MARKETING PEANUTS 67 
heating. All peanut candy must be stirred continually when on the 
fire to prevent sticking. The exact time to stop the cooking is deter- 
mined by dipping a spoonful of the mixture into cold water. If the 
brittle is done, it will harden at once. After it is removed from the 
fire, the salt is added and stirred in well. The soda is then added 
and the mixture stirred thoroughly. When the batch has risen, it is 
poured onto a marble slab. Brittle is not rolled out, but is spread 
with a spatula to a rather uniform thickness, and cut while still 
warm. The exact thickness is not important, as peanut brittle is 
sold by weight, in cartons lined with paraffined paper and holding 
one-half pound, 5 pounds, 10 pounds, or sometimes 25 pounds of the 
candy. 
SUGAR-COATED PEANUTS 
The preparation of "sugar-coated peanuts" is an industry of 
increasing importance in some cities. These are often made in small 
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Fig. 34.— Packing peanut candy in cardboard boxes lined with paraffined paper. These are the bars 
that were rolled and cut in Figures 32 and 33 
"candy kitchens" with inadequate equipment, but when prepared 
commercially large revolving pans, with steam coils on the outside 
(fig. 35), are employed. Extra large shelled Virginia-type peanuts, 
fully roasted and blanched, are turned for three hours in the pan, 
while small quantities of a sirup made half of glucose and half of 
sugar are poured in at intervals. The sirup is taken on by the pea- 
nuts, and the rubbing of the kernels against each other as they revolve 
gives them the desired roughened appearance. A little coloring 
matter is often included in the last sirup mixture. They are then 
slightly gummed with gum arabic and allowed to stand over night, 
when they are returned to the pan and a thin coating of lac is applied. 
When dry they are packed in small cardboard packages, retailing for 
5 cents, or they may be sold in bulk. Sugar-coated peanuts are 
called "burnt peanuts" by the trade. 
