Portland: Salt & Straw Ice Cream: Rose City Riot

I stood in line for Salt & Straw ice cream and it was worth it.

I was in Portland for the weekend and indulged in Rose City Riot (rosewater, saffron & pistachios) and Coava Coffee & Cocanu Craque (coffee ice cream with candied cocoa nibs).

How did this perishable part of Portland make it onto our itinerary? Facebook, of course! 

I "checked in" to Portland for the weekend and a friend in Washington, D.C. posted the three Salt & Straw locations in the comment box so I could visit the one that was closest to our route. Now that's a friend!

We all agreed that it was delicious and having an unusual flavor combination makes it memorable. I noticed that they had a tasting flight - 4 flavors to sample and savor. Next time!

3/30/17 Breaking News: 
Salt & Straw is coming to Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood! 

City Series: Hudson, New York: Artisanal Ice Cream: Lick

When I walked into the tiny tiny ice cream shop called Lick in Hudson, New York and saw the listing of artisanal flavors, I found myself wanting too much of a good thing.  Their flavor list was extensive and I narrowed it down to: Lemon Poppyseed, Sassafras, Fig or Lavender. I mean I really couldn't decide.  I easily recommended ice cream pairings for my family (chocolate & lavender, lemon poppy seed and toasted coconut) but I just couldn't pass up any of them when it came to myself.

Finally the hipster scooper said, "Are you going to get 2 scoops?"  Yes, I answered.  "The how about I give you a  half portion of all four flavors?"  Bingo!  
And as I sat on a bench outside, licking and swooning over my ice cream, I appreciated his suggestion even more.  

The lemon poppyseed ice cream tastes so rich and delicate that it could be described as "fancy."  It is bridal shower-worthy, if that makes my meaning more clear.  

The fig ice cream was not vanilla ice cream studded with fig bits. It was a delicious ice cream full of rich fig flavor.  I'd love this flavor paired with a piece of gingerbread cake.

The sassafras ice cream was nice, reminiscent of root beer, but it was my least favorite of the four.  The sassafras wasn't strong enough to hold its own against the creaminess of the ice cream. That said, Dan's uncle ate a large waffle cone of just sassafras ice cream and he was in 7th heaven.  He asked how I had "known" that we should stop for ice cream at Lick.  I told him that I had not heard about it in my research, but I knew that any place called Lick had to be serious about only one thing - artisanal ice cream! 

The lavender ice cream was silky and delicious.  Having had lavender ice cream (and shortbread, lemonade and chocolates) many times before, I knew that the lavender would be a strong flavor.  But they approach lavender just right, at Lick.  I enjoyed the floral notes and happily paired my spoonfuls with the fig ice cream (and some of Dan's dark chocolate ice cream - yum!).

Beekman 1802 Ice Cream Social in Sharon Springs

I am never one to miss a party.  Add ice cream to the docket and I'm there for sure!  It just so happened that the Beekman Boys planned an ice cream social at their store, Beekman 1802 Mercantile in Sharon Springs, New York for the same weekend that we were visiting!

Here we are with my dear friend, Josh.  You've already read in earlier posts about how we have been friends since our days at Michigan State University.  It was great to be together again.

Josh and Brent introduced Beekman 1802 ice cream (made with cow and goat milk) to their line of Beekman 1802 products this summer.  We were happy to join the party and devour these cartons of artisanal tart cherry almond and orchid vanilla ice cream. Townspeople and customers alike gathered on the steps of the Beekman mercantile and socialized. We agreed that nothing tastes as good as cold ice cream on a warm summer night.  It was a little like Mayberry and I loved every minute of it.

Thank you, Josh and Brent, for hosting some old-fashioned fun. 

Decaf Ice Cream

I know! You've never heard of decaf ice cream before.  I thought I would make my point about the perils of enjoying certain late night desserts, while sharing
my wonderful coffee ice cream recipe.

