Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Toft's Ice Cream
I knew my stomach would start growling once we hit the Ohio Turnpike. The lunch I had back in Virginia would be a distant memory and Christmas cookies and clementines would not be enough fuel for 12 hours on the road. Naturally, I had a plan. If my anatomy were the solar system, my stomach would be the sun.
We stopped in Sandusky, a town introduced to me by my friends Candice and Logan during our Thanksgiving carpool to Virginia. Sandusky is the proverbial last outpost of Southern sprawl, possessing comfort food chains Lee's Famous Chicken and Cracker Barrel that are far more popular below the Mason-Dixon line. Recharged with chicken and biscuits, we were ready for the last 5 hours. But first we had one more stop.
Pictured is the "small" cone at Toft's. Having had their "small" once before, I knew to order a two piece at Lee's instead of a three piece. This regional dairy's dipping parlor offers dozens of flavor options, so stopping on each of my drives home seems mandatory. Here are some of the flavors I've enjoyed:
- Orange Pineapple, orange ice cream with pineapple. (pictured, top)
- Wedding Cake, white cake batter ice cream with red raspberry filling and cake pieces.
- Graham Central Station, graham cracker ice cream with chocolate covered toffee and graham crackers. (pictured, bottom)
- Bullpen Chocolate, a rich chocolate cookies and cream with a fudge ripple.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Ben & Jerry's Snickerdoodle
Of the seasons' many gifts, love is second only to Christmas cookies. This winter season has also brought a new Dominick's grocery store in my neighborhood, and with it a variety of new ice cream options not previously available at Jewel. This includes flavors that have been ever-elusive (Haagen-Dazs Midnight Cookies and Cream and Ciao Bella's Blood Orange Sorbetto) but also Ben & Jerry's Snickerdoodle, which embraces the Christmas cookie spirit.
Ben & Jerry's came to the long overdue realization this year with their flavor Milk & Cookies that cookies can exist in ice cream fully-cooked, not simply its larval form. Cookie dough, while a good flavor in and out of ice cream, is cooked for a reason. Ben & Jerry's have done it once again with Snickerdoodle, mixing in the cinnamon sugar cookies with the cutesy-wootsy name in a buttery cinnamon and sweet cream ice cream. The flavor is only available for a Limited Time, so try it now if you can shop at places that aren't Jewel.
Ben & Jerry's came to the long overdue realization this year with their flavor Milk & Cookies that cookies can exist in ice cream fully-cooked, not simply its larval form. Cookie dough, while a good flavor in and out of ice cream, is cooked for a reason. Ben & Jerry's have done it once again with Snickerdoodle, mixing in the cinnamon sugar cookies with the cutesy-wootsy name in a buttery cinnamon and sweet cream ice cream. The flavor is only available for a Limited Time, so try it now if you can shop at places that aren't Jewel.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Somewhere David Lynch is smiling.
I knew I was in for a long night when the opening band didn’t start until after the hour headliners usually wrap it up. My best friend’s band had scored their biggest gig yet opening for Arcade Fire. I’d never been to the venue before and being that it was too small for a group like Arcade Fire—a sort of snubbed nose gymnasium with retractable wooden stadium seating and a balcony, but too small for a basketball court—gobs of people were everywhere. Magically, though, an area seemed to clear everywhere I went, even when I was pogoing on the center floor to James’ music in the brightly lit auditorium. It was then I noticed that a singer for his now sizable back-up band, which previously had fluctuated from two to three and back again, was another friend, John Thomas. Pretty strange since they live on opposite coasts; I hadn’t even been aware that he and James stayed in touch. But there he was, contributing to every song of the set, which other than the opener was entirely new material that focused on the full band sound.
It wasn’t until the after party that I came face to face with John. We were two quiet moths in a swarm of loud partiers when John took a seat across from me and I noticed that he looked like an amalgamation of his younger selves, like a 90-pound weakling college freshman with an 8th grade haircut. I called his name across the modest dining table, but the words must have flown out the darkened window before they could make it to his ear. My facial expressions insisted on eye contact until he confusingly responded to my persistent calls of his name. He said he wasn’t John. I got mad.
