A Little Mortensen Magic

My darling younger sister surprised me with a guest post for my birthday. Since she called me the best middle sister/ice cream maven EVER, I couldn't say no to posting this. Haha! Just kidding. What a special present and a great way to close out National Ice Cream Month! Thanks, A!

Happy birthday to the best middle sister/ice cream maven EVER!

I live in New Britain, CT, and surprisingly (for a state that consumes the most ice cream per capita!), there really aren't many good ice cream places to choose from nearby.  Nothing that I know of in the city itself, and while the local Cold Stone Creamery used to be a good, short trip for us (located on the Berlin Turnpike in Newington), it's been changed into a frozen yogurt joint.  I'm sure the froyo is good and all (haven't tried it yet!), but that wasn't what we were craving the other day after a long, hot day - I had gotten stuck in a train car without A/C for my ride home from work!*  


Mortensen's original location on the Berlin Turnpike.  From their Facebook page.

Anyway, the boyfriend and I been asked to do a favor for a friend in the West End of Hartford, so I decided to jazz the trip up by making a detour on our way back home, to Mortensen's!  We had just intended to get ice cream, but realized we really needed to get some food in our bellies, too, so we started with burgers (mine veggie) and fries, all of which was very good!  The place certainly isn't JUST ice cream, so plan to have a whole meal there if you can squeeze it all in!



Unfortunately, we couldn't.  We'd spent most of the meal perusing the BINDER filled with flavors and their descriptions, and had settled on some flavors we wanted to try.  However, when it came time to order dessert...we decided we'd have to do to-go ice cream instead, and enjoy our dessert later on.  Our waitress kindly offered to hand-pack a couple of pints for us (this is usual practice - they will pack pints, quarts, etc. at your request).  I chose Graham Central Station and Maine Black Bear (even though there were a bunch of other flavors I wanted to try - but I always have to remind myself to try the unusual flavors, because I can get the staples anywhere!).  Troy chose their mudslide (I think it was called Mud Pie?), but when they didn't have that (the ice cream is made fresh daily, and flavors are constantly rotating), they offered to mush together their cookies n' cream with their coffee.  So we both went home happy!  We thoroughly enjoyed our ice creams, and I definitely plan to go back again soon to try even more flavors!  (Although Graham Central Station has become a new favorite....)



Mortensen's has been around just about FOREVER, and they are great, local, family-owned restaurant, so if you find yourself driving through central CT on a road trip this summer, be sure to stop in for a real treat.  One of my favorite things about the place?  They have fruit flavors which they offer year-round (strawberry, peach, etc.), which they switch out for seasonal ones when the time is right.  So, if you're there, say, during our peach season, you'll get locally-grown, fresh fruit in your ice cream!  And if you're not, you'll still get their premium ice cream with peaches from a carefully selected source (they indicate the locations from which all their fruit originates on the menu).  I love the concept, I love supporting fantastic local businesses, and of course - I love the ice cream.

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*While I don't NEED air-conditioning in my daily life, I've decided that it's definitely necessary in an enclosed train car where you can't open the windows and are stuck with dozens of other people, just all sweating it out...it must have been about 20 degrees warmer in there than it was outside!  Ugh.

Review: Nudo, Newton, MA

My dear friend Nicole works in Newton. For the past few years we have been meeting pretty much weekly to go for a walk. Nicole is six months pregnant and keeps threatening to stop working when the baby is born. I am selfishly saddened by the fact that she won't be so close for our regular walks, and this was compounded when she took me to the new gelato place by her work. What?! We can't go for gelato weekly?!

Nudo is a small shop on Watertown Street in Newton. It's a small shop that has a European feel to it as well as a charming, friendly staff with a great sense of humor. Oh, and did I mention that their gelato is really good?

Nicole and I each ordered small raspberry blood orange gelato (I had still been deciding when she offered me a taste of hers and I was completely taken). It actually reminded me more of a very creamy sorbet, but who cared what it was or wasn't called? It was sweet, but incredibly refreshing -- perfect after our walk in the hot noontime sun.

