When I was younger I was mystified by salt water taffy. Something about the bright, yet pastel colors and the soft, yet chewy texture just seemed to defy logic. This taffy must be one of the natural wonders of our mysterious ocean, after all, we do know more about the moon than we do about the ocean. I imagined that there was a plant that produced the taffy, one that swayed with the current alongside kelp and coral on the sea floor. And oddly enough this misconception wasn't debunked until recently, in fact more recently than I would like to admit.

It was only a few weeks ago when I was talking to my friends about salt water taffy, and what makes it different and special. When I sheepishly told them of my previous, childlike understanding of the candy, I received puzzled and surprised looks. They were just as surprised as I was to find out that salt water taffy has actually nothing to do with the ocean. Looking back on my childish logic, it's not too hard to see why I came to the conclusion that I did. The only times I ever came into contact with the foreign treat was on summer vacations in Outer Banks, North Carolina or Florida, somewhere along the coast. In a quest for the truth I've discovered what exactly it is that makes salt water taffy different. Have no fear, I'm here to share my knowledge with you.

It turns out the history of how salt water taffy was named may be a myth within itself. According to an article on taffy.org, it is said that in the late 19th century David Bradley owned a taffy stand along the Atlantic City Boardwalk that was located only a few steps above sea level. One night the tide was higher than usual and ended up soaking the supply of taffy in salty sea water. The next morning a little girl came in and asked for some taffy, to which the owner replied in a witty tone that he had some salt water taffy available. Apparently the name and new texture was a hit. All of this, of course, is just legend.

"Today salt water taffy isn't even made with ocean water, that's just a marketing tactic," said Georgie Rooney, employee at The Candy Corner, located along the boardwalk in Hampton, New Hampshire. The two main ingredients in any taffy is fat and sugar. The main ingredients in salt water taffy specifically are cornstarch, sugar, glycerine, corn syrup, butter, flavor, salt, water, and food coloring (recipe here). These are boiled together which result in a sticky and thick blob. The resulting mass is then stretched and pulled to aerate the candy which makes it softer and less sticky. The aeration process distributes tiny air bubbles throughout the candy and is actually what makes the salt water taffy different from regular taffy. Anyone who has tasted salt water taffy can vouch for the fact that it is easier on the teeth than ordinary taffy. It has nothing to do with salt water, in fact salt is used in the taffy but not salt water.

So where can you find this delicious (yet deceitful) treat? Salt water taffy is most commonly found on boardwalks and in general candy stores found at vacation spots near the water in the United States. Taffy is not commonly found in other countries, but it can be ordered in bulk thanks to the power of the internet.

Congratulations, you are now in the elite group of people who possess the intelligence and truth about salt water taffy. #FREETHETRUTH