from Jim Halsema

This was one of my mother’s favorite productions, as far as I am concerned. The mimeographed but bound cookbook from which this is extracted survived World War II.

2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup white Karo syrup
1/2 cup water
1 cup nut meats
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla

Boil syrup, sugar and water together until it forms a hard ball when dropped in cold water. Pour slowly into the beaten whites of two eggs to which the vanilla has been added. Beat briskly and when it begins to thicken add nut meats. Pour out on buttered latter. —Marie Halsema

—from the Blue Monday Club Cook Book, published by Monday Afternoon Club Baguio, Philippine Islands. Foreword says: “In the Orient those from the States, kingdoms and empires of the world foregather together. The vicissitudes of their lives and of their callings may demand that they travel with the least of material belongings, yet space always permits the collecting of choice recipes. The glamour of the Far East may suffice us all, yet the cold realization will present itself that the menfolk must be fed. This edition is assembled for your ‘sweet sakes’ to solve this problem.”