Thursday, December 4, 2008

Barley Toys: Canadiana on a stick



Even if you didn't grow up in the maritimes, there's a chance you'll
have a memory of barley toys. These sugary little candy pops are a
maritime holiday tradition and we've fallen in love with them at The
Candy Store. Barley candy was popularized in 17th century England and
transformed into barley toys in the 18th century when the Victorians
began using molds to form Christmas shapes.

Our barely toys hail from Robertson's Candy in Truro, Nova Scotia - a
little factory in a little town, still making the most remarkable and
flavourful treats! Using molds, some over 150 years old, with
traditional shapes (turkeys, bunnies, Santa Claus, peacocks,
boats....), barley candy is cooked and worked to a glossy sheen before
being poured into chilled molds and shaped. Very few ingredients are
required to make this special treat and, as a customer informed us
recently, many grew up making barley sugar candies in home economics
classes around the country!

Robertson's Candy is still a family run business after 80 years and has
become an institution not only in the eastern provinces, but across the
country and around the world for those who grew up with that familiar
taste of a treat that could last all day.

Swing by and check out the shapes we have in store and experience the
simplicity of a bygone era.

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1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

January 3, 2010 at 12:23 PM  

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