Cotton candy is a carnival, sports game, and circus favorite. But where did it originate? The first cotton candy was introduced by two men in Tennessee in 1897. At the time, they called it “fairy floss”, and it cost half as much as admission to fairs at that time. Machines, however, were unreliable, and it was hard to keep up with the demand of this popular fair food. The modern spring-base machine was invented by Gold Medal Products in 1949. To this day, they are one of the sole manufacturers of cotton candy machine.
How is the cotton candy made? Sugar is the sole ingredient. It is melted to liquid form, then it is spun through holes that cool the sugar while also melding it into its signature shape. The coloring, as you might have guessed, comes from food coloring. If you’re crazy for cotton candy, join in and celebrate National Cotton Candy Day on November 7th of each year!