In the early ’70s, my grandmother got a microwave. She has always been cutting edge, so she took a two-week class on how to use this magical new technology. During her course, they taught her how to make peanut brittle.
For her generation, a coveted recipe was like a social media post that goes viral. Recipes were something you were known for, so when I asked my grandmother via text what she would think about sharing her recipe on the blog, she responded, “GOOD IDEA. I love to share.” As I read her response, it made me tear up because that’s the truth.
Today is candy making day, the day we make the peanut brittle. This tradition is one of her most precious things. We stand and stir for hours, boss each other around, and laugh about nothing…all day long.
We are fortunate to have this tradition together. My grandmother and mother have fought to protect it, and I’m glad they have. My grandmother stirs, my mother measures, and my sister makes all of the things beautiful. The fuss connects my grandmother to her memories of the people she loved, and it embeds those stories in me too.
Your traditions may look a bit different this year…you may have experienced a change that adds life and brings more people together, or a loss that has torn it apart.
Traditions reveal and preserve the things we remember about the people we love. It may be the look on someone’s face, certain smells, or the joy of setting up the train set. Fight for traditions, and if your family doesn’t have them yet or if your world has fallen apart for awhile, it may be time to start some of your own or begin them again.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. Keep it simple, make it repeatable, and someday your granddaughter may be waiting anxiously for your response on if she can share the tradition you started. Here is ours.
The Best Peanut Brittle In the Universe
- In 1 ½ qt. Measuring cup mix together: 1 cup sugar and ½ cup white Karo syrup.
- Microwave on high 4 minutes.
- Stir in 1 cup dry roasted, salted peanuts.
- Microwave on high 3 minutes
- Add and stir in:
- 1 teaspoon softened butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- Microwave on high 75 seconds.
- Add 1 teaspoon baking soda and stir until light and foamy.
- Quickly pour onto lightly greased cookie sheet.
- Use PAM even if the pan has a Teflon lining.
- Spread as thin as you can with greased wooden spoons, pulling the brittle out to the sides of the pan.
- Let cool about 1 hour.
- Break into pieces
- If too sticky, cook longer after adding peanuts.
- Perfect peanut brittle is pale and but not sticky.
- If it tastes burnt, cook less. (Thanks Grams.)
HLLF,
