A Trip To This Charming New Orleans Candy Stand Will Bring Out The Kid In You
By Jackie Ann|Published April 25, 2018
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Jackie Ann
Author
Louisiana native and LSU Alum (Geaux Tigers!), Jackie has lived in Louisiana for over three decades and currently lives in New Orleans. She's been writing for OnlyInYourState since 2016 and can often be found with a coffee at her side, dreaming of her next adventure.
If you grew up in New Orleans, then you’ll remember this iconic horse-drawn cart and the sound of the bell it made as it pulled up to its location. It’s one of the first food trucks in the city, and not much has changed in the past century its been around. Let’s take a closer look at the Roman Candy Cart and the history behind it.
The Roman Candy Company has been a family run business for generations. Angelina Napoli Cortese began making the candy for friends at special events like Christmas and other special occasions.
Her son, Sam Cortese, would take any leftover candy and sell it on his fruit and vegetable wagon. It quickly became a hit, so Sam decided to sell it on a regular basis. But his mother wasn’t quite up for the job of constantly making the candy, so in 1915 he met up with a wheelwright by the name of Tom Binker and together they designed the iconic wagon that is still used today.
Generations of New Orleanians have enjoyed this tasty treat. It’s one of those nostalgic treats that just reminds you of childhood, and it’s always a treasure when you see new generations of New Orleanians grabbing a stick.