Not as Good as it Looks

When I was about four years-old I went to the supermarket with my mother- a regularly uneventful event. On this particular shopping trip I was given the opportunity to pick a treat for myself. And I chose a pink Snowball. I chose it because it was pink. My mother told me that I would not like it, but I didn't care; it was pretty. She tried to warn me that it would not as taste as good as it looked, but I insisted. I remember returning home and getting a huge mouthful of marshmallowy, pink, stringy-ness. I was devastated. I also have a very vivid memory of my dad taking a small bite and saying, "Ah Stef, this is so great. Yummy." This was his effort to rescue me from my tantrum; his dad way of saying, "Listen kid, it really tastes like crap, but it's not the end of the world, as you are acting like it is." I'm sure he tried to divert my attention to my Fisher Price farmhouse or a board game. But, I had none of it. I'd heard this tone before. Like the time he told me, "Mmmmmm, just put more ketchup on the meat-loaf. It tastes great." I didn't subscribe to this drama simply to appease my mother. (I must say I am not a picky eater, and my mother, God bless her, only made meat-loaf for us once. After no one ate it, she never made it again. I think my dad actually enjoyed the stuff, but none of us girls would touch it.)

My experience with the pink snowball made me mad. How could something so pretty taste so disgusting? However, this is why I was not as surprised when I chose the sprinkled donut. Again, I selected the most visually stimulating of my choices. Donuts were something Memaw bought for us- even if they remained uneaten. Whether she was visiting us, or we were visiting her, a box of donuts was always within reach.

Donuts and sugary treats were not an everyday thing in our home, but were reserved for special occasions- and later Friday afternoons. Fridays after school my sisters and I got to choose a candy bar and a soda from the gas station on our way home. I consistently chose a Milky Way and a Dr. Pepper. My youngest sister always chose Sprite and some sugary candy like Skittles or Starburst or Sour Patch Kids. I never understood why she didn't choose chocolate. It seemed like an obvious choice to me.

This is a little treat called an eti puf that I found downstairs at what I refer to as "The Turkish Market" but it's real name is "Straight from the Market." They offer the freshest produce and dairy products at reasonable prices. But, my favorite are the rare finds - fresh dates, halava, Tahini butter, and Greek yogurt. And now the edi puf. This is a Turkish dessert that is similar to a graham cracker with a marshmallow top. It reminded me of the snowball in appearance but tastes so much less offensive. They sell them 4/ $1.00 at the register and I am a sucker for the "add ons." Pop it in the microwave for about 8 seconds and you have a lazy persons S'Mores.

I am a sugar addict in my old age. I like things now that I never considered in my youth: Twizzlers, Sugar Daddy, Charleston Chews and (my new favorite) LICORICE. Specifically, Good-N-Plenty. Now, I know that this is not "real" licorice, but there is just something about that hard, candy shell! And..... IT'S PINK!!!!