by M.A. Dal Cero

Created on: April 07, 2009   Last Updated: July 18, 2009

The question of whether or not I like sweets can be answered in one very simple word: Yes! Sweets to me are an essential part of life. I cannot imagine a world in which candy, pastries, and desserts of all kinds were not available in abundance. The comfort of a piece of good quality chocolate, the tradition of a slice of Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, and the cold sensation of ice cream on the tongue make up some of the best moments of living for me.

Sweets have been a part of my life from as early as I can remember. I was not deprived of them, nor was I permitted to over-indulge. Instead, sweets were celebrated and respected in my childhood. Dessert was allowed as long as dinner, including all of the vegetables, was eaten. The same holds true for the relationship with sweets that my children have. They enjoy a wide variety of sweets, yet they too are appreciative of the fact that too much of anything is never a good idea. Candy, cakes, and cookies become much more appealing and special when they are considered a treat. We all need something to look forward to during the course of a day, and a delightful dessert provides us with an ample reward.

Travelling and living in many different countries has admittedly made me something of a sweet snob. I no longer want to waste calories on sweets of low quality. I have been fortunate enough to indulge in Italian gelato and French pastries, and some of the sweet treats that we have access to in America fail to impress me. M&Ms and a good old Hershey bar are okay, but I'd rather take my chocolate in the form of the Swiss Toblerone or the Italian Ferrero Rocher. Thankfully, both are readily available here in the United States! I believe that I gained an appreciation for the use of higher-quality ingredients during my time in Europe, and that causes me to be a bit more selective regarding the types of sweets I indulge in today. I am also painfully aware that I am past the age where I can eat sugary items without the sad consequence of gaining extra pounds. Therefore, moderation and careful selection have become the keys to my enjoyment of sweets.

All sweets provide us with small moments of celebration and excitement. They also have the ability to bring out the child at heart in all of us. The Italians describe life in their country as "la dolce vita", or "the sweet life". The meaning of that phrase may be interpreted in several different ways, but for me the heart of the message is clear. A life lived without the occasional sweet would be an incomplete life indeed.

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