Air bubbles, oil droplets are the primary factors, plus emulsifiers for extra chewiness
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The physics of salt water taffy
- Thread starter JournalBot
- Start date
Food science problems are some of the most interesting to chew on.
The kimchi experimentation helps to explain why some of the stainless steel and plastic jar fermented kimchi just doesn't hit the same way. The more material science-y research like the taffy elasticity are also super fascinating in terms of how much science there really is in cooking and how much we still have left to explore.
The kimchi experimentation helps to explain why some of the stainless steel and plastic jar fermented kimchi just doesn't hit the same way. The more material science-y research like the taffy elasticity are also super fascinating in terms of how much science there really is in cooking and how much we still have left to explore.
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Spotted the university press release in phys org and was thinking "kinda cool, but if ars could stretch it out a bit, that would be sweet".
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Ars Technica has not only reported on food related experimentation, but has led the subject of research (from the slip-n-slide article) as well. I'm pretty sure there's been some very interesting, if less hilarious, Ars led "studies" as well (brewing etc…).
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Pulling taffy at home is a great experience with a loved one. Nothing like holding semi-molten candy in well-buttered hands and pulling apart and then rushing back together before the strand hits the floor.
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Oh, yes! My mom and myself used to do it in the fifties when I was a kid. Having fun pulling and stretching the stuff was sixth heaven for a boy -- enjoying it for weeks thereafter was seventh.
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Yeah, I noticed that, too. I think they just mean seawater isn't used, but salt and water are added separately. I do appreciate the apparent non sequitur.
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Make sure that all children involved wash their hands thoroughly or rather disquieting taffy colours may result.
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Ah, but you see it's "saltwater taffy", not "salt, water taffy". That comma, like the Oxford comma, makes all the difference.
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Why? Their research has practical applications, isn't the Ignoble specifically for research that has no practical application, but does make the observer think?
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Many years ago, I had the opportunity to help with the creation of large candlestick candies, which needed a fairly high temp to be molded correctly. It went well. I broke none. I was gifted one, for my efforts, but I don't eat sugar, so re-gifted it.
As I was laboring away at the pull bar, the pro who did this stuff elbowed me aside. "I got this" he said. "Go get some water."
It it was a wonderful and humiliating moment, and one that I cherish. It taught me.
As I was laboring away at the pull bar, the pro who did this stuff elbowed me aside. "I got this" he said. "Go get some water."
It it was a wonderful and humiliating moment, and one that I cherish. It taught me.
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vedekhaliwell
Ars Praetorian
Best salt water taffy is Reads in Lincoln City, OR. You can watch it being made if you catch it in time. I buy 3-4 lbs of it at a time. Love the stuff: cinnamon and peanut butter!
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According to Google:
"Salt, water" IS "saltwater". The comma doesn't make any difference at all.
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I misread the title as “The playlists of saltwater taffee” and I thought “How delightful! I must give a listen on Spotify”
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I always found it a very disappointing candy. All those flavors, but so "meh". I am, in a way, grateful that it has not added itself to my list of addictive substances.
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Not at all. Taffy is a pulled sweet that tends to be more chewy and soft where toffee is a harder, boiled confection.
If you've ever had a Starburst - they're kind of a taffy. Salt water taffy is a lot chewier and fluffier than a Starburst tho.
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Saltwater taffy is usually fruit flavored (every fruit you can think of), super chewy and soft (once the piece warms up in your mouth), and comes in roughy one-inch cubes that are individually wrapped. Saltwater taffy is my favorite candy, I can more or less tolerate toffee.
Both have a great ability to suck fillings out of your teeth, but they're very different.
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Nora Lenderbee
Ars Tribunus Militum
Dentists make good coin from taffy and caramel candies as they replace fillings and crowns. My dentist drives a very nice car, and I may have contributed the heated bucket seats. ☹
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RickRoyLeonPrisZhoraRacha
Ars Scholae Palatinae
Got a loose tooth or crowns? Taffy will remove them pronto! Dentures? Oh, we got some oldskoolers... and I would think smarter to avoid taffy altogether!
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Different brands of taffy vary wildly in terms of flavor and texture. I religiously avoid the variety shown in the article illustrations, as I have found that they usually taste horrible.
I grew up with James and Fralingers (now the same company) and their flavors are generally the best IMHO but in recent years their taffy always seems to be rather hard. So I've settled on Original Fudge Kitchen taffy, which has good (although not always very strong) flavors and are usually reasonably soft and not overly sticky. I always buy loose, and squeeze the taffy before buying to be sure it isn't rock-hard. Of course, you might still not enjoy even the good stuff.
My arteries are thankful I only have access to the stuff once a year at the Jersey shore.
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You know I never once thought of taffy as having "bizarre physics". It's candy like all the other candy, not oobleck. All the same, knowing the recipe is illuminating so thank you.
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The Ignobels are about research that first makes people laugh, and then makes them think.
Like the gas mask bra, for example. I've laughed harder at other winners overall, but the image of two stereotypical scientists wearing a B cup over their mouths on stage is burned into my brain apparently.
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Not unless toffee has a very different meaning in the UK than in the US. Here, toffee is a caramelized candy made with butter and brown sugar, and it's quite crunchy. Whereas taffy is a soft, chewy candy and usually not caramelized. Both are very sticky though.
Google tells me that you guys call taffy "chews" or "chewy sweets" over there.
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And taffy has none of the genuine synthetic chemical candy taste that apparently kids love.
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perhaps 'salted water' might break up this confusion. the sequence where the water meets the salt seems to happen in the boiling pot. the seaside resorts made this stuff famous, by the tons.
long lasting chewy candy and big fluffy cotton candy cones were my favorites.
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And things like chocolate and licorice.
My family hates licorice. Which leaves more for me.
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