The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-09-20
We Make and Consume More Candy
Than Any Other Country.
From the New York Sun.

city. During the year 1900, according te
census bulletin, more than S18, 600, 00G
worth of confectionery we're produced in
the factories of this city and State, and
more than $3.50, 900, 900 worth in the
country at large The latter figure is
greater than the combined values of the
confectionery output of England, France
and Germany
In the State of New York SO important
has th industry of candy making become
that. it now exceeds the value of all the
iron and steel products of the State. In
deed, it is about equal to the entire candy
product of the whole United States twenty
years ago.
In 1880, according to the census returns
for that year, the candy industry of the
United States amounted to S25, ,673, 033,
so about six times as much is now consumed
by the average American as was considered
proper allowance by the last generation
of candy eaters
What will be the effect of so liberal eat
ing of candy upon the American of the
future? IF baked beans and pumpkin pie
are responsible for New England culture
will candy eating produce race of philoso-
pliers OR of warriors 1t must have some
result, if only dyspepsia Even sedate
business men, who few years ago would
have looked with fine scorn upon so effemi-
nate an indulgence as the consumption of
chocolate drops, now keep IA box OF two
within convenient reach on their Office
desks, or buy quarter of pound to eat
on their way downtown.
Against the total of $3.50, 900, 600 pro-
duced in this country in 1900, England
manufactured about S35, 900, 900 worth,
Or 100, 900, 600 pounds; France, 143,
299, 900 pounds, and Germany, 100, 900,
900 pounds. England sends abroad more
than half of the candy made there
''sweets, the Englishman calls them;
while France and Germany consume most
of their own product. In this respect they
are like the United States, which also eats
nearly all of its own candy
Strangely enough, in this age of ma
chinery, the bulk of the best candy is still
made by hand, very much as it was ages
ago. The pulling operation, by which
pulled candy is yanked about and fashion
ed into great variety of shapes and
designs, was practiced in India in the very
same manner 5000 years ago at the great
religious fetes, when the sweet stuff was
thrown over the branch of tree and then
worked by two men, identically in the same
manner as in the most up to date candy
shop of the present day.
But the Hindoos did not attempt the
elaborate effects with their candy that
modern manufacturers successfully prac-
tice. The decoration of dinner tables with
pretty and artistic designs in candy work
is now department by itself in the making
of confectionery, and a very high standard
of skilled workmanship is called into use to
produce original and tasty effects
Given general description by the host
ess of the color design required for special
occasion, and an indication of the nature
of the effect to be aimed at the proprietor
of candy establishment sets his manager
to work to evolve sugar productions which
will be no less delight to the eye than a
Joy to the palate. An infinite variety Of
tints and shades of coloring can be intro
duced, for colors are vegetable and harm
less From the pulled candy all sorts of
shapes can be fashioned, and the resultant
resemblances to satin pin cushions, jockey
caps and almost everything else that the
inventive genius of the fashioner can think
of, are at once a tribute to the designer $
art and the compounders taste.
As with everything else not made by
nature, candy, to be a perfect product, has
certain rules for its manufacture which
must be rigidly observed. These are
equally applicable to the candy made at
home. As first precaution it is set down
that candy should not be- handled any
more than is absolutely required or its
transparency is lost This transparency,
or gloss, being pleasing to look upon, is a
considerable desideratum, and it is peculiar
indication of the effect of climate on candy
that in New York the gloss will remain fol
a month, while in London it lasts scarcely
twenty -four hours.
In making bonbons, caramels, etc the
sugar and water must never be stirred after
the sugar has dissolved. The saucepan
| must never be shaken or even moved while
the syrup is boiling. As soon as the sugar
begins to boil it is tried constantly in ice
water. When the syrup forms little mass
in the cold water it is said to have been
s.boiled to the crack. and is removed from
the fire.
The process of boiling is generally divid
ed by confectioners into the following min.
degrees: the small thread, the large thread
the little pearl, the blow, the feather, the
ball, the crack and the caramel, all Of
which are produced by a heat ranging from
$50 TO 260 degrees The ninth degre'
was first noted by Count Albufage Cara
mel of Nismes, France, from whom th'
caramel was accordingly named.
The coloring of the candy is effected il
a variety of ways To color brown, melte'
chocolate or caramel is added A yellow
tinge is given by the addition of few
drops of tincture of saffron, while carame
mixed with carmine gives an orange vel
low. Cochineal, carmine, saffron an,
Prussian blue are said to be perfect
harmless, yet so strong in coloring matte
that bit the size of gumdrop will colo
5000 pounds of candy.
There is a chemistry of confectionery
-four confections as well as candy being in
cluded-which has to receive its due at
tention from the manufacturer In fou
confections milk is used as moistener in
stead of water.
Next to milk, eggs are the most i'm
portant moistening agents, while glycerin
is also considerably used When exposes
to air glycerine increases in volumes througl
absorption of moisture, and used in sma
quantities in cakes has the result of retard
ing the natural process of drying, keepins
the cake fresh and moist much longer tha
would otherwise be the case.
Confectioners employ variety of aerat
ing agents. principally ammonium carbo
nate, commonly called ammonia. Tn
chemical effect of this on the confectioner'
paste is to change the sugar, which
present by fermentation, into alcohol AM
carbon -dioxide gas, which, in its turn, ha
tba ,aaobanioal affaot of diStanJin0 an,