Just what the Doctor ordered...

I hope y'all had a relaxing and delicious Thanksgiving! I spent the holiday with my family in Massachusetts. Per tradition, Thanksgiving dinner was held at my cousins' home near Springfield. Now, I'm big on traditions. My family takes caution when proposing new activitities or recipes around the holidays - for fear that I'll enjoy it so much that it becomes yet another "tradition." The family actually calls the special holiday mashed potatoes (i.e. full of cream cheese and butter) "Grace's potatoes." And this isn't because I make them (my mom's cousin does). But when someone brought the dish years ago, my twelve-year-old self loved them and decreed a new "tradition." Many years later, I still relish the familiarity and comfort of our family's holiday activities and dishes. But the most important tradition of all is having everyone at the dinner table. And this year, someone was missing...

My cousin Leah is completing her residency at the John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. She had to work on Thanksgiving morning this year, and it was the first time one of us "kids" didn't make it home for the holiday. But modern technology made Leah's absence a little easier to bear... Once our dinner plates were cleared, I pulled out my iPad so the family could "FaceTime" with Leah. It wasn't as good as having her there in-person, but it was especially nice for those who hadn't seen Leah since she left for Baltimore. I'm the lucky one who lives just an hour away from Leah. And just a couple Saturdays ago, the boyfriend and I drove down to Baltimore for the afternoon. Leah's boyfriend, Matt, was also in town - so the four of us explored the city and enjoyed a lovely brunch at Little Havana (which has the best Bloody Marys ever!).

At some point after brunch, the topic of local desserts came up. Leah and Matt raved (no, gushed) about the Baltimore Bomb at Dangerously Delicious Pies. As soon as my boyfriend heard that the pie is made from Berger Cookies (a local specialty), he was determined to try a slice. We followed the GPS to the popular Baltimore neighborhood of Canton, where Dangerously Delicious Pies is nestled in a cute strip of restaurants and shops. Sadly, the store clerk informed us that all of the Baltimore Bombs had been "already sold for the day." This surprised me, as it was only two o'clock in the afternoon! We all felt deflated, so Leah suggested we find dessert elsewhere. She remembered that Vaccaro's Italian Pastry Shop was just down the road. Italian bakeries mean one thing to me: Gelato!

Walking into Vaccaro's Canton shop reminded me of ducking into one of the more modern cafes in Rome. The warm light and golden accents make for an inviting atmosphere. I'd love to come here on a cold, snowy morning to warm up with a latte or mocha. But on this fall day, I made a beeline for the gelato case. Vaccaro's boasts almost 20 flavors of gelato and sorbet - including many of the Italian favorites like Baci (i.e. Nutella), Tiramasu, Amaretto, and Pistacchio. But it was a different flavor, Almond Joy, that caught my eye. I'm a sucker for ice cream with different textures, and you can't beat the coconut and chocolate combination. Leah also ended up ordering a cup of Almond Joy (we really are related!), while our gentlemen friends took a different route and enjoyed Vaccaro's famous cannolis.

The verdict? This gelato definitely lives up to its name; it's like biting into a cold and creamy Almond Joy candy bar. I've tried many coconutty desserts in my time - but none have been as chock-full of coconut flakes as Vaccaro's gelato is. I wouldn't be surprised if the gelato-to-coconut ratio is near one-to-one. The chocolate flakes were perfectly thin and flavorful - similar to the ones found in Stracciatella gelato. My only real complaint was that they almond chunks were big and few and far between; I would use almond slivers and be more generous. But compared to your average gelateria, the prices are lower and portions are bigger at Vaccaro's. Leah was too full from brunch to finish her's, but you better believe that I found room and polished this baby off :) Yum!

The Stats:
Vaccaro's Italian Pastry Shop
2919 O'Donnell Street
Baltimore, MD 21224
(410) 276-4744
http://www.vaccarospastry.com
(other locations in Little Italy, Hunt Valley and Belair)

Take I: Sweet Action in Denver

I'm back! Apologies for the lack of posting around here lately. My employer sent me to Massachusetts for three weeks to help a Congressional campaign. After working 12+ hours/seven days a week,  I'm happy to say that my candidate (narrowly) won. But immediately after the election, I was sent to San Francisco to give two different presentations. So I'm still playing catch-up with my "normal" life.

Now, where were we?

Oh yes, Colorado.

We all had a fantastic time at the Great American Beer Festival. What can be better than sampling over 1,800 different beers from over 400 of the best breweries in the nation? If you're gluten-sensitive like me, have no fear - the festival has been featuring more and more gluten-free varieties in recent years. I'm not nearly the beer enthusiast that my boyfriend and Elysia are, but I always have a blast at the Great American Beer Festival. Despite four hours of unlimited beer samples, the crowd is a jovial one. No drunken brawls to be seen here, and no one spills their beer on me. (Both are too-common occurrences in DC).

