Made in Detroit: Treat Dreams

One of the best parts about my job is that it requires me to travel to random cities across the country. Without it, would I be able to say I’ve seen cities like St. Louis, Fresno, and Cleveland? Probably not. And the same goes for Detroit, Michigan - my latest destination. Detroit was never high on my travel list, and I don’t have family or friends in the area to draw me in. 

I’ll be the first to admit that I harbored some less-than-glamorous visions of Detroit. I’ve heard so much about the collapse of the U.S. auto capital and rampant violence in recent years. But the true Detroit didn’t match up with my vision whatsoever. First of all, the airport is gorgeous. Clean, airy terminals with high ceilings and massive windows. Seriously, Detroit’s airport is now in my domestic "Top 5”, after Denver, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. I stayed at the Westin in the airport (early-morning flight back to DC), which has a TSA check-point in the hotel lobby. Just five minutes from check-out to my terminal. Cool, right?

There is a Detroit outside the airport, however, and I was equally impressed with the glimpses of the city I caught on my brief trip. To me, Detroit seemed like the quintessential Midwest American city - all the American-made cars on the road spoke volumes of the Midwestern American pride people feel here. I loved it. 

As it turns out, Detroit is also home to one of the most American ice-cream shops I’ve ever found. While researching before my trip, it was quite apparent that Treat Dreams in Ferndale was the “must try” ice cream.

Despite being just three-years old, Treat Dreams is considered one of the best ice-cream shops in the area… and definitely the most unique! Only an American ice-cream maker would dare serve up flavors like Hot Jalapeño, Lobster Bisque, Pistachio Wasabi or Sunday Breakfast (with bacon!). Owner Scott Maloney, who calls himself “a mad scientist of ice cream”, was formally a banker with no formal ice-cream-making training before opening his shop. But Scott certainly has a knack for thinking outside the proverbial box! Treat Dreams has created hundreds of flavors in-house, and they offer at least a dozen daily on their constantly-changing menu. 

Apparently, the best time to come to Treat Dreams is on a workday during the late afternoon. There were only a couple people in the gigantic shop, and I had the undivided attention of the lady behind the counter. I was surprised to see a couple vegan offerings; I hadn't expected a Detroit ice-cream shop to cater to the vegan crowd! After I asked her a couple questions about the flavors, I was encouraged to try a sample. Who could turn that offer down? I requested a bite of Raspberry Jalapeño. The raspberry flavor was creamy and sweet at first, but the jalapeño kicked in quickly, coating my tongue with a low heat. K would have loved it, but I was in the mood for something a tad more traditional. Although I'm not a cheesecake fan, the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Walnut stood out. 'Tis the season! I also was intrigued by the vegan flavors made with rice milk... particularly the Banana Split, which was described as “banana ice cream with chocolate sauce and strawberry sauce." Without sampling either beforehand, I ordered a single-scoop cup of each. The grand total was $5... not too shabby!

Banana Split on bottom; Pumpkin Cream Cheese Walnut on top

The verdict? One of these ice creams was not like the other. This was one of those occasions when one flavor far outshone the other. I was disappointed with the Banana Split, which was very icy because of the high water content in rice milk. The banana flavor was too subtle, and even the chocolate and strawberry swirls lacked the intense flavors I was hoping for. Feeling deflated, I turned to the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Walnut and -- wow -- it BLEW my mind. The pumpkin ice cream was laced with thick, gooey swirls of frosting-like cream cheese and studded with walnut pieces. I'm usually not a big fan of cream cheese, but its characteristic flavor accented the spiced pumpkin ice cream. The contrast in textures between the firm ice cream and the cool, soft swirls was irresistible. I couldn't help but polish off the entire scoop, and it was SO worth it. Please, please stop by Treat Dreams next time you're in Detroit... and stick with the traditional ice cream if you're not vegan. I promise you'll thank me :)

The Stats:

Treat Dreams

22965 Woodland Ave

Ferndale, MI 48220

www.treatdreams.com

Indian Pudding Ice Cream

Happy November!

It's fitting that my mom's birthday falls in the same month as Thanksgiving; I'm so blessed to have her in my life. My mom is one of the friendliest, happiest, and kindest people I've ever known. She always goes out of her way for others, and my sisters and I use her birthday as an excuse to treat her like a queen.

My mom's passion for New England history is well-known. She grew up in the Midwest but loved visiting extending family back in Massachusetts, relishing the autumn colors, colonial history, and local flavors. In fact, she convinced my dad to move to Massachusetts soon after they married. And to this day, my mom still gets excited when she sees clam chowder ("chowdah"), Boston baked beans, or hermit cookies. But there's one hearty New England dish that she covets above all the rest: Indian Pudding.

You may not know what Indian Pudding is, as I rarely see it on menus outside of New England. But this dessert is older than the country itself. In the 17th century, the English settlers brought with them their love of English "hasty pudding" - a sweetened stovetop porridge made by boiling water or milk with wheat flour until it thickens. But since wheat flour was scarce, early colonialists substituted it for native corn meal (which they had nicknamed "Indian flour"), which they flavored with maple syrup or molasses. Over time, early recipes evolved to include additional ingredients like butter, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, and sometimes raisins or walnuts. Though the brown and lumpy porridge isn't exactly visually-appealing, it's the ultimate cold-weather comfort food.

One of my mom's favorite places to enjoy Indian Pudding is at Rota-Spring Farm in Sterling, MA. Their Indian Pudding ice cream (reviewed here) is my family's favorite flavor, and it's what brings us back to Rota-Spring Farm time and time again. Last month, my mom delivered the terrible news that Rota won't be making this amazing flavor anymore. Apparently, their distributor has stopped carrying the base for this flavor. Instead of just creating the base in-house, Rota-Spring Farm told my mom that they'd be pulling Indian Pudding off their menu. My mom was really disappointed, so my sister Carolyn and I immediately began talks of creating our own Indian Pudding ice cream.

A couple weeks ago, we had our chance to try out a recipe. Carolyn was visiting me in DC, and we put our heads together to develop and try out a recipe. There are dozens of recipes for Indian Pudding online, but Google yielded just two for ice-cream versions. Using one for inspiration, Carolyn and I spent Saturday morning cooking the Indian-Pudding base. We first spread cornmeal on a baking sheet, toasting it to a golden brown. After, we boiled milk and cream with molasses on the stovetop before adding egg yokes, sugar and spices. After the mixture reached 185 degrees Fahrenheit (to ensure we wouldn't get sick from raw egg yolks), we mixed in the cornmeal and left the porridge in the refrigerator overnight.