I love love love coffee-flavored desserts, especially Tiramisu (which contains espresso) or a simple bowl of coffee ice cream.  The problem is, I am very sensitive to caffeine and one great coffee-flavored dessert means that I will still be awake at 2 o'clock in the morning.

Why restaurants don't make decaffeinated desserts, I'll never know.  So I decided to promote this rather simple concept by posting my recipe for: 

Decaf Coffee Ice Cream 

Mix 1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed 2% milk, 1 (5 oz) can of evaporated milk, 2 cups of whole milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 4 Tablespoons of instant decaffeinated coffee crystals (or 2 1/2 - 3 T. of decaffeinated espresso crystals) together and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill. Once the mixture is cold, pour it into the freezer container of an electric ice cream maker and follow the ice cream maker instructions.  If the consistency of the ice cream isn't firm enough, place the container in the freezer to set. I sprinkled my decaf coffee ice cream with a few mini chocolate chips. 

Serve and enjoy during Saturday Night Live with no worries.  Good Night!

Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

It was the best suggestion yet!  The kids and I had been talking about what flavors of ice cream we should make this week and graham cracker ice cream and cherry pie ice cream were suggested.


We put them on the list and then later, when we were surveying the herb pot, my nephew said we should make Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream and add bits of the fresh herb "Chocolate Mint."  We all loved the idea and it became our first flavor.


This recipe is fabulous because it requires no cooking and no eggs.  Genius!


Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream

Mix 1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk, 1 (5 oz) can of evaporated milk, 2 cups of whole milk, 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract and about 4 Tablespoons of chopped fresh Chocolate Mint.  Pour into the freezer container of an electric ice cream maker and follow the ice cream maker instructions.  When the ice cream is almost finished (soft serve consistency), add 1/2 of a bag of mini semi sweet chocolate chips.

Ice Cream Balls

Two memories collided and the result is this party-worthy ice cream ball.  When I was in high school, my best friend's brother had a signature dessert that he would make for the family.  He would roll large scoops of vanilla ice cream in chopped peanuts and then freeze them.  When it was time for dessert, he'd serve each ice cream ball in a sundae dish doused with chocolate sauce. I remember that the adults had the option of a splash of Creme de Menthe liquor before the chocolate drizzle, but it never tempted me.  I just wanted as much chocolate syrup as he would allow.  It was delicious - cold and nutty and creamy.  Whenever the stars and moons aligned and I was "staying for dinner" the same night he happened to be making ice cream balls, I rejoiced.

Years later as an adult, I visited The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.  This historic hotel, built in 1887, was the location for one of my favorite movies, Somewhere In Time.  Have you see it?  It's pure magic. 

One of the Grand Hotel's signature desserts is the "Grand Pecan Ball."  Vanilla ice cream rolled in chopped pecans and topped with chocolate sauce.  I must say, the pecans elevate the dish.  It was served after dinner in the formal dining room on a china plate with a tiny pitcher of chocolate sauce.

So I have merged these two memories (the chopped peanuts from my friend's bother and the formal serving of the Grand Hotel) and am urging you to give it a try.  The nuts create a crust around the ice cream and it is delicious!

Are you thinking about Thanksgiving?  So many of us have multiple holiday meals that week with different family and friends.  I'd like to suggest caramel or pumpkin ice cream (buy a carton at the store) rolled in pecans.  It could hit the spot and be nice for a "we had pie last night" meal.  

Liquid Nitrogen Milkshake at Flip

Did you know that there has been a surge in a food trend based on molecular gastronomy?

It plays with cooking techniques and pushes the envelope with presentation, food consistency (for example, a liquid sauce served as a solid, like tapioca beads) and the use of chemistry to alter foods safely and creatively.

When I was in Atlanta, I jumped at the chance to have a milkshake made with liquid nitrogen at Richard Blais' Flip Burger Boutique!

