Winter and I Fell in Love Five Times

Dessert: Chocolate Souffle with Trio of Ice Creams

Image by ulterior epicure via Flickr

As I live and breathe, I cannot for the life of me, figure out just exactly where the holidays went.  All of a sudden I find myself staring at a new calendar with a lovely snow scene of wolves standing near a frozen stream.  Winter is finally here and I want it to be summer.  Having been sick for a few weeks has really stolen some time.

Over the holidays I fell in love five times and I will hold them in my heart forever.  I will share with you the intricate details of my romantic meanderings.  Beware though, you may need a wet nap to clean the slobber from your chin.

          “Twill make old women young and fresh; create new motions
           of the flesh.  And cause them long for you know what, if they
           but taste of chocolate.”
                                              James Wadsworth (1768-1844)

My first new love literally fell into my lap by mistake, but I wasted no time in gathering and devouring the sweetness being offered to me.  Yes, I am talking about Starbuck’s Hot Chocolate ice cream.  He (it) is a most delicious kiss of both chocolate and vanilla ice creams swirled in with a hard bodied chocolate fudge.  The way it jumped into my lap, I think I was wanted as much as it was.  It is always nice when a relationship is mutual.

My second and third new loves are cousins and may be foreign, I’m not sure.  I do know I love them passionately and they do not mind sharing.  It is always nice when we share with one another, don’t you think?  Their names begin with Haggen Daz.  So, without further torture I will introduce to you the Mocha Torte ice cream cake.  He is all of the mouth-watering happiness that defines great love, chocolate ice cream.  He wears mocha flavored whipped cream like a perfect three-piece suit.  His sexy five o’clock shadow of chocolate cookie crumbs really sends my heart reeling.  The fedora (garnish) of mocha coffee beans adds style and flair to the suit.  I so love a well dressed man. 

His cousin, White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle ice cream is the hottest sweetest dream a woman could ever hope for.  I mean, talk about sex appeal, this honey has it all wrapped up in one tight package.  He (it) kisses me ever so softly with perfect white chocolate ice cream, delivering a surprise of chocolate fudge truffle tidbits all swathed in ribbons of raspberry.  I allowed this one to linger for some time, having decided he is my favorite of the two cousins.  Such unconditional love is so very hard to find, let alone savor and bask in.

          “When I was a child and the snow fell, my mother always rushed
           to the kitchen and made snow ice cream and divinity fudge egg
           whites, sugar and pecans, mostly.  It was a lark then and I always
           associate divinity fudge with snowstorms.”
                                                  Eudora Welty (1909-2001)

My fourth love is Godiva’s Dark Chocolate ice cream, kisses so delectable I dream of him even when I am awake.  He is well worth sharing my attention with.  This one is something akin to having a massage, but from the inside out.  He took care of nearly all my needs.

My fifth newest love came to me by accident, which made for a nice surprise.  I have been swooning over Tolenti Blood Orange Sorbetto for the better part of a week.  Happily he (it) does not mind sharing me with the others.  I have found that I desire blood orange almost as much as vampires do.

Love may be fickle, but it is also mighty fine and I have been in heaven for weeks now.  I figured I really should share some of this love myself.  I cannot stand the idea of anyone suffering severe loneliness when such grand loves are out there just waiting to be had.  By the way, you can love more than one at a time without gaining weight.  It’s called a little smootch here, a loving kiss there and tiny hugs in the middle.

When I found this Eudora Welty quote I remembered my mother making snow ice cream and soft oatmeal cookies from the leftover morning oatmeal.  It was always such a happy and wonderful experience.  I cannot fathom making snow ice cream now, not with all of the pollution.

Copyright 2011, by Suzie Ashby.

Sour Cream Apple Cranberry Crunch

My dad used to call me from work every night to find out what kind of sweet treat I wanted from the store.  It never mattered what I asked for, he would stop and buy it for me on his way home.  I would stay up late if I had to, just to get that goodie.  I have eating sweets down to a science and enjoy sharing, sometimes.

Filling:

5 Granny Smith apples, peeled cored and sliced.
3/4 cup dried cranberries, re-plumped by soaking in boiling hot water,
         drained.
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
a tiny pinch of nutmeg

Once you have sliced your apples into a mixing bowl, add the lemon juice and toss.  Mix in the remainder of the above ingredients.

Topping:

5 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
4 tablespoons soft butter
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup regular rolled oats

Mix the topping well.  Place filling into a baking pan, I use a large heavy skillet.  Spread the topping evenly over the filling and gently pack it.  Now bake at 400 degrees (my oven cooks a little slow) until bubbly and dark golden.  Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.  I refrigerate any left overs.  I hope you like it as much as I do.


This made me hungry so I’m off to the kitchen for hot coffee and cookies.

Copyright 2010, by Suzie Ashby. 
Photographs Copyright 2010, by Suzie Ashby.  All Rights Reserved.