Holiday Traditions and Fudge by Margot Justes

I established certain holiday traditions with my daughters. We pick apples in the fall, and three years ago my younger daughter Dina signed me up for the local Turkey Trot, and for the last couple of years my granddaughter joined us. Dina runs, Sydney and I walk, and Solonge cooks our breakfast. A perfect beginning to Thanksgiving.  That is how traditions begin.

Along with Thanksgiving, we had certain  traditions for Christmas, our annual trek to the Arie Crown Theatre and the wonderful Ruth Page production of the Nutcracker ballet, and dinner afterward. We decorated gingerbread houses, baked cookies and cakes from long standing recipes, among them the fudge recipe below.

Now that my older daughter Solonge has children of her own, she decided to keep some of the traditions alive. Ruth Page and her production is long gone, but we have substituted other holiday plays and musicals. Something different every year.

This year for Christmas we’re going to see Mary Poppins at the Lincolnshire theatre, and we’ll go to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner after the play. The kiddies love the place, and the Shepherd’s Pie is pretty good. We’re also going to afternoon tea-my grandson especially loves his red tea and finger sandwiches. The hotels are beautifully decorated, festive and the tea is a delight.

We have already decorated gingerbread houses, and cookies, and they even helped put ornaments on the tree. I established these traditions with my girls, probably because I never had any while I was growing up, so I’m doubly delighted that Solonge continued with them.

The fudge is easy to make and is yummy.

Fudge
1 stick of butter
1 large can of evaporated milk
2 oz bitter chocolate (I only use Ghirardelli chocolate)
12 oz semi sweet or dark chocolate chips
4 cups of sugar
12 oz dark chocolate
½ lb small marshmallows
1 ½ tbsp Vanilla
1 cup of chopped walnuts-Optional (I use 2 cups)

1cup of raisins-Optional (I soak them in Myer’s dark rum overnight, and mix the rum into the chocolate-not a drop is wasted)

Combine butter, canned milk and sugar, stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, cook to a boil, about 5 minutes.

Turn off heat and add marshmallows, stir until melted, add the 3 types of chocolate, one at a time, stir until each is dissolved. Add vanilla, raisins with all the rum, nuts and stir.

Line a cookie sheet with saran wrap, extending the edges; pour the fudge into the cookie pan, spread evenly with knife or spatula.

Let dry for 2 days. Invert the fudge unto your counter, remove wrap and let dry for another 2 days. Cut into squares and serve.

This recipe makes quite a bit of fudge, I cut it all up and store in sealed plastic bags. My family loves the fudge; usually it doesn’t last very long. Makes a great gift too.

Cheers,

Margot  Justes
A Hotel in Paris
A Hotel in Bath
Blood Art
Hot Crimes Cool Chicks
and coming in January A Fire Within
www.mjustes.com