These are just early glimpses of one of my rare all-nighters. I made appearances at numerous parties crowded with people, who strangely were all younger than me. It ended serenely at the purple hour of dawn where, taking in the stillness of the moment, I stood outside a crab shack with budding feelings of new love—someone I knew from high school drama club with whom I had recently reconnected on Facebook (though admittedly she’d never crossed my mind between friending her and running into each other that night, just as she’d never crossed my mind between curtain call senior year and seeing her name in my Friend Requests). We stood on a thin strip of land between two bodies of water—specifically an isthmus, though I didn’t know this at the time—marveling that we now occupied the space between day and night: one direction showed the clear horizon changing color, while the cloud covered sky overhead only got darker until far away in the other direction, somewhere, it was still midnight.
But my Glass family ramblings haven’t just gotten me off-topic, it has missed the focus completely. Somewhere between confronting John Thomas’ doppelganger and the purple dawn I stopped in at an all-night backroad ice cream shoppe. I asked the owner what flavors he still had in stock. He named a litany of old standards, but one stood out as strange. “Douglas Fir?” “Douglas Fir.”
The Pacific Northwest is full of weird places, but they are far surpassed by the dream world. I mean, as far as dessert goes, how do you figure choosing conifer trees over deciduous?
It wasn’t until the after party that I came face to face with John. We were two quiet moths in a swarm of loud partiers when John took a seat across from me and I noticed that he looked like an amalgamation of his younger selves, like a 90-pound weakling college freshman with an 8th grade haircut. I called his name across the modest dining table, but the words must have flown out the darkened window before they could make it to his ear. My facial expressions insisted on eye contact until he confusingly responded to my persistent calls of his name. He said he wasn’t John. I got mad.
These are just early glimpses of one of my rare all-nighters. I made appearances at numerous parties crowded with people, who strangely were all younger than me. It ended serenely at the purple hour of dawn where, taking in the stillness of the moment, I stood outside a crab shack with budding feelings of new love—someone I knew from high school drama club with whom I had recently reconnected on Facebook (though admittedly she’d never crossed my mind between friending her and running into each other that night, just as she’d never crossed my mind between curtain call senior year and seeing her name in my Friend Requests). We stood on a thin strip of land between two bodies of water—specifically an isthmus, though I didn’t know this at the time—marveling that we now occupied the space between day and night: one direction showed the clear horizon changing color, while the cloud covered sky overhead only got darker until far away in the other direction, somewhere, it was still midnight.
But my Glass family ramblings haven’t just gotten me off-topic, it has missed the focus completely. Somewhere between confronting John Thomas’ doppelganger and the purple dawn I stopped in at an all-night backroad ice cream shoppe. I asked the owner what flavors he still had in stock. He named a litany of old standards, but one stood out as strange. “Douglas Fir?” “Douglas Fir.”
The Pacific Northwest is full of weird places, but they are far surpassed by the dream world. I mean, as far as dessert goes, how do you figure choosing conifer trees over deciduous?
Friday, November 19, 2010
Field Report: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
With the opening of Part 7 Part 1 (P7P1), my dear friend Amber tells of her own magical journey:
As the first installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hits theaters, I find it a perfect time to share my thoughts on the culinary (and other) delights of my own visit the Wizarding World this past summer.
If you can ignore the long lines, sweaty tourists, children bobbing and weaving through the crowd, and roller coaster careening in the background, your first steps into the Wizarding World, or “Harry Potter land”, as I took to calling it during my trip, will be truly magical. I had the pleasure of early entry to the park during my stay, and so all the above-mentioned distracters were not a problem at 8am. The shops and scenery are far from fake-looking, and if you are one who can maintain suspension of disbelief at least temporarily, you will be truly amazed.
