A Month of Sundaes

I think it is due time I write a post about A Month of Sundaes by Michael Turback so that I can give it to Tina to read when I see her tomorrow

It wasn't so much that it had an exciting ending that I wanted to finish it, but more because I wanted to check it off my list. I thought the history was interesting, but it wasn't particularly a book that I just couldn't put down. The other reason I may not have been so into it is as a general rule of thumb, I am an ice cream girl more so than a sundae girl. I mean, a good sundae will never be turned down, but for me, it's all about the base -- the cold, creamy, sweet resting place for all the toppings.

There are a couple of places in the book that really stood out to me that I want to visit:

1. Putman Pantry in Danvers, MA. Why? It's nearby, and I can't believe our dear friend Spaghetti never told us about it! Guess T and I will have to meet him up there for sundaes someday soon. For those of you that doen't know Spaghetti, it's still worth the trip, as Turback descibes the "fourteen foot, stainless steel sundae bar as an anti salad bar." I'm so there.
2. Serendipity 3. But then again, that's been on my list for a long time. Ashu, next time I visit you, we are SO there. If it's still there, can we sit at Andy Warhol's table? By the way, I happened to come across this article I missed when I wrote about the World's Most Expensive Sundae at Serendipity 3 back in July. With it are pictures and all!
   
3. Shark and Rose, in San Jose, CA. Do you know the way to San Jose? I don't but I am sure to figure it out next time I am in California, so I can see what all the fuss is about their Soup Spoon Sundae. Is this little sundae enough, or does it leave one begging for more?
   

My biggest problem with the book was the design. And I am not just saying this as a designer. The book was designed in pink and black, which I think is very appropriate for a book on ice cream. However, the typefaces chosen were awful. I understand where the designers were coming from, wanting typefaces that were fluffy and ice cream-like, but they were so fluffy they were practically illegible. The body text was a swirly serif that should not be used for so much writing. It makes ones eyes tired because it really has to study each word rather than read in a flowing manner. The little pink box notes were even worse: they were written in a cursive script. This is not suitable for reading a paragraph of type. The worst were the capital "S"s -- they kind of looked like "T"s or "J"s.

Ok, so here's the embarrassing part. I never remember what I read, so writing this little review here has been a little hard since I finished the book on October 20th. So here i am looking back to see what parts of the book stood out to me, and alas, I come across the Inside-Out Sundae. Where can I find it, I ask? Oh, Minnesota. I was in Minnesota last week. But Minnesota is a big state so I probably wasn't anywhere nearby. Oh, it's served at the Green Mill. Oh, the Green Mill that we ate at last week?! Yep, if I could remember what I read, I sure would be better off -- I could have been reviewing the Inside-Out Sundae in person!

Hmmm...Green Mill's (super slow) site doesn't seem to mention it. Does it still exist? Looks like it exists in Bemidji, Minnesota location. So maybe I didn't miss it after all...

All things considered, people define what makes a sundae very differently. Does it have to have nuts? Syrup? A cherry? One thing is for certain, a sundae has ice cream, and here at Scoopalicious, that's all we think that counts!

Turkey Hill Dairy's Ultimate Holiday Recipe Contest Ends December 1

Lucky you, Scoopalicious Readers! It's a double post Wednesday. We had a couple of great things to note with deadlines fast approaching, so...

Turkey's not even on the table yet but this holiday deadline is quickly approaching so we thought we'd share this fun contest.

Turkey Hill Dairy is hosting the Ultimate Holiday Recipe Contest. In honor of their holiday ice cream flavors, Egg Nog and Peppermint Stick, they are asking all you ice cream fans to concoct a recipe using either one of those flavors. The recipe can be anything you want it to be…ice cream cupcakes, a yummy frothy drink, a layered cake, whatever your sweet tooth desires. Only rule is that Turkey Hill’s Egg Nog Ice Cream or Peppermint Stick Ice Cream be an ingredient.

So start the brainstorming and show us what you got. Send your recipe to Turkey Hill at icecreamjournal@gmail.com by December 1 (we know its days away on a busy holiday weekend, sorry for the last minute!). And we here at Scoopalicious would love to see what you do so feel free to send it to us too and maybe you'll be a spotlight on our blog with your great recipe.

