The humbug shape is fascinating esplly with stripes. In France we call this candy "berlingot". I remember as a kid watching a man at the carnival fair make the big ones, lollipop-size, pulling the hot sugar on the hook. Fascinating to watch. He cut them into shape with handheld big scissors and stuck a stick in them before they were hard. The taste was great too, and some color variations of the full spectrum made you want to taste them all.
I look forward to the "air bubbles make it white because of reflection." Lesson every video and watching like 2 minutes of pulling. It might seem sarcastic but I actually kinda enjoy it XD
+Liz Ericson In some of my later videos I sped up the sugar pulling, and then I got complaints that there was not enough hot sugar being pulled. I watched it with new eyes (watched someone else pulling the sugar). I guess when you are pulling it, you are not realizing that it is hypnotic to watch. When you are pulling the sugar you just are thinking: "Ow, My fingers are really hot right now".
+Lofty Pursuits I love everything about these videos. They're so charming because of the music and interesting because of the whole operation of making the candy. I kid you not these made me want to pursue candy making too (◔ᴗ◔)
+Lofty Pursuits I just got to say, you've made my evenings a lot more relaxing and entertaining. I don't even like hard candy that much, yet I can't stop watching what seems to be a very small, friendly business making candy because of the passion for it. So from Sweden, I wish you the warmest greetings! And I'll be sure to swing by if I ever visit Florida!
That's old stainless that never goes out of style and is practical as all get out. A lot of PA & CT & NY items are like that- the only thing that makes them archaic now is the size.
My Auntie used to always have old fashioned Humbugs and she would always give us some every time we saw her. She passed a few months ago and even just watching this video makes me feel like she's giving me a hug. Thank you so much for that! The company that she got hers from shut down, and I hope one day I get to try yours to see if I can find that taste again. Thanks again!
I'm sitting in a dark room slot after watching horror movies... I go onto this video and BBBAAAAAAAAA is the first thing I hear and I've never jumped so far. I dropped my phone as well...
When I was young my parents would often take me to places that made fresh salt water taffy, often they had a machine that would continously stretch it like you were doing, it is some great memories and I don't think there are any more of those shops. I enjoyed your video and the humbug candy is new to me and it looked really yummy.
The breaking part is so insanely satisfying. I love watching all parts of your videos but it's like everything is culminating the moment the strings or platters ate being broken apart into single pieces of candy. Wonderful!
a quick calculation and estimation shows me that in the two minutes on the candy hook, you went from one glob of candy to somewhere on the order of 10^13 strands! that is 10,000,000,000,000 individual strings of candy! insane.
@@notsogood4321 if he started with one lump of candy, stretched it, folded it in half, he would have two strands. then he stretched it, folded it in half, he has 4 strands. each time he does this, it doubles the total number of strands. he did it about 43 times, so he had 2^43 strands, which is roughly equal to 10,000,000,000,000. interestingly, if he did it about 250 times there would be more strands of candy than there are particles in the observable universe. that lets you know that this is all bunk and that clearly the strands are joining back together at some point but still a fun thought exercise.
It's really cool getting to see all these old practices still being used. My great-grandmother has told me about this kind of thing before. :D (She is still alive, just about 100 years old too.)
I'd watched this video - never knew what a humbug was - then was listening to a recent purchase video book of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Unabridged version and Harry buys some humbugs on the train - and I now knew what they were!! So Awesome! I love your videos and just recently purchased some of your candy am waiting excitedly for the arrival.
I can't believe I lived in Tallahassee and didn't know about this place. Wow. I'm all about anything Victorian and now I MUST get some of these candies! So glad I found your channel!
Greg your passion and knowledge are contagious! Watching your videos is my new favorite past time. I'm about to order a bunch to try, since I do not live anywhere near Florida!
I live in Washington State , and I bought me some of these Horehound Humbugs, the flavor was awesome, the shape was rather intriguing, I felt it was really cool to watch the video for making this candy,and then being able to try the candy, Lofty Pursuits has become my fave Candy Store! I will for sure be ordering again,and their prices are very reasonable!!!
This channel is so cool! He's like the Anthony Bourdain of candy making. We learn history, appreciation for classic techniques and equipment; all narrated by a mellow knowledgeable voice. 10/10, would visit Tallahassee to see this art!
