The Best, Worst & Weirdest of 2013

Happy 2014!

As the first week of the new year comes to an end, I thought I'd take the time to post a recap of the standout ice creams of 2013. I explored a lot of new places and took on new challenges with my ice-cream maker, so it was certainly a successful year in blogging :)

While I enjoyed countless ice creams in 2013, below is a recap of the best, the worst, and the weirdest ones. Hope you enjoy this little trip down memory lane...

All-Around Best Ice Cream:

Mozambique at Max's Best Ice Cream (Washington, DC)

Best New Recipe:

Indian Pudding Ice Cream

Best Atmosphere:

Little Man Ice Cream (Denver, CO)

Worst Ice Cream:

Yak Soft Serve at "A Bite of Tibetan Flavor" (Beijing, China)

Weirdest Ice Cream:

Cheese Gelato at Sorvete Itália (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

What were YOUR favorites of 2013?

La Michoacana brings Mexican flavors to Sonoma County

Happy Holidays! I hope everyone is relaxing and enjoying time with loved ones.

Before heading to Massachusetts for Christmas, I had to fly out to the West Coast to present at a conference in Sonoma, California. While snow in Washington, DC threatened to cancel my trip, I ended up having an easy time getting myself to the Sonoma County Airport. This quaint single-gate airport is named after cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, who created the comic strip Peanuts. I got a kick out of all the Snoopy paraphernalia in the teeny-tiny airport.

Sonoma is nestled in the heart of California's wine country. Wineries in Sonoma County tend to be a bit smaller and are mostly family-owned, and thus Sonoma is a bit less crowded and commercialized than neighboring Napa Valley. Sadly, I didn't have time to visit any wineries during my 48 hours in Sonoma. But the beautiful vineyards and dry, rolling hills left me breathless, and I've already asked K to travel to Sonoma together someday.

On my one full day in Sonoma, I did manage to make time for ice cream. Priorities, people! Sitting in my rental car after the conference, a quick iPhone search resulted in a couple choices. But when I read that the New York Times recommended an ice-cream shop called "La Michoacana" in its "36 Hours in Sonoma" article, my decision was made. K and I regularly turn to the "36 Hours" series for restaurant and sightseeing tips before traveling to new cities.

Even in the dark evening, it was easy to spot La Michoacana along the busy Highway 12 in Sonoma; the brightly-lit and colorful storefront stands out in an otherwise grey strip of stores. I had read that the owner, Teresita Carr, grew up in Tocumba, Mexico, where the La Michoacana chain was founded. Located in western Mexico, Tocumba is a small town with a big reputation: about 90% of families living in Tocumba are involved in the ice-cream industry (according to this USA Today article).

From what I've read, La Michoacana is fairly ubiquitous in Mexico; rather than an official brand, the name is applied to any establishment that carries traditional Tocumba ice cream (referred to as "Michocán-style", after the state in which Tocumba is located) and traditional Mexican paletas. Ice cream from Tocumba is known for its simple, all-natural ingredients and focus on inventive flavors. Paletas are like better versions of American popsicles -- all-natural frozen pops made out of fresh juice, chunks of fruit, and (sometimes) a bit of real cream.

Like a typical shop in Mexico, Sonoma's La Michoacana offers an incredible variety of flavors. I could've easily spent an hour reading through the entire menu of ice cream, sorbet, paleta, and agua fresca flavors and tasting different samples. But since I had to get back to work, I tried to make a quick selection. Many of the fruit flavors sounded delicious (particularly the Coconut Pineapple and Banana Nut ice cream and Guava sorbet), and so did the traditional Americanized flavors like Strawberry Cheesecake, Cookies and Cream, and Rum Raisin. I went with my gut and ordered a two-scoop cup of Chongo (translated as "Custard") and Peanut Butter, which cost me $4.

Bottom scoop: Peanut Butter
Top scoop: Chongo, or "Custard"

The verdict? Each batch of La Michoacana ice cream is handmade in the back room, and both flavors were fresh and creamy - not a hint of icy freezer burn or artificial flavoring. I wasn't sure what Chongo would taste like, but I found it very pleasant. It was smooth and creamy, with a rich egg-y flavor reminiscent of Spanish flan or Australian custard. The smoothness of the Chongo offset the crunchiness of the Peanut Butter ice cream, which was very different than the traditional American peanut-butter ice cream. La Michoacana's version was a bit less sweet, allowing the true peanut taste to shine through. The ice cream was as chock-full of peanut bits as my favorite "super-chunk" peanut butter (maybe even more?), which made for a very satisfying scoop. Think of all that protein! I thoroughly enjoyed both scoops; neither flavor was so unique that it knocked my socks off, but this was excellent ice cream. La Michoacana is on to something, and I hope Mexican ice cream continues to grow in the United States.

The Stats:
La Michoacana
18495 Highway 12
Sonoma, CA 95476
(707) 938-1773
https://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Michoacana/131064026931857

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