Fish Eyes and Glue

I rediscovered something this weekend, fisheyes and glue. Now, for any of you who don't know what I'm talking about, you obviously didn't go to the Spoon River Valley Grade School, I am of course referring to Tapioca Pudding. I guess it was apparant even as a child that my palette was a bit more refined than those other kids who curled up their nose when the big plop of pudding got slapped down on the lunch tray, I loved it!!!! What's wrong with you guys, this stuff is delicious, who cares what it looks like. I had kind of forgotten about it for a long time, until yesterday morning at the grocery store I was wandering the aisles aimlessly thinking about what kind of things I could stir up and that box of Minute Tapioca caught my eye. I made quick work of mixing up a pot of it, and I can't tell you how great eating that warm tapioca pudding made me feel. Tapioca can really be kind of versatile. I remember my mom using it to thicken a tomato-vegetable beef stew she used to make, and of course their is the Utsinger tradition of Tapioca Date Pudding every New Year's Day. Here's the recipe for the Tapioca Pudding I made yesterday, as well as the one for the Date Tapioca Pudding.

Tapioca Pudding

1/3 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons Minute Tapioca
2 3/4 cups milk
1 egg, well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all the ingredients, EXCEPT the vanilla, in a medium saucepan and let it stand for 5 minutes. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a full rolling boil.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. (The pudding thickens as it cools). Cool for 20 minutes and stir. Serve it warm or chilled.


Grandma Utsinger's Date Pudding

1 box Large Pearl Tapioca
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 box chopped dates
5 cups water

Soak the Tapioca in 5 cups water overnight. Add the dates and brown sugar to the tapioca and stir. Bake covered until tapioca is done at 350 degrees. Stir frequently while baking and add more water if necessary. Serve warm with whipped cream and chopped pecans.