The first thing you’ll see in your path is a huge barrel with “BUTTERBEER” emblazoned on the side, making it clear that Universal Studios, their Executive Chef Steve Jayson, and all the Wizarding World staffers take great pride in this concoction. “What is it?” you ask yourself. We may never know, as they’ve kept the recipe top-secret, and the only place to access Butterbeer is within the park. Not only that, it’s whipped up on the spot and designed to be consumed immediately, so guests smuggling samples outside the park (what, to study it in their magical laboratory?) will be sorely disappointed. All you need to know is that it is delicious and has been described by many loyal Harry Potter fans as a “religious experience.” What they mean by that, in my opinion, is that it’s a similar experience to reading about and imagining a beautiful exotic location and then stepping into it. Many have likened its flavor primarily to butterscotch, but also to root beer, cream soda, shortbread, Werther’s caramel candy, or some combination of the above. Personally, I’d go with a butterscotch-flavored cream soda with a salty caramel aftertaste.
They’ve made efforts to please all by offering Butterbeer frozen or unfrozen. Both are topped with a rich foamy cream that joyfully clings to your upper lip so you can wear it as a badge of deliciousness. I tried both frozen and unfrozen Butterbeer, and in my personal opinion, frozen is the way to go. For one, it prompts you to drink slower, fully taking in the butterscotch and salty caramel flavors. It’s also not as sweet and the cream sticks around longer. For me, the unfrozen Butterbeer was overwhelmingly sweet. The surest path to a diabetic coma: Drink some unfrozen Butterbeer, and then down a bottle of the Wizarding World’s other beverage prize child, Pumpkin Juice. Both are good in their own right, just do me a favor and pace yourself, won’t you?
As the first installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hits theaters, I find it a perfect time to share my thoughts on the culinary (and other) delights of my own visit the Wizarding World this past summer.
If you can ignore the long lines, sweaty tourists, children bobbing and weaving through the crowd, and roller coaster careening in the background, your first steps into the Wizarding World, or “Harry Potter land”, as I took to calling it during my trip, will be truly magical. I had the pleasure of early entry to the park during my stay, and so all the above-mentioned distracters were not a problem at 8am. The shops and scenery are far from fake-looking, and if you are one who can maintain suspension of disbelief at least temporarily, you will be truly amazed.
The first thing you’ll see in your path is a huge barrel with “BUTTERBEER” emblazoned on the side, making it clear that Universal Studios, their Executive Chef Steve Jayson, and all the Wizarding World staffers take great pride in this concoction. “What is it?” you ask yourself. We may never know, as they’ve kept the recipe top-secret, and the only place to access Butterbeer is within the park. Not only that, it’s whipped up on the spot and designed to be consumed immediately, so guests smuggling samples outside the park (what, to study it in their magical laboratory?) will be sorely disappointed. All you need to know is that it is delicious and has been described by many loyal Harry Potter fans as a “religious experience.” What they mean by that, in my opinion, is that it’s a similar experience to reading about and imagining a beautiful exotic location and then stepping into it. Many have likened its flavor primarily to butterscotch, but also to root beer, cream soda, shortbread, Werther’s caramel candy, or some combination of the above. Personally, I’d go with a butterscotch-flavored cream soda with a salty caramel aftertaste.
They’ve made efforts to please all by offering Butterbeer frozen or unfrozen. Both are topped with a rich foamy cream that joyfully clings to your upper lip so you can wear it as a badge of deliciousness. I tried both frozen and unfrozen Butterbeer, and in my personal opinion, frozen is the way to go. For one, it prompts you to drink slower, fully taking in the butterscotch and salty caramel flavors. It’s also not as sweet and the cream sticks around longer. For me, the unfrozen Butterbeer was overwhelmingly sweet. The surest path to a diabetic coma: Drink some unfrozen Butterbeer, and then down a bottle of the Wizarding World’s other beverage prize child, Pumpkin Juice. Both are good in their own right, just do me a favor and pace yourself, won’t you?
