As my regular readers know, some of my personal essays and a poem were published recently in a great little book. Great, because the writing is good, and little, because, well, it’s small. A perfect size, in fact, for a holiday gift for a hostess, mother, stocking stuffer or just for fun. (Only $8.35!)
To give you some idea of the kind of book it is, I thought I’d share some of the pieces with you between now and Christmas. The book’s available at Amazon in either paper or digital form. Here’s a sample of writing from the editor, Lisa K. Winkler, my internet friend. Here you go.
There’s nothing like an ice cream cone. And this summer, there are more flavors than ever to choose from. Creative expression has pervaded ice cream, exposing our palates to culinary experiences akin to dining in ethnic restaurants.
Cheeses- feta, goat, ricotta or blue can be found mixed with fruits and vegetables. Savory spices such as paprika, basil, rosemary, curry, pepper and even garlic are offered next to traditional chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. In New Jersey, the Garden State, I’ve seen “Fresh Corn.” For those who skipped breakfast, maple syrup and bacon flavors abound, and for those thinking salad, there’s olive oil.
Then there are the flavors invented by creative vendors whose names tell the customer nothing. Why don’t the stores tape an explanation of these flavors to the front of the case? Instead, customers have to ask what each is, wasting the scooper’s time and annoying the impatient Little League team waiting in line.
One stand offers a flavor named for the town’s zip code. And “Special Flavor,” which changes all the time. Last visit, it was peach. And the imaginative names, like Dirty Diaper, Elephants Never Forget, and Kong.
GC: Wow – buy the book to read the rest – which includes a recipe for chocolate fudge sauce. Yum.
You can find Lisa on her website, on Facebook and on her blog