Spinning cotton candy at a fair
|Alternative name(s)||Cotton candy, fairy floss|
|Place of origin||Europe (originally)
United States (machines)
|Creator(s)||William Morrison and John C. Wharton|
|Main ingredient(s)||Sugar, food coloring|
Candy floss (or candyfloss) is sugar that is spun with air. It is also called cotton candy or fairy floss. It is spun in machines. When spun, a small amount of sugar creates a much larger serving of candy floss. This is because it is mostly air. It is usually served on a stick or in a bag. Food colouring is sometimes used to change the natural white colour. Flavour is also sometimes added. Candy floss is often sold at fairs or circuses.
Candy floss was first made in Europe in the 18th century. At that time, spun sugar was expensive. The average person could not afford it. Machines to spin the sugar were invented in 1897 by William Morrison and John C. Wharton. They introduced it at the World's Fair in 1904, under the name Fairy Floss. It was very successful. They sold 68,655 boxes at 25 cents each box (equivalent to US$6 per box today).
References[change | change source]
- "Best Of Worst -- July 4th Foods". cbsnews.com. 1 July 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20110205102705/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/01/earlyshow/health/main4222191.shtml. Retrieved 13 September 2009. "Cotton Candy (1.5 oz serving) 171 calories, 0g fat, 45g carbs, 45g sugar, 0g protein"
- "Cotton candy on a stick (about 1 ounce) has 105 calories, but when bagged (2 ounces) it has double that number: 210.". Pocono Record. 27 September 2006. http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060927/NEWS/609270304. Retrieved 13 September 2009
- Lynne Olver. "history notes-candy". The Food Timeline. http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcandy.html#cottoncandy. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- "Cotton Candy". The Straight Dope. February 7, 2000. http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcottoncandy.html. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
- "History of Cotton Candy www.fineentertaining.com. Retrieved June 28, 2012". http://www.fineentertaining.com/page/History-of-Cotton-Candy.
- "Cotton Candy Fun Facts". http://www.candyusa.com/FunStuff/FunFactsDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=967. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
Other websites[change | change source]
- Media related to Cotton candy at Wikimedia Commons
- Cotton Candy Machines and Marketing Today at Howstuffworks.com