Ahhh...the southern classic, Banana Pudding. The only problem was that I'm not southern and I had never made or eaten this classic. Yet I was in charge of helping Melanie make it for dessert at a party hosted in our honor. Yikes!
I used a Food Network recipe and it was a hit. This is our masterpiece at the banana stage. I knew that once it was coated in a blanket of meringue, it wouldn't look as pretty in a photograph. So here it is so far: Nilla wafers, homemade vanilla pudding and bananas.
Our dear friends, Melanie and Jon (who now live in Birmingham, Alabama) wanted us to experience true southern hospitality during our stay with them. They decided to throw a dinner party, serve "bar-b-que" (which means bar-b-qued pork in Alabama) and asked their friends to bring a southern dish to pass. I tried sweet tea, fried okra, fried green tomatoes and homemade peach ice cream...and then banana pudding!
What a night! It was all delicious, of course, but what I loved most was seeing the smiles, hearing the stories and feeling so welcome.
It is a big deal when a friend moves far away. You call. You write. And you can only hope that they will make friends as nice as these. Good job, Alabama.
