Book Club

So Thursday night was book club. The book was On Beauty, by Zadie Smith. My acolyte served red beans and rice as a nod to her Louisiana heritage and because the only cooking mentioned in the book is soul food. For dessert there was pudding in individual fancy dessert cups. Gretchen approves of individual fancy dessert cups, or really individual fancy anything.

The secret to good pudding is to get only the cook'n'serve (not instant) variety. If you want it to be rich enough to serve for company, replace each cup of milk called for with 1/4 cup of cream and 3/4 cup water. While it's cooking, stir in a couple of tablespoons of fancy "European drinking chocolate" mix. Frankly, I find the whole "European drinking chocolate" idea a bit ludicrous because, well, it's hot chocolate and this is America. However, I will grant that it makes very rich and delicious hot chocolate, and does an excellent job of pumping up pudding mix. If you don't have any European drinking chocolate (my acolyte used a bit each from both Trader Joe's and Target), you can add extra cocoa powder; be sure to taste to see if you need to sweeten it a little more as too much cocoa will make it bitter. If you plan to serve in individual dessert cups, which I strongly recommend (Gretchen likes good presentation), pour the hot pudding directly into the cups so that each cup gets its own individual little pudding skin. Top with whipped cream from a can.

There was not much discussion of the book. There was, however, plenty of discussion of gynecological care. I myself do not require any such care, but I approve of preventive health care in others, especially if it leads to hilarious incidents involving fuck-me boots and paper gowns.