MARCH 24, 2009 - CAPPUCCINO PUNCH
Buon giorno and Good Day!
Greetings to all of you Newsletter fans. I thought my cookbook *Rosalie Serving Italian* was the leading commodity in my adventure, but lately I have run into more people that say, “Keep the newsletters coming, we want to laugh!”
I must say that the last few episodes in my quest to get *Rosalie Serving Country* into the printing stage have been less than generic. Take the last “Photo Shoot,” along with the bird and the rangers! I thought surely nothing could surpass that. However I must tell you of the photo shoot following the bird. Incidentally, I honestly don’t rehearse these.
Again, I am trying to have as many photo shoots as possible to beat my own deadline of May 1st so that the Arts & Graphic person can put this project all together. On this particular day I was concentrating on the breakfast items and beverages, one of which is *Cappuccino Punch.* This is a delicious chocolate punch made with instant coffee, and is very popular right now.
I thought about naming it “Chocolate Punch” and leaving the “Cappuccino” to the Italian cuisine, but then the reader would not appreciate the “coffee” flavor, and I was certain the Country folks like coffee a lot.
As I brought out the punch bowl with the swirling chocolate and vanilla ice cream, I thought both photographers eyes would pop out. “Would you like to taste-test before shooting this wonderfulness?” I asked. “Oh, without a doubt” was their reply. As they were sipping and enjoying, the assistant photographer, Sonia, says, “Isn’t your dog’s name Cappuccino?” “Yes”, I said, wondering. “Well, I have a great idea,” she says. Let’s just put *Cappuccino” right in the photo with the punch. “Uncanny that it was, he was groomed earlier that day, and still wore his neck scarf.
After this notion was tossed to and fro, Sonia spots a large basket holding my dish towels. I’m thinking… who would want to drink a cup of punch that a Shih Tzu puppy had just fallen into? I’m certain of near disaster!
We pour the cup of punch, lace it up with whipped cream and sprinkle cinnamon on top. Next, we place the dog in the large basket with a handle on top, overlooking the punch. I look “Capps” straight in the eye and tell him to “STAY.” Surprisingly, he obeys, cocks his head to the side when the camera clicks, and actually poses for shot after shot. Everyone gives “Capps” applause, which makes his strut around for the remainder of the night.
This brought back memories when I had “Capps” under my table at a Barnes & Nobel book signing. Of course I had permission since he is the “mascot” of the book and it was an unusually cold day to leave him out in the car.
A young girl about 18 years old discovers him and starts salivating with sweet nothings. She says, “O, I just love your puppy!” A few minutes later she returns and says she wants to buy a cookbook. “Oh, I would love to hand you one, and to whom shall I sign it?” She hesitates a minute and presents me with an ink pad that she got from the community relations manager of the store. “Well, I was hoping your dog, “Cappuccino“, could sign it with his paw.”
After several people witnessed the “paw” sign that “Capps” so willingly gave out, I decided to have a talk with him. “Now, look here, dog”… I’m the writer here and the glory for this cookbook goes to me, not you”. I’m not so sure he wanted to understand, since he strutted out of the store that day.
And now that his picture will also be in the Country book, I may have to take him to counseling. I can still look back and see the young girl crying tears of joy….I was told this crying episode happened once before on American Idol. Oh well, have a cup of “Cappuccino Punch.”
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