From the Washington Post:
If you're hitting the beach this August, you may find yourself indulging in one of those characteristic treats of America's boardwalks: saltwater taffy.
Part of the draw of saltwater taffy is watching it being spun on those outlandish Rube Goldbergian machines strategically placed in storefront windows. These machines aren't just for show -- taffy isn't taffy until it's been bent and folded over on itself thousands of times, each fold pressing microbubbles of air into the sugary mix to give taffy it's characteristically silky-chewy texture.
Read more here.