Buckeyes
Cyle Young
1h38min15
- Cuisine et vins
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131 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 1h38min.
What goes better together than chocolate and peanut butter? This match made in heaven has delighted young and old alike for decades. In the Midwest, these two delicious ingredients are combined into a sweet treat named after an Ohio tree nut: the buckeye. These little round balls of peanut buttery goodness—rolled and dipped in chocolate, of course—appear on platters at fan tailgates, church potlucks, family gatherings, and on cash register displays. They have become a staple of Midwestern culture and even have their own Buckeye Candy Trail through the state of Ohio. Midwestern native, author, and food lover Cyle Young reveals the history of the buckeye tree and the stories, folklore, and superstitions that accompany the famous nut. From the buckeye's place in the presidential campaign of William Henry Harrison to Ohio State's self-proclaimed biggest football fan, Buckeyes includes fascinating tidbits and stories for any candy lover. Young also shares which stores on the trail still make the buckeye candies the traditional way—by hand. Alongside classic recipes for the candy itself and sweet treats inspired by buckeye flavors—cakes, brownies, beverages, and more—are numerous tips on how to choose your peanut butter and chocolate, the many ways to melt your chocolate, and other secrets to help you become a buckeye connoisseur.The Buckeye Candy tradition dates back to 1964. Fourteen years after the Ohio State University declared its new school mascot, Gail Lucas invented the unique dessert. Interesting enough, Gail did not herself attend Ohio State. She was an alumnus of Marshall College in West Virginia. In 1964, she lived in Columbus, Ohio and worked at the Citizen Journal. Her husband Steve was a rabid buckeye fan who also was pursuing his PhD in business at Ohio State.The invention of the buckeye candy was merely a sweet coincidence. Gail's mother had previously sent he some chocolate covered peanut butter candy. Her family loved the candies so much, Gail asked her mother to share the recipe with her. During the Christmas of 1964, Gail replicated the recipe, but when she used a toothpick to dip the peanut butter balls into the chocolate, she realized something familiar. It looked exactly like a buckeye.Needless to say, the happy accident would also please her Ohio State husband. That day, the buckeye candy was born. Gail made multiple batches of the candy and gave them away to family and friends. But she didn't share her mother's recipe until her husband graduated from the university in 1971.Steve's new career required the family to move away from Columbus. A family "friend" repeatedly asked Gail to share her buckeye candy recipe. Gail eventually relented to the pestering. But during a return visit to Columbus in 1973, Gail discovered a newspaper article about her buckeye candy. She'd go on to discover that same woman previously wrote into the Ohio State Alumni magazine and claimed to be the inventor of the recipe.Gail had been betrayed. Furious, she needed to set the record straight. For well over a decade, she and her family had celebrated the buckeye candy tradition, especially during the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry weekend. In a 1983 column in the Arizona Republic newspaper, Gail set the record straight.We have her to thank for the delicious buckeye candy that still lives on during every football season in Ohio. In 2012, Gail finally joined the great confectionary in the clouds. Her son, Guy Lucas, a second-generation journalist, found his mother's 1983 column when he was going through her belongings. He decided to share it with the world, so everyone would know the true inventor of the buckeye candy. Now, you too can enjoy the original buckeye balls.The "Original" Buckeye Balls4 pounds powdered sugar1 pound butter6 or more tablespoons peanut butter2 teaspoons vanilla12 ounces chocolate chips1 block canning waxCombine first four ingredients, adding a bit of milk if necessary. Rolls into small balls. Melt chocolate chips and canning wax in top of double boiler. Make sure chocolate and wax are mixed well so wax doesn't rise to the top. With toothpick, dip the balls into the chocolate, but do not cover completely. Chill in refrigerator. After chocolate is hardened, store candy in plastic bags in freezer.Over the last 60 years, while the buckeye has grown in popularity, its history has come into question. Who is the real creator that launched a Midwestern craze and turned this amazing dessert into a delicacy? Although the history of the buckeye candy is clouded, there is one uniting factor that every maker of buckeye candy can agree upon—the ingredients.Powdered SugarHeaping mounds of powdered sugar turn the mess of ingredients into a perfectly round ball of dough. The more the better. Every buckeye recipe calls for different amounts of powdered sugar, but one thing remains the same—it's always the main ingredient on the list. You can skimp on the powdered sugar, but you risk losing flavor and turn the sweet delicacy into a ball of bland mush.When you are ready to make buckeye candies, stock up on as much powdered sugar as you can store. You will use it. It's not uncommon to use over 5 lbs. of powdered sugar to make a large batch. If you want to make enough to last the season, you could need as much as 10-15 lbs.Butter or MargarineThe choice between butter or margarine is highly debated. Which tastes better in a buckeye? I guess it depends on which one you prefer in your everyday routine. Do you butter your toast? Or put margarine on it? I would say that whatever you use on toast is the correct answer for whichever you should use in your recipe. If you're really adventurous, replace some of the butter with lard. You may shorten your life a little, but your buckeyes will be insanely delicious.Whichever fat you decide to use, just make sure to follow the recipe. I have used both butter and margarine and I can't really tell a difference between the two—but if you are a butter snob, use the best butter you can find. The fat helps to hold all the ingredients together because buckeyes are a "no bake" dessert.1. The Buckeye Candy2. History of the Buckeye Tree3. People, Places, and Things (and the Buckeye Candy)4. The "Original" Buckeye Recipe5. Recipes6. Appendix: Original Buckeye Candy Trail
