The History of 5 Classic American Fall Food and Drink Favorites

The stories behind some of our favorite fall foods and drinks!

It’s not unusual to visit friends and family during fall only to encounter ‘their’ favorite fall foods and drinks, which you may have never tried, but across the country, some fall foods and drinks are classic choices.

In the following article, we’ll take a look at five fall favorites, and regardless of where you grew up in the United States, we’re sure you’ve tried one or all of them. However, although you may have tried them all, you might not know their history, so let’s dive into the history behind our fall favorites.

5 Classic American Fall Food and Drink Favorites and Their Origins

1. S’Mores – The Camping Classic

Now a camping favorite and even an international new favorite treat reaching popularity around the world, S’mores were once used as a medicinal treatment by ancient Romans and Greeks. When the French were first introduced to the health treatment marketed as candy, they switched it up by adding eggs and sugar to form a foam that took on a marshmallow consistency. That marshmallow mixture further evolved when it was combined with gelatin in the 19th century.

Around the same time, New Jersey Presbyterian minister Sylvester Graham was preaching about the destruction of morality due to overactive sexual desires. He believed that foods could not only spark sexual desire but also reduce it, and he developed the bland cracker named after himself, which was initially marketed to reduce sex drive.

Much later, in 1927, the Girl Scout’s Tramping and Trailing guidebook combined a by now much-changed Graham cracker with marshmallow and chocolate to create the sweet treat we all enjoy today. The sweet treat was deemed so good that you would find yourself asking for ‘some more,’ which was later shorted to s’more.

2. Candy Apples – Fruity Deliciousness 

William Kolb, a Newark candy maker, is believed to be the mastermind behind the candy apple. While experimenting with new Christmas candy ideas in 1908, Kolb dipped an apple into a red cinnamon mixture, selling batches of the sweet apples for 5c each.

The fruit treats proved so popular that Kolb sold out almost immediately, and other bakers and candy-makers started to sell them across the U.S. There are a variety of spin-offs that came from candy apples, including toffee apples, caramel apples, and chocolate apples, all rolled or dipped in a variety of toppings. Versions of candy apples can be found around the world, including Australia, Canada, China, Brazil, Germany, and many other countries.

3. Warm Apple Cider – A Classic Fall Drink

Available from grocery stores, farmers markets, and fall festivals, apple cider was developed as an alcoholic drink that could utilize apples to be bitter or tart to be eaten. There’s evidence that suggests apples grew worldwide, but the Romans made a note of a spicy apple drink enjoyed by British people as far back as 55 B.C. while they conquered and explored the world.

The Romans enjoyed the drink so much that they took the recipe back to the rest of Europe, spreading its popularity. Early immigrants to the United States often drank apple cider to replace beer, which was hard to grow because of the difficulty of growing grains and barley. Apple cider, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, is now a staple at most fall gatherings.

4. Candy Corn – Love It or Hate It

The candy that divides the nation, with some people loving it and some hating it, is candy corn, which is also one of the most recognizable with its red, white, and yellow triangle shape. Invented by a Wunderlee Candy Company employee, George Renner, in the 1880s, today, over 9 billion pieces of candy corn are made yearly around Halloween.

5. Pumpkin Pie – A True Fall Favorite

While pumpkin pie is still a favorite in fall, pumpkins can be traced back as far as 5,500 B.C. to Central America, where they were eventually brought back to Europe by explorers and travelers. Pumpkins were originally called ‘pumpions’ in French thanks to their plump round shape.

The exact date of the first pumpkin pie is challenging to narrow down. Still, estimates put it around 1621, with the American settlers at Plymouth stewing pumpkins together with honey, milk, and spices in a hollow pumpkin. Today’s version of pumpkin pie includes a soft, flaky crust and spices, which were most likely unavailable to the early settlers. 

The History of 5 Classic American Fall Food and Drink Favorites | Conclusion

These are just five of our favorite fall foods and drinks with strange and exciting stories behind them.

The Greenwoode Village is a non-profit organization that educates communities through living history and reenactments, pottery, archery, and craftsmanship. At The Greenwoode Village, we bring history to life while building solid foundations based on community and offer valuable hands-on learning for people of all ages from all walks of life.

If you would like to learn more about how you can participate in events at The Greenwoode Village, don’t hesitate to contact us. Check out the website for more information about our upcoming events and how you can participate.

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