October 14, 2020 (Wednesday)
Today is National Dessert Day. What’s your favorite. I’m not sure what mine is, but I remember well what it was when I was a kid: Strawberry Short Cake topped with real whipped cream. That was a special treat. We did not have dessert every day, and strawberry short cake was a rare treat.
Later I was introduced to sweet potato pie, and that became my favorite until I ate too much one day. Years elapsed before I could try it again.
Ann Pogue made me a pound cake for my birthday, and was it ever good. Best I ever ate. Dwight got a piece but I ate the rest within a week. Delicious. Superb. Wonderful. Did I say it was the best pound cake I ever ate in my life? Thank you, Ann!
I like desserts that require no preparation, like the banana I had today. Sliced into bite-size pieces in a small bowl, flavored with chocolate syrup (not too much), and then topped with vanilla wafers. No cooking. Just eat and enjoy.
I have shared my apple crisp so-called recipe with my audience several times I think. Cut up an apple, lightly salt, sprinkle on cinammon, then sugar, then crumbled graham crackers, top with butter pads, drizzle a little water into the mix, microwave for 5 minutes. Top with ice cream (or cool whip, but it evaporates quickly), and enjoy. Nothing to it.
After school snacks when I was a kid included buttered and sugared toast. Cinammon if available. If not, OK, just go with butter, sugar and bread. Tastes too good to a hungry kid after school to be less than nutritious.
Fruit was a big thing with all my cousins, but not with us. Even when we had fruit, I was never into that for whatever reason I don’t know.
One day we had a fresh coconut. It was opened up and I drank some of the milk. Ugh! Never again. I think my grandmother grated the coconut “meat” and probably made a pie.
I never got into fresh pineapples. A lot of trouble, and why bother when you can buy it in all types, shapes, sizes, etc. I sort of lost interest in pineapples when I was in Okinawa and discovered that many farmers of pineapples used fertilizer made from products you would not want to know about.
I guess we had all the other common fruits, but not as much as other people.
One of my favorite desserts is made by Charolette Moncrief in Ingleside. She always had a big bowl of her special banana pudding at the church dinners. Some folks ate that dessert first so they would be sure to enjoy it to the fullest before everyone else got into it. It isn’t your plain old run of the mill banana pudding. It is special.
In addition to desserts, we keep a bowl full of bite-size candy. And peppermint lozenges. For those moments when all you need is a little touch of sweetness.
Oh, well, I guess that enough barnstorming desserts for a while. Celebrate this special day by enjoying your favorite dessert.
OR, you can listen to this one (but not both at the same time):
The Candy Man
As sung by Sammy Davis, Jr.
Words, Anthony Newley
Music, Leslie Bricusse
1971
Who can take a sunrise (who can take a sunrise)
Sprinkle it with dew (sprinkle it with dew)
Cover it with choc’late and a miracle or two
The Candy Man (the Candy Man)
Oh, the Candy Man can (the Candy Man can)
The Candy Man can
‘Cause he mixes it with love
And makes the world taste good (makes the world taste good)
Who can take a rainbow (who can take a rainbow)
Wrap it in a sigh (wrap it in a sigh)
Soak it in the sun and make a groovy lemon pie
The Candy Man (the Candy Man)
The Candy Man can (the Candy Man can)
The Candy Man can
‘Cause he mixes it with love
And makes the world taste good (makes the world taste good)
Now you talk about your childhood wishes
You can even eat the dishes
Oh, who can take tomorrow (who can take tomorrow)
Dip it in a dream (dip it in a dream)
Separate the sorrow and collect up all the cream
The Candy Man (the Candy Man)
Oh, the Candy Man can (the Candy Man can)
The Candy Man can
‘Cause he mixes it with love
And makes the world taste good (makes the world taste good)
Talk about your childhood wishes
You can even eat the dishes
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Who can take tomorrow (who can take tomorrow)
Dip it in a dream (dip it in a dream)
Separate the sorrow and collect up all the cream
The Candy Man (the Candy Man)
The Candy Man can (the Candy Man can)
The Candy Man can
‘Cause he mixes it with love
And makes the world taste good (makes the world taste good)
Yes, the Candy Man can
‘Cause he mixes it with love
And makes the world taste good (makes the world taste good)
A-Candy Man, a-Candy Man, a-Candy Man
(Makes the world taste good)
A-Candy Man, a-Candy Man, a-Candy Man
(Makes the world taste good)
A-Candy Man, a-Candy Man