The Last Bite

This week I finally accomplished something I've attempted every year for longer than I would care to admit. I made a batch of english toffee. Every year about this time, I put an equal amount of butter and sugar in a pan and cook it as I feverishly watch the candy thermometer. Every year, I throw out a pan of greasy mushy butter saturated sugar. It makes me mad. Not as mad as it did eight years ago when I ruined my first batch of toffee. But still it chaps my hide. My mom said I didn't cook it long enough. Maybe my thermometer was off and showed the wrong temperature. Maybe the pan I used was the wrong shape, size, or material.

This week I found a toffee recipe on a great recipe blog called Prudence Pennywise. She doesn't use a thermometer at all but uses color as her gauge. Also, she says to watch for the candy to release a puff of smoke, then pour it into the pan to cool. So I tried it and it worked! I poured the caramelized sugar into a buttered pan with chopped pecans in it and waited seven minutes then sprinkled chocolate chips over it and spread them when they were melted. As soon as I was sure I wouldn't sear my tongue off, I cut a chunk out and popped it in my mouth. Tears filled my eyes, I told myself that Prudence Pennywise was indeed a wonderful person and thought of what I owed her. She has taken away the curse of bad toffee from me. I thank her.

Halfway through this week my man left on a trip and I have been here with our five delightful children. Here in the house, stuck inside because of the cold and drizzle. It has built character. They have gone to bed early so they can have plenty of rest so they can grow grow. I have eaten a pan of toffee and half a batch of Cherry Pecan Chocolate Fudge. I am thankful.