Indulging in Indulgences

I was recently able to take some time off and escape to Florida for a few days. After a rough winter, a beach vacation with good friends, cocktails and delicious food was just what I needed.

While on vacation we received a special delivery of Breyers Gelato Indulgences. The package included all four of Breyer's new Gelato Indulgences flavors; Vanilla Caramel, Rasberry Cheesecake, Tiramisu and Triple Chocolate.

With six days of vacation I was able to spend qaulity time with each of these flavors. All of the Breyers Gelato Indulgences are rich and creamy but the texture is light as if it's whipped. Each flavor looks like it's hand crafted since there seems to be a personal touch to all of the flavors, like the chocolate shavings on top of the Triple Chocolate or the crumbled graham cracker on the Rasberry Cheesecake. The first thing I did was take a little spoonful of the Rasberry Cheesechake with a little graham cracker topping...The rasberry swirl had a delicious tartness that was perfectly balanced with the creamy cheescake flavored ice cream. The graham cracker topping has a nice texture. Whether it's an actual cheescake or this Gelato, I always want more graham cracker! The triple chocolate is rich but not too heavy. You can distinctly taste the difference between the dark chocolate and milk chocolate. The white chocolate swirl and chocolate shavings bring this flavor to a whole new level.

I was wary of the of the tirimisu because although the ingredients (delicate mascarpone gelato, decadent espresso sauce, ladyfinger cookie pieces and gourmet cocoa) sounded delicious I thought it was going to be too much. Luckily I was completely wrong. This tirimusu gelato let me feel like I was on vacation. Looking out over the ocean while having a bowl full of tirimisu gelato was heavenly. The tirimisu gelato felt as if each layer of the delicious tirimisu dessert was in every bite of this gelato. The Vanilla Caramel was also surprisingly not as rich as I thought it would be and perfectly creamy and flavorful.

I was incredibly lucky to be able to take this trip and to have the opportunity to try all of these new delicious flavors. Whether you're on the beach in florida or you need to put your feet up after a long week of work I would definitely suggest trying the new Breyers Gelato Indulgences.

Thank you to my special friends at Unilever for sending me this wonderful treat!

Breyer's Toppings

Wow! It's good to be back posting! Our new team member Patrick inspired us to get back to it and in the process we found this post written but erroneously never posted! Our apologies. Sometimes life gets in the way of ice cream! Well, at least in the way of writing about ice cream. We usually have room for ice cream!

We can't believe it has taken us this long to write about the adorable box of Breyer's Toppings we got in the mail, way back, in well, um...well, we am too embarrassed to admit how long it took to write this post.

To begin with, in general, I think sprinkles are okay. I don't love them. I have to have rainbow ones on a dish of vanilla carvel and chocolate ones on a black raspberry ice cream cone, but other than that, I don't opt for them. I think they are waxy and boring and leave a yucky coating on my mouth. Until now. Enter Breyer's sprinkles. Best I have ever had. In fact, so good they are dangerous. I sometimes find myself eating them by the spoonful, no ice cream required. Seriously good. They are sweet without being too sweet, and crunchy, not chewy. And the chocolate ones actually taste like, well, chocolate!

The only problem? I have never ever seen them on the shelves of a store. And I have looked at my Shaw's, Stop & Shop, Target, Sudbury Farms (local), and Price Chopper. Never. I just see those waxy, yucky ones. Their site says they are at all Walmarts, some Targets, and at grocery stores nationwide. Not mine. (Well, I don't have a Walmart near me, so that doesn't count.) For now I am hoarding my sprinkles.

I also LOVED the fruit toppings. I particularly liked the cherry, and look for all excuses to use it. The topping tastes fresher and less bottled than most other jarred fruit toppings I have tried.

Tina was lucky enough to get the same package and she raved about the caramel and chocolate toppings having great textures and not being too rich. And instead of fighting with some hard plastic bottle to eek thick fudge out of the toppings come in a squeezy tube which make them easy to pour plus super easy for kids too who love to douse their sundaes in toppings. A+ for clever packaging of not only product but the overall branding.

Try yours today!

Added bonus: the presentation from Breyers was also great -- what a fun treat (no pun intended) for designers and ice cream lovers to get in the mail. Thanks, Breyers!

