Interesting Facts About Cotton Candy
Ironically, commercially available cotton candy was invented by a dentist. In the late 1800s, spun sugar was cost prohibitive to make and wasn’t available to the average consumer. In 1897, however, that started to change when dentist William Morrison and his business partner John Wharton invented the first machine spun candy. The candy was introduced successfully to consumers at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, where it was labeled as fairy floss. This name for cotton candy is still used today in parts of the world, most notably in Australia.
Cotton candy became a standard food offered at carnivals, ball parks, and festivals all throughout the United States from the 1920s up to the present. The machines used to spin the candy into fluff were first used by vendors who sold the candy for just a quarter or less. In the 1970s, Tootsie Roll and other candy companies discovered a way to mass produce cotton candy using a machine that not only spun it but then packaged it also. Today, Tootsie Roll is still the largest producer of cotton candy worldwide.
Americans enjoy having the confection as a rare treat during the summer months. What many people don’t realize, however, is quality manufactured machines are available for consumer use. These machines can be purchased for as little as forty dollars and allow for people to have cotton candy whenever they want in their own homes.
Even the commercial quality machines have reduced in price in the last few years. These machines spin cones at over three thousand rotations per minute, and generally can produce a new cone every twenty to thirty seconds around the clock. Surprisingly, even while quality has improved, the prices have declined for these machines in recent years. Commercial units are now available for purchase from two hundred dollars and up.
While special floss sugar is often used to make the candy, regular table sugar can be used as well. Typically, however, the results aren’t as great as one would expect with table sugar. The cones are usually not as fluffy and have a more dense texture.
Cotton candy continues to be a popular treat for both children and adults, just as it was after being first introduced in 1904. Despite warnings from health experts about increased sugar consumption, people love the nostalgia of eating warm, delicious candy fluff that has just been spun. The popularity of this simple confection has only increased.
