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Sunday, May 10, 2020

Quarantine Cooking in Times of Tragedy

I had a better day Friday. At least I made it through most of the day without bursting into tears. This is such an odd time to be grieving since there is/will be none of the typical corporate sadness. I don't know about other parts of the country, but here when someone loses a family member, everybody and their brother rushes to the door with food. I have actively told everyone who has contacted me to please bring nothing since it is just TheHub and I here. Even though our governor has loosed restrictions on staying in place,  I am still staying away from people, plus 2 of my sons are in states with stiff restrictions Additionally I do not want any of them flying right now. We are having a very small private funeral service at the columbarium in our church courtyard. It will offer Jan and me some closure but there will be no extended family gathering following the service. We are saving that for a memorial service at some future date when Sons 1 and 3 and their families can be here, along with our extended family and friends. Mom would love knowing she was going to be the focus of two separate events.

I spent a decent amount of time making preparations for Mom's service and I started laughing thinking about a book I read a long time ago called "The Sweet Potato Queens Book of Love". They had a section of recipes called funeral food. As I said above it is tradition to have pound cakes, and platters of fried chicken along with casseroles of every kind just appear at your door, with a card or note expressing love and sympathy. Instead, in these weird times, I have had flowers and cards and a bakery pound cake delivered with the same sentiments.  I do appreciate my friends and my cousins Debbie and Sandy for remembering me and Jan at an approved safe distance. Even so, I was really wanting something comforting (i.e. chocolate)

The Sweet Potato Queens had a recipe call Chocolate Stuff which is good for whatever ails you after any tragedy (death, lost love, stumped toe, favorite pants got bleach on them). Since I am staying at home anyway I thought I would make us some to drown our sorrow. What could possibly be better than some delicious baked chocolate goo?

According to the Boss Queen, Jill Conner Browne, this recipe will feed 2-6 queens depending on their level of stress and anxiety. When I made it we had enough for 2 generous servings plus at least two more that were refrigerated and eaten two different times later (BTW cold chocolate goo is pretty dang good also)

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 pinch of salt

Mix the ingredients well

1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter
2 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt the butter and stir in the cocoa. I used 1 1/2  (heaping) tablespoons regular cocoa powder and 1/2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder cause I like my chocolate a bit on the dark side. Then stir every thing into the egg mixture. When the chocolate is all blended add a teaspoon of vanilla. Let is splash over the edge of the measuring spoon just a tad. A little extra vanilla does nothing but make this stuff better.

And now this is how the magic begins. Spray a standard loaf pan with non stick cooking spray (be generous) Spoon the mixture into the loaf pan. Set the loaf pan inside another pan  and add water until the bottom pan is almost filled to the top. Stick that into a 300 degree oven and leave it totally alone for at least 45 minutes. You want to have a delicious crunchy top with a lovely gooey bottom. I will confess I let mine cook about 55 minutes, because I wanted a little more crunch on the top but wanted all that delicious soft runny chocolate in the bottom.



How it looks when it is ready. The edges look I burned it a tad but I didn't. It is just the light and shadows for. picture taken with the phone moments before we dung into it. The photo below is the second bite of the still warm goo from the bottom of the pan.



I cannot even begin to tell you how delicious this stuff was. I ate mine warm in a bowl with a small spoon so I could savor every single bite. TheHub opted to throw a scoop of vanilla ice cream on his, which made it perfection for him. (I still think the addition was overkill)


If you want to, before baking you can throw in a bunch of chopped pecans, but if the objective is to have chocolate therapy why bother?

After eating it I pronounce it a pretty good remedy for the blues. The next time you are in the dumps give it a whirl and maybe send good thoughts to the Sweet Potato Queens of Jackson, Mississippi.




28 comments:

  1. Half a world away I am salivating.
    Thank you.
    And hugs.

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    1. It is pretty darn tasty. I let TheHub have the last serving because that is where I hid all the calories.

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  2. Oh my that looks good and chocolatey! Thanks for sharing! Best wishes for a great week.

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  3. Delicious! Just the ticket for sorrow and maybe a little reminder of Mom's chocolate cake?

    I like your line about bleach on favourite pants, that kind of thing can cause a long standing sense of loss!

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    1. Loss is relative. I never own anything in my wardrobe that can't easily be replaced, but I have had friends who weep when one of their better items gets ruined. I would much rather mourn people than things, but the summer I broke my little toe 5 times did cause grief (or at least pain)

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  4. I LOVE the Sweet Potato Queens series, and the recipes. That picture with the goo makes my teeth hurt, I am salivating so much. I think our taste in chocolate is in sync. I like it on the dark side and a little extra vanilla can only be a good thing.

    It was good you and your sister had the service, and a second service will be good for all. I think the lack of Southern traditions--food and all the hugs--must make these times a lot harder. We have to learn a new and not a better way of grieving. If I had not just had a choco fudge supreme Blizzard from DQ, I would be in the kitchen mixing this up. You are right about the chocolate not needing ice cream.

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    1. I think it is the lack of having someone ring the doorbell, just to say they are sorry is what is lacking. My friends have been wonderful to call but there has been no personal connection except for my sister, TheHub, BIL, Son2 and DIL2

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  5. Chocolate does soothe the soul, I am glad you had something in the house to fill the need. Very good idea to have a second service later for all your family, people still need closure that don't go to the small original service and it will give them that.

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    1. And ps next time someone I know has a death in their family, they are getting chocolate whether they want it or not

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    2. Chocolate and really good music are what it takes to make the troubles of the world disappear for a bit.

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  6. I like your tradition of people bringing food to the funeral house. We have something similar in my birth culture, too. In fact, we don't cook in the house until after the funeral. But, I think your chocolate dessert is the ultimate comfort food! I would want a scoop of vanilla ice cream on mine, too, though! I think your decision to wait until later to have the family gather for a memorial service is the right decision. (((HUGS)))

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    1. Thank you Bless. Food and Southern culture go hand in hand. I guess that is why we are plump little dumplings here!

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  7. Looks wonderful and oh so comforting!

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  8. I know exactly what you mean about people bringing food to the house. It is a welcome sight when you are distracted by so many other things. I'm glad you were able to provide a bit of comfort food for yourself. IF that cake tastes half as good as it tastes, it much be fantastic.

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    1. I think what is lacking is the formality of planning a funeral, and the people. This is like something that is not real since the service is going to be for just 7 people with Sons 1 and 3 via FaceTime.

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  9. That looks delightful! Add a small scoop of vanilla uce cream and I'd get my fat too.

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  10. I made a pan of brownie yesterday. We must be kindred spirits... But, even the chocolate did not lift me up.
    Bringing food to the house is a custom over here too. When dad passed, I gained 10 pounds within 2-3 weeks due to carbs galore.

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    1. I hope things are looking up for you and your family.

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  11. Oh my goodness, I'm just catching up & I am so, so very sorry to hear about your mom. Big hugs to you. Sending you & your family good thoughts right now

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  12. I have not made chocolate goo puddings in so long but when I did, I had to make it again because it was really good. Ultimate comfort food when you literally feel like face-planting a chocolate volcanoe. I understand completely!😂💜

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  13. I forwarded the recipe to my daughter who thinks this is similar to something she has had in a restaurant once and loved. She is planning to make it today!

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