Not that kind of bar... The UConn Dairy Bar

Ah, the fall season has officially arrived. School is back in session, leaves are changing colors, the air is crisp, and pumpkin ice cream has finally returned!

Each autumn, my sisters and I coordinate our busy schedules to make room for one weekend dedicated to family fun. Somehow, my boyfriend has been deemed “family”-enough to take part in the last few weekends. This year’s travel plans coincided with “Family Weekend” at the University of Connecticut, where my youngest sister (Ava) is a sophomore. Located in the rural town of Storrs, Connecticut, UConn’s campus is scenic and rustic – the perfect setting for our fall weekend.

As Ava will tell you, UConn was founded in 1881 as the Storrs Agricultural School. And though it’s one of America’s best state universities, UConn still proudly holds onto its agricultural roots. Today, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources continues to teach agricultural students the business of farming, food science, nutrition, animal production, and veterinary sciences. To provide hands-on learning experiences, UConn is home to hundreds of farm animals - from cows to chickens - which add to the rustic charm of the campus.

We participated in several organized “Family Weekend” activities, but I was most excited about a trip to UConn’s favorite bar. And this was not the type of bar I usually associated with college campuses. In Storrs, the most famous "bar" is the UConn Dairy Bar. Since the 1950s, the Dairy Bar has been serving up homemade ice cream using milk from the campus cows. My ice cream-lovin' family scheduled our trip to the Dairy Bar before we even set foot on campus. So after lunch, we climbed into my mom’s minivan and drove over to the infamous bar. Now, Ava had warned us that the line could be long, but no one was prepared for this sight:

On any other day, we probably would have turned around. But on this crisp fall afternoon, a long wait outside didn’t seem so daunting. So we gamely joined the other families and students in line. Watching folks emerge with generous ice cream cones and massive sundaes only strengthened our resolve. And low and behold, the time passed quickly. One of the benefits of having a chatty family is that we can entertain ourselves for hours. Or, according to my mom’s watch, for the 45 minutes it took us just to get inside.

Finally inside! Line is getting shorter...

Once you’re inside the Dairy Bar, there is plenty to keep you occupied while you wait. The décor is still reminiscent of the 1950s, with ice cream parlor bar stools and a red, white and black color scheme. But I was most excited to see the glassed-in observation area, where you can view the ice cream making process. UConn's Department of Animal Science oversees all operations here, and students learn all aspects of food production and retail sales while staffing the Dairy Bar.

 I was interested to learn that the funds generated at the Dairy Bar are invested back into the Department of Animal Science and its programs. So when you purchase ice cream here, you're actually supporting education at UConn. Unfortunately for me, I don't think it's tax deductible...

Perusing the menu, the Banana Chocolate Chip was calling my name. But then I saw Cinnamon Caramel Swirl – which sounded deliciously intriguing. To complicate matters, I overheard numerous customers raving about the Dairy Bar’s famous seasonal Pumpkin. I just couldn’t decide between the three, so I coordinated with my mother and Ava to ensure I could taste them all. A baby-scoop of Pumpkin for my mom, a single-scoop of Banana Chocolate Chip for me, and a double-scoop of Pumpkin and Cinnamon Caramel Swirl for Ava. 

It was a team effort.

The verdict? After 50 minutes of anticipation, the first bite of ice cream was incredibly satisfying. The Dairy Bar’s ice creams are thick and smooth, a testament to the high-quality, fresh dairy products they use. The Banana ice cream was not the most natural-tasting, but I actually enjoyed the slight artificiality of it. (Think banana-flavored Nesquik milk – not banana Runts.) The ‘chocolate chips’ were really chocolate chunks, adding a nice chocolaty crunch to the smooth ice cream. The Pumpkin ice cream was sweet and refreshing, but my mom and I thought it could use more cinnamon and nutmeg. Now, the Cinnamon Caramel Swirl? That was perfection. The warmth of the deep cinnamon flavor was offset by both the freezing temperature of the ice cream and the sticky and sweet caramel swirls. Being the generous sister she is, Ava let me have more than my fair share of her Cinnamon Caramel scoop. In terms of serving sizes, the single-scoop serving was actually quite filling – I wasn’t even hungry at dinnertime a couple hours later (not normal for me). I'll definitely return to the Dairy Bar during my next trip to UConn. After all, it's all in the name of education...