May The Odds Be Ever In Your Flavor

I recently traveled up to Vermont to spend some time with the Ben & Jerry’s team. There are many things that I would like to share with Scoopalicious readers about my Ben & Jerry’s trip but a personal high of my ice-cream expedition was being able to compete with and against fellow food bloggers to create a new Ben & Jerry’s flavor. We were broken up in to teams of three and four in order to start our brainstorming. My group consisted of New Yorkers so we decided to create a New York centric ice-cream. Originally we wanted to have a donut flavor ice-cream with dark chocolate covered matzo but we didn’t realize that we would be given a list of options based on their immense inventory (How could they not have chocolate covered matzo?!).

Once we entered the test kitchen and met flavor Gurus Jon and Peter we went to work on creating our flavors. There was a true sense of competition as we were informed that the winning team would be able to have individual ice-cream socials at their Ben & Jerry’s of choice where their ice-cream would be served! Our team decided that coffee was a driving force for the New York crowd. There was an option to add liqueur so why not make it a coffee liqueur flavored ice cream! Our Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Guru, John, was scientific with testing the potency and flavor of the coffee liqueur in the ice cream. The stakes were high so we had to take sips of liquored up cream to determine how strong of a flavor we wanted. Once flavor content was determined we started making the ice cream in a large machine while we started to play with the ingredients. It was decided that our flavor would be called Cuppa Cawfee (you have to say it with a thick New York accent)

Since there wasn’t any matzo, Jon had us try dark chocolate chunks and espresso dark chocolate chunks. The team decided that the espresso chunks might be too intense since the ice cream itself had a coffee flavor, so we decided on dark chocolate. Next up was a chocolate covered almond crunch which we thought would add a unique flavor and texture. Last up was a chocolate fudge swirl to top things off.

Once the ice cream was finished being made in the machine our team was able to fold the ingredients in to the ice cream and fill pints to be frozen for the competition to be held later that day. Next up we had the opportunity to meet with the marketing department and create a poster with the graphic designers. Kathy from Ben and Jerry’s was incredibly sweet and a good sport considering how intent we were on winning the competition. We spent a lot of time trying to create a New York City backdrop with Woody (Woody is the iconic cow used for a lot of Ben and Jerry’s advertising). We decided on a scene where Woody was holding a coffee cup of ice cream while standing in front of the Brooklyn Bridge.

The competition was ready to commence. There was some fierce competitors with such flavors as 40 Weeks that had everything but the kitchen sink to entice pregnancy cravings and The Polar Cortex which played on the idea of our intense winter weather as an ice-cream by adding various crunchy flavors to represent, snow, ice and sleet. Our Flavor Gurus Jon and Peter and one other co-worker had the task of trying all of our flavors to determine who the winner would be. Their deliberation was stressful but we were able to taste all of the other team’s flavors while we waited. The Gurus returned and other teams were eliminated until it was our team and the Polar Cortex team left. It was announced that both teams were the winners and that each out us would be getting our flavors created by Ben & Jerry’s and served at our Ben & Jerry’s ice cream socials!

I will let all of you know when and at which Ben & Jerry’s my ice-cream social will be so you can try our new flavor creation.

Scoopalicious is Growing! Welcome, Patrick!

A few months ago, you may have read a great post by our guest blogger Patrick. A while back, when we realized we were letting a bunch of great events in New York pass us by (um, like meeting Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey, for instance), we realized we didn't want these experiences to go to waste. I thought of the people I knew in New York City, and I immediately thought of the enthusiasm and passion of my friend Patrick. Patrick and I have known each other since grade school, and there are few people that I know that seem to love and live life as fully as Patrick. I talked to Tina and we thought it would be a great idea to have him as our Guest Blogger/New York Correspondent. His first (and highly successful) mission? To an event to meet Nutty the Water Skiing Squirrel!)

Fast forward to February, and it looks like we have made the right choice. Patrick has made such an impression on the Ben & Jerry's PR people that he gets invited to Burlington to be a VIP with a bunch of other food bloggers -- just as I did a couple of years back. He's thrilled, replies "yes," packs his bags to spend a few days up north (and props to him for going from cold to colder in this never-ending winter!).

Patrick comes back from his trip with such excitement, and as I look at the blog that Tina and I love dearly, but have so little time to give as much attention to as we'd like, and we realize, we need this energy back -- hopefully to inspire us as well. We officially ask him to be a member of the Scoopalicious team, and he says yes!

We are so excited to welcome Patrick to the Scoopalicious team and look forward welcoming ice cream season with him. Er, um, who are we kidding?! It's always ice cream season.

P.S. You might see this photo popping up more again on this blog, but it's just so Patrick I couldn't resist using it as his introductory photo!

Am I dense? Or is it this recipe?