Carolyn and I are fans of mix-ins in our Indian Pudding, so we decided to add a popular one, raisins, to our ice cream. I've learned from experience that raisins freeze into rock-hard nuggets in ice cream, but soaking them in alcohol will keep the raisins soft. We chose dark rum and soaked the raisins for over an hour on Sunday morning. We then pulled the fully-cooled base from the fridge. After a quick whirl in the blender to get rid of any grittiness, we poured the mixture into the ice-cream machine. Right before the ice cream was done, we poured the raisins in. The result looked exactly like frozen Indian Pudding!



Indian Pudding Ice Cream with Rum Raisins
{Makes 1.5 quarts}
Adapted from this recipe

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1 1/2 cup light cream
• 3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
• 1/4 cup molasses 
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 1/4 cup raisins

Directions

• The day before you'd like to eat this ice cream, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread the cornmeal out on a baking sheet and toast in oven until golden brown (about 12 minutes). Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the cream, milk and molasses to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Meanwhile, combine egg yolks, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk until pale. 
• Slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking the entire time (my sister helped with this part). Then return mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat until it's thickened and reached 185 degrees Fahrenheit (about 7 minutes).
• Turn off heat, remove saucepan from heat and transfer mixture to the large bowl. Stir in the toasted cornmeal, cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least 6 hours). When you do this, pour the raisins in a small bowl and cover with rum. Cover and keep on countertop or in the fridge.
• The next day, pour chilled mixture into blender and blend on high setting for about 30 seconds. 
• Pour mixture into ice cream maker and freeze per the manufacturer's directions. If you're using a Cuisinart, this means 1) turn on your machine, 2) slowly pour mixture in, and 3) leave the thing churn for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, strain extra rum from the raisins. A few minutes before the ice cream is finished churning, add the rum-soaked raisins.
• Serve immediately or, if a firmer consistency is desired, transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm.

The verdict? Dare I say this ice cream is even more delicious than the one at Rota Springs? Because this is one of the best ice creams I've ever made... or even tasted. It's silky, sweet and rich. The dark molasses and cornmeal are in perfect balance, married by the warm fall-inspired spices. The flavor is reminiscent of gingerbread, but more humble and comforting with the cornmeal aftertaste. The rum-soaked raisins adds an fancy twist to this classic colonial fare. While this ice cream was cold, each spoonful warmed my heart. This recipe may require some patience, but I promise you that it's worth it.

Happy birthday, mom! Here's to many more. 

Big Scoops at Little Man Ice Cream

One of my favorite questions to ask people is: "If you couldn't live in the state you currently call home, where would you most like to move?"

Now, this is a difficult question for me to answer. If I weren't working in Washington, DC, the obvious places to move would be Seattle or Boston. I've lived in both places and have loads of family and friends there. But there is a third city on my list: Denver, Colorado.

From the first time I set foot in Colorado, I've been totally enamored with this state. The immense sky, the majestic snow-capped mountains, the local cowboy attire... I simply can't get enough. And the fact that Denver is home to one of my best friends, Elysia, and to the annual Great American Beer Festival (GABF) doesn't hurt ;)

A few weeks ago, K and I headed out west for our fifth GABF together. Per tradition, we spent most of the weekend up in the mountains at Elysia's parents' house in Idaho Springs. And - as always - I enjoyed the time with Elysia, her family, and Rupert (Elysia's lovable Great Dane) even more than the beer festival itself. Still, it was an epic GABF; the crowds were bigger and the beer competition was even more fierce. And as someone whose gluten intolerance prevents me from enjoying most beers, I was excited about the expanding gluten-free offerings.

No matter how many days I spend in Colorado, I'm never quite ready to leave. But this year, the bittersweet drive to the airport was sweetened by a pit stop at Little Man Ice Cream in Denver. Elysia had heard it was the best ice-cream spot in town, and she'd patiently waited to try it until we could go together. So about two hours before my scheduled departure, Elysia pulled up to a 28-foot tall cream can.

Little Man Ice Cream is a well-known ice cream shop in the Highlands neighborhood of Denver, and its massive cream-can structure has become a local icon. Named after the founder's father's nickname,  Little Man first opened its doors (or should I say windows?) in 2008. But despite being just five-years old, it's already earned a legendary reputation as one of the best ice-cream spots in Colorado. The ice cream is hand-made a couple blocks away, and Elysia says there is usually a long line at the ice-cream counter. Oh - and customers have something to feel extra-good about; Little Man guarantees that for every scoop of ice cream you buy, they'll donate a scoop of rice to developing countries. An ice-cream shop with heart? It doesn't get any better than that!

We parked, put the leash on Rupert, and approached the cream can. I loved how Little Man decorates its extensive outdoor seating areas with autumn "flair": pumpkins, bales of hay, and even a scarecrow. These little touches put me in a good mood and eased the disappointment when I read the day's flavor offerings and saw that Fluffernutter wasn't on the list. Elysia and I had made the rookie mistake of checking the flavors online while en route to Little Man. We both got our hearts set on the ice cream named after my all-time favorite sandwich. But, luckily, Little Man had about a dozen other flavors to choose from. Most of them were unique, although not as crazy as the flavors I saw last year at Sweet Action in Denver. Some of the Little Man creations that stood out to me included Crème Fraîche, Balsamic Strawberry, Dulce de Leche and Salted Oreo. In the end, Elyshia went with a small cup of Peaches-N-Cream, while I asked for a small cup with half Mexican Chocolate and half Banana Chip. We forked over $2.50 each and soon enough, we were walking towards the pumpkin patch with these beauties.

