WELCOME TO An Entertainment Site for Scottish Country Dancers - Enjoy the curated selection of theme-related dances for celebrations and holidays, or find a dance associated with a special calendar day, or EVEN your own birthday!
Taffy Day
May 23
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"Saltwater taffy is the memory of summer, pulled and stretched into sweetness."
Taffy is often referenced in Americana, postcards, and coastal lore as a symbol of seaside fun and simpler times. Indulge with this sticky strathspey which mimics the machinery of the taffy pulling machines via hands-across figures and the tournée and stretch those legs!
The old-fashioned taffy pull was once a cherished social pastime—equal parts entertainment and confectionery science. Boiled sugar and corn syrup, when stretched and pulled repeatedly, transform into glossy, airy strands with a satisfyingly chewy texture. The name “taffy” began appearing in American vernacular in the early 1800s, and by 1887, a recipe for Molasses Taffy had even made its way into the White House Cookbook during President Grover Cleveland’s administration.
As the rich molasses mixture was pulled and folded, it would gradually lighten from deep brown to golden caramel tones—so lovely, in fact, that admirers would often compliment a young woman’s hair by comparing it to the warm hues of “molasses taffy.”
A coastal cousin to this treat, salt-water taffy, became another American favorite—despite its misleading name. Contrary to what you might expect, it contains no seawater and typically skips the molasses altogether. According to candy legend, the term was born in 1883 when a storm flooded the boardwalk of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Among the businesses affected was a candy shop owned by David Bradley. When a young girl asked to buy taffy after the storm, he quipped that all he had left was “salt-water taffy.” The name stuck—first with local vendors, then with candy makers all along the Eastern Seaboard.
By the 1920s, salt-water taffy had become a seaside staple from New Jersey to California, its colorful wrappers and endless flavors delighting generations. Today, you can still find it in nostalgic candy shops by the shore—each bite a chewy taste of vintage Americana. ❤️ 💛 💗 🍬 🍭 🏖️ ☀️
The Taffy Strathspey
Taffy (North American English) or chews (British English) are a type of candy similar to toffee.
Taffy is made by stretching or pulling a sticky mass of boiled sugar, butter or vegetable oil, flavorings, and coloring until it becomes aerated, light, and fluffy and chewy candy. Now it is usually fruit-flavoured, but other flavors are common as well, including traditional molasses.
An old fashioned pastime for parties was the Taffy Pull. And in Quebec, a taffy variety, St. Catherine's Taffy, is sometimes made by girls in Quebec to honour St. Catherine, the patron saint of unmarried women on her feast day, November 25. St. Catherine's day is sometimes known in Quebec as "taffy day," a day when marriage-age girls would make taffy for eligible boys.
For a St. Catherine's (molasses) taffy recipe, click the vintage drawing of an old fashioned taffy pull.
And for a fascinating explanation of the mathematics of taffy pulling machines, click here.
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
