DATE FUDGE

Submitted by Wilma Hays Bell

I moved to Miami in the 1920s from Haskell, TX. We lived on Hill Street. My father’s name was Rhea M. Hays; my mother was Isobella Hays; my brother was John V. Hays. My father worked for the Union Oil Company on the corner of Live Oak and Mill Street in Miami. There was an ice house at the same location where people bought the ice for their little ice boxes. Daddy was also a volunteer fire truck driver. There were no telephones at that time, but the fire alarm bell could be heard for miles.

My mama always made me potted meat sandwiches to take to school, which I hated, but that’s all we had. The cooking I remember by Mama was her date candy, chili sauce, wild grape jelly, and watermelon preserves. As we grew older and married, Mama still made date candy every year and sent it to us through the mail. I have tried a dozen times to make it using her hand-written recipe, but it never turns out the way hers did. We had to eat mine with a spoon! Maybe you’ll have better luck.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 C Sugar
• 1 C Milk
• ½ t Maple Flavoring
• 1 C (scant) Pecans, chopped
• 1 C (scant) Dates, chopped
• Dash Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

• Cook all ingredients together, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture comes to a boil.
• Add Salt
• When mixture forms a soft ball when dripped into cold water, remove from fire.
• Beat the until it is grainy to taste.
• Turn onto a buttered plate.

EDITOR’S NOTE: T (big T) = Tablespoon, t (little t) = teaspoon, C = cup