Parlor Doughnuts (located in multiple states)

Pictured: Cookies N' Cream, Cherry Cheesecake,
Coconut Cream, and Hibiscus Glazed

I have seen the future and it is Parlor Doughnuts. Just as Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams has grown from a humble Columbus, Ohio operation into a nationwide phenomenon, so will Parlor Doughnuts take over the USA. They are already off to a good start with locations in 13 states. Happily, I have eaten at them thrice: twice in Indiana (including their headquarters in Evansville) and once in Kentucky on my recent tour de south.

So what makes Parlor Doughnuts so special? Creative flavors, new spins on classics, and a donut design that is guaranteed to please.

What is this doughnut design, you ask? Beyond being gigantic, these doughnuts solve the cronut problem. Parlor Doughnuts makes layered doughnuts, fried to perfection with a crisp exterior and a flaky, doughy middle. Whatever they have done to seal the exterior successfully keeps the oil from seeping into the center--my biggest complaint with cronuts. They are neither a yeast doughnut nor a cake doughnut. Appearance-wise, Parlor's doughnuts are like croissants baked into a circle, whereas cronuts looked like doughnuts, only taller. And best of all: ALL of their doughnuts are made in this style, unlike cronuts which were always a specialty doughnut in short supply.

In my three visits to Parlor Doughnuts, I have tried a bunch of flavors: Strawberry Shortcake, Cookies N' Cream, Turtle, Coconut Cream Filled, Raspberry Pistachio, Hibiscus Glazed, Cherry Cheesecake, and their best seller, French Toast. Some of their doughnuts have filling, while others offer creative toppings. My favorites have been Hibiscus Glazed, which is their classic doughnut with no filling, and French Toast, which has cinnamon on top and layers of maple within. A lot of their flavors skew in the dessert column vs. the breakfast column, but for an occasional treat I will make an exception and eat dessert for breakfast.

Another cool thing is that each Parlor Doughnuts location has a unique logo. My only complaint is that the headquarters in Evansville, IN was out of their location-specific XL shirts.

Jeni's - Three Winners and a Dud

The aforementioned "three winners."

When I first blogged about Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams in 2012, they were only in area of Columbus, Ohio (AKA the perfect halfway point when driving from Chicago to Virginia). Based on those visits, they made my list of Top 25 to Visit. Since then, they have slowly started taking over the country with pint in many grocery stores plus locations in eleven states, including several locations in Chicago. Jeni's is always innovating, so occasionally I find myself placing orders online to get the latest flavor since they don't always last long in scoop shops. Here is my review of four recent flavors:

Strawberry Pretzel Pie - From first bite I started asking myself, "Is this the best ice cream I have ever had?" While I think Toscanini's probably has an edge over Jeni's, this is undoubtedly the best I've ever gotten from a mass produced facility and the best to have ever graced the inside of my freezer. Sure the strawberry and pretzels are nice, but there is something magical in the base that made my tastebuds pause to savor. Made in collaboration with Dolly Parton to benefit her non-profit, you can feel good eating it as well. Get on Jeni's email list for the next time they manufacture this flavor because it sells out FAST.

Maple Soaked Pancakes - They could have just lazily made a maple ice cream with pancakes thrown in, but, no, they incorporated the buttery flavor necessary to make this a genuine breakfast experience. Promoted for National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, I only consumed the flavor at more conventional times because some slopes are too slippery to risk taking.

Sunshine - A flavor designed to raise awareness (and funds) towards children's mental health, I knew I wanted to support...and not just because it sounded delicious. A grey ice cream boasting of tasting "like sunshine on a cloudy day," it is a fruit ice cream with mouth-puckering punches of lemon, tangerine, and passion fruit. While not as over-the-top incredible as Jeni's buttermilk frozen yogurts--perhaps their best creations overall--this is still a must-try flavor.

Everything Bagel - Cream cheese ice cream is an excellent base for cheesecake ice cream. So imagine that. Now subtract enough sugar from the cream cheese base to make it more savory than sweet. Not add onion and garlic. (Yes, you read that correctly.) Thankfully, I only sampled the flavor, which was enough to send me running away at full speed. But some people must love it because this is not the first time they've had the flavor. So don't take my word for it; try it for yourself!

Scoops in L.A. and Orange County

Brown Bread ice cream. 