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Nice Cream’s Fall Selection
Nice Cream makes four different flavors per season, always making sure to have a splash of something all their own. In the spring, they had cream cheese with carrot cake. In the summer they had chocolate basil, one of my favorite flavors from the Chicago Ice Cream Festival. And this fall, the stand-out is Burnt Caramel with Crunchy Toffee.
Caramel ice cream is usually made by simply blending caramel into a sweet cream base; maybe some caramel cups or a caramel swirl are added in the finally moments of mixing. But what Nice Cream has created is a cup of cow love that explodes with flavor much like a good gelato. The joy my mouth felt was reminiscent of eating Fran’s Chocolates, which have the best caramel I’ve ever tasted. On a different note entirely, it seems I like to eat frozen burnt things; Toscanini’s brown butter continues to be a chart topping ice cream memory for me.
Other flavors of the season are Salted Chocolate with Marcona Almonds, Pumpkin Spice and Banana Bread with Dark Chocolate Chunks. (Needless to say, I did not try the latter since it contains the fruit that is best left forgotten.)
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Snap-O-Lantern & Other Pumpkin Ice Creams
Primarily I think of pumpkin as a delicacy to be enjoyed at
a warm temperature. I have not been tempted by the pumpkin smoothies offered at
Jamba Juice, nor was I very jealous when my brother said he had pumpkin Italian
ice at Rita’s.
The one exception, you guessed it, is ice cream.Without a doubt, the best pumpkin ice cream I’ve had is the one I make myself. But, since everyone can’t be me, I thought I’d assist my Chicagoland neighbors by reviewing the major concoctors of ice cream and otherwise. Here they are, from best to worst:
- Snap-O-Lantern ice cream by Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream (Madison, WI, sourced by many Chicago-area ice cream providers) – While this ice cream and Ben & Jerry’s were the only ones to spice up pumpkin ice cream by adding some textural element, the addition of gingerbread cookie dough isn’t the only reason Snap-o-Lantern tops the list. The ice cream reminds me of my first memories of pumpkin ice cream at the Hilton Village Parlor Restaurant back home: sweet in front, pumpkin in the back, creamy all the way around. I attribute this to the gingerbread cookie dough, which excuses the ice cream from having to be all spices at once and instead to focus on being pumpkin. At first taste last year, this became a seasonal favorite. (pictured)
- Pumpkin Pie gelato at Pachiugo (locations around the country) – Though products named pumpkin pie or pumpkin spice usually indicate a watered down pumpkin flavor, this product tasted the most like pumpkin than any of the others. And, as is to be expected with gelato, a really smooth texture appropriate to its flavor inspiration.
- Pumpkin gelato at Black Dog Gelato (Chicago)
- Pumpkin ice cream at Bobtail (Chicago)
- Pumpkin ice cream at Oberweiss (many Midwest locations)
- Pumpkin ice cream at Homer’s (Wilmette, IL)
- Pumpkin Spice ice cream by Nice Cream (Chicago)
- Pumpkin Pie frozen custard at Culver’s (many Midwest locations)
- Pumpkin Cheesecake ice cream by Ben & Jerry’s (grocery store) – This offering is not new this year, but the recipe must be. Either that or the 7-11 at Western & Foster got a bad batch.
- Pumpkin kefir at Starfruit Cafe (Chicago) - Ever heard of kefir? It’s a yogurt product that is supposedly healthier. Guess why you’ve never heard of it? It tastes like frozen earwax.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Oh My Gourd!
For the fifth year running, I sought to consume as many pumpkin edibles as possible between Sept. 15 and Halloween. My total this year was 40 different items, busting my 2008 record by a whopping ten items! Considering that there are only 47 days in the pumpkin challenge, I must have slacked off 7 days.
This year I cooked more than any other year, sifting through my stack of untested pumpkin recipes given to me by past years' MVPPs (Most Valuable Pumpkin Provider). Of these, I was most impressed with the pumpkin mole sauce (though not heavy in pumpkin flavor) and the pumpkin cinnamon rolls. I was least impressed with the wontons and the soups. If anyone cares to share, I need a recipe for a good soup that has textural diversity but doesn't have its pumpkin flavor overwhelmed by other ingredients.
