I have yet another gross food love to confess, although to many of you this is no secret: I love Slush Puppies. With lots and lots of extra syrup. So that they are so acidic-ly sweet you can feel your teeth dissolve. And the color starts to become a purpley brown.

Problem is, you just don't see the ones where you get to add your own syrup (and thus surreptitiously add 8 extra squirts) around here much anymore. They're all premixed at gas stations, or Slurpees at 7-11 (not the same at all. Don't even go there.) It had been many a year since I was able to indulge in this unique treat, so long ago Ace and I were just the other day reminiscing. I was complaining about the lack of Slush Puppies on the Seacoast and he was again making fun of my Slush Puppie eating style. Good times.

So when I saw those magic words, and spotted the magic bottles, at yet another failed attempt to eat at the Surfside Hot Dog Shoppe (another story for another day), I knew I'd be back in a flash - it seemed like fate.

Today was that day. Today I saw the open sign, and went for it. This was a big risk - the machine and syrups are inside the place, the customers are outside looking in through window screening. There was no way I could surreptitiously add 8 extra squirts.

I went for it anyway, so strong was my desire for a Slush Puppie. "What flavor?" the twit asked. "Blue and green mixed," I answered. The twit didn't bat an eyelash. Maybe that was because she wasn't paying any attention to me, engaged in full conversation with two other co-workers. But in a minute one of these said co-workers handed me my Slushie, and I knew I was in.

Just from the color I could tell they gave me full strength of each flavor. That's double the amount of flavor syrup it should have. It was glowing. And the taste? Just as good as I remember.

Damn it feels great to be nostalgic about something, be able to recreate that thing, and have it be as good as you remember.

Surfside Hot Dog Shoppe, I am still confused about your open v closed-ness, and when you cook hotdogs v only having ice cream. But from now on, whenever I drive by (which is really often, this is actually the closest business to my house, only 2 minutes), or bike by, or walk by, I will be hardpressed not to stop and get a double, or maybe a triple-flavored Slush Puppie.

Good times.