Though my dad and I could have continued driving and exploring America for much longer, we wanted to be home for Christmas. After visiting family near New Orleans, we drove long stretches with no stopping to get to southeast Virginia on time for holiday celebrations.
---
From what I remember, the last ground-breaking new holiday-themed ice cream to hit grocery stores was Ben & Jerry's Seinfeld-inspired Festivus ice cream, which was essentially gingerbread ice cream. Other grocery store brands jumped on the band wagon in years to come, offering their own gingerbread ice creams. But since then, there's been a dry spell of new holiday-themed flavor ideas. I mean, we've already got eggnog, pumpkin, candy cane and gingerbread. So what's left? Chestnuts roasting on an open fire ice cream? Pine-scented Christmas tree ice cream? Venison ice cream? Häagen-Dazs has outdone themselves again with their latest Limited Edition flavor: Peppermint Bark. Wait, but with mint chocolate chip and candy cane ice cream already on the market, is this a new idea for ice cream? Yes, and here's why.
In
its native form, peppermint bark is a holiday treat that is part
chocolate, part white chocolate (sometimes mint-infused) and part
crunchy candy cane. It sticks out as something different in the mint
candy genre. Equal parts creamy, minty and chocolatey. Ghirardelli's
Peppermint Bark
has been the favorite treat in my Christmas stocking for years.
Mint ice cream exists in
many forms. My mom prefers the especially crunchy candy cane variety. I
prefer the creamier mint chip variety. Some have a mint ice cream base,
other vanilla. Some have cookies mixed in, others Andes mints or York
peppermint patties. Some have a mint flavor only at first taste, others
are extra-minty and linger like a breath-freshening mint. There are
others still: an entirely separate category of chocolate-based mint
flavors such as Girl Scout Thin Mint. But until now, no grocery store
brand has sought to marry the flavors (and textures) of peppermint bark
in an ice cream. Until now.
Häagen-Dazs Peppermint Bark is a white chocolate ice cream with bits of peppermint bark broken up throughout and some extra pieces of candy cane mixed in. This combination makes it a mint ice cream my mom and I can agree on. Maybe that's why she knew it would be a perfect gift for me this Christmas. Thanks, Mom!
UPDATE: After extensive "research," I've decided the best way to eat this concoction is to double-fist Ghirardelli's Peppermint Bark with the Häagen-Dazs. This increases the chocolate content, but also provides the added bonus of prolonging how long each product will last.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Ep.5: Denton, The Home of Happiness
Continuing east, we drove across Texas, from Amarillo to Dallas and on to New Orleans.
---
An hour northwest of downtown Dallas is the small town of Denton, TX. Remembering that my friend Ben had spent some years in this burg, I let him know we were passing through. He knew just the place I had to stop, too.
Beth Marie’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream shines even brighter than the elegant holiday lights across the street, shining on the old courthouse in Denton’s Town Square. Within the shop, newspaper articles on the walls featured their ice cream expert boasting of knowing 65 recipes at present—the store had at least 40 available—but went on to say she could make up a new one every day if she wanted. Suffice to say, if I were the President elect, I would create a cabinet position for her.
And what were the flavors? So glad you asked, italicized lettering. Anytime, friend. Among them were the five my dad and I tried: Butter Brittle, Turtle Torture, Apple Pie, French Toast and their brilliantly-named gingerbread concoction Hansel & Gretel. Each of the flavors was magnificently textured. I regret not trying the Chocolate-Covered Cherry, a flavor that I later learned received a third place award from the National Ice Cream Retailers Association, as did their Hansel & Gretel.
Another unique feature is that the ice cream is priced by the ounce. Why this is a good thing: after ice cream was scooped for my dish, I could politely ask for a bigger scoop and receive a warm smile instead of an irritated look.
Thanks for the great recommendation, Ben!
---
An hour northwest of downtown Dallas is the small town of Denton, TX. Remembering that my friend Ben had spent some years in this burg, I let him know we were passing through. He knew just the place I had to stop, too.
Beth Marie’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream shines even brighter than the elegant holiday lights across the street, shining on the old courthouse in Denton’s Town Square. Within the shop, newspaper articles on the walls featured their ice cream expert boasting of knowing 65 recipes at present—the store had at least 40 available—but went on to say she could make up a new one every day if she wanted. Suffice to say, if I were the President elect, I would create a cabinet position for her.
