Vicki Reese's Top 5 Desserts

For those who know me, I am the victim of multiple food allergies/sensitivities. But there are times when even I can't resist the lure of a good dessert. Yes, I know I'll probably pay for it, but some are just worth it. And food plays a part in all my stories, whether it's lobster fettuccine or apple pie, cooking can be hot! These may be my top five, but believe me, cutting the list to five was hard! I have a serious sweet tooth and dessert? Just yum!!!

1. Cheesecake - make it any kind, any flavor, but give me cheesecake! And it had better be the rich, New York kind. If I'm going to suffer for it, it had better be worth the effort. 

2. Creme de menthe parfait - I love strong mint flavors and this delivers. Add a few chocolate sprinkles in there, and yum!!!

3. Lemon cream cake - I had this once at a restaurant and nearly fainted with pleasure. Six thin layers of soft, moist cake interspersed with tart lemon cream, covered with smooth, sweet-tart icing. I wish I could remember the restaurant and I've tried making it myself, but it was never quite as good. Maybe the memory is better than the cake was, but dang, that was good!

4. Peach cobbler with fresh whipped cream - actually, any kind of cobbler, be it apple, blueberry, cherry... those juicy fruits topped with crispy crust warm from the oven, topped with dobs of whipped cream or homemade ice cream. 

5. My brother's homemade ice cream - especially his teaberry ice cream. A favorite with our entire family, though plain vanilla topped with all sorts of yummy toppings is right up there. My dad started the tradition and used to pick his own teaberries. Today, they're hard to find so we use the store-bought flavored candies, but, again, the memory that attaches to this treat... I can't wait for summer so we can churn some out! As kids we used to do the hand cranking and fight over who got to lick the "paddles". Today, electricity has replaced kid labor, but the paddles still get top priority! The ice cream is light pink with a wintergreen taste and there's nothing quite like it. So good.