Left: Lysia's Peaches-N-Cream
Right: My Mexican Chocolate & Banana Chip

The verdict? First of all, kudos to Little Man for their generous scoops of ice cream. Too many trendy parlors charge big prices for teeny-tiny scoops, but that isn't the case at Little Man. While the patio was crowded, we found an open bench big enough for me, K, Elysia and Rupert (yes, he's tell enough to sit his butt on benches). From the first bite, the firm, dense creaminess of Little Man's ice cream won me over. This is not "light" ice cream, and the high fat content gave the ice cream a satisfying richness that left me full for hours. I expected Banana Chip to be my favorite, but it was Mexican Chocolate that stole the spotlight. You can taste the higher-quality chocolate Little Man uses, and the subtle cinnamon flavor added a nice earthy depth that tasted great on an autumn afternoon. The real bananas in the Banana Chip had a nice caramel-y flavor, and the big chocolate chunks added a nice crunch in every-other spoonful. Elysia loved that her Peaches-N-Cream was chock-full of tiny bits of real fruit. Still, Elysia and I had the same thought: Little Man's creations have all the makings of "out-of-this-word-AHmazing" ice cream, but we just wanted the flavors to be more intense. The cinnamon in Mexican Chocolate, the banana in Banana Chip, and the peach in Peaches-N-Cream were yummy but too subtle. But while Little Man could kick up the flavor a bit, but it's tough to beat the experience (or the company!) here. I can't wait to come back!

The Stats:
Little Man Ice Cream
2620 16th Street
Denver, CO 80211
(303) 455-3811
http://www.littlemanicecream.com

My First Yak Ice Cream (Beijing, Part 3)

On our last full day in Beijing, K and I did some aimless exploring around the city. Some of my favorite travel memories have occurred on such outings. And in Asia, every street feels like an entirely-new world to me. The sights, smells, and tastes are just so foreign compared to my everyday life... unlike traveling to Australia or Europe, where I think the languages, cultures, and foods seem more familiar.

Our day's adventures brought us to the bustling street of Nanluoguxian. The same friend who recommended I try the ice cream at the Wu Yu Tai Tea Shop also told me about historic Nanluoguxian. K and I didn't really know what to expect when we arrived, but I had a lot of fun exploring around here. It's a pedestrian-only street, chock-full of food and jewelry stands.

It wasn't long before K spotted something totally new: yak soft serve. We noticed a giant photo of a soft-serve ice cream cone at a food stand named "A Bite of Tibetan Flavor." I wouldn't have known it was yak ice cream, since nothing besides the stand's name was written in English. But K has been to Tibet, so he knew that the ice cream would be made out of yak milk. Yaks are a source of life to the Tibetan people, who herd the animals for their milk, meat, hide, and even their poo! Since it's treeless in the high Himalayans, Tibetans use dried yak poo to start fires. K tried yak milk, butter and cheese while in Tibet, and I knew that he didn't like any of it. But we still couldn't pass by the opportunity to try yak soft serve. When in Rome China, right?

The verdict? Yak is yucky! There are very few ice creams out there that I find inedible, but this was one of them. When the ice cream first hit my tongue, it tasted mild and creamy. But my taste buds were quickly overcome with that famous rancid-tangy flavor that is characteristic of yak milk. The best way I can think to describe it is sour cream or plain yogurt gone bad. As someone who can't even handle pungent cow cheese, yak ice cream will never be my thing. While K and I were sad to admit defeat, neither one of us could handle more than a couple small licks of this cone. Still, it was fun to try something totally new to me. And of course, I think everyone should try yak ice cream and make up their own mind about it :)

The Stats:
A Bite of Tibetan Flavor
Nanluoguxian, or Nanluoguo Xiang
Dongcheng District, Beijing 100009, China

Made in China (Beijing, Part 2)

Let's head back to Beijing!

As mentioned in my previous post, K and I took a quick trip to China over Memorial Day weekend. After two ice-cream-less days in Shanghai, I was excited to have 48 hours in Beijing - where ice cream is easier to find.

Since our time in Beijing was so short, we tried to make the most of every mealtime -- treating ourselves to massive breakfasts and dinners but skipping full lunches in favor of snacking (the best of which was that tea-flavored soft serve). We made sure to visit K's favorite fancy Beijing restaurant, Made in China, which he discovered several years ago during a business trip. Located in the beautiful Grand Hyatt hotel, Made in China serves up classic Northern Chinese dishes in a contemporary atmosphere.

We didn't think far enough ahead to make reservations, so K and I ate dinner at the restaurant's bar. This wasn't disappointing at all; we both love chit-chatting with bartenders and watching the hustle and bustle while enjoying a meal. K was in charge of ordering, and he picked out several interesting appetizers and a nice bottle of white wine. The star of the meal was Made in China's signature Peking duck. According to Wikipedia, the Chinese have been preparing Peking duck since the imperial ages. At Made in China, the ducks are slow roasted in a wood-burning stove until the skin is dark brown and crispy. The roasted duck is then sliced tableside and served with little steamed pancakes (sadly, not gluten free), cucumbers, scallions, hoisin sauce, garlic, and sugar. Diners then assemble their own little taco-like duck pancakes. Even without the pancakes, I thoroughly enjoyed this local delicacy.

As you could imagine, K and I were fairly full from our dinner. But when the bartender handed over the dessert menu, I spotted homemade ice cream and decided to go "all out." After all, we were on vacation... right?

Made in China serves up about six flavors of ice cream, but the most unique is definitely Wuliangye Chocolate. K told me that Wuliangye is a common type of baijiu, the classic Chinese distilled alcohol known for its potent smell and taste. K doesn't like baijiu, but we were both intrigued by Made in China's decision to combine it with chocolate. Since an order of ice cream includes two scoops, I hedged my bet and asked for Cashew Nut Crunch for my second scoop.

Bottom: Wuliangye Chocolate; Top: Cashew Nut Crunch

The verdict?  Made in China's ice cream is clearly homemade, and its texture is more icy than your average store-bought variety. The flavor of each scoop was intensely yummy; the nutty sweetness of the Cashew Nut Crunch was very satisfying. The "crunch" was tiny bits of cashew - small enough that you didn't need to worry about chewing before letting the ice cream melt in your mouth. This flavor also made a nice palate cleanser after a few bites of the strong Wuliangye Chocolate. This scoop reminded me of why I must create my own boozy ice cream; I can never get enough of the juxtaposition of the heat of alcohol and the cool sweetness of ice cream. And K thought Made in China was right to pair the baijiu with chocolate, as he figured vanilla wouldn't be strong enough to compete with the pungent alcohol. Overall, I thought both flavors were fun. But the Wuliangye Chocolate was the most memorable of the night.... Maybe even more memorable than the Peking duck!

The Stats:
Made in China
1 East Chang An Avenue
Beijing. China 100738
http://www.beijing.grand.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/MadeinChina.html

Tea Time for Ice-Cream Lovers (Beijing, Part I)

It's been way too long, my friends. I apologize for the long absence; work and wedding planning have gotten the best of me. But while blog writing took a back seat, ice-cream eating did not. And I have several new reviews to share with y'all!