And what were the flavors? So glad you asked, italicized lettering. Anytime, friend. Among them were the five my dad and I tried: Butter Brittle, Turtle Torture, Apple Pie, French Toast and their brilliantly-named gingerbread concoction Hansel & Gretel. Each of the flavors was magnificently textured. I regret not trying the Chocolate-Covered Cherry, a flavor that I later learned received a third place award from the National Ice Cream Retailers Association, as did their Hansel & Gretel.
Another unique feature is that the ice cream is priced by the ounce. Why this is a good thing: after ice cream was scooped for my dish, I could politely ask for a bigger scoop and receive a warm smile instead of an irritated look.
Thanks for the great recommendation, Ben!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Ep.4: McDisappointed
After Utah, we trekked down to the Grand Canyon and finally resumed driving east.
---
In Albuquerque, my dad and I spotted a Circle K, which being Virginians we're not accustomed to seeing. Our first response was to wonder if "strange things were afoot." Curious, we stopped in and my dad remarked that we might find a frozen dessert there. Nothing tickled our fancy, so we left...and then we saw it: The Golden Arches.
I admit it: I love McDonald's caramel sundaes. Its simplicity isn't accomplished anywhere else. Hot caramel on the bottom, vanilla softserve in the middle, hot caramel and nuts on top. Snuggling up with one in my warm winter jacket seemed the perfect ending to our long, cold day of driving in pouring snow.
"Yeah," I moped, "but the past few times I've asked, the McDonald's I was at didn't have caramel, just hot fudge." (I've always liked caramel more than hot fudge. In fact, for a time I never didn't even like hot fudge, preferring chocolate sauce. This made me the black sheep at family birthday parties growing up.) Dad thought we'd have better luck in New Mexico thanks to the large Mexican population and given that caramel--dulce de leche, actually-- is a popular flavor in Mexico. Triunfa!
If high hopes were sundaes , my life would be a ziggy-piggy buffet, but unfortunately this time they same crashing down into little pieces, not unlike chopped nuts. No caramel sundae!
McDonald'ses around the world, I'm begging you: Bring back my simple pleasure! Bring back the caramel sundae!
---
In Albuquerque, my dad and I spotted a Circle K, which being Virginians we're not accustomed to seeing. Our first response was to wonder if "strange things were afoot." Curious, we stopped in and my dad remarked that we might find a frozen dessert there. Nothing tickled our fancy, so we left...and then we saw it: The Golden Arches.
I admit it: I love McDonald's caramel sundaes. Its simplicity isn't accomplished anywhere else. Hot caramel on the bottom, vanilla softserve in the middle, hot caramel and nuts on top. Snuggling up with one in my warm winter jacket seemed the perfect ending to our long, cold day of driving in pouring snow.
"Yeah," I moped, "but the past few times I've asked, the McDonald's I was at didn't have caramel, just hot fudge." (I've always liked caramel more than hot fudge. In fact, for a time I never didn't even like hot fudge, preferring chocolate sauce. This made me the black sheep at family birthday parties growing up.) Dad thought we'd have better luck in New Mexico thanks to the large Mexican population and given that caramel--dulce de leche, actually-- is a popular flavor in Mexico. Triunfa!
If high hopes were sundaes , my life would be a ziggy-piggy buffet, but unfortunately this time they same crashing down into little pieces, not unlike chopped nuts. No caramel sundae!
McDonald'ses around the world, I'm begging you: Bring back my simple pleasure! Bring back the caramel sundae!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Ep.3: Bovine Intervention to Supine Conversation
After Yellowstone, our trip took us south into Utah for 4 days of national parks and a Utah Jazz game. But, following that old adage, I will now focus on the journey instead of the destination.
---
My dad and I have had many a conversation on important world issues while on roadtrips, including one infamous family drive where we all did nothing but come up with band names, including the Smiling Potatoes of Death, the State-line Walrus Jockeys and one controversial name that is not allowed to be mentioned in my family since that fated drive. Between Dillon, Montana and Idaho Falls, Idaho, we encountered a grand total of three (3) other cars on our side of the road. This accurately represents how little there was to see. But it was a full moon, casting a certain glow on the mountains as well as the cows in the fields. I quipped to my dad that one knew a scene was magnificent if the cows look picturesque.
This got us discussing the life of a cow. (Like I said, a long road of nothing.) After much discussion, I concluded that I wouldn't enjoy being a cow. "Why?" Dad asked. "Because I wouldn't be able to eat ice cream." ...Amongst castration, a painful procedure of cutting off a cow's horns and inevitable execution, that's the best I could come up with.
