Family makes stewed sugar
Published 11:31 am Monday, March 21, 2011
J.C. Williams, from left, his son, Craig, and Andy Kitchen make stewed sugar during a demonstration at Southampton Heritage Village/Agriculture and Forestry Museum. -- SUBMITTED/ANNE BRYANT
BY ANNE BRYANT/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
annehb1983@charter.net
COURTLAND–Stewed sugar, what’s that?
About 25 curious folks gathered at the Southampton Heritage Village/Agriculture and Forestry Museum on March 13 to find out. Pat and J.C. Williams and their son, Craig, demonstrated the art of making candy from a mixture of sugar and vinegar.
Craig Williams cooked the mixture on the stove until it reached 270 degrees. He poured it out onto platters his mother had buttered so the mixture wouldn’t stick.
After giving it a few minutes to cool, J. C. and Craig Williams pulled the candy back and forth in their hands until it began to cool and harden.
After the candy reached the right texture, J. C. and Craig Williams and Andy Kitchen pulled and twisted the candy until it was a long, shiny tube ready to be cut into pieces and devoured.
The first batch was hard and crunchy, while the second batch was softer and chewy.