I ate a lot of good ice cream in L.A., but without a doubt the best of the bunch was Scoops, which conveniently has its original location in Koreatown near where I was staying. I went a total of three nights in the course of a week or so. Two of these were back-to-back nights, but even then there was huge flavor turnover!

The decor is much like the city of Los Angeles, both dingy and flashy. The difference can be seen between the exterior at day (a worn-out white awning with sun-bleached lettering) and at night (an inviting glow of the black-and-white checkered and its faux stained glass). Inside, the walls are lined with benches for sitting, but no tables to eat at or sit across from one another. But it is a spacious place with high ceilings that accommodate the magnificent Calder-esque mobile that hangs above, offering colorful plastic shovel spoons in the place of Calder's abstract two-dimensional forms. And then there's the ice cream itself: the first time I went, I arrived to find most of the tins empty or nearly scraped clean. Still, the guy behind the counter was eager to have me sample most of what was left.

There is no shortage of exciting flavors to try: Almond Tea, Ricotta Toffee, Red Velvet Oreo, Burnt Sugar, Jackfruit Lime and Cookie Butter Toffee. I can't say the taste of many flavors evoke the names they've been given, but what matters is that they are delicious! The best is called Brown Bread, which has grapenuts in it to give it a crunch. But what does it taste like, if not brown bread? You'll have to try it yourself and let me know. All I can say is the flavor makes Scoops a member of this blog's TOP 25 TO VISIT.

Orange County location.

One final note: it is funny that a place called Scoops only offers sizes with a singular scoop, the Kiddie Scoop and One Scoop, both of which are decidedly not plural. But never fear: the One Scoop has two scoops! While this is the biggest size, at the original location in Koreatown refills are permitted at a discount price. So for $5.25 total I was able to have three scoops.

Quick post: Four shops to try

Salt & Straw.

As time passes, there are four spots I wish I'd blogged about when it was fresh in my brain. Consider this humble post a small tribute to four places I hope to visit again so I can make good on a full-length post for each. Here they are, all different time zones!

Salt & Straw in Portland, OR - Ate there two or three times. Multiple varieties of chocolate and some weirdo flavors here, too, like Pear & Blue Cheese and Arbequina Olive Oil. They have locations in California now, too.

Churn.

Churn in Phoenix, AZ - When I went to Phoenix for work, a friend directed me here. Of the flavors offered, I only recall one of them being off the beaten path. Classics are the focus at Churn and they do them well, so well that Churn has earned a spot in the TOP 25 TO VISIT.

Betty Ringer Ice Cream in Dallas, TX - Betty Ringer hadn't been open long before the Dallas Observer named it the Best Ice Cream Shop in 2017. This one is actually fresh in my mind, but I feel I needed to visit multiple times to do it justice. Sadly, this was the last ice cream shop I stopped at after a week in Dallas!

Sister Pie.

Sister Pie in Detroit, MI - What I can tell you is I went for up for seconds...and I would have gone up for thirds if the store hadn't been closing for the day.

Ice Cream Tasting Game at Rick Moonen's RM Seafood in Las Vegas

16 scoops, all alike in dignity and mystery. A colorful sampler of the ice creams, sorbets and ice milks they rotate between at Rick Moonen's RM Seafood in Las Vegas. The Tasting Game presents the customer with the scoops and asks them to guess what flavor each scoop is. Each customer is given a free spot--Vanilla Bean--while the rest of the 15 scoops are part of the game.

Much harder than it sounds, I guessed eight-and-a-half correct, not counting the free spot. (Half points are for flavors I guessed partially correct, like knowing there was banana in the banana-caramel flavor, but missing the caramel portion.) My server said the average was five or six correct, so I was above average. He seemed most impressed that I guessed coconut curry and lychee correctly. Meanwhile, I'm kicking myself that I didn't correctly identify pistachio or cherry. Not that it mattered in the big picture because I never would have guessed cardamom with star anise or green tea. I asked the server and he said no one had ever guessed them all and that the record was guessing 14 of the 15 mystery flavors correctly.

