"ice cream sandwiches" news and stories

An ice cream sandwich is a great summer treat. Not only is it cool and tasty, but it has a little bit of nostalgia attached to it because you probably ate them as a kid, with the ice cream squishing out from between the cookies and making a mess of things. Somehow, that seemed to make it taste even better at the time.

Substituting pound cake for the cookies usually found on ice cream sandwiches is a great way to reinvent the classic dessert into something a little bit more elegant for summer entertaining. Just thinly slice up a store-bought (or homemade) pound cake and spread some softened ice cream between two slices. Wrap each serving up with plastic wrap and, when you're ready to serve, just place one on each plate and garnish with whipped cream and berries.

There is no reason that you have to use these sandwiches when entertaining, of course. You can simply stock them in your freezer and have them yourself when the mood strikes you.

A few months ago, I was on the hunt through the supermarket's freezer section for a good "light" ice cream sandwich. That was Spring, and I resigned myself to suffering with "diet" ones in preparation for summer's body-conscious wardrobe. Well summer is almost over, and though it's still hot enough outside to wear a swimsuit to work, there's no point in trying to shave off the pounds now. Good thing, too, since New York magazine has taste tested some of the best ice cream sandwiches around the city, some so good that they cost almost $8! Here are there top eight:

1. One Girl Cookies - "tiniest, and the best of the bunch."
2. Ciao Bella Gelato - "regulation-size sandwich holds together well"
3. Bierkraft - "best ice-cream brownie-sandwich you'll ever find in a beer shop"
4. Milk & Cookies - "a moody tattooed countergirl will make your sandwich"
5. 'Wichcraft - "Don't miss the peanut-butter-ice-cream-and-chocolate-cookie combo"
6. Ruby et Violette - "a rare instance of white chocolate not ruining everything"
7. Jacques Torres Chocolate - "Oddly reminiscent (in a good way) of Good Humor's Candy Center Crunch"
8. Otto - "what Sicilians eat for breakfast."

Of course, I'm partial to making them at home with my own homebaked chocolate chip cookies and a scoop of Haagen-Dazs coffee ice cream.

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Ice cream sandwiches are not difficult to make. You only really need cookies and ice cream - preferably in complimentary flavors. But when it's really hot, you lose your motivation to do even simple things, like going to the store. Whether you're doing it out of convenience to treat yourself or as a gift to a loved one (perhaps one who is experiencing heat-related black-outs in parts of California), you can buy ice cream sandwiches online from Ciao Bella Gelato. Ciao Bella is known for their outstanding quality and flavors, and their Ottimo Gelato Sandwiches pair the gelato with perfectly matched Eleni's Cookies. The sandwiches are shipped overnight via FedEx in a dry-ice filled insulated box and are $54.95 for 9 sandwich cookies in assorted flavors, which include the Chocolate Ottimo (Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Chocolate Gelato), the Espresso Ottimo (Chocolate Neat Chunk Cookies with Espresso Gelato) and the Lemon Ottimo (Lemon Poppy Cookies with Lemon Gelato).

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Lori, at Dessert First, recently blogged about her visit with Ian the ice cream man, who was inspired by Ben & Jerry's to take ice cream up a few notches and sells his delicious blends in the Philippines via his new business, Sebastian's. To showcase some of his flavors, Lori put together a whole array of ice cream creations, but these sandwiches look like the ultimate treat for a summer day. Not only are the ice cream sandwiches made using fresh, crisp chocolate chip cookies as a base, but the ice cream itself contains chocolate chip cookie dough. Once the outside of the cookie has been rolled in large chocolate chips, a chocolate chip cookie lover will be in heaven, though "heaven" might require a napkin or two to eat it. Not that that should be a problem for anyone.

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In an effort to sort through all the "dos" and "don'ts" of eating fish, the Times compiled a list of fish that are not only safe to eat at least once a week without worrying about contaminants and over-fishing, but that taste good, too. Wild, farmed and shellfish are all included. Don't be intimidated by the flavors of some of these less-popular fish: they can be substituted in all your favorite recipes.

Blue Bell ice cream, a premium brand sold only in 16 states, is so good that it ranks #3 in the nation in sales. What makes it so good? "The milk we use is so fresh it was grass only yesterday." If you're not in the Lone Star State, where the 99-year old, family-owned company is based, you can have it shipped - but it'll cost you.

Speaking of ice cream, ice cream sandwiches just might be the new cupcake. It has nostalgia and simplicity, as well as a huge number of variations, sure to please eaters of all ages.

The secret to stress-free cooking is cooking ahead, a strategy that even works in restaurants - particularly Italian ones that specialize in slow-cooked foods. Grandma didn't seem stressed, did she?

Frank Bruni eats and drinks at Cafe d'Alsace, giving it two stars. But that might just be the beer talking.

Mark Bittman makes sticky rice with mango, sharing Thai tradition.

Submit your best summer cocktail here.

[Image NYT]

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