Tag Archives: Ice Cream

October 25, 2012 · 11:00 am

Graeter’s Great ‘Scream — Midwest Team Takes On NYC

Graeter's 'Scream

Selection of Graeter’s ‘Scream

Graeter’s Ice Cream is not entirely new to me. My sister-in-law in grew up in Cincinnati, home to this fourth-generation family-owned churner, and has been speaking the praises of Graeter’s for years.  But until recently native fans had to rely on mail order if they  hoped to find their favorite treat outside of the midwest and I could only sample their scoops on return trips home to Michigan. Good news for NYers {and me}: last week I received an email announcing these infamous midwest-made pints are taking on the NYC artisanal food scene and will be available in all D’Agostino stores.

This announcement also offered to ship a few fan favs my way for a taste test. I, of course, didn’t want to be rude and decline such a thoughtful offer. And so arrived four frozen flavs — Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, Mint Chocolate Chip and the Ohio State-inspired Buckeye Blitz {chocolate-peanut butter ice cream chock full of peanut butter cookie dough}.

Graeter's Famous Massive Chocolate Chips

Graeter’s Famous Massive Chocolate Chips

The verdict of the taste test? As a Notre Dame alum, you’ll never hear me speaking the praises of the Ohio State Buckeyes, but in this non-football face-off, the Buckeye Blitz outperformed the rest of the competition in my book. You’ll never hear me turn down anything with peanut butter. The good news is the win was not a landslide — every single pint exceeded expectations. What really set these scoops apart was not some off the wall flavor combination like bacon and bourbon {which seems to be what all the new fangled ice cream kids are making these days}, but the simple quality of good ingredients. It only takes one bite of their massive — and I mean MASSIVE — chocolate chunks to know exactly what I mean. They aren’t hard, break-your-teeth, frozen bits of pseudo-chocolate — they’re soft, gooey, pieces of fudgey heaven. And this is coming from a girl who is not a chocolate addict.

It’s nice to see hometown heros moving to the big city. And while I’ve lived here for over 10 years, and have some favorite frozen finds, I am 100% cheering for this new line-up — the sampling won’t end after these pints are empty.

More ‘Scream Teams:
SF Best: Bi-Rite Ice Cream Done Right
I Scream, You Scream For MilkMade Handcrafted Ice Cream
Victory Garden: A Victorious Frozen Yogurt Twist
Goat Town’s Non-*Goat* ‘Scream

2 Comments

Filed under Do This!

Tagged as , , , , ,

August 3, 2011 · 9:00 am

Goat Town’s Non-*Goat* ‘Scream

Goat Town Treat-Trailer

After reading my previous Victory Garden post, if I told you I was now going to write about Goat Town’s ice cream, you’re probably going to assume I’m on a serious frozen goat’s milk bender. But alas, do not let the name fool you — Goat Town’s ‘scream is your traditional cow’s milk churn, though their flavors are anything but traditional. And THAT is why it is worthy of a few good licks and a write-up.

Imagine a scorching hot day in the East Village — sun is beating down, trash is rotting on the sidewalk and you are strategically crossing to the far shaded-side of the street because you’re afraid your arm hair may spontaneously combust otherwise. You’re dripping in sweat, dreaming of a thirst-quenching treat that will provide a moment of sweet cooling relief. And then — you turn the corner and come upon a cute little trailer that is the frozen mobile home to five stellar handmade ice cream selections, courtesy of Goat Town.

Well now, it would not have taken much for me to sample a scoop on this particular day. But upon reviewing the chalkboard listing each unique flavor — Salted Caramel Pretzel, Drunken Chunky Monkey, Peanut Butter Wolf, Espresso Hershey’s Swirl, Cookie Monster and Mango Sorbet — I knew this fortuitous frozen find could not be passed up.

Goat Town Chunky Monkey + Peanut Butter Wolf

Having just had Salted Caramel Pretzel at Victory Garden, and knowing I would lose one scoop to super-sonic meltage, I opted for sampling two other interesting flavors. The Drunken Chunky Monkey, a happy marriage of bourbon, bananas and walnuts, was well-suited for its Peanut Butter Wolf companion. I don’t think I have to do much convincing via the written word for any of you to agree all those flavors just belong together. Enough said. Lick. Drip. Crunch. Gone.

The Skim: If you happen to be wandering the streets of the East Village in search of cone-worthy treat, look no further than Goat Town’s ice cream treat-trailer — of course, they have also sold me on a swift return to check out their farm-to-table focused dining menu as well.

