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Lydia Shire’s True Love Is Cotton Candy (But She Might Have A Rival for Its Affections)

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Today the Globe notes the profusion of cotton candy on many upscale menus throughout the city (Lolita, MET Bar, and so forth). But what really caught our attention is the fact that Lydia Shire got her start as a cotton-candy salesperson — the beginning of a lifelong relationship.

Clearly, culinary inspiration comes from all sorts of unlikely places. We learn that “long before Shire became a foodie goddess,” she doled out cotton candy at Dorchester’s Strand Theatre. Indeed, her “history with spun sugar” is what moved her to put the stuff on her menu at Towne. The fact that the dish resembles a “tinted Mozart wig” gives us some pause, but we’re sure it tastes great.

Meanwhile, Shire has a rival in the spun sugar arena: Ken Oringer. He’s also noticed restaurants “getting more playful” with cotton candy, which is fortunate because he also has a passion for the stuff. In fact, he says he’s the guy who brought it to the masses. Oringer’s had a cotton candy machine at Clio for 13 years and served it in various permutations, the Globe notes, though currently Oringer and his trusty machine are on a little break. Ever the tease, he might trot it out again this summer, when customers begin to pine for it once more.

Restaurants Give Cotton Candy A Gourmet Spin [Globe]

Lydia Shire’s True Love Is Cotton Candy (But She Might Have A Rival for Its