No matter the shiny toys Santa delivered each year, the most treasured gift for Tammy White was a simple brown paper bag from her beloved grandmother, Gusteva White, known affectionately as Nanny. Tammy’s fondness for her grandmother was reciprocated, creating a deep bond between the two. “Nanny always made me feel special, and she was always happy to see me,” Tammy shared. “She meant everything to me.”
Growing up in the challenging era of the Great Depression, Nanny acquired resourcefulness from her parents. Despite financial constraints, Christmas for Nanny and her siblings meant receiving homemade presents like rag dolls and wooden toy guns. As a young mother herself, Gusteva, caring for seven children under nine, couldn’t afford traditional Christmas stockings. Thus, she initiated a heartfelt tradition of crafting brown paper bags adorned with cutouts from magazines and mailers, each uniquely decorated and filled with homemade treats like peanut butter fudge, sugar cookies, and the aptly named “Nanny Candy.”
Nanny’s crafting project evolved over time as her family expanded, from seven bags to 17, to accommodate her growing number of grandchildren. Each bag was personalized with cutouts reflecting the recipient’s interests, from Christmas-themed images to representations of dolls, roller skates, and pocket watches. This meticulous attention to detail endeared Nanny to her family, creating lasting memories of love and care during the festive season.
From a young age, Nanny passed on her passion for baking to Tammy, sparking a love for creating delicious treats. Tammy reminisced, “We didn’t have much growing up, but Nanny gave me these old cake pans. I would make mud pies and decorate them with flowers.” As Tammy matured, Nanny involved her in the kitchen, marking the beginning of their shared tradition of baking Christmas goodies together.
Despite Nanny’s reliance on unwritten recipes, leaving measurements to intuition with terms like “a smidgen” or “a pinch,” Tammy recognized the importance of preserving these culinary traditions. She diligently transcribed her grandmother’s recipes onto handwritten cards, preserving Nanny’s legacy for future generations. These cherished recipes, with instructions like “Cook to roaring bubble. Keep stirrin’!… Stir, stir, stir!” evoke fond memories and a sense of connection to the past.
Now an accomplished home cook, Tammy continues Nanny’s legacy by baking an array of sweets each holiday season to share with loved ones. Among her favorite recipes is the indulgent peanut butter fudge, a treat she enthusiastically endorses. Eager to experience the delight firsthand, I prepared a batch of the fudge, succumbing to its irresistible allure and rich peanut butter flavor. The confection was a hit at a festive gathering, with multiple requests for the recipe.
For those intrigued by Nanny’s Peanut Butter Fudge, the recipe is as follows:
Ingredients:
– 3 cups sugar
– 12 tablespoons butter