Nudo is definitely worth more visits. Nicole, you can leave your job to have that baby of yours, but let's make the most of the next four months and make lots of trips to Nudo!

Photo of Nudo storefront from the Nudo website.

[Scoopalicious is celebrating National Ice Cream month with a Post-A-Day throughout the month of July!]

Rhubarb Ice Cream at The Catnip Mouse Tearoom

Rhubarb Ice Cream

My sister is due to have a baby any day now. In fact, I need to get this post up soon, or she'll have the baby and I'll have to write this intro again. Anyway, it's become kind of a tradition with my mom and sisters to have lunch and ice cream to celebrate pregnancies (we aren't really a "shower" type of family…) so at the beginning of June, my sisters, mom, and my sister's friend Rebecca headed over to The Catnip Mouse Tearoom on Route 20 in beautiful Riverton, Connecticut (yes, Patrick, I now understand why your dream house is in Riverton) for sandwiches, to be followed by ice cream sundae making at my parents' house.

Lunch was what you might call "light" if the sandwiches weren't as huge as they were. I think we all enjoyed the mint basil soup we ordered, as well as our sandwiches (which were good, but not as memorable as what I was hoping I would find there -- the "very yammy" sandwich I had read about in a review on teaguide.net…) 

Our bellies stuffed from lunch, and the promise of ice cream sundaes at Mom and Dad's surely should have dissuaded us from ordering dessert at the tea house, right? Wrong! Not only did the owner have a chalkboard with her tempting desserts  quite descriptively written out and staring at us the whole time during our lunch, but she also had a pretty persuasive waiter and a charming demeanor herself.

Cobbler and Cinnamon Ice Cream

Minutes later our table was piled with desserts to share. Cobbler and cinnamon ice cream, strawberry shortcake, and rhubarb ice cream. The ice creams were homemade and while all the desserts were quite wonderful and the cinnamon ice cream was definitely worth the calories, it was the rhubarb ice cream that blew me away. "This is the rhubarb ice cream I aspire to," I told the owner. And I meant it. Rhubarb sits in my freezer waiting (hoping) to be churned into something as creamy and perfectly tart-yet-sweet as the rhubarb ice cream we tasted at The Catnip Mouse. I keep putting it off because I am not sure I can achieve the perfection.

A couple of notes to add: The Catnip Mouse has no website and it also doesn't have super long hours, so call ahead (860-379-3745)  to make sure she'll be open. If she's not, there don't seem to be too many other eating establishments in the immediate area.


[Scoopalicious is celebrating National Ice Cream month with a Post-A-Day throughout the month of July!]

10 Best Ice Cream Shops in the World

If only I was traveling around the world this summer! Folks over at VirtualTourist.com have compiled this list of the “10 Best Ice Cream Shops in the World” just in time for summer travel. After 8 Ice Cream is definitely a good excuse to go to Madrid. Pack your bags!

1. SCOOPS, LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

Scoops is perhaps Los Angeles’ best-kept secret. Unlike other popular creameries, this hole-in-the-wall establishment attracts theme park-length crowds, with unbeatable prices and rotating exotic flavours. With surprising options like foie gras and onion, Thai iced tea and strawberry Riesling, you’ll find yourself waiting in line every day, just to see what’s on the menu next!

2. GIUSEPPE RICCI, MADRID, SPAIN

Love at first lick? Locals boast that Giuseppe Ricci serves the best gelato in Madrid, and the growing lines are a testament to this belief. You will undoubtedly experience instant gratification once you dive into this luscious, creamy dream. Don’t leave without trying After 8, a refreshing blend of mint and chocolate.

3. THE ORIGINAL CHINATOWN ICE CREAM FACTORY, NEW YORK, N.Y.

The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory puts an Asian flair on an American staple. Over the years this establishment has evolved from a sweet treat into an iconic representation of the Big Apple’s melting pot of culture. OCICF recently introduced its newest flavour, Zen Butter, a delectable blend of toasted sesame seeds and peanut butter.

