Our post about companies giving their food away for free wasn't a joke. After you've had your morning ice coffee from Dunkin Donuts and sampled the new Southern Chicken Biscuit thing from McDonald's today, wait until next week for a free ice cream cone from Baskin Robbins. They're making May 21, Wednesday, traditionally known as "Hump Day" into "Bump Day." It's a debut of their "newest addition," soft serve, which they'll be serving from 11 am to 10 pm.
That means, of course, you have to be sporting a baby bump to get your free cone. (Don't worry, we'll likely post a reminder when the day gets closer.)
The official start of Summer is rapidly approaching. That means it's nearly time for trips to the beach, backyard cookouts and lots of homemade ice cream (preferably eaten outside with friends and family). Whether you've got a hand crank ice cream maker, one that attaches to your stand mixer or a fancy one with its own compressor, you can always use some fresh ice cream inspiration.
That's where Sally Sampson's new book Recipe of the Week: Ice Cream comes in. As the title suggests, Sampson has written a fresh recipe for every week of the year, making it possible for you to always be experimenting with new recipes, while still going back to your favorites. She has included recipes for ice cream, granitas and gelatos in the book, so no matter what your preference, there's something here for you.
One of the nice things here is that Sampson has worked to lower the amount of sugar in her recipes over more traditional ice cream recipes, so if you are one without a strong sweet tooth, you may find this book particularly appealing. The only problem I've found with this volume is that Sampson doesn't give any advice as to how to go about choosing an ice cream maker if you don't already have one. She assumed a certain level of prior knowledge, which is good for someone with ice cream experience, but isn't particularly helpful for the novice.
However, if you are excited for fresh ice cream inspiration and you have a bit of ice cream making experience, I would recommend this book without hesitation.
I think perhaps I have been living under a rock for the last 30 years of my life. Because until last Sunday, I had never heard of the awe inspiring Carl's and I had never tasted frozen custard. First, some history on how I discovered this delicious gem. My husband and I decided to take a road trip to Fredericksburg, Virginia. The hour long drive was inspired by the opening of a Sonic Drive-In. I know this may sound silly to some, but I am originally from Texas, and Sonic is my lifeblood. Since moving to D.C. in 2000 I have desperately longed for a Sonic within driving distance.
After stuffing ourselves with Sonic's cheeseburgers, cherry cokes, tater tots, and a coconut cream pie shake, we thought it might be prudent to do some walking. We made our way to charming historic downtown Fredericksburg, which is filled with a multitude of antique and junk shops. After perusing the shops and walking off our calorie fest we decided it was time to head back to D.C. On our way out of town we saw Carl's, or should I say, the line to Carl's. We slowed down to see what could be causing this group of about sixty people to stand in the hot sun. One look at the top of the building and we knew this place was special. I slowed down and my husband grabbed a place in line as I found parking.
You know all those commercials you see about texting some word or other to some number for something, like a horoscope? For example, it might be something like text the word fun to 4848 for a daily makeup tip. That's not a real one, but this offer from Carvel is.
That's right, the ice cream store wants you to text "fudgie" to 78247, Fudgie being the name of their mascot. It's all part of a summer campaign for the company. For your time and text, you get a coupon for a blended coffee or an Arctic Blender, and enter you for a chance to win a television set. Apparently Carvel is trying to reach its more "tech savvy" customers and attempt to haul itself into the information age. The offer runs through July 31, so there's plenty of time to let Carvel help keep you cool this summer.
Irvine Robbins, the co-founder of the ice cream chain that boasted of "31 flavors," has died at age 90. Robbins died yesterday in Rancho Mirage, CA.
The first Baskin-Robbins ice cream store (called Snowbird) opened in Glendale, CA in 1945. Robbins and business partner/brother-in-law Burton Raskin wanted to give American more flavors to choose from than the usual chocolate and vanilla. They wanted a new flavor for every day of the month (that's how they came up with 31). Some of the flavors they've had over the years include Beatle Nut (for the Beatles invasion in 1964), Lunar Cheesecake (for the moon landing), Chocolate Mint, Plum Nuts, Jamoca Almond Fudge, and ChaChaCha.
Also check out the Baskin-Robbins quiz and see how much you know about the flavors.
