In the Midwest a few weeks ago, someone brought lemon bars to my cousin's welcome / rehearsal dinner. They were similar to my Grandmother's but not quite on, and let me tell you why. Grandmother's recipe calls for lemon extract but that's NOT what she used in them, ever. She used this syrupy lemon flavoring - one time she mailed me a bottle of it but I don't have it anymore. I'm on a mission to make her lemon bars since I haven't had a real one in YEARS. She didn't bake for quite a few years before she passed away. But she used to mail me lemon bars for my birthday every year and I'd keep them in the freezer. What a special treat! Anyway, today I finally FOUND the syrup. Of course it's online and I'm going to have to order it and wait for the mail to come. But at least it will come!
Now just to figure out the rest of the recipe. Does oleo as in butter/margarine mean shortening-consistency (softened) or melted? And what if I substitute rice flour to make them gluten free... maybe I'll try them regular before I go messing with them.
The other thing recipe of hers that we loved was chocolate chip brownies - really more blondies - that she baked in a special shape / weight pan. My quest for the pan begins.
I really hope that I can get Grandmother's old KitchenAid mixer. My older sister already has one... theoretically I'm the next in line. I don't have a mixer and her's reminds me of those days sitting on the counter, watching her bake or cook, comparing my hand size to the hot mits my Auntie made with our childhood handprints on them.
What a lovely story! My family recipe is jalapeno jelly, but there's no secret sauce there, it's just sugar, water, pectin and lots o' jalapenos! Add some cream cheese and wheat thins and you've got a meal! (Or you'll eat so much you won't want a real meal.) ;) I wouldn't say no to some birthday lemon bars though. My bday is in may... just sayin'... :)
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