Darienne

Gorgeous Kim. I've not had problems with the chocolate coming off, but then it was the famous Chocolate Doctor, Kerry Beal, who first told me to dust the toffee with cocoa before putting on the melted chocolate. And how did you do the second side? And truthfully, I've never done much of what you might call 'storing' the toffee and never in a fridge. I'll have to think of that one. I package it up and get it out of my reach (and mouth) as quickly as possible. I once made a batch for the previous owner of our rented condo in Moab, Utah, and he ate the entire thing by himself. Astounding. No storing going on there.

Absolutely.

My childhood memories of Poughkeepsie include a mental institution. Perhaps they will have room for you.

David Lebovitz, The Perfect Scoop, p.170, Creamy Caramel Sauce. The only one Ed will accept on his homemade ice cream. And Magic Shell Chocolate Sauce. Don't have a written recipe for it...simply know how to make it. 150 gm chocolate; 100 gm coconut oil. Melted and mixed. Add a dash of salt. That's it. It solidifies depending upon room temperature. So in the winter, it stores solid and I heat it a bit in the microwave before serving. Kids and "youthful" (gave up trying to find a suitable adjective) men like it. Oops. Does not need refrigeration.

Ed and I used to do craft shows with our decorated gourds. The chair situation was never a problem as I recall...my problem was by the third day I was..."Buy something...don't buy something...just don't talk to me".

Our local library was disposing of about 10 years of Gourmet. I dragged them all home and went through them one by one, returning them all for someone else...sans a few pages here and there, of course. The cost of mailing them would have been prohibitive.

Can't say about the unsalted butter any better than you can. OTOH, I am dumbstruck that I never mentioned the chocolate in this recipe. I'll fix that one in my printed recipe. I have NEVER used milk chocolate. I HATE milk chocolate. I've used only dark and darker and sometimes half dark and half darker...you know 54% and 70%. Done.

I've done it a couple of times and it worked out. I did wonder as I did it though....

Done.

Two sides always. I watched the Enstrom video of making this toffee last year and so changed my method somewhat. I turn the toffee out of the cookie pan as soon as it's cool. Turn the pan upside down and use it that way. Warm chocolate on one side, sprinkled with ground almonds...cool...turn the toffee over, and the same procedure on the second side. Last batch, the toffee was so cold (garage in the far frozen north) that I used a hair dryer to keep the melted chocolate from hardening too quickly. Sure helps if there are two people taking care of this step. (Secretly: I do think about doing one side only with some regularity...but seeing as it's my yearly gift to the recipients I wonder if they would notice...)

Three batches of Almond-sprinkled, Chocolate-coated both sides Butterscotch Toffee (copycat Enstrom recipe). All packaged up a la Christmas to be delivered to a variety of folks with whom we do business. Christmas tradition on the farm. A few pieces leftover. I think I'm getting too old for this...

I would have thought the recipe called for evaporated. Condensed milk is very sweet but then there are lots of dishes out there which are unknowns to me. All best......

There is a special 'stretchy' waxed paper you can buy for wrapping caramels. I bought some years ago and it worked beautifully.

I could use a recipe for spiced wafers please. Where is this recipe you were led to please. Thanks.

Yes, it's too bad. What else can one say? I actually wrote to Waterbridge yesterday. I'll post what they say when and if I get something.

Being far down on the scale of 'expert' when it comes to this sort of question...as I read your post I immediately settled on the second pan solution.

Just to close this topic off. I wrote to Wal-Mart and received two messages back and a phone call also. They offered to give me back the purchase price of the bars I had not used yet with the store receipt. I told the caller that I had figured out how to use the bars, using half the liquid, and did not want my money back. I had mentioned in posts above that the bars were now of poorer quality and that the gold cardboard was missing. To those you may now add a cheapening of the outer wrapper. It now rips very easily, as do some potato chip and nacho bags, whereas before it did not do this at all. That's it. I hope. What next can Waterbridge cheapen?

Had no idea of the Navel orange situation. Fascinating. Thanks Smithy

So many reassuring posts...I did feel a bit edgy about it. Now I don't.

You can't beat those Champion juicers. We are on our second one in 59 years.

Three years later and many tasteless oranges later also. About a month ago, Ed bought some oranges..'Midnight' from South Africa...and miracle of miracles they were so good, so tasty, so yummy, I could scarcely believe my mouth. Then last week, he bought another batch of the same. Tasteless, flat, the usual. I guess the good ones simply got in there one time by mistake. And now some lowly worker has been fired from his or her job for allowing tasty oranges to get through the regular practice and now all is normal again with dreadful oranges. Right. I am ranting.

Which, of course, brings to mind one of the cookie varieties we exchanged this afternoon at the Cookie Exchange...Moose Farts. Have to say that I think my Fannie Farmer Viennese Crescents were the most popular of all. Went home with nary a one. Not that I am a good baker, but rather that you cannot go wrong with butter, sugar, pecans, chocolate...shortbreads. Is there anyone who doesn't love them?

Fanny Farmer has them rolled in confectioner's sugar before baking and after. I can't remember where I read the accompanying text to the 'crescent' part of the name...the crescent shape represents the repelling of the Turkish army by the Viennese in 1529. I am just too lazy to make the crescents. I hope the Viennese will forgive me.

This cookie is the one in my photo with the chocolate squiggles on it (my take). My very favorite cookie. And yes it is the Russian Tea Cake and Mexican Wedding Cookie (Polvorones) and a dozen other names depending upon the country. It's in the Fanny Farmer cookbook as Viennese Crescents and other online websites credit her with the recipe. Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook lists it twice: Nut Crescents and Mexican Wedding Cookies. I make it with pecans and have never tried it with almonds. And it does melt in your mouth. Five dozen go to my Cookie Exchange...can't believe I am a Virgin Cookie Exchanger at the ripe old age of 77.

And here they are...and no, I am not much at the decorating part. Much better at the eating part. Hmmm...sorry the photo is a bit fuzzy. I'm not much of a photographer either. Much better at ice cream and toffee.