4. GROM, TORINO, ITALY

Grom takes high quality to a new level. Made from only the freshest ingredients, Grom’s desserts use cacao and coffee from Venezuela, fruit grown from their own farm, and Lurisian mountain water for its sorbets. Grom’s commitment to premium products has helped propel this franchise into a widely recognized international chain, including shops in Malibu, Paris and Tokyo.

5. LEOPOLD’S ICE CREAM, SAVANNAH, GA.

Founded in 1919, Leopold’s Ice Cream has been a mainstay in Savannah for many years. This classic, yet modern shop prides itself in continuing to serve original recipes from the early 1900s. You can indulge in signature flavours like Tutti Frutti and Butter Pecan, or try a scrumptious new treat like Bananas Foster or Thin Mints and Cream. No matter what flavour you choose, your taste buds will thank you!

6. FENOCCHIO’S, NICE, FRANCE

Experience gelato at its finest. Fenocchio’s has served happy faces for many generations, and continues the tradition in this family-owned business. With more than 94 flavours, 35 of which are sorbet, Fenocchio’s has perfected the art of Italian-flavoured ice cream with Tomato & Basil, Rosemary and Thyme. For a less traditional treat, try the Cactus, Violet or Beer sorbets!

7. MOLLY MOON’S ICE CREAM, SEATTLE, WASH.

You’ll run around the neighbourhood looking for Molly’s mobile ice cream truck once you get a taste of this mound of melted heaven. Molly Moon’s Ice Cream uses locally grown, organic ingredients to create popular and unique flavours like Mandarin Chocolate Sorbet or Rosemary Meyer Lemon. Check out Molly’s Twitter page for the latest scoop on seasonal flavours, and coordinates so you can stalk that truck!

8. JENI’S SPLENDID ICE CREAMS, COLUMBUS, OHIO

Featured on the show “Best Thing I Ever Ate,” Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams lives up to its motto, “less sweet, more flavourful.” With an enticing assortment of mouth-watering flavours, Jeni’s pleases the tongue with seasonal sensations like Backyard Mint and Corn Syrup Custard with Whiskey & Pecans.

9. IS FRA SKARO, SKARO, DENMARK

Healthy ice cream. This concept sounds counterintuitive, but at Is Fra Skaro, you can enjoy the goods without the guilt. Situated on a remote island off the coast of Denmark, this shop is not your average creamery. Instead of sugar, Is Fra Skaro utilizes the island’s local birch trees as a natural sweetener.

10. LULA’S SWEET APOTHECARY, NEW YORK, N.Y.

Even the pickiest of palates can experience silky satisfaction at Lula’s Sweet Apothecary. Lula’s innovative creations are vegan friendly, nondairy, and gluten free. Lula’s has mastered the use of coconut and cashew milk, and creates cone after cone of heavenly bliss.

www.VirtualTourist.com

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!

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!

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?

Erikson's Ice Cream: Maynard, MA

Wednesday afternoon I had a reunion with a friend after haven't having had seen her in four years! It was so wonderful to catch up and I was thrilled to find out that even though I hate to drive, her beautiful home in Stow, Massachusetts is a beautiful half-hour drive away on Route 117.

The cherry on top is that also on Route 117 is Maynard's Erikson's Ice Cream. Martha, the friend in question, took me to Erikson's before I headed home. When we arrived at the window, we must have hovered over the list of flavors for at least ten minutes. The list was extensive and the flavors were tempting. We finally approached the window, even though we were uncommitted.

"What's Green Monsta?"

"Mint Ice Cream with Oreos and Cookie Dough."

"Oh...And Monster Mash?"

(The girl at the window describes something that I can't repeat because honestly, I can't remember -- a vanilla base with caramel swirls and this and that and the other thing...)

"Hmmm...And purple cow is black raspberry with chocolate chips?"

"And white chocolate chips."

"What's Moose Tracks?"

"Vanilla ice cream with fudge swirl and Reese's peanut butter [she used a fancy word here that I can't remember]"

"Can I try the lemon raspberry cheesecake?"

