Candy gifts, Gift baskets, and Chocolate

Candy is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar and water or milk, with flavorings and colorings added. In North America candy is a general term that covers candy bars, chocolates, licorice, hard candies, etc. Outside of North America most candy is called sweets.

The texture of candy depends on the sugar concentration and cooking methods. Candy thermometers can help identify what the resulting texture will be. Some candies have gelatin in them. Gelatin is made from animal keratin. These are the gummi candies and are avoided by vegans and vegetarians. Kosher gelatin is also made from fish bone material. Some vegetarian candy can be made from pectin but the resulting texture is slightly altered.

Candy has a sweet history. Cavemen dug honey out of bee hives for the first sweet treat. Ancient Egyptians made candy over thirty-five hundred years ago from fruits and nuts. In the middle ages a shortage in sugar caused the price to sky rocket, making candy available only to the wealthy. Many candies were originally developed for medicinal purposes. This is where cough drops and peppermint sticks come from.

In the early sixteen hundreds the Spanish discovered the cacao bean in Latin America. It took several decades for chocolate to develop into the chocolate we know today. In 1763 the first chocolate factory was opened. The real milestone in chocolate’s history was in 1875 Switzerland when milk chocolate was discovered. Chocolate has never been the same since.

In 1854 the first packaged box of chocolates were sold. Shortly after that in 1868 the first Valentine’s Day box of chocolate was produced in the common heart shaped box. Candy gifts are a tradition for many holidays including Easter and Christmas. Boxed chocolates and flowers are the preferred gift of women on Valentine’s Day.

In the early seventeenth century boiled sugar candies were popular in England and in the American colonies. These candies are also commonly called hard candies. By the mid-eighteen hundreds most general stores carried “penny candy.” The late eighteen hundreds gave way to many industrial breakthroughs. In 1893 Mr. Wrigley introduced fruit juice and spearmint gum. In 1898 candy corn became a Halloween favorite, and in 1901 NECCO (New England Confectioners Company) created candy wafers with the ever popular conversation hearts to follow the next year.

In current times candy can be sold as in indulgence or as a novelty. Manufacturing and packaging technology gives us limitless possibilities. Halloween is the holiday with the highest sales in candy, followed by Easter, Christmas, and Valentines’ Day.

Nutritionally candy gets a bad rap. Surprisingly though candy counts for less than two percent of the calories in North America. Some candies like lollipops, gummi bears, and licorice have no fat or cholesterol and are low in calories. In fact a handful of candy corn has fewer calories than a handful of raisins. The main drawback to candy is the cavities that it can cause. Sugar itself is not the culprit, but a bacterium in the mouth that feeds on the sugar is. The bacteria produce an acid that wears the enamel and causes dental caries.

Chocolate has positive health benefits. Dark chocolate is rich in anti-oxidants which fight damaging free radicals in the body. The caffeine in chocolate is good for a little pick-me-up. One ounce of chocolate has the same amount of caffeine as a cup of decaf coffee. When polled, fifty-two percent of American adults name chocolate as their favorite flavor. And the texture is a favorite too; the melting point of chocolate is just below human temperature which is why chocolate has the silky melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Candy is one of society’s favorite treat. The transformation of candy across time reflects the changes in our environment and technology, but it all boils down to one thing: We all need a treat sometimes! Candy gift baskets can be a great gift, especially if paired with collectible teddy bears or other novel item the person collects. This site is full of information for anyone who wants to treat another or themselves with the gift of candy.

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