I ordered a "Turtle with Candied Pecans" milkshake and in addition to being icy cold, it was delicious!  The ice cream base and caramel swirl are poured into a thick glass.  Then the waitress pours liquid nitrogen into the mixture and it foams and freezes on contact.  So cool!  The whipped cream and frozen pecans add silky and crunchy elements to the dessert.  

Our waitress brought along an extra glass containing a bit of liquid nitrogen in it and we could see the clear contents bubbling and reacting.  She put a paper napkin, long spoon and straw into that glass and a smoky ice fog rose from the glass and was trapped in the folds of the paper napkin when I pulled it out.  It was interesting and beautiful.  And it felt like the whole process was sponsored by Houdini.

Would you ever try something frozen with liquid nitrogen?

Sanders Hot Fudge Sundae

I think this birthday was sponsored by sugar.  I mean really, have you ever seen anything as gorgeous as this hot fudge sundae?  Eaten with friends in honor of my birthday, of course.

My dear friend, Kerry, is in town from Virginia this week (a gift in itself!) and we have been meeting up with mutual friends and reminiscing about all the fun we had in college.  Over dinner with our friend, Kim, it came out that Kerry had never had a Sander's Hot Fudge Sundae when she lived in Michigan.  What?? How is that possible?  So we jumped in the car and headed to the nearest Sanders for dessert.

Upon entering Sanders ice cream parlor, Kim and I took turns telling the lore of Sander's candy, dessert sauces and hot fudge cream puffs.  Part of my dissertation was about Sander's dark chocolate honeycomb chips.  I told a big story about how they were my maternal grandmother's favorite.  Whenever I was spending the day with her as a child, she would decide that it was time for us to have some candy.  We'd get the box of honeycomb chips down off the top of the dining room hutch and eat about seven candies each.  Heaven.

The other night, when I made my way to the end of the counter, and climbed up on the stool next to Kerry, the hot fudge sundae I had ordered was there waiting for me, just as you see it.  When I looked into the silver ice cream dish, I realized that the woman making our sundaes had heard me telling my story and impulsively placed a dark chocolate honeycomb chip into the top of my sundae as a garnish. 

Is that love, or what?  I was really touched at her kind gesture and thanked her from the bottom of my heart.  This is yet another example of why I love people.

The Art of Ice Cream

I was showing someone my book, Moments of Delight, yesterday and when we flipped to this page, she reacted.  "Ahhp" 

Now I have been designing and selling accessories long enough to "know" that squeak.  The audible gasp means that I've struck a cord with someone.  It happens when people open my cigar box purses and see the fabric lining;  it happens when someone starts to admire my necklace and realizes that the spacers are buttons; and it happens when they look through my books.  The fun part is that I never know which page will get which person.

Yesterday, it was the ice cream.  The idea that normally we reach in this case, choose a flavor and move on.  To stop and recognize that, as a collection, the ice cream department was gorgeous, blew her mind. 

She "saw" the every day beauty of it for the first time.  This is delight.

Jeni's Ice Cream

You know I have a thing for artisanal ice cream flavors.  Well I couldn't go to Columbus without a "Trio" from Jeni's Ice Cream, could I?

Dan and I shared these 6 flavors:

Sweet Corn with Black Raspberry Swirl
Backyard Mint
Roasted Pear Riesling

Dark Chocolate
Bourbon Butter Pecan
Honey & Pistachio

Yum. Yum. Yum.  You'd think it was my birthday month all over again.

I am happy to announce that Jeni's Ice Cream is now available at some specialty grocery stores around the US.  Check here to see if you can find a scoop of heaven near you.  Fingers crossed!

Cherry Pie A La Mode...ice cream!

As I began experimenting with ice cream flavors this Summer, I just knew that I would like Cherry ice cream.

You see, I spend every weekend that I can in "Cherry Country." How could cherry ice cream not be good?

The genius came when I decided to add-in graham cracker crumbs. Suddenly my ice cream tasted exactly like cherry pie a la mode! Yum-yum-yum.

