Wednesday, July 16, 2008
COTTON CANDY VENDOR IN QUIAPO
Imagine my great surprise when I ran into this cotton candy vendor at the corner of Bilibid Viejo and Matapang Streets in Quiapo the other day. It has been ages since I've had one of these sweet treats.
According to CottonCandy.net, although it's made mostly of sugar and food coloring, cotton candy doesn't contain all that much sugar; only as much sugar as one would get from drinking a can of soft drink. Supposedly, a normal serving of cotton candy (about a 1 oz. cone) contains only about 100 calories; that is, compared to anywhere from 130-170 calories in a can of non-diet soft drink.
Nonetheless, watching how cotton candy is made never cease to fascinate me -- sugar, along with some food coloring, is poured into the bowl at the center of the machine. The heated rim melts the sugar and out through the center bowl's tiny holes it gets spun out of. It then solidifies in the air looking like cotton within the large cylindrical metal bowl.
And from this vendor, the small one costs five pesos, while the large is ten.
I very much appreciate my articles and photos appearing on fellow bloggers' sites, popular broadsheets, and local broadcast news segments, but I would appreciate even more a request for permission first.
Thank you!
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Labels: Featured food, Street foods
posted by Señor Enrique at 7:04 AM
24 Comments:
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Photo Cache said... I remember the guy who sold cotton candy to us would pour powdered milk all over the cotton candy for added flavor. Ang sarap!!!!
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said... love love cotton candy! do you know that over here there are at-home cotton candy makers? all you need is a piece of hard candy. fun no! i'll feature it in my doodad section sometime ;-)
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said...
When I was a kid, one of my great fascination was to watch cotton candy in the making. Does that tell you how exciting my young life was?
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said...
Sweet tooth...
Cotton candies come in different colors like blue, purple, yellow and green. I love them.
By the way señor, the complete list of movies to be shown in the Cinemalaya Film Festival is now available on my blog site.
Cheers.
El Cineasta-
nutart said...
cotton candy is usually for fairs in my recollection. I enjoy eating into it but the stickiness felt sa cheeks ko would be a complete turn-off. My sister, however, loves the gooey-ness. She laughs at me for picking the cotton candy with my fingers.
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niceheart said...
The last time I had cotton candy was last year when we went to the Red River Ex, the annual fair that comes here in Winnipeg every summer. We didn't go this year. But we didn't see a cotton candy maker. They were already bagged in the kiosks where they were being sold.
So eric, did you have some of that cotton candy in your pictures?-
said...
Ah yes, sweet (literally) childhood memories from eating cotton candy.
Just don't eat it when the wind is very strong, otherwise it will all be blown away before you can enjoy it.
Happened to me once on a visit to Star City. :P-
said...
one of my daughters is so much fascinated with cotton candy, she's in fact graduating from law school thi school year. wherever we are, pag may cotton candy, she will never miss it, even sa UAAP games, talagang hahabulin pa. and i'm glad there's really not much sugar, as you mentioned.
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nobu said...
It is same as japan's.
But in japan,it is sold only at some festival.-
Learning Team said...
bring back old memories....how much are they selling the cotton candy now?
Hi Senor Enrique, I send you an email requesting to use 2 of your pictures,I hope you got my email....
Thanks MM-
JayAshKal said...
Having a sweet tooth myself, cotton candy still is a favorite. But I have not seen photo cache's version of powdered milk with cotton candies.
The pictures evoke memories of cotton candies melting into one's mouth! Loved the pink colours against the background of green and yellow. Nice one Eric!-
Señor Enrique said...
Never had it with powdered milk, Photo Cache. I bet it's delicious :)
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Señor Enrique said...
Homemade cotton candy, Caryn? And with just a piece of hard candy? Whoa!
Please let us know once you've blogged about it.-
Señor Enrique said...
Indeed, that's more exciting than watching someone refill the soda vending machine, bertN ... hehehe!
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Señor Enrique said...
Munching on a cotton candy while enjoying one of those independent films would be a delight, El Cineasta. What a list! Thanks for letting us know about it.
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Señor Enrique said...
Oo nga pala, ano? Thanks for the tip, Jhay!
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Señor Enrique said...
That daughter of yours, Sexy Mom, is truly a cotton candy lover. Sarap din naman kasi, eh.
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Señor Enrique said...
I was completely taken by surprise, Nobu, when I ran into this cotton candy vendor in Quiapo. Actually, I've never come across one in Manila, only at fairs when I was little.
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Señor Enrique said...
Five (small) and ten pesos (large) each, MM.
I replied to your email :)-
Señor Enrique said...
Many thanks, Mario. I just had to buy one from this vendor. I couldn't help myself .... hehehe.
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Señor Enrique said...
Yes, Bernadette -- cotton candy is more often associated with fairs and carnivals. I picked with hand the cotton candy I had from this Quiapo vendor :)
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Señor Enrique said...
I certainly did, Irene! I wouldn't miss that delightful chance ... hehehe :)
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Tina said...
the old cotton candy machine really evoke childhood memories at perya...
they call it fairy floss here,years ago i bought a fairy floss maker a real novelty for start like my bread maker and juicer but now they're just cluttering my cupboard!-
Señor Enrique said...
You're right, Tina. I also bought a juicer which I used no more than five times. I think I ended up donating it to a thrift shop ... hehehe. Matrabaho kasi linisin, eh.
