Country Chatter

Today was a very special day that almost didn’t happen, but it did. This is the third Sunday in a row that church has been canceled due to snow and/or ice. We had a family day planned and it was looking like the weather might not cooperate but we were able to pull it off. Obe, Jill and family came from Harrisonburg and brought my parents. Keith who lives nearby and his crew all made it.

My parents are getting older and mother is facing some health challenges. We and they wanted one more trip to Powhatan.

I fixed chicken pot pies and toss salad for lunch with apple salad and a tray of homemade cookies and candies for dessert. My dishwasher broke down this week and needs repair so I used paper plates (which I never do) to save on time washing dishes. I spruced up the table with my good set of glasses that go with my china. The casual with a touch of elegance made a fun and interesting table! One of the granddaughters noticed!

After lunch we had a taffy pull. This was a throw-back to the good ole days of the sixties. Taffy pulls made a great dating event for young couples. Mother used to make taffy for special occasions such as youth group socials or when a family of cousins came to visit. I thought mother would enjoy watching us enjoy her tradition. I used her recipe. The grandchildren had a good time, they had never pulled taffy. I apparently didn’t boil the syrup quite long enough even though it was the right temperature on the thermometer, the taffy was a little sticky. But we got ‘er done and had a good time laughing at the sticky globs sticking to our fingers. There is an art to making and pulling taffy and I didn’t quite have mother’s perfection!

The day ended with a tour of Keith’s new house.

This picture perfectly sums up the day…..

Taffy Recipe

(From my mother, Fannie S. Heatwole. It is also in “Mennonite Country-Style Recipes” cookbook by Esther Shank, my aunt)

Mix together and let set to soak until soften: 1-1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin and 1/4 c. cold water

Combine in saucepan: 2 c. sugar, 1 c. dark corn syrup and 1 c. milk and approx. 1-1/2 T. chunk of paraffin. Boil 15 minutes. Add the gelation mix and boil to 250 degrees (Firm Boil stage). Stir frequently. Remove from heat and pour into 2 well-buttered pie pans to cool until it is not to hot to handle with your hands. Butter your hands well and pull with partner. There is a nac to pulling and can be seen in the video clip below. Pull until the taffy turns white and very still. Stretch into long ropes and twist in cords. Snip with a large pair of kitchen shears into desired size pieces on a baking tray sprinkled with powdered sugar. Shake to coat and store in the refrigerator.

Yield: enough for two couples or four people.

Important note: Do NOT use hand lotion or soap on your hands the day of the taffy pull or you will ruin your taffy with the flavor of your lotion or soap. I learned that the hard way back in the day when I was dating a young man and ruined our taffy!