February 15th
is
National Gumdrop Day
Here are the five things you should know about
Gumdrops
- Gumdrops, a fruit or spice flavored sugar coated gelatin candy, usually conical in shape. Other shapes and flavors; Orange slices, Licorice Babies, and Spearmint Leaves.
- The most popular flavors are cherry, grape, orange, lemon, and spice flavors like clove, cinnamon, mint, and anise(licorice)
- It is said that Percy Trusdale invented the gumdrop in 1801.
- Originally, gumdrops were flavored with spices: orange(clove), yellow(allspice), red(cinnamon), green(spearmint), purple(anise), white(wintergreen or peppermint), and black(licorice)
- The NASA Apollo Command modules were nicknamed “Gumdrops” because of it’s conical shape.
On This Day in Food History…
- 1758 Benjamin Jackson advertised mustard for sale for the first time in America. The advertisement was in the Philadelphia Chronicle, and claimed Jackson was the first and only manufacturer of mustard in America
- 1809 Cyrus Hall McCormick was born. McCormick is credited with the development of the first mechanical reaper.
- 1957 ‘The Banana Boat Song’ (Day-O) by Harry Belafonte is number one on the charts.
- 1965 Canada adopted its new red & white flag with a red maple leaf in the center.
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