Spring is in the air!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to everyone!  In doing research on St. Patrick’s Day, I found that The St. Patrick's Day custom came to America in 1737. That was the first year St. Patrick's Day was publicly celebrated in this country, in Boston.  Today, people celebrate the day with parades, wearing of the green, and drinking beer. One reason St. Patrick's Day might have become so popular is that it takes place just a few days before the first day of spring. One might say it has become the first green of spring. 

I had a couple of emails from you on our new packaging that I want to share with you.  The first letter is from Jennifer in Katy, Texas.  Jennifer writes, “I have a set of boy/girl twins that are now 2 ½ years old.  In this fast paced world, spending quality family time together is something that has to be worked at instead of coming naturally.  Over the last 2 ½ years, in my family we have discovered that the best quality time we spend together is during our weekend breakfast feast (and usually it is a feast).  One of the children’s favorite items is French bread.  A few weeks ago, as we were eating our breakfast, I realized that as a family we do have a lot of similarities, but yet we also have our differences and this was evident in the way that we garnished our French bread.  My husband loves his bread drizzled with syrup, my son loves the sugar and cinnamon shaker, my daughter the powdered sugar shaker and I, well just depends on my mood.  As my children grow, I’m sure their tastes will change, but for the moment as a Mom, I love to see them discover and grow and as silly as it sounds – I love to see them shake their sugar shakers”.  What a great story!  I also received an email on what to do when French bread becomes stale, click here to read.

March 20 is the first day of spring.  Which to some of us means spring-cleaning. How many of you look forward to that?  I know I don’t, but unfortunately will do some cleaning out. To me though, spring is about planting bright colored flowers in my yard and letting my kids play outside in the evening.  I always enjoy coming home in the evening and seeing the kids in my neighborhood out playing instead of being stuck in the house watching TV or playing video games. Spring seems to always brighten my mood.  What are your spring traditions?  Please email me at sweetalk@imperialsugar.com and let me know how you celebrate the spring season.

Talk to you next month!

Angela Hatfield, Imperial Sugar Company

1 ¾ C Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar or Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
1 ¾ C all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
¾ C cocoa
1 C (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 ¼ C buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients except eggs into large mixer bowl.  Beat at low speed to blend, then beat 2 minutes at medium speed.  Add eggs; beat 2 minutes longer.  Pour one-fourth of batter into each of four greased and waxed-paper-lined 8-inch layer cake pans; layers will be thin.  Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Two layers may stand while first two bake, if necessary.  Cool slightly; remove from pans and continue cooling.  Fill and frost layers with Chocolate Filling and Whipped Cream, alternately.  Garnish top of cake with chopped almonds, Whipped Cream and whole cherries.  Makes 16 servings.