October is... rapidly nearing its last day, which will end in celebration of Halloween. Throughout the month apples have been at the center of attention since October is National Apple Month and apples are APPle, AppLE, APPLE-licious! Of all the apple celebrations, one in particular stands out during local fall festivals and is a must for Halloween.

October 31 is...

National Candy Apple Day

Candy apples are known by an assortment of names: candy covered apples, candied apples, caramel apples, caramel candy apples, lollipop apples, taffy apples, toffee apples and whatever you may wish to call the 'apple on a stick' that is not on this list.

"Almost all wild apples are handsome. They cannot be too gnarly and crabbed and rusty to look at. The gnarliest will have some redeeming traits even to the eye." -- Henry David Thoreau, Wild Apples

Candy apples are made by coating an apple with a layer of sugar heated to hard crack stage. The most common sugar coating is made from sugar (white or brown), corn syrup, water, cinnamon and red food coloring. A variation on the red candy apple is the caramel apple. Then, with the holiday right around the corner, decorated Halloween candy apples fit the scene most appropriately.

Halloween Treats & Desserts (Recipes)

A Bit of Candy Apple History...

http://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-shortcuts/how-to-eat-a-candy-apple

American William W. Kolb, a veteran Newark candy-maker, produced his first batch of candied apples in 1908. While experimenting in his candy shop with red cinnamon candy for the Christmas trade, he dipped some apples into the mixture and put them in the windows for display. He sold the whole first batch for 5 cents each and later sold thousands yearly. Soon candied apples were being sold along the Jersey Shore, at the circus and in candy shops across the country, according to the Newark News in 1948. Source: en.wikipedia.org