My grandmother made these whenever I visited. Her mother passed the recipe down from her mother. I've healed many a heartbreak over these warm, friendly cookies.

2 c. Crisco (or use half butter/Crisco)
2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
4 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. raisins
1 c. hot strong coffee (brewed)

Combine Crisco and/or butter, brown sugar and 2 eggs thoroughly. Add flour, salt, baking powder and vanilla; mix. Put raisins in water and simmer to plump them.

Place cup of coffee over batter and add soda to coffee. The chemical reaction should produce a great deal of foam which will probably over flow the cup and fall into the batter. After foam dies down, add the remaining coffee/soda mixture to batter.

Finally, add plumped raisins to batter. The batter will seem rather gooey or pasty but that's o.k.

Drop by tablespoons.

Bake at 375°F 11-12 minutes on standard cookie sheet. Place cookies on paper towels to "dry" before placing in the cookie jar (if any are left).