I had incorrectly concluded that it would be cannibalistic for a cow to drink cow's milk. While this is true when the character Heffer in the Nickolodeon cartoon "Rocko's Modern Life" eats a hamburger, it is not true of drinking milk. But would it be vegan? We couldn't decide. It's not new news that earlier this year PETA wrote Ben & Jerry's a letter suggesting they start using human milk instead of cow's milk. Apparently, this is an acceptable substitute for them. So veganism is only for the products of other animals, not one's own species. But cows do not have dextrous appendages for mixing ice cream. Is it vegan or not to eat the literal fruit of the loins of one's own species if the food product is made by another species and served back to you? Obviously, it's sick and twisted to do so if the consumer is unaware, but let's say the cows were willing: Would it be vegan?
---
My dad and I have had many a conversation on important world issues while on roadtrips, including one infamous family drive where we all did nothing but come up with band names, including the Smiling Potatoes of Death, the State-line Walrus Jockeys and one controversial name that is not allowed to be mentioned in my family since that fated drive. Between Dillon, Montana and Idaho Falls, Idaho, we encountered a grand total of three (3) other cars on our side of the road. This accurately represents how little there was to see. But it was a full moon, casting a certain glow on the mountains as well as the cows in the fields. I quipped to my dad that one knew a scene was magnificent if the cows look picturesque.
This got us discussing the life of a cow. (Like I said, a long road of nothing.) After much discussion, I concluded that I wouldn't enjoy being a cow. "Why?" Dad asked. "Because I wouldn't be able to eat ice cream." ...Amongst castration, a painful procedure of cutting off a cow's horns and inevitable execution, that's the best I could come up with.
I had incorrectly concluded that it would be cannibalistic for a cow to drink cow's milk. While this is true when the character Heffer in the Nickolodeon cartoon "Rocko's Modern Life" eats a hamburger, it is not true of drinking milk. But would it be vegan? We couldn't decide. It's not new news that earlier this year PETA wrote Ben & Jerry's a letter suggesting they start using human milk instead of cow's milk. Apparently, this is an acceptable substitute for them. So veganism is only for the products of other animals, not one's own species. But cows do not have dextrous appendages for mixing ice cream. Is it vegan or not to eat the literal fruit of the loins of one's own species if the food product is made by another species and served back to you? Obviously, it's sick and twisted to do so if the consumer is unaware, but let's say the cows were willing: Would it be vegan?
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
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.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Ep.1: An Open Letter to the City of Seattle
 |
| Exterior shot of the Queen Anne location. |
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.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
So you like doughnuts, eh?
 |
| A dozen Mighty-O doughnuts. Four French Toast doughnuts on the left. |
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. |
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.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Field Report: Carol Lee Donuts in Blacksburg, VA
My brother and blogging mentor Brian reflects on fall, football and fried pastry:
I'm here to spread the good word about Carol Lee Donuts . If you ever have a sweet tooth in Blacksburg, VA, you absolutely must go there to enjoy the best doughnuts in the world.
When I first moved to Blacksburg, Carol Lee Donuts was located near the campus of Virginia Tech. This location made for quick and convenient breakfast detours in between classes. But a few years later, the owners decided to move to their current location at 1414 North Main Street, which is a pretty long walk from downtown. There was only one thing left for me to do: when my lease ran out, I moved into the apartment complex right behind the new location.
Whenever I travel to Blacksburg these days, I always bring a cooler with me so I can take a dozen Carol Lee Donuts back home. I always get four White Delights - these doughnuts are filled with white cream (NOT custard) and topped with chocolate, and though you can't go wrong with any of your choices, I think White Delights are the best. Then I get a mix of Chocolate Icing, Glazed, Powdered Sugar and Cinnamon Sugar. I've never been a fan of fruit-filled doughnuts, but my wife always gets a few of these. After I get my dozen doughnuts, I usually get three or four more to enjoy right away. I generally get another White Delight as well as a Cinnamon Twist, a cinnamon-flavored, glazed-covered, stick-shaped doughnut that does not fit in the dozen donuts box. In recent years, the third doughnut I get is a Maroon & Orange Sprinkled Donut, which Carol Lee Donuts started making for Hokie football weekends to promote game day spirit. And I always get some milk to wash it all down.
