Baked Alaska.  There you have it.  For whatever reason, things just randomly pop into my head.   And then I fall into this whole sense of wonder, and curiousity… about whatever that thing is.

Hence, tonight’s topic.

Here in the good ol’ US of A… we are pretty focused on food.   I guess many cultures are.  But here it seems… we have to claim rights to everything.  Everything needs a name… and the “where” it came from is not left for specualation.

It is mostly cities that do this.  The Philly Cheesesteak.  New York Style Pizza.  Chicago Style Pizza.  Tex Mex.  San Francisco Sourdough Bread.  Boston Baked Beans.  Oh, it goes on and on.

But it seems at the state level, the claims are more for production purposes.  Florida Oranges.  Idaho Potatos.  California Raisins.  And such.

So… what was that popped into my head?

Baked Alaska.  Now… what other state has anything about it cooked?  Fried Florida?  Granulated Georgia?  Wilted Washington?  Roasted Rhode Island?  NO.  No, I’ll tell you.

But leave it to Alaska… to come up with this one.

I would have blamed it on Sarah Palin…. but then it would have been half-baked.

I can’t say that I’ve ever tasted this dessert.  I had to look it up to see what it is.

So… in case you didn’t know.  The dish is made of ice cream placed in a pie dish lined with slices of sponge cake…. or Christmas pudding (whatever the crap THAT is)…..  and THEN….. it is topped with meringue.

Put it in an extremely hot oven for a little minute.  Just long enough to firm the meringue.  But DON’T melt the icecream.  Ha!
And here is one for the ages…..   February 1 is Baked Alaska Day in the United States.  Who knew.

You sure don’t see this on menus anywhere… any more.  Probably….. for good reason.  It sounds like something Alice would make for the Brady Bunch.

Now… if I still ate sugar… and dessert… I think my choice of the choosiest would be either Pennsylvania Pie… or Kansas Cake.   If they existed.

One thing to remember though… is this.  No matter the dessert… it is someone’s favorite.  Somewhere.    People love desserts because they are delightful… and sweet.

Sort of like us.  People like us when we are delightful… and sweet.  So try not to lose the Baked Alaska in you.