desserts

I slept over at friends' houses a few times when I was a kid, and I remember some by the dessert that was offered there - even though this was decades ago! Each one seemed to be the most delicious food I'd ever eaten. There were the toaster waffles with sliced fresh strawberries and whipped cream on top. There was the angel food cake broken up and combined with canned peaches and whipped cream, and then chilled in the fridge before serving. There were beignets made by frying in a skillet the biscuit dough that comes in tubes, then sprinkling generously with powdered sugar. I was in my early twenties when a friend's folks served up vanilla ice cream with fresh sliced bananas and strawberries. That sounds simple, but I'd never had ice cream with fresh fruit - it was so good. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on white sliced bread - the only kind around - with a glass of cold milk - that was new to me.

It was good to visit the homes of others, and try new foods.  It was as though the parents embedded themselves forever in my heart by making a special dessert. It's taken me a long time to realize the happiness that came with these foods was a message from my body saying - yes! this is just what you need.