PINK PEANUT PATTIES

 

Remember when you used to get to go on a hunting, fishing or cross country trip with your Dad, Grand Dad or Uncles and they would stop to get gas at one of the little country gas stations.  My bunch always brought us kids a soda water of some sort such as an RC, Big Red, Buck Grape or the sort and would pitch a Pink Peanut Patty or two into the seat for us to share. There used to be all sorts and brands  of those pink candy patties in almost every gas station or country store, these days I rarely see them.  Once in a while when I find them I grab one or two even though I am not supposed to eat sugar anymore.  They keep for a long time and can withstand heat in the truck, camp or boat.  They have a unique flavor and always bring back good memories for me.  I ran across this recipe and thought you might like to make them for yourself or the kids.  These aren’t perfect as I didn’t use a thermometer and I may have beat them a little too long, but they taste pretty dang good and brought back some good memories.  Get out and make some memories of your own.  Wild Ed

 

Homemade Pink Peanut Patties

2 1/2 cups white sugar  

2/3 cup light corn syrup  

1 cup evaporated milk  

1 tablespoon butter  

3 cups peanuts, canned or raw your choice

I used canned mixed nut because that was all I had and they worked just fine.  I bet pecans would be good also.

1 tablespoon vanilla extract  

1 dash red food coloring (optional) If you don't eat the stuff.  I have already had enough to kill a horse so a little more won't matter.

 Directions

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, evaporated milk, and peanuts if using raw peanuts. Bring to a slow boil, and stir to blend once heated. Let boil until the mixture reaches a temperature of between 240and 250 degrees F, or until a drop off of the stirring spoon dropped into cold water forms a ball that flattens somewhat when it hits the bottom of the glass. This may take up to an hour. If you are using canned nuts add them when the drop starts forming a loose ball so they can cook in the mixture for just a little while.

Stir in the butter, vanilla and food coloring into the candy mixture once the mixture has reached the proper temperature.  Beat until mixture starts to set. Spoon out onto buttered waxed paper or parchment paper to form patties.  Cool until set.

I am sure this is not the original recipe but it is close enough to pass the grandkid inspection and taste test.

 

Christmas in April: Arrivals Pouring In!

Blue-gray gnatcatcher.

 

 

 

This spring every new day feels a little bit like Christmas morning.

It was a brutal, long, gloomy winter here in southeastern Ohio and springlike weather has been slow to arrive. But now that the insect-eating songbirds are beginning to make their spring appearances, I awake each morning full of anticipation about what gifts may have flown in from the south on the night breezes. This is why it's Christmas-like. Just like every Christmas Day morning for the past five decades, I'm rearing to go and full of "Can't wait!"

Often, these last few weeks, my very first thought—before my eyes are open—is: "I'll bet today is the day that the hummingbirds (or tree swallows, or blue-winged warblers, or wood thrushes) get back." The little, brightly feathered "presents" that Nature brings us each spring—in dribs and drabs at first, then in a marvelous gush of song and color as migration reaches its peak.

Oddly our current spring migration has been somewhat inconsistent with our records for returning dates of migrants. Hummingbirds are several days late. Tree swallows are back all around us but ours have not appeared, making us worry about their fate. Only a few warblers have come back—so far no tanagers or orioles. 

Male yellow warbler.

It's all right. Let them take their time. After all, the anticipation is almost as wonderful as seeing and hearing an old familiar friend, returned from a winter away from this old ridgetop farm.

White-eyed vireo.

 

My first vireo of the spring was a male white-eyed vireo that was singing in our orchard on April 11, several days early according to our records. [We've been keeping arrival, departure, and nesting records here on Indigo Hill for 20 years. White-eyed vireos usually arrive each spring on April 15 or 16.]

Singing male ovenbird. Photo by Julie Zickefoose.

I was giddy to hear an ovenbird on Monday of this week. His song is so loud and percussive that it's hard to miss. I'm sure he was not back sooner. He was drifting around the old orchard to the west of our house, singing half-heartedly. By early May our woods will be ringing with the songs of ovenbirds and a dozen other warbler species.

Like the song says: "Springtime, you know it is my songbirds' sing time." And that's music to my ears.