The True Book of Mostly Unrelated Stories

The Ever Popular Sweet Tooth
by John Mooy

Did you ever have a hankering for something sweet? Of course, all of us have. This is all a part of helping us to develop self control. However, there are certain delights that when presented to us we have little to no control. One of life’s small mysteries.  Through the years what we have a craving for may change but not the fact that we would like to have something sweet.

The idea of finishing off a meal with something sweet, dessert, originated in France and has been around for centuries. Pie, cake, cookies, and ice cream are among the favorites we see in Marcellus. To be more specific with this listing we have the option to be specific in naming favorites: cherry pie, chocolate cake, chocolate chip cookies, or mint chip ice cream.

There are times we may have had a variation of the completed dessert. From childhood, we were known for asking if we could “lick the bowl” if your mom was making a cake. Personally, I would just as soon have the cookie dough before the baked cookie. We ate the dough under the risk of salmonella (a bacterial problem in the intestine). That information was usually passed to us by our moms who simply said, “you eat all that and you’ll be sick.” I never knew anyone who contracted salmonella, just like I never knew anyone who had an accident while running with a lollipop in their mouth.

There is one word that usually accompanies sweet tooth and craving which is EXCESS. We’ve even created safeguards so we don’t eat too much of these sweet delectable foods.

I wonder if it was during that first Thanksgiving when one of the Pilgrims looked at the pumpkin pie and said, “I’ll just have a sliver.” That first sliver was then followed by one more sliver and even another. When having one of your favorite cookies why have just one when you can easily accommodate a handful. Ice cream? One scoop or two……..or three.

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While reading this, I’m wondering if perhaps you’re thinking there’s something within your reach that you might enjoy.  

My mom used to make the best popcorn balls and after she had shaped them into a ball they were placed on the kitchen table on newspaper pages. I loved helping myself to one as I walked by the table and they were especially good if they were still warm. I’d walk by the table again and have another.  She also made a very good homemade fudge which I’ll bet a reader or two had a piece at some point in time.  

The phrase “sweet tooth” has been with us for hundreds of years since the late fourteenth century, which comes from an even older term, “toothsome” which means delicious or tasty. The sense of tooth standing in for taste gave rise to sweet tooth, or particularly enjoying sweet tastes.

Wouldn’t it be great if each week you could get a sweet, edible copy of The Marcellus News. It would then be the only newspaper in the world that cares about your sweet tooth.

Have a great week Marcellus,
you’re the best.
How sweet you are.