Taffy

Butter a 10-by-15-by-1-inch baking pan. In a black iron pot (about 2-quart size), combine the sugar, vinegar, corn syrup, cream of tartar, and margarine. Bring to a boil and cook until it reaches 250 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and quickly stir in the vanilla extract. Immediately pour into the buttered pan. Allow to cool slightly until the edges become firm enough to pull toward the center of the pan. Continue pulling edges toward the center until mixture is firm enough to handle. This mixture will be very hot, so be careful when handling it. Don't butter your hands because this makes it difficult to pull the taffy. When ready to be pulled, the taffy should not stick to your hands. If it does, you can rub a little cornstarch onto the palms of your hands. Holding the taffy in both hands, stretch it to about 12 inches, fold and stretch again. As it starts to pull together easier, you can stretch it to a length of about 18 inches. Continue the stretching and folding process until the taffy turns white and is no longer sticky. On a slightly oiled surface (a formica counter top works well) stretch the candy until it forms a long rope that is about 3/4-inch in diameter. When hardened, lift one end of the "rope" and gently tap it with the handle of a knife, breaking the taffy into sticks about 2 1/2 inches long. Roll each piece of taffy in a small square of wax paper. Twist the ends. Tips for making good taffy: Make it in an iron pot. Don't stir it after it starts to boil. Use a candy thermometer to be sure it has cooked to the right temperature.