
Timeless 100-Year-Old Candy Shop in Indiana is Keeping Sweet Traditions Alive
Many of these handmade treats are still made using the same methods and tools from over a century ago.
A Tedious Process
Have you ever watched the process of handmade candy? It is fascinating! I follow a few accounts online of candy stores across the country that document how they make their handmade candy. It's so fascinating to watch how this hot liquid sugar stuff can be turned into pieces of candy that are almost too pretty to eat.
Before candy was mass-produced like it is today, the local candy store was where folks would go to grab a sweet treat. Because of the tedious process behind making candy, there are a few tried and true methods for making a classic piece of candy.
One popular method for making candy involves a hook on the wall. The hook hangs on the wall and is used to hang the candy on and pull it in repeated motions to aerate it. This repeated pulling of the candy helps it to change color to white, it also helps with mixing color into the candy. This is still a popular method used by many folks who like making homemade candy today. One quaint little candy store in Indiana still uses the same hook to aerate the candy that was put on the wall when the store first opened in 1919.
Keeping Sweet Traditions Alive
Located in Martinsville, Indiana is a quaint little candy shop that has been handmaking sweet treats for more than 100 years. The Martinsville Candy Kitchen first opened in 1919, and to this day still uses methods from more than 100 years ago to make its famous candy.

According to The Martinsville Candy Kitchen's website, not only do they use many of the same recipes and methods from more than a century ago for their delicious treats, they also use some of the same tools that were used when the store first opened.
Martinsville in 1919, by the Greek immigrant Jimmy Zapapas. Jimmy produced candy canes, divinity, jellies, and many other mouth-watering sweet treats for 45 years. Though Jimmy is no longer with us, his original recipes
The Martinsville Candy Kitchen says that in 1919 a Green immigrant named Jimmy Zapapas opened the Martinsville Candy Kitchen. Jimmy created candy canes, divinity, jellies, and more for 45 years.
The very recipes that made Jimmy a hit with the public, have since been passed down and the owners today still use many of his recipes and methods to make their handmade candy.
Most of our candies are still made entirely by hand, by us, in our kitchen. Jimmy’s marble table, wall hook, copper kettle, Vulcan gas stove, wood paddles, and other tools remain hard at work converting simple ingredients into the delicious candies you know and love.
I don't know about you, but I'll be planning a road trip to visit The Martinsville Candy Kitchen and try out some of their sweet treats asap!
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Gallery Credit: Stacker
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