So what do you get for all this hard work?

If chosen as one of the best recipes you will be featured on the Turkey Hill website and will receive a one month’s supply of ice cream. And if you are one of the best of the best, that is one of the top four recipes – two for Eggnog and two for Peppermint – you'll get a feature story for just yourself on Turkey Hill's blog, the Ice Cream Journal (http://icecreamjournal.turkeyhill.com), from December 8-11. The fun part is that the blog's visitors will then be able to vote for their favorite recipe and that winner will receive a year’s supply of Turkey Hill ice cream! WOW…all these prizes…what's not to love. Good luck!

Kevin Cyr's Koolman on 20x200.com

So I subscribe to the 20x200 mailing list. 20x200 is an awesome project by Jen Beckman. The 20x200 site says it best: "On a Sunday night back in January, Jen came up with a formula: "(limited editions x low prices) + the internet = art for everyone." The concept is fabulous.

I have been busy out in Minnesota with my nephews, coloring and watching movies, and now that four-year-old Evan is napping I had a minute to check my email and I found a print I just needed to post about about.

This week's print is Kevin Cyr's Koolman -- an ice cream truck! What could be finer? The unfortunate part is that I got to this a little late, and only the bigger sizes are available. All 200 of the $20 size (8.5"x11") is sold out, so our only remaining options are to spend $200 on one of the remaining 14 (out of 20) 22"x17" prints or $2,000 on one of the two that measure 30"x40"...even the $200 print are going fast so I'd act now if you just have to have one...(I'm hoping Husband reads this post before they sell out -- otherwise he's stuck contacting Mass College of Art grad (yay Fenway area art schools!) Kevin Cyr to see if the original 24"x48" oil on plywood is still available.

For more of Cyr's fabulous work, visit his website.
Image credit: © Kevin Cyr, www.kevincyr.net

Tomorrow, November 24, 6-9 PM -- Free Cold Stone Ice Cream Cake and Pie Tasting

Cold Stone has certainly been all over our blog in the past couple of days, with contests to win and cakes to taste.

Visit your local participating Cold Stone Creamery from 6-9 tomorrow (Monday) for a tasting of their cakes and pies. While you are there, pick up a cake for Thanksgiving, and enter to win!

Note: I got this in my email because I am on the Cold Stone Creamery mailing list. I am not sure if this is only in Massachusetts and New Hampshire or all over, because I can't find the event on their site. You might want to call ahead to confirm whether this event is happening in your area.

Another piece of cake...ice cream cake, that is!

Today I got an email from Cold Stone Creamery. Before I got into that, I do want to point out that Gmail now has themes, and if you use Gmail and choose the "candy" theme, you will have a cute little ice cream staring at you every time you check your mail. And if you are like me, that would be all the time...oh! oh! And if you choose the "bus stop" theme and make your location Boston, you also have a kid holding a huge (um, "dream" might be a better word) cone down at the bottom.

Oh, and wait...one more digression. I am on my computer that doesn't have Adobe Creative Suite on it and I am too lazy to go upstairs and use Photoshop, so I just wanted to mention this super cool online photo editing site I just read about. Picnik. Great for on-the-go editing!

All over the news, I am hearing about bailout this and bankrupt that. Apparently Cold Stone Creamery isn't having these problems, because they have a contest this holiday season with a chance to win up to $10,000 when you buy one of their cakes. Sweet! Cakes and money! (Although right now I can't even begin to think about ordering a cake because I ate too much Party Favors cake at a reception at the Museum School's Art Sale, InsideOut.) Anyway, $10,000. How could I get away from that? Without further ado, here is the $10,000 news!

Now through January 6th, 2009 (or sooner, if they run out of game pieces), purchase a Cold Stone cake and get a "gold medal." With this gold medal, you have a chance to win one of three $10,000 prizes, five $500 prizes, or one of 1000 cakes! Even the smallest prize has some sweet potential!

Anyway, this is an ice cream filled post along with a couple of hot tips, so I hope between this post and Tina's yesterday, we are getting out of the dog house for being kind of MIA.

Speaking of $10,000...er, um, at least 10,000 lakes...I will be in the land of 10,000 lakes (Minnesota) next week but hopefully will be able to report back on some midwestern ice cream.