Holiday Decadence Without The Guilt (NAPSA)—For centuries, peo- ple in France, Italy, Switzerland and Portugal have been enjoying meringue cookies, known as “party cookies” because they are often served at weddings, celebrations and holidays. Madeprimarily of egg whites and sugar, the cookies are naturally low fat or fat free with a sweet taste and an almost airlike texture. The cookies take hours to bake, and in this time-crunched season, many people are turning to packaged meringues to create decadent desserts for holiday gettogethers. Many people enjoy meringues crushed and served with ice cream, on top of fresh fruit, with hot chocolate or dipped in melted chocolate. “Americans are falling in love with these delicious treats because of the gourmettaste,” said Jacques Pautrat, master pastry chef who grew up enjoying meringues in France and began offering the cookies to U.S. consumers under the Miss Meringue line in 1997. “Meringues are perfect for entertaining and can be eaten alone or as part of another dish. They can also be displayed in a variety of creative ways to add holiday ambiance and appeal.” The meringue cookies are available as Classiques, which are large meringues that maintain the “homemade”look and appeal of traditional meringue cookies; Minis, bite-sized versions of the treats; Miss Meringue Sugar Free Cookies; and Chocolettes, tradi- tional French meringues drizzled in gourmet dark chocolate. Registered Dietitian Sharon McNerney said these treats are more healthful than other cookies and are a good choice for people watching their waistline during the holidays. “The holidays are a notoriously difficult time for people trying to maintain or lose weight,” said McNerney. “Meringue cookies are or low-fat treat that’s just right for the holiday season. perfect because they offer gourmet taste withouta lot of fat or calories.” Miss Meringue Cookies are available in more than 11 fat-free or low-fat flavors, including vanilla, chocolate, cappuccino, chocolate chip, coconut, mint chocolate chip and more. The cookies have between eight and 30 calories per cookie, depending on size and flavor. Chocolettes have between 14 and 19 calories per cookie and have less than one gram of fat per cookie, much lower than most other holiday cookies and desserts. For more information, call 800561-6516 or visit www.miss meringue.com. Add holiday decadence and ambiance by using meringuesfo: Decorate cakes and pies Adorn gingerbread houses Create edible centerpieces Dip in melted chocolate Wrapin cellophaneor put them in small, decorative boxesfo give away fo guests Placein holiday gift baskets Display in candy dishesinstead of chocolates