THE CORRECT ANSWERS -
Row 1: Pistachio, Coconut Curry, Coffee, Vanilla Bean
Row 2: Cardamom Star Anise, Thai Mango, Banana Caramel, Candy Cane
Row 3: Strawberry Guava, Green Tea, Raspberry, Cherry
Row 4: Nutella, Passionfruit, Lychee, Chocolate

Located at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place right on the Las Vegas strip, there is no shortage of places nearby to spend a pretty penny, but RM Seafood offers a three course business lunch for $28, though the Ice Cream Tasting costs an additional $10. The Ice Cream Tasting is $22 a la carte, though, so that plus two other courses is a steal at $32. Adventurous and fun. Recommended!

Dole Whip at Disney's Adventureland

After a sweltering and unexpectedly life-threatening Jungle Cruise in Disneyland's Adventureland, nothing cools you down better than pineapple on pineapple. The place to sate yourself is none other than the Tiki Juice Bar (or at Aloha Isle at the Magic Kingdom) where they serve up the Dole Whip float, a dish of pineapple soft serve filled with pineapple juice. The line for this refreshing treat is never short as it has become a bit of a cult classic. Simple in concept but rarely seen elsewhere, it is worth the hype.

Don't be fooled by the lack of line -- it was closing time.

Sidecar Doughnuts in Costa Mesa, CA

A unique box and a donut band (feat. an alligator tubist and giraffe drum major).

Off to watch surfers from the pier at Newport Beach? For the love of Pete, if you're going to watch other people exert themselves with physical activity, don't ever do so on an empty stomach! Lucky for you, Sidecar Doughnuts isn't far. And just like a surfer waiting for the perfect wave, Sidecar patrons must put in the time to get the sweet rewards, given the long lines out the door. Once those patient patrons reach the front, a new struggle begins: deciding. 

My parents and I managed to narrow our order down to six doughnuts after careful, thoughtful deliberation. All of them were wonderful. And after eating about two doughnuts each, we felt sated and not at all weighed down. We left knowing that Sidecar Doughnuts is indeed worth the hype! Here were our choices (in order of the picture at the top, left-to-right):

Huckleberry: My mom's favorite. A cake doughnut, but light and springy like a muffin. Topped with a tangy huckleberry glaze.

Cardamom Orange: My second favorite. A spiced cake doughnut with a bright, citrusy tinge and streusel topping. Nuanced and tasty, tasty, tasty.

Membrillo y Manchego: Quince and sheep's milk cheese are a first to my personal doughnut history. The thin slivers of Manchego add a hint of salt and fat to the airy yeast doughnut covered in a subtle fruity glaze. 

Choc A Lot: My dad's second favorite. I went back and forth in my brain about whether this was a cake doughnut or a yeast doughnut. Ultimately, my dad and I decided that if a yeast doughnut and brownie had a baby, it would've been this delight. Topped with dark chocolate glaze and cocoa nibs.

Butterscotch Pot De Creme: My dad and I's pick for the best doughnut of the bunch. A glazed yeast doughnut with a few bits of sea salt on top, plus a pool of butterscotch resting in the doughnut hole and fresh whipped cream on top.

Pumpkin: My mom's second favorite. We lucked out and snagged a hot one from a fresh batch. The flavor of actual pumpkin (as opposed to "pumpkin spice") was more present here than in any pumpkin doughnut I've had since pumpkin doughnut holes my mom would make growing up. No wonder she liked it so much!

But, wait, there's more! Donuts on the menu, that is. Salty Caramel, Saigon Cinnamon Crunch, and Country Ham & Egg, a savory doughnut filled with ham, a poached egg and hollandaise. The number one on my list to try next time I go is Butter & Salt, their brown butter vanilla doughnut with fleur de sel.

Sidecar Doughnuts also has a Santa Monica location, with even more locations coming soon.

Hans' Homemade Ice Cream in Anaheim

Not pictured: baseball for scale.

Anaheim Packing House is a food court for foodies: a giant skylight ceiling pouring in natural light, indoor/outdoor seating, two floors of a dozen-ish kiosks with takeaway food options and a half dozen (or so) sit down places offering everything from the poutine of the far north to the down home cuisine of the low country to the pho and bahn mi of the far east. This hot spot takes all the pros of a food truck rally (minus the trucks themselves, of course) and gives it an artier spin. Even dessert seekers have plenty of unique options to choose from, whether waffle creations or peach cobbler, Italian ice or gelato/sorbetto popsicles, fruit-covered snow ice or boba tea topped with cotton candy sculpture. But in this wonderland of tres chic tastes, it is Hans' Homemade Ice Cream that takes home the prize.

