The history and science of cotton candy is often overlooked. But under the cover, it’s actually quite interesting. Machine-spun cotton candy was, strangely enough, invented by a dentist, William Morrison, and confectioner, John C. Wharton, in the year 1897. It made great success at the 1904 World’s Fair, known as “Fairy Floss”, where it sold 68,655 boxes at 25 cents each, equivalent to about 6 dollars each today. Joseph Lascaux, a dentist from New Orleans, Louisiana, invented a similar cotton candy machine in 1921. In fact, the Lascaux patent named the sweet confection “cotton candy”, which is the delicious item we know, recognise, and love today. Interestingly, Tootsie Roll of Canada Ltd., actually is the world’s largest cotton candy manufacturer, and are able to pull off making tootsie rolls, at the same time. Wow! They must be working overtime or something… The United States declared National Cotton Candy day to be December 7th. That was about four months ago, and will occur again in about seven months. Typical machines used to make cotton candy include a spinning head enclosing a small “sugar reserve” bowl, into which a charge of granulated, colored sugar (or separate sugar and food coloring) is poured. Heaters near the rim of the head melt the sugar, which is squeezed out through tiny holes by centrifugal force. Centrifugal force is when you spin so fast, you get glued to a wall. For example, if you stood in a room that started to rotate, if the room went fast enough, you’d throw up on the wall, and get a whole bucket of vomit straight up in your face. Colored sugar packed specially for the process is milled with melting characteristics. Also, size is key. Rock sugar crystals are too big to pass through the holes. Fine granulated sugar passes through easily, because, well, IT’S THINNER. Cotton candy is first white, as it’s made of sugar. Then, coloring is added to give the candy it’s color. In the US, a wide range of floss flavors are found, but the blue raspberry and pink vanilla dominate. This is what we see on the outside of the cotton candy. It’s flavoring added, not flavored sugar. Types of cotton candy include Soan Papdi in India, Dragon’s beard candy in China, Klul-tarae in Korea, Pashmak in Iran, and this last has countless more items. Sadly, we cannot eat this for life. And here’s why. If we eat too much of this, we would go on a sugar high. We would have to spend hours on the treadmill, and then go on a sugar crash. Then, our teeth could decay, giving us plaque, and very weak gums. And then, comes of course, possible death, due to an infection from weak gums. So, in conclusion, cotton candy is amazing. The history is backwards, (dentists inventing candy), the science is forwards, (it’s science), but the consequences are just plain evil. DON’T EAT TOO MUCH!
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
An update on the amazing work of LILAC – Long Island Laboring Against COVID-19
We shared the news with you last month that past Stone Soup contributor Sabrina Guo, a freshman at Syosset High School in NY, created new organization called LILAC, a student-led organization dedicated to serving the affected patients, medical professionals and first responders fighting during the coronavirus epidemic. LILAC is devoted to a multi-disciplinary and wide-scale approach of affecting change and instilling hope. Stone Soup is proud to be associated with LILAC, and we congratulate Sabrina on her initiative and its continuing fantastic work. So far, LILAC has raised over $57,000 on GoFundMe, which includes a generous donation by Sabrina of part of her college savings of $40,000 and all of her personal savings of $950. With these funds they have ordered 25,000 masks and 1,000 coveralls/gowns for areas of critical need, and donated them to hospitals, medical facilities, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, first responders, fire departments, and local government offices. Their ThankYou & WeCare Initiative raises the medical community’s and patients’ spirits by compiling and distributing encouraging letters, cards, artwork, and creative videos in a dedicated space where all can come to enjoy uplifting works which show solidarity, support and appreciation. These submissions are then donated alongside PPE to the countless facilities that LILAC has already served, and they are always received with a grateful smile and an open heart. In recognition of LILAC’s leadership and service to the community, the Nassau County Legislature issued an official government proclamation of citation: you can watch a video of the presentation of this honor to Sabrina from her community here. Many congratulations, Sabrina. Additionally, LILAC has partnered with politicians like Legislator Josh Lafazan and NY Congressman Tom Suozzi, and has gained support from Johns Hopkins’ Center for Talented Youth’s Study of Exceptional Talent, a nonprofit for gifted children called the Davidson’s Institute, local newspapers, and school district administrators and other community and cultural leaders. LILAC has also begun expanding to the rest of New York State and nationally, donating masks to upstate New York medical clinics and funds to underserved undocumented families and children in New Orleans, and is looking for students to participate and join the cause! Stone Soup is working with LILAC to offer support and assistance as they reach out to the wider national and international community. If you’re interested, and would like to follow the campaign, or make a donation, you can find the GoFundMe campaign here; and pick up news and updates via Instagram. Stone Soup is proud to support this great initiative, and we hope our readers will consider doing so, as well. And, to all our readers–what local initiatives are you involved with during this crisis? Let us know so we can stand together, offer our support, and spread the word to the rest of the Stone Soup community! LILAC in the news Long Island Herald Syosset Jericho Tribune, 04/08/20 Syosset Jericho Tribune, 04/01/20 Syosset Jericho Tribune, 03/24/20
Birthdays in Quarantine, some thoughts from Anya Geist, 13
Last Tuesday, on April 21, Massachusetts Gov. Baker announced that all schools in Massachusetts would be closed for the rest of the year, meaning that my birthday, on June 10th, will officially be a COVID-19/quarantine birthday. Millions of children around the world have had their birthdays suddenly upended by the coronavirus. Days when kids usually get together with friends or family for a birthday party, go on a trip, or have cupcakes at school, have been changed to days where kids pretty much have to stay at home. This is really, truly sad. Although I am in middle school now, I remember the days back in elementary school when it was such a big deal to bring in cupcakes for your class. Everyone would hurry to get in a line before recess and pick out which cupcake you wanted. Then, you would go outside and strut around with your cupcake, feeling lucky that someone in your class had a birthday, and, if it was your birthday, feeling happy to be special at school for a day. Having a birthday party with friends and family is always special, too. When people you care about are there just for you, you feel particularly happy. My birthday is in over a month, but still, some things have definitely changed. Because I won’t have school, no one will put a sign in my locker, and I won’t get to go to Boston on a field trip that feels like a birthday trip, because it was coincidentally scheduled for a day near my birthday. Most likely, none of my friends and family will come over, and my cousins won’t play in my backyard and take out all of our backyard games and spread them out all over the place. I probably won’t get to go strawberry picking with my mom, which is a kind of tradition for us. So, what are kids doing on their special days that suddenly don’t feel so special? The answer: many, many things. Just the other day, I was out walking and passed a sign saying “Honk for [name I don’t remember]’s 18th birthday!” People are doing car-parades, as well, where people drive past the birthday kid’s house to wish them well. So far, two of my cousins have had quarantine birthdays. They both had Zoom calls with family and friends and we all sang “Happy birthday.” One more of my cousins will have a quarantine birthday in about a month, and I wonder what she has planned. There is no doubt that COVID-19 and quarantine have messed up a lot of people’s special days. But we are all in this together. It is our natural instinct to try and make the best out of things, and that is what people are doing. I have no idea what the world will look like on my birthday, but I know that I can still make it a happy day. I, and millions of kids around the world, can do car parades, Zoom calls, and many more creative things to make our special days more special and unique than ever before. Anya Geist, 13 Worcester, MA