I hate to come back to this blog on a negative note, but with two kids under three, I don't make a lot of ice cream anymore.

When I do make ice cream, I want it to work.

Twice, I have used chocolate ice cream recipes from Scoop: 125 Specialty Ice Creams from the Nation's Best Creameries and been super frustrated. The ice creams tasted great when I made the base, but they were so darn thick they just spun and spun in the ice cream maker, not getting cold, just attaching to the dasher.

Is it me? Am I doing something wrong? I know I did do one thing wrong this time but I can't imagine it would have been the result of my base refrigerating into one gelatinous blob. My mistake (and yes, I know the saying ab out blaming one's tools, but I also know as a graphic designer, I think they made a poor design mistake...) was that I missed adding the heavy cream at the beginning. Why? Because when they list the first step, they try to be all fancy with their design and bold the first couple of words and first ingredient. It pulls that first ingredient out of the list of other ingredients and combines it with the action...at least it does for me.

I have attached a screen shot from the Amazon preview of one of their other recipes for you to see what I am talking about.

See, don't you miss the cream? Maybe it's me. But to me the design just doesn't work in that way.

But I digress because I did add the cream, albeit later, but that shouldn't make much of a difference because my dear favorite ice cream authors in The Ultimate Ice Cream Book: Over 500 Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, Drinks, And More add the heavy cream at the end all the time and they never have gelatinous bases!

The first time I made a chocolate recipe from this book, I looked at the base and I thought it was just too dense. I have a note in the book that I added an extra half cup of both whole milk and heavy cream and it worked out just fine.

However, this time, I thought to myself that maybe it would work, maybe I should give it the benefit of the doubt. Nope. I even tried stopping the churning a couple of times to push the mess back down with a spoon. And you know what happened? The ice cream froze to the side (finally) but ended up freezing too fast that the dasher got stuck and wouldn't turn anymore.

I want to love this book. The concept is great. I just can't see how these recipes made it into the book. Did someone not test them? Did someone leave out some liquid in the typesetting of the book?

Again, maybe it's me. I have taken quite a hiatus but I would like to think ice cream churning is like riding a bike.

I'm interested to see if anyone else feels this way about the book.

And I am sorry, Jackie, your present is to come because I just don't want to give you a solid block of frozen chocolate. In the meantime, you can tell me what your favorite flavor is.

Nutty the Water Skiing Squirrel Presents...Scotchy Scotch Scotch

Tina and I are always bummed when we get invited to events in NYC on such short notice. We missed Ben & Jerry's events with Jimmy Fallon and with Tina Fey. When we heard about this latest B&J unveiling, we decided we need to get someone to this event...someone that would appreciate free ice cream and a waterskiing squirrel. 

Luckily we found someone and he brought another someone and they were a great choice to send as our proxies...

Without further ado, we want to thank our guest poster, Patrick Langevin, for this awesome write-up and for taking the time out of his busy day to attend this event as our new New York correspondent. And thank you to his date Maggie for keeping him company, enjoying and taking some great pictures (as both the subject and photographer!) Nothing like relying on the the goodness of childhood friends to take care of important ice cream business for us. Thanks, Team FHS! 

I had the opportunity to attend the Ben & Jerry’s unveiling of their new celebrity flavor on Tuesday evening and I had no idea that such sweet hilarity would ensue.

My guest and I arrived at Pier 36 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan to find a large pool of water sitting in the middle of the room. Nutty the Water Skiing Squirrel was announced and came out to perform with his trainer. Nutty was quick to hop on his water ski as the remote control boat sped off around the circular pool. Nutty seemed to be a natural on water skis and looked around at the crowd as he daringly skied over the small ripples in the water. Nutty’s final lap was followed by lots of cheers.

The time had come for the big reveal. They played a small clip from the movie Anchorman with Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy giving a news brief about Nutty the Water Skiing Squirrel. The fabric was drawn from the hidden sign to reveal Scotchy Scotch Scotch as the new limited batch Ben & Jerry’s Flavor. Thankfully not a Scotch flavored ice-cream (Although you had the opportunity to have scotch poured over your sample) but a butterscotch ice-cream. Immediately following the announcement a Channel 4 News van drove out from behind the curtain and out came a bevy of Ron Burgundy look a likes with trays full of Scotchy Scotch Scotch samples.

Scotchy, Scotch, Scotch is creamy with ribbons of butterscotch and crispy thin chunks of butterscotch. You definitely need to be a lover of butterscotch for this ice cream but I enjoyed the texture and the butterscotch flavor. The extra crunch from the butterscotch chunks really were what made this flavor stand out. I would have enjoyed a butterscotch ice cream but that extra crunch really brought it to the next level of ice cream fulfillment.

