A History of Candy

Who doesn’t like candy?
Did you know that the first chocolate bar was made in 1847?
Did you know that the word “candy” is derived from the Arabic “Quandi,” meaning “Made of sugar.”
I am a “sucker” when it comes to buying candy, and especially around this time of year. All grocery stores are stocked well with bags and bags of Halloween candy. I try my best to avoid this grocery store aisle.
The following, courtesy of Newspaper Metro, gives you the “Sweet, Sweet” history of Candy:
Halloween is as much about candy as it is about dressing up in fun costumes and engaging in scare tactics.
Humans have loved their sweets for centuries. Early human beings made candy out of honey by drying it and forming a taffy-like confection, while many modern incarnations of candy involve dissolving sugar into water or milk to form a syrup.
Candy is then made by varying the temperature of the syrup and the sugar concentration to achieve desired textures.
The word “candy” is derived from the Arabic “quandi,” meaning “made of sugar.”
Candy also often refers to chocolate bars and other treats that people find so delectable. Ancient Mayans and Aztecs were the first to experiment with the cocoa bean, the cornerstone of chocolate confections, in the 1500s.
However, their chocolate drinks were bitter and not the sweet delights we’ve come to associate with chocolate. It wasn’t until the 19th century that innovators began mixing cocoa with sugar to create chocolate bars.
Joseph Fry is credited with making the first chocolate bar in 1847, using bittersweet chocolate. Milk chocolate came later, in 1875, when it was introduced by Henry Nestlé and Daniel Peter. Milton Hershey began producing sweet chocolate in 1894.
Hershey bars, Nestlé bars and many other original candies are still in production today. Tootsie Rolls and Charleston Chews are other classic candies still produced.
Good & Plenty debuted in 1893, making it the oldest branded candy in America. NECCO company Wafers were officially branded in 1901 and are another classic treat consumers can still find in the candy aisle of their nearest grocery store.
Smarties is another candy that’s bound to show up in trick-or-treat bags this Halloween. Smarties have been owned and operated by the same family since 1949.
The Ce De Candy Inc. factory opened up in August 1949 in Bloomfield, NJ, and produced a candy that would not melt in the heat. Smarties are a favorite all over North America and elsewhere. When demand is too high for the NJ factory, particularly around Halloween, Smarties are also produced in a Canadian factory in Newmarket, Ontario.
Halloween wouldn’t be nearly as sweet without troves of candy treasures. Children are urged to have their candy sorted and inspected by parents prior to eating to avoid any dangers, such as food allergies or tampering.