Airy spun sugar, cotton candy—AKA Fairy floss—is a pink, fluffy cloud that kids’ dreams are made of. But who invented cotton candy?
Surprisingly, the inventor of cotton candy was actually a dentist! In 1897 William Morrison teamed up with Tennessee candy maker, John Wharton, to create the concoction. The duo premiered cotton candy in 1908 at the World’s Fair. The price was only 25 cents.
We know sweets are cruel on teeth, but just how bad is cotton candy for our smiles? Not as bad as one would expect. The sugary strings are mostly air. 1 ounce of cotton candy has 26 grams of sugar, compared to a candy apple and a funnel cake, which have 45 grams and 35 grams, respectively.
But why would a dentist invent cotton candy? The root of his sweet and sinful invention is still a big question mark, but many think he had some holes in his appointment book (and maybe his teeth too!).
