Pemaquid Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution

Savoring the flavor of Maine’s Needham candy

Audrey Miller, Pemaquid Chapter, DAR
Mon, 07/17/2017 - 8:45am
Sara Fahnley, left, owner, And Candy Too! with Diane Randlett. Courtesy photo
Seated in front row from left: Clara Wentworth, Sue Hochstein, Pat Viles, Sara Fahnley; standing from: Miriam Buckley, Shirley Peverly, Jean Hoyenski, Barbara Belknap, Nancy Chick, Virginia Stanley, Diane Randlett and Regent, Audrey Miller. Courtesy photo

    Pemaquid Chapter, DAR, held its regular monthly meeting at the Lincoln Home in Newcastle, the second Tuesday of the month, July 11.

    Maine has it’s own candy, Needhams, and Sara Fahnley, owner of And Candy Too! in Boothbay, was kind enough to present one version of the history and provide samples of this quintessential Maine candy. As popular as lobster, blueberries, whoopee pies and puffins, these candies are made with Maine potatoes as their secret ingredient. About 1872, the Seavey Company, a candy maker based in Lewiston, is believed to have won a contest to find a new use for the surplus of potatoes that Maine farmers were producing. Seavey’s introduced this confection — a chocolate covered coconut cream made with potatoes, and one story says that they may have named this delicious candy after a popular visiting evangelist, Reverend George Carter Needham. Today, there are several versions of the Maine Needham being made around the state. Sara makes this candy with special chocolate and does not use paraffin wax which several versions of this recipe call for.

    In addition to this presentation, the meeting welcomed several prospective members and the planning continued for our 85th year celebration in November.

     

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