Sweets for the Sweet: The Art of Victorian Candy Making

     What types of candy enchanted the sweet-toothed residents of the Victorian era?
Among many others, according to "Miss Mary's Vintage and Victorian Archive," the treats on the following list did:

Sugar Plums, Butter Scotch, Molasses Candy, Almond Candy, Maple Candy (my favorite), Chocolate Caramels, and Sugared Pop Corn.

     Want to charm your sweetheart with some handmade candy for Valentine's Day?   The recipes for these delectable treats can be found here.  For explanations and tips on basic candy making techniques and the tools necessary to produce your own traditional confections, the site entitled "Old Fashioned Candy Secrets and Recipes" will have you cooking in no time.

Donate here to help keep Victorian candy-making from becoming a lost art!

 Rather purchase your candy than make a mess of your kitchen? There is help for that, too.
     One group of people who are attempting to keep the art of Victorian candy-making alive is Lofty Pursuits/Public Displays of Confection in Tallahassee, Florida; they seek out, purchase, restore, and then utilize the original machinery to produce tasty treats of the Victorian era.  Should you wish to help their cause, for the next three days, you may contribute to their funds drive via this link.
     Why (other than the satisfaction of helping to preserve a wonderful part of Victorian life) would you do this?  Because certain contribution levels will receive rewards ranging from a "Lofy Pursuits" pin, to in-person demonstrations of their candy-making skills (the latter being reserved for the pledge of $3,000 or more and being within 5 hours of their base of operations).  For as little as $25, you will receive a bag of their handmade hard candy.  Yum!

Update:

This project successfully raised its funding goal on February 4.  Congrats!  To read about their current status and projects (including labels for their handmade candies), see this page.