Papabubble - Candy - Find. Eat. Drink.

New York | Barcelona | Amsterdam | TOKYO | SEOUL

Who

Artisanal candy shop focused on whimsical, unique hard candies.

Why

Visit their stores around the world to watch them sculpt colorful, glasslike candies in a variety of exotic flavors.

Papabubble

September 1, 2009

Website:

www.papabubble.com

UNITED STATES

Soho

380A Broome Street

New York, NY 10013

T: +1.212.966.2599

SPAIN

Barri Gòtic

c/ Ample 28

08002 Barcelona, Spain

T: +34/93.268.8625

NETHERLANDS

Haarlemmerdijk 70, 1013 JE

Amsterdam, Netherlands

T: +31/(0)20.626.2662

JAPAN

Arai 1-15-13, Nakano

Tokyo 165-0026

(中野区新井1-15-13)

T: +81/03.53.43.1286

KOREA

658 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu

Seoul rodeo Hyundai shopping mall, 107

T: +82/02.544.8891

Every day, in Papabubble shops all over the world, candy makers sling sugar in such a theatrical and athletic way that a crowd forms to watch as they twist, roll, pull, and stretch the candy into beautiful rainbow colors and chop them into tiny cylinder shapes. The candy looks like droplets of Venetian glass, but tastes a whole lot better.

Christopher King and Nigel Chouri moved to Barcelona after becoming successful candy makers in Melbourne, Australia, with a shop called Sugar. Yet, they felt the need to move to different surroundings and start over. They were seeking a place that respected artisan traditions and the fact that Barcelona was located on the beach, sealed the deal for them.

Their vibrant colored candies are made the old-fashioned way, by hand on a marble slab. Americans Chris Grassi and Fiona Ryan were so taken with the process that they apprenticed at the Barcelona store and then brought the concept to the states, opening up their own Papabubble shop in Nolita. Six days a week, four to eight times a day, they create new batches of candy in a range of exotic flavors.

The process starts with a few simple ingredients: water, sugar, and glucose (which is made from wheat). And then the experimentation begins, mixing in fruit, herbal oils, or anything that will create a unique taste. Orange clove, lemon lavender, pear bergamot, raspberry sage, coconut curry, and mango and red chile, are just a few of the interesting combinations they have whipped up in their candy lab.

The candies are also exquisite looking. One of their most popular creations is called the “I Love NY Mix.” Each miniature sculpture has the name of one of the five New York City boroughs written on it.

The Papabubble concept is so popular that they have expanded all over the world, with additional stores in Amsterdam, Tokyo, and Seoul.

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