| The Roman Candy Man |
| In 1915, Sam Cortese had a wagon designed so that he could make his mother's special Italian taffy recipe as he rode through the streets of the city. Sam's grandson, Ron Kottemann, uses the same wagon today, continuing a family business that long ago became a New Orleans tradition. He and his mule, Patsy, can be found rambling down the streets of the city and parking, here and there, under the shade of an oak tree. They have no set itinerary, so catching sight of them is always a happy surprise. And, for a child exiting school at the 3 o'clock bell, there aren't many surprises as happy as finding the Roman Candy Man parked on the street outside, waiting for the children to gather around the wagon and choose their favorite flavors. -- Nancy |
| I was relieved and happy to learn that Ron, Patsy and the wagon had all survived the flood, the only casualty being Patsy's barn, which has now been re-built. They are back at work, roaming the streets of the city, making the days brighter for children of all ages. |
| The Roman Candy Man, ca 1980 |
| The link to this page is: http://old-new-orleans.com/NO_RomanCandyMan.html |
