To Mix-in or Not To Mix-in? Part I: Not to Mix-in

I'm having a bit of a mix-in mix-up. Usually I like mix-ins. In this way, I do not take after my mother. She's not a fan.

Here's what happened. I bought two ice cream flavors recently -- one that I expected I wouldn't like as much because of the mix-ins and another I thought I would like because of the mix-ins. In both cases, I was wrong.

My sister suggested I try Talenti's Sea Salt Caramel Gelato. Amazing ice cream. Really amazing. Creamy, smooth, and a perfect salty/sweet flavor. But, while I usually find myself searching out the mix-ins, I found myself digging around the mix-ins. First of all, I couldn't tell what they were. The container doesn't tell me a thing. I read chocolate on one site. Didn't taste that way to me. Second of all, the gelato was smooth, wonderful perfection -- smooth and creamy -- it just did not need anything else. I found my frozen euphoria broken up by chunks of...

Well, I'll be..."small sea salt caramel truffles that have been bathed in chocolate." You got it, Ice Cream Informant! I don't know why I doubted you except for the fact that  it just didn't taste that way to me.

Anyway, would I buy this again? Yes. But would I be happier without the mix-ins? Yes.

Stay tuned for my next post where I am happily surprised with the mix-in.

SoCo Creamery

Saturday I went into downtown Hartford with my daughter, parents, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew. I really wanted to take Daughter on the carousel. Being two, she was a little overwhelmed by it, so she never actually rode it (though she was enthralled with watching it.) The trip wasn't a total bust though. Not at all. Sister, B-I-L, Mom, Nephew, and I all rode the carousel. Nephew and Daughter enjoyed the playground, Daughter enjoyed the bouncy house, AND we happened upon the Hartford Jazz Festival. We enjoyed a nice picnic and wandered the booths at the festival.

An outing like that wouldn't be complete without ice cream, so luckily as we were leaving, we passed the booth for SoCo Creamery. Of course we stopped.

I kind of have pregnancy brain right now. When I introduced myself they told me they had read Scoopalicious and we had written about them at the Scooper Bowl. Oh, duh, I recalled. I had chosen the Salted Caramel they make as my favorite of the event and Tina had chosen their Lemon Poppyseed. Seriously, it was my favorite, I just don't remember things from one day to the next! Haha!

In fact, SoCo's tasty creation inspired me to try my own hand at Salted Caramel. I used the recipe from Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones: 90 Recipes for Making Your Own Ice Cream and Frozen Treats from Bi-Rite Creamery ...I think I burnt my sugar, so it wasn't as successful as I'd hoped -- but my friend Ashu swears by Bi-Rite's Salted Caramel, so...Salted Caramel Taste Off, anyone?!

But I digress...

SoCo's Salted Caramel is still among my favorites. I ordered a scoop of the salted caramel and a scoop of blueberry. I was a fan of both.

Sister said: "I ordered the Apple Cider Donut and loved it, but also loved the Salted Caramel and Minty Mudslide."

Brother-in-law said: I had the PB mudslide and the dirty chocolate. I really enjoyed the chocolate as it was very rich. The PB mudslide was good. I tried the blueberry and was a bit sad that I did not get that as one of my flavors."

Dad said: "Had a Cider Donut...very good...Much like apple pie ice cream had once before."

As for the Cider Donut -- I find it interesting that they used a cinnamon base with cider donuts mixed in. I made mine with a cider base. I think their recipe was a little more mellow -- less tart, less overwhelming...I wonder if I added cinnamon to the cider concentrate?

The reviews are in and they are all super positive! You go, SoCo! This time I am going to remember how much I love you guys!!! I am going to have to find you locally...