Most of us have had ice cream cakes, but have you have had ice cream cupcakes? If you haven't had one yet, you probably will soon. Maggie Moos now sells them, as does Philly Swirl. However, they are really easy to make at home using any of your favorite cake and ice cream combinations.
We might start feeling the squeeze on savings accounts, but we all know that there's an entirely separate account for ice cream!
Even still, Baskin Robbins is reducing the price on its single scoop tonight from 5-10 PM from whatever $1+ price it is (it's probably different everywhere) to a mere $0.31!
The 31 Cent Scoop Night is to honor America's firefighters, so grab your change purse, hurry over to your nearest Baskin-Robbins, and order a scoop of Jamocha Almond Fudge (that's what I like, but you order what you want).
There is still a little time to get your free Ben and Jerry's cone. However, if you missed it, you can get a thirty-one cent cone tomorrow (Wednesday) at Baskin-Robbins. Busy tomorrow? Head to Carvel on Thursday a free arctic blender or blended coffee.
Thursday is my birthday and free birthday ice cream would sure be nice, but the only Carvel near me is at the airport. The ice cream is no longer free when you have to pay for airport parking.
On an unrelated note, does anyone else find this Carvel creature creepier than clowns? We don't get Carvel TV ads in St. Louis. Can anyone tell me what this thing is supposed to be?
If there's heat wave where you are like there's a heat wave where I am, (it was over 90 degrees in some parts of southern California), then you'll appreciate the perfect timing of Ben & Jerry's annual Free Cone Day, which takes place tomorrow, Tuesday April 29, 2008. If you're not sure where there is a Ben & Jerry's shop near you, head over to their website and look one up!
If I have it me, I'll definitely making my way over for a free cone, though I do recall that last year, lines at some stores were circling blocks.
Remember Smucker's Magic Shell? That delightfully unhealthy gloopy chocolate-esque sauce that hardened upon settling onto ice cream? Oh, pure and unadulterated glee.
Good news: you can make it yourself, without the nasty trans fats and preservatives! The Kitchn provided two great recipes, one from Brownie Points and one from Naomi Poe (aka the Accidental Vegetarian).
Personally, I'd make the Veggie's version, simply because it contains one fewer ingredient and I wouldn't have to convert from grams, but both look and sound incredible.
I had heard of making ice cream with liquid nitrogen. I saw it on Iron Chef America not too long ago, if I remember correctly. I haven't ever tried it though. Where do you find the liquid nitrogen?
Anyway, here's a video of a couple of guys trying to make the frozen dessert in a blender. The result is hilarious. I strongly recommend that you do not try this at home. Even if it didn't look slightly dangerous, you seriously don't want to clean up that mess.
Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count von Rumford (March 26, 1753 - August 21, 1814) was an American-born physicist best known for his work in the field of thermodynamics. A Loyalist during the Revolutionary War, he was rumored to be a spy for the British and ended up having to flee to Europe, where he spent most of the rest of his life.
But let's give the guy some slack, as he invented the pressure cooker, the kitchen range and the technique for making Baked Alaska (though the dish was not named until 1876 at Delmonico's in New York in honor of the newly acquired territory), as well as a double boiler and a drip coffee pot. Rumford Baking Powder is named after him, as it was invented by a professor in the endowed Rumford professorship in physics at Harvard.
Rumford demonstrated that beaten egg whites acted as a good insulator for ice cream. He called the resulting dish 'omelette surprise.' I'm gonna venture to say that 'Baked Alaska' has a nicer ring. So let's honor the Count today with some ice cream, sponge cake, and meringue. Here's a recipe.
When I was a kind my favorite part of the science museum wasn't the earthquake model or the Van De Graaff generator (the big silver ball that made your hair stand on end with static electricity) or even the animatronic dinosaur. Those were all cool, yes, but they didn't compare to the packet of astronaut ice cream I'd get at the gift shop at the end of the day.
Reading about the spacewalkers from the Endeavor mission today, I was reminded of my favorite childhood treat. Packaged in hard silver bags, the ice cream looked more like fat sticks of sidewalk chalk than anything else. Biting into it, it had the texture of sidewalk chalk as well, though strangely light, until it melted in my mouth in a fizzy puddle and was gone in an instant, leaving me with a sticky mouth and the lingering taste of fake chocolate. Loved it, loved it, loved it.
