Berry Jello Pretzel Salad in Pennsylvania

I approached the small vehicle, eager to climb it, as I was in a rush. As it climbed the mountain slowly and diagonally, the panoramic view of the green valley opened up before me, as if a curtain had been opened. My mind floated, as if I had been travelling in a hot-air balloon. I was on the inclined plane in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
My next stop was at a factory founded in 1934 that made one of my most favorite ingredients/desserts! At O'Shea's, the makers of my most recent chocolate easter egg bunny were busy creating confections, which were like brown treasure chests filled with different shades of precious metals.
And last but not least, in the countryside around the town, I enjoyed travelling among tall pine trees, where you can spot deer skipping across the road. Or seeing an occasional dairy farm.
History of the Recipe
Its addictive salty pretzel crust, the firmness of the gelatinous strawberry layer, the ever-luscious cream cheese, and the delicious mixture of flavors... That is what I recall of a strawberry jello pretzel salad I tasted 20 years ago in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a time when sea salt caramel or dark chocolate and sea salt were not in vogue yet. This memory motivated me to finally look up an online recipe and make it.
There is not too much information about the pretzel jello salad recipe, but some cooks state that they have been making it for at least forty years.
As for its main ingredient, gelatin was discovered in the 1680´s and was commercially patented in the 1750´s in England. It is obtained from meat bone tissue by boiling. Jello began to be sold in the U.S. in 1897, and later around the world in 1964.

Recipe

Crust
1 cup pretzels, crushed and ground as finely as possible (approx. 4 oz., or half of a 9 oz. bag)
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 350º. Use flavorful pretzels; the better the quality of your pretzels, the tastier the crumb layer will be. After you have ground your pretzels, add the melted butter and sugar and mix well. Press into an 8 or 9" round springform pan. Place in oven for 10 minutes. Take care to not overcook. Let it cool before preparing the cream layer.

Filling
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Cool Whip or whipped cream
Let the cream cheese get soft. Cream it with the sugar until it is well blended. Fold in the cool whip. If you prefer to use whipping cream, beat 1/2 cup of whipping cream with 1 tablespoon sugar, then fold into the mix.
Place the cream mixture on top of the cooled pretzel layer and let set in the refrigerator until it is solid.

Topping
1 cup boiling water
3 oz. raspberry jello
10 oz. berries (make the combination you like. I placed 5 oz. of a raspberry-blueberry-blackberry-strawberry mix in the cooling jello, then placed fresh strawberry-heart slices and fresh blueberries on top of the jello).
Mix the raspberry jello powder into the cup of boiling water, then let it cool. Add frozen berries, then let it set in the refrigerator. When it is semi solid, then you can place it on the solid cream layer.

References
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,strawberry_jello_pretzel_salad,FF.html
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/strawberry-pretzel-salad-recipe/index.html

Mother´s Day Chocolate Coconut Pudding (Tembleque) Flowerpot Cake- Puerto Rico

Gumpaste roses in an oreo crumb-covered chocolate pudding pot

The lagoon in the center is cushioned on green vegetation that surrounds it. Now, the lighthouse on the highest hill in the center lies peacefully overlooking the soft blue bay. Last night, in contrast, the beacon shone its light routinely around the sky.
To the right, the paradisiac islands lie in a line.... Icacos, Lobos, Palominos... perfect snorkeling, scuba diving and beach spots. They resemble coulis decorations on a dinner plate.... interspersed drops running along the horizon.
I was at Fajardo, Puerto Rico, at the beach. I had sherbets and ice cream, and even though I unfortunately didn´t try tembleque while I was there, I know that this coconut custard´s hydrating electrolytes would have come in handy, too.
I travelled only half an hour away to find a contrasting national park. Within it, on the top of a castle-like structure in the middle of the forest, I could see a hill nearby plastered with Sierra Palms that held swaying palm branches in the breeze. They looked like origami cranes; the boughs were poised as if they were ready to fly away from the approaching grey clouds. That and the sound of the elusive coqui are my most vivid memories of El Yunque Park, located in Puerto Rico.


History of Tembleque
It is a custard made by cooking coconut milk with spices and sugar. Its name is derived from the spanish word temblar, which means tremble, as the dessert is supposed to jiggle like jello. A similar dessert in Brazil is manjar branco, except that it doesn´t necessarily include coconut.

Sierra Palms in El Yunque, Puerto Rico

El Yunque

View of Capitol building of San Juan, from the Cristobal Fort

Recipe 1

Gumpaste Roses or washed,very clean silk roses

Flowerpot lined with parchment paper

Oreo cookie crumbs

Graham cracker crumbs (optional)

Tembleque http://www.meals.com/Recipes/Chocolate-Tembleque-Custard.aspx?recipeid=138264

Recipe 2

You can make a more traditional tembleque in a savarin mold (or similar  mold, like a "flanera") I used a rose mini cake pan from Nordicware, which you can find at the following link: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM1672744801P?sid=IDx20070921x00003a&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=SPM3314908402

The recipe for traditional tembleque is in this link:

http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/138504/Puerto-Rican-Coconut-Dessert/detail.aspx

At only 170 calories per serving, and full of coconut milk minerals (magnesium, potassium, among others) this silky dessert is very satisfying and refreshing.

 References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tembleque