Remembering My Mother's Christmas Candy
My mother worked probably 300 hours a week. At least it seemed that way to me. Actually she held a very important position at Amarillo College and still managed to get dinner on the table and supervise my homework every evening. At Christmas, she donned a cape and became The CandyMa'am.
Fudge, divinity, toffee, caramels, cookies, peanut brittle, more fudge...tins, tins and more tins covered the surfaces of our kitchen. She put together big trays full of the homemade sweets for her office colleagues, for daddy's office mates, for all of their friends, for my teachers, for our relatives...it was unbelievable.
Once married, I tried to replicate her feat, but I just couldn't master the caramels or the divinity. I guess it's like anything: practice, practice, practice. I finally broke down and bought a sturdy candy thermometer and some good shallow pans. Sure enough, the right tools make all the difference. Over time, I added some new recipes, and dressed up some of the old ones.
After a few years, I grew tired of all the work...by that time I was working about 300 hours a week...I'm just not as strong as my mother. These days I still make a few of the recipes, and every time I do, I'm right back there in the kitchen with mom...cutting up waxed paper to wrap candy, sneaking a finger-swipe of fudge from the beaters, or helping her frost the cookies.
I thought I'd share some of those yummy goodies with you, so go over to the Cooking Page and check out my mother's Christmas candy recipes. Enjoy!
Fudge, divinity, toffee, caramels, cookies, peanut brittle, more fudge...tins, tins and more tins covered the surfaces of our kitchen. She put together big trays full of the homemade sweets for her office colleagues, for daddy's office mates, for all of their friends, for my teachers, for our relatives...it was unbelievable.
Once married, I tried to replicate her feat, but I just couldn't master the caramels or the divinity. I guess it's like anything: practice, practice, practice. I finally broke down and bought a sturdy candy thermometer and some good shallow pans. Sure enough, the right tools make all the difference. Over time, I added some new recipes, and dressed up some of the old ones.
After a few years, I grew tired of all the work...by that time I was working about 300 hours a week...I'm just not as strong as my mother. These days I still make a few of the recipes, and every time I do, I'm right back there in the kitchen with mom...cutting up waxed paper to wrap candy, sneaking a finger-swipe of fudge from the beaters, or helping her frost the cookies.
I thought I'd share some of those yummy goodies with you, so go over to the Cooking Page and check out my mother's Christmas candy recipes. Enjoy!
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