Field Report: Albino Asparagus Ice Cream!

This Halloween's spooky tale is from my friend Logan about his trip to Germany. Enjoy!

When it comes to ice cream, there really isn't much to be afraid of unless, of course, we all scream for ice cream to cool the burning acid a mysterious killer dumped on us while we were trying to run away. But even in that case the ice cream is a cool, comforting, life saving substance. I have probably only been frightened by ice cream once, but is because of that that experience that Brad and Marisa have asked me to to supplement their regular blogly offerings with this frightening tale of cold, creamy horror.

It all began in Erlangen, Germany, in the early part of the decade when I was visiting a friend of the family with my German grandmother. That person was Dieter, an Engineer for Siemens corporation. So while I was waxing my mustache and buttoning my leiderhosen, Dieter suggested something that made my monocle pop out, “Would you like to go to the most popular Ice Cream Parlor in Erlangen?” Of course I would like to go to an ice cream parlor. Germany is dotted with many little Italian Ice cream places that are either run by Italians or Turks, but either way they are probably going to have some awesome lemon ice cream.

We arrived at Eishaus Erlangen in time to stand in line while Deiter explained that Eishaus is famous for it's constant rotation of interesting flavors. I learned that Eishaus is run by Germans, but they serve Italian-style ice cream. When we got inside I was terrified by but magnetically drawn to one flavor: Spargle. Spargle means asparagus, but it's not the green asparagus that we are familiar with, it's white asparagus. White, anemic, albino asparagus that has been covered in dirt to prevent any exposure to the sun. I shuddered at the thought. Apparently Germany has so many mad scientists that they are going into the ice cream business. I wanted to take refuge in one of the other, more traditional flavors, like Stracciatella or tempting flavors like Chocolate Struessel, but I knew this was my only chance, so I went for the glory.

The asparagus ice cream turned out to be not nearly as bad as I expected. Imagine cream of asparagus soup but sweet, and not quite as vegetab-ly. The flavor was actually very delicate, I even detected some floral notes. I felt a little like a judge on Iron Chef. So the moral of the story is: If you face your fears, you can gain twenty pounds while vacationing in Germany. Next time I'm going to try their Camembert flavor.

Projectile Pie

My fascination with pumpkins extends beyond gastronomy into aerodynamics. Each year, during the Pumpkin Challenge, I also read up on the popular past time punkin chunkin, or its Anglicized name pumpkin launching. The premise of this sport is to construct a device that flings pumpkins the farthest. Many competitions offer separate categories for slingshots, cannons, trebuchets and catapults.

I first heard of the fine sport of pumpkin launching, or punkin’ chunkin’, from my Uncle John, who was lucky enough to attend the 2005 contest in Marion, Illinois. He remarks, "The contraptions designed by engineers, Cub Scout Troops, drunk guys in garages, and serious pumpkin aeronautical professionals inspired the imagination of the crowd. The biggest cannon shot a pumpkin over 4000 feet! And some of the "sling shots" backfired and nearly bombarded their designers."

What is perhaps most exciting is that several physics classes in the country have embraced the sport, participating in competitions and creating their own. Yesterday, I sojourned to the Illinois Institute of Technology, my granddad's alma mater, and stood in the rain with the science geeks (and what I believe was a high school physics field trip) to witness IIT's 5th annual competition. Most of the 8 machines were trebuchets, but there were a few others including The Robotics Team's machine that utilized springs. While the weather did nothing to deter scientists from the noble pursuit of destroying stuff, sadly it did handicap the competition, particularly the loading of the pumpkin launching devices. At first, things were somewhat anticlimactic with several of the machines simply plopping the pumpkin a foot in front of their respective machines. One professor remarked loudly for the crowd to not worry; the very same students that made the failing machines would soon be graduates making our nation's bridges! Thankfully, one trebuchet did fling a pumpkin 185 feet! All in all, it was a fun time capped with free apple cider.

The sport appears to be celebrated all across the United States. Next year, search for the closest competition near you! Or go straight to the top: The World Championships have been held in Delaware since 1986!

Ice Cream is not punk. (Part 2)

Once again, punks are opposed to having ice cream associated with their image. The Sex Pistols are threatening to sue a London ice cream maker for using the tagline "God Save the Cream."

While in London two weekends ago, I went to Selfridges, temporary home of the Icecreamists. I was drawn in by their contemporary design like a mall punk to hair dye and Chuck Taylor's. But it was all fashion, in the name of selling an old product at an inflated price. (Really, Johnny Rotten could just as easily open up another ridiculous lawsuit by claiming they stole his business model.) My choice: bypass the Icecreamists for the Oddono's in Selfridges food court.

