In This Edition Of Our Somewhat Weekly Magazine:
- America’s Favorite Dessert
- Pizza Peppers For Two
- The Varnum’s Food Fare
Our Favorite Quote Of The Week ~ “The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” – Ellen Parr
America’s Favorite Dessert – Just a week shy of the 4th of July at this writing. Name one thing, besides burgers, corn and hot dogs, that still appears on the Independence Day potluck table? Anyone say Jell-O? The famous wiggly treat was dubbed “America’s Favorite Dessert” in a 1904 marketing campaign, years before it became a cultural icon. Gelatin has been a dessert delicacy since the 15th century. The process for making it involved boiling cow and pig hooves for long hours. And that’s just the beginning. A precursor to Jell-O was almost patented in 1845 by the inventor of the first American-built locomotive, Peter Cooper. He called his water reconstituted powder, “Portable Gelatin.” Not a very catchy name. Jell-O is the creation of Pearle and May Wait, a Rochester, NY couple in the cough syrup and, hmm, laxatives business. The year was 1897. The history of Jell-o is full of wiggly twists and turns. Learn more in this sweet and informative article: The Jiggly History of Jell-O.
Pizza Peppers For Two – Preheat oven to 400. Cut 2 green bell peppers in half (or red or yellow to taste). Remove seeds and ribs. Place on foil lined baking sheet. Bake on middle rack for 20 minutes. In a large bowl, mix 2 cups seasoned diced tomatoes, 1 cup shredded Mozzarella and 2 cups chopped pepperoni. Remove peppers from oven, but leave on baking sheet and keep oven on. Fill generously with pepperoni mixture. Sprinkle each with 1 tbsp grated Parmesan (or more). Return to oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until Parm turns golden brown. Optional: Garnish with fresh basil.
The Varnum’s Food Fare – “Fresh Delicious Poems from the Farmers’ Market.” Alabama poet and novelist Irene Latham is joined by Massachusetts illustrator Mique Moriuchi in this celebration of nature’s bounty. Moriuchi works primarily with paint, scissors, paper and glue. The idea of a collage is rather fitting for the work at hand; A basketful of fresh eggs, corn, onions, bell peppers, basil, peaches and even wild honey, playfully illustrated and garnished with short bursts of imaginative poetry. Cucumbers and all manners of fresh produce come to life as though they were plucked directly from a child’s imagination: “The cucumbers at the farmers’ market are fresh. They are also a fleet of green submarines in a wicker sea.” This was just an appetizer. Hungry for more? Explore this food fare at Varnum Memorial Library or your own local library!
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