Tonight is a night for pudding.
Pudding was one of the things we "made" as kids. Sure, it came out of a square box and you just added milk, but it was "cooking" to us kids.
Now that I'm grown up, I make it from scratch.
But, today, I just wish I could be a kid again.
Because then my friend, Lisa would live 5 houses down the street and we would play all the time. Sleep overs. Picking pill bugs in the garden. Forming clubs...complete with membership cards in the backyard clubhouse.
Lisa and I went to separate colleges and would lose touch for stretches of time over the years. Last May, I called her dad and got her phone number in Minnesota. As it has always been in our lives, we picked up like we just saw each other last week. I wished her happy birthday, and she was filled with news! She was in school getting her Master's degree, her four kids were healthy and happy, and she was engaged to a her college friend. After an uneventful one date in college, they reconnected after all these years.
Then, after a few emails and our usual promises of keeping in touch again, time just flew by...
I'm in shock and sad. And guilty that I didn't know sooner and worked harder to keep in touch. Sometimes, I know more about people in my "blogging" world than someone I've known since the 2nd grade.
Oh yeah, that nice guy from college? He married her as soon as he found out. So congratulations Lisa and Jason on your recent nuptials...and kick this cancer in the butt.
For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Garrett of Flavor of Vanilla picked Split Level Pudding, pages 384- 385 of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours.
I only made 1/4 of the recipe. I used milk chocolate for the ganache and it came out a bit hard (my 1/4 measurements may have been off too). I made the vanilla pudding using just a whisk and skipped the food processor. I sifted the cornstarch and salt mixture instead of food processing it. The small amount was fine with a whisk, but if I make the full recipe, I'm going for the food processor. It only too a few minutes for the pudding to thicken.
It was good and just what I needed today. - mary
Posts
38 comments:
oh, I am so sorry about your friend. My husband's mother is just going through the same thing
Sounds like Lisa has at least one great man, one good friend and many good memories to get her through the challenging times ahead.
So sorry to hear about Lisa's diagnosis. Best wishes to her.
Your pudding looks fantastic! My ganache was hard too so you weren't alone and I used the bittersweet chocolate. It definitely didn't look anything like Dorie's photo in the book.
Your story about your friend is so touching. I am sorry to hear that about her but at least you found out and were able to talk to her about it. : ) btw that pudding looks tasty and so elegant.
Don't be too hard on yourself but be there for her if you can, she will pull through this... on a more funnier note.... when you said split level I thought you were talking about a house!
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. It's wonderful she has a supportive husband to weather this storm with her.
Ciao, my name is Alessandra, I'm from Italiy. I don't speack english very well, excuse my.
Your Blog is very very nice and your recepts too. Compliments!
Ciao Alessandra
I am sure she would love your pudding, and be touched with your remembrances of childhood, the pudding in particular. These look wonderful - what a fitting and perfect dessert - pudding IS so nostalgic, no matter what era.
I am so very sorry to hear about your friend's diagnosis. I will keep her in my prayers, and you, too. When I first graduated from college, I worked in a doctor's office with a very large number of breast cancer patients. It's a scary disease, but I was so impressed with the strength and fortitude of so many patients. Good luck to Lisa in her treatment, I hope she kicks the cancer in the butt.
My heart goes out to both you and your friend - I'm gonna bet that if she's anything like you, she's a fighter and will kick this thing quicker than you can even imagine. In the meantime, some pudding to make the years rewind back to simpler times is always a good thing, right?
I'm sure your friend will kick cancer in the butt!
My heart goes out to your friend. I will keep her in my prayers.
What a sweet and sad story. I'll be sending your friend Lisa lots of good thoughts. Your pudding looks delicious and comforting.
It's so unfortunate to hear that your friend is going through so much, but she is fortunate has wonderful friends like you and her great spouse to support her through this.
I wish Lisa all the best and a speedy recovery.