(That's good!)

"What's your favorite?"

"Green Monsta and Almond Joy. If you like coffee Freedom of Espresso is really good."

"I don't like coffee. Otherwise I am sure it is good."

In the end Martha settled on Moose Tracks and I tried Green Monsta. As per Martha's suggestion, we got kiddie cones. Um, really. Not what you are thinking. Some places would consider this a large and you would have to agree. With the large and generous portions of Erikson's kiddie size, I don't even want to know what the large looked like.

This ice cream was amazing. It was rich and creamy and seemed very fresh. Martha commented that the mint balanced the sweetness of the mix-ins well. I loved the huge chunks of oreos. Now that I think of it, I don't particularly recall the cookie dough but I didn't miss it so I think it was a subtle addition that I'd just try to be more aware of next time. And oh, yes. There will be a next time. For both Erikson's and Green Monsta...While Martha enjoyed her cone as well, I think she found hers to be a bit too sweet. Things are rarely too sweet for me -- I had no problem with it.

Erikson's isn't just ice cream. It looked like they had hot dogs and things of the like. They also seemed to have an extensive listing of toppings for sundaes. I was tempted to purchase a packed container to take home -- but it was the fifteen or so homemade (by me) flavors in my freezer at home that swayed me. This time.

Erikson's has no inside seating area for customers. One orders through one of the three windows while admiring the old photos of the place and noting that the ice cream shop is over seventy years old. (I expect at least another seventy with the quality of their product!) Behind the building there are probably a dozen picnic tables -- some covered by a roof but all shaded. It was almost empty out back and we enjoyed our cones at a table in a calm quiet, beautiful weather and perfect conversation.

With the mix of the joy of seeing Martha, the beautiful drive to her house, and the treat of Erikson's, I have a feeling never again will we let four years pass before connecting again.

[Scoopalicious is celebrating National Ice Cream month with a Post-A-Day throughout the month of July!]

Your Opinion Counts

I just got a question from a friend about good places for ice cream in Pittsburgh. Poor girl left Columbus, Ohio, home of Denise's (look for an interview with Denise's in the coming weeks!) and Jeni's and now needs a good place in Pittsburgh. As I have never been to Pittsburgh, I couldn't help her. Then it occurred to me that we have a country full of readers and maybe they could help. And not just Pittsburgh. Anywhere.

Do you have a favorite store you want to share with us?

Fill out this form below and we will start compiling a list of ice cream shops around the country and around the world...

Look for our list in the coming weeks!

Thank you! Thank you!

Illustration above courtesy of Lisa at ArtGoodies. Visit her Etsy Shop for more great work!



[Scoopalicious is celebrating National Ice Cream month with a Post-A-Day throughout the month of July!]

Candidates for Ice Cream, or Ice Cream for Candidates?

Out of curiousity (or boredom? -- I am waiting for the few trick or treaters who actually walk up the large hill of our dead end street...yes, it will be a long night) I did a Google search for "[candidate name] ice cream" and here are some of my favorites.

Back in the early days of the 2008 race for the White House, slate.com got us excited for a new flavor idea for Ben & Jerry's, Yes, Pecan!...this name was thought up by Aaron Nathan. Or was it? Rumor (or comments below) suggest this was on the Obama site some while before Aaron's submission, but it seems that Aaron was not aware of this when he came up with the idea in the library. Either way, it's a great name and flavor idea, and we wish B&J would make it! Go here for the rest of the story and some other great Obama ice cream names.

Comedy Central's Indecision 2008 called for entries Photoshopping John McCain...the first entry (and undoubtedly our favorite) involved McCain and a big ice cream cone...if only I could be John McCain in that photo.

Not much of note on Sarah Palin and ice cream. Turns out she is a fan of Moosetracks Ice Cream. According to the LA Times, that's what the Republican VP chose when she, John, and Cindy stopped at an ice cream shop in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Big news on the Sarah Palin/Ice Cream front. To make this banal story a little more interesting, the Denver Latest Word Blog notes a little faux pas made by the Denver Post: Apparently, in a story about a crash into a Baskin Robbins, someone mistakenly inserted Sarah Palin's picture instead of the scene of the crash. Nah, still not much more interesting.

