The moon was shining in brightly and lighting the tree and everything else in sight. Ina Dobson on Christmas Eve, 1932
Of all the considerable goodies my parents prepared for the holidays, my favorite was "vanilla fudge," but I can't find the recipe. Someplace along the line, Daddy quit making it. I don't remember any discussion about it, and obviously I never asked him.
But yesterday -- after all these years of searching and thinking -- it suddenly occurred to me that maybe the vanilla fudge was just the chocolate fudge without the chocolate. That might explain why Mother omitted the chocolate on one of the recipe cards. Daddy later wrote in "2 sq. chocolate."
What do you think? Would I dare invest the time and ingredients to test this theory? I remember that the method was the same -- the stirring, the kneading, the rolling of the fudge into two logs, which he then sliced.
Both Mother and Daddy were recipe clippers. For many years my dad didn't have a recipe box of his own. He relied on Mother to save clippings or write out recipes and file them. I remember when she gifted him with his own recipe box -- probably in the '70s. When our son Clint left home and began asking for recipes, I removed the contents of Daddy's recipe box and gave it to him.
I like this red Christmas card, and the scan is as interesting as the actual card. The card takes on different characteristics as it's moved in the light, and I get somewhat the same effect with the monitor. As you can see, the card was sent by Mr. and Mrs. Charles McCoy. Charlie grew up in Little Canyon below our homestead and was a childhood friend of my dad and his siblings. Leah will recognize his name from her genealogy research. Her grandfather was married to Charlie's mother. KW
11 comments:
Interesting thought that Vanilla fudge might mean no chocolate. Was it the color of divinity when your dad made it? Which did you give Clint: the recipes or the box?
Lovely card and what a surprise to read it was from Charlie McCoy. Charlie was born in Lowell, MA in 1895. I still haven't discovered why he and his mother, Maude, were in Idaho by 1910 (or earlier). In 1917 on Charlie's WWI draft registration (when he was 22), his occupation was bookkeeper in Spokane for Armour & Co.(packing plant).
My family tree has him as my "step-uncle." He died in Spokane in 1973 at age 78.
I don't know why you couldn't make it without the chocolate but I would probably make it with white chocolate chips!!
Wow, Deb. White Chocolate chips. Very smart idea.
Sounds yummy. My personal favorite in the fudge department is peanut butter fudge. I remember Uncle Louis' sister, Verla, always made some and sent it to them at Christmas, and I was usually lucky enough to score a piece. It was some kind of good.
The vanilla fudge was not white like divinity but the color of vanilla added to butter, milk and sugar.
I remember when Charlie died and it was a tragedy -- the result of a "medical error" -- was given the wrong medication or too much -- or something. There are lots of good people -- Charlie was one of them. Just easy to have around.
I've had peanut butter fudge. Melts in your mouth, right?
Several years ago a friend and I had a on going discussion about the Fantasy Fudge made with all sorts of "chips" flavors. Nestle alone has milk chocolate, semi sweet, butterscotch, white chocolate, peanut butter and several swirled varieties. Hershey makes 3 chocolate flavors plus white and online at the King Arthur flour site they sell lots of weird flavors like cappuccino, cinnamon and maple. Think of all the fudge you could make!
Does that card have some foil/glitter touches on the front?
Hallie: Good eyes. I think the flames, one package, the star, and the bottom of the candle holders have glitter. Also look at the right side of the fireplace..looks glittery to me.
Yes, there's glitter as Leah points out. No foil.
Deb, I think you omitted my favorite chips -- cinnamon. I like the King Arthur site, too, but I've never ordered from there.
I forgot to say -- Clint got Daddy's recipe box; I kept the recipes. I also let him have the labeled dividers.
Nope they are listed in my last post Kathy! Not sure about cinnamon fudge though! LOL! I love the King Arthur catalog but have never ordered either.
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