A black-and-yellow sign, white tile and two standard issue ice cream freezers make Hans' look simple at first glance. But the product being offered is more complex. Dark Cherry is indeed dark, bold with cherry and rich with chocolate. Nutella Crunch is a light ice cream with a wallop of chocolate hazelnut flavor. (The expertly chosen "crunch" is Kit Kat wafers, since Baci is more of a gelateria thing.) These two scoops my parents and I shared* were noteworthy enough by themselves, but the drumstick ice cream cone we had was game-changing.

Oh, yes, there is more than just hand-scooped ice cream at Hans' Homemade Ice Cream. 

Off to the side of the aforementioned ice cream freezers is what looks like a pastry display case, but cooled to freezing temperatures. Inside are a variety of tasty creations, including pre-made drumstick ice cream cones. After being filled (and stacked high) with ice cream--vanilla, chocolate, or Cookie Butter--the cones are dipped in chocolate. We went with the Cookie Butter drumstick rolled in cookie crumbs and we each had audible reactions of wonder upon first bite. Cookie butter, the American name for the Belgian-invented speculoos spread, is already an incredible flavor by itself but, until Hans' Cookie Butter ice cream, all ice cream concoctions I'd eaten of this type had either fallen flat or been too oily. I was glad to have this unfortunate streak broken by a dessert that has set the bar very high for all other speculoos frozen desserts to come. I only wish my stomach had been larger.

Hans' Homemade Ice Cream also has a location in Santa Ana.

*After several scholarly samples, of course.

Field Report: Vegan Ice Cream: Say It Ain't Soy ('Cuz it Ain't)

I feel healthier just looking at their color palette.

My friend Rob Putnam submits his review (and photos) of KindKreme in Los Angeles. With a diet that has been free of refined sugar for 20+ years (KindKreme uses agave) and vegetarian for 18+ years, Rob is the man to listen to when it comes to the healthy side of dessert. 

Chris Rock once quipped "You could drive a car with your feet if you want to. That don't make it a good f@!#ing idea." Fortunately, the same general notion doesn't apply to vegan ice cream. It can be done and, no, it isn't a good idea. It's a great idea. 

Last week I strode into KindKreme in Pasadena, which is all vegan, all awesome. It's like real (i.e. dairy) ice cream only healthier, with most of the flavor and none of the insulin shock. I sampled four flavors: honey blueberry, Mexican chocolate and the soft serve chocolate and coconut. The blueberry flavors were subtle, the sweetness understated. It simply tasted and felt healthier. I didn't feel the heaviness or bipolar blood sugar fluctuations that often follows fraternization with the real deal.

Coconut-chocolate swirl.

While everything I tried was fantastic, the soft serve flavors were the standouts, coconut in particular. It was so good that I was surprised it was available without a prescription.*

Note that KindKreme variously uses coconut or almond milk and/or cashews for its base. As a longtime vegetarian with vegan sympathies, I'm accustomed to such shadings. Non-believers be advised: objects in cooler are more vegan than they appear. That is, the flavors aren't exceptionally social and may make a poor first impression, especially if you typically hang with a dairy crowd. But given time, neophytes will find them friendly enough. Amiable, even.

A word of warning: unlike its prices, KindKreme's servings fall on the small side. A single scoop comes in at $3.99, $4.99 for soft serve. No surprise, then, that so many vegans are thin. But consider the advantages of the higher price. Then buy it anyway. Because you deserve it.

*Check local laws in your area.

Twice-Baked Almond Croissants

My love affair is in the bottom right corner.

"Do you have any more of the twice-baked almond croissants in the back?"

"We have a dozen that will be ready in a few minutes."

"I'll take ten."

This was my dad's recent exchange at Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle. My parents sought out this establishment on their vacation because they knew that this pastry is one of my biggest cravings since leaving the Pacific Northwest. (The other major cravings are Mighty O's French Toast donut and Agua Verde's mango quesadilla with a cup of Mexican chai.) They were not disappointed...and neither was I when they brought some back to share with me.

Tweaking = Blurry pic.

