By Sarah Fertsch
Staff Writer
It’s as iconic as the boardwalk, more widely loved than the casinos, piers and bayside brews. And you’ll find it in the humblest of homes – inside an old-fashioned candy shop. This is what Atlantic City is known for – the birthplace of salt water taffy.
Salt water taffy is one of the most common souvenirs bought along the Jersey Shore. This chewy candy comes in a variety of flavors like root beer, lemon, strawberry and mint. Some candy shops experiment with unique flavors. Shriver’s, located on the Ocean City Boardwalk, sells flavors such as chocolate peanut butter, sour cherry, and cremesicle. Tourists most commonly pick up variety packs of taffy so they sample different flavors on their long drive home.
What’s the origin of salt water taffy? The legend goes like this: one stormy night in 1883, David Bradley’s candy shop flooded in a seaside hurricane. His entire stock of taffy was soaked in salt water. The next day, a young girl entered the store and asked to purchase some taffy. Bradley joked that it’s a new creation – salt water taffy – and sold a piece to the child. She loved it so much that she ran to her friends and family and offered them a taste. Bradley’s mother was in the back of the store and heard the interaction. She was so tickled by the new name that she forced Bradley to change the marketing of his taffy permanently.
Despite popular opinion, modern salt water taffy usually does not have any salt in it (except perhaps a caramel or peanut butter flavor). It does have water, though! Salt water taffy is made of butter, corn syrup, sugar, glycerine, flavor and food coloring. In the old days, taffy was pulled by hand in a copper pot, stretched to aerate the corn syrup and sugar mixture. This made the taffy lighter and less dense. It was cut into two-inch logs with scissors and wrapped in wax paper. Today, the process is mechanized. Hooks and machines stretch the taffy and cut it into even pieces. Some local candy shops, like Shriver’s, allow customers to peer into the taffy making process!
By 1886, salt water taffy became a household name. The candy was popularized by Joseph Fralinger and Enoch James, candy competitors from Atlantic City. James is responsible for refining the recipe, making it less sticky and easier to unwrap. Both competitors owned shops on the Atlantic City boardwalk.
Salt water taffy is still sold on the boardwalks of Atlantic City and Ocean City. However, the taffy is now available in candy stores all over the United States and Canada. If you want to a local treat, make sure to pick up your sweets along the Jersey Shore, and remember the legacy of David Bradley.
Make Your Own Salt Water Taffy!
Ingredients:
1 cup of sugar
1 tbsp of cornstarch
1 tbsp of salted butter
1 cup of corn syrup
1 tsp of vanilla extract
½ cup of water
1 tsp of flavoring extract of your choice
3 drops of food coloring of your choice
In a large pot, combine sugar, butter, cornstarch, water, vanilla, and flavor extract over medium heat with a candy thermometer. Whisk until the mixture reaches 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Turn off the heat, add food coloring and stir to combine.
Pour the candy onto a sheet pan and let cool for 10 minutes.
Stretch and knead the mixture for 15 minutes. The candy will turn from translucent to opaque.
When the taffy becomes thick and difficult to pull, roll candy into one 16-inch log and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut candy into 2 inch pieces and wrap with wax paper. Enjoy!
