A Family Habit – Jeanette’s Brownies

My grandmother Jeanette, who died in the 1980s, had an odd habit that was passed on to my mother a number of years ago. I’m sure someday it will be passed to me. I will likely give it to my children, although more likely my daughter than my son, for she seems to have gotten more of my family’s genes while those from my wife’s side dominate my son’s genome.

I was unaware of my grandmother’s habit for many years. I learned about it one night at dinner in pre-casino Atlantic City where she used to spend her summers. We would visit for the day, making the long drive from Philadelphia in the morning, returning home late at night after a day in the sun, a walk on the boardwalk, and a meal at a restaurant.

This particular evening, I remember we dined at a new restaurant instead of Lou’s, our typical place. We had just finished the meal and were in that hazy period between dinner and clearing the table. My grandmother sneezed, and sneezed, and sneezed again. Her sneezing must have lasted for 10 minutes, one blast after the other. There was no consoling or helping her, and then it stopped. Her episodes happened shortly after 7:00 o’clock every single night, usually after she finished her evening meal. Ten minutes of uncontrollable sneezing, then done. The same the next night. Odd.

She had no idea of the cause. Her ten-minute sneezing frenzy occurred regardless of what she ate, so we ruled out food allergies. Perhaps her perfume or laundry detergent triggered this reaction. Then why would sneezing occur only around 7:00 in the evening? Maybe the ocean breeze? No, it was not limited to Atlantic City; evening sneezes were an event at her apartment in Philadelphia as well. It was a mystery.

On a visit to my parents a few years back, after dinner and before the table was cleared, my mother sneezed. After the first eruption I said “gesundheit” or “bless you” or some other recognition of her sneeze, thinking it was a solo occurrence. My mother brushed it aside with her hand. “Don’t bother,” she said. “It’s going to go on for a while.” For 10 minutes she sneezed in rapid succession and then abruptly stopped. Apparently, like my grandmother, my mother now sneezed every night. A habit or a curse, I’m not sure which, passed from mother to daughter.

I am expecting the nightly sneezing affliction to start with me sometime in the next few years. And in thirty years’ time, I will likely pass this family habit to my kids. I am happy to pass down my love of food and cooking to my children, a nightly fit of sneezing, we could all do without.

Jeannette’s Brownies

Going through my grandmother’s recipe box I found three cards for brownies, all the same recipe, written at different times. Two are in her scrawl, the other typed. One is faded almost beyond recognition, and all are worn and spattered with food. The ingredients are clear, however, none state the size of dish to use. I’m sure she had a specific pan in which she baked her brownies, so she saw no need to note its size. Some simple internet research using the quantity of ingredients allowed me to conclude that a 9 X 13 pan would work perfectly.

When I tested her recipe, the brownies came out of the oven looking dull rather than shiny brown. I was disappointed, thinking they would be more cake-like rather than fudgy, which I prefer. But after they cooled, they were a delicious fudgy brownie from scratch.

My grandmother’s recipe, updated here, did not call for any add ins. I found that ¾ of a cup of chocolate chips – some added to the batter and the rest sprinkled on top before baking – made for an especially rich dessert. Nuts would be a delicious addition as well.

While store-bought, boxed brownie mixes were my go-to for years, because they’re not bad overall and quite simple to make, Jeanette’s recipe takes only a little more effort and is superior in taste and texture. Plus, every time I prepare them from now on, I will be honoring her memory by cooking one of her many recipes.

makes one 9 X 13 pan of brownies, 45 minutes, plus cooling time

2 sticks butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp. table salt

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate (such as half a bar Baker’s brand), melted

¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks (optional)

cooking spray or additional butter to grease pan

1. Preheat oven to 350 ^oF.
2. Cream butter in a large bowl. Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla, and combine.
3. In a separate bowl mix flour and salt, then stir into butter mixture.
4. Break unsweetened chocolate into pieces, place in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat in 15 to 30-second increments in a microwave, stirring well between each heating, until fully melted. Add melted chocolate to the batter and mix in.
5. Stir in ½ cup of the chocolate chips or chunks, if using, until distributed evenly throughout the batter.
6. Grease a 9 X 13 pan with cooking spray or butter and pour in batter. Spread to an even thickness with a rubber spatula and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips or chunks, if using, over the top.
7. Place it in the preheated oven and cook until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 minutes, rotating once about halfway through.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting and serving.

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