A Hard Candy Christmas: Advent 2023, DAY 25

 

We did it. Made it to another Christmas.

I finish my 2023 Advent devoted to my favorite holiday candies with the granddaddy of them all- the Candy Cane!

The origin of the candy cane has more theories than the Kennedy assassination. Were they from Germany in the 1670s? Or did some guy in Indiana make them to represent the Shepherd crook? Or was it the candy maker in Georgia who made them to represent the J in Jesus, adding 3 tiny red stripes to represent the Trinity? There's probably a dozen more variations to the story. All I know is that I freaking love them.

I'm not a fan of mint. And before you say that Candy Canes are mint flavored, it's not the same. Mint like in girl scout cookies or mint chip ice cream has a sugary flavor on par with mouthwash. Peppermint is this fiery sweet on par with a mild hot sauce; of which I am not only an expert on, but addicted to as well!

Regular 4 inch Candy Canes are good. But I prefer the tiny 1.5 inch variety. The texture of the candy is more like the peppermint puffs (see Advent Day X). Plus, with the small canes, you can break off a piece and save the rest in the small plastic pouch for later whereas with the regular size, all you have is this straw sized wrapper that really can't get the candy cane from getting yucky in your pocket.

My Christmas tree was decked out in not just lights and ornaments but candy canes as well.  Being a devotee of Mr. Willy Wonka, I appreciate a decoration you can eat. Sure, there are a myriad of other flavors of Candy Cane, and some are pretty good. But nothing beats that original peppermint flavor.

And so another Advent comes and goes. I hope you've enjoyed looking at some beloved candies that make it feel like Christmas. Before we close the book on 2023's countdown to Christmas, I have one last present to share. While it's darn near impossible to figure out how Candy Canes came about, there's very little doubt on how they're made. Here's a cool video on the Candy Cane making process but with a twist! It's a giant Cane made specifically for a 5000LB rhinoceros! 

Enjoy!