Twice-baked almond croissant, how do I love thee? Let me drool the ways. A flaky, chewy croissant with a slightly crisp (not crunchy) exterior and a sweet-n-nutty almond filling that--gasp!--tastes like almonds and thankfully NOT like its sloptart cousin marzipan or its wino uncle amaretto. Crowned with a toppling layer of toasted sliced almonds and a just-right touch of powdered sugar to balance the buttery bread, it is a beautiful sight to behold. Furthermore, this pastry is not dainty--compared to my size 12 shoe, it appears to be about a size 8--but even though it's enough to fill my stomach, my fingers still scrape up the fallen almond slivers itching for more.

On vacation in Seattle? The twice-baked almond croissants at Bakery Nouveau are reason enough to visit West Seattle, but don't miss these other attractions. Eat the freshest of seafood at Seattle Fish Market. Take a walk on Alki Beach looking over at Magnolia or the Olympic Peninsula. Or drive over to the east side to get a panoramic view of downtown Seattle. Take in the work of funky local artists at Twilight Artist Collective. Shop at the appropriately legendary Easy Street Records, or get brunch if you have sworn off tangible music products. Just make sure you save room for French pastry!

L’Chai-yum

I have fond memories of standing in the falling snow outside of Big Dipper’s in Missoula, MT. While my dad and I took our time determining which flavors we wanted to try, he asked what cardamom ice cream was.

Cardamom is the dominant spice that makes the smell of chai tea so incredible. (There is no single recipe for chai, so the spices vary. Commonly used are the equally aromatic anise, cinnamon, clove and ginger.) But all tea, including chai, just tastes like hot water to me. I realize this puts me in the minority. Happily, chai has been embraced as a flavor worth exploring in other mediums. I present to you, the best of chai:

1.) Located on Portage Bay between Lake Union and Lake Washington, Seattle’s Agua Verde rents kayaks in addition to serving Baja-style Mexican food. Some of my favorites are their mango quesadilla, veggie burrito (with sautéed yams!) and their Mexican Chai. This warm beverage is like traditional chai tea, except they use horchata instead of hot water. This is a great way to warm up after paddling around in the Northwest.

2.) In Chicago, brunch doesn’t mean having something light to tide you over; it means shoving as much food in your face as possible since you’re skipping a meal. And with M. Henry, Ann Sather’s and Orange, Chicago has no shortage of tasty brunch spots. Orange’s menu runs the gamut from cute (their appetizer fruishi, fruit presented to look like sushi) to bizarre (complimentary water flavored with cucumber might be good with a salad, but not with breakfast) to delicious (everything else, it seems). Their award-winning dish is their Chai Tea French Toast, served in a chai tea latte reduction and topped with caramel apples and honey. This rich and filling brunch is not for sissies.

3.) Being that I am neither a coffee drinker nor a screenplay writer, I am not a man who hangs out in coffee shops. (Were it not for my love of hot chocolate and apple cider, one might think me a hater of warm beverages.) But if more coffee shops were like Kopi in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood, I might have a change of heart. Their atmosphere is colorful, worldly and comfy—I’m told this is the Californian approach to coffee shops—as opposed to chic and lodge-esque—which, no thanks to Seattle, is what coffee shops are like everywhere else. The dessert menu at Kopi includes two favorites: frutti di bosco, a short Italian cake with ricotta whipped cream (think cannoli) and topped with berries, and their Chai Milkshake. As I mentioned in my review of Haagen-Dazs’ Sweet Chai Latte ice cream, chai lends itself better to being a milkshake than hard ice cream because the smoother texture better reflect the essence of chai. At Kopi, you can taste the proof.

Step 1 to Becoming a Chocolate Connoisseur

Theo Chocolate bars (and their 3400 Phinney bars) are available nationwide at all Whole Foods locations. They are the only chocolate company in the U.S. whose ingredients are certified Fair Trade; they also are the only chocolate company in the U.S. whose ingredients are certified organic. And did I mention that they are one of only 12 US chocolate companies that, bean-to-bar, does the entire chocolate-making process themselves. Where better place to learn how chocolate is made? They give daily tours, 7 days a week in their factory, located in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood.

