Write Back Weekend Monday "Just Desserts"
It's so funny that this week's TITMT question was about desserts. Well, ok maybe it's not so funny, but it is mildly amusing at least. In order to understand my answer to the question, I have to rewind to the conversation I had with a friend of mine just earlier today.
A few friends and I are meeting for dinner later on tonight. We were talking about how if the waiter we know is there, we can get free dessert. Only something like "free dessert" has never been all that tempting to me. This is because I'm not now, nor have I ever really been, a sweets person. Now that doesn't mean I don't have a favorite dessert or two, I'm just saying given the choice between dessert or a cup of soup, nine times out of ten I'd choose the soup (yes, even if it's summertime).
There are some desserts that have never been tempting to me. For the most part, I can easily resist almost anything that is chocolate. I enjoy a Twix bar or peanut butter cup from time to time, but I never understood the whole chocolate craze. Even when I do want a piece of chocolate, a mini bar like that is good enough. Oh and chocolate yogurt. I like that for some inexplicable reason, too. Like I said, nothing is absolute.
Still, I figured since TITMT questions are more or less the land of the "top five or so answers that are on board" I might as well tell you about five of my favorite desserts, in no particular order, of course, just something I'd like to order, as the case may be. They may have changed over the years, but I'll answer as if I was ordering in present time, not the past. Also note that I stuck with sweet desserts however I whole heartedly acknowledge that sour and salty are equal important, just different is all.
1. Italian Ice- First of all let me preface this choice with an explanation. Depending on where you live, italian ice can come in many different forms and as a result, they are often varying levels of icy goodness. Suffice it to say I've had some italian ices that are fantastic, while I've had others that should be embarrassed to call themselves ice as they are nothing but water with some food coloring and flavored sugar added. A lot of people like the chain of Rita's Water Ice. It's alright, but my heart belongs to a local chain of Italian Water/Cream ices known as Ralph's Italian Ices. The flavors are unique, plentiful and downright delicious.
2. Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake- For some people, any old cheesecake will do. Not this girl. Although I enjoy most cheesecake flavored things, I often finding eating a whole piece of cheesecake to be a bit of a cumbersome task. Like they tend to say, there can be such a thing as too much of a good thing. Cheesecake Factory cheesecake on the other hand has a lighter taste to it that's hard to describe if you've never tried it. I'm not saying it is lighter, au contraire, but that it's something definitely worth trying, especially if you are cheesy, like me.
3. Warm Pumpkin, Apple or Pecan Pie- It was very hard to choose one pie as my favorite, so instead I chose the trifecta of pies, if you will. These three pies are three of my favorite part of the fall season. I know you can technically eat any pie, especially apple, any time of year. But there's just something about a piece of warm pie with a cup of coffee or tea on a warm, fall night. Yum!
4. Pistachio Pudding- To be honest, I think all puddings are delicious and perhaps it's because I don't eat pudding all the time that the charm of a good bowl of pudding is still appealing to me. I chose pistachio because it's the forgotten pudding. Nowadays nearly every flavor you can think of (and even some you never would have) come in easy to serve, on the go packs. All that is, except pistachio. Sure, you can make pistachio instant pudding, but sometimes instant just isn't instant enough. I also love vanilla and butterscotch pudding, among others, but that's not important now.
5. Cinnamon Nut Roll from the diner- This choice is probably the most geographically specific one on the list. New Jersey is known for being the land of the diners and when a diner is good, it is a wonderful thing. Diners are perfect for light meals, big meals and most importantly, great deals. The one diner we always go to gives you dessert with your meal as part of the price. I'm always stuffed by that point because the meal also includes salad bar, soup and the meal itself. Needless to say I almost always take my dessert home for this reason alone. Their cinnamon nut roll is perfect and it can easily serve a dual purpose, as a late snack or an early morning breakfast. Desserts are fun in general, but it's even better when they're versatile.