Map: 511 East 5th Street {Between Avenue A&B)

I Scream, You Scream:
SF Best: Bi-Rite Ice Cream Done Right
recipe goodness :: Alton Brown Does Bourbon in the Morning
Under the Bridge, Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory Treat
I Scream, You Scream For MilkMade Handcrafted Ice Cream
Victory Garden: A Victorious Frozen Yogurt Twist {Actual Goat’s Milk ‘Scream}

 

 

 

2 Comments

Filed under Eat Here!

Tagged as , , , ,

February 18, 2011 · 8:50 am

SF Best: Bi-Rite Ice Cream Done Right

Bi-Rite Creamery

If people are standing in line for ice cream when it’s 40 degrees outside, you know it must be good. And when I visited Bi-Rite it was 40 degrees outside. But with the mercury shooting well into the 60s on this fine February Friday in NYC, I thought there was no better thing to write about than ice cream. The encouraging words that “the line moves quickly” made me feel only slightly better about our decision to join a long queue of eager scoopers streaming out of the Bi-Rite Creamery and half way down the block behind a red rope. A red rope for ice cream? If it didn’t feel special already, this touch certainly added to the depiction that this was not just any ‘ole ‘scream stand.

After perusing the list of clever creams – roasted banana, chocolate coconut, Ricanelas {cinnamon with snickerdoodles}, I thought I knew my order and was prepared to swiftly answer back when I finally made it to the front of the line. But upon introduction as “a newbie,” the expert behind the counter even more swiftly spun to snatch a silver spoon, upon which he presented his favorite concoction – a trio of blood orange olive oil {literally olive oil, not olive oil flavored ice cream}, hot fudge and honey lavender ice cream. An inordinate heavenly bite that at once confirmed Bi-Rite’s exceptional rank in the nobility of frozen treasured treats.

The skillful scooper quickly handed me three more spoons, each with a single flavor for more sampling which undoubtedly drove me into deeper confusion about what to order.  But in an effort to contribute to “the line moving quickly” I placed my bets and married the roasted banana with the salted caramel {banana’s foster anyone?} and left feeling I probably couldn’t go wrong with any duo and most definitely will wait behind the red rope again.

The Skim: Vanilla may be the most popular ice cream flavor in America, but who wants to do what everyone else is doing? Treat your taste buds to any of Bi-Rite’s craft ice cream creations or go out on a limb and pick a popsicle (how about pineapple with mint}.

Map: 3692 18th Street
Reservations: Yeah right!
Phone: 415.626.5600

More Scoop Please:
Send Your Valentine an Ice Cream Gram from Milkmade
Under the Bridge, Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory Treat
I Scream, You Scream For MilkMade Handcrafted Ice Cream

Leave a comment

Filed under Eat Here!, SF Best

Tagged as , , , , ,

February 1, 2011 · 1:36 pm

Send Your Valentine an Ice Cream Gram from Milkmade

Valentine’s Grams are back! Make someone’s day this V-Day by surprising them with a pint or two (or three or FOUR), of our seasonal ice cream delivered right to their home or office. So much better than red roses!

Each Valentine Gram includes a handcrafted pint of one of Milkmade’s seasonal flavors and a personalized handwritten card. Grams are $15 each with a $5 per location delivery fee. Orders must be placed by Thursday, February 10th and Grams will be delivered on Monday, February 14th to any home or office in Manhattan or Brooklyn.

How to Order:
First, select from Milkmade’s seasonal flavors.

Milkmade's V-Day Flavors

Then, choose your delivery preference.
Milkmade’s delivery zone includes offices and home residences in ALL Manhattan and Brooklyn zipcodes (well, within reason). Delivery is scheduled for Monday, February 14. Delivery options include between 10am and 2pm, between 2pm and 6pm, or between 6pm and 9pm. Please note that someone MUST be home to receive the delivery (or they can leave it with front desks with freezers) because delivery does not include a cold pack.

Orders may also be picked up at Milkmade’s East Village “headquarters” on Sunday, February 13 between 6pm and 10pm. The delivery fee will (obviously) not be charged for pick-up orders.

Grams are limited. To place an order, please click here.

