It’s that time again – National Candy Corn Day
[NOTE: This post is a slightly-edited repeat of a post from 2008.]
No, I didn’t make it up. It really is National Candy Corn Day, the day “the nation celebrates its favorite vegetable.”
No doubt all of my readers, being unusually well-informed people, were already aware of that. But did you know it is estimated that in this country thirty-five million pounds of the classic treat (invented in the 1880s) are sold every year? And by the way, my original post from thirteen years ago had the number at twenty million, according to the same Wiki link, so the number has nearly doubled in the meantime.
I personally might be responsible for approximately a ton of that if I gave in to my worst impulses. However, I keep my addiction in tightly-controlled check.
It is part of my penance to confess here that I really love the dreadful stuff and always have, and I’m far from alone (although my impression is that candy corn is one of those things a person either loves or hates). Once I even went to a Halloween party dressed as a piece of candy corn, and believe me I was already a grownup.
Apparently I am not the only adult who has dressed up as candy corn on Halloween. And no, I didn’t look like this—more’s the pity (although to be technical, isn’t she dressed as two pieces of candy corn, the body and the hat?):
I heard on Fox News (can’t give a link here because I was unable to find the information online) that candy corn is the Halloween treat most often stolen by parents from their kids’ Halloween stash. I believe this to be undeniably true. It is a guilty, shameful secret for most, but I am glad this is finally seeing the light of day.
There are various gourmet variations on candy corn, and I’ve sampled quite a few in my day. A helpful reader sent me some information about this Brach product for example, which includes:
Green Beans, Roasted Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Stuffing, Apple Pie and Coffee. (Fans of Ginger Glazed Carrots, which were part of last year’s batch, should note that flavor is gone.)
I had tried the earlier version, and it was terrible. This sounds even worse. It’s the good old Brach’s original that I continue to crave.
And here’s a burning question: do you eat your candy corn in sections? And, if so, do you consider the top to be the yellow part or the white part? I’ve always seen the little white triangle as the “foot” of the candy corn, but I learned when I designed my costume years ago that most people see it the other way. For those who might be inclined to disagree with me, I offer the following exhibit from the realm of science; the kernel grows with the tip – corresponding to the white part of the candy – down, embedded in the cob:
Mike Leach is the head football coach at Mississippi State and he is an interesting guy to say the least and he would strongly disagree with this post.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/mike-leachs-crusade-against-candy-corn-continues
Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band did a song called “Kandy Korn” back in 1967. I don’t know if I’d call it “great,” but it’s definitely a good song with a catchy riff.
As a child, Candy Corn was absolutely my favorite Halloween candy. No other candy tasted quite like it, some magical blending of flavors.
A video from the Food Network on how candy corn is made. It features the company that invented candy corn (Goelitz) rather than Brach’s, but it’s still interesting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgTvgQfcllM&ab_channel=FoodNetwork
And if the usual candy corn binge isn’t enough, here’s an instructional video for making candy corn on the cob, using marzipan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYDntO2RPyo&ab_channel=SteveBoer
Make candy corn great again: https://imgflip.com/i/4iuhnx
Need an Ozzy Man video for this.
One of my earliest memories involves candy corn. When I was 5, we drove 1,000 miles to see my grandparents. For the return trip, my grandmother added some candy corn to our lunches. I very much liked candy corn as a child, though have eaten little of it in recent decades.
Candy corn is best consumed section by section. Of course you’re right Neo that the pointy end is the bottom, as shown by the kernels in a real cob.
I recently was asked by my wife if I “wanted anything from the store?”. This is a standard perfunctory query that is almost always answered with “Um… nope.” Imagine my delight when I suddenly remembered that for about 20 years I have been hankering for Candy Corn! Also imagine my amazement when she (and my visiting adult daughter) responded with “What – that garbage?!”
This has become the latest “I thought I knew you!” cause celebre. Pretty chilly around here.
The Season of the Candy Corn was always my favorite, and I too could devour bushels (and agree, only the original is worth eating at all; same with Peeps – I accept none of those radical new flavors as authentic!), but I noticed a few years ago that it is too sweet for me now to eat more than a few kernels, for Old Times’ Sake.
I also only eat dark chocolate, whereas in my youth I would have considered it far too bitter. Now, I can’t abide milk chocolate!
Something to do with aging taste buds, I have heard.
I’ve been eating the amazing Candy Corn my entire life and love it. As I’ve aged, however, I find I eat a lot less of it than I did as kid. My desire for it these days is satisfied by a small handful. I suspect this is true because I eat very little sugary food these days so the intense sweetness of Candy Corn just overwhelms. And, as AesopFan notes, taste changes as we age.
I have never been a fan of Candy Corn… not as an adult, nor as a child.
Jelly beans, now… THAT is a different story. Ronald Reagan and I share the same vice.
Candy Corn at Halloween and Jelly beans in the Easter season are absolute necessities for our family. Although this year, Halloween is here and we have not had candy corn, nor do we have any plans to have any. Aging taste buds? Maybe. Or perhaps the doctor’s admonition to cut down on sugar and wheat-based foods. I can”t predict what will happen at Easter. Jelly beans? Very possibly not.
OTOH, Costco now sells M&Ms in a large plastic jar. This is our latest vice. The good news is, the large plastic jars are good for storing dry goods. Don’t tell my doctor.
What is the Golden Age of Candy Corn?
Nine.
@ F – have you tried the M&M’s Fudge Brownie yet?
I’ve made an exception to not eating milk chocolate.