Kahlua Mousse Parfait

It was all a secret.

I was watching the Food Network this week and there was the new programming with Bobby Flay. Three days to opening. It seems as though they have a show for everything as the public is hungry for anything on the Food Network. Now much of the stuff is made for TV as it is not possible or does it make any sense to put yourself in a three day box to open a restaurant in three days. The first impressions are too important, mostly restaurants can make or break it in the first ninety days. You pen when you're ready period.

I was watching just such a show this week, it was an Italian Pizza place with SECRET family recipes. It cracked me up, Bobby couldn't believe it as the family matriarch was not going to let anybody on the staff have the recipes. This was the fabric of the show Mama was not going to give it up. Secrets are good in a time of war but have no place in a restaurant. Not only was he going to have to open the restaurant in three days but he had to pry the recipes from the stubborn closed fingers of Mama.

Well the whole thing hit home because my mother was the same way. She didn't believe in giving anybody a recipe for anything for any reason. Her brother Vic brought donuts every morning he was standing there at Bush's Bakery when they came from the fryer to the front case, he rushed them to her warm. A dozen every morning and there were never any left.

Even her brother Vic, if she was doing something in the kitchen she would hide the ingredients, such as the meat sauce. I have no idea what she thought he would do with the secret knowledge. This applied especially to her desserts. Over the forty years she ran the restaurant and before the internet where you can get a recipe anytime for anything, people always wanted Lee's recipes...they had value in our town.

In most cases if she was pushed into the corner by a good friend relative or customer she would give a recipe, however she always left something out. She was a bit evil like that! In the case of her Kahlua Mousse she would never mention the marshmallow's and without them, forgetaboutit!

 

Kahlua Mousse Parfait

Serves 8-10

48 marshmallow large jet puff from Kraft 1 bag

1 ¾ cups hot coffee

¼ cup kahlua

2 pints heavy cream whipped until it peaks

2 pints strawberries washed, hulled, sliced

Pour hot coffee and kahlua over marshmallows in a double boiler until melted. Stirring them gently until they melt down and are a brown liquid. Put into the refrigerator and let it jell. Do not let it get too hard just firm. Fold in the whipped cream and whip with a  fine whip, do not leave lumps! Pour them into glasses and they are ready in a couple of hours, best to sit over night though.

With a spatula get them into a parfait glass. Garnish with walnuts and shaved chocolate on the top.

In a parfait glass, wine glass or alike. Layer the mousse and berries, top it with shaved chocolate, walnuts and a garnish with a berry on top.