My friend and I sat back by the pool eating our ice-cream while watching Nutty the squirrel perform one last time. Before leaving we had the opportunity to meet Nutty and his trainer. Nutty decided to sit on both of our shoulders to personally greet us before we had to say goodbye.

Only Ben & Jerry’s could create such a unique experience to announce their new celebrity flavor to coincide with the release of Anchorman Two, in theatres in December. I would suggest grabbing yourself a pint of Scotchy Scotch Scotch on your way to the theatre or to eat on the couch while watching the original film.

P.S. Happy Belated Birthday, New York Correspondent! Hope this kicked off your birthday week in high style!

P.P.S. Since this is a new flavor, the B&J Flavor Locator might be of use to those wanting to try Scotchy Scotch Scotch.

Happy National Ice Cream Day!

I know we have been a little slack about posting daily for National Ice Cream Month. A lot has changed over the years from when we started this blog and we wish we could post more often -- but alas, it is what it is. But we aren't going to get away without posting a wish of a very happy National Ice Cream Day and a thank you and shout out to Ronald Reagan for recognizing the goodness of ice cream!

A very mini version of the raspberry shortcake!

How did you celebrate?

I celebrated yesterday with my annual ice cream party. With two kids under three, this party has gotten a lot more mellow than years past and I only made about fifteen flavors. I bought some and guests brought some -- both homemade and store bought -- and there was more than enough for everyone! I hope to post soon some recipes and new favorite store bought flavors.

Today I celebrated with the company of dear friends and a dish of raspberry shortcake: Bisquick (the "quick" was key!) shortcakes, raspberries freshly picked from mom and dad's garden, homemade violet ice cream (recipe to follow soon!), and local whipped cream. A perfect treat on a perfect day.

Hope yours was as good as mine!

America's Best Cities For Ice Cream

Does your favorite city make the list? This Travel & Leisure article on America's Best Cities For Ice Cream comes out with perfect timing as we all travel the country this summer and making stops at all the best local ice cream shops. I was pleasantly surprised to see that my own state capital almost made #1. Sadly I have to admit I was surprised at how well it ranked but really I am always testing ice cream on the go and through our travels. Makes you realize how you really don't take advantage of what's on your own front doorstep sometimes. Oh well, now gives me a good excuse to hit my own big city for a scoop. Oh and I got so excited about PVD being on the list that I originally never made it further down the list and was even more excited to see our own Beantown made #8....this I have to agree on. Between Toscanini's, Christina's, Emack & Bolio, and JP Licks Boston really has many scoop shops that rank high on our own list.

So who made the list...

#1 Savannah, GA (agreed... Leopolds is to die for!)
#2 Providence, RI (I am not in search for the PVD Pops Pushcart)
#3 Nashville
$3 San Francisco
#5 San Diego
#6 Portland, ME (have girls weekend planned there soon...have to head to to Gelato Fiasco)
#7 Austin, TX
#8 Boston, MA (we agree...Christina's is a must try in Beantown!)
#9 Honolulu
#10 NYC (ooh I have to try Victory Garden's goat milk soft serve)

.....check out the article to see who else tops the list.

Have you made it to an awesome city with great ice cream? We want to hear all about it!

New Orleans Ice Cream Company

Way back in October or November I got samples from the New Orleans Ice Cream Company. Then I had a baby. Then it was the middle of winter and even though I am a New Englander who likes ice cream year round, I thought it would be more appropriate to write about it in the spring when people really started to get in the mood for ice cream. Though I might argue that with NOICC's unique flavors, you'd probably be in the mood year round.

I have to say of the samples I received my favorite was by far the Baked Alaska (vanilla bean ice cream with meringue pieces, strawberries, cake pieces, and meringue swirl -- what's not to love?) In fact, I was a little bummed it was also my dad's favorite because we kind of had to fight over it!

Some of the other flavors were a bit more intense for me and made me realize I wasn't probably the best tester because I don't like alcohol flavors or coffee flavors too much, but the good thing is that I have great friends and family who are much bigger fans of alcohol and coffee and they were more than willing to try these flavors for me.

In fact, one couple we had over tried some of the ice cream and walked off with the Cajun Rum and Raisin, the Brandy Milk Punch, and the Mississippi Debris. (Although I have to say, I was hesitant to let that Mississippi Debris go -- it was a a close second, full of everything and anything chocolate...)

