My Year of Sweets

In my Women Writer's class we are reading a book this month called "My Year of Meats."  It is about a woman producing a TV series entitled "My American Wife!" which airs in Japan. It is funded by the beef industry and it's main goal is to promote meat eating in that country.  Each episode features an all American house wife who cooks a meat based meal.  It aires each week for a year.   Incidentally, American promotion of meat in Japan significantly raised their heart disease.  I am not saying anything bad about meat--I grew up on a beef farm and I eat meat regularly.  Just a little FYI.

But that's not what I am writing about.  While I was reading it I was struck by my own eating habits.  Meat is not my downfall. . . sweets are.  So I decided to outline my year of sweets.

MY YEAR OF SWEETS:

January - January is the month of resolutions.  Time to stop eating junk food and get in shape. . . ironically, we start all that off with a big party where we eat crap.  If that is not enough, in my house the Christmas candies are still hanging around (no not my waist--at least not only my waist, the cupboards and counters too).  What. am. I. to. do. . . I have to eat them to get them out of the house--right?!

February - Resolutions die quickly mid month.  Valentine's Day must be accompanied by loads of chocolate--preferably Dark Dove Chocolate. . . and Sees raspberry truffles (I am salivating just typing this). Plus since I bought a chocolate mold I had to try that out in various flavors and fillings.

March - I know what you are saying--"No one eats candy on St. Patrick's Day."  I don't--really.  I don't need to because my birthday is in March.  So I eat cake. . . lots of cake. . . and ice cream.  There is no break in sugar consumption this month.  And even if it wasn't my birthday it is girl scout cookie season.   You know what that means?  I ordered 18 boxes of girls scout cookies--you do the math (what?! it only comes around once a year and I accidentally promised two girls I would buy from them.  I couldn't disappoint). If you want to laugh a few of those calories off that were consumed due to over indulgence of the GS cookies, go here and have a listen--it's worth it.

April - It is only March but I am sure you know what is coming--the stores are stocked up and prepared for April. . . and the upcoming visit from the Easter Bunny.  Who can resist those cadbury eggs?  (Actually I can, but the Dove Truffle eggs do me in!)  The starburst jelly beans tempt me too. . . not the peeps though, never the peeps.

May - By May I am trying to reinstate the whole get fit routine (swimsuit season is looming)  but I have kids. . . and those darn kids like to buy me chocolates for Mother's Day.  You cannot refuse chocolates from your children on Mother's Day--it would be wrong.  So I suffer through and. I. eat. them. I know, it's tough, but that's what mothers do for their children.

June - June should be a sweet free month.  But of course those same darn kids can't leave dad out.  More chocolates -- luckily they tend to be cherry chocolates (which I am not fond of ) or peanut butter cups (which though they are not fond of me, they somehow manage to get into my mouth).  They aren't my chocolates. . . there should be no problem.  I don't know what to tell you.  Except--just because they aren't mine doesn't keep them from sticking to my thighs. . . darn chocolates.  

July - July takes a turn (for the better, really).  Fresh fruit is in season. June/July = strawberries, raspberries, blue berries.  But do we eat them straight and healthy?  Sure. . . and baked in pies and made into jam and added to homemade-straight-cream ice cream. . .  Delicious, sure.  Swim suit friendly?  Hardly.  

August - August keeps up the fresh fruit trends of the summer.  Plus we add more homemade ice cream and Popsicles and blackberries (which turn into jam and cobbler and milk shakes).  Plus all summer the Ice Cream Truck passes by our house every Friday--and we must purchase ice cream.  It is a compulsion I have.  To understand why go here.

September - Whew.  Sweet Free!  (unless you count apples season, and therefore apple pie and cobbler and crisp and applesauce and apple jam. . . but who counts that anyway?).

October - Halloween candy.  Carmel apples. Halloween candy. Bat and pumpkin shaped sugar cookies. Halloween candy.  Pumpkin bread, muffins and cupcakes.  Halloween candy. Rob's birthday cake Halloween candy. . . It is all going down hill from here.  Prepare yourself (But really it's all winter from here on out and what's an extra layer of fat?!  Insulation right?  And who can tell under all those sweaters and coats? No one I tell  you.

November - More sugar cookies (shaped like turkeys and pilgrims) Pumpkin Pie with whipped cream.  Apple pie with ice cream. Berry pie. . .with both!  Pecan pie (it's largely sugar, it doesn't need ice cream or whipped cream, but you will add it!).  Birthday cake for two birthdays. . .

December - The grand climax of the year of sweets.  Candy canes. Penuche.  Carmel. Cookies. White Fudge. Chocolate fudge. English toffee. Peppermint bark. Gingerbread houses. Candy garland. Chocolate oranges. Hot chocolate. Homemade marshmallows. . . .I think I am gaining weight as I type!  I better stop, though the list in far from complete.  There really is something to be said for going out with a bang (or a pop!).  

So you see, avoiding sweets is nigh on impossible.  Would it be wrong to resist?  Please tell me, what kind of year would it be if there was no sugar?  I know I would loose some recently acquired "body texture" if I turned a cold shoulder on sugar.  But I am addicted to a real bad thing and I know the parting will be painful.  

Have you said so long to sugar?  Do you even want to?