Cherry Pie A La Mode ice cream

Mix 1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed 2% milk, 1 (5 oz) can of evaporated milk, 2 cups of whole milk, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and 2/3 of a bag of frozen pitted unsweetened tart cherries (defrosted and chopped fine). Pour into the freezer container of an electric ice cream maker and follow the ice cream maker instructions.

Once the ice cream is soft-serve consistency, scoop half of the mixture into a low flat plastic freezable container, then pour on 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs in a layer, top with the remaining ice cream and place it in the freezer. Once the ice cream has hardened, you can run an ice cream scoop through the ice cream and inside each scoop you will see a ribbon of graham cracker! Serve and enjoy.

Moomer's Happy Cows in Traverse City

I mean, really, isn't this the life? How could these cows not be happy?

The masterminds at Moomer's ice cream want you to see just where the milk & cream for their delicious ice cream comes from. This pasture can been seen from the outdoor patio at Moomer's ice cream in Traverse City, Michigan. Neat, eh?

You see, Moomer's runs their very own dairy operation (to which they give tours) right next to the ice cream shop!

This is the sweetest example of farm-to-table agriculture I've ever seen.

P.S. Do you remember when Moomer's won the title "America's Best Ice Cream" from Good Morning America?

Summer Ice Cream

One of the things I love about the social networking site, Facebook, is that I can get instant travel recommendations from my connections.

I mentioned that I was planning a trip to Marblehead, Ohio (on the shores of Lake Erie) and heard instantly that I must visit The Dairy Dock for an orange and vanilla twist called "The Docksider."

Yum. yum. yum. A retro twist on the classic creamsicle that can cool off any Summer day.

Over the course of a week, I managed to fanagle three trips to The Dairy Dock, you know, for research.

All Ears

I've got Easter on my mind and everything is starting to look like a rabbit to me - even my green tea mochi ice cream!

Thanks to Facebook, I reconnected with a dear friend from elementary school last night. We live SO CLOSE to each other and decided to meet for tea & sweets.

We talked a mile a minute and it was so nice. She even brought along a cookbook (chocolate desserts!) that her mom wanted to pass on to someone who would love it - that's me!

Today's inspiration is for a Bunny Sundae. Take a scoop of vanilla ice cream, add two chocolate chip eyes, a marachino cherry nose and make mint leaf ears! Adorable...

Strawberry Vanilla Ice Cream

What happens when you make a really delicious batch of ice cream? Everyone eats it before you can take a picture for the blog!

This is the last 1/4 cup of my Strawberry Vanilla ice cream. I have been experimenting with my new Cuisinart commercial-style ice cream maker!

Patricia Wells had an ice cream maker like this in the class I took with her in Paris and I talked about it so much my husband gave me one for Christmas!

This recipe would work in any ice cream maker that can make 1 1/2 quarts of ice cream.

Strawberry Vanilla Ice Cream

Stir 1 cup whole milk with 3/4 cups of white sugar. Add 2 cups of Half & Half and 2 teaspoons high quality (like Nielsen-Massey) vanilla extract.

I also added a shake of pulverized vanilla bean which is hard to come by in the States, but a fun addition if you have it.

Pour in ice cream maker and turn it on. About 25 min in, when the mixture was starting to look frozen, I added 1 cup smashed strawberries (you can use frozen (but defrosted) strawberries off season. Frozen strawberries often have more flavor, as they were picked & preserved at their peak).

Serve when the ice cream is soft-serve consistency - it lets the vanilla sing!

Mood Music

Wear earplugs and sing your heart out.

That is my concert-going advice. Music plays such a big part of my life - I like many different styles and seem to having music playing all the time. I think the right song can do a lot for our mood.

With just a few days notice, my friend Polly called and asked if I wanted to go with her (and another friend of ours, Ann) to the Elton John & Billy Joel "Face 2 Face" concert. Another friend of theirs was unable to go to the concert and Polly said she had a ticket "with my name on it" - joy!

