National Taffy Day

Celebrated on the 23rd of May every year, the National Taffy Day is a celebration of the renowned Taffy Candy.

Taffy has a long history as one of America's native confections. Popular legend has it that in the 1880s, a candy shop on the Jersey Shore flooded, soaking the store's pastry section with Atlantic brine. On a nightingale, the owner sold the candy as "saltwater marshmallows" and a delicious American treat was born! Today, it is sold on the boardwalks up and down the East Coast of the United States and has even found its way into stores that sell closed candles. National Taffy Day is a day to enjoy the sweet pastime of unwrapping that wavy wax paper pack and popping some chewy taffy in your mouth. Yum!

History of National Taffy Day

Taffy candies have been made and sold for many years and have become a favorite souvenir of many visitors.

Confectioners make this sweet treat using boiled sugar and butter. They stretch and stretch the concoction until it is chewy and can be rolled and cut. The flavors change from buttery to tart and to sweet. There's a flavor for everyone, and it seems like they introduce a new flavor every year. Taffy's colorful displays appeal to both children and adults. And they have done so for generations. Once upon a time, candy stores and pharmacies sold penny candies, and taffy was one of the many tempting options we could choose from. However, they are long gone now.

As summer approaches, seasonal candy stores are stocking up on their latest selections. With so many flavors to choose from, it can often be difficult to decide which one to choose. That's why they often offer flavors that come together to help us narrow it down. But we are still fascinated by variety and color.

Why National Taffy Day?

As for native sweets, Taffies have a long history dating back to the late 19th century. Taffy was discovered by accident when a candy store on the New Jersey coast was flooded with salty seawater. The candies were soaked in salt water leading to the invention of the first saltwater marshmallows. Since then, the taffy has come a long way, finding its place in many shops, on footpaths and in the east sea areas. National Taffy Day is a day to honor these delicious sweets and enjoy the deliciousness of taffies. What a wonderful feeling it was to open that wax paper pack and chew on the taffy, made with sugar and butter, and enjoy the pull-in-your-mouth effect.

Interesting facts about National Taffy Day

• There are different flavors in taffies to suit the preferences of men, women and children. It can be said that there is a taste to suit everyone's taste. You can find vanilla taffy topping the popularity charts. There are also banana brine fries, watermelon brine fries, mint flavored fries, and many other special flavored chips.
• The first mention of the word taffy can be found in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1817.
• In the mid-1800s, marshmallows or chewable candies became a popular sweet, and it continues to dominate hearts to this day.
• Pulling candies is a way of making taffies and the process was also discovered in the mid-19th century
• Laffy Taffy is a new type of taffy launched in 2005 with the shape of a long rope.
• During the first years of taffy making, the taffy mixture was boiled in a copper kettle over an open flame, preferably a coal fire. After this this taffy is cooled on a marble slab and pulled from a large hook to give it the perfect texture.
• As the taffy is pulled, it adds air to the sugar and corn syrup mixture, creating a lighter feel but still chewy texture.
• Although saltwater fries have a history of accidental invention, the taste isn't that different between regular and saltwater fries. Saltwater Taffy also has no added salt to the mix.
• With the latest technology, almost 1000 pieces of taffy can be produced in one minute.
• The term "taffy" originated around 1817 in the US and it referred to boiled candy at the time.

Why we love National Taffy Day

• We love watching it get created

Taffy is not only a delicious candy, loved by all ages, but also a true upper body workout! Nowadays taffy is made by machine, but in the past, or if you made it at home, you used 'taffy scissors' to add air to the taffy mix, which brings taffy its distinctive texture.

• It makes us nostalgic

We love that taffy tasting brings most Americans back to childhood memories of happy summers by the sea. Since taffy is traditionally sold on boardwalks, it has been a staple of American seaside resort towns for more than a hundred years.

• The taste is endless

Taffy has withstood the test of time for its unique texture, which comes in almost every flavor imaginable; from vanilla, maple, mint and watermelon, to raspberry, banana and licorice… or anything else you can think of!

How to celebrate National Taffy Day

If you are looking for ways to make this day memorable for you and your family, here are some suggestions to guide you.

• On the anniversary of delicious potato cakes, it will be a fun opportunity to learn how to make sponge cakes. There are also some guided tours offered by many factories. You can watch the taffies heat up in the large copper kettles. The taffies are then cooled on a marble slab on which the taffy is machine drawn.
• You can indulge yourself in enjoying these mock-ups on this day. Be mindful of the sweetness entering your body. However, since it's only for today, you can afford to enjoy it.
• If you want to have fun, you can get together with friends and family to make this dish and make it a memorable event to remember for a long time.
• Try the different flavored taffys available and rate them according to your preference. You can share your taffy making experiences or how to choose the best flavors online. You can do so with the hashtag #NationalTaffyDay on your posts.
• You can also recommend your favorite pastry shop on this day and let everyone know why you like the cakes from this shop.