During a recent trip to Philadelphia, Licorice Lady Elizabeth Erlandson enjoyed a tour of Oh Ryan’s, the largest manufacturer of Irish Potatoes, a special kind of candy. Never heard of Irish Potatoes? “They 
aren’t Irish and there’s no potato in it whatsoever,” said owner Dave Lamparelli. Irish Potatoes are made from coconut cream coated in cinnamon, a tasty treat that looks a little like a potato. In Philadelphia they’re a common treat around St. Patrick’s Day.The process starts with the coconut cream going through the “cut roll machine,” a 70-year-old machine that cuts th
e coconut cream and rolls it into little balls. Then the treats go through the “cinnamonizer,” where they are coated in pure cinnamon. The little potatoes are hand wrapped, packaged and sent to distributors. From January 1st through St. Patrick’s Day, about 20 employees are kept busy 12 hours a day, making an average of 2000 pounds of Irish Potatoes every day. That’s 85,000 pounds per season!Most Irish Potatoes are sold in Philadelphia, along with other unique Philly treats such as scrapple and Tasty Cakes. But Lamparelli said they have sent the candies as far away as Alaska, where an Irish dance troupe used them for a fundraiser.
And now you can buy Irish Potatoes through Licorice International. They’re available in our retail store and online. Click here to order Irish Potatoes. Order early to make sure you get them in time for St. Patrick’s Day.
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1 comment:
Thanks for posting this video! How cool that you got to go there and see how these are made. I tried Oh Ryan's Irish Potatoes for the first time today and it was love at first bite. They are insanely delicious and rich. A new family tradition has been created: eating these for St. Patty's Day!!
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