30 Apr2006
Cotton candy is one of those universal “good things” and an old-fashioned doled up cotton candy stand is almost irresistible. In the heart of Dam Square in Amsterdam the other day, there was a mini amusement park set up for the Queen’s day festivities. The Kid was getting tired or possibly had a low sugar moment after walking all morning and miraculously this cotton candy stand appears… A “small” order (can you imagine a “large” order?) of cotton candy was made to order with two spinning wheels makes yellow and pink spun sugar that was twirled onto the paper stick.
The Kid thought it was excellent. I have to admit it was pretty good… fluffy, sweet 
and characteristically DRY because the humidity levels were really low… this was strolling and munching material. At Euro 1.50 it was a reasonable snack/sweet/diversion and a great photo opportunity. The next day I was walking a crowded street and this drunk guy took a big wad of cotton candy and he meant to put it in his friends face…without full control of this faculties, he smacked a huge gob of cotton candy right into my left cheek. Either the candy was so dry or my face so oily that nothing stuck to me at all…
COMMENTS:
ShoppaHolique says:
I love fairy floss!!! Locally I go to tickles for it cos their floss is “finer” compared to the street ones.
Apr 30, 2006 | 9:30 pm
Wilson Cariaga says:
I wonder how they make finer floss??. . . will extra fine sugar do the trick?
Apr 30, 2006 | 10:05 pm
Chris says:
Hmmm… Perhaps a faster spin of the hot centrifuge makes for a finer floss? Or a well-tuned speed and temperature ratio, because if the speed is too high the threads of molten sugar will break before it recrystalises again to form the floss.
May 1, 2006 | 1:05 am
Marketman says:
Maybe better calbrated holes for the molten sugar to come out ofBut I also think the lack of humidity in the atmosphere is a key reason it tastes and feels so different… yikes, I am about to go into a week without internet…so I may not comment much from here on in…
May 1, 2006 | 1:04 pm
mia says:
Just last week I had my first try of ‘foreign’ cotton candy–in Everland in South Korea. I noticed the same thing you did, it tastes very different and feels very different from the ones here. It was dry and when i popped a puff in my mouth it felt like air! Bought it also for pretty much the same price you did, although mine was much smaller, I needed two sticks :( Cotton candy has to be the most perfect food ever invented. EVER.
May 1, 2006 | 10:51 pm
Wilson Cariaga says:
I remember reading an article that El Bulli has a dish. . . they used powdered fish bones they made it into floss, they used cotton candy machine, I wonder how that tastes. . .hehe weird, I know, but if I Have a chance to dine there, I really will, it will be a great experience. . .
May 2, 2006 | 9:05 am
lorna says:
could please help me where i can buy locally the sugar floss to make a cotton candy. please…. thank you so much.
Nov 14, 2008 | 7:41 pm