From Medicines to Treats

Hard candies such as stain glass originated as throat lozenges and treats. The boiled sugars of the 1600s evolved into drops in the 1700s – and of course stain glass. By the mid to late 1800s, familiar hard candies like butterscotch disks, clove balls, sour balls, and others were all the rage.

Stain Glass… Candy?

Colorful stained glass spans these time periods and was often made at home. It’s even featured in Martha Washington’s cookbook! As for Lavender, its long been used as a remedy, for relaxation, as a pleasant and powerful scent. It’s a flower long in symbolism – the Biblical “nard.”  These stain glass candies (circa 1700s) contain actual lavender flowers, reminiscent of the ancient method of suspending petals, nuts and seeds in sugar. Comes in a 4 oz bag with the history on the label.