{"id":2351,"date":"2024-10-18T15:49:06","date_gmt":"2024-10-18T20:49:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iowappa.com\/?p=2351"},"modified":"2024-10-18T15:51:06","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T20:51:06","slug":"blue-ribbon-caramels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iowappa.com\/?p=2351","title":{"rendered":"Blue-ribbon Caramels"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>After my mother passed away, my brother-in-law created a flipped-page collection of some of mom\u2019s best\/favorite recipes that she often made. I noticed a mistake in the recipe for caramels (Mom\u2019s mistake, not Ron\u2019s). I realized that instead of 325\u00ba the recipe should have read between 244\u1d52 and 248\u1d52. I had watched mom make the caramels before, so I thought I would make a batch.<\/p>\n

The recipe makes about 100 individual caramels, and I didn\u2019t know what to do with all of them. \u201cWhy not bring them to the Iowa Capitol?\u201d Lobbyists, legislators, and the media always like something free and sweet.<\/p>\n

A fellow lobbyist approached me and said she heard I made the caramels in the lobbyist lounge. \u201cYes, I did; what is wrong with them.\u201d \u201cNothing,\u201d she said: \u201cI have tasted the blue-ribbon winner for caramels at the Iowa State Fair and yours are far better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, the following summer I entered my mom\u2019s caramels in a candy contest at the State Fair. The first of three contests was sponsored by Suzette\u2019s Candies. My entry was set aside on a table with several other entries, while three were brought behind a blue curtain. I asked the lobbyist who encouraged me to enter why this procedure was happening. She told me that the entries behind the curtain were going to be awarded ribbons, while the ones on the table were rejected. She moved close to the table and reached over, peering at the comments on my entry form. \u201cToo soft! Not uniformly cut.\u201d Hell, I didn\u2019t know everything was supposed to be the same size. I can easily fix that.<\/p>\n

I learned a little about marketing that week. Land O\u2019 Lakes was having another contest in a few days. I made another batch, got out a ruler (I have no calipers) and measured each one carefully. Then, I gave them the name of \u201cMom\u2019s Old-Fashioned Too Soft Caramels.\u201d Bingo! I won first place. I received a blue-ribbon, of course, a cookie cutter that I have never used, and a one-year supply of Land O\u2019 Lakes butter. Evidently, a one-year supply of butter is supposed to be one pound per month. They don\u2019t know me. I went through all twelve coupons in less than six months.<\/p>\n

It was a few years before I discovered that mom got her recipe out of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (BH&G), almost word-for-word. I do remember, however, that mom didn\u2019t have a candy thermometer; she used the cold-water test. I\u2019ve tried it. That never worked for me, but I can tell when stirring when the time is right, but I do back it up with a thermometer. I have included the recipe below. The ingredients are the same as in BH&G, but I have included a few tips, such as \u2013 stir continuously, don\u2019t try to go too fast and turn the heat up, and if you can, use a copper-bottomed pan and wooden spoon.<\/p>\n

I still make caramels and send a few to family members at Christmas time. I also have some loyal customers who purchase a batch from me during the winter months. Like every other commodity or food staple, the price of a batch is going up, and so is the postage to mail them. \u00a0You can make them yourself with the recipe below. Let me know how they turned out. Or you can order a batch or a half batch from me.<\/p>\n

CARAMELS<\/strong><\/p>\n

2 Sticks \u2018salted\u2019 (sweet cream) butter + 2 teaspoons<\/p>\n

2 \u00bc Cups brown sugar<\/p>\n

1 Cup white corn syrup<\/p>\n

1 Can (14 oz.) Eagle Brand only sweetened condensed milk<\/p>\n

1 Teaspoon vanilla<\/p>\n

Mise en place<\/em> \u2013 this is a French phrase that means you should get all your ingredients ready before beginning the cooking process.\u00a0 Also, you will need:<\/p>\n