Saturday, December 19, 2009

Postin'. Should be packin'.

So I realized I never drew a winner for drawing from the submissions of the best places to get ice cream.

Congrats to Ice Cream Forum! I used random.org to pick a winner. Ice Cream Forum will win a copy of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book to be mailed in the new year, because as I mentioned, I should be packing, not posting! (I leave for Arizona in 13 hours...well, that is, if the storm allows!)

I promise I will begin to set up the ice cream guide soon, as well!

Spice Dish Saturday {December}: Bourbon-Gingerbread Ice Cream

My apologies on the delay in posting this recipe. EB of Spice Dish was so great in getting it to us and I have been a Scoopalicious slacker. My apologies. As an artist, the holiday season is completely crazy for me! But I promise I will be back and better than ever!

Bourbon-Gingerbread Ice Cream

3 cups half & half
5 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground clove
3 tbs bourbon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup broken gingerbread cake or ½ cup gingerbread cookie pieces

Warm 2 cups of the ½ & ½ , sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Pour the remaining ½ & ½ into a large bowl and put a mesh strainer over the bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yolks. Slowly add some of the warmed mixture into the yolks and whisk vigorously. Slowly combine the two mixtures until completely combined, then return the mixture to the saucepan.

Constantly stir the mixture as it warms over medium heat. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pan, until the mixture coats your spoon. Pour the cooked mixture through the strainer, into the remaining ½ & ½. Mix in the spices, bourbon, and vanilla. Cool over ice.

Chill the batter completely! Once it is chilled through, churn it in your ice cream maker according to the instructions. 5 minutes before it is finished add your gingerbread. Let finish freezing in the freezer.

Thanks, EB! You rock! Happy holidays to all and to all a good scoop!


Photo by DNAMichaud on Flickr.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving - Pumpkin Ice Cream Recipe

Its been a slow fall here at Scoopalicious as Bethany geared up for her awesome Open Studios Holiday Sale (if you didn't know she is not only an amazing ice cream maker but an amazing artist too!) and myself, well life with new baby and full time job, oh and lack of sleep, makes it hard to motivate but enough excuses, we promise the new year will bring lots of ice cream happiness!


One thing that hasn't slowed down though is our love for ice cream and this time of year anything Pumpkin is a good thing. I recently had to bribe (yes, bribe!) my four year old with the promise of ice cream if she'd just go in "one" more store with Mommy. Little did she know I was dying to go back to one of our favorite homemade ice cream shops to see if they had Pumpkin Ice Cream so the bribe was actually my own selfish thoughts but she really didn't need to know that. Results...one happy kid (scoop choice=Birthday Cake) and one happy Mom who not only got her shopping done but fabulous ice cream (see pic) too!


So in case you are looking to make some ice cream to go with that yummy pie here are a couple recipes to try...


STEP BY STEP Pumpkin Ice Cream Recipe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFMvuD-7KZE




Pumpkin Ice Cream Recipe


2 cups heavy cream
6 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
2/3 cup puréed pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat 1 1/3 cups of the cream over medium-high heat. Remove from heat when edges start to bubble.

In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, corn syrup, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a metal mixing bowl. Gradually pour the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour egg mixture back into the pan and cook over low-med heat stirring constantly with a rubber spatula until mixture is thick enough to coat back of the spatula.

Pour custard through a sieve into a bowl. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and remaining 2/3 cup of cream, and whisk until blended. Cool over an ice bath. Refrigerate custard for about 4 hours. Transfer custard to an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Saturday, November 7, 2009

The Ice Cream Theory

A while back, and I do mean a while back, I got an email from a woman named Steff Deschenes asking me if I would like to review her book The Ice Cream Theory. Ice cream? Book? Two of my most favorite things in the world? A no brainer. "Sure," I said, and days later, a bright yellow book with a dripping ice cream cone arrived in the mail.

I was already in the middle of a few books, but that's often the case, so I was excited to add this to my reading list. Then life got in the way. Work. Art shows to enter, open studios to arrange. The book kept getting pushed to the bottom of the pile. No, not the pile of books, but the pile of "stuff," the mess of my life that is there daily (no, I would not consider myself a tidy person in any sense of the word), but gets exponentially worse when I am overwhelmed with work.

Then came a perfect excuse to put it on the front burner. A wedding in Vegas. And it became the first thing I packed in my carry-on, with a promise of this book being read by the end of the vacation.

So, here we are. Day two of vacation. Las Vegas and it's countless ice cream parlors waiting to be tested and one-armed bandits waiting to be pulled. But this bed is too comfy, and you, my dear readers, haven't heard from us in a while.

So here is my promise: Six days remain of this vacation, and with the conclusion of those eight days, there will be a book read cover to cover, and a review will be written.

But, for now I must motivate out of this comfy bed, because afterall, this is Sin City, a city not quite defined by those who sit in bed with a book.

But keep your eyes peeled for a review of Deschenes book, which she describes as her "theory on how personality traits are similar to ice cream flavors, which explains why we get along with some people/enjoy some flavors; and can't stand other people/certain flavors)." (I think my husband is my cookies 'n' cream...)

