When we moved into our home in Beverlywood about 21 years ago our next door neighbor immediately greeted us with a cake. Having grown up in an apartment building in The Bronx, I always thought that particular tradition was something that only happened in the movies. Sara S. and her husband Ben had built their home in Beverlywood in 1947 and had lived there ever since. Sara was a petite, elegant and vibrant woman in her seventies. Ben was a towering, handsome businessman who was still going to work every morning ( and still does.) Having moved into Beverlywood just after the birth of our third child, there was something so comforting about having Sara and Ben next door. Sara and I soon discovered that we both loved to cook and garden. Sara was famous for her fudge, a recipe I never was able to coax out of her, but through the years we were the happy recipients of numerous tins of fudge and enjoyed every piece. Sugar, butter and eggs passed back and forth between our kitchens. Sara heated her pool during the summer and my children had swimming lessons there. If my kids weren’t in the pool on the weekend, Sara would call me on the phone and remind me that heating a pool was an expensive proposition and my kids better get over there and use it. Last week Sara passed away. It was not only the loss of a friend and neighbor but the end of an era. Good neighbors are hard to find. Fortunately we still see Ben as he leaves for the office in the morning. So, in memory of Sara and to promote “neighborliness” here is a recipe you can make. It isn’t fudge but it is pretty close. A dense, dark, fudge brownie. Why not make a batch and bring it over to your neighbor.
Chewy Fudge Brownies
4 Oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 stick butter
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup flour
1 cup walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 8″ square pan. Melt chocolate and butter in heavy pan set over low heat or in double boiler. Stir till melted and smooth. Let cool for a few minutes. Add vanilla, eggs, sugar and salt to chocolate mixture and stir. Add flour and mix well and then add nuts. Bake 45 minutes till toothpick in center is barely clean. Remove and cool on rack.
Enjoy,
Irene
Bamitbach 