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1930’s Holiday Divinity Fudge

This is the holiday fudge my grandmother gave as gifts every year. She’d also sell tins of it at the annual church bazaar fundraiser. Happy eating!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups white sugar • 1/2 cup water • 1/2 cup light corn syrup • 2 egg whites • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla • 1/2 cup chopped pecans • pecan halves, green or red maraschino halves for decoration (optional)

1. Beat egg whites until stiff and set aside. 2. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, cook sugar, water and corn syrup over medium high heat until it reaches 260 degrees on a candy thermometer (OR when the mixture thickens, drop a small amount into a saucer of cold water; if it thickens into a gel consistency and holds together, it’s ready), about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour in a thin, steady stream

into the beaten egg whites and beat with an electric mixer on high for about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla and continue beating on high until the candy just begins to lose its gloss, 5-6 minutes. (When the beaters are lifted, the mixture should fall in a ribbon that mounds in on itself.) Add the chopped pecans and stir to mix. 3. Drop by tablespoons onto wax or parchment paper and top with half a pecan or a maraschino cherry. Makes about 4 dozen pieces.

Holiday Poo-pla Hoopla By Nancy Moser, DVM

The Holidays are a wonderful time of year, where everyone gets together to share good times and rich, delicious food. It’s easy to see how people can get carried away and want to share their food with their pets. However, feeding these foods to your pets can potentially have serious consequences. Common holiday dish ingredients like garlic, onions, raw potatoes, grapes and chocolate, are toxic to dogs but there is also a medical condition, called pancreatitis that veterinarians commonly see this time of year. Pancreatitis is a general term for inflammation of the pancreas, the organ that secretes enzymes to help digest food and produce natural insulin. Commonly seen in dogs, the most common trigger for pancreatitis is ingesting rich, fatty foods; though less common in cats, pancreatitis can be seen with giving excessive carbohydrates. Severity of symptoms can range from mild GI upset, like vomiting & diarrhea, to severe abdominal pain, sepsis and intestinal perforation. A majority of pancreatitis cases can be managed with outpatient therapy but in pets with more severe symptoms, multiple days of intensive hospitalization may be required, with the potential for a fatal outcome. Since we cannot predict which pets will develop pancreatitis or the severity of their symptoms, it is best to err on the side of caution and avoid feeding them table food altogether. Plain carrots, blueberries, seedless apples, and cooked non-seasoned sweet potatoes are healthy treat alternatives if you still would like your pet to participate in the Holiday festivities.

Boyette Animal Hospital is proud to provide your pets with the highest quality of treatment and care from twelve veterinarians and a devoted staff. To make an appointment, please call (813) 671-3400.