(Thanks to my brother Brian for the link.)

Pumpkin Challenge Off-Season

You may be wondering what I’ve been up to in the off-season. Besides the nibbles Rebecca, last year’s MVPP (Most Valuable Pumpkin Provider), continued to bring me, I also ate a number of pumpkin treats that have never been featured on the annual list of foods consumed during the pumpkin challenge. For example, pumpkin fudge, pumpkin spice trail mix, my mom's delicious pumpkin waffles and even *gasp!* pumpkin pie. (How I went three years of doing this without eating pumpkin pie during the allotted time frame, I have no idea.)

This year has been slow-going, so if you're in the race you could very well beat me this year!

The Fourth Annual Pumpkin Challenge!

My apologies for the lateness of this message, since the official start of the 4th Annual Pumpkin Challenge was September 15th.* If you are hearing of this blessed event for the first time, consider your life changed. Every year, from mid-September through Halloween, my beloved readers are enabled, er, invited to consume as many pumpkin foods as possible. Here are the rules:

• The item consumed must be a food.
• The only beverage allowed is the milkshake.
• Food items may not be doubled. (Two slices of pumpkin cheesecake count as one item. The only way it could count for two different items is if the second item has a distinct enough difference of flavor that it warrants a different name AND the item comes from a different source than the first item.)

This year is your best chance for winning. I may have won every year until now--last year, I set the new record at 30 items--but I have a number of distractions this year that could increase your chances. Or try to be this year's MVPP (Most Valuable Pumpkin Provider) by sending me recipes or, better yet, pumpkin products!

Why have was the Pumpkin Challenge created?
Because pumpkin foods are delicious, yet mostly only offered around Halloween and Thanksgiving. The short-term goal is simple: By starting pumpkin consumption in mid-September, we are increasing demand for pumpkin items earlier than most pumpkin seasons starts. The long-term goal is for pumpkin products year round! Hopefully, like me, you are active in the off-season of the Pumpkin Challenge, too.


*If you feel like whining, you may handicap yourself one pumpkin item if you had not already started. Shamefully, that is all I have eaten so far. Last year, I had around 5 at this point.

Gelato italiano in Inghilterra (Italian ice cream in England)

If Fortnum & Mason is a great ice cream experience (see previous post), Oddono's is simply great ice cream. Making the finest gelato in London, it is normal to hear Italian being spoken here by the staff and customers, which is sure sign you are in the right place! The finest ingredients and care are used in their gelato and, like those found in Italy, nearly every flavor is uniform without mix-ins.

Their Valrhona Chocolate is the darkest, most explosive chocolate I've had in frozen dessert outside of Italy. (It actually was better than many of the chocolate gelati I had in Italy! ) you just don't get this chocolate flavor in American ice cream where they use more fat and less of the actual ingredients that give the flavors their names. Their Nocciola Piemonte (Hazelnut from Piedmont) was also incredible--easily the best hazelnut ANYTHING I've had in my life. I was also impressed by their Mandarin Sorbet. One of my friends I brought along remarked that Oddono's was truly the best ice cream she had ever had in her life. No small statement!

Oddono's Gelati Italiani is located in South Kensington, south of the Royal Albert Hall, the Natural History Museum and the V&A. You can also find their gelato being sold in Selfridges and Whiteleys.

London Licks

To get to the Parlour Restaurant at Fortnum & Mason, you must first make it through the ever-tempting ground floor. Big enough to contain a football field this floor only sells tea (Bleh!) and chocolate (Huzzah!). To observe the displays under glass, the carpeted floors and the quiet reverence of the customers, one would think they were selling jewelry. There's nothing wrong with a little appetizer dessert before the main course--I can tell you that each of the chocolates I tried were delicate, demanding an instant reaction to chew, salivate and swallow slowly--but don't lose your focus or spend all your money on the fancy chocolate. March on!

Somehow I made it up the stairs with my appetite intact and enough money to afford the decadent desserts that awaited me in the Parlour Restaurant. (It is expensive. Actually, expensive may not be a bold enough term, but it is an experience worth treating yourself to.) Fortnum & Mason had made it onto every "Best of London Ice Cream" list I found online, so I knew I was really in for a high-quality experience. They did not disappoint, dishing up in a fancy goblet with the utmost class. And despite the expense, I went there a total of three times.

The first time, I tried three scoops (Strawberry with 12-year-old Balsamic, Chocolate Macadamia Biscuit and Toffee) with warm, melted Amedei Chocolate on the side. All were very tasty, if not accurately named: I didn't taste any Balsamic or Macadamia Biscuit. The chocolate sauce confirmed Amedei as being the best chocolate money can buy. The Toffee ice cream may have been my favorite of all of their ice cream flavors.