Whatdy'a know Joe? In Biden/ice cream news, the basic story is that Joe Biden has been to a lot of ice cream shops. As the SeattlePi puts it "[Biden] is simply out there visiting ice cream parlors and keeping his famous mouth shut except for a lick or two after a couple of somewhat embarrassing gaffes -- a tendency for which he has been notorious throughout his career." (from "The Disappearing Joe Biden", Dan K. Thomasson, Seattlepi.com). Now there's nothing wrong with that, Joe. We've been known to shove ice cream in our mouths too, instead of risking making inappropriate comments.

If you haven't decided on your candidate yet, maybe your favorite ice cream story can help you shed some light!

"Yes, Pecan" image from Slate.com and McCain/ice cream photo from Indecision2008.com.

Ice Cream Abroad: Ice Cream Ireland Blog

One of my favorite ice cream blogs to keep up with is that of Keiran Murphy, one of the owners (along with his brother Sean) of Murphys Ice Cream in Killarney and Dingle, Ireland. (I am also enamored with the typographic treatment of their logo.)

Keiran's blog, Ice Cream Ireland, is diverse, knowledgable and interesting. I love it for it's recipes, photos (see right for an excellent example!), ice cream making tips, and the culture of ice cream and Ireland in general I get from keeping up with the blog. One of my favorite posts ever was Ice Cream Made Easy, with Sean and his son Conor teaching us how to make ice cream. It is just wonderful!

I've never been to Ireland, but Murphys Ice Cream is on my list of places to visit.

Recently the brothers published a book, Murphys Ice Cream Book of Sweet Things, which I am dying to get my hands on, but it seems not to be available yet in the U.S., and I am trying to avoid the high international shipping costs. But if it continues to not be available state side much longer, I am going to cough up the shipping because I would love to have a copy.

Murphys Ice Cream belongs right up there with things I like from Ireland: The Frames, Damian Rice, U2, my brother-in-law and his family, my friends from Cork, Damian and Gemma, and Irish blooded American friends. Oh, right...and that fabulous accent. And the movie Once.

Images courtesy of Keiran at Ice Cream Ireland. Thanks, Keiran!

Today, July 1, is Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day

We start July off with National Ice Cream Month as well as today being Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day. What could be finer?

Many things come to mind with Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day. It brings back to mind the list I made a while back of the Top 10 Craziest Ice Cream Flavors. In the meantime, Arianna sent another good one: Thai Black Bean Ice Cream.

This also makes me want to visit Udder Delight Ice Cream House and Jeni's Ice Cream which were also in that post and certainly had some very creative flavors. If you live near Rehoboth Beach, Deleware or Columbus, Ohio, today might be the day to pay them a visit!

I think my most creative flavors have been:

1. Lisa's White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie Crunch (I promise to post this recipe soon!)
2. Vanilla Bean Jelly Bean (OK, maybe I just like the name the best!)
3. Shirley Temple Ice Cream
   

There are a couple of good ones in the works, but I don't want to post them until they are tried and true!

What is the most creative flavor you have ever tried or made? Post a reply and let us know (be sure to include your email) and enter for a chance to win a coupon for a free pint of Ben and Jerry's! Change of date: Let us know by this Saturday, July 5.

15 Mile Weekend with Two Scoops of Ice Cream

This weekend was quite a crazy one. I went down to NYC on Friday with Kevin to visit Ashu. Saturday we walked up to the Guggenheim and then walked all the way down to the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory (to see our estimated route, click here). Seeing as we had walked some on Friday and at least a couple of miles today, and our route (especially across Central Park) on gmap wasn't perfect, we estimate about a 15 mile walk total this weekend...so I am not going to feel too badly about the two different ice cream places I sampled this weekend.

