# Is "Fresh Salt Water Taffy" a fake? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 10, 2019, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279 "2019-06-10T03:07:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/1 "2019-06-10T03:07:39Z")
We were recently at a saltwater taffy shop where they had the machine churning taffy and we bought some. It cost $15 a pound! Well I went online and I found a store called [The Candy Store](https://www.candystore.com/candy-types/salt-water-taffy/) that sold it for $19 for 5 pounds or about $3.80 a pound. I’m sure there are also other suppliers. So it got me thinking. I think the shop’s claim that they make their own is a fake. That same batch of taffy was still turning when we came back later. I saw no other equipment for processing taffy. Not to mention that taffy was turning in the open air where dust and bugs could get to it.[HERE](https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/20150530_Salt_Water_Taffy.html) is a picture of what a real taffy factory would look like. Real taffy is made in a glass enclosed, dustproof room. So by deduction - I’m guessing its a fake and they just buy it in bulk and resell it. Or another idea, this was in Estes Park and there were 4 other Taffy stores (although they all have a different name) within a few blocks so they could all be made at one site. No, its no big time issue but I’m curious what you all think of this sticky situation. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/2 "2019-06-10T04:02:56Z")
Fake. A gang of us high school hooligans convinced a naïve girl in our class that Estes Park was built where it was due to the veins of natural taffy running through the granite under our feet. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/3 "2019-06-10T04:06:10Z")
It’s pretty cheap to make, just sugar, corn syrup, flavorings and colors. I don’t know why they would pay $3.80 a pound for something they can make for less than $1. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/4 "2019-06-10T04:18:43Z")
I make fresh water taffy And coffee toffee ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/5 "2019-06-10T07:41:56Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > It’s pretty cheap to make, just sugar, corn syrup, flavorings and colors. I don’t know why they would pay $3.80 a pound for something they can make for less than $1. Well, I can purchase those ingredients, but I possess neither the equipment nor the know-how to make this candy. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/6 "2019-06-10T08:16:15Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > So by deduction - I’m guessing its a fake and they just buy it in bulk and resell it. Do you think it makes any difference? One way or the other it’s essentially highly sweetened plastic. Shelf-life isn’t an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/7 "2019-06-10T10:47:44Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Do you think it makes any difference? One way or the other it’s essentially highly sweetened plastic. Shelf-life isn’t an issue. Well sort of. You think it’s made fresh on site when its really bought in bulk and repackaged and that taffy machine out front pulling taffy does not actually go onto the shelves but is discarded every night. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/8 "2019-06-10T15:36:14Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Do you think it makes any difference? One way or the other it’s essentially highly sweetened plastic. Shelf-life isn’t an issue. Today I learned that sugar, cornstarch, corn syrup, glycerine, water, butter and dyes and flavors apparently magically combine to become plastic. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/9 "2019-06-10T15:43:47Z")
The taffy machine in the window is just for show (and probably wouldn’t be allowed under health laws – too much chance of contamination). The actual taffy making is in the back of the store. You can tell the difference between fresh taffy and taffy made elsewhere. If they tried selling the commercial stuff, people will notice. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/10 "2019-06-10T15:57:02Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The taffy machine in the window is just for show (and probably wouldn’t be allowed under health laws – too much chance of contamination). The actual taffy making is in the back of the store. And you know this how? > [@](#): > > You can tell the difference between fresh taffy and taffy made elsewhere. If they tried selling the commercial stuff, people will notice. Apparently not, Judging by the number of people that frequent these cute little stores. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/11 "2019-06-11T00:46:51Z")
When I was younger, say around 1978 :D, we vacationed at the beach in New Hampshire every summer. The taffy shop had the churning machine in the window and another machine actually extruding, cutting off and wrapping the candies themselves, spitting them out into some large receptacle, and a good bunch of empty boxes close to it. I think I once saw an employee actually taking the churned batch of candy and transferring it into the input hopper of the second machine, but I’m not 100% sure. Things may have changed in the intervening decades, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/12 "2019-06-11T00:55:11Z")