Now that I've written this entire post before eating dinner it's actually served to make me hungrier and a bit sad that I probably won't have any of these this evening. It's ok. Eating in general is still "sweet" to me!
A few friends and I are meeting for dinner later on tonight. We were talking about how if the waiter we know is there, we can get free dessert. Only something like "free dessert" has never been all that tempting to me. This is because I'm not now, nor have I ever really been, a sweets person. Now that doesn't mean I don't have a favorite dessert or two, I'm just saying given the choice between dessert or a cup of soup, nine times out of ten I'd choose the soup (yes, even if it's summertime).
There are some desserts that have never been tempting to me. For the most part, I can easily resist almost anything that is chocolate. I enjoy a Twix bar or peanut butter cup from time to time, but I never understood the whole chocolate craze. Even when I do want a piece of chocolate, a mini bar like that is good enough. Oh and chocolate yogurt. I like that for some inexplicable reason, too. Like I said, nothing is absolute.
Still, I figured since TITMT questions are more or less the land of the "top five or so answers that are on board" I might as well tell you about five of my favorite desserts, in no particular order, of course, just something I'd like to order, as the case may be. They may have changed over the years, but I'll answer as if I was ordering in present time, not the past. Also note that I stuck with sweet desserts however I whole heartedly acknowledge that sour and salty are equal important, just different is all.
1. Italian Ice- First of all let me preface this choice with an explanation. Depending on where you live, italian ice can come in many different forms and as a result, they are often varying levels of icy goodness. Suffice it to say I've had some italian ices that are fantastic, while I've had others that should be embarrassed to call themselves ice as they are nothing but water with some food coloring and flavored sugar added. A lot of people like the chain of Rita's Water Ice. It's alright, but my heart belongs to a local chain of Italian Water/Cream ices known as Ralph's Italian Ices. The flavors are unique, plentiful and downright delicious.
2. Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake- For some people, any old cheesecake will do. Not this girl. Although I enjoy most cheesecake flavored things, I often finding eating a whole piece of cheesecake to be a bit of a cumbersome task. Like they tend to say, there can be such a thing as too much of a good thing. Cheesecake Factory cheesecake on the other hand has a lighter taste to it that's hard to describe if you've never tried it. I'm not saying it is lighter, au contraire, but that it's something definitely worth trying, especially if you are cheesy, like me.
3. Warm Pumpkin, Apple or Pecan Pie- It was very hard to choose one pie as my favorite, so instead I chose the trifecta of pies, if you will. These three pies are three of my favorite part of the fall season. I know you can technically eat any pie, especially apple, any time of year. But there's just something about a piece of warm pie with a cup of coffee or tea on a warm, fall night. Yum!
4. Pistachio Pudding- To be honest, I think all puddings are delicious and perhaps it's because I don't eat pudding all the time that the charm of a good bowl of pudding is still appealing to me. I chose pistachio because it's the forgotten pudding. Nowadays nearly every flavor you can think of (and even some you never would have) come in easy to serve, on the go packs. All that is, except pistachio. Sure, you can make pistachio instant pudding, but sometimes instant just isn't instant enough. I also love vanilla and butterscotch pudding, among others, but that's not important now.
5. Cinnamon Nut Roll from the diner- This choice is probably the most geographically specific one on the list. New Jersey is known for being the land of the diners and when a diner is good, it is a wonderful thing. Diners are perfect for light meals, big meals and most importantly, great deals. The one diner we always go to gives you dessert with your meal as part of the price. I'm always stuffed by that point because the meal also includes salad bar, soup and the meal itself. Needless to say I almost always take my dessert home for this reason alone. Their cinnamon nut roll is perfect and it can easily serve a dual purpose, as a late snack or an early morning breakfast. Desserts are fun in general, but it's even better when they're versatile.
Now that I've written this entire post before eating dinner it's actually served to make me hungrier and a bit sad that I probably won't have any of these this evening. It's ok. Eating in general is still "sweet" to me!
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