It’s kind of hard pronounce “Modjeska,” which is why it’s the perfect Louisville treat.
Made at Muth’s Candies, the pillowy piece of marshmallow enveloped in sticky caramel is the NuLu candy store’s bestselling confection by far.
It’s named after the Polish actress Madame Helena Modrzejewska, who specialized in playing Shakespearean and tragic roles.
Professionally known as Helena Modjeska, the superstar actress was born in 1840 in Krakow, Poland. She immigrated to the US in the 1870s where she noted in her memoir, “Memories and Impressions of Helena Modjeska,” that she was taken with visiting Louisville.
Around the same time, French immigrant Anton Busath moved to Derby City and opened a candy store on Fourth Street called Busath’s Candy Store near Macauley’s Theatre — today the Starks Building — where Helena performed.
Anton admired Madame Modjeska’s beauty and talent, and after seeing her performances, he asked her if he could name his new “caramel marshmallow wonder” after her. When she agreed, she sent a signed portrait of herself to Anton, which hung in his shop until a fire in 1947.
The portrait survived — and lives on in the Filson Historical Society — but Busath’s Candy Store didn’t. Here’s where Rudy Muth comes in.
Rudy, a friend of Anton’s son Edgar, let the Busath family use his kitchen to craft their Christmas candies. When the Busaths decided not to reopen their store, they gifted the Modjeska recipe to Rudy as a thank you for sharing his kitchen.
Today, the third + fourth generations of the Muth family craft the Modjeskas by hand, using the same techniques as Anton, Rudy, and Edgar at Muth’s Candies on Market Street. The only difference is now, you can get your Modjeska rolled in chocolate or dipped in nuts while the caramel is still warm.
