Christmas at Logan’s
What better way to celebrate the holiday season than to visit a festive candy cane store? Logan’s Candy Canes in Ontario has been a source of holiday cheer since 1933, with homemade candy cane recipes and with freshly made candies and chocolates.
I showed up at the shop around 20 minutes before the candy making demo. I was immediately met by a large crowd gathering around the store’s viewing window, waiting for the candy-cane making session to begin.
The store is extremely small, yet very cozy, and I immediately noticed the antique vibe. The interior design has a 1970s-inspired look, which makes the place feel all the more traditional. Pictures of family members, rich with history, are hung on the walls with a gigantic 30-pound candy cane on display. There are many rows of candies, chocolates, cakes and ice creams behind glass booths, all the treats releasing sweet aromas that waft throughout the small shop.
As candy cane making demo started, the owner of the store, Jerry Rowler, came out with a mic. He explained the candy cane making process as he demonstrated the activity behind a glass wall.
It was extremely interesting to watch as he pulled out a large glob of liquidy brown sugar and slowly kneaded it into a more condensed form of hardened candy. Then, he split the dough-like figure into three parts before adding red and green color paste to two of the three sections.
After thoroughly mixing the colors in, the owner placed the two finished sections in front of a heater, keeping the candy warm and malleable. He then took his last section of golden brown candy, added cinnamon oil into it, and stretched it on a hook until it became a bright white color.
Afterwards, he laid all three parts of the candy together and rolled it out before twisting it to create the striped candy cane look. The overall process took about 20 minutes, and after cutting the long strip of candy into smaller lengths, he passed them to his co-worker, who bent the head of the candy to form a cane shape and sent it to the final packaging station.
The process was mesmerizing, and I was craving a freshly made candy cane after the demo ended. After waiting in line for around 10 minutes, I purchased a cinnamon and peppermint flavored candy cane; each was only $1.85.
The candy was truly unique, with a creamier and much less artificial taste than normal store-bought canes. The cinnamon flavor had a nice and spicy kick to it, and it was still warm when I received it. The peppermint was on the sweeter side, but also had a nice creamy texture to it, differentiating it from any other candy cane I have tasted.
Besides the candy canes, the store sells homemade fudge, chocolate and ice cream.
Another interesting addition includes exotic candies such as chocolate covered crickets or scorpion lollipops.
If one is in the mood to join the holiday spirit, I would recommend a visit to this shop since the candy is delicious and the demos are free to watch.
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