Boxing Days

The big family gift this year was a Cuisinart blender/food processor. Dad bought it for mom. He's setting it up in the kitchen right now. (We were a little slow getting it out of the box.) I think he was more excited about the purchase than mom though. Dad was the one pushing for the new blender. Not that he's crazy about milkshakes or margaritas. I think he was into the thrill of shopping for a blender that met his technical requirements. He wanted one with blade that's fully detachable and a container made out of glass, instead of plastic. He probably checked out half a dozen different electronics and department stores before settling on the one that's sitting on the counter. The new blender will likely be used for making broccoli soup and grinding soya beans for soya bean milk. I think he wants mom to use it for fruit shakes as well, though she seems to be ignoring him when he talks about how great it'll be if she could whip up shakes in the morning. Andrew showed me the formula for making a basic fruit shake. It was so simple that fruit shakes were pretty much my late-night snack or early morning breakfast for awhile: throw together in a blender a banana, some yogurt and a little fruit juice. Pulse a few moments to mash it up. Then crank up the power and blend in some frozen fruit -- berries, pineapple, mango, canteloupe... whatever you've got handy. Add a hit of vanilla if the mood hits you as well. Best to use good quality, creamy yogurt. And also best not to use measuring cups or spoons. The beauty in the recipe being inexact is that every shake you end up with is a little bit different. It's like a little frothy, pastel surprise waiting to hit your lips each time.