I used to love creamsicles. I went to Camp Milldale day camp when I was little and every afternoon in the scorching heat we got a creamsicle or a fudgesicle or something. I love a good fudgesicle, but those creamsicles are memorable. Very, very memorable. I’d know that flavor and consistency anywhere.

I remember a lot of other things about Milldale including the huge hill on the way to the pool and a girl my age named Gertrude. I’d never met anyone my age (or younger) named Gertrude before or since. If I recall correctly, she was very quiet and very nice.

But I digress.

What inspired me so very early this morning (I’m on my way to Amtrak to catch a train north for a meeting) was my daily Hungry Girl email.

Now I love Hungry Girl. Make no mistake.

But today she posted a drink recipe and wrote:

“This low-calorie cocktail tastes EXACTLY like those sherbet ‘n ice cream bars you used to eat as a kid… Mmmmmmmm!”

Now you tell me, if you put diet orange soda, orange-flavored vodka, Torani Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup, and Cool Whip Free in a blender, will it taste exactly like sitting on the hill at Camp Milldale?

I think not. In fact, the Splenda alone is enough to….. well anyway. It might taste wonderful. It might be refreshing.

But it can’t taste like my memories of a sweet, creamy, orangy frozen treat.