Rock candy

Rock candy (also called rock sugar) is a type of confectionery mineral composed of relatively large sugar crystals. This candy is formed by allowing a supersaturated solution of sugar and water to crystallize onto a surface suitable for crystal nucleation, such as a string, stick, or plain granulated sugar. Heating the water before adding the sugar allows more sugar to dissolve thus producing larger crystals. Crystals form after 6–7 days. Food coloring may be added to the mixture to produce colored candy.

Origins

Candied sugar has its origins in Iran. Islamic writers in the first half of the 9th century described the production of candy sugar, where crystals were grown as a result of cooling supersaturated sugar solutions. In order to accelerate crystallization, confectioners later learned to immerse small twigs in the solution for the crystals to grow on. The sugar solution was colored with cochineal and indigo and scented with ambergris or flower essence.

The name comes from the medieval era, and in turn lends its name to a British candy called rock.

Rock (confectionery)

Rock (often known by its place of origin, for instance Blackpool rock or Brighton rock) is a type of hard stick-shaped boiled sugar confectionery most usually flavoured with peppermint or spearmint. It is commonly sold at tourist (usually seaside) resorts in the United Kingdom (like Brighton, Tenby or Blackpool); in Ireland in seaside towns such as Bray and Strandhill; in Gibraltar; in Denmark in towns such as Løkken and Ebeltoft; and in Sydney and Tasmania, Australia.

It usually takes the form of a cylindrical stick ("a stick of rock", or, Scotland, "stalk of rock"), normally 1 centimetre (0.39 in) to 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) in diameter and 20 centimetres (7.9 in) to 25 centimetres (9.8 in) long. Blackpool rock is usually at least 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) in diameter, and can be as thick as 17 centimetres (6.7 in) across and up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) long when made for special retail displays. These cylinders usually have a pattern embedded throughout the length, which is often the name of the resort where the rock is sold, so that the name can be read on both ends of the stick (reversed at one end) and remains legible even after pieces are bitten off. Rock is also manufactured as a promotional item, for example with a company name running through it.

Rock Candy

"Rock Candy" is a song by Montrose, the last song written and recorded for their 1973 debut. It was composed by all four members of the band. The song still gets performed on Sammy Hagar's solo tours and even had been re-recorded as the b-side to the Hagar single Little White Lie by the original band. It was also included on Hagar's live release, "Live: Hallelujah".

The song is well known for its distinctive drum intro played by Denny Carmassi. According to Ronnie Montrose in radio interviews, the song originated from Carmassi's experimentation with alternatives to Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham's intro to "When the Levee Breaks".

The song was featured in the 1994 movie The Stöned Age, and has appeared in the U.S. television series My Name is Earl. In May of 2015, Hagar sang the song with Daryl Hall and Hall's band at Hagar's Cabo Wabo nightclub for an episode of Live from Daryl's House.

Cover versions

The song was covered by the Glam metal band BulletBoys for the Wayne's World soundtrack in 1991. It was also covered by Dixie Witch for the 70s cover compilation album, Sucking the 70's - Back in the Saddle Again. Canadian rocker Lee Aaron also covered the song in her album Bodyrock. L.A. Guns covered the song during their early years.