We had so much fun - there is something to be said for going to concerts where you know all the words. I loved it. We sang our hearts out and I felt so grateful that this "moment of delight" had fallen right into my lap.

And did I mention that we ate Sanders Hot Fudge sundaes as our concession fare? Beer and nachos didn't stand a chance when we saw that Sanders had a "sweet treat" booth. I'm sure we didn't look like we were "with the band," sitting shoulder-to-shoulder eating ice cream and catching up with each other, but it was the perfect concert experience.

Flight of Ice Cream

Have you ever had a flight of wine? A flight is a small sampling of wine or liquor for the purpose of comparison. I had my first ice cream flight at Mount Desert Island Ice Cream! I chose an all-white flight:

• Kahlua White Chocolate
• Sherry Raisin
• Ginger
• Coconut

Each flavor was better than the last. If you are planning an adventure to Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park, you must schedule some ice cream time.

On that note, you can skip the "Lobster Ice Cream" (yes, it is true) at Ben & Bill's Chocolate Emporium. I "took one for the team" and tried a sample on your behalf. All I can say is, you guys owe me big! I tried to erase the taste by having a scoop of their "Pecan Pie" ice cream - vanilla ice cream studded with chunks of flaky crust and sticky sweet pecans. It worked. Yum.

Ice Cream & Black Olives in Ohio

Yes, all in one trip! The Black Olive reference is to a wonderful restaurant of the same name in the Short North district of Columbus, Ohio. 

The restaurant's glass walls swing open, so my friends and I enjoyed dinner in the night air. I loved everything about it - the super nice staff, my delicious entree (steak with a plum reduction sauce) and the overall vibe of the restaurant. The perfect choice for relaxing after a big day at the fair.

Just across the street is Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream. An imperative stop on any trip to or thru Columbus.

Can I describe ice cream as gorgeous?
I think Jeni's unusual flavors, generous use of core ingredients and overall delight provided warrants the description.

We shared 2 Trios and ranked their deliciousness as follows:
#1 Bourbon Butter Pecan
#2 Pistachio Honey
#3 Sweet Corn with Black Raspberry Swirl
#4 Backyard Mint
#5 Dark Chocolate
#6 Carrot Cake

Mind you, the first four are so good, I would eat them every day for a month if I could. Honorable Mention goes to Red Beets with Lemon and Poppy Seeds - it was pink & delicious!

Ice Cream Drink

I have the perfect suggestion for a hot Summer evening...make an ice cream drink! I use the term "make" loosely, because my recipe involves the Wendy's drive-thru and some Kahlua.

A long time ago, a friend told me this super-fast recipe for a Hummer. Normally made in a blender with vanilla ice cream, Kahlua and milk, a quick trip through the drive-thru for a Frosty means you can be enjoying the night with an "instant ice cream drink" before you know it. Simply add an appropriate amount of Kahlua to a vanilla Frosty, mix and pour in a pretty glass. Voila!

Frozen S'more

My grandmother made Graham Cracker ice cream every Summer when I was growing up. It was an old-fashioned method, similar to making a granita.

This year I decided to reinvent it and make frozen s'mores! Graham Cracker ice cream (loaded with Mini Chocolate Chips) topped with Marshmallow Creme. Yum! You have to be in the mood to "get your sweet on" but you won't be sorry.

Graham Cracker ice cream (with Mini-Chocolate Chips)

Mix 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk, 1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup Graham Cracker crumbs. Chill mixture for at least 30 minutes. Pour into the freezer container of an electric ice cream maker and freeze according to ice cream maker instructions. When the ice cream is beginning to thickening, pour in 1/2 cup of mini-chocolate chips. Once it is a soft-serve consistency, transfer ice cream into a freezable container and freeze for an hour or so until firm.

To make a Frozen S'more, top a scoop of your Graham Cracker ice cream witha puff of Marshmallow Creme and a sprinkling of Mini-Chocolate Chips. Enjoy!