Ever since its arrival, people have adored consuming candy as a sweet treat. From humble beginnings in ancient Egypt to the sugary delights we know and love today, the life story of candy is just as interesting and exciting as it is delicious. Here’s everything you need to know about the invention of candy to satisfy your curiosity and sweet tooth.
The History of Candy
Candy has undergone a dramatic transformation to become the treat everyone knows and loves today. Your favorite goodies have taken on various forms over the years and probably looked and tasted very different from what you would expect now. People from different cultures and time periods used all kinds of ingredients and techniques to make unique versions of tasty candies.
While many civilizations were developing their own kinds of sweets, experts are able to trace candy’s origins back to its original invention. Let’s take a look back in time and discover how modern candy came to be.
Ancient Origins
Most historians credit ancient Egyptians with the invention of candy. As far back as 1500 BC, Egyptians created candy from any sweet, local ingredient they could find. They would often combine honey, nuts, and fruits to make a delicious treat that they could share with their community. Most experts believe that the taste was a coincidence and that candy’s original purpose was to treat digestive ailments.
However, ancient Egyptians weren’t the only ones crafting tasty treats. Around the same time, other cultures were also making candy out of similar ingredients. Civilizations in China, India, and the Middle East also made these sweet snacks, and the Greeks and Romans jumped on the sugar train shortly after.
A Brief Timeline
As time progressed, candy makers refined their creation process and started incorporating new ingredients into their recipes. Sugar candy became popular during the Middle Ages as a luxury for the upper class. When people perfected the sugar refining process, it became more widely available and eventually made its way to England and the Americas in the 17th century.
Candy has experienced an explosion since then, taking on so many forms with different ingredients to satisfy anyone’s craving. The first chocolate factory emerged in the 1700s, and the 1800s saw the invention of caramels and lollipops. The 19th century brought us early versions of modern candies we know and love today, introducing various flavored hard candies and delectable milk chocolates to the market.
The Rise of Popular Candies
Since then, these delicious confections have transformed into the popular candies sitting on shelves of nearly every supermarket and retail store in the world. From spooky Halloween treats to sweets for your valentine, candy has become a staple in almost every major holiday. Discover everything you need to know about the invention of candy by investigating some of the most popular options.
Candy Bars
While we don’t know the exact origins of chocolate as an edible treat, most experts credit Joseph Fry as the inventor of the chocolate candy bar. In 1847, he discovered a way to press a sugar and cocoa powder mixture in a mold to create the first version of everyone’s favorite form of chocolate. Early chocolate bars featured bittersweet chocolate that many would consider too bitter by today’s standards.
From there, chocolatiers have perfected the process through trial and error. Famous names like Cadbury and Nestlé tried their hands at making chocolate bars and established themselves as pioneers in the industry. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, these experts and many others experimented with different techniques to create new, unique candy bars everyone could enjoy. Hershey became a household name, and the modern chocolate bar has remained virtually unchanged since that time.
Candy Canes
The holiday season wouldn’t be the same without candy canes to lift spirits and ring in the best time of the year. However, these minty candies didn’t always look and taste the way we know them to be. Many will find it surprising to learn that the original candy cane wasn’t a cane at all! In fact, this treat lacked any flavoring outside of sugar and was straight and solid white up until the 19th century!
Many experts think that candy canes became associated with Christmas in the 1800s. In the 1900s, Bob McCormack and extended family members set out to simplify the candy cane-making process. His brother-in-law, Gregory Keller, developed a machine to simplify the process. Since then, these festive holiday treats have transformed into their hooked, red-and-white look that we are all familiar with.
Lollipops
Modern lollipops became popular in the early 1900s, but did you know that historians can trace the original versions all the way back to ancient times? Centuries ago, civilizations preserved food with honey and made consumption easier by attaching wooden sticks to these sticky treats. As people learned more about sugar, the lollipop grew into the lickable candy we all recognize.
The title for “the creator of the lollipop” usually goes to George Smith, who developed the modern variant in 1908. He patented his creation in the 1930s and went on to solidify himself as a prominent figure in the candy industry. From this point on, companies from all over have revolutionized this candy with technology. Specialized machines make the process fast and easy, and lollipops continue to be one of the most sought-after candies on the market today.
Jelly Beans
Another popular candy that many reach for to satisfy their sweet tooth is jelly beans. These soft, squishy candies are reminiscent of Turkish Delights and have taken on a life of their own since their development. Many give credit to William Schrafft of Boston, who asked to gift these snacks to soldiers fighting in World War I, for their creation in the 20th century.
Jelly beans experienced a resurgence in the ’60s when former president Ronald Reagan proclaimed them his favorite candy. Since then, people have associated them with holidays like Easter and Valentine’s Day, stuffing them in hideable eggs and gifting them alongside love notes for their sweethearts.
The history of candy is an exciting one, with so many interesting facts and significant figures paving the way for modern versions of delicious goodies. Now that you’re familiar with the invention of candy and all of the important details, you can discover why so many people have an interest in the subject. At Sweet Services, we have a wide selection of bulk novelty candy, so you can appreciate how far candy has come. Check out our inventory and satisfy your cravings today!
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