by Bella Cooper

Created on: April 05, 2009

Everyone loves going to a carnival, circus or baseball game and purchasing some tasty pink cotton candy. There is just nothing like watching the sweet crystals of fluff spun into the yummy confection. The texture of cotton candy is very special as it is sticky and fluffy yet dissolves quickly into crunchy crystals in the mouth.

Origins of cotton candy

Iranians have made a similar treat as cotton candy for centuries called Pashmak. A similar treat was also developed in Italy in the 1400's, where sugar was melted and a fork was used to make sugar strings. This process was often used to make very fancy desserts in Europe as the candy strings were quite attractive. In 1904 the spun sugar was brought to the United States by candy makers William Morrison and John C. Wharton, who developed a machine to make cotton candy. They introduced the concoction as "fairy floss" to the St. Louis World's Fair. It was very successful selling over 60 thousand boxes for a quarter each (which was pretty pricey at the time). Another candy maker Thomas Patton also developed a cotton candy machine shortly after the World's Fair, and teamed up with Ringling Bros. Circus to sell the candy. Cotton candy was then picked up in some candy stores. In 1920, the name "cotton candy" came to existence. The cotton candy machine was improved over the years, making it possible to mass produce the treat and package it automatically.

How is cotton candy made?

Cotton candy is made of almost pure sugar and food coloring. Cotton candy machines essentially spin the sugar and food coloring at a high speed in the middle of a large metal drum. Heaters are used near the rim to melt the sugar which is then squeezed through small holes via centrifugal force. The sugar is then twirled around a cardboard stick or cone in the catching bowl to gather the sugar fluff around the stick. In current times, a special type of sugar is used in the process to make it especially light and smooth. In some cases, flavors are used such as bubble gum and ice cream.

A national holiday

On December 7th you can celebrate National Cotton Candy Day. It is unclear why the holiday is celebrated in the middle of winter, when the treat is generally eaten in the summer months. It is also not known who created the holiday or why it is considered to be a national holiday. Nonetheless, it is a great day to celebrate the yummy spun sugar treat!

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