Om, nom, nom...!
Candy corn was in invented in the 1880s by George Renninger of the Wunderlee Candy Company (yes, I got that off of Wikipedia). Originally, they mixed sugar, corn syrup, and water with fondant and marshmallows to give candy corn that characteristic texture. Nowadays, most companies add honey and use Carnauba wax (a plant based wax that's used in a lot of packaged foods) instead of fondant and marshmallows.
A lot of people don't like candy corn, which I can understand. Making candy corn is a delicate balance and a lot of candy companies make shoddy candy corn that tastes bitter. As far as commercial made candy corn, there's only one brand I eat...
Brach's has, by far, the best candy corn of any company. I've had people buy me candy corn made from other companies and I always tell them, "Next time, get me a bag of Brach's." They figure candy corn is candy corn, but they are sadly mistaken. There's a reason why Brach's is the most popular brand of candy corn: because theirs is the only brand that doesn't suck.
Even with the Brach's brand, you have to know the proper method of eating candy corn. First off, always buy this stuff fresh. Some people say that candy corn can keep for a long time - Nope. There's such a thing as stale candy corn and it happens faster than you might think. I can definitely tell the difference between a fresh bag and a stale bag. Fresh candy corn has a certain softness to it. Once you bite into it, it melts in your mouth a bit, instead of being hard and waxy. While stale candy corn is still edible, it's not as good as the fresh stuff. What you need to look for is a bag where all the pieces are loose. Pick up and bag and kind of jostle it in your hand. If the pieces are stuck together, it means that either moisture got in or someone squashed the bag. You'll end up with sticky pieces, which is kind of gross. I recommend picking up a bag early in October. That way, you're guaranteed to find a fresh bag. Keeping with the freshness thing, try to keep a good seal on your candy corn. My usual method is to make sure that I roll the end of the bag secure enough so that air doesn't get in freely, but putting it in an airtight plastic container would definitely be a good idea.
One complaint from candy corn haters is that it's too sweet and cloys your mouth. That's because they're eating too much of it at once. Candy corn should be enjoyed in moderation - one or two handfuls every once in a while is good. Another thing, don't just cram the handful in your mouth. Eat one or two at a time. I assure you that proper candy corn eating will increase your enjoyment.
When I talk about candy corn, I'm talking, specifically, about Candy Corn. If it doesn't say Candy Corn on the package, it's not the same. Indian Corn is different. Instead of yellow on one end, Indian Corn has a chocolate-flavored brown end. Indian Corn is okay, but it's not as good. Then there's those candy pumpkins, which are more marshmallow flavored. I used to like them, as a kid, but I can't eat very many of them without my teeth starting to hurt. It's just too much sugar. One or two at a time is all I can handle.
Of course, since candy corn has proven to be so popular with Americans who have a love-hate relationship with it, candy companies have tried to make candy corn for other holidays, such as Christmas and Easter. Two words: they suck. Candy corn belongs only on Halloween. Then, there's the candy corn that tastes like other flavors, such as caramel apple and peppermint. Again, these suck. Candy companies just need to stick with the original formula and quit trying to ruin my favorite candy.
Despite being a huge candy corn aficionado, I've never had it homemade. I don't know anyone who either knows how to make it or cares to. It's kind of a shame, because I think I'm missing out. If I did have some homemade candy corn, though, I don't think I could ever go back to the store bought variety (even Brach's). Still, I'd like to try some made the old fashioned way.
Well, that's everything you never wanted to know about candy corn. If you do enjoy this seasonal treat as much as I do, then I hope you appreciated my little tribute to it. If not, then take comfort in knowing that I won't blog about this dorky shit again for a long time. I'll just move on to other dorky shit.
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