Dum Dum
The classic Dum-Dum is a familiar sight for most Americans. These tiny, sugary pops on sticks have been around for nearly a century and are a staple of doctor’s offices, candy store shelves, and Halloween.
When the mixture is ready, it’s placed into large rollers that create a rope-like extruded candy that is then fed into a press that forms the head of the Dum-Dum and inserts the stick. The candy is then cooled and sent on conveyor belts to wrapping machines that can wrap four Dum-Dums per second.
Once the wrappers are on, they’re conveyed to a storage area and stacked for shipping. And if you save the wrappers, you can get reduced prices on unique Dum-Dum merchandise (like baseballs, basketballs, yo-yo tops, footballs, bats, binoculars, maps, checkerboards, and ID bracelets).
Circus Peanuts
Few candies polarize Americans like circus peanuts, invented in the 1800s and are one of the original penny candies (along with candy corn, soda bottle caps, and licorice). They’re shaped vaguely as peanut snaps but don’t taste or smell much like peanuts and are almost always banana flavored for no apparent reason.
Despite their weirdness, these foamy fan dangles hold a special place in the hearts of parade candy lovers. They’re so hard to figure out: they look more like soft, stale clay than candy. They smell weird and taste artificial, and the orange color is strange for a candy that’s supposed to be peanut-shaped.
But, hey, they’re still around today and play an essential role in history. It’s a remarkable legacy.
Tootsie Rolls
As one of America’s favorite candies, the Tootsie Roll is a chewy treat that will satisfy your sweet tooth. These tasty treats are always a hit, from the classic vanilla to the fruity tootsie pops.
The candy was invented in 1896 by Leo Hirschfield, an Austrian immigrant who used a recipe he had brought from Europe. His hand-rolled candy sold for a penny, and it gained popularity because it didn’t melt like chocolate.
He named it the Tootsie Roll because his daughter was often called that name. His business flourished; he merged with an existing candy manufacturer eight years later.
During the Second World War, Tootsie Rolls became an enduring staple among soldiers. The bite-sized candies not only lift spirits, but their putty-like center was helpful in patching bullet holes in equipment.
Candy Canes
Regarding Christmas candy, nothing says Christmas quite like a classic candy cane. It might not be as popular as chocolate, but the peppermint treat is still king in December.
First, the ingredients—sugar, water, and cornstarch—are boiled until they form a thick syrup. Then, some of the mixture is pulled, and this repeated stretching aerates the sugar, creating those little air bubbles we all know and love.
Then, some of the aerated sugar is kept back and dyed red. Those red strips are pressed into the white candy mass, formed into a log, and rolled through sizing wheels to create long, narrow canes. Lastly, the Parade Candy canes are bent into their signature hook shape before being packaged for sale.
