I was shaken, like countless others this week, by the sudden, tragic loss of a young husband who left behind a young wife and two small children.
The food community has come to Jennifer Perllio’s rescue through words and pictures and pie.
Lots of pie. Pie for Mikey.
Just look at the response to Jennifer’s request to make a peanut butter pie for Mikey on foodgawker, TasteSpotting and The Food Network. And don’t miss this touching video by Todd & Diane from White on Rice Couple.
The food community has wrapped their collective arms around one of their own and shown an extraordinary level of compassion.
Food is love. It’s meant for sharing, for healing and for showing how much we care. It’s for nourishing the soul as much as it is for nourishing the body.
When it comes to matters of the heart, I am extremely private. I am not a group-hug-kind-of-girl. I can count my close friends on one hand, and one of those is my loving husband of 22 years.
But today, Jennifer doesn’t have her husband of 16 years. The only thing I can do, for now, is tell her that I care, that I’m thinking of her, and tell her that I made this smoothie for her … and for him.
And then I’ll hug my husband, as she asked, “like there’s no tomorrow.”
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Smoothie
For Jennifer, in memory of Mikey, with love
Ingredients:
Peanut Butter Layer:
1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
Chocolate Layer:
1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon cocoa
Garnish:
1 teaspoon finely chopped peanuts
1 teaspoon finely chopped semisweet chocolate
Method:
1. Place 1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt, peanut butter and honey in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour in a glass.
2. Place 1/2 cup low fat yogurt and cocoa in the blender and blend until smooth. Pour chocolate layer over the peanut butter layer.
3. Sprinkle top of smoothie with peanuts and chocolate.
Serves 1
