visions of candy canes

For the seventh birthday we may have stumbled upon a new tradition. By a happy accident we discovered a candy factory in the city which I’d never heard of (although my mom remembers it from her childhood). I spied a Christmas open house listed on their website and the plan was set. The littles were excitedly counting down the days for weeks.

Finally the day arrived and we finagled a few friends to join us. We arrived just in time for a candy cane making demonstration. Just as I was lamenting my forgotten camera my friend started snapping photos on her iPhone for me.

This is the giant pot that was bubbling with HOT sugar.

They set up this work surface with the metal dividers than poured out the hot sugar – yes, our children’s eager faces were this close to the action (yikes!!).

In went the food dye. Mmm, gotta love that Red Dye 40.

Then they sprinkled the sugar with flour before adding the natural oil based flavouring – root beer!

This was my favourite part – it was incredible to see how quickly the mixture was hardening (although still incredibly hot). They folded the candy over itself a few times to mix the colour and flavouring (oh, my Canadian is showing in that sentence).

Then he took the lump over to a lethal looking hook and threw the candy at it – toss, pull, toss, pull. My arm flab could use some of that action.
(Note the kids with their faces pressed against the caution tape, awesome.)

Then the colours were rolled together.

The candy was kept warm and turning in this machine. It was pulled out the end and snipped to the proper length.

Then they were wrapped around a shot glass for the tradition hook on the not-so-traditional root beer flavour.

Samples of warm candy cane were not only yummy they also helped remove a wobbly loose tooth – now all she wants for Christmas is her two front teeth.

(I added a mixer to my wish list.)

The rest of the tour led us past many sticky sampling possibilities.

Then the five biggies each chose a candy cane to take home (they’ll be on the tree Christmas morning). Four kids chose quite easily, one kid had a line form behind him while he hummed and hawed. Can you guess who that was?

I could understand his dilemma. At least he didn’t choose bubble gum…

We all agreed it was so much fun we’ll mark the date for next year!