National Candy Day – November 4

In both fiction and real life, candy has seen a multitude of uses: invoking a sense of nostalgia of bygone days, helping evil witches lure in children, and in the early days, being used as medicine.

From the iconic Reese’s Cup to the controversial candy corn, candy has always been more well-received than a cup of vegetables. In fact, there’s still many adults who never really outgrow their fondness for candy. 

Despite candy’s negative reputation among dietitians, there’s a surprising link between candy and the natural world – many candy dyes were historically derived from natural sources, although they have now been superseded by synthetic dyes. Although you won’t get a day off work, sweets junkies can rejoice in National Candy Day, a celebration for candy lovers to explore the wonderful world of candy.  

History of Candy

Originally, candy was intended as a form of medicine – a concept that now seems quite hilarious, considering that it has now been branded as the main culprit in a majority of dentist visits. To be fair, candy back then was used like a lozenge, intended to heal the digestive tract or soothe a sore throat, and it likely didn’t taste as good. 

Early candies were sweetened by sugar, fruits, and honey. In the Middle Ages, sugar in its crystalline form became the foundation for candy, having been brought over by the Arabs. At its base level, honey was considered ‘candy’ by cavemen who had stumbled upon it – an 8,000 rock painting found in Spain depicts a person climbing a ladder to gather honey. 

Although licorice is vastly unpopular today, in the ancient world, it was the go-to choice for pharaohs, emperors, and prophets. It wasn’t manufactured into ropes like today, but processed into a type of sweet drink extracted from the Glycyrrhiza plant, which meant ‘sweet root’ in Greek. 

How to Celebrate National Candy Day

Treating yourself doesn’t have to involve strictly candy or high doses of sugar, but it does have to involve sweetness in the metaphorical sense – and here’s how. 

1. Grow Candy Themed Plants    

Take your love for candy into the garden by growing plants that revolve around a certain theme, such as a chocolate-themed garden. Either grow plants in chocolatey brown hues or those that are cocoa scented: Hot Cocoa Rose, 'Dark Chocolate' Coleus, and chocolate cosmos. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a more fanciful color palette, pick frilly cottage garden plants saturated with color, bringing to mind a candy factory.

2. Make Vegetables Tasty  

Tasty vegetables sound like an oxymoron, but it’s possible with the right ingredients. Potatoes are a fantastic vegetable that appeals to the pickiest eaters while tomatoes are highly versatile and can be incorporated into dozens of dishes. All of these vegetables can easily be enhanced with flavorful herbs and spices. For a simple recipe involving minimal effort, try this Asian cucumber recipe. Make harvesting fun by picking your vegetables and then placing them in this generously sized serving plate. 

3. Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries    

Chocolate covered strawberries are delicious, refreshing snacks that are easy to make. The important thing to keep in mind is to use high quality chocolate, preferably baking chocolate, as low-quality chocolate can lead to an inferior taste. Do not freeze the strawberries, which ruins the taste – it’s better to eat them as soon as you make them. 

 

4. Buy That Candy Bar You’ve Been Eying   

Use National Candy Day as an excuse to splurge on novelty candies that you would otherwise never buy – king-sized candy bars, chamoy pickle kits, and crystals in the form of edible candy. Don’t let that candy bar languish on the shelves any longer; go ahead and grab it. Trying candies from around the world, such as the coveted Dubai chocolate bar or citrus flavored KitKat from Japan, can also be a fun experience. 

Edible Treats to Grow in the Garden

Attempts to disguise vegetables as candy always come off as insincere, with kids preferring to reach for a chocolate candy bar rather than carrot sticks. However, many garden plants yield delicious ingredients that can be added to desserts, drinks, and other candy-like snacks. Below are a few plants that you can grow in your garden to sweeten your diet.  

• Chocolate Mints: Although there’s no widespread agreement on whether it actually tastes like chocolate, more discriminating tastes swear that there’s a subtle taste to plants labeled as ‘chocolate mint.’ Whatever the case, chocolate mint and other mints are easy plants to grow for beginners and can be added to a variety of dishes, particularly infusions in iced beverages. To prevent it from overrunning your garden, grow it in raised herb beds.
• Strawberries: Strawberries are popular in cakes, jams, and candies. It can also be made into fruit leather – a process that can take 8 – 10 hours using a dehydrator. Experiment with different sweeteners (honey, agave, maple syrup) or varieties of berry fruits. If you are without a dehydrator, you can place your mixture outside in direct sunlight, covering it with a cheesecloth to deter bugs. 
• Raspberries: Raspberries are striking plants that act as attractive hedges, especially when they’re adorned with strings of berries. With a flavor both tart and sweet, they shine through in homemade jams and desserts. Due to the late harvesting season, fall-bearing raspberries should not be grown in areas with cold temperatures. 
• Mangos: A recipe popular in Thailand that involves mangos is mango sticky rice, a sweet dish that preserves the fresh flavor of the mango. A tropical faring fruit, mangos are grown in zone 9 – 11. They can be tricky to grow, but worth it when the branches become loaded with dense thickets of fruit.  
• Sugar Snap Peas: For a quick, easy side dish that’s healthy, toss a couple of sugar snap peas into a bowl, then mix with garlic, fish sauce, and various herbs. Inspired by Southeast Asian cuisine, it’s bright and savory, and while not as sweet as candy, it’s just as tasty.