My mom loved the Coffee and Chicory and the Chocolate City. I knew I wouldn't be a fan of the Coffee and Chicory, since I don't like coffee, but I was disappointed to taste coffee in the Chocolate City, which gave no indication in it's description that it too contained coffee and chicory. (For those of you wondering what chicory is, as I was, basically chicory has a similar flavor to coffee and is used as a coffee flavoring or as a coffee substitute.) Nonetheless, my mom was delighted in both flavors as she loves coffee and chocolate.

The Red Velvet Cake was one I really wanted to like, and while the description sounded so promising, there was something in the flavor that just wasn't working for me. The only thing I could think was the creole cream cheese ice cream.

The Toasted Coconut was light and yummy, but nothing as unique and outstanding as some of the other flavors in their line up. (Though the Toasted Coconut did come in their unique limited edition packaging done by a local artist, I believe, which made it stand out...)

A freezer case full of New Orleans Ice Cream Co.
Oh to be so lucky to have this near me...

Would I buy from the again? Yes, in a heartbeat.* The ice cream is rich and creamy, not at all icy. And this company has got to have the most unique flavors of cartoned ice cream I am aware of. In fact, I have a list of flavors I want to try: Lemon Doberge Cake, Mardi Gras Pie, Peach Melba, and Satsuma Dreamsicle. As well as have a taste of my heavenly Baked Alaska again.

*Why the asterisk? Because New Orleans Ice Cream Company products aren't even available within 1,000 miles of me! I love it but I don't know if I can afford the high price of shipping every time I want to eat it. But maybe for a treat or a birthday present? Husband? Yes? Thanks, New Orleans Ice Cream Company for the AWESOME samples, I just wish you hadn't turned me onto a product that's now so hard for me to get! Heehee!

Images courtesy of New Orleans Ice Cream Company.

Red, White, and Blue Ice Cream Treats!

If you're like me, you are off to a Fourth of July dinnertime picnic and you still haven't made dessert. And it's hot!

No worries! Here's a list of recipes that look pretty promising! Some are quick and easy, others you might want to start thinking about for next years' Fourth. On the otherhand, this Red, White, and Blue Ice Cream Floats recipe is a quick trip to the store on the way to your party and the rehearsed: "Sorry I couldn't assemble these in advance, but you know, it's ice cream and it would melt..." You are all set!

Red, White, and Blue Ice Cream Sandwiches
courtesy of Sandra Lee.

One and Two Different Red, White, and Blue Ice Cream Cakes

Red, White, and Blue Ice Cream Terrine

(My favorite find) Red, White, and Blue Ice Cream Sandwiches

Got the vanilla ice cream but no where to put it? How about Red, White, and Blue Ice Cream Cones?

Sorry for the short post but my own party starts in a couple of hours and I have treats to make!!

David Lebovitz''s Live-Chat + Awesome Tips Graphic

Total bummer....I checked Facebook too late to learn about this great online event with David Lebovitz, author of The Perfect Scoop, one of our favorite recipe books. The Washington Post hosted a live-chat on all things ice cream with him, and who better to interview. In case you too missed it the questions and answers are here. This is great!

But what I think is even awesomer (is that a word?!) is this graphic that the WP also shared on how to make ice cream. I need to make a poster of this and plaster it in my kitchen. No matter how long you've been churning this is an awesome go-to for tips and tricks. Enjoy!

Happy National Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day

Who makes this stuff up. We don't but are glad they exist. So yesterday apparently was National Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day and we missed it:( I think we were too excited about it being the first day of National Ice Cream Month. Well we here have no shortage of creative ice cream flavors. If you've read any of our past posts about Bethany's famous annual ice cream party you'd know that she has lots of fun with her flavors and always surprise us with some odd ones...like Duck Sauce Fortune Cookie ice cream. Ummm...sorry B....this might not top my list but the Cake Batter ice cream was delish :)

Looking for a creative flavor to make for your fourth of July recipe?

Check out these 18 crazy cool flavors and recipes. 

Happy National Ice Cream Month!

Ah...the day of the year we look forward to every year...the kickoff to National Ice Cream month! So the past years we've made a commitment to post every day of this oh so important month. This year might be a little different since its been a busy year for us. We've welcomed a fourth child to the Scoopalicious family, a new house and a new (ok its almost a year but still feels overwhelmingly new) job. So between the two of us we'll be doing our best to bring you lots of ice cream news, recipes, and fun all month long.

