Candied Jalapeños — Dale Knows How To Host

As I mentioned in my first post, Mom and Dad used to throw an annual sock hop when I was growing up. This just seemed normal to me, as we often had our own Saturday night sock hops at home. When he was just out of college, Dad had a brief stint as a radio DJ. Consequently, he had a great record collection. We’d be sitting around talking and a song would come up, sending Dad to the Music Room to look for it. That song would lead to another… and another…. and another … cue a dance party. The Reed Family Singers would probably also make an appearance with my sister and I singing backup on “In the Still of the Night”: “Shoo doo shoo be doo….” ( I always thought it was “SHUT UP shoo be doo” - that’s better!)

Doo Wop was a particular specialty in our house but we also had the Rock ‘n Roll classics. One of my first memories is of spinning in circles listening to Buddy Holly in our old place in Carrboro. Dad used to let us play the albums ourselves, which was super cool of him. Nothing like a toddler in charge of the needle! I used to choose records by album art, much like how I buy wine these days, so “Chuck Berry Is On Top” was a particular fave. It featured a mouthwatering ice cream sundae on its cover. I remember being freaked out by The Who’s “Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy”. And, we could always count on Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, and The Beatles. My dad’s guitar had a case with orange fake fur on the inside. It was stored under our piano. I would put on some tunes, pull out the guitar, climb into the dark, fuzzy case, and snack on some Rolaids. For real! God knows what they did to my system but I thought they were delicious. That was a good time.

When Mom died, I heard from several friends with their memories of our homelife. There were lots of stories about us dancing in the living room, a few recollections of us all singing “Great Big Idol with the Golden Head”, and one story about Dad not letting us leave to walk downtown (our junior high era hangout) until my friends and I listened to Lyle Lovett’s version of “Stand By Your Man” in its entirety. (Insert teenage eye roll here.)

Mom and Dad simply loved music and enjoyed it best when they were dancing. One of my favorite Mom stories involves the time she first heard Ray Charles. She was driving home to Tennessee from Duke and “What’d I Say” came on the radio. She was like “WHAT IS THIS?!”. The station started getting out of range, so Mom pulled over to the side of the road, got out of the car, and danced.

Mom and Dad boogied at music venues, they boogied at restaurants and bars, they boogied on ships like the QM2…. they’d boogie anywhere. In fact, as a joke, my Aunt Lisa had an iron-on T-shirt made up for Dad with iridescent letters saying “Born to Boogie”. (I still have it and wear it to 1970s costume parties.) My wedding in 2000 was the first time that my husband’s extended family met mine. I remember my husband’s cousin saying, “man, the Reeds LIKE TO DANCE!”. We demonstrated that again at my niece’s Bat Mitzvah last year. The Reeds held down the dancefloor, my Uncle Bill doing a good Mick Jagger, and I just *had* to make it awkward by lying on the floor and doing “The Gator”. But, hey, they played “Shout” by Otis Day and the Knights!! What did they expect?!

So, in honor of my spicy dancing parents, today’s recipe is for Candied Jalapeños. To be fair, it may be more of my dad’s recipe than my mom’s, but it’s in her collection. I brought a jar of these to my parents from Texas one year. My parents loved them and, of course, figured out how to make them. They make a delicious appetizer when served with cream cheese and crackers (much like pepper jelly).

CANDIED JALAPEÑOS (easy)

1/2 gallon sliced jarred jalapeño peppers
5 c granulated sugar

Drain peppers for several hours. Place a few back in the jar they came in. Add some of the sugar. Repeat until all are back in jar. You may have to wait for the sugar to melt before it all goes in. Place lid on jar and turn over and over. Wait a few days before eating. They keep for months and get sweeter.

JALAPEÑO SWEETIES (more complicated)
4 lbs fresh jalapeño peppers sliced
2 lbs onion, diced bite size chunks
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
6 to 8 cups sugar
2 tablespoons turmeric
2 teaspoons celery seed (optional)
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ginger

Slice Jalapeños into thin slices and dice the onions.
(I suggest wearing rubber gloves while handling the jalapeños and DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE!)

Place jalapenos in pan with water and vinegar. Bring the pan to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until tender (about 10 minutes.) Remove the lid from the pan carefully and do not breathe fumes. Pour off the water and vinegar.

Add the sugar and spices, bring to soft candy temperature to completely dissolve the sugar.

Place boiling mixture into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Put on caps and place rings on loosely.

Tighten the rings, once the jars are completely cooled.

The cool kids: Dad and Mom dancing to the Zydeco Dots at my wedding. Houston, TX 2000.

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