I distinctly remember the first time I met Margueritte, my mother-in-law. She was in town to see my then-boyfriend, now-husband, and I was invited to dine with them that evening. When I entered Norm’s apartment, Margueritte’s smile lit up her face. She walked over to me, took me into her arms, and gave me the biggest hug.
I saved that hug, tucked it away in my memory, and I take it out every now and then when I need to feel again the unconditional love that she gave me.
Margueritte passed away December 1, 2005, just months after Katrina devastated my city, my home, my life. It was a dreadful year.
Another December has arrived, and I again make Divinity, the traditional Southern confection that Margueritte used to make for me at Christmastime. I do it because she loved sweets as much as I do. I do it to share a moment with a woman who had a profound effect on my life. I do it because I miss her and cooking her candy brings her back to me.
Margueritte’s Divinity
Ingredients:
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Combine the sugar, syrup, salt, and water in a heavy pot. Dissolve the sugar over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly.
- Raise the heat to medium and continue to cook until the candy reaches the hard ball stage (260 degrees). This will take about 10 minutes.
- If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can test the candy by dropping a tad of it in a cup of cold water. If it holds its shape and turns hard, it’s ready.
- Pour the vanilla into the egg whites.
- While mixing, pour a steady stream of the candy into the egg whites. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you may need a second pair of hands for this.
- After you’ve mixed for 5 minutes, you can drop teaspoonfuls of candy onto greased wax paper, or you can do it my way (the lazy way!) by dumping the whole bowl of candy into a greased baking pan. Don’t dally – it hardens pretty quickly.
- Press a pecan half into the candy while it’s still warm and soft.
- If you poured it into a pan, cut into squares.
Christmas candy – it so warms the heart.
Stacy Rambles 
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visit, read the article and thanks for posting your article is quite good and we hope that all our friends all success and thank you all, greetings Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year to you and yours. 🙂
Many thanks, Gede. Merry Christmas and happy new year to you, too! ❤
As Kathy said, this is a divine post! I can just imagine the love of your mother-in-law. Wonderful that you will always have that. Stacy, we all wish you a very peaceful and joyous Christmas. Thank you for your blog and for your friendship! love, Christine (and Michael and the Dafter).
Thank you for your friendship, too, Christine – I hope to visit with you often in the new year! ❤
Oh, what gorgeous snowy covered pecan candy it is! When I have some spare time in the New Year I will see if my daughter would like to help me make some candy with me. She enjoys trying new recipes too. Norm’s mum sounds like a wonderful lady. Your life has been enriched by knowing her.
Merry Christmas to you, dear Stacy! Sending warm hugs across the ocean right to your Dream Tree Bayou. ❤
Thank you, Joanne – Merry Christmas to you and your family as well – hope to see you in the new year! ❤
So nice to hear from someone else who loved their mother in law! We used to make pink Divinity at Christmas when I was a kid. My sisters and I enjoyed candy and cookie making.
Oh, I’ll have to try making it pink next year – great idea! ❤
Oh, Stacy, what a powerful *divine* post. I can feel the unconditional love shining through, sweet and delightful. The recipe makes solid her love.
Or her love makes solid this recipe. 🙂
You have touched my heart with this, Stacy. I loved my mother-in-law so much. We were mostly out of touch for many years after her son and I broke up, but occasionally ran into each other in town. I will never forget her, ever. She was a second Mum to me at a time I was far from my own family in many ways. She was a Land Girl in England during the War; a small woman with lush black hair past her waist. So like me, in love with babies, animals, country life, simple living, so much more . . . She passed away in 2008 and her boys invited me to the funeral. She talked about all the people she’d loved in her life on her last day (no-one knew she was going to die; she’d had a fall and was expected to go home). I felt so honoured that she reminisced about me and my sons with such warmth. I wish I had a recipe of hers. I think I’ll ask her son or his brothers. Thanks so much for this post. Good memories, especially at this time of year. One year we were living far in the country and had quite a few miles to walk to get to the ferry, then mroe walking on the other side. She bought me a lovely pair of leather work boots that I had for many years. She was more than thoughtful. Thanks again, Stacy, from my heart. ~ Linne
I am happy that I’m not the only one who had a wonderful mother-in-law, Linne. You sound like you landed a good one, too, and it’s fortunate that you were able to say goodbye properly to your wonderful mother-in-law. I always felt like Margueritte’s daughter, not her daughter-in-law.
Happy new year, Linne – I wish you good health and may we visit often in 2014! ❤
A recipe is a great way to remember someone.
Merry Christmas Stacy, to all your family.
Merry Christmas to you, too, Guap (a little belatedly) and happy new year (a little early)! Hope to visit your blog many times in 2014 – always a gas! ❤
P.S. I love your sweet holiday photos xo
Thank you for sharing your Mother in Law’s sweet candy with us and the lovely story of your first meeting. I know she would feel so honored to have her Christmas tradition passed on and it is a wonderful way to keep her memory alive in your heart. I hope you and your family have a lovely Christmas and that the New Year brings many blessings, too. Hugs xo Karen
Thank you so much, Karen – many blessings to you and yours this holiday season! ❤
Looks yummy. Merry Christmas to you Stacy, and blessings for the New Year.
Thank you, Bonnie. Merry Christmas to you, too! ❤
Dearest Stacy,
Love this kind of tributes that come from the heart. It is through such kind of gestures that is keeping our loved ones alive! What a joy it will be to your dear husband for eating his beloved Mother’s special treats made by his sweetheart!
I want to alter this recipe and use Agave nectar instead so I can also enjoy it.
Hugs to you and enjoy this festival of fond memories; those are the real GIFTS!
Mariette
Oh – I like your idea of using agave. Hugs to you, too, Mariette! ❤