There’s nothing better than fresh and fluffy cotton candy! Often called ‘candy floss’ or ‘fairy floss’, cotton candy is a delicious sugary treat, often enjoyed at school fetes and carnivals, rides and attractions and various sporting and entertainment events.

Cotton candy is pure sugar and air, spun quite simply by whisking molten sugar in a vigorous fashion.

Machine-spun cotton candy was invented by Americans William Morrison (dentist) and John C. Wharton (confectioner) in 1897 and introduced to the world in 1904 as ‘fairy floss’. The phrase ‘cotton candy’ was first coined by Joseph Lascaux, a New Orleans dentist, who patented a similar machine a little later in 1921. ‘Cotton candy’ thus quickly replaced ‘fairy floss’ in the US. With ‘candy floss’ preferred in the UK, Australia is the only place where ‘fairy floss’ is more commonly used.

So where can you buy cotton candy or fairy floss? –At any good confectioner or lolly shop! There are also a large number of cotton candy/fairy floss distributors online. You’ll want to be selective when choosing who to buy from. Look for quality and look for taste. What are your dietary requirements? Did you know that some vendors make cotton candy that is free from artificial colours and flavours and preservatives? Spun Fairy Floss, for example, has over 100 natural flavours!