Aunt Bill's Brown Candy

3 pts white sugar
1 pt half/half
1/4 lb butter
1/4 tsp soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 lbs nut meats

Pour 1 pt sugar into heavy aluminum or iron skillet and place over low heat.  Begin stirring with wooden spoon, and keep sugar moving so it will not scorch at all.  It will take over half an hour to completely melt this sugar and at no time let it smoke or cook so fast that it turns dark.  It should be about the color of light brown sugar syrup.

As soon as you have the sugar started to heat in the skillet, pour the remaining 2 pts of sugar together with the pint of milk into a deep heavy kettle and set it over low heat to cook along slowly while you are melting the sugar in the skillet.

As soon as all the sugar is melted, begin pouring it into the kettle of boiling milk and sugar, keeping it on very slow heat and stirring constantly.  Now the real secret of mixing these ingredients is to pour a stream no larger than a knitting needle and to stir across the bottom of the kettle at all times.

Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture forms a firm ball when dropped into cold water.  After this test is made, remove from heat and immediately add the soda stirring vigorously as it foams up.  Soon as the soda is mixed, then add the butter, allowing it to melt as you stir.

Now, set off the stove, but not outdoors or in a cold place for about 20 minutes, then add the vanilla and begin beating.  Use a wooden spoon and beat until the mixture is thick and heavy, having a dull appearance instead of a glossy sheen.  Add the pecans and mix.  Pour into 9 x 13 buttered pan.  Cut into squares when cooled slightly.

This recipe turns out best when you have two people to make the candy.