Leave a comment

Filed under Do This!, NYC Best

Tagged as , , , ,

October 12, 2010 · 9:01 am

recipe goodness :: Alton Brown Does Bourbon in the Morning

Yes Alton, I'm Still Saving You A Seat at 8.ate@eight

Alton Brown considers himself a Southern cook and lives by the motto that everything that happens in the kitchen is about science. And what is the defining flavor of the South, you ask? Bourbon, of course. Bringing those two perspectives together during his New York City Wine & Food Festival demo, Alton concocted three classic Bourbon recipes shared in the post below:

Bourbon Mint Julep
Bourbon Ice Cream
Bourbon Banana’s Foster

It’s 11am and Time for a Mint Julep

Alton Brown’s Bourbon Mint Julep
Prep Time: 3-5 mins
Serves 1

10 mint leaves
1 tsp sugar
1 jigger Bourbon
Ice
Seltzer or Club Soda

Add the mint leaves and sugar to your glass and gently muddle to bruise the leaves, but careful not to tear {about 3-5 turns of a muddler}. Add a full jigger of Bourbon, fill the cup with ice and top off with seltzer water or club soda. Alton recommends not stirring for a stronger surprise near the bottom of your swig.

Gentle Muddling is Key

Getting into the science behind cooking with Bourbon, Alton pulled out the periodic table and his chemistry notes to explain that ethyl {found in alcohol} doesn’t freeze — in fact it acts as an antifreeze. So when making something scrumptious like Bourbon ice cream, it’s important to mimic the flavors you would find in Bourbon, with non-alcoholic ingredients. Pulling out a glass pickle jar for easy ingredient shaking and a large canister of liquid nitrogen {clearly not in most home kitchens}, Alton revealed a few on-stage tricks for instant ‘scream.

Alton Brown’s Bourbon Ice Cream

1/4 cup Bourbon
2 cups Half & Half
1/2 cup Agave
1/4 cup Molasses
1/4 cup Buttermilk
1/2 tsp Nutmeg, grated
Handful Chopped Pecans
1/3 cup Bacon, Cooked Extra Crispy

Add the Bourbon, Half & Half, Agave and Molasses to a microwave safe container and microwave until the Molasses dissolves. Allow to cool. Add cooled liquid and rest of ingredients to a tight sealing container {Alton recommends a bulk glass pickle jar} and shake vigorously.  Add to home ice cream maker, or if you’re like Alton, add to a Kitchenaid mixer and starting pouring in liquid nitrogen for great effect and a quick freeze {not sure I would actually recommend this}.

It's All About Science in the Kitchen

Adding a Touch of Bourbon for Authenticity

Shake Shake Shake

Everything Into the Mixer (Including the Liquid Nitrogen)

Wrapping up the 45-minute demo, Alton pulled out a few more tricks, this time involving flames, to make a Banana’s Foster dessert to pair with the Bourbon Ice Cream. An important ingredient to making this dessert successfully is heat from the caramelized sugar. Without it, the Bourbon would not burn on its own. And note to the parents out there, it’s impossible to boil out all the alcohol because steam from the cooking process puts the flame out first….so if you want little Johnny to fall asleep early, this might be the dessert for him.

Alton Brown’s Bourbon Banana’s Foster

Cook Time: 7 mins
Serves 2

2 TBS unsalted butter
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
2 under ripe bananas, sliced in half lengthwise
1/4 cup bourbon
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

Melt butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over low heat. Add brown sugar and nutmeg and stir until sugar dissolves. Add bananas and cook for 1 minute on each side, carefully spooning sauce over bananas as they are cooking. Bring sauce to a simmer and carefully add the bourbon. If the sauce is very hot, the alcohol will flame on its own. If not, using stick flame, carefully ignite and continue cooking until flame dies out, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. If sauce is too thin, cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it is syrupy in consistency. Add orange zest and stir to combine. Immediately spoon the sauce over ice cream and serve.

Alton Melting the Sugar and Butter with the Bananas

Opa!

Great Bourbon Demo

Great demo and early morning learnings for us science geeks who like to know why something works or doesn’t work in the kitchen! If you liked Alton Brown’s Bourbon in the morning approach, then check out his new book that just came out called Good Eats 2: The Middle Years.