To make all these recipes I purchased 8 large cans of pureed pumpkin (232 oz). Luckily the stores have not run out since that quantity has been used up!
Here's the list:
vegan pumpkin cookie, pumpkin doughnut, pumpkin chocolate swirl brownies, ginger pumpkin soup, pumpkin ginger rice pudding, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin ice cream (various sources), pumpkin pie, Culver's pumpkin pecan custard, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin fudge, Rick Bayliss' pumpkin mole sauce on chicken, dark chocolate covered pumpkin seeds, pumpkin muffin, pumpkin bagel, pumpkin schmear, pumpkin hummus, curry pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread pudding, pumpkin seed granola, Paciugo's Pumpkin Pie gelato, pumpkin risotto with bacon and spinach, pumpkin layer cake with chocolate icing, chocolate chip pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting, black bean pumpkin soup, chipotle pumpkin salsa, savory pumpkin wontons, pumpkin cinnamon buns, pumpkin cream cheese roll (like a jelly roll), Thai pumpkin custard, pumpkin-topped cream puff, pumpkin chocolate truffle, pumpkin milkshake, pumpkin butter, savory pumpkin quiche, pumpkin cheesecake ice cream, pumpkin chili, pumpkin gingerbread pie, Beard Papa's pumpkin eclair, pumpkin keifer
italics indicate items that I made myself
Next time: The best frozen pumpkin desserts in Chicago!
This year I cooked more than any other year, sifting through my stack of untested pumpkin recipes given to me by past years' MVPPs (Most Valuable Pumpkin Provider). Of these, I was most impressed with the pumpkin mole sauce (though not heavy in pumpkin flavor) and the pumpkin cinnamon rolls. I was least impressed with the wontons and the soups. If anyone cares to share, I need a recipe for a good soup that has textural diversity but doesn't have its pumpkin flavor overwhelmed by other ingredients.
To make all these recipes I purchased 8 large cans of pureed pumpkin (232 oz). Luckily the stores have not run out since that quantity has been used up!
Here's the list:
vegan pumpkin cookie, pumpkin doughnut, pumpkin chocolate swirl brownies, ginger pumpkin soup, pumpkin ginger rice pudding, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin ice cream (various sources), pumpkin pie, Culver's pumpkin pecan custard, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin fudge, Rick Bayliss' pumpkin mole sauce on chicken, dark chocolate covered pumpkin seeds, pumpkin muffin, pumpkin bagel, pumpkin schmear, pumpkin hummus, curry pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread pudding, pumpkin seed granola, Paciugo's Pumpkin Pie gelato, pumpkin risotto with bacon and spinach, pumpkin layer cake with chocolate icing, chocolate chip pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting, black bean pumpkin soup, chipotle pumpkin salsa, savory pumpkin wontons, pumpkin cinnamon buns, pumpkin cream cheese roll (like a jelly roll), Thai pumpkin custard, pumpkin-topped cream puff, pumpkin chocolate truffle, pumpkin milkshake, pumpkin butter, savory pumpkin quiche, pumpkin cheesecake ice cream, pumpkin chili, pumpkin gingerbread pie, Beard Papa's pumpkin eclair, pumpkin keifer
italics indicate items that I made myself
Next time: The best frozen pumpkin desserts in Chicago!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Happy Howl-O-Ween!
Scene from the 6th Annual Happy Howl-O-Ween Dog Parade & Costume Contest, sponsored by the Andersonville South Neighborhood Association.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream
When I visited my cousin this past summer, I was quite impressed by what a good host she was: she took me to the best ice cream place in Madison, WI. Students at University of Wisconsin are not the only people to be blessed by Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream. They distribute many Midwestern states, including exotic locations like Andersonville in Chicago. Yes, their product is sourced by George’s, my neighborhood enabler, to which I recently made my autumnal waddle for Snap O’ Lantern ice cream (pumpkin ice cream with gingersnap cookie dough).
