Dessert of the Month

Martha Stewart fans will recognize the title as being "a good thing." Normally the dessert of the month is just a picture of pretty food to drool over since I have never before attempted to make it. I didn't expect October 2008's Concord Grape Jam Tart to be an exception until a series of events convinced me that I was meant to spend a third of my Saturday making a tart that we wouldn't get to eat until the next evening.

Last Saturday morning Pav and I headed to our favorite Al-Anon meeting in nearby Takoma Park. It is my favorite meeting not only because it is a large group of committed, wise people with a lot to share, but also because there is free childcare! Thus it was a good situation for all of us: Pav had an active play session with a girl just a bit older than she (and was properly worn out in time for a long afternoon nap), I got a spiritual recharge and motivation to leave behind the beginnings of a fall slump in energy, and Scott got to clean up from breakfast (inducing slight guilt which factors in later) and write his review without interruption. Several people sharing at the meeting mentioned following the guidance of their Higher Power in the previous week which got me thinking about...well we'll get to that later too.

On the drive home I was reminded of a goofy conversation we shared with a friend over lunch the day before. He had mentioned that the fruit stand we were driving past would soon be getting in the first of this fall's "crack cider." As in "the cider is so good, it must have crack in it," and it is, my mouth is watering just writing about it. So I stopped. And guess what else they had: concord grapes. My higher power was speaking to me. And I decided to listen. I mean, I started going to Al-Anon five years ago and have been stuck on Step 3 (of a 12 step program) ever since: Made a a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of our Higher Power. How does a control freak give up control? She makes dessert. What better way to begin Step 3, assuage my guilt over leaving Scott with a mess to clean up all by himself while he was supposed to be working, and leave my fall laziness behind?

After lunch I started on the tart. It was like most other Martha Stewart projects I've tried--harder, and more laborious, than it looks. What was supposed to take 10 seconds with a food processor took me 30 minutes without one. After every step I had to stop and clean up to make room for the next. Scott asked if I was going to take a picture of the tart and I told him I might as well, since I was never going to this much effort for a dessert again. Of course, after we tasted it I agreed we'd have it again, just not for awhile.