Getting back to Monroe reader Martha Patterson’s request for a taffy recipe that would match her memories of the one her family made in an iron skillet on a coal-burning stove in the 1930s, two Forum cooks hope they may have tracked down exactly the right how-to.
JoAnn Sewell of Marysville tells us, “I think I have the recipe for the molasses candy that Martha Patterson was asking for. I found it in an old Watkins cookbook that was given to my mother when she was married in 1939. I hope this does the job. I am writing this exactly as it is printed in the book.”
And we hear from Sue Matz, also of Marysville, “I checked my Watkins cookbook (copyright 1948) after reading about Martha Patterson’s request for molasses taffy dating back to the 1930s. Sure enough, there it was. I hope it works for her. I’ve written out the recipe verbatim from the book.”
Despite the difference in age, the recipes are identical, so the following recipe appears here exactly as it does in both of the Watkins cookbooks.
Next, a different pair of Forum helpers share another identical recipe. Marysville cook Fran Brown writes, “I hope this is the recipe Martha Patterson is looking for. I found it in a 1939 issue of “The Household Searchlight Recipe Book’ that belonged to my mother-in-law, Lillian Brown. I have never tried the recipe, but it seems to have the right ingredients.”
And Geri Baker of Everett chimes in, “I hope this is the recipe for molasses candy requested by Martha Patterson of Monroe. It is in ‘The Household Searchlight Recipe Book,’ copyright 1945.”
This recipe is also printed here exactly as it appears in the Searchlight books.
Watkins cookbook molasses taffy
1/2cup molasses
1 1/2cups sugar
1/2cup water
1 1/2tablespoons vinegar
1/4teaspoon Watkins cream of tartar
4tablespoons melted butter
1/8teaspoon soda
1teaspoons Watkins vanilla
1teaspoon Watkins lemon extract
Dissolve molasses, sugar, water, vinegar, boil in a heavy iron kettle stirring constantly. Add Watkins Cream of Tartar when boiling starts, cook until brittle when tested in cold water. Remove from fire, add soda and butter. Pour into buttered pans when cool, pull, add flavoring. Cut with scissors.
Household Searchlight molasses taffy
1cup molasses
3/4cup sugar
2teaspoons vinegar
1tablespoon butter
1/8teaspoon baking-soda
1/8teaspoon salt
Boil molasses, sugar and vinegar to hard ball stage (265-270 degrees). Remove from fire. Add butter, baking-soda, and salt. Stir only enough to blend. Pour into well-buttered pan. When cool pull until light and porous. Cut in one-inch pieces.
SOS: Lake Stevens reader Leslie Jastad is looking for a recipe that would duplicate a favorite supermarket deli salad. “It’s called sunshine broccoli salad,” she says. “It has broccoli, dried cranberries, smoked almonds, sunflower nuts and ??? I purchase it at least once a week, but a lot of the time, the deli is sold out! I’ve tried to recreate this at home and have come very close, but I think it must be the dressing I’m not getting right.”
If you can share such a recipe, please write to Judyrae Kruse at the Forum, c/o The Herald, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206. We are always happy to receive your contributions and requests, but please remember that all letters and all e-mail must include a name, complete address with ZIP code and telephone number with area code. No exceptions and sorry, but no response to e-mail by return e-mail; send to kruse@heraldnet.com.
The next Forum will appear in Wednesday’s Food section.
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