The company makes over 100 flavors available for wholesale. This translated into some exciting options at the hometown scoop shop. Coconut Almond Bliss (my favorite), Kitty Kitty Bang Bang (Raspberry cheesecake with Oreos and chocolate chips) and—be still my beating heart—Horchata! (It has been in the back of my mind for years to do a blog post about horchata, but I want to try it at every place in Chicago first…which is nearly impossible.)
Another appealing element of this super premium ice cream is their nutrition information. And I quote: “Don’t even ask…You want nutrition, eat carrots.”
Note from 2012: Here is the blog post I eventually did about horchata.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
International Brad Day
For the past few birthdays, I've referred to the event as International Brad Day. To me this seems like a fun way to diffuse the awkwardness that sometimes comes with (a) what does a person bring to a birthday party for someone who doesn't drink and (b) it removes birthday from the equation so there are none of those unwanted jokes-about-aging cards that I have no need for in my life. It also creates a curiosity amongst people that don't realize it's my birthday as to what this day is I've devised to throw a party in my own honor. Oh, and it's fun.
In past years, I have celebrated my birthday with all-out dessert bashes. And since I've been in Chicago, I've started throwing pot luck dinners at my house, which have all the appeal of a normal party but the downhome-ness of a family gathering. They have been huge successes. I decided that this year, I wanted to do something adult: throw a legitimate dinner party.
What is legitimate? Well, I wore a button-up shirt, which is a rarity in this unemployed phase. But, more importantly, I invited 6 guests to join me and my epicurean girlfriend for a multi-course home-cooked meal served on non-disposable dishes with real silverware and enough seating to accommodate all the guests. This was our menu:
- pumpkin hummus (with fresh pita from my local Mediterranean market)
- curried pumpkin soup (with veggies from my local Mexican market)
- date honey chicken and cous cous (the date honey was from my main squeeze's recent trip to Israel)
- date honey ice cream with pumpkin spice granola on top (the granola made by Chicago company, Milk & Honey)
- pumpkin bread pudding
The evening was superb. And the work that went into putting together a meal with so many different parts gave me new appreciation for my mom and all the dinners she planned for our family growing up or for dinner parties I had been to where everything had to come together at the correct time. And while two of us had to sit on the couch for lack of chairs, and I had to borrow some of plates and spoons, and I had to wash everyone's soup bowls before they could have dessert, I sort of felt like a real adult.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Eels and Ice Cream
Usually these two topics have nothing to do with another. Not tonight.
A concert that started boring--throwaway tracks, a food festival cover of "Summer in the City," a funk-ish version of "My Beloved Monster"--got cool--"Fresh Blood," jazz version of "Dog-Faced Boy," rocking "I Like Birds"--and then weird--drummer sang some random song, "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues" sung over "Twist and Shout," a mariachi cover of "Summertime (and the Livin' is Easy)". During this last track he cracked open a cooler on stage and started throwing dozens of half-melted ice cream novelties and popsicles into the crowd. I watched as a Drumstick was passed around by confused audience members. Idiots.
I just got back and had to wash chocolate off my jacket. This is actually the second article of clothing today that has needed this treatment. La vita รจ bella.
A concert that started boring--throwaway tracks, a food festival cover of "Summer in the City," a funk-ish version of "My Beloved Monster"--got cool--"Fresh Blood," jazz version of "Dog-Faced Boy," rocking "I Like Birds"--and then weird--drummer sang some random song, "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues" sung over "Twist and Shout," a mariachi cover of "Summertime (and the Livin' is Easy)". During this last track he cracked open a cooler on stage and started throwing dozens of half-melted ice cream novelties and popsicles into the crowd. I watched as a Drumstick was passed around by confused audience members. Idiots.
I just got back and had to wash chocolate off my jacket. This is actually the second article of clothing today that has needed this treatment. La vita รจ bella.
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