Connecticut Beginnings & A Breakfast Recipe {Pizza Treat}

Mom sitting by the dock circa 1980′s

Mom is in the throes of renovating the beach house that we grew up in this of course has had me reminiscing about when we first moved from the mountains to the beach. You see my mom was the catalyst behind our trek from one end of North Carolina to the other. Her childhood memories of visiting her mother’s family in Kensington Connecticut had a profound effect on her.

Connecticut Summer of 55′~ Great Aunt Donna with Aunt debra (left), Aunt Jodi (center) and Mom (right)

From the time that she and her sisters were cute little babes, they spent the summers playing in the sea along the beautiful Connecticut shoreline. Back then, Kensington was one of those quaint towns with mom and pop brick stores hugging the main street while kids tooled around on their bikes. To my mom this was such a novelty. In the mountains where she grew up the township was more spread out. Not to mention biking through those hills were a marathon event, rather than an easy afternoon of biking. To top off her childhood adventure my great grandparents, Grampy and Gram shared a multifamily duplex with Grampy’s sister and his family.

Multifamily living wasn’t something that she and her sisters were used to. Can you imagine the family gatherings they must have had during the summers? Tables decorating the lawn, savory dishes of pasta with a bottle or two of Chianti all while the children ran around chasing fireflies. It must have been magical. Best of all, the ocean was only a short drive away. The very ocean that would capture my mother’s heart and never let it go. Unbeknownst to me Mom passed along that same all encompassing love for the sea. Taking me home to Connecticut from the time I was five.

Connecticut Summer 79′ ~ Me, Papa George and Momsie

As much as I loved playing in the waves, driving the boat with my Papa George was ever the highlight of my visits north. Heading out beyond the horizon, leaving land and everything behind fueled my imagination. Mythical mermaids splashing beside grand ships with full sails were waiting for me on those dark blue waters. I was hooked!

Connecticut Summer 92′ ~ Blaine, Cousin Stacey and Katie

I had many fun adventures of my own visiting my mom’s family in Kensington. The summer before college was a particularly good summer. One spent meeting a sweet boy (no not surferboy), Fourth of July fireworks in the park, a family reunion at Clinton Beach and a bit of a mishap with a cooler full of crabs. Two words…car, squish. The stories that my cousin Meredith and I could tell you guys.

Christmas in Connecticut ~ Momsie & Papa George

Connecticut for me holds so many memories of family, weddings, white Christmases but most of all food. There has been a breakfast tradition passed down through the family that I haven’t shared with you guys yet. You could call it a twist on Cinnamon Toast, only made with fresh warm biscuits. I couldn’t tell you guys where the name came from. Mom could not recall either, only that my grandmother has always called it Pizza Treat.

Seeing as how Momsie is Italian, maybe the name came from the biscuits being round like a pizza. I was always under the impression that it started out as “piece of treat” and changed over time. However it came about my family loves Pizza Treat almost as much as we love the ocean. All thanks to our family ties in Connecticut!

There are still stacks of old photos to look through while mom is knee deep in tile and grout, so I’ll be sure to take you guys on a trip down memory lane with me again as soon as I get back home from Monterey. In the meantime enjoy my Momsie’s piece of treat.

Hugs & warm biscuit love,

Shari-Tickled Red

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Tagged as: Biscuits, Breakfast, Cinnamon Bread, Connecticut, Family, Tourism, Traditions