Definitely check us out on our Social Media sites....we are loving Facebook since we can write quick posts packed with lots of info so Like our FB page and stay in touch there. We also have a new found love in Pinterest so if you are looking for a great recipe to bring to your next summer party definitely check out the Scoopalicious Pinterest board.

And if anything...have an awesome National Ice Cream month and eat lots of ice cream!

Another Sucre Shop Giveaway

Last week I was looking in a box of stuff that still hasn't been unpacked since we moved in January. I know, I know...if I haven't used it yet, I probably don't miss it or need it. But here's the thing: opening the box was like getting a birthday present! I found two packs of Sucre Shop vintage style ice cream cups!

I remembered that the amazing and awesome Brooke of Sucre Shop had offered to send them to me back in November but I was actually at the hospital delivering my daughter when she sent them so they got packed away in the move.

We used them the other day at a dinner party and they were a hit with the kids and the adults alike -- especially the adults who had ten fewer dishes to do! Note we even used Sucre Shop's cute spoons -- my two year old had been dying to use them!

You too can use these cute ice cream cups! Enter to win the second pack of ten cups that I uncovered... a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, enjoy, and thanks for the cool prize, Brooke!

P.S. The sprinkles in this picture are the best I've ever had. Check back for a posting about those sprinkles!

Hood's Greek Frozen Yogurt

As I mentioned in our Scooper Bowl post, a month or so ago, the folks at Hood sent over some samples of their new Greek Frozen Yogurt.

What a treat!

Before tasting it, I was weary about the Double Chocolate Chip. I like chocolate yogurt, but never as much as fruit yogurt. I was very pleasantly surprised once I tried it. It was so good!

To me, honey and Greek frozen yogurt are a given. Honey and Greece just go hand-in-hand in my mind. I'm not sure why. Is Greece known for its honey? I don't know. But never mind that. I wasn't surprised buy the honey but the Honey Vanilla was my least favorite. Maybe it's because I don't actually love honey. This one was very honey-y! But this isn't to say it was bad. I enjoyed it. It just wouldn't be my "vanilla" of choice if faced with a variety of vanillas. But if I were offered it, would I turn it down? Never!

My favorite though? I brought the Raspberry Granola over to a friend's house when our kids had a playdate. What a mistake. As a good guest, I couldn't take the leftovers home. But I wanted to! The granola crunch was perfect paired with the raspberry swirl. (On a related note, I hate when my posts make me want to go out right away and buy the product in question...)

Lucky for me, as I write this, I still have an unopened quart of the Hood Greek Frozen Yogurt that I was able to bring up from the basement that I can review on the spot. Just a hit of the "soften ice cream" button on my microwave and we are good to go. (Yes, my microwave does have a "soften" button and ice cream is option number 2.)

Anyway, verdict is in: though I would have preferred to have the Raspberry Granola sitting in my freezer, the Blueberry that I just softened is quite good. It's refreshing. I have to admit though, it pales in comparison to one of my favorite flavors: Hood's Maine Blueberry and Sweet Cream. It's not the poor Greek Frozen Yogurt's fault -- Hood just already had a blueberry frozen treat that can't be topped!

A couple of years ago we were getting a lot of samples of tart frozen yogurt. I wasn't a huge fan. But this Greek frozen yogurt is something I can get on board with. It's rich, creamy, and sweet (not tart!) as I like my frozen treats to be. Hood's Greek Frozen Yogurt is definitely a treat and something I would most certainly buy again. Thanks, Hood!

P.S. While on the Hood site to link to their products, I got a little distracted by a giveaway so I went ahead and entered. I hope I win! I love Hoodsie Cups! I love the taste and the fond memories of kids bringing them in for their birthdays in elementary school, complete with wooden "spoon"!

Scooper Bowl 2013

The all-u-can-eat ice cream event raised almost $300,000...wow!

We did it again. We fought crowds a couple weeks ago in order to test flavors at the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl this year. And that we did. Between the two of us we had 32 scoops...ouch. Almost a little embarrassing but hey its our duty and it was worth every bite!

Each brand has four flavors to choose from and its all you can eat!

First of all, I have to get on my ice cream soap box about Scooper Bowl etiquette  Common sense? When you grab your ice cream or ice creams turn around and keep walking. I don't say this to be rude, but the place is so crowded that it just makes sense to clear out so more people can get in. People seem to linger by the tents, which just makes a crowded area even more crowded. Oh and the poor Moms with strollers...we empathize....it is barely impossible to get a stroller. But enough about that...

