Today, I'm going to do something a little different. I had a post about chivalry and conscience nearly complete, but instead I think I'll present something a little lighter….a recipe, and its origins. Called “Watergate Salad,” it's not really a salad in the traditional sense. Since I'm not feeling too well, my girlfriend made up a batch for me. It's not healthy in any sense, but it does indulge my sweet tooth! Here's the recipe:

Watergate Salad

• 1 can (15.5-20 oz) crushed pineapple
• 1⁄2 bag mini-marshmallows
• 1⁄2 tub light Cool Whip (or similar)
• 1 package instant pistachio pudding (I prefer Jello brand)

Just mix all ingredients together and serve! Must be refrigerated and covered for storage. Watergate salad is a variation on “ambrosia salad,” a dessert dish that appears to have originated sometime during the 19th century in southern America. Some sources place its starting point at somewhere around 1830, although given the wildly divergent recipes floating around both then and now, it's likely that it never had any single inventor or point of origin. Another blogger who has posted this recipe, Dorcas Walker, has some more information and, in her comments, some variations you can try. This recipe is great for parties. The next time you drop by SXSW, bring a carload of it and you'll be an instant celebrity!