For many, candy corn represents the reason for the season.
Just the name of the candy makes lovers salivate.
Others recoil at the re-emergence of the Halloween treat. Perhaps those who dislike it do so because of its texture and humdrum flavor.
— Paul Adams, a senior editor at Cook's Illustrated Magazine
Why is it loved as much as hated? If you grew up eating it, it probably has delightful associations in your mind.
The origins of candy corn
Candy corn was first "harvested" in the late 19th century. Most histories have the Wunderle Candy Co. of Philadelphia inventing the kernel-shaped treat in the 1880s.
The Goelitz Confectionery Co. in Cincinnati acquired the recipe and began making candy corn about 1898, according to National Geographic.
Originally, candy corn was made by hand with candy makers pouring a sequence of passes of different colored hot edible icing called fondant into kernel-shaped molds.
In addition to sugar, corn syrup, salt, sesame oil, honey, artificial flavor, and food colorings, confectioner's glaze on the treat contains a bug secretion.
Bones and bugs in candy corn?
The lac bug secretes a waxy, waterproof coating to protect itself that workers scrape from plants. Typically found under the name "confectioner's glaze" or "pure food glaze," lac coating is used in making gum and on all sorts of shiny candies.
Candy corn traditionally ranks high as a Halloween candy, with it coming in third behind chocolate and gummy candy in a 2021 survey last year by National Confectioners Association.
Brach's Candy Corn at Walmart claims to make 86% of the candy corn sold in the U.S. Each year, the candy maker says it produces enough candy corn to encircle the Earth more than five times.
Have you heard the candy corn song? Take a listen to the new track starring Michelle Williams at the link below