To read more about it, you can visit The Ice Cream Theory website or buy the book at Amazon.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Help and Win!

A while back we asked for help in compiling a list of readers' recommendations for top ice cream shops. We didn't get too much feedback (thanks to those of you who did help!), but we still want some to know where your favorite place is!

Make a suggestion here by November 16th, and you could win a copy of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book. Help us out and you could be a winner! And suggesting a Ben and Jerry's shop does not get you bonus points...we are actually after more of the local, "hidden gem" scoop shops!

To be entered as a winner, please be sure to include your email address on the form. And not to worry. If you already helped us out, you will still be entered into the drawing for the book!

Enter here!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Spice Dish Saturday {October}: Chocolate Guinness Milkshake

One of our favorites, Guinness- milk chocolate ice cream as a  milkshake. Genius!
This is a take on David Lebovitz' Guinness-Milk Chocolate ice cream. I love that flavor, but was looking for something a little different for a party I was having a few weeks ago. I wanted a dessert-slash-adult beverage so I started with his basics and came up with a Chocolate Guinness Milkshake. It's a two-fer! Boozy and desserty! So tasty and unexpected. It's doesn't really taste like beer, more like the richest brownie you ever drank. 
I made it in the ice cream machine because it really does do 'frozen' cocktails well, but you could easily do this in the blender.

Chocolate Guinness Milkshake

5 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup cocoa powder
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of kosher salt
3 cups half & half
1 cup Guinness
1 tsp amaretto

Warm the cocoa powder, 1 cup half & half, sugar and salt in a saucepan. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks together, then slowly add the warmed mixture to the yolks, whisking quickly. Once incorporated, pour mixture back into the saucepan. Let the mixture warm again over medium heat, stirring constantly until it is thick enough to cover the back of your spoon. Remove from heat and add the chocolate pieces. Whisk until the chocolate melts. Strain the mixture into a large bowl and whisk in the remaining half & half, amaretto and Guinness.

Chill thoroughly in the fridge. It should only take about 15-20 minutes of churning (depending on your maker) to get this to milkshake consistency. Plunk in a straw and enjoy!

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Biography on CNBC: Ben and Jerry's

Today Tina and I got an interesting email from someone at CNBC. Unfortunately, I was running out the door to meet Husband in Boston for our weekly date (we went to see Wait, Wait! Don't Tell Me live), so I didn't get a chance to post about this before now. Here's part of the email we got:

See how two friends with a passion for food turned a little Vermont ice cream shop into one of the most famous names in the business tonight on "Biography on CNBC: Taste of Success" at 10P ET. After a crash course in ice cream making, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield opened their first store. Unsure how to retain customers after the hot summer months ended, they used wacky promotional tricks to entice their customers to return. Now, Ben & Jerry’s is a company on a mission to mix social activism and business…and at the same time, turn a profit. Watch Ben & Jerry's biography tonight at 10p ET on CNBC.


Visit Biography on CNBC for web extras.


Ernie (the pup) and I are watching some of it now while I post and he rests his head on the keyboard.

It's late though and I am tired so I won't get to finish watching...but I can't wait! I am also especially intrigued by their desire to promote social responsibility. I'll watch my recording later this week. I am especially interested to see how they show the sale to Unilever.

Don't worry. You didn't miss it! I am told it re-airs Sunday, October 11th at 11PM Eastern Time and Wednesday, October 21st at 12AM Eastern.

Here's a little side note: Ben's daughter Aretha has an extra special birthday: July 31, 1990 -- so when I was celebrating my eleventh birthday, Ben was celebrating the birth of his new baby girl. Oh, and Jerry has a son named Tyrone...I'm sure those kids have a pretty "sweet" life.

Well, be sure to catch it next time it is on! It's quite a treat!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Size matters. Eat more.














So funny and how true in the world of ice frozen yogurt/ice cream. So here lives Frolick ("fro" and "lick"..love it!) and the creator of these awesome pins. Well not really here since if you are visiting Singapore soon then you can actually try it but none the less its a fun spot we've heard about and had to talk about. Who knew a fro-yo place could be edgy, anti-establishment, fun, politically incorrect, and health conscious all at the same time. Move over Pinkberry with your holier than thou attitude. Note...I have never had Pinkberry and do admire the brand but in tough times we all need something to make us smile and Frolick sure seems to do the job. If only it was nearby. Not sure how I even came across this place but its about time someone put the fun in frozen yogurt. Is their a reason one must feel like raising their pinky when they eat frozen yogurt? Well Frolick figured out that ice cream's skinny friend, frozen yogurt, could let its hair down once and for all and be good all at the same time. Check out their web site to see what we're talking about.

As for the yogurt, according to their web site, tasters claim it to be tart and refreshing. In the world of fro-yo that surely is no differentiator but their vision sure is. Unfortunately we can't visit a shop to truly see if this fun brand that lives online is actually carried out in stores and lives up to the raves but I get the feeling it wouldn't disappoint.

And as for these fun pins, get em while they're hot on their site.

What are the odds we can find someone who has actually tried this? If you are that lucky person I am sure we have some prize for you (well maybe if you can prove it!).