I last visited Carol Lee Donuts the first weekend in October before Virginia Tech's Homecoming football game against Western Kentucky. Even though I had already eaten an early breakfast in Harrisonburg, VA (Mr. J's Pumpkin Muffins, which I couldn't pass up after missing out on them last October), my first stop in Blacksburg was still Carol Lee Donuts. I had originally planned on getting a White Delight and a Maroon & Orange Sprinkled Donut, but I called an audible when I walked inside. The Chocolate Iced Donuts had just come out of the oven, and I can't tell you the last time I had a HOT Carol Lee Donut. The Chocolate Iced practically melted in my mouth as I ate it, and might have even been better than the White Delight. It was my second great breakfast of the day, and the Hokie football team didn't seem to mind that my donuts lacked the football spirit - Virginia Tech won easily, 27-13.
So go to Carol Lee Donuts!!! Just one visit will make you a believer, and you'll soon be looking forward to your next trip. And if you really like their doughnuts, well...there are some nice apartments just behind those woods in the back.
I'm here to spread the good word about Carol Lee Donuts . If you ever have a sweet tooth in Blacksburg, VA, you absolutely must go there to enjoy the best doughnuts in the world.
When I first moved to Blacksburg, Carol Lee Donuts was located near the campus of Virginia Tech. This location made for quick and convenient breakfast detours in between classes. But a few years later, the owners decided to move to their current location at 1414 North Main Street, which is a pretty long walk from downtown. There was only one thing left for me to do: when my lease ran out, I moved into the apartment complex right behind the new location.
Whenever I travel to Blacksburg these days, I always bring a cooler with me so I can take a dozen Carol Lee Donuts back home. I always get four White Delights - these doughnuts are filled with white cream (NOT custard) and topped with chocolate, and though you can't go wrong with any of your choices, I think White Delights are the best. Then I get a mix of Chocolate Icing, Glazed, Powdered Sugar and Cinnamon Sugar. I've never been a fan of fruit-filled doughnuts, but my wife always gets a few of these. After I get my dozen doughnuts, I usually get three or four more to enjoy right away. I generally get another White Delight as well as a Cinnamon Twist, a cinnamon-flavored, glazed-covered, stick-shaped doughnut that does not fit in the dozen donuts box. In recent years, the third doughnut I get is a Maroon & Orange Sprinkled Donut, which Carol Lee Donuts started making for Hokie football weekends to promote game day spirit. And I always get some milk to wash it all down.
I last visited Carol Lee Donuts the first weekend in October before Virginia Tech's Homecoming football game against Western Kentucky. Even though I had already eaten an early breakfast in Harrisonburg, VA (Mr. J's Pumpkin Muffins, which I couldn't pass up after missing out on them last October), my first stop in Blacksburg was still Carol Lee Donuts. I had originally planned on getting a White Delight and a Maroon & Orange Sprinkled Donut, but I called an audible when I walked inside. The Chocolate Iced Donuts had just come out of the oven, and I can't tell you the last time I had a HOT Carol Lee Donut. The Chocolate Iced practically melted in my mouth as I ate it, and might have even been better than the White Delight. It was my second great breakfast of the day, and the Hokie football team didn't seem to mind that my donuts lacked the football spirit - Virginia Tech won easily, 27-13.
So go to Carol Lee Donuts!!! Just one visit will make you a believer, and you'll soon be looking forward to your next trip. And if you really like their doughnuts, well...there are some nice apartments just behind those woods in the back.
Monday, November 10, 2008
In space, no one can hear you scream (for ice cream)…
I recently began tutoring at 826 Seattle, a non-profit creative writing and tutoring center. It is a chapter of 826 National, a non-profit started by my favorite author and publisher Dave Eggers.
When the first tutoring center of this type opened at 826 Valencia in San Francisco, the property owners required its residents to have a storefront operating in tandem with the tutoring center. Eggers facetiously chose to have a pirate supply store, not anticipating how much money this store would generate, assisting with the operating costs of the tutoring center. Thus, having a clever store is now part of the structure of all 826 chapters around the country. 826 NYC has the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. The exterior of 826 Chicago touts the building to be “The Boring Store” with signs clearly stating “Not a secret agent supply store.” 826 Seattle is home to Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company.
There are many things a person needs in space, not least of which is freeze-dried ice cream. (Freeze-drying both preserves and reduces the weight of food, removing the water content.) Growing up, this product was a whine-worthy product when visiting the Virginia Air and Space Museum. Over at Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company, we carry four different varieties: mint chocolate chip, chocolate chocolate chip, classic Neapolitan and, my personal favorite, an ice cream sandwich variety, which comes in a retro flying saucer shape.
