The Passions of the Butter Tart

My great granmother made these, my grandmother made these, my mother and aunts all made these. My sister still makes the rum version with raisins and walnuts. Fabulous article. This reminded me of my childhood all over again! Thank you.

What a wonderful article - the handwritten recipes are a little piece of history. I treasure the few handwritten recipes I have from my Mother.

"When you’re young, you assume that family lives forever and that there will always be peach cobbler and fresh biscuits from your grandmother and pantry tarts, sugared cranberries and walnut pies from your aunts." Mr. Jackson expressed beautifully what so many of us have experienced and thought.

More of these types of articles would be most welcome.

Great examples of penmenship.

I am a Canadian, home of the real Butter Tart. Currents, not raisins. No vinegar. They are so simple to make and so good. Don't make them complicated.

Looks and sounds delightfully delicious! Just reading the recipe makes me hungry. Excuse me. Gotta make some.

Oh, Canada - the home of peace, order and good government - oh yes, and butter tarts! I love that NYT shared the handwritten recipe cards and the notes written into the recipe books. Thank you!

OMG - Thank you Ms. Bonisteel for the plethora of heirloom recipes for butter tarts. I won't know where to begin or which one to use first. There is something comforting, connecting, exciting and so personal when using a recipe that has been in one's family for decades. I feel as if you have given us readers a treasure chest of secrets and many, many smiles. Thank you again for sharing these gems. I am giddy with glee and excitement for the weekend to bake. Ladies - start your ovens.

Recipes are my very favourite thing to collect. I loved this article.

Oh, my goodness! I was an oceanside New Englander, married into an Ontario farm family, and was taken to a family funeral, and (ca 1964) while holding a cup of tea, popped an unfamiliar object into my mouth. Crisis! Tongue glued to contents. Eventually I salivated and was able to swallow. Afterwards, in the car, I asked my new husband: "What in the world was THAT?" and he answered: "A butter tart. Always served at funerals in rural Ontario." So, after he died ten years ago, I searched high and low for butter tarts for the funeral lunch--our Southern Ontario church no longer made these for funeral lunches--and finally found someone to make 100.

What a heart tug to see my mother-in-law's handwritten recipe, sent in by my daughter. She would never have imagined that her homespun recipe would make it into the NYT. Her legacy lives on!

May I recommend visiting Stratford Ontario for two reasons, to savour a butter tart from Madelyn's and to attend a performance at the World renowned Shakespearean Stratford Festival . I am taking grandchildren to see To Kill A Mockingbird and then to get a huge butter tart with pecans or bacon or coconut! Heavenly.