a light and airy dessert (lyn)

One of the things I learned when I first started weight watchers is this:  a slice of angel food cake is only two points.   And, it contains no fat and no cholesterol.  To put that in perspective, I get 18 points a day.  A slice of apple pie is 10 points, and cup of chocolate mousse is 12 points.  So even if I account for frosting, a slice of angel food cake is still only 5 points (assuming each slice is the equivalent of two Tablespoons of “frosting, store-bought, regular”).

I used to love having different desserts after most dinners.  So did Alexander.  My favorites included a slice or two of Schick’s 7-layer cake or chocolate roll (that I could only find at Zabar’s),  a cupcake from Crumbs  ( an intimate little bakery on the eastside), or a slice of Agata’s opera cake or tiramisu.  But all that stopped on September 16^th when I became serious about losing weight.

Every Wednesday when I go to my Weight Watchers meeting, I stop by the nearby Corner Café and Bakery.   It is there that I pick up two slices of angel food cake:  one with a lemon frosting, the other with chocolate.  I make those two pieces last the week.  I even over-count the points.  For example, If I split a slice in two (which I typically do), I count each half as ¾.   It compensates for the fact that a slice from a bakery may be bigger than normal, and that bakery-made frosting may be more points than store-bought.   A few months ago, I’d cut off and toss all the frosting.  Now I scrape every last piece off the thin paper wrap.

This morning, the snow has finally stopped falling and the sidewalks have all been cleared.  I go to the local supermarket and buy Alexander a gallon of mint chocolate chip ice-cream.  As he's been reminding me, my dessert-sacrifices needn’t be his.