By Charlotte Byus
Other than eating candy, the word is foreign to me, especially making candy. My family is cakes and cookies for Christmas, Fruit Cakes, chopping and dicing dates, candied fruit and whiskey. This past week Shannon invited me to share in the Holiday fun of making candy for friends and family. For many years, Shannon has gone home to share this tradition with a long-time friend. As young women, they both were a little tight in the pocketbook department, so they made homemade gifts. This year, they were not able to get together and Shannon was just a little sad. I volunteered to help, you know, sous chef, chopping and dicing.

I arrived about 9 am and off we went with Trash ingredients and melting white chocolate, all this in huge bowls and 8 cup measuring cups! My first job was to place plastic wrap on a 10 foot table and tape very secure, I was a little curious but I did as told. Now I am assisting in stirring said giant bowl of stuff and Shannon is pouring melted chocolate. Oh yes, before we started this, she had me put on plastic gloves. I had another question in my brain. As I stirred this huge bowl, she poured and then it was time to pour all this on the covered table and pour more of the chocolate in the trash. Now I get it! The plastic and gloves are protection for me and the table. You see, at this point, you use your hands to cover every piece on white chocolate, ugh. We made two of these White Trash.

Then, we made bon-bons and then, there was the fudge, at least 3 batches of each. Lots of stirring and stirring! Our next candy was millionaires – more sticky stuff and lots more stirring. Once again, gloves were put on and little candies were made to be placed on waxed paper to form. This time I found a can of Pam and covered my gloves and the paper in Pam. As these candies set, so they too could be covered in chocolate, we continued in more sticky fun adventures.

We stopped for lunch. Shannon had used the turkey carcass to make stock and make two different soups. She is a genius when it comes to soups. Back to stirring and mixing. The millionaires were dry enough to start dipping, but Shannon had to answer a work call and off she went to her office. Leaving a novice to play in unknown territory.

First, I had to make room on the waxed paper for these candies after they are covered in chocolate, so I picked them up and stacked them on top of others at the end of the waxed paper. When I had enough room to start dipping, I went to grab a few candies and guess what? I had a volcano of stuck together candies! Oh Crap! Now what? Can’t scream “SHANNON,” she is at work, what to do? Gloves, Pam and take a glob of said volcano and remake candies. At this point, I feel like Lucy on I Love Lucy, and I have not even started on dipping these in the chocolate. Shannon had said to use two forks, so I did. Now I have sticky gloves, sticky forks and a feeling to run like a mouse and not come back.

Long story short, they came out OK and Shannon approved of said Millionaires.

I must say, my very best job was washing dishes and large pots. Maybe she will let me come back to help again.

[12-9-2019]