826 Seattle has many programs, in-school, after-school and during the summer months. Programs are “structured around the belief that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention and that strong writing skills are fundamental to a child’s future success.” Please make a donation to this inspiring organization that makes a difference in the lives of young people daily. Their current fundraising effort in the Third Annual Mustache-A-Thon; choose a mustache that makes you feel generous and donate toward the cause. Why? Because (a) you know you have $20 and (b) facial hair is lazy and has been getting a free ride for too long! It needs to do something…for the educational advancement in young people. The elections may be over, but you can still make a difference!
When the first tutoring center of this type opened at 826 Valencia in San Francisco, the property owners required its residents to have a storefront operating in tandem with the tutoring center. Eggers facetiously chose to have a pirate supply store, not anticipating how much money this store would generate, assisting with the operating costs of the tutoring center. Thus, having a clever store is now part of the structure of all 826 chapters around the country. 826 NYC has the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. The exterior of 826 Chicago touts the building to be “The Boring Store” with signs clearly stating “Not a secret agent supply store.” 826 Seattle is home to Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company.
There are many things a person needs in space, not least of which is freeze-dried ice cream. (Freeze-drying both preserves and reduces the weight of food, removing the water content.) Growing up, this product was a whine-worthy product when visiting the Virginia Air and Space Museum. Over at Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company, we carry four different varieties: mint chocolate chip, chocolate chocolate chip, classic Neapolitan and, my personal favorite, an ice cream sandwich variety, which comes in a retro flying saucer shape.
826 Seattle has many programs, in-school, after-school and during the summer months. Programs are “structured around the belief that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention and that strong writing skills are fundamental to a child’s future success.” Please make a donation to this inspiring organization that makes a difference in the lives of young people daily. Their current fundraising effort in the Third Annual Mustache-A-Thon; choose a mustache that makes you feel generous and donate toward the cause. Why? Because (a) you know you have $20 and (b) facial hair is lazy and has been getting a free ride for too long! It needs to do something…for the educational advancement in young people. The elections may be over, but you can still make a difference!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Vote!
Go vote! Now! Stop reading and go vote!
If you're still reading or vote absentee and want to feel like a sucker, there are many establishments giving away free products to folks proudly sporting an "I Voted" sticker. Some examples include:
If you're still reading or vote absentee and want to feel like a sucker, there are many establishments giving away free products to folks proudly sporting an "I Voted" sticker. Some examples include:
- Krispy Kreme
- Ben & Jerry's
- Chick-fil-a
Monday, November 3, 2008
Gorging on the Gourd of the Gods (Blog Post #50!)
Midnight Halloween night marked the end of the Third Annual Pumpkin Challenge! And no time of the year am I more self-congratulatory than during the conclusion of the year’s Pumpkin Challenge. (One must be when so many see only silliness in that which gives one's little life purpose for a month-and-a-half each year.) Congratulations Self! You knocked last year's (virtually unopposed) record right out of the water!
Granola with pumpkin seed*, Pumpkin bread with chocolate chips and walnuts, Pumpkin pasta with mushroom and sausage*, Ginger pumpkin mousse, Savory pumpkin quiche, Pumpkin butter, Pumpkin ravioli, Curried pumpkin peanut soup, Pumpkin dumplings, Chocolate-covered fig with pumpkin ganache filling, Pumpkin-spiced marshmallow, Pumpkin cheesecake*, Pumpkin ice cream*, Pumpkin pancakes, Pumpkin praline bars, Pumpkin doughnuts, Pumpkin-turkey goulash, Pumpkin cream cheese muffin*, Pumpkin pecan cheesecake*, Pumpkin mascarpone pie, Trinidad spiced pumpkin, Pumpkin bread pudding*, Pumpkin saag, Pumpkin butterhorn, Pumpkin curry, Spiced pumpkin chocolate truffle, Curry pumpkin seeds, Sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds, Chocolate covered pumpkin seeds, Pumpkin spice cake
*Items also consumed in the 2006 or 2007 Pumpkin Challenges. Maker of product also matches.Italicized items were my homemade by yours truly. Need any recipes?
For those of you keeping count, I consumed 30 different varieties of pumpkin foods this year, a remarkably high number given the fact that so comparatively few were repeat items from previous years!
