Pineapple-upside-down cake has always been a favorite in our family; and we’ve also prepared it many times to give during times of bereavement. People always comment on how ‘delicious’ it is. So when I heard about rhubarb-upside-down cake, naturally, I had to try it – after all, every dessert I’ve ever tasted with rhubarb has always been quite delicious. This one would also prove to be very yummy and I received many compliments. But my curiosity was aroused. Rhubarb is extremely tart; its inclusion in desserts is only done so because of added sugar. I joked, “I’ll bet you could use dill pickles in this recipe and it would still taste just as good.” If it tastes this good with rhubarb in it, what’s the difference? Brown sugar and butter in the bottom of the skillet is the very beginning of the dish.
My joke soon began to take shape. I made my plans to surprise the family gathering at Christmas with my Pickle-Upside-Down cake. It wasn’t so far fetched. How did Fettuccine Alfredo, Eggs Benedict and Beef Stroganoff come about? They bear the names of those who dared to dream. Perhaps my cake would be no different. Perhaps my creation would become the NEXT BIG THING. Mind you, I took all things into consideration. After dicing the pickles, I drained and rinsed them free of as much vinegar as I possibly could. The rest of the recipe was the same as always. Time would tell whether or not my daring idea would become a hit.
With the festivities well under way, my family began making passing remarks about the strange cake. As the time neared for dessert, each individual had to decide if they would be brave enough to try it. Some eventually did but all agreed, “If you scrape the pickles off, it’s not bad.” Only a few people tried it. It wouldn’t become the talk of the town for its taste; and that didn’t matter anyway. My intention was to add to the laughter of the evening. I succeeded. What we laughed about still had to be dispensed with. The next day I threw it out into the yard for various dogs, possums and brave, hungry creatures to partake of. Would you believe that they didn’t touch it? Was it possible that they would rather go through trash cans and rummage in the dirt for food than to eat what I had prepared – THE NEXT BIG THING?