Over Labor Day weekend, K and I flew to China for a mini-vacation. A major reason for our trip was that K needed to practice his Mandarin, which he feared was getting rusty. In his previous job, K would travel to China multiple times a year, making it easy to keep up on his language skills. But his new job doesn't require much travel to Asia, so he now has to create reasons to go to China.

We started our trip in Shanghai, a beautiful city in eastern China. Shanghai is one of the busiest port cities in the world, so it has a very global feel. The city is very cosmopolitan yet seems cleaner than Beijing. The big drawback of Shanghai? It's very difficult to find ice-cream shoppes in the city! Sure, McDonald's and other fast-food chains serve ice cream. But I had my eyes peeled for some mom-and-pop places but didn't find any. On our last evening in Shanghai, K searched for ice cream on his phone. We hopped into a cab and gave the driver the address of a gelato store, but we arrived just minutes after they closed for the night. I was disappointed, but I knew that we'd have better luck in Beijing.

The last time K and I were in Beijing, we hung out with my childhood friend who was living and working in the city. While my friend has since moved back to the States, she did have some ice-cream recommendations for me. The one that sounded most intriguing was the Wu Yu Tai Tea Shop, which she said was a popular "local" teashop that happened to serve tea-flavored ice cream.

With the teashop's address in-hand, K and I took the subway to the Beixinqiao stop in northeastern Beijing. The traffic is so bad in this city that taking the subway usually saves you a lot of time! It was oppressively hot outside, but I soldiered on. There was good ice cream to be had!

The first Wu Yu Tai teashop was established in Beijing in 1887, connecting city dwellers with a

variety of teas from the countryside. And 120 years later, Wu Yu Tai now has many different locations in and around Beijing. We had a pretty easy time finding our location. After all, it's not every day that you see a giant green ice cream cone on the sidewalk!

The Wu Yu Tai teashop was a quiet oasis in a bustling part of Beijing, filled with beautiful displays of tea leaves, teapots, and teacups. One of the two female employees rushed to our side as soon as we walked through the door. K explained in Mandarin that we were here for ice cream. She said they had two different flavors: Green Tea (or "Macha") and Jasmine. Without even consulting me, K ordered one cone of each flavor. The woman disappeared into a small alcove and resurfaced moments later, carrying two cones. The serving size was incredibly small... probably less ice cream than in an American kiddie cone. But our small cones came with an equally-small price: the bill for two cones was ¥8, which is equivalent to less than $2.

Left: Green Tea / Right: Jasmine
(Not my best photography; it was hot and I was rushing to eat!)

The verdict? I have no idea how Wu Yu Tai does it, but their ice cream tastes exactly like a strong cup of tea with milk. These ice-cream favors weren't sweet, but they had deep floral notes and that distinct nearly-bitter tea aftertaste. While the Green Tea ice cream had the best visual appeal, it was the beige-colored Jasmine that had K and me asking for more... literally! Neither of us were fully satisfied with the small servings, so K doled out a few more RMBs for another Jasmine cone to share. After all, ice cream offers the sweetest relief in Beijing's oppressive summer heat. I definitely recommend that any visitor in Beijing try to find a Wu Yu Tai location for this one-of-a-kind ice-cream experience.

The Stats:
Wu Yu Tai Tea Shop
43 Yonghegong Dajie (Multiple other locations)
Beijing, China
http://en.wuyutai.com/default.php

Campfire-Less S'Mores Ice Cream

August is nearing its end... and with it goes any hope of going camping this year.

I spent a lot of time outdoors this summer - tubing, biking, swimming, walking, and simply relaxing. But growing up, every summer included at least one family camping trip. So it seems strange to let a summer go by without setting up a tent, chatting around a big campfire, and waking up in a sleeping bag. But most importantly, I can't bear the thought of a s'mores-less summer. The horror!

Since I can't go to the s'mores, I figured I'd bring the s'mores to me. And thus a new ice-cream recipe was born...

Did you know that you can "roast" marshmallows using your oven's broiler? I'd never tried this trick before, but it works surprisingly. The trick is to watch them like a hawk to avoid burning them and setting off your apartment's fire alarm.

This recipe is perfect for city dwellers like me, who dream about eating campfire s'mores under the stars while we sit in our tiny urban apartments.

Campfire-Less S'Mores Ice Cream
{Makes 1.5 quarts}

Ingredients

• 2 cups while milk
• 1 cup light cream
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract 
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1.5 cups mini marshmallows (or ~10 regular-sized marshmallows)
• 1.5 regular-sized Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bars, chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup chopped graham cracker pieces (for gluten free, I followed this recipe)

Directions

• Combine the milk, cream and sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Turn off heat, remove saucepan from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and salt. Transfer mixture to a large metal or ceramic bowl. Cover and refrigerate until mixture is cold (about 1-2 hours).
• Pour chilled mixture into ice cream maker and freeze per the manufacturer's directions. If you're using a Cuisinart, this means 1) turn on your machine, 2) slowly pour mixture in, and 3) leave the thing churn for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat broiler (if you have the option, turn broiler on "low"). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and mist with cooking spray. Arrange marshmallows on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Broil the marshmallows, watching carefully (I kept oven door ajar), until the marshmallows are golden brown (took about 1 minute). Remove marshmallows and set aside.
• Five minutes before mixing is completed, gradually add bits of the toasted marshmallows through the top of the ice-cream maker (this part can be a bit messy - but that's part of the fun!). Once mixed, add the chopped chocolate and graham crackers, one spoonful at a time. Let everything mix into the ice cream.
• Serve immediately or if a firmer consistency is desired, transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm.

The verdict? This ice cream totally satisfies my s'mores craving. The vanilla ice-cream base is nothing special, but it's mild flavor allowed the flavors of toasted marshmallows, Hershey's milk chocolate, and graham crackers to take center stage. This recipe is definitely on the sweeter side of the ice-cream sugar spectrum, but isn't that the point of s'mores? Now, I must warn you that this recipe is heavy-handed with the mix-ins. This was a conscious choice on my part - but if super-chunky ice creams aren't your thing, simply scale back the on the amount of mix-ins you add. But I adored how the slightly-chewy marshmallows, nutty graham cracker crunch, and classic Hershey's milk chocolate taste made it into every spoonful. And while I might not be sleeping in a tent tonight, I'll definitely go to bed with that familiar feeling of fullness and nostalgia.