This year, my quest inspired more people to branch out and try adventurous pumpkin concoctions than in previous years. I also had more people rooting me on. And again this year, several people shared their recipes to me. That being said, the MVP award--or should I say MVPP, "Most Valuable Pumpkin Provider"--goes to Rebecca my co-worker, co-volunteer at 826 Seattle , and Marisa’s Ice Cream field reporter. In addition to providing many fascinating links, she also brought me pumpkin saag for lunch one day, proving that autumnal squash is not only tasty, but also brings people together.
Granola with pumpkin seed*, Pumpkin bread with chocolate chips and walnuts, Pumpkin pasta with mushroom and sausage*, Ginger pumpkin mousse, Savory pumpkin quiche, Pumpkin butter, Pumpkin ravioli, Curried pumpkin peanut soup, Pumpkin dumplings, Chocolate-covered fig with pumpkin ganache filling, Pumpkin-spiced marshmallow, Pumpkin cheesecake*, Pumpkin ice cream*, Pumpkin pancakes, Pumpkin praline bars, Pumpkin doughnuts, Pumpkin-turkey goulash, Pumpkin cream cheese muffin*, Pumpkin pecan cheesecake*, Pumpkin mascarpone pie, Trinidad spiced pumpkin, Pumpkin bread pudding*, Pumpkin saag, Pumpkin butterhorn, Pumpkin curry, Spiced pumpkin chocolate truffle, Curry pumpkin seeds, Sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds, Chocolate covered pumpkin seeds, Pumpkin spice cake
*Items also consumed in the 2006 or 2007 Pumpkin Challenges. Maker of product also matches.Italicized items were my homemade by yours truly. Need any recipes?
For those of you keeping count, I consumed 30 different varieties of pumpkin foods this year, a remarkably high number given the fact that so comparatively few were repeat items from previous years!
This year, my quest inspired more people to branch out and try adventurous pumpkin concoctions than in previous years. I also had more people rooting me on. And again this year, several people shared their recipes to me. That being said, the MVP award--or should I say MVPP, "Most Valuable Pumpkin Provider"--goes to Rebecca my co-worker, co-volunteer at 826 Seattle , and Marisa’s Ice Cream field reporter. In addition to providing many fascinating links, she also brought me pumpkin saag for lunch one day, proving that autumnal squash is not only tasty, but also brings people together.
Friday, October 31, 2008
The Milk of a Cow, The Grease of a Pig…
Bacon ice cream. Yes, you read that correctly. But for more gut-wrenching horror***, read on.
To most citizens of Planet Earth, this flavor sounds like something of nightmares, something a witch would come up with, terrifying children before throwing them in her boiling cauldron. But there are other members of our species that think this is a great idea. I work with some folks who are of this breed. (This is their Bible, or Necronomicon, or whatever, which hangs on one of the refrigerators at my workplace.)
It seems bacon culture is large enough that David Lebowitx, inventor of candied bacon ice cream, is not the only one experimenting with the sweet possibilities of pork bellies. There is a company, Vosges, who manufacture chocolate with bacon in it. For those gourmets out there, I found a recipe.
Happy Halloween!
***You know what’s even more horrible? Not voting in the upcoming election! Please encourage those around you to vote. Can we do that? Yes, we can!
Note from 2012:This entry is a bit dated. Today, mixing bacon with pretty much anything is being considered haute cuisine. I've eaten and enjoyed Mo's Dark Bacon Bar by Vosges, but, even after trying several varieties, I am yet to actually enjoy bacon in any frozen product.
To most citizens of Planet Earth, this flavor sounds like something of nightmares, something a witch would come up with, terrifying children before throwing them in her boiling cauldron. But there are other members of our species that think this is a great idea. I work with some folks who are of this breed. (This is their Bible, or Necronomicon, or whatever, which hangs on one of the refrigerators at my workplace.)
It seems bacon culture is large enough that David Lebowitx, inventor of candied bacon ice cream, is not the only one experimenting with the sweet possibilities of pork bellies. There is a company, Vosges, who manufacture chocolate with bacon in it. For those gourmets out there, I found a recipe.
Happy Halloween!
***You know what’s even more horrible? Not voting in the upcoming election! Please encourage those around you to vote. Can we do that? Yes, we can!
Note from 2012:This entry is a bit dated. Today, mixing bacon with pretty much anything is being considered haute cuisine. I've eaten and enjoyed Mo's Dark Bacon Bar by Vosges, but, even after trying several varieties, I am yet to actually enjoy bacon in any frozen product.
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