I looked into whether it's possible to make freeze dried ice cream at home, and unfortunately it looks like it's not (but if I'm wrong, please let me know!), but I did find this cool description of how astronaut ice cream is made. The ice cream is frozen to -40° Fahrenheit and placed in a vacuum chamber. The chamber is heated, vaporizing the ice and dehydrating the ice cream. Can I really not make this at home?
Food styling has always been a field that I would love to go into, but I lack the skills and have no clue how I would proceed even if I did. So instead, I just read my boyfriend's digital food photography books and think about the tricks that one might use in the profession. Sometimes I consider using them for my personal blog, but I believe it constitutes cheating. Anyway, I thought I'd share some interesting ones just in case anyone needs to make their food more beautiful (though in some cases, it will result in it being inedible!):
1) To make your coffee appear bubbly and hot, add a teaspoon of soapy water. 2) For an extra cheesy-looking slice of pizza, cook the pizza halfway, then cut out one slice and add extra cheese around the edge of the cut. Finish cooking the pizza, then photograph the extra cheesy piece as you lift it out. 3) Use food-colored mashed potatoes for ice cream. I would actually never do this because my likelihood of forgetting and eating mashed potatoes with chocolate sauce is way too high.
Any others, perhaps ones that don't render the food inedible?
Forget pre-mixed rootbeer floats...this nifty little gadget takes floats to the next level.
The Fizz is, essentially, a cheap plastic domed lid with an opening in the middle that holds a straw and is able to suck up liquids without letting them seep out.
As per the video on the item's website, appropriately set to the tune of Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough," the soda enthusiast simply scoops ice cream into the plastic resevoir, screws the lid onto the top of a plastic soda bottle (looks like it has to be plastic, not metal or aluminum), and squeezes the bottle, sucking part of the liquid into the vessel where it mixes with the ice cream for a no-mess float on the go.
This product immediately lost some of its appeal once I realized what it reminds me of: the ACT brand mouthwash that the dentist made me use when I was younger, which also involves squeezing liquid into a plastic resevoir at the top of a bottle.
I immediately thought of using the product to fix a root beer float (probably because that's what the website used as an example, and sometimes I'm easily swayed, especially when it involves refined sugar) but the website offers some other suggestions for flavor combos, including strawberry sherbet/lemon-lime soda, vanilla yogurt/orange soda, or crushed ice and flavored syrup.
If I haven't completely turned you off yet, what do you think? Yay or nay on the soda float-on-the-go?
Have you ever stashed a Coke in the freezer, hoping to chill it quickly, then forgotten all about it, only to have it explode all over your frozen peas?
We might start feeling the squeeze on savings accounts, but we all know that there's an entirely separate account for ice cream! 
If there's heat wave where you are like there's a heat wave where I am, (it was over 90 degrees in some parts of southern California), then you'll appreciate the perfect timing of 
I had heard of making ice cream with liquid nitrogen. I saw it on Iron Chef America not too long ago, if I remember correctly. I haven't ever tried it though. Where do you find the liquid nitrogen? 
Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count von Rumford (March 26, 1753 - August 21, 1814) was an American-born physicist best known for his work in the field of thermodynamics. A Loyalist during the Revolutionary War, he was rumored to be a spy for the British and ended up having to flee to Europe, where he spent most of the rest of his life. 
When I was a kind my favorite part of the science museum wasn't the earthquake model or the Van De Graaff generator (the big silver ball that made your hair stand on end with static electricity) or even the animatronic dinosaur. Those were all cool, yes, but they didn't compare to the packet of astronaut ice cream I'd get at the gift shop at the end of the day. 
Food styling has always been a field that I would love to go into, but I lack the skills and have no clue how I would proceed even if I did. So instead, I just read my boyfriend's digital food photography books and think about the tricks that one might use in the profession. Sometimes I consider using them for my personal blog, but I believe it constitutes cheating. Anyway, I thought I'd share some interesting ones just in case anyone needs to make their food more beautiful (though in some cases, it will result in it being inedible!):
A fraking amazing Battlestar Galactica cake
Iced Tea 101
Pierogies + cheese + onions + kraut = Parmageddon!