Hi. I'm from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean and I would love to taste your Horehound candy. I don't see shopping options for my country though. I hope shipping becomes available. Love your videos. Keep up the tasty work👍😀
My grandparents always referred to horse flies as humbugs. Horse flies are striped and make a sound like a bumblebee's hum. I figured that the sweet was called a humbug after the fly.
+Emma Goudie I wonder if horse flys live in England where the candy originated (as did scrooge). Is there an Entomologist in the house to help us as an Etymologist? Not sure how the insects would go with the lies term.
+Emma Goudie That makes sense. I remember horse flys from Upstate New York (other side of the pond). I don't remember them being striped, but it has been over 30 years ... I might not remember
The humbugs of my childhood were chocolate mint. When I saw your cocoa flavoured candy video recently it made me think of them. They had a cocoa chocolate centre and the caramel/dark/white striping
The craziest thing to me is the history of that machine. Some Victorian bloke was making the exact same candy with that exact machine over 100 years ago and selling it to little kids for pennies. It's insane to think about!
Nothing beats eating a Lofty Persuits Horehound flavored Humbug, while watching you make horehound flavored Humbugs! They leave my tongue with a every so slight numbing sensation, almost like certain types of cough drops! (but way tastier)
Thanks for putting up with hot fingers for us! The sugar pulling really is very soothing to watch, especially when you're in a bad mood. I'm up in Canada, but I could eat humbugs all day, every day, so I also really appreciate your having an online store (and my having family in the States for you to ship to). So excited to place my first order! By the way, are steampunk humbugs any different from regular humbugs? Will they make me cool??
It's called a humbug because, in some parts of England, a 'humbug' was a slang term for a bee (A bug that hums). Like some bees, it was striped yellow and black.
I find it ironic that horehound extract has medicinal properties, including aiding with diabetic issues, and it is being made with sugar, of all things. XD Not that it's going to stop a type 2 from sampling some tho...
This is the best story telling voice! I love these videos. This is a sweet escape from all the craziness our country is dealing with. Thanks for good internet content.
The shape of these made me think of a possible recreation of a Harry Potter candy, Licorice Snaps. I can see them being in this shape, just black and licorice flavored. Though I'm probably the only one who sees it like this. XD
so when you are cutting the candy with the machine it looks like taffy. If a person were to eat it then would it burn them? how hot is the candy at that stage?
Gosh, I need to go to school and fulfill my dream of playing and teaching music! That "He can't play in Italian" song got me! I'll play/make music for this channel and won't charge you guys either! I like the channel too much!
I keep watching these video's, IDK why cause I'm not even a big candy person but find them interesting. Thanks for the time to explain what an why you are doing and how/why, It's nice to see stuff being handmade still vs seeing the mass produced garbage that flooded the market these days.
An Australian sent me here! I have learned so much about Humbug candy! I never knew it existed! My parents had his-and-hers “Bah, Humbug” pins that they’d wear during Christmas season. They must not have known about humbug hard candy, nor about it’s shape...and no one ever explained it to them! That in itself is mind blowing!🤯
@Bobby Fisher It´s funny that nearly all english speaking people think that all words that are used in englisch and german are original english words. You should know that many americans have german roots. "Kindergarden" is also a german word adapted to englisch... and many more.
@@teamseshmason more so, what do you care? People are enjoying a conversation. Why would you, someome who isn't interested, get involved and criticize? What are you contributing?
+Louise Moir I'm learning that my experience does not match that of most others. Mind you Horehound Humbugs are delicious. I guess the OED got it right :)
How come you sometimes fold the candy on the hook to make it whize and sometimes you just do it on the table. Is it just a matter of style or does it depend on the type of candy you are making? By the way, I love your videos and you explain the process really well
An old candy maker told me it was black because they reused scrap sugar. The flavor in the old sugar mostly cooked off and the rest was masked by the strong peppermint (or horehound depending where you are) taste. they made it black to hide the old color.
I've had humbugs before but usually they're Peppermint flavour but I like liquorice also so I think it still works well. The way in which you make these sweets is amazing would love to try some of these. :)