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Superman Ice Cream

A while back we got an email from Quinn Strassel at The Mitten, a Michigan-based culture and food blog. He told us about Superman Ice Cream and the write-up/video he did on it, his own interest being inspired by the article in Serious Eats. Quinn's video is not to miss, with a question-and-answer from an ice cream man and his son, a cute curly haired little girl, Miss Pigtails who hopes Superman will swoop down and take her away as she eats the ice cream, and of course, Quinn's very own history with the ice cream.

Superman Ice Cream: A Michigan Specialty from John McCarthy on Vimeo.


While Quinn explains it as, "A Michigan Thing," east coasters aren't totally out of luck. I think I saw it on the menu at Yum Yum's in Sea Isle City, New Jersey.

His research piqued our interest, especially since he talks about Blue Moon Ice Cream (another "not-very-East-Coast" thing) that we wrote about a while back. Rumor has it that Blue Moon Ice Cream might be one of the mystery flavors in Superman Ice Cream.

Since Quinn is the expert, without further ado, I'll send you over to his posting to learn more about it.

Oh, and Quinn? Props from your New England pals for the fella in the Red Sox hat!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Grandma's Black Forest Cake Ice Cream

When I was little, my grandmother used to make a lot of things: soft sculpture murals, cookies shaped like Santa, an Easter ham carved into the shape of a bunny...this is only a small listing of her accomplishments. She was quite a talented woman, my late grandmother, and my parents suggest this is where I get my artistic talent.

What does Grandma Schlegel have to do with this ice cream blog? The inspiration I found from her Black Forest Cake: chocolate cake with canned cherries and whipped cream.

When I got a sample of Amy's Organic Cake in the mail, I thought of a perfect way to use the cake...Black Forest Ice Cream. I have always been a fan of Bruce Weinstein's Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream recipe, so I churned up a batch of this and added crumbled Amy's Organic Chocolate Cake to the mix in the last five minutes of churning. I probably used about a cup of crumbs, which left me with a good amount of cake just to eat on my own, so I really could have my cake and eat it too!

While Amy's Cake was moist and delicious on it's own (see Tina's post from last week) it also blended in wonderfully with the ice cream and saved me from making a chocolate cake.

While I would make this ice cream again in an instant -- it was one of my favorites from I Scream 2009 -- I would also serve this cake on it's own. Both it's presentation and taste, texture, and moistness put it on my "emergency guests" list of foods -- that's assuming 1. I don't eat it first and 2. I remember to take it out of the freezer in time!

Friday, October 2, 2009

So Oooey and Gooey...so Good!


How can anyone pass up an ice cream dessert that has the words "truffle" and "Gooey" and "Brownie" in its name. Oh and did I forget "chocolate" and "fudge"!


Seriously what doesn't this sweet little treat have in it. When this was sent to me I opened the box and a light shined upon two boxes of Culinary Circle's Chocolate Truffle Gooey Fudge Brownie Ice Cream Dessert. So what to do but immediately tear one open and break out my spoon. The picture on the box made this look way to good to save for later.





I must say this was quite good. The ice cream which was layers of two different chocolates was super creamy and it was topped with lots of chewy truffle brownie bits that sat amongst a pool of gooey fudge. My problem was that I couldn't stop eating it and seriously finished it myself. Hard to tell the size here and when you open it it surely looks like one person could easily handle this but really its for two and I had a big ol' belly ache after devouring it all on my own (but I was eating for two at the time so its okay right?!).

One tip I would have is to let it sit and thaw slightly for a few minutes to allow for the fudge topping to become a smoother consistency. Regardless its good but this allows for it to flow better and not be so thick. I do have to say if you put this on a fancy plate and drizzled some fudge swirls on the plate you'd think you were in a fancy restaurant. And actually that is what the brand is trying to achieve...."With chef inspired cuisine that mirrors today’s most popular restaurants, Culinary Circle is transforming creative casual dining at home." I'd definitely serve this to my guests and actually did. They had the same reaction...super good, rich, and sweet. This is definitely a chocolate lover's dream!

This was sent to me and I had never seen the brand before so not sure exactly where to lead you to get it but the site does have a store locator. Unfortunately it gave me addresses but no store names but there are store logos on the site that may be near you. Looks like they sell many other yummy looking prepared foods for the busy cook that could be worth checking out. If the quality and taste are as good as this sweet treat I might have to try them myself.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Wonder why you can't stop eating ice cream...for days?


Seriously, I knew I was not to blame when I started eating a pint of ice cream and couldn't stop until my spoon scraped the bottom. How could I eat the whole thing? Must have been an imaginary spoon that helped me along of course! Thankfully new research has come out that says fat from certain foods sends off signals to the brain to keep eating so my spoon kept digging! Oh and they say this effect can last for three days so that ice cream binge is SO not your fault!

Check out the full story on science blog. 

Very interesting!

 

Monday, September 21, 2009

Organic ice cream and cake...a natural combination


Cake and ice cream...the perfect duo and on a warm end of summer day even better. Oh and even better that Bethany was along to try it too!

