A sweet goodbye

-Grandma, there you are!!!!!!!! Good morning grandma!!!!!!!

-Oh good morning my lovely bunch! Did you have sweet dreams????

-Yes grandma, sweet sweet dreams. What are you doing here staring out the window?

-Well, my darlings, I have been preparing myself for the trip ahead. The time has come for me, your parents, uncles and aunts to get on the road, and be useful for a dinner of friends and family. Something we were born to do.

-We don't get it... You are leaving us?

-*sigh* Oh I will miss you children! You see, we were all born for a reason, and one day, you will know what your purpose in life is. On that day, you will become the talk of the table. They will know that your legend is real. And you, just like me, will carry on our family tradition of great reputation.

-WOW!!!! Tell us more, grandma!!!

-You see, we are from a family of proud fruit tarts. We carry within us sweet luscious vanilla pastry cream. We display with extravagance, our arrays of colorful fresh fruit that come with each season of the year. Above it all, we never disappoint with our slightly sweet, buttery melt-in-their-mouth shells with the secret layer of dark chocolate.

-Awesome!!! You mean, we will get to do the same thing as you one day???

-Of course my sweets! You will be the adorable bites that they will "Oooh!" and "Aaaaw!" over at the potluck, or the work lunch gathering. You will see, the light will shine upon you, and you will know, that your name will live forever.

Tuna qui rit

The Laughing Cow Wedges was the only "cheese" at one point in Vietnam when I was a kid. I used to either just eat them right out of the wrapper one after another, or spread in "banh mi" for breakfast.

After moving to Canada, most probably due to the overload of varieties of other cheeses, I forgot about The Wedges. Then I eventually started dismissing the idea of "La Vache Qui Rit" being a "real" cheese, and always ignored that "spreadable cheese" section.

Fifteen years went by without a Wedge in my life, until recently "La Vache Qui Rit Light" commercials started to pop up on TV and they suddenly got me craving it. From that day on, I haven't stopped eating them. I actually had to start buying the big boxes because I inhale them so frigging fast.

I really prefer the light version. Simply spread onto toasts alone, or accompanied by a drizzle of honey, peanut butter or jam, and I am satisfied. But why stop there? They are so low in fat, I can replace them in other things....

There are loads of recipes on their website. But here is my interpretation:

Tuna Qui Rit

• 1 can of tuna
• 3 wedges of Laughing Cow Light
• 1 boiled egg, chopped
  
• about 10 black oloves, pitted and sliced
• 2 hearts of artichokes, chopped
• 2 hearts of palm, chopped

for garnish

• some roasted red pepper, chopped
• toasted pecan halves

Mix tuna and cheese together well until smooth with a fork. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Serve on toasts or crackers, garnish with roasted pepper & pecan halves. Add some freshly ground black pepper if desired.