To this day, my family can't quite agree whether my non de plume, Sweetie, was bestowed on me when I turned out a perfect batch of Sand Tart cookies at the tender age of 12, or if I earned my moniker a year later when a handsome young brother bought me a box of Whitman's Chocolates at our church supper social.
I can understand the slight confusion. Back then in southern Alabama, where I was born and reared, sweet names were common and evocative, and as inventive as our soul food. I can still see the faces of Tea Cake, Peaches, Sweet Pea, Candy, Muffin, Sugar Baby, Honey Bunch, on and on.
I like my sweets. I think my first real dessert was a batch of Chocolate Kisses that I made from a recipe purloined from my Aunt Mary during visits with her down on the Gulf Coast. She often had a bowl of the dark and sweet morsels on the table when we tackled the newspaper crossword puzzle, her daily passion.
She also made delectable Sand Tarts, a cookie favored in the South, made with ground pecans added to the batter and sprinkled with grated chocolate mixed with a little sugar. The ground pecans impart a winsome "gritty" texture, hence the moniker.
Then there's the best recipe for Coconut Fudge, which my college friend gave me long ago.
These days I know that bittersweet chocolate and cocoa are rich in antioxidants. Chocolate also possesses endorphins that help us feel good, soul food at its best.
What other reason do we need for having a daily nibble? Don't limit these recipes to Valentine's Day!
Joyce White is the author of "Brown Sugar" and "Soul Food." Reach her at jwhitesoul@aol.com.