Now who would have thought a premade frozen cake would even be worth opening but let me tell you that Amy's Organic Orange Cake was so surprisingly moist and yummy. It had a great orange flavor that was not too overwhelming but perfectly refreshing and light. I am a baker (well, was pre-two kids!) and freshly baked cake is a must but my mind has been changed by this little vegan cake. Yes it comes in a box but when you open it, the cake is nestled in a sweet little cardboard cake liner that looks like it just came out of the bakery or your own oven. I give Amy's kudos for stepping up on the packaging...it goes a long way especially when you are trying to disguise it as your own!

Well I guess I have to move on cause this is an ice 
cream blog right?! So the topper of it all was Green & Black's Organic Chocolate Ice Cream. I had no clue who Green & Black was but come to find out they are amongst the elite of award-winning chocolate makers. Made from bittersweet dark chocolate and fresh organic cream its no wonder this ice cream was so smooth and rich. (But i do have to admit that both Bethany and I thought it seemed icy at first but it was just the top layer...think this one was in the freezer for a bit). With that said not sure I put it above my favorite Ben & Jerry's Chocolate but it is really good and has the organic factor working for it. 

All in all...love the combination of orange and chocolate and also love the fact that they are both all natural. Both Amy's and Green & Black's obviously are natural winners here. Next time I think I might have to try making my own ice cream with Green & Black chocolate. If anything its a good excuse to try the chocolate!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Spice Dish Saturday {September}: Cream Green Apple Ice Cream

Spice Dish escaped to Europe this summer, and lucky us, we get a perfect fall treat as a result! Bon Appetit!

This flavor was inspired by my recent trip to Paris. One morning for breakfast, I happened across some apple flavored yogurt. Simple, but completely divine. Unlike anything I’ve ever tasted in the US. Maybe it’s because French dairy products, are well, actually made of dairy. Not a collection of chemicals and preservatives. Whatever the reason, I was in love. I couldn’t stop thinking about that yogurt and decided I hate to recreate it at home. This is rich, creamy, speckled with vanilla and perfumed with a hint of tart, green apple. Enjoy!

Creamy Green Apple Ice Cream

1 lb tart green apples
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean (split lengthwise)

With a cheese grater, shred apples (including the peel) into a medium saucepan. Stir in lemon juice. Pour 1 cup of the cream into the pan. Add sugar & salt. Stir. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean and add to the mixture. Then drop the bean in. Warm the mixture until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add rest of cream and milk. Let steep, covered, for one hour. Strain into large bowl and chill completely. Churn in your mixer. For a caramel apple effect, top with a creamy caramel sauce.

Thanks, EB!

Friday, September 11, 2009

Howtoons Ice Cream Contest

Since two people sent me links about this today (thanks Rachel and Marsha) I figured I'd better get posting! (This is also a nice break from a logo project I have been staring at for too long...)

I've never heard of Howtoons before, but it is apparently "The World's Greatest D.I.Y. Comic Website"...pretty cool.

Checkout this Howtoon below with instructions on making ice cream!

Are You Making Ice Cream?, ©Howtoons, howtoons.com

Did you read it closely? You are going to need it...

Howtoons is closing out the summer with a contest -- use the Howtoon above to make ice cream, and send in your best recipe...you could be a winner!

For more details, visit the Howtoons website.

Since I couldn't find an "enter by" date, I sent an email to find out. The super nice (and awesomely quick at replying) folks over at Howtoons just sent me an email letting us know when their contest runs until: "Recipes must be submitted to us by the end of the day 9/21. We will then post the winners by 9/28."

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Facebook Group: People for a Library-Themed Ben & Jerry's Flavor

My awesome younger sister sent me this link from Bust a while back and I thought it would make for a nice post today as the kiddos are heading back to school.

Looking further into it, I found the facebook group, People for a Library-Themed Ben & Jerry's Flavor. This group was stated by A New Jersey librarian, Andy Woodworth. What fun! My personal favorite? The Gooey Decimal System. Do kids even still know what this is these days? Well I'm off and heading to the 641.862s...

Monday, September 7, 2009

I Scream 2009, Part I

It's been more than a month that I have had to recover from the Great American Ice Cream Event of 2009, aka, I Scream 2009, my annual ice cream party.

This is going to have to be a four part post, as you'll be tired by all my writing in one. Fifteen flavors per post, and the winners in the fourth. Stay tuned!

This year's party brought a great group of guests (which woulda been better if Tina could have made it!), 45 flavors (44 by me, and one from a guest -- yes, I am gaga about ice cream), and tons of great raffle prizes -- after the $15 Kohl's sale on the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker, we even bought one of those to raffle off! You can see the raffle table at left -- and above it is the super cool "B" cutout Husband bought just for me! (Photo by Jennifer Wickman.)

Here's part one...as always, I am going to try to get up some good recipes, but if I am taking too long, feel free to bug me if you want a certain recipe.

