countrygal, I've also used Hershey's almost exclusively because that's the only kind available here in my small independent grocery. Then I went to Grand Rapids and found Rodelle dutch processed. Oh my, it's my favorite now, it's so much better than Hershey's. I don't use cocoa all that much, I have a couple of cake recipes and frosting recipes that use it, my favorite brownie recipe calls for it, a couple of cookie recipes use it. I've not had any trouble subbing yet and I haven't used it to make hot chocolate, but I'm betting it's gonna be good! It's more expensive than Hershey's but if you can find some, try it, it's very good. Annie

COOKING EFFICIENTLY And the Story Behind Easy Popcorn Candy Looking back all my life I have striven or been driven to do things more efficiently. Probly most people do but it seems stronger in me. Sometimes, of course, it takes lots of extra effort and there is the occasional failure, but for me itâÂÂs worth it. As an aerospace research engineer I and my colleegz were concerned with efficiency in our programs. And so it seems to have rubbed off into my cooking. My wife made popcorn candy at Christmas which the rest of the family would about kill for. But. The poor thing would work all day at it and be frazzled out by it. Well I stayed out of the kitchen at those times (clue #1 for a successful marriage) but eventually she developed AlzheimerâÂÂs and couldnâÂÂt handle it. So I took on the job. I read the recipe and discovered it was based on a divisor of 5. Well imagine dividing a 1 / 4 lb stick of butter by 5. Etc. No wonder she was frazzled out. So I multiplied the entire recipe by 0.8 which then based it on a divisor of 4 and rounded off to the nearest reasonable measure and could walk thru the entire thing in about 4 hours including cleanup. I think about 8 batches in loaf form. Still I hated it. I did 2 XmasâÂÂs and quit. Screw it. Ah, but how to consume the left over ingredients? >>Easy Popcorn Candy:-) -mxyplx, male, 78.583, Chief Cook & Shortcut Arteest.

I love fudge...with popcorn. This recipe brought back memories of Sunday nights...watching Ed Sullivan, Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom and the Wonderful World of Disney and eating popcorn and fudge.

HERSHEY'S COCOA FUDGE 4 tablespoons cocoa 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup milk 2 tablespoons butter Mix Cocoa and sugar. Add milk and butter stiring well and bring to a boil. Boil gently stiring often till softball stage. Soft ball is formed when a small amount is dropped from spoon into cold water. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, allow to stand until fairly cool, then beat until creamy and pour into buttered pan. This was the recipe on the can probably in the mid 1930's when my Mom was a new bride. Over the years she changed it some...using less cocoa, substituting 2/3 cup evaporated milk for the cup of whole milk and after cooking, along with the vanilla she would sometimes add a couple big spoonsful of peanut butter and/or marshmallow cream. And...she always cooked her fudge in a 9" cast iron frying pan. That is how I learned to make it..in the cast iron pan. Can't seem to get it to the right consistancy in any other pan even when using a thermometer.