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory

The reward at the end of crossing the Brooklyn Bridge was a sweet and creamy one. As we walked into the quaint little shop that was once a Fulton Ferry fireboat house, we stood for about 5-10 minutes in line -- a line that was 1. Much shorter than the one we passed at Grimaldi's Pizza on the way to the Factory, and 2. much shorter than the line that was there when we walked out with our ice cream. The line gave us time to take in the atmosphere -- a simple shop that has probably changed little since it was first opened October 13, 2001 (Interestingly enough, the shop was slated to open September 12, 2001, but the events of September 11th inevitably changed that). The focus of this shop is it's smooth, eggless (one might say "Philadelphia Style") ice cream, not the atmosphere in which it sits. The shop though clean, is cluttered with freezers and there isn't too much room to sit down. It is fine this way, as the best way to savor your ice cream is to go outside and enjoy the view of the Manhattan Skyline, and as one most likely does, lament on the broken skyline's missing twin towers.

The eggless ice cream is this way because eggs, owner Mark Thompson believes, give ice cream a "greasy flavor." Instead he uses a Pennsylvania recipe -- a recipe he found sans eggs.With only eight flavors, one isn't overwhelmed with choices, which is a relief this day and age. When I got to the counter I asked for vanilla chocolate chunk, but the kid at the counter told me they were out. Kind of disappointed, but also knowing any of these flavors would be good, I changed my cone to the same as Ashu's -- chocolate chocolate chunk. The ice cream wasn't a disappointment: rich, creamy, and just the perfect amount to satiate my sweet tooth and refuel us for our walk back across the bridge. A taste of Kevin's vanilla was lighter, and just sweet enough. A taste of the vanilla made me wish that they hadn't run out of the vanilla chocolate chunk -- I can imagine that would have been ice cream perfection. But alas, I still can't complain. It was good either way.


Pinkberry

While my passion is ice cream, my husband Kevin enjoys a good hot dog, and Ashu indulged us by taking us to some hot dog hot spots. Friday we found Papaya Dog in Hell's Kitchen as we walked from the bus station to Ashu's apartment, Saturday we stopped at a few street vendors, and today she took us uptown to Brooklyn Diner at 57th Street (where they weren't yet serving hot dogs but we indulged in some yummy breakfast as well as a Christopher Meloni sighting) and then up to Gray's Papaya on Broadway at 72nd to try their world renowned hot dogs and see their big sign in the window that supports Obama (Ashu is a huge fan!).

Alas, I digress. While on our way back from Gray's, we saw a Pinkberry (warning: you might want to turn off the sound; this site is kind of annoying!) and after Ashu's negative raving, I had to try. Though not actually an ice cream, but a frozen yogurt, Ashu tells me this is all the rave in the city and the lines at the shop we passed on Saturday proved case in point.

We walked into the stark, clean, stylish shop. There was one other customer in the shop, but he was gone minutes after we arrived. What I found so strange is that this woman took my order (I was the only one that ordered) and she took my name -- as if she would lose my order in the empty restaurant (Later I saw they had printed a little label with my name and stuck it on my cup -- I guess it would be useful when the shop was busy.) I ordered a original with raspberries ($3.95 plus 95¢ for a topping) and the server actually put my order on a scale! Then she used tongs to carefully place about 10 raspberries on the yogurt. The yogurt was just that: frozen yogurt. It wasn't the sweet, ice cream-tasting soft serve you get when you usually order frozen yogurt. It tasted cultured like actual yogurt that had been frozen. It had a bit of a lemony taste. The best part was the amazingly fresh raspberries. I agreed with Ashu in the sense I couldn't understand the lines. It wasn't that good. But it wasn't terrible. Just not something I would choose again. But as Ashu says "If someone were holding a gun to my head, and telling me to eat it, I'd eat it, but..."

Well, enough of ice cream eating in NYC...

Additional information for this post found in the article "Fire and Ice Cream" from the New York Times, Novemeber 25, 2001.
Thanks to Kevin for such great photos and Ashu for being a great tour guide!