  1. Amanda's Summer Garden Party (Strawberry Basil Sorbet) -- back by special request. You can see the recipe here.
  2. Arianna's Snap Crackle Pop (Rice Krispie Treat) -- I tried this one twice. Once I made a marshmallow recipe without eggs, and to me it tasted like frozen whipped cream. The next time I made a egg based marshmellow base. Both times I didn't like how the rice krispie treats got soggy. Not a fan, so unless you *really* want it, I am not going to try to remember the recipe and post it. I'll try to figure out how to unsog them and master this recipe.
  3. Ashu's Tango with the Mango (Mango Pistachio) -- I wasn't thrilled with this one. I altered the recipe from The Kitchn. Maybe if I hadn't altered it, I would have liked it!
  4. Batter Up (Cake Batter) -- yum! One of my favorites. You can find the recipe here.
  5. Caffeine Makes You Go Bananas (Caramel Coffee Banana) -- This was a mistake turned right. My first couple of coffee recipes just weren't working. This kind of burned so it was caramely. Whatever...when you make caramel, turn it into ice cream. I added bananas and voila!
  6. Caramel Coffee with Charlie and Lucy (Caramel Coffee with Two Kinds of Peanuts -- chocolate covered peanuts and circus peanuts) -- Same as above, second try still didn't work. This time I added the circus peanuts and the chocolate covered peanuts I had lying around.
  7. Crazy Sister Liz (Coffee with Salted Walnuts and Marshmallow and Caramel Swirl) -- Kevin's coworker (and our friend) Melissa suggested this one. Apparently her sister invented this to top ice cream. As Melissa tells it "She may be crazy, but boy can she put an ice cream creation together. My sister worked at White Mountain Creamery when if first opened in the 80's. This was one of her favorite concoctions. Obviously the toppings weren't made into the ice cream, but I think they'd be better that way: coffee ice cream, salted pecans, ribbons of caramel and marshmallow." I can't tell you what I thought, though...I am not a fan of coffee.
  8. Crowley's Coffee N' Donuts (Coffee N' Donuts) -- Another one of Melissa's brilliant ideas. Wonder why no one thought of this one before...Aptly named for Massachusetts's recent famous cop, Sargeant Crowley.
  9. Daveed's Bella Nutella (Nutella) -- Used the basic peanut butter ice cream recipe from Bruce Weinstein's The Ultimate Ice Cream Book, replacing the peanut butter, with, what else? Nutella.
  10. Double Your Pleasure (Fresh Mint with Thin Mints) -- This was actually made with fresh spearmint, which I didn't think of as I was making it. I have a jungle of spearmint in the backyard, which I thought I would use. I think it would have been better with mint mint.
  11. Ears to You, Betsy! (Corn) -- It wasn't bad...but I won't make it again, probably. Also from Bruce Weinstein's The Ultimate Ice Cream Book.
  12. Elvis's Coronary (Peanut Butter Banana) -- Peanut Butter Ice Cream. Macerated bananas mixed in. 'Nuff said.
  13. Gail's Chipwich (White Chocolate Ice Cream with Chocolate Chip Cookies) -- Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and cookies 'n' cream are all-time favorites these days, but it is rare that you find actual baked chocolate chip cookies in ice cream. Well, thanks to Gail, we did! Awesome Gail suggested this one. Cookies were made from the New York Times recipe, which I accidentally let sit for 72 hours instead of 36. Patience? Nah. I enjoyed cookie dough for three days! Ice cream base was White Chocolate Ice Cream from Bruce Weinstein's The Ultimate Ice Cream Book.
  14. Grandma's Black Forest Cake (Chocolate Cherry Cake) -- In honor of my late Grandma Schlegel's black forest cake. This ice cream adaptation is one of my next recipes to post. Promise! Used Amy's Kitchen's awesome Frozen Chocolate Cake. Also keep your eyes peeled for Tina's review of the Orange Cake with chocolate ice cream!
  15. Heather and Lisa's Big Apple (Apple Butter) -- Had an extra jar of apple butter lying around -- once my husband mentioned he liked apple butter, and I think I over bought it for him...Recipe from...you guessed it: Bruce Weinstein's The Ultimate Ice Cream Book.
Stay tuned for part two of the series!

Hope you enjoy the glowing picture at right of me and Team Wickman! BE sure to note the other awesome present from Husband...the banana split tee! Thanks to Jenn Wickman for this photo as well!

Ice Cream Paper Goods to Print from Home...

I love design. I love ice cream. I love freebies! Design + Ice Cream + Free = Perfection.

Here's a cute ice cream freebie I first saw on Craftzine.com.

At left, Melbourne-based designer Amy Moss at Eat Drink Chic offers free "Love and Ice Cream" Gift Tag Set Printables. These are awesome, Amy! Beautiful colors, handlettering, illustration -- all combined into perfection. Thanks for sharing!

Oh, and while you are there, be sure to check out her directions for a not only tasty-looking but absolutely beautiful, charming DIY Ice Cream Parlour "Make Your Own Sundaes" Concept for a Wedding or a Party. A-MA-ZING. Hmmmm, we might have to feature Amy soon -- she's all that we love -- ice cream and great design!

paper crave is another blog I follow regularly, and I came across this (inexpensive) little gem.

For $2.50, PaperGlitter sells PDFs to create your own little pink and green ice cream trucks (at right).

