Everyone deserves a treat now and again. Whether you’re celebrating or it’s just cheat day off from the gym, hitting up your local candy store near me is the best way to indulge in a little decadence. Providing an array of assorted sugary goods, you’re sure to want every delectable indulgence in sight. So what about the candy stores near me? Here’s your complete guide to candy stores with all the in’s and out’s you’ve always wanted to know!
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What is a Candy Store?
A candy store, commonly known as a sweet shop in the United Kingdom is a confectionery store selling a mixture of sweets and sometimes chocolates. Each store will have its own list of goodies but often they will sell old fashioned or rare sweets as well as sweets from other countries around the world. They can be, but are not normally chain shops, usually adopting a more one of a kind vibe with old world charm. Invoking nostalgia, candy shops have been around for centuries although the exact date of inception is debated. The village of Pateley Bridge in England, claims to be home to the oldest candy store in the world.
Different Types of Candy
Candy is made by dissolving sugar in water or milk to form a syrup and then boiled to its desired consistency. Whilst lower temperatures produce softer candies, higher temperatures will produce harder sweets. There are many different types of candy available depending on each shop. They range in size, color, price and texture and can be bought either as an individual price per candy piece or by weight. Although the texture is determined by the ingredients and the temperature at which is processed at, the most common forms of candy are either gummy, chalky, powdered, chocolate, caramel or jelly based.
Some of the most popular candies include:
· Almond Joy
· Aplets & Cotlets
· Big Hunk
· Bit O Honey
· Candy Raisins
· Mounds
· Reece’s Pieces
· Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups
· U-No bar
· Squirrel Nut Caramel
· Hershey’s Kisses
· Milk Duds
· Brittle
· Cotton Candy
· Tootsie Roll
· Butterscotch
· Candy Canes
· Jolly Rancher
· Lifesavers
· Rock
· Twizzlers
· Licorice
What To Consider About Candy
Because of candy’s high sugar content, some are made by a process that causes the sugar to boil and as it cools, becomes incredibly hard. Some of the hardest candies include rock, lifesavers and candy canes. If the candy does not have a very solid form, it can often be extremely chewy, such is the case for Twizzlers and other bar shaped goods. Whilst both the hard and the chewy candies can be very tasty, they have a reputation for pulling peoples fillings out and also breaking and chipping teeth! If you have quite soft teeth or a number of fillings, it might be wise to stick to the soft centered treats such as Hershey’s Kisses or Tootsie Rolls in order to avoid a nasty trip to the dentist! Another thing to be aware of are E numbers and unnatural food colorings in certain candies. Apart from not being good for the body even in small doses, they are particularly harmful to children. If you planned to pick up some sweets for your kids, try to look for ones without unnecessary additives and only choose naturally colored goods to avoid hyper behavior.
It’s also wise to note that for any vegetarians or vegans, certain types of gummy candies may be off limits. These types of candies often use gelatin, a product derived from animal collagen, to enhance their jelly texture. Other ingredients such as pectin, can be used as an animal free substitute so it’s always good to check with the server before purchasing if this is a concern for you.
Tips About Candy
Although indulging in an excessive amount of anything isn’t considered good practice, some candies have been proven to have health benefits, great news for those of us with a sweet tooth! Peppermint flavored sweets can aid digestion and upset stomachs as it is very effective at killing off bacteria. Clove rock, hard rock cubes flavored with cloves and sometimes aniseed, is also very beneficial for sore throats, colds and coughs. Dark chocolate, anything over 70%, has also been seen to improve heart health when eaten moderately, due to its antioxidant properties. So next time you’re at the candy store, why not switch your milk chocolate treat to dark chocolate and enjoy guilt free!
