tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794773196727660659.post1222451172898033345..comments2024-03-25T19:37:32.112-04:00Comments on The Cutting Edge of Ordinary: Congo Bars (with Reeses Pieces)The Cutting Edge of Ordinaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18397251224475925555noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794773196727660659.post-88768673120255116662010-06-25T00:21:22.783-04:002010-06-25T00:21:22.783-04:00My mom always made congo bars when I was growing ...My mom always made congo bars when I was growing up - her recipe was from a REALLY old southern cookbook... with no name explanation. Sorry! <br />I usually just make mine with chocolate chunks but will occasionally throw in anything else I might be in the mood for - everything works!megnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794773196727660659.post-19960966162714577092010-06-03T15:49:16.098-04:002010-06-03T15:49:16.098-04:00Mollie - thanks so much for the info. I totally ag...Mollie - thanks so much for the info. I totally agree - taking the chocolate OUT of a recipe is usually just crazy, lol.The Cutting Edge of Ordinaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18397251224475925555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794773196727660659.post-55361194965717578892010-06-03T15:28:40.537-04:002010-06-03T15:28:40.537-04:00So I'm not a HUGE fan of blondies either (beca...So I'm not a HUGE fan of blondies either (because why take chocolate OUT of something???), but I clicked on your post because I wanted to see if anyone had provided an answer to the Congo question.<br /><br />No one has yet, so here's what Google told me:<br /><br />Congo Bars or Congo Squares are a popular dessert in the southeastern United States. They are also known as Blond Brownies, or Blondies (as they are made without any cocoa powder). They don't have anything to do with Africa -- the Congo region has no tradition of baked desserts such as brownies and cakes, and wheat (for flour) cannot be grown in Central Africa. In fact, most of Africa has little tradition of sweet desserts.<br /><br />The name Congo Bars is a fanciful allusion to a mythical Congo, which also inspired the famous Congo Room of Las Vegas, and even the Congo Room of Canton, Ohio. Perhaps someone thought that all of the exotic ingredients (the chocolate, the coconut) might come from Africa. In New Orleans, there is a plaza called "Congo Square" (also known as Beauregard Square and now part of Louis Armstrong Park) which, in the early 19th century, was a gathering place for both free and enslaved African-Americans who met for marketing, music-making, and dancing -- and eating this variety of brownie? Who knows?Molliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12921156806580871535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794773196727660659.post-53552717513132496812010-05-30T10:27:07.509-04:002010-05-30T10:27:07.509-04:00you just cannot do this kind of stuff to me....yik...you just cannot do this kind of stuff to me....yikes.<br /><br />have a wonderful birthday weekend. hope it is much fun!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794773196727660659.post-2989594038629174042010-05-28T06:15:56.754-04:002010-05-28T06:15:56.754-04:00Reeses Pieces are my weakness. Thank goodness I d...Reeses Pieces are my weakness. Thank goodness I don't have easy access to them abroad or I would be making triple batches of these--they look fantastic.Jess "Klutzy Chef"http://klutzychef.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com