The Old Pyrex Pie Pan

It would be my Mom's 99th birthday today. The first thing that I think of, when I think of her, is fudge. She was the fudge queen. Anytime she was to bring something to share with people....they always asked for her fudge. Even during the war, when we could hardly get sugar....she always seemed to come through and make a pan of fudge. Now, you just read that I said "pan" Her fudge pan was an old, browned, pyrex 8 1/2in. pie pan. Nothing else would do. She would put together a recipe of fudge and my job was to take a chunk of butter and grease that pie pan. I was just a little girl...standing on a chair with butter on my fingers. She always said, "Don't lick your fingers." Mom would be at the stove with her fudge boiling. She didn't use a candy thermometer, but dropped a small amount of fudge in a cup of cold water. She would push the lump around until just the right time....when it formed a soft ball. Then it was placed in a sink full of cold water. We didn't put ice cubes in...because our Fridge didn't make but two trays of ice. The waiting was so hard for me. She would send me into the living room to listen to the radio or read a book while this pan of deliciousness cooled. When it was cool enough to handle...she would beat it until just the right moment...she could tell because the shiny mixture dulled a bit and it was starting to get stiff. This was always rush time....the pan was ready and she would dump the fudge in and swirl it around. I told you that she used an 8 1/2 in glass pie pan. I could never figure out why she didn't use a square pan. Now, I know.....she wanted those little triangular pieces around the border for us to eat. The fudge got hard really quick. No refrigeration for her fudge. We would split one of those little bottles of coke and take the little pieces and go into the living room to listen to our favorite radio shows. Dad worked nights and he missed out on this treat. He wasn't much of a fudge person....so it was all for us.
The years went by and Mom was old...she had stopped making fudge. My folks moved into an apartment and in the process of moving, the little browned pyrex pie pan was lost or left behind. She was distraught. How could she make fudge she asked. I knew that she hadn't made it in a long time, but I wanted to make her happy. So, I started scouting estate sales and garage sales for another dish. You won't believe this....I found one, much like hers. It was the right size and even had the browned scratches here and there. She smiled when I brought it to her. She just took it and washed it....put it away until she would be making fudge again. That was when I started making fudge....her way. Sometimes I have a failure and we use it for hot fudge topping on ice cream and other times it is perfect.  She started making it as a young girl and continued until she was in her late 70's.I don't make it very often, but when I do....I think of all the times Mom and I shared the little side pieces and a half a coke.
Balisha

Here's Mom's recipe for fudge...
2 c sugar
2 sq. dark chocolate chopped
1 c milk
4 T butter
1T vanilla
I pretty much told how to make it in the above story, but just a couple of other things. The butter and vanilla are added while it is in the sink cooling.
Beat it until it isn't glossy. This could be quite a while depending on the weather.
Mom always said..."Don't stir it while it is boiling!" I find that a heavy pan is best. She always used her Club Aluminum pan.
Good luck!