DATE FOOD : SPECIAL DIP

I loved this photo, yup two old Summer Time Dogs dining on Corn Dogs. They even look like they are having a date.....so this post is about Date Food.

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The last couple of years my Grandmother was alive she was battling Breast Cancer. She and my grandfather were living in Florida. I was living North going to Nursing School and I would go see them on Holidays and try to help when I could. The final year I went down and my grandfather had developed a new Friday Night Ritual, he would go to Cocktail Parties. It turned out that my grandmother was worried about him, and worried that he would be lonely, she knew she was running out of time. So she developed the Cocktail Plan. She taught him how to make Finger Foods and Dips and sent him to the Parties. She even made sure that Certain Friends invited him to Certain Parties in the Golf Community. I came for one holiday and she said " I don't want to think of him being alone, this way I atleast can make sure suitable women look out for him. So I am teaching him how to cook for dates. Oh, Well, I might even have to help pick him out a wife." She said this very seriously and very lovingly. I would wince. He would do all of this in good cheer, but I saw the pain in his eyes, behind the smile.She would remind him to polish his white shoes and smile at him, and he would use Fantastick and a Handi-Wipe sing offkey " Hey, Good Looking". He would smile back at her.

[ Earlier this year I wrote about Flo in February in two seperate pieces on the blog- "Florence My Grandmother" and also "April 1968". She was an Amazing Woman, if you want to read more about her.They were married 50 years.)

She did indeed die Christmas Eve many years ago, and yes, one of the Friends that had been close to both of them to indeed marry my grandfather, just as she has hoped and prayed.

For many years with my son I recently realized I was still doing the Friday Night Finger Foods, Pigs in a Blanket, Fondue, and cheese and crackers....

Overtime my grandfather Ted became a Dip Inventor. This was his very favorite, and I don't think he would mind if I shared the Secret Reciepe.

SECRET FAKE CRAB DIP

2 16 oz packages of Phili Cream Cheese
One small jar of Artichoke Hearts packed in Water
Kethup
Worstershire Sauce
Lemon
Cilantro

Soften the Cream Cheese, and then place in mixing bowl.
The Add Worstshire Sauce, about 3 tsp.
The Ketchup- about 2 tablespoons, enough to make it a pale salmon color.
Then drain and chop the artichokes finely.
Then mold into a mound shape put lemon wedges around the sides,
and sprig of Cilantro in center.
Place in Frig to chill for atleast 1-2 hours.
The put Wheat Thins on plate while it rechills.

He would show up to parties in his green pants and white shoes and proudly bring his "Special Crab Dip".
( And yes he would call it that...and it was quite a hit.)