My guess is that it’s a gimmick to get rednecks of an urban persuasion to spend $15 a pound on sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/13 "2019-06-11T01:03:43Z")
There’s been a salt water taffy stand at my state fair for as long as I’ve been going to it with those taffy pulling machines running and they absolutely cut up and sell the taffy they pull. I’ve also made homemade taffy and handpulled it which is why I’m happy to pay $15 a pound for someone else to do that work. ---
**Author:** ![splatterpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@splatterpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/splatterpunk)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/14 "2019-06-11T01:05:43Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > And you know this how? He once wrote a book called _All About Affy_. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/15 "2019-06-11T01:09:55Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > There’s been a salt water taffy stand at my state fair for as long as I’ve been going to it with those taffy pulling machines running and they absolutely cut up and sell the taffy they pull. I’ve also made homemade taffy and handpulled it which is why I’m happy to pay $15 a pound for someone else to do that work. did you use the ol 'buttered hands method? as someone who pulled taffy and made hard candy by hand … I too would rather buy it in a store … my aunt thinks it’s fun to do around x-mas … she did some last year and finally realized it wasn’t as much fun as she remembered having … however I’ve never had good peanut brittle from a store…our recipe is always better … ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/16 "2019-06-11T02:20:29Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > When I was younger, say around 1978 :D, we vacationed at the beach in New Hampshire every summer. The taffy shop had the churning machine in the window and another machine actually extruding, cutting off and wrapping the candies themselves, spitting them out into some large receptacle, and a good bunch of empty boxes close to it. I think I once saw an employee actually taking the churned batch of candy and transferring it into the input hopper of the second machine, but I’m not 100% sure. > > Things may have changed in the intervening decades, of course. I remember going to a small town along the coast there (although I thought it was in Maine) and watching the taffy making for a little while. They had a fresh batch and took some of it aside and dyed it red. They shaped the rest of it (white) about the size of a Duraflame fireplace log. They stretched out the red parts and applied them to the sides so it looked like a barber pole without a twist. That went onto a machine that stretched it and thinned it down to the classic taffy size, cut it, and wrapped it. I don’t know if I saw anyone buy that actual taffy, but if a place really wants to make it in the store, I think it can be done. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/17 "2019-06-11T03:25:32Z")
> [@splatterpunk](#): > > He once wrote a book called _All About Affy_. I see what you did there. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/18 "2019-06-11T13:37:22Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I remember going to a small town along the coast there (although I thought it was in Maine) and watching the taffy making for a little while. They had a fresh batch and took some of it aside and dyed it red. They shaped the rest of it (white) about the size of a Duraflame fireplace log. They stretched out the red parts and applied them to the sides so it looked like a barber pole without a twist. That went onto a machine that stretched it and thinned it down to the classic taffy size, cut it, and wrapped it. I don’t know if I saw anyone buy that actual taffy, but if a place really wants to make it in the store, I think it can be done. Batch roller short video of a demo model [here](https://youtu.be/LJrMb4eU8Sk) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/19 "2019-06-11T13:39:51Z")
> [@erysichthon](#): > > I see what you did there. 😃 Oam y God, I just saw that too! ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279/20 "2019-06-11T22:46:32Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > It’s pretty cheap to make, just sugar, corn syrup, flavorings and colors. I don’t know why they would pay $3.80 a pound for something they can make for less than $1. One of these days, Alice. One of these days I’m going to write a post about buying radioisotopes. I’m going to ask for advice. And I swear, on the Moon above, at least one Doper will post about how much cheaper and easier it is to set up your own particle accelerator and make your own, and how homemade neutron sources are just so much better than storebought. And on that day, I will figure out how to strangle someone across the Internet. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fresh-salt-water-taffy-a-fake/835279.md?page=2)