Our Huskies... Ava & Aamir

The Stats:
UConn Dairy Bar
3636 Horsebarn Hill Road Extension
Storrs, CT 06269
(860) 486-1021
http://www.dairybar.uconn.edu

New Memories (and Cones) in Historic Gettysburg

This past weekend, I was in the mood to get outside of the city. And luckily for me, so was my good college girlfriend Becca. I proposed different activities (wine tasting in Virginia, perusing the Baltimore Harbor), but Becca had a better idea: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  “Huh?” I thought, “Isn’t that super far away?” A quick glance at Google Maps confirmed that – yes, geography is still not my strong suit - and Gettysburg is a mere 1 hour 45 minute drive from Washington, DC. I guess you do learn something new every day.

Bright and early on Saturday, we dragged our boyfriends out of bed and piled into the car. It was a perfect late-summer day, and the drive to Gettysburg was picturesque. Just 30 minutes outside of DC, I was reminded just how beautiful the Mid-Atlantic landscape can be - full of beautiful, rolling hills and lush, green foliage. The clean, crisp air is refreshing after a week in the office.


Welcome to PA!

Just before noon, we found ourselves in the historic town of Gettysburg. The boys were hungry (shocker!), so we strolled down one of the major streets, Steinwehr Avenue, in search of some lunch brunch. Before settling on Lincoln’s Diner (greasy-but-tasty food at low prices), we passed by several cute, touristy ice cream spots. While ice cream sounded like a fine meal to me, the rest of the group wanted omelets and pancakes. In the spirit of American history, we compromised: lunch now, ice cream later in the afternoon.

With full bellies, we drove over to Gettysburg National Military Park. Per the website instructions, we began our visit at the Park Museum and Visitor Center. For over two hours, we soaked up information about Gettysburg and the Civil War (I re-remembered a lot from high school U.S. History class). Personally, I could have spent another two hours in the gift shop – it’s massive and filled with interesting trinkets. My companions were not so enthused (out-voted again), so we grabbed a free battlefield map and headed to the car. There are several ways to experience the battlefields. You could take a guided bus tour, hire a professional guide to ride in your car (weird?), or take a self-guided tour. The driving map (found here) hits 16 official tour spots and numerous other sites. My favorite stops included Oak Ridge, the High Water Mark, Little Round Top, and Devil’s Den. It was hard to believe that over fifty thousand men died here in just three days – making it the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Remembering these men made me so grateful that the Union Army was able to change the tide of the Civil War here – successfully ending General Lee’s invasion of the North. Had the outcome been different at Gettysburg, who knows where we’d all be today?

Soaking up so much U.S. history certainly worked up my appetite. Before heading back to DC, we returned to one of the cute ice cream shops in downtown Gettysburg: Sunset Ice Cream Parlor. Honestly, I chose this spot over the others simply because it was so colorful and inviting-looking...

Inside, Sunset was bustling with a late-afternoon crowd. Despite the unique decor, Sunset's numerous flavor options were extremely traditional. Rum Raisin and Cherry Vanilla were about as "weird" as they got. What is original about Sunset Ice Cream Parlor is their focus on the classic soda-fountain drink known as the "malted" - a mixture of ice cream, milk, and malted-milk powder. One of my best friend's grandma was crazy about malteds, and I have early childhood memories of her ordering them at Friendly's restaurants in MA. I've never been a fan of malteds, but I was in luck - I heard the man ahead of me order something interesting: a pretzel cone. Sure enough, his ice cream was served up in a cone-shaped hard pretzel. These are the times that I curse my gluten intolerance. But being the nice girlfriend I sometimes am, I decided to order the cone so my boyfriend (a pretzel connoseuir) could try it out. A chocolate-based ice cream sounded like the best compliment to a pretzel cone, so I picked the most interesting one at Sunset: Chocolate Marshmallow. After forking over more than $5 for a small cone (the special cone was a $1.50 upgrade), I was presented with a pretty-looking cone.

Now that's something you don't see every day!

