Mer Lil’s Taffy

by: Sue

My friend MJ’s mom Lil brought this recipe from New England where she grew up. It’s a great candy and becomes a family activity! The following recipe was sent to us this year because we couldn’t find the recipe but MJ did find it for us.

Guess what! Remember when I said I was going through a lot of old pictures and stuff? Well, I found the recipe for Mer Lil’s taffy. She wrote: Please make this for Matt & Christy Baron (sic). He loves it. I’ll send the recipe to Sue Baron, too:

“Make taffy only when you have help to pull it.

You must find real pure ribbon cane syrup. No other syrup will work. I looked and they don’t have it in Plains.

1 cup syrup
1 cup sugar

Mix well – it will be thick. Add:

1 Tblspn butter (real butter makes it better)

Bring to a fast boil, turn heat down and cook until hard crack. Be sure not to stir it at any time while it’s cooking. I usually test in water, or when mixture makes strings.

Pour into lightly butter-greased cookie sheet. Cool fast, until it can be handled. (Almost too hot to handle, but not quite.)

Divide into pieces that fit the number of people who are helping. Pull until you can’t pull it any longer. It turns light golden blonde color, pull (or twist if you want) into rope and cut with scissors into bite-sized pieces. It will start to harden, so cut fast. I usually butter the plates I put the candy in. Try not to let them touch, because they’ll stick together.

It works good as coughdrops, too.

As I write this, it makes me lonesome to be there with you and your friends in Plains …”

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