Generations of lovely sugar bowls have held sweetness within each of the vessels while being passed to sprinkle joy from our hearts. What a thoughtful design to have two handles to pass amongst guests. Some sugar bowls have lids and some designs only offer the bowl. But alas, sugar bowls have changed very little over the centuries. Our sweeteners have changed. We may still enjoy sugar cubes, caster sugar, brown sugar and designer sugar. Frequently, our tables feature sugar substitutes consisting of saccharine, dextrose, sucralose and more recently stevia. The sugar substitutes are essential for some dietary concerns; however, the sugar bowl remains steadfast offering its generous portions. Should the sugar bowls shrink since the sugar substitutes require less substance? I think not. I recommend that we merely utilize smaller spoons to portion out the flavor enhancement such as collector spoons. I like to pass my heirloom mementos around the table that honor the sweet prelude to sweeten the conversation. Just please, don’t pass the sweetener in the tiny paper envelopes. I will pass on that…Kelly McBride Loft
Enjoy summer’s sweetness with classic pralines!

Pralines

1½ cups sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed firm
½ cup whole milk
¾ stick of butter
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
1½ cups pecans
Combine all the ingredients, holding the pecans until last.
Bring to 240˚F (soft ball stage). The mixture should bubble until it foams slightly. Add the pecans. Remove from the heat. Beat the mixture about 1 minute. Spoon out the mixture on buttered wax paper into individual portions.