The verdict? For the first time, I was more impressed with the cone than what was in it. And I couldn't even eat the cone! My boyfriend's review was generally positive, but he thought the cone was a tad too thick. We both loved the little plastic sleeve that the cone comes in - it keeps the pretzel salt intact until you're ready to eat it. Now the Chocolate Marshmallow ice cream? That was a different story. The ice cream had a freezer burn aftertaste, and the chocolate flavoring was weak. I'd hoped for thick swirls of marshmallow, but I didn't see (or taste) any. Perhaps a marshmallow extract is to blame for the weak chocolate flavor? All in all, I have to say this place is a "skip" - unless you are craving a malt. After all, there are other ice cream spots to choose from in Gettysburg.

The Stats:
Sunset Ice Cream Parlor
33 Steinwehr Avenue
Gettysburg, PA 17325
(717) 337-3125

Free-for-all at the 2012 DC Scoop Competition

Who says “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”?  

Not me.

This Sunday afternoon, I feasted on some of the best ice cream in the greater Washington, DC area at the Second Annual “DC Scoop” Competition. And everything was free. The DC Scoop is an outdoor ice cream sampling event and competition where the area’s artisan ice cream vendors serve their prized ice cream, frozen yogurt, and other frozen treats in hopes of being crowned that year’s “DC Scoop Winner.”

This year’s competition was held at Union Market – a highly-anticipated food market that opened this week in Northeast DC. I constantly find myself missing and fantasizing about Pike Place Market in Seattle – so I was excited to hear that an artisanal, curated, year-round food market was coming to the District. But I broke into the “Hallelujah” chorus (literally) when I read online that that Union Market would host the DC Scoop event during its opening weekend.

Like a kid on Christmas morning, I woke up early on Sunday eager to get the party started. While the boyfriend had to work, my B.F.F. (best foodie friend) Andrew agreed to accompany me to Northeast DC. After a 10-minute cab ride, we found ourselves surrounded by old warehouses and rundown wholesale markets. But straight ahead – the bright “UNION MARKET” sign stood out like friendly beacon.

The DC Scoop event was held in a fenced-in space next to the market, but Andrew and I purposely arrived early to explore the indoor market. We were pleasantly surprised by the variety and quality of food vendors we found inside Union Market. Fresh cheeses, organic meats, local produce, artisan chocolates, homemade pasta, spices - Union Market has it all.

After perusing the aisles of Union Market, it was finally time to head over to DC Scoop! Entry was free to the public, and each attendee received three pink ‘sample’ tickets for tasting and one golden ‘judging’ ticket to vote for their favorite vendor. While a panel of judges (defined as “stirrers and shakers of the DC food scene”) determines the DC Scoop Winner, the crowd’s votes do carry some weight with the judges. Andrew and I were among the first twenty or so people in line when the doors opened. After receiving our tickets, Andrew suggested we take a “survey” lap around the grounds before deciding how to allocate our sample tickets. Brilliant guy, I tell you.

Andrew and I took our time surveying the types of ice cream, frozen yogurt, custard, and sorbet offered by the 13 different vendors at DC Scoop: Boss Ice Cream, Captain Cookie & the Milk Man, Carmen's Italian Ice, Dolcezza Gelato, Gifford's, Goodies Frozen Custard, Savvy Pops, Sinplicity, Sweet Cream, Sugar Magnolia, Sweet Freeze, Taharka Brothers, and Trickling Springs Creamery. I'd say more than half of the vendors were serving samples from food trucks. Some vendors were sampling all of their flavors, while others had limited menus. Andrew and I both gravitated towards the more unique-sounding offerings. After all, we didn't make the trek to Northeast DC just to try chocolate chip or cookie dough!

You only get three 'sample' tickets at the DC Scoops Competition - so it's important to choose wisely. The first concoction I deemed worthy of a ticket was found at Carmen's Italian Ice. This Rockville, MD institution is famous for its 70+ flavors of homemade Italian ice. As a general rule, I'd choose ice cream over Italian ice. I prefer smooth and creamy frozen treats and find Italian ice too... well... icey! But the concept of "gelati" has long intrigued me. Frozen custard layered with Italian ice? Maybe I could choke that down. While I didn't take a formal tally, it seemed that Carmen's Italian Ice had one of the longer menus at DC Scoop. For a gelati sample, you get to choose two flavors - one for the Italian ice and one for the frozen custard. For my Italian ice, I already had my eye on the Chocolate Everything - chocolate ice with marshmallows, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and Reese's Cups. The staff at Carmen's insisted that the best complement to my Italian ice would be the Mokaccino (chocolate & coffee) frozen custard. I'm not one to turn down unsolicited ice cream advice.