So fire up your printer, sharpen your scissors, and let's show some ice cream love!


Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Ben & Jerry's "Chubby Hubby" is now "Hubby Hubby" for a Great Cause


Ben & Jerry never ceases to amaze us here at Scoopalicious. Beginning this week Ben & Jerry's is temporarily renaming their hugely popular “Chubby Hubby” ice cream to “Hubby Hubby” in celebration of the start of legalized gay marriage in its very own home state, Vermont. So for the next 30 days Ben & Jerry's, in partnership with Freedom to Marry, will show their sweet support of a great cause and is truly hoping this will raise awareness of how important marriage equality is not only in Vermont but everywhere.

As the state motto goes...Vermont truly is for lovers (& not just ice cream lovers!)! 

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Chilly Cocktails for a Hot Summer Day

Just in time for all those labor Day parties....cool summer cocktails! This past Friday on The Early Show Somer Perez, a mixologist of Couture Cocktail Concepts, had me running for my blender with these hot summer cocktails. Try em out this weekend and we'd love to know how they were. Enjoy! 




RECIPES: 

Poppin' Pomegranate 
Whole Foods Pomegranate Sorbet* 
Zyr Vodka*
Simple Syrup 
Pop Rocks Candy (to rim glass)

Ice Creamed Brazilian Mojito 
Haagen-Daz "5" Mint Ice Cream*
Leblon Cachaca*
Brown Sugar 
Blender 


(if anything check out the Couture Cocktail Concept web site....LOVE it....typography is so elegant and chic and the less is more design is truly beautiful

*try these brands if you can but I am sure any brand will do

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Shoppe Review : Udderly Delicious [Lincoln, NH]

Udderly Delicious was, umm, udderly delicious! It was an extremely hot and muggy summer night as usual in New England so one thing was in store on our little family trip to New Hampshire, ice cream. After a visit to our favorite restaurant, The Woodstock Inn (Apres ski is a must in winter!) I insisted even though it was past bedtime that we hit up the ice cream shoppe I had eyed earlier in the day. All I had to read was "homemade" and I was sold and insistent on getting there before the trip was over. Of course day one we made it. No time to waste!

So with very full bellies from dinner we headed on to Udderly 
Delicious, a homemade ice cream shoppe somewhat hidden between buildings (and on the first floor of rental apartments with guys on the porch above drinking beers..as I said it was hot out!) on Main Street that its easy to pass. It's also overshadowed by a typical outdoor ice cream stand a block away that had a long line but that was for amateurs, this was homemade ice cream we're talking about, big difference. It did have a couple picnic tables outside that we were lucky to score and with it being on Main Street it was a great people watching spot being smack dab in the middle of the little town. So this shoppe with beer drinkers above and neon signs inside may not be the quaintest New England stand but the ice cream is well worth it and it had its own character! 


So as I said it was true New England summer night....insanely hot and muggy so it swayed my choice in flavors a bit. I needed something refreshing so I opted for one of my favorites and not often found, Ginger. And because I always have to get two flavors in case one disappoints, I also chose Black Raspberry. SOOOOO good. The ginger was super creamy with a perfect mix of bits of ginger and perfect flavor, not too overwhelming ginger taste and the Black Raspberry was so smooth and fresh and it complimented the Ginger perfectly. The servings are quite big...see the picture which doesn't do the size justice...that is a small! This was probably one of the best Ginger ice creams I have tasted. It was just so fresh and smooth and just had a wonderful texture. 

I have to say I am glad we made the stop even though we weren't sure about fitting it in after dinner because the ice cream was awesome and on a hot summer night of vacation there was nothing to complain about once there. If you ever find yourself in Lincoln NH definitely try it out.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Guest Posting: Intercourse & ice cream post

Bethany's favorite younger sister Arianna surprised her last night with a guest post about ice cream in a little town called Intercourse, Pennsylvania. She mentions that she had previously been in Lancaster, so I hope she sent a little "shout out" to our friends there. Anyway, I'll let Arianna's awesome post do the talking.


My friend Sarah and I took a trip down the coast recently, with not much of a plan in mind, and made some fun stops in various places. On a whim, we decided to check out Amish country, so we headed over to Lancaster, PA. Once there (after an awesome ride in the restored Strasburg train), I realized we were very close to Intercourse, PA, and knew that we just had to make that a stop. I had grown up seeing "I heart Intercourse" (with a very small "PA" underneath) t-shirts, and I definitely wanted to head over there and pick up some fun souvenirs! (I'm not much of a souvenir shopper, so this was actually a big deal to me.) So we made the short drive over, through beautiful PA countryside, and boy was it worth it for a nice afternoon break before hitting the road again. I should admit here that I actually had two goals in mind that day: the second was handmade ice cream.

When we stumbled across Lapp Valley Farm's ice cream stand, I was thrilled! (I am Bethany's sister, after all - it should come as no surprise that our whole family is addicted to ice cream!) I had a difficult time making a decision from about a dozen or so flavors (nothing out of the ordinary, save for "Butter Brickle", which I now wish I'd been in the mood to check out), but settled on an old favorite, listed as "COOKIES' n. CREAM" (don't worry, they didn't lose too many points with me for the grammar!).

