Food for the Gods Molasses, Date, and Walnut Squares

Wrapped in foil and all colors of cellophane, Food for the Gods was Lola’s Christmas gift to us grandkids, as if we were little immortals deserving of such grace. (Since her death, my mom has carried on the tradition, and hopes one day to pass it on to us.) These bars, like Lola’s, come out golden and dense, loaded with butter, molasses, dates gone almost gooey in the oven and so lovely to chew, and walnuts with their luscious oils and reliable crunch. It’s fruitcake reincarnated as fudge,