When we awoke the next morning, food was on everyone's mind. It seems that eggs and bacon are the choice "hangover recovery" foods for most, but I'm usually in the mood for something cold and sweet. After a brunch of omelets and oatmeal, I casually asked Elysia if she'd ever been to the famous Denver ice cream spot called Sweet Action. She hadn't even heard of it before! I informed her that US News & World Report ranked it #7 in their list of America's Best Ice Cream this year. And, the wonderful friend she is, Elysia took my not-so-subtle hint and agreed to drive by.

Sweet Action Ice Cream is located in Denver's South Broadway district - an area not often frequented by tourists. I'm told that South Broadway, or "SoBo" as the locals call it, was once a shady strip of adult theatres and grimy bars. But after a couple decades of revitalization, SoBo now gave me the vibe of a small California beach town. Walking down busy Broadway street, you'll find indie art shops, trendy boutiques, antique shops, and funky little cafes. And Sweet Action is nestled right in the heart of the... well... action! We actually heard it before we saw it, as Sweet Action's garage-style storefront was open to welcome the warm early-fall day. Inside, the garage-like decor continues. Concrete walls and floor. Very few tables and chairs. The menu board is the only decoration. We had to wait five minutes in line before placing our orders. Something I found strange for an early Sunday afternoon in October. I can only imagine how packed Sweet Action is on Friday evenings in July!

What sets Sweet Action apart from the competition is their ever-changing eclectic flavors and focus on local ingredients. Sweet Action also offers vegan ice creams, sorbets, and ice cream cookie sandwiches. According to my online research, some of the cult-favorite flavors include Thai Iced Tea, Stranahan's Whiskey Brickle, Blackberry Lavender and Salted Butterscotch. But planners beware: Don't set your heart on any flavor here, as Sweet Action rotates their flavor offerings with lightning speed. It's best to arrive with an open mind (and empty stomach).

Before I could even peruse the menu offerings, a posted sign grabbed my attention:

The Colorodo Beer Ice Cream Fest? Turns out, Sweet Action highlights its best beer-infused ice cream flavors during October in honor of the Great American Beer Festival. This year's lineup included ESB Oreo (Breckenridge Brewery Extra Special Bitter Ale), Colorado Peach Wheat (Wynkoop) and Tiramisu Stout (Strange Brewing Stout). But sadly, unlike the GABF, the Colorado Beer Ice Cream Fest didn't offer gluten-free options. And don't worry - I didn't pity myself for one minute. There was no shortage of non-beer flavors to consider.

While I was mulling over the menu, Elysia pointed out that many folks were asking for samples before placing their orders. As it turns out, you don't feel bad about asking for samples at Sweet Action; the staff actually encourages it! And while I had a flavor in mind, I took advantage of the sample-loving culture and tasted a flavor I'd never seen before: Goat Cheese Beet Swirl. Wowza. That tiny spoonful sure packed a punch. The ice cream was creamy and intensely flavorful; no one could mistake it for anything but goat cheese. The dark red swirl of beets was sweet and helped ease the potent goat cheese aftertaste. I have to admit, I simply don't like goat cheese enough to eat more than a teaspoon of this ice cream. Still - I'm happy to have tried it. If you really dig goat cheese, this one's definitely for you!

In the end, I went with Caramelized Pear. Feeling a bit dehydrated from the GABF, the thought of cold, juicy pears was incredibly appealing. I was so certain of my choice that I didn't even request a sample before forking over $2.75 for a single scoop.

The verdict? This generous scoop of Sweet Action's Caramelized Pear hit the spot in a way that few ice creams do. It was densely creamy and served at the perfectly-freezing temperature. Cold enough to melt slowly in your mouth, giving you ample time to let the complex flavors hit your palate. The pear taste is more subtle than other pear sorbets or gelatos I've had. But it holds it own against its warm, buttery caramel counterpart. The rich and sweet combination of flavors is comforting and refreshing. The texture is lightly gritty - but in a pleasant way that reminds you of Sweet Action's commitment to fresh, local ingredients. This flavor would be perfect for Thanksgiving dessert - if only it was available every day. When I checked out the website a few weeks later, Caramelized Pear was already off the menu. You gotta move quick, or Sweet Action will pass you by.

The Stats:
Sweet Action
52 Broadway Ave
Denver, Colorado
(303) 282-4645
http://sweetactionicecream.com/