A Labor of Love at Max's Best Ice Cream

I've lived in Washington, DC for seven (non-consecutive) years, so I don't know why it took me so long to visit Max's Best Ice Cream. Located north of Georgetown in the Glover Park neighborhood, Max's has been dishing out homemade ice cream for over twenty years. Their list of clientele is impressive; Vice-President Joe Bide, Andre Agassi, and First Lady Michelle Obama are all fans.

This past Saturday, my friend Anna drove K and me back to DC after a long afternoon of tubing on the Shenandoah River in Virginia. Anna had the brilliant idea of stopping for dessert when we hit the District, and I suggested we test out the ice cream at Max's. After all, Anna and I have been enjoying ice cream together since high school, when Anna would often join my family on evening trips to Rota-Spring Farm. And now - a couple years and graduate degrees later - here we were in DC, seeking out a homemade ice-cream shop on a balmy night in the nation's capitol.

We had no trouble finding Max's Best Ice Cream; the bright neon signs and large storefront window make it hard to miss. And even though it was quite late (nearly 11pm), a number of patrons were lingering both inside and on the sidewalk. Before I even opened the glass door, I spotted a thick head of shocking-white hair behind the counter. After seeing a couple photos of Max online, I knew this was the famous owner himself!



The ice-cream shop itself is colorful and memorable, but not quite as colorful or memorable as the man behind the counter. Max is a white-haired spitfire who serves up his ice cream with a side of humor in a thick Persian accent. When I asked Max which of the twenty-plus flavors was the best, and he replied that every ice cream was his favorite. "It's like choosing a favorite child. You never hear your parents saying 'I like you best!'" Well said, Max. Well said.

Anna and I were both feeling indecisive; every flavor sounded delicious! Thankfully, Max waited patiently as we debated our choices. When Anna asked for samples, and Max happily handed us big ol' bites on little sticks. I have a theory that the bigger the sample at an ice cream shop, the more the owner loves his or her ice cream. I just tried one sample, the Orange Chocolate Chocolate Chip (or "OC3", as the sign noted). It was delicious; rich chocolate ice cream with an essence of orange and nice bites of chocolate bits. I nearly ordered a full size of it, but I went with my gut and picked the Mozambique - which supposedly had "cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves." Anna decided to stick with one of her all-time favorite flavors, Coffee Oreo.

While Anna ordered a small cup with hot fudge, I went all out and asked for a sundae - but with Heath bar chunks instead of hot fudge. After dropping a generous scoop of ice cream into my bowl, Max he headed to the freezer and pulled out a large metal bowl full of freshly-whipped cream. No cans of fake cream at Max's. Anna put it best when she whispered "Now THAT is true love."

We paid around $6.50 for the small sundae and $5 for the single scoop with fudge sauce. That's not cheap, but Max's prices are pretty much par for the course here in DC. And I'm always happy to fork over some extra cash for locally-made ice cream.

The verdict? This is homemade ice cream at its best. Max's ice cream is firm yet velvety-smooth, rich yet refreshing, and sweet yet complex. In his Mozambique ice cream, Max manages to create an extraordinary flavor using just three of the most-common baking spices. When I ordered the flavor, I figured it would taste like a fancy cinnamon ice cream... but it really didn't. The best way I can describe the taste of Mozambique is like my mom's pumpkin pie... minus the pumpkin. While most pumpkin pie recipes call for more cinnamon than other spices, my mom achieves a slightly-spicy flavor by using more nutmeg and cloves in her pies. Because I grew up in a kitchen where spice ratios were taken very seriously, I appreciated Max's mastery of flavor combinations. Each bite of ice cream kept my taste buds interested. And the lightly-sweetened homemade whipped cream and chunks of Heath bar were - to use a dessert metaphor - just the icing on the cake. Oh - and Anna raved about the strong espresso flavor in her scoop of Coffee Oreo. We've already made a pact to return next month for the fall debut of Max's Spicy Pumpkin, and I'd bet money that I leave the store with a pint or two to enjoy at home.*

The Stats:
Max's Ice Cream
2416 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 333-3111
http://maxsbesticecream.com/

*NOTE: While searching online for Max's phone number to include in this post, I was shocked to learn that Max is currently fighting to retain his 20-year-old lease in Glover Park. Apparently, Max might have to shut his doors on October 31st, as the BBQ joint next door is aiming to take over his lease in order to expand. The details are a bit unclear, but the Glover Park community has been rallying behind Max. I found this Change.org petition asking the leasing company to allow Max to keep his lease and stay in business. If you visit or live in DC, please consider signing this petition to ensure that you, too, can experience ice cream at Max's!

A Girls' Night In with 16 Handles

A couple weekends ago, I took a bus from DC to New York City to spend a night with Kris, one of my college roommates and dearest friends. Kris has a glamorous (but demanding) career in the PR/fashion world. And while she may attend high-profile dinners and galas, Kris still loves a low-key girls' night as much as I do. Given our busy schedules this summer summer, we were both looking forward to a night of girl talk, cocktails, and ice cream.

We dined al fresco at an adorable Mexican restaurant in Kris' neighborhood, enjoying guacamole and fancy versions of margaritas and sangria. Unlike most Manhattan restaurants, the staff here didn't make us feel rushed, and we lingered over our drinks and food for a couple hours. We eventually decided to head back to Kris' apartment to watch a movie. Kris knew that I was looking to sample NYC ice cream, so she mentioned that we'd pass her favorite frozen yogurt spot - 16 Handles - on our walk back.

The first 16 Handles store opened in NYC back in 2008. And in just five years, it's become the most popular self-serve frozen yogurt chain in the city - with stores beginning to pop up in other East Coast cities. Obviously, I wanted to know what all the excitement was about!

It wasn't difficult to spot 16 Handles; bright neon sign, colorful storefront, and lots of people. The line to the soft-serve machines was vey long, but it moved surprisingly quickly. Plus, the wait time was very enjoyable... thanks to the employee walking down the line offering to grab samples for everyone. I asked to sample the Peanut Butter, which was top-notch. Rich and creamy, it tasted like real peanut butter - no hint of that strange artificial flavor sometimes found in pb ice creams.

Before long, Kris and I were grabbing our empty cups and contemplating the sixteen different flavors available that night. Yes, there are sixteen handles to pull at 16 Handles. You can choose to fill your cup with one flavor (boring!) or all sixteen. Consistent with the modern vibe of the store, the flavor names are posted on bright LED screens. As a gluten-free girl, I really appreciated how 16 Handles identifies its gluten-free flavors with little icons on these screens.