Cacao (or the Americanized term cocoa) is the seed of a fruit—not technically a bean, though it is referred to as one—that grows from the trunk and lowest branches of the tree known as Theobroma Cacao. This tree can be seen in countries within 20º of the Equator. To get to the seeds, the fruit innards—seeds and all—are pulled out to ferment for 7 days. (This is the stage that most affects the flavor of the bean.) The seeds are then dried on slats. The dried seeds are then bagged up and sent to a plant. At the plant, the beans are cleaned, roasted, and split with a “bean guillotine,” removing the shell and leaving only the brittle innards (pictured), or what is called the “nib.” (It takes about 70-80 beans to make one 3 oz. dark chocolate bar.) Then the magic happens.

The nibs are roasted, developing their flavor, before they are crushed into a paste with a consistency not unlike freshly ground peanut butter. It is then reduced into a more liquefied form, technically called “chocolate liquor.” Next the sugar is added, as well as the milk for milk chocolate. Next, more complicated things: the sugar particle size is reduced, the acid is reduced, until finally the cocoa solids that have been created are reunited with the cocoa butter (which was previously extracted from the bean). Next all that needs to happen is molding the chocolate, getting the temperature down and packaging it…or if you happen to own a chocolate factory for strictly personal use, forgo the packaging and eat right off the assembly line.

Another option is to add cream to the chocolate. The chocolate is completely processed and formed into a block. Next, remelt the block and mix in hot cream (possibly already fused with other flavors, such as mint. Then, use a marble countertop to temper the ganache—the name for chocolate with cream in it—so the cocoa butter doesn’t separate. Then you can use it for making truffles or other confections.

As I've said before, Theo’s products are incredible. Visit the factory and sample nearly all of it in their factory store, or take the tour and try a little more!

Ep.2: A Growl of Approval

My dad and I's cross country drive brought us from Seattle to North Bend to Grand Coullee Dam to Yellowstone by way of Missoula, Montana.
---
 
My friend in food Aimee has been immortalized for my family and friends because of her recommendations of a delicious nature.* On my recent trip through Yellowstone, I was able to test another of Aimee's tried-and-true.

Big Dipper's in Missoula, Montana offers unique, homemade ice cream at a walk-up stand. The young woman behind the sliding glass window smiled as my father and I took our time deciding what flavors to try on our once-in-a-lifetime trip through Missoula, even though it was 9pm and we were standing in falling snow...The smile faded as it became clear from the passage of time the life-or-death importance of our decision. Finally, I chose the winning combination of cardamom with huckleberry and, while the girl scooped mine up, Dad settled on Mexican chocolate. Each stood out as the best possible choice.

Also featured at Big Dipper's was an 87 oz. five flavor tub known as The Growler. The image featured the same boy from their vintage-looking sign--Great cones! Oh boy!--wearing what looked to me like a Sasquatch costume. During the remainder of my stay, however, I learned that Missoula is home to University of Montana, whose mascot is the Grizzly.

Following the collegiate theme, my stomach roared with approval after finishing my scoops as well as my dad's. And I'm not ashamed to say it: The mixture of cardamom, huckleberry and Mexican chocolate made for an enjoyable burping experience.

Thanks for another great recommendation, Aimee!

*Her most famous example has been Southern Kitchen in Tacoma, WA, home of the best southern cookin' I've had outside of my native region. Everything there is incredible! Everything! You'll get there, order a mason jar of strawberry lemonade along with your entree, which comes with three sides and a corncake, and stuff yourself silly. But it is imperative that you still get their award-winning peach cobbler! Yes, you're full but you'll thank me later.

Ep.1: An Open Letter to the City of Seattle

Exterior shot of the Queen Anne location.

To the Emerald City:

Once I declared, “Seattle is not an ice cream city.” Though I appreciate the many gelaterias, sprinkled across Seattle, gelato is no substitute for ice cream. For a long time, one had to catch a ferry over to nearby Bainbridge Island and, while that trip is well worth it, that trip should be one of leisure not of necessity. I am pleased to say that a new day is dawning. There is now a gourmet homemade ice cream shop in the city of Seattle: Molly Moon’s.  

News spread fast this past summer of the Wallingford business: great ice cream, funky flavors and lines out the door. I’d heard rumors of the Salted Caramel and the Strawberry Balsamic, but seriously doubted my relationship with these flavors would move beyond the sample phase. But I was so pleasantly surprised by the Salted Caramel that I immediately began ordering and completely forgot to sample the Strawberry Balsamic! It only got better: When I ordered, the girl behind the counter complimented my choice of flavor combinations—a compliment that makes my heart sing. After my experience, I too would heartily recommend ordering Salted Caramel with their Spiced Cider Sorbet. it tastes like a caramel apple! Though next time I go, I’ll have try the Baracky Road.

