Fudging the Issue

Photo © Rob Jones

Just to get this out the way right at the start:

Here’s a link to my Granddad’s Patent Fudge recipe which I think is the finest fudge I have ever tasted.

I address this subject because of the incessant temptation I face every time I walk through Falmouth town. And yet … I remain strong. I do however often stand in the doorway and sniff. I was found out by a lady who was doing the same. We were both lingering near the doorway and sniffing. Our eyes met and we both immediately knew we were both olfactory tourists.

There is something so comforting about the smell… the vanilla, the sweetness. And it doesn’t help that they put A-frames outside the door with a list of enticing amazing … and currently Christmas flavours.

Together we sniffed without judgement.

It was always a feature of our childhoods, growing up in the sixties and seventies - it was something simple for us as kids to make. My brother was the expert - making trays of fudge which seldom lasted long out of the oven. Fresh crumble almost crystalline fudge is just the best. A few years ago I found a fudge recipe which had been written in my grandfather’s handwriting on the back of an old piece of paper from a calendar which dated it to about the 1920s'.

I assumed it was a traditional British thing, and that Dickens if not Shakespeare had written a book about it, but no… it’s an American import.

It is claimed that the term fudge originated in the 17th Century and is derived from the word ‘Fadge’ which means to fit together in a clumsy manner. It was shouted by sailors who wanted to cast doubt on the truth of a fellow sailor’s claims:

‘That’s a load of fadge, that is!’

It became more popular in the 1880s, mainly for the simplicity of making it, especially with new products like refined sugar coming onto the market. Basically, it was cheap. It’s believed it was first made by accident by someone trying to make caramel.

It was especially popular in ladies’ colleges with recipes changing hands regularly.

In its basic form, it’s made of sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla extract.

Each country and indeed region of a country seems to create their own versions with rum and raisin, clotted cream and salted caramel being the most popular in the UK.

It’s the wicked step cousin of Scottish Tablet which is more grainy and crumbly.

And let us not forget ‘A Finger of Fudge.’

I am banking on there being a lot of unsold fudge when I get back to Falmouth.

Two useful facts:

National Fudge Day is June 16th.

Mackinac Island in Michigan in the US is regarded as the fudge capital of the world.

I found it - so you don’t have to.

Enjoy fudge responsibly.

R.