16 Handles seems to offer a flavor for everyone - including people looking for low-fat or no-sugar-added frozen yogurt. For the vegans and lactose intolerant, 16 Handles offers non-dairy sorbet flavors (including Watermelon and Berry Melody). I usually refrain from mixing fruity sorbets with regular dairy flavors after a particularly unpleasant combination (watermelon mocha, anyone?). In the end, I pulled three handles: the Chocolate Love Affair, Salted Caramel, and New York Cheesecake (in honor of NYC). The toppings bar was the best I've seen - with plenty of healthy fruit, colorful sprinkles, kid-approved cereal, and one-of-a-kind specialties (including the seasonal "bananas foster", which was essentially banana slices covered in brown-sugar syrup). I kept it simple and topped my frozen yogurt with rainbow sprinkles, mini chocolate and yogurt chips, and a few toffee chunks.

Because we were still full from dinner, Kris and I asked to take our creations "to go." The efficient staff quickly weighed our cups before packaging them up. Knowing how expensive everything is in New York City, I was surprised that each of our servings cost less than five dollars! We paid and continued on to Kris' apartment, where we popped our 16 Handles bag into the freezer. We then relaxed on Kris' couch, watching the first Sex and the City movie (i.e. the best one) until we had an appetite for dessert!

The verdict? Go ahead, you can add my name to the list of 16 Handles fans. Not only was the self-serve experience fun, but this frozen yogurt was top-notch. Despite an hour in the freezer, my frozen yogurt was smooth and creamy  - more like great soft-serve ice cream than low-fat frozen yogurt. The New York Cheesecake had that distinct cheesecake flavor, but it was mild enough to pair well with almost any other flavor. I really liked the Chocolate Love Affair, as it tasted more like dark chocolate than milk. But my absolute favorite flavor was Salted Caramel. Unlike some versions I've tried, 16 Handles' flavor has that deep, buttery caramel taste without being, well, salty. After all, the theory behind salted caramel is that a pinch of salt enhances the taste of caramel - not that salt should be a separate flavor! I was impressed that such a complex flavor could be achieved in frozen yogurt. Sure, 16 Handles may be trendy - but I think this is one trend that's here to stay.

The Stats:
16 Handles
Various locations in NYC and beyond
http://16handles.com

Happy National Ice Cream Day!

It's July 21st...

How will you celebrate National Ice Cream Day?

I'll post soon to show you how I celebrated today!

 

A Taste of Italy in WA's Bavarian Village

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of getting acquainted with the town of Leavenworth, in Washington State.

K's parents, who live in a small condo in downtown Seattle, treat this town as their "mountain oasis." Nestled among the Cascade Mountains, Leavenworth is a prime location for many outdoor activities. In the winter, you'll find K's parents skiing or snowshoeing. In the summer, they'll be hiking, mountain biking, or tubing down the Wenatchee River. Because they love it so much, K and I decided to spend his birthday weekend with his parents in Leavenworth. And I, too, fell head-over-heels for this mountain town.

But because I'm not the outdoor-sporty-type, I fell in love with Leavenworth for different reasons. First and foremost, this mountain town is modeled after a Bavarian village. Imagine Disney World-caliber without all the cheesiness. Leavenworth's local businesses take the Bavarian theme very seriously. Even the Starbucks and Safeway stores were designed in the quintessentially-Bavarian style. The downtown area is small, but it boasts multiple beer gardens and knick-knack shops. Plus, majestic snow-capped mountains are visible from every angle. Every time I walk down the main street, I'm overcome with an urge to belt out songs from "The Sound of Music."

As you'd expect in any good tourist town, Leavenworth boasts a high ice-cream shops-per-capita ratio. Most ice-cream spots are housed within larger candy or gift stores, but I walked by a gelateria the day we arrived in Leavenworth. The Viadolce Gelateria sits in the heart of downtown, its large windows and open door inviting folks inside. Through the windows, I spotted a large case containing more than a dozen colorful gelato bins. Just then, a customer exited the shop, "mmm"ing while he licked a giant delicious-looking cone. I had to practice some serious self-control to walk past the store. But K's mom loves ice cream almost as much as I do, so I wanted to wait until I could return with her.

The next night, we all enjoyed a nice bratwurst dinner together in the München Haus beer garden. The restaurant is just a block away from Viadolce, so I offered to treat K's parents to gelato on our walk back to their place. It was a sweltering-hot night (over 100 degrees), and ice cream sounded really good. We ducked into Viadolce Gelateria and surveyed the options.
They carried about 18 different flavors, many of which were fruity "sorbettos". The Pear looked delicious, but I've been disappointed by all pear-flavored gelatos outside of Italy itself. Plus, I had already spotted a bin of Cherry gelato.  Everyone who's spent time in the Pacific Northwest during the summer knows what a BIG deal cherries are here. K's and my favorite variety is the Rainier, which is only in-season during the early months of summer. Our local Whole Foods store in Washington, DC does carry Rainier cherries for a couple months, but they cost us ~$15 per pound. At Viadolce, I could get my fix of fresh Washington cherries for a fraction of the cost. I ordered a small size, and the nice man behind the counter asked if I wanted one or two flavors. You know what my answer was. I asked him what flavor would pair well with cherry, and he suggested Panna (Italian cream).

Cherry and Panna

The verdict? There is nothing as refreshing as ice cream on a hot and humid evening. Viadolce's gelato felt cool and soft on my tongue, and I savored the flavors melting over my taste buds. Unlike most ice cream I find in touristy towns, the gelato at Viadolce wasn't sugary-sweet. Both the Cherry and the Panna had a subtle sweetness, allowing the flavors of cherries and cream to stand out. A little sign in the Cherry gelato bin had warned that "gelato may contain pieces of cherry pits", and they weren't exaggerating! I literally found a couple small pit pieces in my cup. But it was a small price to pay for the authentic flavor of real cherries. While the creamy and mild Panna wasn't exactly memorable, I would imagine it would pair well with any fruity flavor.

The others enjoyed their gelato, too - especially K's dad, who proclaimed that the Toasted Almond was one of the best ice creams he'd ever tasted! I'll have to give that flavor a try next time... when I return to Leavenworth for its annual Oktoberfest Festival! Stay tuned...

