Sweets

Who doesn’t like a bit of sugar here and there?  Sweets are such an integral part of human life that we even have the phrase ’sweet tooth’ to describe the kind of mouth-foaming delight that a sugary confection can bring.

The topic of sweet snacks is so diverse it’s difficult to bottle it into a single article.  This will be a brief overview of the development of sweets throughout the ages.  You can find more information on specific treats through the other links.

Cave-people, or prehistoric humans, were the first people to enjoy sweets.  For the most part, this meant honey from beehives and dried berries.  The age of prepared treats would take some time coming, and the first recorded record of candy can be linked to the Egyptians.

Other cultures like those in Arabia and China also documented the production of fruit and nuts covered with honey.  The continued use of honey as the main sugar source meant that candies weren’t widely available.  In fact, only wealthy Europeans could even afford to have sweets in the Middle Ages.

The year of 1519 marks a significant advancement in the history of candy.  That’s when Spanish explorers discovered the cacao tree.  Ever since then, chocolate has been a mainstay in the sweet world of candies.

By the 17^th century, refined sugar was in distribution.  By the 19^th century, some four hundred factories in America were manufacturing sugar-based candies.  These would later be known as ’penny candies’ and were sold in large candy shops or general stores in glass jars.