It just looked and smelled so good. Pink, billowy, fluffy cotton candy. As it was being freshly spun in the huge tub I couldn鈥檛 stop my mouth from watering. I tried to talk myself out of buying it because I find it difficult to eat. My fingers and face get so sticky that after a few bites I鈥檓 left with sugary residue all over everything.
Some of our more delicious foods are just downright messy to eat; buttered corn on the cob, watermelon, ribs, peaches, filled pastries, and so on. No matter how hard we might try, it seems inevitable that butter, juice, sauce or jelly will run down our face and fingers and cause a sticky, yet quite delicious, mess.聽
I don鈥檛 attempt anything wrapped in a tortilla anymore. I cut it into pieces before I even start because I know that鈥檚 where I am going to end up. As for burgers, well, knowing the inevitable outcome doesn鈥檛 stop me from adding toppings I know will squeeze out the sides of the bun on first bite and end up all over my mouth or plopping on the plate in front of me.
Ah鈥hose wonderful foods associated with summer that squirt, splatter or spray all over. Our tongues might fight valiantly to catch the drips and streams of gooey goodness, but more often than not those dribbles end up on our cheeks and chin, or the back of our hand as we wipe away the errant mess.聽
Our youngest daughter was about eight years old when we were at a theme park sitting on the sidewalk just prior to a parade. While we waited, we got ice cream treats which had to be eaten quickly because they were melting pretty fast. After the parade we stood up to make our way to another area of the park when we saw the state of our eight-year-old. Her t-shirt and hands, shorts and legs were covered in melted ice cream. She was one sticky mess.聽
We headed to the closest bathroom to get her washed up and then to the park鈥檚 shopping area to find her a new outfit鈥攕omething her older sister, to this day, laughingly insists was part of her plan all along. As we talked about it later we asked why she didn鈥檛 say something as her ice cream was melting all over her. With the biggest smile she said, 鈥淚 was having too much fun.鈥�
I loved that. Too much fun to complain about being sticky. Too much fun to worry about stained clothes. Too much fun to stop what she was doing.
There is a lengthy list of foods people are cautioned to avoid on first dates. Tacos, pizza, wings, spaghetti, shellfish and burgers are said to be the most troublesome because they are hard to eat delicately and you won鈥檛 look good in front of someone you are trying to impress. My thought? If you鈥檙e a rib eater, let your date see you eat ribs! Why pretend? It鈥檚 like the comedian who was giving relationships a reality check and advised, 鈥淒on鈥檛 even think about getting married until you鈥檝e seen each other battle at least one bad flu.鈥� Don鈥檛 give the impression the only food you eat is what will keep you immaculately clean, if that鈥檚 not the case. Getting real more quickly is better in the long run. Besides, wouldn鈥檛 we rather be with the person having too much fun, anyway?
We are in the months when we eat more of these ooey, gooey, drizzly, drippy meals and treats than at any other time. There鈥檚 just something about good food, sunshine and outdoor eating that makes these delicious messes just so good. But I wonder what will make things taste the best鈥攖he fact that it is summer at its food gooiest or that we will once again be sitting around picnic tables and fire pits with the people that bring such flavor to our lives.
Think back on the past months for just a moment. What did you miss most? Your grandparent鈥檚 comfy furniture? Your friend鈥檚 high end kitchen finishes? Not likely. We missed them鈥攖he people we love. So let鈥檚 cherish being able to get back to people who won鈥檛 care if we have sugar caked around our lips or sauce dripping down our fingers. It鈥檚 all the more delicious when we can simply be with the people who want nothing more than to be with us. That鈥檚 my outlook.
