>> Cathy Callahan is a crafter and window dresser who draws inspiration from vintage crafts. She blogs about 1960s and 1970s crafts at cathyofcalifornia.typepad.com.
Centerpieces can really set the mood for a party. I fondly remember the gumdrop trees that the PTA moms made for one school party. Gumdrops were glued on manzanita branches that had been painted white and mounted in flowerpots. Some of the kids picked off and ate the gumdrops, but if those crafty ladies were upset, they didn’t let on as they cheerfully served up punch and cookies.
I wondered where the PTA ladies got their idea, so I looked at my mom’s 1970s-era cookbooks, and I became fixated on Betty Crocker’s “Lolligog Party,” a strange but wonderful combination of Tinkertoys and lollipops. It looks like it was dreamed up under the influence of Charles and Ray Eames with a little Mary Blair and Alexander Girard thrown in.
Hostesses have been turning to Betty Crocker for ideas since the 1920s. It turns out there never was a real Betty; she was concocted by General Mills’ corporate ancestor as a persona to answer consumer questions. Cookbooks were launched in 1930, and according to author Susan Marks, in 1950 the sales of Betty Crocker’s Picture Cook Book rivaled those of the Bible. Here’s my adaptation of the recipe so you can make your own centerpiece. ×
MATERIALS
Photograph by Cathy Callahan
» CANDY APPLE STICKS ORDINARY LOLLIPOP STICKS ARE TOO SMALL TO FIT INTO TINKERTOYS.
» ¼C BUTTER OR MARGARINE
» ½C CORN SYRUP OR SIMPLE SYRUP
» ¾C SUGAR
» CANDY THERMOMETER
» FOOD COLORING AND CANDY DECORATIONS
»
TINKERTOYS
1. Arrange sticks on a lightly buttered baking sheet.
2. In a 1qt saucepan, combine butter, syrup, and sugar, and heat to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Reduce heat to medium, stirring frequently until the candy thermometer reads 270°F.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in food coloring.
5. Dollop the mixture by spoonfuls around each stick for a 2"– 3" diameter.
6. While the candy’s still hot, press in decorations. After cooling, dab syrup onto the candy like glue to attach decorations, and allow to dry.
7. After cooling (overnight is best) arrange your lollipops with a Tinkertoy set and have fun!
TIP: If necessary, you can use a small dab of “quake tack” or poster putty to secure the stick in the spool hole.
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