I have a love affair with art. Thankfully, I have many artists in my circle of friends. I am grateful to them for sharing their visions of how they visualize the world. It has opened my eyes to viewing things in an artful way. It would be lovely if artists offered a potion for art magic.
My Louisiana public school education did not offer much in the way of art. I have a strong creative side and have always been drawn to the arts. My Mother drug GA Peach and I around to museums in New Orleans to fill in the art gaps.
I am sure that we did not always appreciate it at the time. The bonus was that most of the museums were around the electric French Quarter. Cafe du Monde was typically a part of the trip. Doesn’t everyone need a bit of sugar with their art?
The first time that I heard about Jackson Pollock was playing a board game, called Masterpiece. Parker Brothers published the game in 1970. It is now out of print. The game consisted of competing for art paintings, negotiating and trading art work. The goal was to have the most valuable art, avoid the forgeries and bluff your way around the board. The bluffing skill comes in handy.
Each card would have a painting on one side and information about the artist and value. The game had a fair amount of artists including Cezanne, Van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci, Renoir and Monet. All of the art was certainly worthy of a board game. All of the art required a high level of skill, vision and fortitude.
I remember getting the Jackson Pollock card for the first time and thinking, “I could do that”. Pollock’s splatter style was certainly unique. It didn’t seem unique at the time. It seemed like a painting that someone would produce if they could not paint a Monet
My adult-eye certainly sees the beauty in art creation and the hard work required for the process. Art is in the eye of the beholder. Art is subjective. One persons treasure is another persons trash. As an adult I know I should stick to being artistic with food and flavor.
In my research I ran across this Pollock quote, “It doesn’t make much difference how the paint is put on as long as something has been said. Technique is just a means of arriving at a statement.” This certainly apply’s to my recipe. “It doesn’t make much difference how the chocolate is put on, as long as you put it on”.
Alexa, Shout out to Muddy Waters, cause it’s just that kind of day.
- On high heat add water in a saucepan. When Water starts boiling add double boiler over water. Add chocolate into double boiler. Turn down to medium and stir.
- Add in peanut butter and stir together well until blended
- Place foil or wax paper on tray. Lay saltines out side by side touching in all directions.
- Turn heat off of chocolate. Stir well. Spoon small amount and drizzle along one rows of crackers. With a butterknife or icing knife spread out on cracker. This willl be the bottom so it does not have to be perfect. Continue to spoon and spread chocolate on crackers. Remember at least half will be needed for the other side. Add to refrigerator for 10 minutes to cool. Do not add wrap. After cooling repeat on the other side. It will flip over easily. Note: Reserve a portion of chocolate for drizzling later
- Sprinkle coconut evenly across chocolate cracker. Sprinkle pecans evenly across chocolate. With a small amount of chocolate on end of spoon fling it across the crackers in all different directions with no order what so ever. Show your Jackson Pollock. Set in refridgerator or leave on counter if your not in a hurry.
- This will cut well. It is not necessary to cut exactly at cracker seams. You may break by hand if you want different shapes.
- Lagniappe: When you cut this it will leave an assortment of remnants. Save these to use on a ice cream sundae. A bit of sweet, salty, chocolate and nuts.
