---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Uncle John's Fudge

Today my Mom, Christy, is guest posting with a childhood memory and favorite family fudge recipe. Thanks, Mom!

Before my mother passed away in 1987, she gave her special, deep, cast iron skillet to her brother, John who loved to make old fashioned fudge. Until the 80's it was not considered old fashioned to cook fudge on the stove. When microwave ovens came out, the chocolate chip microwaved fudge became the way to make it, as most people had both parents working by then and no one had time to stir and watch thermometers. I believe my mom said the beloved skillet belonged to her dad, my grandpa Kiggins, who died before I was born. I was glad mom gave the skillet to Uncle John because I have such wonderful, magical memories of him making fudge at midnight and watching Johnny Carson with me and Aunt Paulette while we waited for it to set.

Uncle John, my mom's brother, and his wife, Paulette, would go get me when school let out in the summer. They'd take me to their house, which was four hundred miles away, and spoil me for a couple of weeks. I was nine years old the last time I remember going. They had two little boys, Johnny and Michael, so they loved having a little girl in the house. Uncle John worked the graveyard shift at the coal mine so he would get off work at midnight. Me, being used to my nine o'clock bedtime at home, thought it was great when Aunt Polly put my little cousins to bed and kept me up waiting for Uncle John. Quite often, he would come in the door with a joke and a wink and get out his cast iron skillet. Everyone had one in those days. The anticipation was almost as good as the fudge.

Today I made good old fashioned fudge and poured it into my mom's 8" X 8" square "fudge pan." When I was a kid it was always referred to as the "fudge pan" and mom gave it to me when I left home in 1974. As I sit here and eat my fudge, pleased that it did not "sugar," I think back to the summer of 1966 and miss my Uncle John, Aunt Paulette, and Johnny and Michael. Those days are gone but as mom once told me, "Chrissy, no one can take away your memories!"
The skillet and the fudge pan will most likely be passed on to the new generation as time goes on. Too bad pots and pans can't tell stories. Or, can they?

Part of the JOY is in the presentation. I used this pretty plate that my daughter made me in 2006 to serve my fudge. It became even more special in 2011 when she named my granddaughter, Kynthia Joy!

Cocoa Fudge
3 c. sugar
2/3 c. baking cocoa
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Butter an 8"X8" square pan. In a large cast iron skillet, stir together sugar, cocoa, salt and milk.
Cook over medium heat until it comes to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil, WITHOUT stirring, to 234ยบ degrees, making sure the thermometer does not rest on bottom of skillet. This can take up to 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon until it thickens and looses some of its gloss. Pour into pan, cool, and cut into squares.


17 comments:

  1. What a beautiful story!
    Thanks for hosting all through the year, Sarah.
    Merry Christmas to you and your entire family,
    Wishing you a multitude of blessings,
    Linda at Beautiful Ideas

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love the memories you have! The fudge looks delicious and I pinned it. Thank you for hosting each week, Have a very Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a great story! Thanks for sharing that and hosting. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
    Ruth

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sarah and "Mom",
    Thanks so much for hosting!!

    Merry Christmas!!

    Hugs,
    Deb

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hmmm, yummy! Thanks so much for the wonderful parties this past year! Have a wonderful holiday season!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Looks so yummy! Merry Christmas!... Christine

    ReplyDelete
  7. This sounds like the fudge my Mom used to make- we loved it! Thanks for the recipe I'm going to give it a try.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I loved your story of your Uncle John--does anyone do that anymore?--have their niece or nephew for a couple of weeks? What precious memories. Also, I hadn't heard of making fudge in a cast iron pan either. Thanks for sharing!
    Natalia (posted link above for ebooks too)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love that fudge recipe Sarah. It is simple with ingredients you have on hand! Thank you for hosting and Have a very Merry Christmas!
    Sherry

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks so much for hosting, Sarah. Have a lovely Christmas with you and yours.

    Poppy

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love these, they look yummy! Merry Christmas and thank you for hosting again for ua.

    FABBY

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yummy! What a great recipe to add to our collection. Simple. I like that you used a black cast iron skillet too. lol

    ReplyDelete
  13. Christmas blessings, Sarah! Loved seeing your mom's fry pan AND metal 8x8 pan. I have both of those from my mom, too. She never made fudge in it, but I do remember the fried chicken and gingerbread made in each respectively. These days, we don't do fried foods and the gingerbread has gluten so that's out, too. Ah . . . me . . .

    Regardless, I'm making sure I have plenty of digestive enzymes with me the next couple days this week as I know I won't get off without gluten and sweets.

    Joy to you and your lovely family!
    Christmas blessings!
    Kathy

    ReplyDelete
  14. Your fudge looks wonderful! Merry Christmas to you and your family! :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a sweet, heartwarming story! Such precious memories! It made me cry, as it brought to mind the ones I am missing this Christmas. They have gone on to be with Jesus, and one day there will be a happy reunion when we all get home! I love reading about your relationship with your Mom..the two of you remind me of Mom and me. We were SO close, and I miss her terribly! Enjoy and cherish every moment together...I am sure you do! Your Mom is so pretty and looks so young. She doesn't look old enough to be a grandmother! God bless you both and all of your family at Christmas and always!

    ReplyDelete
  16. oh Cheryl...you made my day! May God be with you this Christmas! Love to you and your family, Sarah's mom (Christy)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Sounds yummy! Thanks for the touching post & for hosting! God bless!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! I read each one of them and love to respond back to those who visit! Please consider signing up for EMAIL NOTICES so you'll have a reminder of our weekly HOMEMAKING PARTY---and more! Have a wonderful day!

Mrs. Sarah Coller

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...