Rock candy has been used as a medicine for sore throats and colds. The popular candy could be mixed with hot tea or alcoholic cocktails. Adding rock candy to alcoholic beverages became popular in the US to get around temperance laws, the regulated availability of alcohol in order to control consumption, by claiming the beverage was prepared for medicinal purposes. Rock candy is also used in traditional Chinese medicine. It's thought to strengthen the spleen and relieve coughs.
More about rock candy:
- It can take up to a week to grow a piece of rock candy.
- In India, fennel seeds has been added to rock candy and used as a mouth freshener.
- In the Netherlands, rock candy is added to bread prior to baking to make a sugar bread that is traditionally given to parents who have a new daughter.