The Stats:
Viadolce Gelato
636 Front Street
Leavenworth, WA 98826
(509) 548-6712
http://www.viadolcegelato.com

The Apple House Ice Cream Stand

Summers in the District of Columbia are h-o-t and humid. When the temperature rises above 90 degrees, I'm itching for ways to stay in the AC or - better yet - leave the city. Lucky for me, K and our friends Becca and Bryan are always up for an adventure. So this Saturday, we all drove an hour into Virginia to go tubing on the Shenandoah River. We'd all gone tubing before, but we were seriously impressed with the service provided by the Downriver Canoe Company. For $22, you get to park your car, rent an inner tube, catch a ride down to the river, enjoy a lazy 3-hour tubing trip, and then hop into a waiting bus that returns you to your car. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to go tubing with minimal hassle.

We had just left the tubing place and were on our way back to DC when we spotted this...

... a sign for the Apple House's ice cream stand! The Apple House is a restaurant serving up fish, burgers, and BBQ, but they open a roadside ice cream stand during the summer months. This big sign makes the place hard-to-miss, and a cold, creamy snack sounded like heaven to us.

The Apple House's Ice Cream Stand is nothing fancy, but the crowded parking lot and picnic tables were a good sign. The Apple House only offers soft-serve ice cream, with Vanilla and Chocolate flavors available everyday. This afternoon, the rotating "flavors of the week" were Peanut Butter and Coffee. You can get your soft-serve "straight-up" in a cup or cone or made into a sundae, "candy blast" (mix-ins blended in), or a shake. While the soft-serve flavors aren't exactly interesting, the extensive menu of toppings and mix-ins means that you can get creative with your order. The "Rice Krispies Shake" caught my eye, but K and I were sharing - and he had his eye on the marshmallow topping listed on the menu. In the end, we opted for a "small" cup of classic Vanilla soft-serve with marshmallow topping and rainbow sprinkles. The small-cup of ice cream itself was $2.39, but our two add-ons brought the bill to over $4.

K and my cup, and Bryan modeling his cone

The verdict? Vanilla soft-serve with sprinkles screams "Summer!" to me. I'm always transported back to early-evening outings with my family, licking dripping cones standing next to our car or on an old, sticky picnic table. The Apple House's Ice Cream Stand lived up to the standard of good-ol' vanilla soft-serve, but it didn't surpass it. The marshmallow topping was sugary-sweet like it should be, but was a bit to runny for K's taste (he prefers the thick, goopy kind). Still, I was really disappointed with the measly spoonful of rainbow sprinkles - especially because I paid almost a dollar extra for them! In New England, most mom-and-pop ice cream stands will drown your cup or cone in sprinkles for free. That being said, the Apple House's soft-serve was very enjoyable and made the oppressive heat a little easier to bear.

The Stats:
Apple House Ice Cream Stand
4675 John Marshall Highway
Linden, VA 22642
http://www.theapplehouse.net

Ice-Cream "Tasting" at Cayuga Lake Creamery

This Memorial Day weekend, my family and I tasted our way through the Finger Lakes in Upstate New York. K and I had flown into Boston on Friday evening, where we met my sister and headed to my parent's house. The next morning, we all piled into the minivan for the six-hour drive to get to our hotel in Seneca Falls, New York. The drive was long, but it was worth it! The Finger Lakes area is incredibly scenic, with its rolling green hills, family-run dairy farms, and many vineyards surrounding the deep blue lakes. And just when you think the view couldn't be more quaint, you'll drive by an Amish horse-drawn buggy.

Our weekend getaway was a two-day "tasting" extravaganza. Our focus, of course, was on the wine. We must have visited almost a dozen wineries and sampled thirty different wines. Most of the wineries had intimate and laid-back atmospheres. The Finger Lakes region is known for their white wine - and I definitely agreed. Most of the Rieslings were superb!  But if wine isn't your thing, you can also find local breweries, cider mills, and dairy creameries scattered among the Finger Lakes. The dairy products here are top-notch. I'm not even a cheese-lover, but one of the highlights of the trip was our cheese tasting at the Muranda Cheese Company. Great cheese made from local ingredients - served by friendly locals. But to be honest, dairy cows make me think one thing: "ice cream."

Before heading off on our Finger Lakes adventure, I did some research to identify the best-of-the-best ice cream in the area. It soon became apparent that the Cayuga Lake Creamery was the cream of the crop. Heck, it was listed as one of the top 50 ice-cream parlors in the country in one USA Today article. I easily convinced the family to make a special trip to the Cayuga Lake Creamery by reading through some of the interesting flavors advertised online. How can one not be excited to try Maple Bacon or Jalapeño Popper ice cream? 

Late Sunday afternoon, we finally made a detour to Cayuga Lake Creamery. With its walk-up counters, picnic tables, and small kid's playground, Cayuga Lake Creamery is a quintessential roadside ice-cream joint. They have a full menu of typical drive-in fare (burgers, hot dogs, fish and chips, etc.), but the focus is clearly on the ice cream. The daily ice cream and sorbet flavors are posted on chalkboard menus above the counters. While the Cayuga Lake Creamery website did clearly warn that many of the 100+ flavors "are seasonal and not available at all times," I'd anticipated more than the 20 or so that were listed today. And sadly, none of the crazy flavors we'd hoped to try (i.e. Jalapeño Popper) were posted. Just when I was beginning to feel defeated, however, I saw that Cayuga Lake Creamery offers gluten-free cones! Also, they note all gluten-free flavors with little blue stars on their menu. As someone with a gluten-sensitivity, I seriously appreciated these little gestures. Few ice-cream establishments cater to the gluten-free crowd.

While we debated which flavors (and sizes) to order, K pointed out a sign for the "Taster's Choice." For just $7.25, you can get five small scoops of ice cream. This sounded perfect for our group, as we didn't want to ruin our appetites for dinner. My sister, mom and I were put in charge of selecting the flavors. Because there were just 20 to choose from, narrowing it down to five (gluten-free) flavors wasn't too hard. We opted for an eclectic mix of Coconut, Rum Raisin, Mocha Chocolate Chunk, Gianduia, and Snickers.