On my second visit, I tried the Beekeeper Sundae (pictured, center): Stem Ginger & Honey, Vanilla Bean and Praline ice creams topped with Fortnum's honey and honeycomb chunks. Ginger is not in my top 10 ice cream flavors, but this was the finest one I've had: not too much spice, but not a diluted flavor.

The third visit--I won't say last, because I will return again--I tried the Rosa Plaustri sundae: R&P (chocolate ice cream with strawberry, marshmallow and biscuit), Frosted Strawberry & Shortbread and Amedei Chocolate ice cream topped with marshmallows and biscuits. Served with warm Amedei chocolate.

Do they sound like the best sundaes imaginable? Try 'em for yourself: Fortnum & Mason is located in Central London's Picadilly Circus, across from the Royal Academy.

The first openly gay...ice cream?

"A wedding-themed Ben & Jerry’s truck will hand out free Hubby Hubby across Vermont today."

Limited Edition Ben & Jerry's

Two flavors. Both alike in dignity. These Limited Edition Ben & Jerry's flavors are actually better than any of the other class of 2009 flavors (except Pumpkin Cheesecake*, obviously). Both of these flavors are in the running for best store-bought fruit ice cream, so much so they've made me forget other contenders. So much so I'm finding it difficult to articulate how good they are. My reviews basically just say over and over again, "Me likey. It good." With that ringing endorsement, read on. Make sure to stock your freezer while you still have time:

Raspberry Peach Cobbler: Is it good enough to justify its existence when Ben & Jerry's also has Peach Cobbler ice cream, a fairly new flavor from the class of 2007? Yes, because it is supremely more flavorful. The bites of raspberry ice cream highlighting the bites of peach. They one-up each other until you realize you've finished the pint! Oh, no! It was so good, but now it's gone!

Key Lime Pie: It took a lot of searching to find this one. While my pint seemed to be missing the "fluffy meringue swirls" promised by the package, I was not disappointed. The lime ice cream and "tangy lime twist" were enough to satisfy me. Best to let it sit out a bit before eating to unlock the flavor.

(On another note, I just spent much longer than I should have playing a computer game called Chunk Challenge on the Ben & Jerry's website. UPDATE: I just scored 75,555, almost doubling my previous high score...but I'm not addicted.)

*Speaking of Pumpkin Cheesecake, start readying yourself for Pumpkin Challenge 2009, which starts September 15. Not familiar with the Pumpkin Challenge? Read the rules from 2008.

Greatest Desserts: Blackberry Ice Cream Pie

I've long said that one dessert ranks in my top 3 desserts of all time, even though I'm yet to have tasted the other two. It seems an extreme statement, but I can easily say that the Mountain High Blackberry Ice Cream Pie at Skyline Drive's Skyland Resort Skyline Drive's Skyland Resort is, and will forever be, one of the greatest desserts.

Skyline Drive is a section of the Shenandoah National Park in the northwest part of Virginia. My family used to vacation there in the fall to see the colorful leaves and go hiking to Dark Hollow Falls and and Stony Man. The smell of the mountain air in the brisk autumnal months is something I can pull up in my memory at anytime. I have been back several times since childhood and continue to have memorable experiences whenever I visit.

Another feature of the park that continues to satisfy over the years is the food. There are a couple musts to any overnight trip to Skyline Drive. Breakfast at the lodge is a must: buckwheat pancakes (my favorite) with their special blackberry syrup (also my favorite). All of the lunch and dinner food is also quite tasty, but, as I said, the dessert is what's most memorable. The Mountain High Blackberry Ice Cream Pie is simple to describe--half a foot of blackberry ice cream and toasted meringue with a graham cracker crust and drizzled with (my favorite) blackberry syrup--but must be tasted to be understood. There are not many times one has astronomically high expectations for something, based on experience and memory, and finds their expectations exceeded! Consistently over the years I have expected to be disappointed just because of the mythical legendary status I have given this dessert, but no! It is always ludicrously wonderful! Substantial detours have been made in road trips over the past 4 years to accommodate my demands to go to Skyline Drive and always I stop and have my dessert.
 
I also make sure to stop in the gift shop to buy some of their blackberry syrup. Did I mention it's my favorite?

Step 3 to Becoming a Chocolate Connoisseur

In Step 1, I learned how chocolate was made by witnessing it first hand at a factory. In Step 2, I learned a chocolate shop owner taught me about the different qualities of chocolate from the world's regions of origin. Here, in Step 3, I will host a tasting of what many chocolatiers consider to be the finest chocolate in the world.

