The bêtises | ©Anecdotrip.com / CC-BY-NC-SAWhat’s this?
You probably know this white candy... One of the most famous speciality in Northern France!
The bêtise ("stupid thing") comes from Cambrai and dates back to 1850.
Originally, it was flavoured with mint, but nowadays they flavour them with violet, lemon, apple and raspberry.
This sweet owns its name from a mistake. The confectioner failed his candies, one day: he blew them and gave them an unusual shape...
What about the production? They blend sugar and glucose and they boil them: they get a paste they let stand.
Then, they start to stretch the paste... until it get this white colour. Finally they add natural flavours... What about that orange line on the candy? Oh, caramel!
The little history
Created in 1850, two confectioners from Cambrai quarrelled about the candy’s authorship: Afchain and Despinoy families.
Besides, Mr. Despinoy won a prize in Universal Exhibitions, in Douai, Paris and Lille! In 1902, in Lille Exhibition, he was... in a class of his own!
This sweet is perfect for its digestive properties and its fresh taste.
Anyway, nowadays, it’s still a very popular candy, lists as UNESCO’s immaterial heritage!