As you can see, the scoop I ordered was an unexpectedly brown ice cream, with no actual cookie chunks in the batter - it appears it was mixed in so thoroughly that it became sort of a light chocolately ice cream instead of the usual vanilla-with-cookies-mixed-in. Perhaps that was because of the hand-mixing. In any case, I wasn't disappointed - the ice cream was very rich and creamy, and delicious on a hot, sunny day! The perfect refreshment.

The location of the stand is worth a trip, ice cream or no (although I do highly suggest a cold treat from Lapp Valley!). It was very busy even on a Tuesday afternoon in August, which makes sense as it is located within an adorable setting: a little old-style bricked seating area of tables with umbrellas is surrounded by various shops, including a kettle corn/homemade potato chips stand, a toy store, artisan shops, souvenir shops, and the like - there are even pony rides for the kids! And of course, the ubiquitous horse and buggy were parked nearby....

The ice cream itself was served up by girls dressed in Amish costuming (but I noticed, they did work in an air-conditioned booth!). The setting is quaint but still modern enough, and filled with groups of people doing the tourist thing on a late summer afternoon. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area; it's a very pleasant day trip destination. What little I saw, I have to say: I adore Intercourse! :)

(Pricing is $2 for 1 scoop; fresh, homemade waffle cones are $2.50 for 1 scoop. Slightly more for 2 scoops, but all less than $5.)

Thanks, Arianna! Should we add this to Our Readers Recommend?

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Boston Begins and Ends the Summer with an Ice Cream Festival

Those of us in Boston who thought we'd have to wait another ten months for a ice cream festival-cum-fundraiser are in luck...

We don't know what could be better. The city's best ice cream makers (great ice cream + a big heart) head into Union Square, Somerville for a showdown to show that Boston is indeed an "Ice Cream City." Don't know if we need to prove it (I mean, what with Scoopalicious hailing from Boston, don't we already know this?)

Like the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl, this all goes to a good cause, The Juniper Fund, a scholarship "for a metro-Boston musician to pursue higher education" (from The Juniper Fund website) created in memory of John Hall.

Sugarbomber.com / eatBoston Ice Cream Showdown Block Party at Grand

Citysearch's local-centric dessert blog, Sugarbomber.com, and Twitter's @eatBoston are teaming up to produce and promote a showdown of the Boston area's finest ice cream makers on Saturday, August 22nd at Grand in Union Square, Somerville. Our goal is to prove Boston's status as an 'Ice Cream City' by showcasing the area's best ice cream makers and other purveyors of fine frozen desserts.

  • What: The 1st Sugarbomber.com / eatBoston Ice Cream Block Party @ Grand
  • When: Saturday, August 22 3 PM – 6 PM (Rain Date: August 23)
  • Where: 374 Somerville Ave, Union Square, Somerville in the Family Center parking lot adjacent to Grand.
  • Cost: $2 suggested donation to The Juniper Fund.
  • Event RSVP: RSVP via the facebook event page
  • What Vendors Are Bringing: 2-3 large batches of the ice cream flavor(s) they think can take down any flavor in the city.
  • Participating Vendors: Christina's, Toscanini's, JP Licks, Chilly Cow (of Arlington), Wheeler's Frozen Desserts (Vegan), B.Good's Shakemaking Rickshaw. Awaiting confirmation from a couple others, up to date info on event page.

Grand: Grand is a retailer specializing in contemporary home furnishings, apparel, vintage curiosities and gifts.


Citysearch: Citysearch is a leading online lifestyle guide with the most up-to-date information on businesses, from restaurants and spas, to hotels and retail.


eatBoston:@eatboston plumbs the depths of Twitter to deliver the freshest info on Boston eats, restaurants and local food events delivered daily.



The Juniper Fund: The Juniper Fund is a music scholarship fund, established this year in memory of John S. Hall who passed away in 2004 after a brave battle with cancer.

We can't wait! Thanks to our friend John for the heads up!

Info via Aaron of WheretoEat and Christine of City Search. Thanks much!

Monday, August 10, 2009

The Naptime Chef Tells All About The Great Ice Cream Festival 2009

I recently ran across The Naptime Chef's™ blog and her exciting summertime Ice Cream Festival. You can read more here about The Naptime Chef and her Festival, but I think the interview should speak for itself. (As should the image at left of TNC's Chocolate Malted Milk.)

One thing that I think is pretty cool is that I have been meaning to share some of the recipes from my ice cream party (I know, I know! I will! I will!) and one of the recipes I was going to share was the Coconut Samoa Ice Cream I made for Husband. Mine is pretty easy: Make a coconut ice cream (I used the Toasted Coconut Ice Cream recipe in David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop) and add crumbled Girl Scout Samoas (a.k.a. Caramel deLites)...and cooincidentally, The Naptime Chef's latest recipe was also for Girl Scout Samoa Ice Cream!


Scoopalicious:
Tell me about the Naptime Chef
...