Linda
what a tragedy about your friend - sending her all my well wishes :)
Your pudding on the other hand looks DELICIOUS! I would have that for breakfast right now!
I am so sorry to hear about your friend... Sending virtual hugs and hope she can get over it.
That being said, the pudding looks really nice.
Sometimes life just sucks, doesn't it? I'm sorry to hear about your friend - and it sounds as though she has a terrific support system in place.
Definitely a night for pudding - and for good measure, I would throw in a bowl of macaroni and cheese!
Sending good vibes to your friend! Cancer schmancer, she can totally kick it's ass.
Adorable! I must give this a try!
Wow. I am so sorry to hear about Lisa. She'll fight it! And she'll overcome it! She is definitely in my prayers.
Someone in my life was recently diagnosed as well. She is trying to fight it and to live every day to the fullest. Best wishes to your friend.
so sorry to hear this. sounds like you and lisa have the kind of friendship where, even if you loose touch from time to time, she knows you will always care about her very much...the two of you are lifetime clubmembers.
I'm very sorry to hear of your friend's disgnosis! Hope all goes well with her battle.
~ingrid
I'm sorry to hear about your friend. I'm sure she will fight this battle coming out healthy.
I am so sorry about your friend but she sounds like a fighter. I understand wishing you were in second grade and making pudding together.
Again, so sorry to hear about your friend, but she will kick cancers booty! Especially with the support of people like you. Glad you had this comforting pudding. :)
It is always sad to hear of friends or loved ones who are ill. And it's worst when we realized we never made too much of an effort to keep in touch. It's happened to me before. I guess we can only pray that Lisa gets better.
I hate cancer! I can't even tell you how much.
I am so sorry for your friend. Hopefully the treatment will be effective and she will recover quickly. I am glad you were able to reconnect with her though. Good friends make these types of situations so much better.
I am sure the pudding helped too. It looks beautiful.
Boy! a proposal after the "sentence" of cancer is a kick in the butt and a poke in the eye to the "verdict!" He must be one hell of a guy! wonderful wonderful hope in that marriage!
My "Gammy" used to make pudding with me "from scratch" and all in French. It was her way of killing 2 birds with one stone - a french lesson and a yummy treat :) I still make it her way .... but my kids "discovered" jello pudding at the next door neighbor's house (the beginning of corruption?) and they like that one too.
You are all so AMAZING- your love and thoughts encourage me greatly. Thank you!!! (I start chemo on tuesday... ) Thank you- each of you. And yes- my wonderful husband is a miracle. Thank you Mary- you never need to feel bad.... I did not call either.... let's meet in the middle and walk back and forth between houses, okay? Ok, maybe we can go play on the gocart!
I hope your friend gets better soon!
Mary, I am so sorry to hear the news about your childhood friend. It was so thoughtful of you to connect with her. I know she feels your connection between the miles and the years that have past. That's such a comfort to her I'm sure. Now to the pudding I say yes, what a comfort pudding is and how beautiful your photos are. I loved making it and even made it again yesterday for a meal I made for a new Mom. She loved the chocolate surprise on the bottom. hehe Beautiful job.
AmyRuth
I'm going to go call my best friend! ;)
Sounds like your friend has some good odds with all the people rootin' for her full recovery!
My mom is a two-time breast cancer survivor. I will think positive thoughts for your friend Lisa and say a prayer for her too. I am glad she has you as a friend.
Sending positive vibes your way for you and your friend:) What a wonderful post! And your pudding looks fantastic!!!!
Lisa, you're a fighter girl--kick cancer's ass.
Mary hang in there and eat those puddings because they look wonderful. Although I bet they are all gone by now...
Cancer can definitely Suck it! This pudding rocked, and yours looks great. I hope everything goes well with both your friend's chemo and your friendship. Old friends are the best friends.
Pudding is the ultimate comfort food, and I'm glad you had some to help you with the news. Lisa is lucky and a fighter, and with support of her friends and loved ones, she'll be ahead of the game.
Post a Comment