Don't let the size of this cup fool you. This small "gelati" was packed with flavors and textures. The Chocolate Everything Italian ice lived up to its name - and the creamy (yes, creamy!) chocolate ice was jam-packed with chocolate chips and bits of Reese's Cups. Sadly, the marshmallows escaped my sample cup. The Mokaccino frozen custard flavor was so strong, I thought I felt a caffeine buzz. Ten years ago, I'd have hated it. But my adult coffee addict-self rejoiced.     

With just two tickets to go, the pressure was mounting. Spying a line forming at Sinplicity's truck, Andrew and I made a beeline towards last year's DC Scoop Winner. I'm glad we jumped in line when we did - because it only grew. The Falls Church, VA-based ice cream truck (officially named the "Sinmobile") certainly has a strong fan base in DC...

Just when Andrew and I were wondering whether any ice cream sample was worth this wait, I spotted a man walking along the line and passing out spoonfuls of ice cream from a pint he was carrying. Extra samples? I'd wait. And check out the shirt he was wearing - "Skinny people can't be trusted." That got a giggle from me when the Sinplicity man handed us each spoonfuls of Cappuccino Crunch, cappuccino ice cream with chocolate-covered almonds and amaretto. Delicious. The coffee flavor was weaker than in Carmen's frozen custard, but this was much more family-friendly. The amaretto swirl provided richness, and chocolate-covered almonds gave a sweet crunch. If you can believe it, Sinplicity didn't stop there! The next preview sample to make the rounds was the Lemon-Ginger sorbet with spiced Jamaican rum. This sorbet was made for my mother, who adores anything ginger-flavored. The sorbet was perfectly refreshing and sweet, with just enough ginger to compete with the lemon without overpowering it. As Andrew and I finally neared the Sinplicity truck, we met a celebrity!

The famous Emily!

Turns out, the owner's daughter Emily is the creator of one of Sinplicity's best-sellers, which bears her name. Emily's Peanut Butter Truffle is peanut butter ice cream mixed with chocolate truffles and swirled with dark chocolate. Emily was kind enough to let me try her concoction - and, boy, was it yummy. The peanut butter ice cream was one of the better versions I've tried - and her idea to use dark chocolate swirls - instead of the standard milk chocolate - was pure genius. Thanks, Emily!

For our full Sinplicity sample, Andrew and I just had to try the Blackberry & Cabernet sorbet with a "hint of lime." I forked over a sample tickets and was rewarded with one heck of a sample. The presentation alone scored points with me. The rich, deep purple sorbet. The generous serving size. The crisp biscotti garnish. And Oh. My. Goodness... this sorbet made me swoon. While many sorbets can be icy and overly-sweet, Sinplicity's sorbet was velvety in texture and complex in flavor. The deep blackberry and Cabernet flavors melded perfectly, and the lime gave the sorbet a refreshing aftertaste. This was so delicious that Andrew and I had to "take a moment" to enjoy our samples under the shade of the judging tent.

One ticket left...

I parted with my last ticket at Sugar Magnolia - a new ice cream shoppe in Cleveland Park. Sugar Magnolia was offering just two unique flavors at DC Scoop - and both Andrew and I had eyed their Peach Marscarpone earlier in the day. I wanted to pay tribute to the abundance of fresh peaches in DC this time of year, and I felt adventurous enough to try a cheese-flavored dessert. But I was sorely disappointed with the teeny-sized sample that was handed over. Not only was the cup about a third of the size of Sinplicity's - it wasn't close to being filled! In fact, the ice cream amounted to less than a spoonful - making it was difficult to really assess the flavor. Based on the bit of ice cream on my tongue, the marscarpone ice cream was full of flavor without being too rich or heavy. There was a hint of peach flavor, but it was pretty weak and overpowered by the cheese. All in all, an underwhelming finale to an otherwise fabulous tasting experience.