A prosperous business, the lines were still long on a recent chilly, autumnal afternoon. I blame the wait for my decision to break my usual “no cone” rule. Fresh waffle cones always smell good, but theirs smelled like something special. Wonderful and a little bit chewy. (The zip-up hoodie I purchased still has the aroma permeating it.)

With the arrival of Molly Moon’s, Seattle has made great strides in its dessert culture. My sincerest congratulations. My only sadness in this welcome change is that it comes so close to my departure of the city. I will soon begin a cross-country drive out of Seattle, but hope to visit again soon!

Warmly,
Brad

P.S. I was also pleased in a recent trip to Gelatiamo to find Toasted Almond. Thanks for answering another plea.


Note from 2012: In recent years, Molly Moon's has been found on more than one list I've seen of the "Best Ice Cream Shops in America." I grew to be particularly fond of their rich Theo Chocolate, which uses chocolate from the nearby factory of the same name. The hoodie I bought continues to be worn with frequency, though the waffle cone smell has long since departed.

So you like doughnuts, eh?

A dozen Mighty-O doughnuts. Four French Toast doughnuts on the left.

For a Southern boy, deep frying is the preferred method of food preparation at every meal. Seattle has many options for the doughnut lover.

Mighty-O – My personal favorite in the Seattle area. These vegan cake doughnuts are cooked in peanut oil making them lighter. From what I’ve seen, they also feature the largest variety of doughnuts in the area, including Grasshopper (chocolate doughnut with a minty topping), Lemon Poppy Seed, and my personal favorite French Toast. (pictured) (Top 20 to Visit)

The spread at Mighty-O.

Top Pot Doughnuts – These doughnuts come with a price tag that might seem high, but be assured: these cake doughnuts are meaty, filling the space of two normal doughnuts. It’s no wonder their slogan is “hand-forged donuts.” Their seasonal Pumpkin doughnut and Chocolate Sandcastle are my favorites.

Winchell’s – Winchell’s is a chain in the western United States. Based on my search, they are also the only place you can find authentic French Crullers in Seattle proper. Actually, finding really tasty rise doughnuts—yeast doughnuts, as opposed to cake doughnuts—is quite difficult in this city. Winchell’s is also open 24 hours. Need I say more?

Also in the Northwest is the legendary Voodoo Doughnuts. Where else can you get a maple doughnut topped with bacon? Other doughnuts toppings include Cocoa Puffs, crushed Oreos, Butterfinger, and Tang (including the Mango Tango, which is mango-filled). They also perform wedding ceremonies! For anyone visiting Portland, this is a must: Go to the downtown location of Voodoo donuts and then take your doughnuts for a walk at the waterfront park crossing as many of Portland’s nine bridges as you like.

Four great places for doughnuts! You can never enough too many doughnuts! Just ask Homer (1:50 into the video).

Note from 2012: Winchell's has closed. Good luck finding a decent French Cruller.
Note from 2017: Voodoo Doughnuts isn't especially good. Time has taught me it is all hype and no substance.

Chocolate iz Güd

Theo Chocolate
This three-year-old company is one of few Fair Trade certified chocolate companies in America, as well as one of few places that does the whole process of making chocolate on-site, from roasting to packaging. You can even take tours of their factory in Fremont, which is my personal favorite thing to recommend to tourists visiting Seattle. Call at least a few days in advance because the daily tours sell out fast. At their factory store you can sample every chocolate bar they have for sale! Their chocolate bars are starting to be available around the country. Favorite creations: Coconut Curry bar and any of their signature creations that feature Jasmine, which tastes like fairy dust in your mouth.

Fran’s Chocolates
The most high-end of these three. As a caramel fan, I do not say this lightly: their caramel is the best tasting caramel I have ever had. Their products are available nation-wide, so if you have a fancy chocolate shop near you, treat yourself to my favorite of their creations, the Almond Gold Bar (chocolate, almonds, and sweet, sweet caramel). They may be small, they may be three dollars, but you will be a different person afterwards.