Bethany & Tina live at Scooperbowl. 

I think we both agreed that the flavors really weren't that exciting this year. Lots of the expected...Mint Chocolate Chip, Oreo, and Chocolate. The past years seemed to bring on new and a few more interesting flavors. But really this is a fundraiser and for an awesome cause so at the end of the day who cares! It's all good. But here are some thoughts: 

Bethany: 

Whenever I think Edy's, I think of one of my mom's favorite commercials: the dog high-fiving his owner over the promise of Edy's. (I could only find the Dreyer's version of it, but as I understand it, Dreyer's is the West Coast brand, and Edy's is the East Coast brand.) Anyway, Edy's Tropical Rainbow Sherbet was worth the Edy's high-five.) It was light, refreshing, and super creamy.

I liked Friendly's Celebration as well. It was a party in a cup!

While I have already given a rave review to Ben and Jerry's Liz Lemon that was another favorite, as well as Hood's Raspberry Granola Greek Frozen Yogurt (stay tuned for this review as I got some more flavors mailed to me from Hood and I was pretty impressed!).

Tina: 

Ok so I have to admit now that I am writing this a couple weeks later not much stands out but their were a couple I know I would go back for. I really liked Hood's Double Chocolate Chip Greek Frozen Yogurt. It was very creamy and I loved the chocolate chips in it. I also have to agree with Bethany on Friendly's Celebration. I am all about Cake Batter these days and I loved how this actually had cake pieces in it. And lastly Byrne Dairy's Green Monstah made a lasting impression. Interestingly they don't list Green Monstah on their site. I think they might have made that name up for the Boston occasion (they are NY based) so I think it really is their Grasshopper Pie. I love anything mint so that was a keeper as well.

All in all it's a can't miss event that we look forward to every year!

Happy National Chocolate Ice Cream Day!

Wow...its been a long time since we last posted especially as we head into the most important season for ice cream :). We've been finding quick info on Facebook has been a fun (and manageable honestly) way to share what's going on in the ice cream world and have been pinning like crazy to our Pinterest page. Check us out there and you'll find some great recipes to use for your next summer party.

So today is National Ice Cream Day and after still having an ice cream coma from Boston's Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl, the all-you-can-eat ice cream festival for an awesome cause, it's hard to even think about ice cream (8 brands @ 2 flavors each=32 cups....hard to even admit!) but there is some great chocolate ice cream out there that we'd be remiss not to talk about on National Chocolate Ice Cream Day. One flavor that caught me by surprise because it was frozen yogurt was Hood's Double Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt. So creamy and the chocolate was super smooth. I myself loved it. And then there was Friendly's Forbidden Fudge which was rich and creamy. Loved that one too.

I don't have my own recipe to share but I do love this one from Food Network's Alton Brown, and so does everyone else as you can see by the 5 star rating. Enjoy and Happy National Chocolate Ice Cream Day!



Chocolate Ice Cream
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2005

Serves: 1 1/2 quarts

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened cocoa powder, approximately 1/2 cup
3 cups half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
8 large egg yolks
9 ounces sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions
Place the cocoa powder along with 1 cup of the half-and-half into a medium saucepan over medium heat and whisk to combine. Add the remaining half-and-half and the heavy cream. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and remove from the heat.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the sugar and whisk to combine. Temper the cream mixture into the eggs and sugar by gradually adding small amounts, until about 1/3 of the cream mixture has been added. Pour in the remainder and return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon and reaches 170 to 175 degrees F. Pour the mixture into a container and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place the mixture into the refrigerator and once it is cool enough not to form condensation on the lid, cover and store for 4 to 8 hours or until the temperature reaches 40 degrees F or below.

Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. This should take approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Serve as is for soft serve or freeze for another 3 to 4 hours to allow the ice cream to harden.

Which Flavor Melts Faster?

3 Days of 3 Yummy Deals at Baskin Robbins

Baskin Robbins is offering their customers three days of a few great deals. 

For $1, $2, or $3 you can get a sweet treat from today through Thursday, April 25th. 

$1 Soft Serve Cones

$2 Double Scoop Cones and Small 31 Below

$3 Small Cappuccino Blasts, Small Milkshakes, and 2-scoop sundaes\

Find a shop near you.

Enjoy!

Product Review: NewAir AIC-210S Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker

Image courtesy of NewAir

About a month ago we got an email from NewAir asking if we wanted to try out a compressor ice cream maker -- the NewAir AIC-210S Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker. Um, ok! I have never used a compressor ice cream maker so I was excited for the experience. Tina and I decided we would share the ice cream maker, but I would try my turn at it first.

