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Cotton candy is made by melting sugar and using centrifugal force to push the melted sugar through small holes. The first commercial cotton candy machine was invented in 1897 and improvements were made in 1949 by Gold Medalist. Today, virtually every cotton candy machine is manufactured by Gold Medal Products.
A cotton candy machine uses sugar, a heating plate, centrifugal force, and small holes to create a popular treat at carnivals and fairs. The machine operator pours pure sugar and food coloring (often pink) into a centralized cooking plate. As the sugar melts, the centrifugal force of this rotating plate pushes the sugar strands through a mesh screen. The hot strands of sugar cool in the open air and are thrown against the round outer wall of the machine. The operator then swirls a paper cone around the perimeter, causing the individual sugar strands to stick to the cone and to each other. The result is a large pile of cotton candy originally called “Fairy floss,” but more commonly known as cotton candy in the United States.
The idea behind cotton candy is an age-old cooking method called “cotton candy.” When the sugar melted in a small container, professional chefs scooped some of the hot syrup onto a fork and tossed it onto a larger container. As the heated sugar cooled, light strands formed, and chefs bundled them together to form a dessert.
The first commercial cotton candy machine was invented in 1897 by two Tennessee candy makers named William Morrison and John C. Wharton. Their invention used an electric heating element to melt crystallized sugar and a motor to force the wires through a mesh. Instead of using paper cones, the first batches of Fata Filo were served in wooden boxes. The treatment itself was very expensive, selling for a whopping 25 US cents a box. Admission to the 1904 World’s Fair itself was only 50 US cents. Despite the high cost, the new surprise proved to be very popular. The hardest part of the operation, however, was maintaining some very grumpy machinery.
Improvements to the basic cotton candy machine came in 1949. Gold Medalist developed a much more reliable mechanism for heating and dispensing the sugar. Virtually every cotton candy machine in use today at fairs, carnivals, and charity events is manufactured by Gold Medal Products of Cincinnati, Ohio. Some rental shops may provide a special cotton candy and sugar machine for use at schools and fundraising events. In recent years, a home version of these machines has also become available in select specialty shops.
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