Seattle Chocolates
These truffles are small, not particularly decadent, and come in many straightforward flavors. All of these factors add up to a product that is easy to consume in large quantities, which, having worked at a non-profit arts organization sponsored by Seattle Chocolates, I can tell you I have done many, many times. I have actually sampled every product they make, including their truffle bars, which are more creative in flavor combinations and texture. Favorite creation: blackberry truffle.

"Almond" the other reindeer?

Gelatiamo, the finest gelato establishment in Seattle, has caused me great confusion. My favorite flavor, Almond, has not been seen for nearly a year. When I asked about the flavor's disappearance, I was told that Almond is a seasonal flavor. (If you can explain to me what makes Almond a seasonal flavor, you will have cured me of great existential trauma.) It would seem the only nut one might call seasonal would be the chestnut, but that seems a bit of a stretch.

There are many seasonal flavors that appear during the year. Ben & Jerry's made Festivus ice cream for a little while, a gingerbread ice cream to celebrate the Seinfeld holiday that inspired the flavor. Also available annually from various distributors are peppermint and candy cane (two distinctly different flavors), egg nog, and other varieties of gingerbread. I indulged in an apple cider sorbet at Purple in downtown Seattle. I've never seen a fruitcake ice cream, but don't deny that it probably exists somewhere.

Outside of ice cream, other seasonal offerings have also become staples. Cheesecake Factory has its annual pumpkin pecan cheesecake, which is half Cheesecake Factory's famous pumpkin cheesecake and half pecan pie. Jones Soda makes seasonal sodas for Valentine's Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. This all began with their now famous Turkey and Gravy soda. I have only had the privilege of tasting Jones' Seattle Seahawks-themed soda for this year's football season. Flavors included Sweat, Field Turf, Dirt, and Sports Cream. The theory was to be a true Seahawks fan one must endure each of the above flavors to reach the final flavor: Sweet Victory. The people at Jones are not just being cute when they name these flavors; they actually develop special flavors to match the names, including Sweat. Blech.

All of this being said, what is your favorite seasonal flavor? (Is it spumoni? It's spumoni, isn't it?) Anyone who knows me knows pumpkin is my favorite. Speaking of which, my sweet mother has made a pumpkin cream cheese roll with my name on it...

Please join me in requesting Almond anytime you go to Gelatiamo. Your participation is appreciated.

Seattle is not an ice cream city.

The pink bench might be reason enough to visit.

The greater Seattle area is famous for many things, including a heroin-addicted rock star and, fittingly, a giant needle. There are a number of national ice cream chains and some gelaterias, but where are the small scoop shops with special, signature flavors made on-site? Well, friends, look no further. I have found this place of harmony, but it resides outside Seattle’s city limits.

All of the ice cream sold at the two Mora Iced Creamery locations is made on Bainbridge Island, a short ferry’s ride from downtown Seattle. Using “old-world recipes,” the Argentinean flavor artists behind Mora craft over 48 flavors daily, including a rotating list of special flavors. This place offers much more than a few default ice cream flavors with a wide variety of mix-ins; at Mora they offer chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate mousse, Gianduja, Swiss Chocolate, Italian Chocolate, and more. They also have a list of less likely flavors including B.A. (their take on dulce de leche), Marron Glace (French chestnuts), and Mora (blackberry).

At Mora, a person is assigned to help you sample as many of their flavors as you wish. When I shyly asked for “just one more sample,” the young man behind the counter ordered me to try as many as I liked, proudly declaring he would give me a sample of every flavor if I liked. Tipping never felt so appropriate.

Of their selection, the favorite shared by my best friend and I is Dark Chocolate Mint. Usually in mint chocolate ice creams the eponymous flavors are present but separate: you taste one and then the other. And usually one flavor is dominant, making the other its sidekick. Not at Mora. So good I recommend eating it sitting down. I also enjoy their Cheesecake with Brownies. Other cheesecake ice creams tend to create cream cheese overkill, bringing to mind a heavy cheesecake slice one struggles to finish, conquering instead of enjoying. Mora’s memorable flavor possesses the subtlety of a light and airy cheesecake slice.

But don’t take my word for it; go sample them all! Mora Iced Creamery is located in the greater Seattle area on Bainbridge Island and in Bellevue.

Note from 2012: While the Bellevue location has closed, Mora has opened two new stores. Check their website for details.