A Sweet Tooth = Nice People

I came across an interesting study which indicates that people with a sweet tooth are nicer people.

Researchers from North Dakota State University and Gettysburg College reported in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology that people with a sweet tooth tend to be more agreeable and also more willing to help others.

Well, I sat down and thought about all the people I know known for their sweet tooth, and I think there might be some truth in this correlation.

But then again, I might be a tad biased as in our family we have had three generations of folks with a sweet tooth, and needing a dessert or a touch of sweet to end lunch or dinner.

And I am one of them. Sometimes, fruit can do the job, but definitely not all the time. We need a real dessert made with sugar and everything nice that comes with it. It could be something simple like a piece of chocolate or something more elaborate like the traditional Malay cakes.

One of my Mother’s favorites was ice cream with canned fruit cocktail. This dessert reminds me of the 70s, and sometimes, I serve it with vanilla ice cream for a bit of retro fun.

I like the traditional Malay name for dessert pencuci mulut, which is translated to mean something to cleanse the palate. It sounds courtly, and also makes it sound as if dessert has a beneficial function!

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Musings in July

Unfinished projects, plans not put in motion yet. July, the real half-way mark of the year, often makes us look back at these things. We may feel some guilt.

This is one of my favorite summer photos, taken at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, California.

But then nature is good to us: because July is such a lovely month, we tend not to dwell on our procrastination and shortcomings. Waking up to blue skies and the chirping of birds, it’s easier to feel optimistic and be kind to ourselves.

July is also the National Ice Cream Month. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan declared July as the National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day. This year, July 19 is the day to celebrate this treat that we never outgrow.

The  International Ice Cream Association lists vanilla, chocolate and butter pecan as America’s top favorite ice cream flavors. My favorite is mint chocolate chip.  I like mint in my toothpaste, my chocolates,  tea and cocoa…so you can see why it’s my choice.

If you want a fancy ice cream creation, I think you can’t go wrong with bombe alaska or baked alaska.  I remember the first occasion when my parents let me order it at a restaurant.  Since then, I’ve always associate this dessert with celebrations.

Baked alaska is  a clever mix of ice cream placed on pieces of cake, and covered with meringue. The dish is then baked for a short time in the oven. Somehow, the meringue acts as an insulator, and the ice cream does not melt. The alaska is immediately served, and you get both the browned meringue and the cool ice cream in one heavenly spoon.

Exotic, fancy, or just a simple scoop – ice cream warms the heart while it cools you down.

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