Make Your Own Salt Water Taffy

It's another "Who knew?" day. Mark your calendar, girls. Yep. May 23 is National Taffy Day. Yum-yum.

Every bit as all-American as apple pie, hot dogs and baseball, taffy has been a part of Americana since the late 1800's. According to the National Confectioner's Association, taffy was rumored to have first appeared at Midwestern US county fairs in the mid-to-late-1800's. However, a shopkeeper on the Atlantic City, NJ boardwalk is credited to have made the first salt water taffy in 1883. Very soon this new favorite treat of the boardwalk became a national treasure. By the 1920's, over 450 companies were either manufacturing or selling taffy!

Making and pulling taffy was once a tedious and hefty process. Skilled confectioners would hang up to 25 pounds of taffy on large hooks and allow gravity to take hold. Once the yummy-ball-of-goo stretches to 6 feet, the pulling process begins. "Is the pulling process just for show?" you ask with sudden curiosity. Well. No. But, it certainly didn't hurt sales as these boardwalk candy stores thrived on the theatrics-of-it-all. Pulling this sugary confection has a purpose, as this process incorporates air, which gives taffy it's unique texture. Apparently, if you're pulling properly, taffy will exude a few noises described as swishing, slapping and smacking. Eventually the taffy will become hard to pull meaning it's ready to cut and wrap.

Today modern technology allows for 1000 pieces of taffy to be produced every minute! Chew on that for awhile!

So. Now what? Here's an all-American idea for you and your-small-peeps this Memorial Day weekend -- especially if you're in a part of the country that invariably gets crummy weather this "kick-off to summer"! You - yes YOU - can have your very-own taffy-pull at home. How? Here's how:

Salt Water Taffy

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup white corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon glycerin*
1 teaspoon flavoring extract**
5-7 drops food coloring, if desired
2 tablespoons butter, plus extra for handling taffy

Cut wax paper into 3" squares. Set aside. Generously coat a rimmed cookie sheet with butter.

Mix sugar, water, corn syrup, salt, and glycerin in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook to a temperature of 258 F degrees.

Remove from heat and let stand for two to three minutes. Then add flavor extract, color and butter and stir vigorously until butter is melted. Pour into buttered cookie sheet. Cool until lukewarm taffy can be handled.

Begin to stretch and fold over and over until taffy turns paler in color, about 10 minutes. (Listen for the swishing, slapping and smacking!). You may find this easier to do with a small amount of butter or oil on your hands.

Roll taffy into long rope. Using a greased or buttered knife, cut into individual pieces and wrap in wax paper squares. Store taffy in an airtight container to avoid moisture as any moisture will allow the taffy to become sticky.

*Glycerin can be found in the cake decorating aisle of most craft/party stores. It can also be found in some pharmacies.

**Most grocery stores have a good variety of extracts, including peppermint, lemon, orange, vanilla, banana and raspberry. Go crazy and create your own flavor combos, too!

Recipe courtesy of the National Confectioners Association.

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