The biggest shopping spree of my Italy trip earlier this year was at the airport. Stocking up on foreign chocolate at Duty-Free prices made for a much larger carry-on than what originally passed through security. I bought some of my favorites, but the most prized purchase was a box of Amedei Chocolate, 36 napolitaines from 6 different regions of origin. This would provide the perfect opportunity to experience first hand what different regions truly have to offer in their beans. Even better was the fact that each chocolate was 70% cacao, meaning there were less variables for my taste buds to consider. And, since I'm a family man, I decided I could host a tasting with 4 of my kin.

Soon after my return stateside, my parents, my brother, my sister-in-law and I gathered together on comfy chairs to taste our way around the world...or at least the agrarian part that was within 20 degrees of the Equator. First, we snickered as we read aloud the verbosely-written instructions from the Amedei website on conducting a tasting. Then I explained my instructions: (1) smell the chocolate first, (2) do not eat the whole napolitain in one bite so it can later be compared with others and (3) pause together between chocolate to verbalize our reactions. I also presented strawberries for cleansing the palate between chocolates. They may have laughed at the idea, but they agreed.

At a later date, I had a private ceremony where I ate the 6th and final napolitain from each region, nibbling in a different order and recording my own reactions to compare with those documented at the family tasting. Enjoy our attempts to articulate, our poeticisms and our often contradictory opinions! (The italicized sections are what was printed on the labels.)

Venezuela - Flowery aroma with a strong, sweet flavour. Excellent aromatic harmony and a highly elegant long-lasting aftertaste. A great chocolate.
**My sister-in-law's favorite** **My favorite in Round 2**
Bitter aftertaste. Maybe some fruit/citrus. No change in flavor. A dancer on point shoes. Pops of bold flavor between the sweet, like ice cream with hunks of different stuff.

Trinidad - Refined aroma with a pleasant impact on the taste buds. A classic chocolate with a strong character.Creamier than Venezuela, but gets bitter. More arch to the flavor. Earthier. Delicate. Harsh taste in middle. Creamy, harsh, bitter. Almost smoky.

Madagascar - Delicate, inviting aroma with a scent of roasted hazelnut. Truly creamy with a refreshing aftertaste.Nut taste. Soft. NOT a refreshing aftertaste. Starts bitter but gets subtly sweeter. Seemed regular. [Editor's note: Gasp!] Not much sugar. Almost typically semisweet. Wood.

Jamaica - Marked fragrance of wood with herbal scents. A powerful chocolate with a strong personality.
**My brother's favorite**
Wood. The sweetest. The strongest/loudest. Like eating a flower. Jump of sweetness at the end. Wood. Earthy. Sweet follow-up.

Grenada - Delicate aroma of cocoa with a flowery, slightly spicy tone. Creamy and very elegant.**My mom's favorite** **My favorite in Round 1**
Flavor full of spice. Not as bitter. Bitter hints in the middle, but not the aftertaste. Creamy, but not much taste. Spices. Not as aggressive, not as much punch as the others. Fuses bitter and sweet.

Ecuador - Extremely intense fragrance with a strong scent of cocoa. Pleasantly long-lasting aroma.
**My dad's favorite**
Pleasant, even flavor. Consistent. Creamiest. Plumpest. Acidic. Fruity. Like a chocolate Easter bunny (or Pasqua pigeon).

Contraband and Mysterious Berries

On a different road trip with my dad, we passed through Montoursville, PA and passed by a food cart boasting that it served Eder's Ice Cream. Going to summer camp in central Pennsylvania, Eder's was a legend. All of the counselors had a green Eder's shirt and as a fledgling ice cream aficionado, there was more covetousness in my heart than this church camp would have liked.

So, in my final year as a camper, when an off-camp excursion ended with a stop at Eder's, I had more than ice cream on my mind (even though their "small" fills a 24 oz cup). I slipped a counselor $20 to buy me one of the green shirts--money was considered contraband at camp. You cannot imagine the jealousy of the other campers, nor the disbelief and amazement of the other counselors.This being said, there was no question that my dad and I were obligated to stop at this food cart. I already knew from past experience that Meltaway (peanut butter cup) was their signature flavor, but there was one flavor I had never heard of before: Teaberry. Neither had my dad. So we asked, "What's teaberry?"
"Oh. It tastes like teaberries," the enthused high schooler responded. Another mystery solved.
We sampled the flavor and concluded that it tasted like root beer toothpaste.