The verdict? I knew exactly who deserved my golden voting ticket: Sinplicity. Did I simply fall for their clever marketing schemes? Nah. The Blackberry & Cabernet sorbet was worthy of a King, and. If there had been silver tickets, I would've awarded mine to Carmen's Italian Ice for proving once-and-for-all that Italian ice can be just as decadent as ice cream. I was a bit sad about the missing marshmallows in my Chocolate Everything gelati, but I'm sure it was just a fluke. Sugar Magnolia's Peach Mascarpone ice cream was tasty, but their skimpy samples made it hard to really assess the flavor. I learned that at the DC Scoop, the best things don't come in small packages. They come in big cups topped with biscotti ;)

The Stats:

Union Market
1309 5th St NE
Washington, DC 20002

http://unionmarketdc.com

Puppy Love at The Ice Cream Shack

I'm sorry to disappoint, but this post isn't about real puppies.

To make it up to you, here is a picture of a real puppy:


Just try to resist this face!

This is a post about "puppy chow" (also known as "muddy buddies"). This classic treat, often found at holiday parties, is made by mixing Chex cereal with melted chocolate and peanut butter and then coated it all in powdered sugar. I find it terribly addicting. Stand me next to a bowl of it, and five minutes later you'll find an empty bowl and my face covered in powdered sugar. Come to think of it, now I know why it's called "puppy chow"...  

This year's "puppy chow" season began early for me. In Peoria, Illinois, of all places. The boyfriend and I spent Labor Day weekend visiting his grandma, who lives in Peoria. (Coincidentally, the boyfriend's parents were also in town for their high school reunion. They were high school sweethearts!) While our trip began and ended in the city of Peoria, the bulk of our time was spent at his grandma's cabin on an old strip-mined lake in central Illinois. This place is rustic. No toilets, no running water, no phones or internet. The boyfriend loves it. My hair does not.

After two days of fishing, swimming, slamming fingers in doors (just me), and dodging rain showers (courtesy of Hurricane Issac), we returned to Peoria for a shower and comfy bed before our morning flight back to DC. During a family dinner, the boyfriend's sweets-loving aunt tipped me off to a local ice cream haunt called The Ice Cream Shack. I had to see it for myself. When in Peoria, do as the Peorians do.

We arrived at The Ice Cream Shack after dark, but the place was buzzing with activity. The Shack is more well-known for its wide selection of toppings than their ice cream itself. Not unlike Peterson's Ice Cream Depot, the Shack uses vanilla and/or chocolate soft serve in their cones, "wizards," shakes and sundaes. They also serves chili dogs and fries - perfect for a quick pre-dessert meal. The locals rave about the 25 different types of "wizards" (soft serve ice cream blended with toppings). Their best seller is the "Turtle Wizard," a blend of caramel, hot fudge, pecans, and vanilla ice cream. But I was craving something even more unique. Perusing the menu, the first thing that caught my eye was the "Freight Train Wizard." But while the lady behind the counter listed the ingredients in the "Freight Train" (nine different candies such as Kit Kats, Snickers and M&Ms), my eyes landed on: "Puppy Chow." After confirming that "Puppy Chow" meant what I thought it did, I eagerly ordered a small serving. The Ice Cream Shack is cash-only, but their prices are so low (less than $3 for a small) that it wasn't a problem.

"Puppy Chow" reincarnated

The verdict? Pretty doggone good! The Ice Cream Shack's "Puppy Chow Wizard" is a cool and refreshing twist on my favorite holiday party mix. The Shack's vanilla soft serve is mixed with peanut butter, Chex cereal, and mini chocolate chips. The ice cream itself is creamy and thick (just the way I like it) with an intense peanut butter flavor. The cool creaminess is contrasted by the crisp crunch of Chex cereal, which has been finely crushed by the Shack's mixer. My one complaint is a lack of the deep chocolate flavor that's characteristic of the holiday treat. The mini chocolate chips are either too small or too frozen to add much flavor to the Wizard. I would suggest substituting them with thin flakes of milk chocolate. However, the Shack is very generous with toppings - making the first bite as good (i.e. topping-filled) as the last. So the next time you're in Peoria, ring in the "Puppy Chow" season early at The Ice Cream Shack.

The Stats:
The Ice Cream Shack
2313 NE Adams Street
Peoria, IL 61603
(309) 686-2828
(cash-only)