Ribbon Candy

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I am not a huge candy eater, unless there is chocolate involved. But there is something about ribbon candy I look forward to all year.  Just seeing it makes me smile, the bright festive colors, the satiny sheen, the perfect loops, even if you don’t like hard candy it is impossible not to appreciate how pretty this sweet treat is.

Ribbon  Candy4

Real Ribbon Candy

If you are not familiar ribbon candy, it is simply hard candy flattened out into long ribbons and then shaped into perfect loops. Real ribbon candy (not the mass-produced stuff)  is thin, and kind of interesting to eat.  You can’t just break off one a little loop neatly,  breaking off a bite size piece results in a few broken shards. Hand crafted ribbon candy is usually thin enough to melt quickly in your mouth so the broken shards disappear quickly 🙂

The Orignal Candy Kitchen- Home in the Finger Lakes

You can find small candy makers who keep the tradition of real ribbon candy alive, by handcrafting it that same way it has been for generations.  I pick up my ribbon candy up at the Original Candy Kitchen in Williamson, where it is made right there in the back of the shop, and I guarantee you would be hard pressed to find anything on the shelves of a store that compares.   My box came with cinnamon, peppermint, anise, spearmint and butterscotch flavors. If you are wondering my favorite hands down is the anise.

box

So why does ribbon candy get a bad rap sometimes? Have you ever reached into a candy dish to pick out a piece of ribbon candy, only to discover all the pieces have become one gigantic sticky mess? Yeah, it happens and is not appetizing.  Because of ribbon candy’s striking appearance,  it is often used like decor, displayed in candy dishes,  on cookie plates, or  in apothecary jars. When on display and exposed to room temperature and humidity the thin candy can become sticky. Mine however never really gets to that point, I am not sure if it is because I eat it so fast or because I store it in the box 😉

Ribboncandy

Do you have any family traditions or memories of ribbon candy during the holidays? I would love to hear them! Share in a comment here or on Facebook, lets chat!

Ribbon Candy

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5 Comments

  1. My name is Norma Kross. I was born and raised in Western New York, Lockport to be exact. I have been trying to find the really old fashioned ribbon candy that I used to eat back in the fifties. I read your article about getting this old fashioned ribbon candy at the Original Candy Kitchen in Williamson,NY.
    When I go to the site, I do not see any ribbon candy. Is this a store that is still in business? I really, really want some of this ribbon candy. Thanis

    1. @Norma Kross,
      Hello Norma,
      I was looking for a new way to serve/display ribbon candy and saw your question from last year.
      I live in Lewiston NY. We have always gotten traditional ribbon candy at Sweet Jenny’s in Williamsville. I’d phone to make sure they have it this year as i have not been out there yet.
      https://sweetjennyswilliamsville.com/
      Donna

  2. Ooh, pretty. This reminds me of my paternal grandmother and great-grandmother. They both used to keep hard candy in their homes, usually served up in Depression-era milk glass bowls.