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National Taffy Day

Food · May 23

A day for taffy, the stretchy, chewy candy made by pulling cooked sugar until it turns light, glossy and soft enough to bite.

National Taffy Day falls on Sunday, May 23, 2027. That is 208 days away.

Taffy starts as a pot of boiled sugar, usually with butter or oil, and ends up as something you can stretch like a rubber band. The trick is the pulling. Folding and stretching the warm candy over and over works tiny air bubbles into it, which turns a dense, clear syrup into a pale, soft chew.

Pulling used to be done by hand, often by two people tugging the same rope of candy between them. Many shops now use machines with slowly turning arms, and watching one fold a big glossy mass is oddly hard to walk away from. Once pulled, the candy is rolled into a long rope, cut into pieces and twisted into small wax paper wrappers.

Flavors run from vanilla and peppermint to fruit, licorice and molasses. Saltwater taffy is the version most tied to American beach towns and boardwalks, where it is sold in big mixed bins. Despite the name, the recipe does not depend on seawater. A little salt and water in the batch is plenty.

The texture is the whole point. Good taffy should give a little, then stretch, then soften as it warms in your mouth. A piece left in a hot car will remind you that it is mostly sugar that wants to be a puddle.

If you buy a mixed bag, the wrappers are often color coded by flavor, which makes trading pieces with friends easier than it sounds.

Ways to celebrate

• Try a few unfamiliar taffy flavors and pick a favorite.
• Watch a video of a taffy pulling machine at work.
• Share a mixed bag of taffy with friends or coworkers.
• Try pulling a small batch at home with an adult helping.

Dates

All national days on May 23

Also on May 23

• World Turtle Day
• Lucky Penny Day

Categories: Food days