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This fall, I only caved once and headed across the river to fill up, later suffering mightily. Heartburn was the price I paid for stuffing myself with links of yummy piggy. I oinked all the way home, and had Rolaids for dessert.
An Apple a Day
Another super fall favorite is caramel apples. I can't get enough of them. But I've been in denial for years about those delicious treats on a stick.
"Apples are really good for you, so if they've got a bit of caramel and nuts on them . . . what the heck," I'd say, tearing into yet another package.
This year, I've been strong; I've still bought caramel apples, but I've given them to the grandkids, knowing they're better for them than cookies or cake. I satisfy my craving for caramel apples by chasing Honey Crisps with handfuls of unsalted walnuts. But I still miss the caramel and dream of wading in it up to my knees.
Eat Your Heart Out Orville
"When one door closes, another opens," they say, so I've been open to discovering a new snack to satisfy my sweet tooth - one that doesn't have lots of calories and fat. ÊAnd I've found it - kettle corn.
Driving around the countryside looking at the leaves it's common for my good driver to hear, "Stop, there's kettle corn, pull over." The treat is common fare at festivals and we always buy the biggest bag possible saving some for TV watching on Sunday nights when "Mad Men" is on.
Some years ago we hosted some German students from Marbach, our Sister City. I fixed popcorn and one teen sprinkled it with sugar instead of salt. At the time, I thought he was as cuckoo as a Bavarian clock. But now I applaud his good taste.
Now an Endless Supply
Kettle corn is seasonal. It's gone before I know it - but not since a recent discovery. Shopping in Wildwood one afternoon for a snack to eat on the drive home, I saw a display of kettle corn at Dierbergs.
"It probably won't taste like the real thing," I thought, but decided to give it a shot anyway. Purchasing that product was the kiss of death. Every time I make a trip to the city, I have to swing by Dierbergs or Whole Foods just to restock the pantry. The kettle corn comes in a pretty big bag, and I can eat half a bag at a sitting, chasing it down with Diet Pepsi.
Driving home with my hand in the bag, I liken myself to a horse with a feeding bag; it's not a pretty picture. Even though I love horses, I'd prefer not to eat like one.
Relief is in sight. I seriously doubt that there will be kettle corn in Hawaii. Which is really a shame - it would be delicious with a tall glass of fresh pineapple juice, or better yet, a Mai Tai.
