Happy National Fudge Day!!

Today, June 16th is National Fudge Day!

Fudge has similarities to Scottish Tablet. English fudge is a softer version of tablet. American style fudge dates back to the late 1880s. A letter written by Emelyn Battersby Hartridge, a student at Vassar College is believed to be one of the first documentations of fudge. Fudge spread to other colleges, as well. Wellesley and Smith had their own versions of the Vasser fudge recipe.

Here is Emelyn’s recipe:

2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup cream
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon butter

Combine sugar and cream and cook over moderate heat. When this becomes very hot, add the chocolate. Stir constantly. Cook until mixture reaches soft-ball stage (234°-238°F). Remove from heat and add butter. Cool slightly, then mix until fudge starts to thicken. Transfer to a buttered tin. Cut into diamond-shaped pieces before fudge hardens completely.

For more modern takes on fudge, here are links to recipes at Recipezaar and Tastespotting.

Chocolate and the Inaugural ball

What is a party without chocolate? In celebration of Barack Obama’s upcoming Inauguration, I wanted to explore chocolate as served at Presidential Inaugural balls. I began at the beginning.

Although there was a grand ball held by sponsors to honor President George Washington, according to the Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, “It was not until 1809, however, after the Inauguration of James Madison at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., that the tradition of the Inaugural ball began.” First Lady Dolley Madison hosted the gala. The first “official” Inaugural ball wasn’t the only debut that night. At the ball, a new drink called “chocolate” was served. From the beginning, there was chocolate.

Abraham Lincoln’s second Inaugural ball in 1865 featured numerous chocolate delicacies, including chocolate ornamental pyramides, chocolate ice cream, and chocolate (it is unclear if this last one is hot chocolate or chocolate candy). Here is a copy of the menu from the Szathmary Culinary archive. Only three copies of the menu are known to exist.

The cold Washington weather also factored in. There was no heat nor sufficient insulation in the temporary structure built for Ulysses Grant’s 1873 Inaugural ball. Freezing guests danced in their overcoats and hats. With such cold temperatures, they ran out of hot chocolate and coffee.

Chocolate ice cream was served at numerous Inaugural balls, including those for Grover Cleveland and William McKinley.

Now there are multiple Inaugural balls with multitudes of chocolate desserts. Bill Clinton holds the record for the most officials balls with fourteen in 1997. The Inaugural festivities for President Clinton also featured some of the more festively named chocolate treats. Tom’s Cookies specially baked the Heavenly Hillary (brownie with nuts), the Tipper Chipper (chocolate chip laced with M&Ms) and the Gore ‘Smore (brownie, marshmallow cream, chocolate ganache and graham cracker).

I am sure chocolate will abound, once again, at this year’s festivities.