations. They're just too much work to munch on! They're projects that become decorations!



A few people have used licorice to make art!



And with such linear forms of licorice to play around with, some people just...well, play around with the stuff!


Also on this date:



– aka Cosmonaut Day








































Plan ahead:


Check out my Pinterest boards for:
And here are my Pinterest boards for:
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February 1 – Decorating with Candy Day

Posted on February 1, 2018



If you know the story of Hansel and Gretel, you might remember that the wicked witch in the story lives in a house decorated with candy - to lure little kids in.

But decorating the outsides of our houses with candy isn't what this holiday is all about. Instead, how about decorating with candy:

A gingerbread house - or a smaller, simpler, humbler graham cracker house



A cake or cupcake or cookie





A dessert pizza


An ice cream sundae



A pancake or waffle


A table setting or centerpiece



Unique candy gifts, such as these topiaries or flower vases



A fantastical landscape






You could have a cupcake- or cookie-decorating party. Before your guests come, gather a bunch of candies they can use to decorate. (Sugar sprinkles and marshmallows count as candy!)



Also on this date:
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