The Naptime Chef: The Naptime Chef™ started in early 2009 because of the birth of my daughter. Nothing throws a wrench in your cooking style like the arrival of a baby, and I was no different. I love to cook and bake, but with an infant I had no time or energy! I would start thinking about dinner at 4:30pm and, totally overwhelmed by the prospect of cooking from scratch, end up ordering delivery instead. It was awful. About three months after she was born I started “reworking” my favorite recipes to figure out how I could make them while she napped and complete them in the evening. After all, my tastes hadn’t changed, I still wanted to eat and make good food!

Once I figured out how to make all my favorites I was thrilled. Shortly thereafter I went to playgroup and told my friends about the lasagna I had recently made, they looked at me like I was crazy. I realized that they were struggling with cooking at home so I started The Naptime Chef™ to help them.

I purposely publish recipes that can be prepared ahead of time and completed in the evening, or whipped up on a moment’s notice. I want all home cooks to get excited and realize that is possible to cook delicious food with children at home, you don’t have to give up being a foodie just because you are a parent! Remarkably, many adults with grown children have told me that my work has reminded them of the joys of home cooking, and has motivated them to get cooking again.

The great news is that the site is currently being redesigned and will re-launch this fall with great features like an ingredient “search” bar, a recipe box, printable recipe pages and loads of helpful advice for all home cooks.

Scoopalicious: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?

The Naptime Chef: I grew up in Cooperstown NY where I learned to appreciate farm fresh food and artisanal food products. I attended Emma Willard (Hey! One of my best friends also went here!) for High School and then Bates College. When I arrived at Bates I was thrilled to discover their commitment to organic produce and recyclable materials. This was in the mid-90's, so they were ahead of the curve. After college I moved to New York City where I live today. My husband and I love the energy of the big city, and our 20-month old daughter enjoys it as well.

Scoopalicious: How did you come up with the idea of the Great Ice Cream Festival 2009?

The Naptime Chef: I love making Ice-cream and so does my friend Nicole, so we thought it would be fun this summer to make a new ice-cream flavor per week. Whenever we are together - our daughters are playmates and we are good friends - we always end up talking about food. So this project seemed like a fun thing for us to do together. We split the duties, each of us tackle recipes independently and then compare notes before they are published. Nicole doesn't blog, she is an event planner and busy mother. Her life is about to get busier, too, she is due with her second baby in September!

Scoopalicious: Who eats all the ice cream?

The Naptime Chef: Honestly, my husband and I. Thank goodness we live in NYC where we can walk everywhere for exercise!

Scoopalicious: How do you decide which ice cream to make when?

The Naptime Chef: At the beginning of the festival we asked people to submit ideas for flavors they would like to see. This gave us guidelines and ideas, it has been a lot of fun to develop new flavors based on requests.

Scoopalicious: What's your favorite ice cream so far?

The Naptime Chef: I love anything with mint so Peppermint Bark ice-cream has been my favorite so far.

Scoopalicious: What's your least favorite flavor? (We'll need you to report back at the end of the project for a final report on these two questions!)

The Naptime Chef: I don't have a least favorite. Yet.

Scoopalicious: What have you learned so far?

The Naptime Chef: I have become ace at making custard and now really appreciate the precision that goes into the cooking it correctly. If the custard gets messed up you have to start over and it stinks.

Scoopalicious: Which ice cream maker do you use?

The Naptime Chef: A basic Cuisinart Ice-20. There is no need for fancy equipment when making ice-cream, this can be bought on Amazon inexpensively.

Scoopalicious: I noticed that recipe number 2 (Chocolate Butter Almond) was based on a recipe from an ice cream maker instruction book. Are most of your recipes based on other recipes or are they from scratch?

The Naptime Chef: I have a vanilla custard base that I use for most recipes and that is my jumping off point. But the Chocolate Chocolate Chip w/ Salted Cashews was based on a New York Times recipe from last summer.

Scoopalicious: How was the peach ice cream? I have never made a peach ice cream that I was happy with. Mine is always icy. Any hints?

The Naptime Chef: The peach ice-cream is amazing! I let the peaches macerate in sugar for a little bit which draws out their juices. Then the juices go in the custard and serve as a natural sweetener and flavor boost. Don't scrimp on the peaches either, only fresh will do! Iciness might be caused by not enough milkfat, be sure to use real cream and whole milk.

Scoopalicious: Your friend Sarah seems helpful, too...how do we get hooked up to her ice cream making hints?

The Naptime Chef: Sarah is my friend from high school on Facebook. If you become her friend, too, you can read her "notes" page and ice-cream recipes! But I am not going to print her last name on a website - you'll have to contact me for it!

Scoopalicious: What's next?

The Naptime Chef: This fall I am planning a Great Apple Festival in celebration of my favorite delicious fall fruits. This winter I think I'll do cookies. It is fun to have a "concentration" by season, and I think my readers enjoy it as well.


Scoopalicious: Anything else you want to tell us?

The Naptime Chef: Never, ever by synthetic ice-cream. Either make it yourself or buy the quality brands that come in pints. Everything else is just filled with silicone!

Thanks so much TNC! We really enjoyed the interview! Keep up the yummy work!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails