When my first husband was bed-bound and nearing his last days, I made him a sweetened buttermilk cream dessert. It was supposed to be served with fresh strawberries, but he was having difficulty swallowing, so I only made the base. I dipped my finger and brought it to my tongue: sweet, tangy, lovely. Our toddler daughter tried a taste and turned up her nose. I spooned it to his mouth slowly and, between bites, he smiled. It was the last real food he ate before he died. I had never made it before, and I have never made it since.
Sarah Kilch Gaffney is a writer, brain injury advocate, and homemade caramel aficionado living in Maine. You can find her work at www.sarahkilchgaffney.com. Instagram: @sarahkilchgaffney.