It arrived only a few days before I got an new ice cream book as a gift. I hadn't made ice cream in a while, what with a new baby and all, and I thought a new book and a new ice cream maker were the perfect combo to get me in the mood.

So I cracked open the new book, whipped up a few recipes from it, and tested the out in this new machine.

I then got an email from a friend who had also gotten a sample of the machine and he asked how I liked the machine. I wrote and told him

Tina graciously let the machine be sent to my house, so I am the only one who has tried it and I will be the only one who is trying it since we were going to share it but I really like it so she may never see it! Just kidding!!!! Of course Tina will get her turn! I can't wait for her to use it too!

I have only used it once so far, but it has gotten me back on an ice cream making kick again (and I want to try your recipe for cake batter ice cream!)

In my opinion (and I might just turn this into a post!) it has it's pros and cons.

One thing I love about the NewAir is that it is so quiet! The Cuisinart I have is SO loud. I also think the NewAir is easier to clean (I hate cleaning the paddle on the Cuisinart ICE-20 I have -- but the newer version ICE-21 paddle looks easier to clean!!!), easier to make ice cream on a whim (I usually leave my canisters in my chest freezer, but sometimes I forget to replace them, or in the summer for the ice cream party, I have four or so in my chest freezer waiting to be used -- the compressor eliminates all that)...

The volume is smaller in the NewAir (1 qt) as opposed to 1.5 qt. I am not sure this matters. It IS bulkier (and certainly heavier to take out and put away and I don't think my husband wants it living on our counter) -- at the same time, it's more contained. With the Cuisinart, I have to store the motor, etc in one place together and the freezer bowls elsewhere.

He then replied that he had found the ice cream much icier and airier in the new machine than in the machine he usually uses, and I realized I had told him everything about the process but nothing about the product! Truth be told, I hadn't focused on the texture of the ice cream I had made because the first batch was that super sour kiwi ice cream and the second batch I had only tasted right out of the machine and I really like my ice cream to ripen. So I tested the texture of the second batch.

I wasn't impressed. My ice cream seemed icy and not too smooth. Wait! Keep reading!

I began to wonder if the problem was the recipe. I had made a new vanilla ice cream recipe, and deviating from the recipe, I had used Ground Madagascar Vanilla Beans. Maybe the texture that was bothering me was the ground beans (they do work out lovely in cupcakes, but maybe they aren't meant for ice cream).

In his email, the friend had also mentioned that he was going to try a side by side comparison with his new machine and his old machine. Oh, wait! Great idea, I thought. I hadn't thought to do that. AND I was testing recipes I had never tried before. And I had even altered one of them. Maybe my review wasn't all that fair.

So I went to my favorite recipe, my standby, go-to vanilla. I love the flavor and the texture, and I also love how it makes up a big batch of base...and I also love how you can make the base and put different flavors and additions and make tons of different flavors from the same basic recipe.

So then I churned it, in both my Cuisinart and the new NewAir. Right out of the machine, I have to say, I was really impressed. The ice cream wasn't icy, it was incredibly smooth, and just dense enough. Side-by-side, the NewAir ice cream seemed to be a little lighter and a little airier than the Cuisinart, but the difference was incredibly minor and I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference had I not been acutely aware of whether the machine made “airier” ice cream. I had a friend over who enjoyed the ice cream from both machines (I put a scoop of each in her bowl) and even after I told her each scoop was different, she couldn’t distinguish a difference and only reported back that she thought it was very good vanilla ice cream.

In the end, this product was a success. I’d be interested to see Tina’s review when she has a chance to play with the machine.

As for our ice cream making friend who had bad luck, our emails uncovered a few thoughts as to why he felt differently. He’s a self proclaimed ice cream geek with good reason. While Tina and my ice cream making background is purely self taught, this friend has a scientific background in ice cream making. Maybe his palette is a bit more discriminating. He also uses a fancier machine than we do. Tina uses a KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment, I use a Cuisinart, and he uses a Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker, so maybe the $200 NewAir is a big step down from his machine.

If I were to buy a compressor machine, would this be the one I’d choose? I can’t say. I haven’t been given any other ice cream makers to try, so I have nothing to compare it to. But as for my first experience with a compressor machine, I had a lot of fun and saw a lot of postives in it, and the price is pretty reasonable for a compressor machine, so I’d certainly consider it.

Stay tuned for Tina’s review as well as additonal tests from me!