More NYC Wine & Food Festival Fun:
New York City Wine & Food Festival Kicked Off With Good Eats
Hands On with Giada De Laurentiis at Food Network’s NYCWFF Demo

1 Comment

Filed under @home {recipes to love}, NYC Best

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

September 23, 2010 · 9:51 am

Under the Bridge, Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory Treat

Ice Cream Under the Bridge

It’s September, summer’s over, but the mercury is shooting to 90 this week in NYC. Not that you ever really need an excuse for ice cream, but isn’t that reason enough to head on over to The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, located in a landmark fireboat house on the Fulton Ferry Pier? What’s so special about this ice cream you ask? Aside from the fact you can enjoy sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline from right below the historic Brooklyn Bridge, The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory is known for using nothing but the finest and purest ingredients to create 8 simple flavors: vanilla, chocolate, vanilla chocolate chunk, chocolate chocolate chunk, strawberry, peaches & cream, butter pecan and coffee. You don’t need 31 flavors to find a cone you will crave here and it’s the perfect destination for a walk or bike ride across the landmark bridge, offering everything from a refreshing treat to a refreshing view after a long week in the hustle of city living.

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory Float

Map: Old Fulton Street, Brooklyn

Want More Scoop?
NYC Best: Summer Sausage & Other Seriously Good Eats @ Summerstage
I Scream, You Scream For MilkMade Handcrafted Ice Cream
Why Buy the Cow, When You Can Get the Milkshake for Free?
Momofuku That Pork Butt is Good!

3 Comments

Filed under Eat Here!

Tagged as , ,

August 9, 2010 · 9:04 am

I Scream, You Scream For MilkMade Handcrafted Ice Cream

MilkMade Homemade Black Currant and Gingersnap Ice Cream

It all started with a purchase of an ice cream maker, a small East Village kitchen and two friends trying to churn out their love for ice cream with their own two hands for kicks. Using nothing but premium, local ingredients sourced from farmers at the NYC greenmarket and a touch of inspiration from seasonal flavors and dining experiences, Diana Hardeman and Michelle Truong, quickly went from being just roommates with a taste for scoops of ‘scream to business partners and co-founders of MilkMade. Once these two milk maids started sharing some of their handcrafted treats with friends, it wasn’t long before many were clamoring for more creamy creations. A shared scoop became a request for a pint became a featured dessert at dinner parties and then suddenly they were getting coverage in local publications and a new business was born. I sat down with Diana last week and she shared not only some scrumptious ‘scream, but the ups and downs of being a small artisan food purveyor in NYC. Here’s the scoop:

First things first, the ice cream goodness. After a long and hot bike ride down to the East Village, this was a welcomed treat for a girl whose body temperature had risen a couple of degrees. Each month MilkMade creates two featured flavors from which their ‘scream subscribers get to choose. For August the churned choices are Black Currant with Chunks of Homemade Gingersnap Cookies or Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie. Black Currant with Gingersnap — two flavors I have never used in my own kitchen, let alone thought of as a perfect match, but let me tell you it was a prized pairing. The fresh tartness of the currants, mellowed out by the creaminess of the ice cream is smooth and delicious on its own, but then you get a crispy chunk of the cookie with the ginger spice and you think, something about this just works — it’s refreshing, it’s rich and it’s something I’ve never tasted before!

So how do you try some for yourself? Well you used to be able to sample at the Greenpoint Food Market, but due to a string of bureaucratic city health regulations, the market was forced to close until all its vendors could find a certified kitchen to operate from along with a range of permits and certificates — all of which can be prohibitively expensive for start-up artisanal food purveyors who barely break even while selling at the market. Lucky for us, MilkMade also has a membership-based subscription option, where those fortunate enough to get off the wait-list can get a pint hand-delivered to their door each month. The ice cream is so fresh, the ingredients are bought, churned and delivered to you within a 2-3 day window. The cost of this unique experience? $50 for 3 pints of ice cream. {!!!}. Expensive, yes, but when you consider the costs I referenced at the beginning of this ‘graph, the fact that this premium treat is hand made in small batches with high quality ingredients from farms such as Ronnybrook Dairy Farm and Knoll Crest, and hand delivered to you by the founders themselves — well, you can’t buy that kind of quality and experience in the freezer section.

Of course for those of you who are lucky enough to grab a seat at a future 8.ate@eight Supper Club, you may just get a sampling of this special treat, but in the meantime, give a gift to yourself or a well-deserving friend and sign-up to put something more exciting in your freezer than a late-night frozen pizza or bag of peas.

Screaming for More?
Why Buy the Cow, When You Can Get the Milkshake for Free?
Greenmarket: Put Smarter, Cheaper & More Scrumptious Food on Your Table
Michael Pollan Agreed With Me, $8 Eggs Are A Good Idea

1 Comment

Filed under Do This!, Eat Here!

Tagged as , , , , ,