2009.04.01
Good day for a fool
www.myrecipes.com
Today is April Fool's Day! I thought about all of the annoying pranks I could try to play on the blog. Maybe announce that Chipotle is coming to Roanoke. Or post a crazy recipe that would never actually work out. But then I realized that most April Fool's pranks, including any of the ones I considered, are more annoying than funny. It would probably just tick you guys off. And I wouldn't blame you.
Instead, how about this: Did you know there's actually a dish called a fool? Yep, it is an old-fashined dessert that originated in England and is SUPER easy to make. From what I've read, it seems fools were traditionally made with gooseberries, but they can be made with a variety of different fruits.
To make a fool, you cook the fruit, strain it and chill it. Then, you fold it into whipped cream. Sweetener is optional; I would guess it depends on the sweetness of the fruit. Since fools are such light, cool desserts, it might be a great idea to whip one up (literally) when the weather gets a bit warmer. Here are recipes for several different kinds of fools on the Joy of Baking Web site: http://www.joyofbaking.com/EnglishFruitFool.html
Don't think they look good? I pity the fool!!!
I would have been heartbroken if you announced Chipotle was coming and it really wasn't.
Comment by Michelle — April 1, 2009 @ 3:17 pm
Never joke about Chipotle!
In general, the art of a good April Fools joke is to invent something bizarre enough to provoke outrage, yet plausible enough to be believed. But anything too positive ("Chipotle's coming!") or too negative ("Alejandro's is closing!") will just result in stress and hurt feelings.
How about "...on the heels of his success with the smoking ban, Gov. Kaine has decided to push for a ban on artery-clogging foods, including cheese..."?
Comment by Mark — April 1, 2009 @ 3:48 pm
The fools sound really great, but I think I'd probably buy ready-made whipped cream rather than the bother of doing it myself, but then I'm a lazy cook, IF I cook at all!!
Comment by Susan — April 1, 2009 @ 3:48 pm
April Fools Day is annoying so I'm glad you didn't stoop to that level. The fruit fools on the other hand look delicious and would make an excellent summer dessert.
Comment by Kim — April 1, 2009 @ 4:09 pm
trust me - april fools day pranks involving businesses are rarely funny when there is a real live company and real live people involved. case in point a certain Roanoke radio station - April Fools Day 2009. NOT funny.
Comment by Amanda DeHaven — April 1, 2009 @ 5:28 pm
Amanda, my curiosity is getting the best of me - what did the radio station do?
Comment by Pam — April 2, 2009 @ 10:43 am
Well, Amanda, according to some veterans here at the RT, a radio station once pulled a prank on us too. They announced that we were discontinuing the comics page. Well, if you could see the ENORMOUS mountain of mail we have right now that constitutes thousands and thousands of comics ballots, you'd know just how attached readers are to our comics. Not surprisingly, our offices were flooded with angry calls. We forwarded the main news line to the radio station
Comment by Lindsey Nair — April 3, 2009 @ 11:29 am