The Cayuga Lake Creamery has an efficient system; you put your order in at one of the two "ordering" windows, and then you step aside and wait for your order at a separate "pick up" window. We enjoyed the sunshine and people-watching for a few minutes before this lovely thing appeared:


From top left around clockwise - Gianduia, Snickers, Rum Raisin & Coconut 
Center - Mocha Almond Fudge

The verdict? Cayuga Lake Creamery gets major bonus points from me for their "Taster's Choice." It's normal to order flights or samplers of wine, beer, and cheese - so why not ice cream? This sampler was the perfect size for sharing among multiple people. And while none of Cayuga Lake Creamery's most bizarre flavors were on rotation this afternoon, my family and I were impressed with all of the ones we ordered. My mom's favorite flavor was Coconut. The coconut-flavored base was flavorful and refreshing, and included just the right amount of dried coconut flakes. My sister Carolyn's favorite was Gianduia, which was a twist on the classic Italian flavor. Cayuga Lake Creamery's version was a rich milk-chocolate ice cream, loaded with chopped hazelnuts and chocolate chunks. I was surprised to enjoy the Mocha Chocolate Chunk the most. The mocha ice cream was strong, but not too-strong, and the fudge swirl was thick and tasted like fresh homemade fudge sauce. The "chunks" were actually almond pieces, which added a nice crunch and nutty depth to the ice cream. The Snickers was certainly a crowd-pleaser; the sweet vanilla ice cream contrasted well with the chunks of Snickers candy and extra peanuts and caramel swirls. Finally, Rum Raisin was the most unique-tasting of the bunch. At first bite, I didn't taste any rum... just vanilla ice cream. But as soon as you bite a massive brown or golden raisin, you're hit with an intense burst of rum-soaked deliciousness. I probably wouldn't order a giant cone of Rum Raisin, but it was a fun one to try as a group. Overall, everyone was impressed with the Cayuga Lake Creamery. Heck... the fact that all five of us enjoyed all five different flavors makes for a pretty good review!

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The Stats:
Cayuga Lake Creamery
8421 State Route 89
Interlaken, NY 14847
(607) 532-9492
http://www.cayugalakecreamery.com

Banana Flambé Ice Cream

Does your family have any funny shared memories? The types that cause everyone to burst out laughing, even years later?

My family has a lot of funny memories. I'm not sure if that's because we're funny, or we can embarrass ourselves quite often... One of my favorite ones took place in Washington, DC before I started graduate school. My family helped me move, and we went out to dinner at our favorite Thai restaurant. We were stuffed after a delicious meal, but my Dad's prix fixe dinner included dessert. He almost passed on it, but we all offered to take "a bite" of the famous banana flambé. This dessert entails quite a show; our server rolled a cart and proceeded to cook the flambé right next to our table. She heated butter and brown sugar until it caramelized, then added two bananas and doused everything in flaming cognac. We all clapped as she tipped the bananas into a dish and added two massive scoops of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. Something about the show made us forget how full we were, because the five of us attacked that flambé. That warm, sticky banana and rich ice cream didn't stand a chance. As we were scraping the last bits of brown sugar goop from the bowl, my sister Ava got up to use the restroom. And as the rest of us were finally putting down our spoons, a different server came to the table carrying another banana flambé! He explained that our server felt she had "messed the first one up" and redid the flambé. Say what? The first flambé was a masterpiece! But before we could argue, the man plopped down the second flambé and walked away. Well, letting this dessert go to waste would have been a travesty. So we picked up our spoons and dug in. When Ava returned from the bathroom, the shocked look on her face was priceless. She was obviously judging us, yet it did not stop her from picking up a spoon and joining! I'll admit, even I was surprised when we polished off that second enormous dessert. To this day, whenever someone brings up banana flambé, the five of us burst out laughing - both embarrassed and proud at the same time.

I've been wanting to incorporate banana flambé into ice cream for some time now. The opportunity arose last week, while I was working remotely from my parent's house. It was nearly 90 degrees out, the AC units haven't been installed yet, and I spied a bunch of ripe bananas in the kitchen. A quick internet search for "banana flambé ice cream" resulted in recipes for banana flambé with ice cream but none for banana flambé-flavored ice cream. Undeterred, I set about developing my own concoction.

My recipe ended up being pretty simple. First, I made a banana flambé puree by baking banana slices in a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, a smidge of butter, and a dash of dark rum. I could have used the stove top, but I personally prefer baking over sauteing (I burn myself way too often for someone in her late 20s). 

After pulling the bananas out of the oven, I added a squeeze of lemon (to prevent any gross-looking browning) and mashed everything lightly with a fork before covering the dish and popping it into the fridge. The next day, I scraped the cold banana flambé into the blender and added some milk, lemon juice, salt, and vanilla. After blending everything for less than a minute, I poured the base into my mother's Cuisinart ice-cream maker (identical to mine) and pressed "on." When I came back 20 minutes later, the ice cream was done!

Banana Flambé Ice Cream
{Makes 1 quart}

Ingredients

• 3 large bananas (the riper the better) 
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. dark rum
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into little pieces
• 1/4 tsp. lemon juice (just a squeeze)
• 1.5 cups whole milk
• 2 tbsp. white sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Peel bananas and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Arrange in shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and rum. Distribute butter pieces evenly. Bake for 30 minutes, basting once or twice during cooking.
• Transfer baked banana mixture to a large bowl, add squeeze of lemon juice (to prevent browning), and mash everything lightly with a fork. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (I chilled overnight).
• Scrape chilled banana mixture into blender and add milk, white sugar, vanilla, and salt. Blend until smooth.
• Pour mixture into ice cream maker and freeze per the manufacturer's directions. If you're using a Cuisinart, this means 1) turn on your machine, 2) slowly pour mixture in, and 3) leave the thing alone for 15 minutes or so.
• For best results, transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm.

Ice cream for three.

The verdict? I figured banana flambé ice cream would be good, but I didn't anticipate just how amazing this recipe would be. Roasting the bananas helped to break them down, and the brown sugar and rum glaze resulted in a deep, caramelized flavor that I adored. The rum flavor wasn't strong, so if you love rum - you could add more. Opting to use whole milk instead of cream was risky, but the recipe turned out to be creamy and not at all icy. Perhaps that is due to the high banana-to-milk ratio? I enjoyed my serving in a gluten-free cone, while my parents opted for bowls. My mom raved about the intense flavor, but my banana-loving dad thought it was almost too intense (what a wimp!). He ended up "cutting" my ice cream with a scoop of plain ol' store-bought vanilla. But my ouce cream motto is "go big or go home!" I savored every bite of my cone, and I ended up polishing off the rest of the banana flambé ice cream within 24 hours. What can I say? It's a family thing ;)