Today is Father’s Day in my part of the world, and almost 25 years to the day since my dad died.

Inside I ached and reminisced, running my mind’s melancholy movie reel of that godawful time.

Outwardly, I was swept up into family celebrations for the other fabulous fathers around me.

Twixt the laughter and chatter, memories of Dad tugged at my heart: his touching speech at our wedding, watching a tear slip down his crinkly cheek when he met our new-born daughter for the first-time, the way his face scrunched up as he stifled a chortle half-way through telling a joke (he was a master of the dad joke).

Today we gathered around our family table, doors flung open to the September sun.

We ate and giggled and found a way through the bitter-sweetness of the remembering to a place of thanks.

We celebrated family and shaped new memories. We shared in whole-hearted conversation, trivial moments and awesome food.

A highlight was this amazing dessert created by My Girl. It goes a long way to re-balancing bitter-sweetness into a sugary sense of wellbeing.

I know, I know … it’s not healthy to use food as a crutch. But if sharing a sweet treat can help soak up a little of that melancholy, why not?

Let’s put it in the “sometimes” food group and give ourselves a break (now and again).

Especially on Father’s Day. Because … yes, Dad would approve.

 

JAE’S DATE AND ALMOND MERINGUE TORTE

6 free range egg whites
1 cup sugar
250gm dark chocolate
250gm almonds
250gm dates (pitted)

 

Line a spring-form cake tin with baking paper.
Beat the egg whites.
Add in the sugar and beat until glossy.
Chop the chocolate, almonds and dates. Fold them through the meringue mixture.
Poor into the cake tin.
Bake at 160 degrees (Celsius) for 40 minutes. Allow to cool in the oven.
Turn out upside down onto a plate. Refrigerate overnight.
Top with whipped cream and serve.