I grew up in a house where dessert was never an after-thought. That sweet, final touch to each evening meal was something we were guaranteed to get, no matter the occasion – or lack thereof. Dessert to my family is something you don’t dare question or forget, you indulge in it, enjoy it and most of all you’d better not forget to bring it.
My parents’ freezer is stock-piled with ice cream of a variety of flavours – just in case. There is always a tin or tray of fudge on the counter and more than likely a plate of recently baked cookies a foot away. There is a large mixing bowl on the top shelf of the hutch, filled with candy bars. There are multiple packages of red licorice in one of the cabinets and probably a bag of “goodies” candy-coated black licorice stashed somewhere that sugar-deprived prying eyes won’t think to look. The house always smells of something sweet baking in the oven, even when there is nothing sweet baking in the oven…although there is usually something sweet baking in the oven.
My mother makes the best Nanaimo Bars, the most delicate and delicious pie pastry and one of the most sinfully decadent chocolate cakes I have ever tasted. She is the person who introduced me to sweets and educated my palate with tutorials of ice cream floats, brown sugar sandwiches and empire cookies. I doubt I would enjoy dessert as much as I do if it weren’t for her schooling.
I search day and night for more and more recipes for pleasurable confections and I have a rather large collection of “sweet” cookbooks. Recently I came across *one more* that I simply had to add to my collection and I enjoyed it so much I want to share it with YOU. I have copies of The Sweet Melissa Baking Book: Recipes from the Beloved Bakery for Everyone’s Favorite Treats by Melissa Murphy and am giving them away to the first five people who email me with the answer to the following question…
What was one of the desserts that S. and I served at our wedding? And no, “cake” is not a good enough answer!
Thank you for all the responses but the winners have been chosen and notified.