TALES AFTER THANKSGIVING

I don't know what it is about gumbo that causes it to taste progressively better each day. 

Yesterday, I had the obligatory turkey sandwich, but today, the gumbo made it's first appearance since Thanksgiving. 

My daughter added the crab meat we'd decided against on Wednesday night. 

I honestly don't know why I don't prepare gumbo more often. It was nice to have my mother's recipe and my big sister (whose gumbo is fantastic) only a phone call away. 

Yeah, it's an expensive dish, but it's the kind of thing you don't tire of eating. My big sister was right. Just a few hot sausages in addition to the smoked and andouille sausage were perfect.

On another foodie note, when a friend announced her college bound daughter's fundraiser, I didn't hesitate to order. I figured it would take care of Thanksgiving Day dessert. When the products came, I gladly accepted a Joe Corbi Brownie Bottom French Vanilla Cream Pie as a substitute for the brownies that, for whatever reason, didn't make it. 

If you order one, don't think you're going to dig into an actual brownie of substance. When they say "bottom", that's just what the heck they mean--a very thin, barely detectable layer of brownie crumbs. 

The rest is some pudding-y kind of stuff and whipped cream, piled high. It's really pretty, but you may as well buy a couple of cans of Cool Whip. 

Now, that Joe Corbi New York cheesecake? 

Yes, Lawd. It's a winner...