Sweet as Sin
The Unwrapped Story of How Candy Became America's Favorite Pleasure
Published on 15. May 2016
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-1-63388-140-2 (ISBN)
Description
RECOMMENDED BY SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE AS A "BEST BOOK ABOUT FOOD OF 2016"!
READERS WITH AN INTEREST IN THE HISTORY OF FOOD AND AMERICANA WILL SAVOR THIS CULTURAL HISTORY
There's more to candy than its sugary taste. As this book shows, candy has a remarkable history, most of it sweet, some of it bitter. The author, a food historian and candy expert, tells the whole story-from the harvesting of the marshmallow plant in ancient Egypt to the mass-produced candy innovations of the twentieth century. Along the way, the reader is treated to an assortment of entertaining facts and colorful characters. These include a deposed Mexican president who ignited the modern chewing gum industry, the Native Americans who created pemmican, an important food, by mixing fruit with dried meat, and the little-known son of a slave woman who invented the sugar-processing machine still in use today.
Susan Benjamin traces people's changing palate over the centuries as roots, barks, and even bugs were savored as treats. She surveys the many uses of chocolate from the cacao bean enjoyed by Olmec Indians to candy bars carried by GIs in World War II. She notes that many candies are associated with world's fairs and other major historical events.
Fun and informative, this book will make you appreciate the candy you love even more by revealing the fascinating backstory behind it.
READERS WITH AN INTEREST IN THE HISTORY OF FOOD AND AMERICANA WILL SAVOR THIS CULTURAL HISTORY
There's more to candy than its sugary taste. As this book shows, candy has a remarkable history, most of it sweet, some of it bitter. The author, a food historian and candy expert, tells the whole story-from the harvesting of the marshmallow plant in ancient Egypt to the mass-produced candy innovations of the twentieth century. Along the way, the reader is treated to an assortment of entertaining facts and colorful characters. These include a deposed Mexican president who ignited the modern chewing gum industry, the Native Americans who created pemmican, an important food, by mixing fruit with dried meat, and the little-known son of a slave woman who invented the sugar-processing machine still in use today.
Susan Benjamin traces people's changing palate over the centuries as roots, barks, and even bugs were savored as treats. She surveys the many uses of chocolate from the cacao bean enjoyed by Olmec Indians to candy bars carried by GIs in World War II. She notes that many candies are associated with world's fairs and other major historical events.
Fun and informative, this book will make you appreciate the candy you love even more by revealing the fascinating backstory behind it.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
525 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-63388-140-2 (9781633881402)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
03/2016
Prometheus Books
€14.83
Available for download
Person
Susan Benjamin is a candy historian and owner of the nation's only historic candy stores located in Historic Harpers Ferry, WV, and Fredrick, Maryland. Ms. Benjamin receives thousands of customers a year- for many her shop is a destination. She has been featured on numerous television stations, such as Fox News and Voice of America, newspapers and blogs from the Sacramento Bee to the Pittsburgh Press, and radio programs. She is currently being considered to host her own television program on historic candy with a major network and she is working with a PBS veteran producer of 23 years to create a series of YouTube videos on candy on her own channel. As a speaker, Ms. Benjamin regularly appears at museums, business meetings, historical societies, and tourist events. An accomplished author of nine books, a journalist, former college professor and radio show host, Ms. Benjamin is also a member of the Press Club in Washington D.C. and the Culinary Historians of Washington.