Meet the Saskatoon man creating candy canes the old-fashioned way

The holiday season is a symphony of familiar and festive flavours — gingerbread, cinnamon, hot cocoa, and the unmistakable sweetness of candy canes.

For most, it’s as simple as making a quick stop at the store to stock up on the festive treat.

But for Vince Plag, owner of Lo-D-Lo Hard Candy in Saskatoon, this is the time of year to roll up his sleeves and get to work, crafting the nostalgic confections from scratch.

Behind the headlines: Listen to Vince Plag talk about making candy

Vince Plag learned to make hard candy six years ago, inspired by videos on social media. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

“I make all kinds of different hard candy, candy canes, lollipops, pillow candy, ribbon candy, brittles — you name it,” Plag said proudly in an interview with 650 CKOM.

It all started six years ago when he stumbled upon a YouTube video showing someone making old-fashioned hard candy.

Plag explained that the first step in the process is boiling a mixture of sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar and water. The liquid is then boiled until it reaches between 300 and 320 degrees Fahrenheit. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

“I was just blown away,” he said, recalling the impressive sugar work he saw online. “I kept watching that sort of stuff, and eventually I pieced it together how I could do it myself.”

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Having attended cooking school, he already had some knowledge of sugar work, but it was his passion and persistence that led him to truly master the art of candy making.

“It’s a great creative outlet for me,” Plag shared. “Most of it, I ended up piecing together as I went along. You try to copy things you see on videos. That’s kind of how I learned.”

Plag said it is important to work quickly but carefully while dealing with the hot liquid candy. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

Through countless hours of trial and error, Plag honed the techniques that allow him to create a wide variety of hard candies. He said one of the most magical moments is when the candy is pulled, transforming it from a translucent yellow to an opaque white, as pure as freshly fallen snow.

Plag said one of the most magical moments of the candy making process is when the candy is pulled, transforming it from a translucent yellow to an opaque white. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

“When you pull the sugar, you’re incorporating air bubbles into it. That changes the colour, but it also improves the texture. It’s much more pleasant to chew, crunchier,” he explained.

This careful manipulation is what gives his candies their airy texture, making them a delight to savour.

Plag creates the iconic stripes in his candy canes by sticking together thin strips of candy. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

The old-world technique of pulling the candy not only enhances the texture but also brings a sense of nostalgia.

There’s something timeless about the method, evoking memories of holidays past, a reminder of simpler times when candy was made by hand with patience and care.

“The first time I brought candy home, I brought (it) to my parents and my grandma was there, and she was like, ‘This is just like what we got at Christmas when we were kids’,” Plag remembers fondly.

The strips of candy are wrapped around a centre piece, creating one solid brick of candy that will be pulled into thin candy canes. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

As much as Plag enjoys crafting traditional treats like candy canes, he also loves adding his own twist.

“I try and do some traditional stuff, but I also make fizzies, sours, spicy candy, stuff like that,” he says with a smile.

His candy creations don’t just bring joy to his family, but to everyone who passes by his booth at the local holiday markets.

“Sometimes when we’re at a sale people will walk by, then they’ll walk back. They’ll notice the lollipops or something, and they’ll ask, ‘Did you make this?’ You know, that feels pretty good.”

Even with thick gloves on, Plag says the candy is still very hot to the touch. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

Anyone who’s lucky enough to taste Plag’s creations knows that these candy canes aren’t simply pulled sugar — they are a little piece of holiday magic.

Plag’s five year old son Forest was on hand at the candy demonstration, helping hand out samples to people at Sherbrooke Community Centre. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

Read more:

• Meet the Saskatoon chocolatier crafting $100 chocolate bars
• Explore Hieberts Hot Shop: A glassblowing studio in rural Sask.
• Glen Scrimshaw’s knitting group weaves warmth for Sask. charities